Protective Hairstyles Advice

America is fascinated with fear.

America. Ah, the land of the free and the home of the brave! Right? Wrong. We might be free, but we most certainly are not brave. While some are brave in fighting the enemies in war to protect our homeland, others are not when it comes to having some heart to fight the ignorance and care for their hair. 

As a cosmetologist, fear in hair care behooves me. To be honest, it was working with women who were afraid of their own hair while working as a social worker is what got me behind the chair in the first place. 

Exhibit A - The famous coveted "protective
silk" scarf.

Yep, during my social work days I can not tell you how many women had children services involved in their homes for lack of hair care, abuse with hair care, trafficking drugs for hair, fighting over hair, stealing hair; they got into all kinds of mischiefs about hair. Well, everything but caring for their hair or their children's hair themselves. Why? I asked myself that question on several occasions. 

The same answer I got over 15 years ago is the same answer I get today. Fear. Don't get me wrong, America is a great place to live. However, if there is one thing I would like to change about our country, it would be our abuse and misuse of fear. Quite naturally in some instances. fear serves a great purpose. Like when there is a bear, you broke your momma's lamp or your water broke. We all can agree, a good dose of fear comes naturally and quickly in those examples. Yet, when it comes to hair, why is there so much fear?

In this blog, I will take on the fear that many women have in caring for their hair under the guise of "protective hairstyles." Yes lawd, these people with this natural hair movement need to go somewhere and sit down. I get the natural part, but the movement throws me. For starters, the guise of "protective hairstyles" that are being promoted by this natural hair movement is moving people in the wrong direction in many instances. Because this topic can get long. I will briefly cover 3 ways that "protective styles" within the natural hair movement, unknowingly promoting "NO HAIR CARE." 

Exhibit B - The most recent "protective" hairstyle, "Latch Hook" braid style.

The first way is fear. There are many women out there who are abandoning hair care in the name of protection for fear. They actually believe that if they comb, can't comb it, wash it, use sulfates, use man made products that their hair will fall out. That is not true. Have no fear because "protective hair styles" are just a fancy way of saying, "keep your hand out of your hair." That concept works great for those who just won't stop combing, weaving, styling, coloring, relaxing and everything in between every time you turn around with their hair. Yes, braiding it up will temporarily suffice. 

The "temporarily suffice" leads me to the second way that the "protective hairstyling" is unknowingly promoting fear and a clique mania within the natural hair movement. Protective hairstyles purpose is to physically cover the hair to reduce friction that often causes breakage and loss of length. Protective hairstyles do not clean hair. Nor does protective hairstyles fortify and reconstruct hair. If protective styles in all its array of choices are your prerogative to protect and grow your hair...then; "Do what you wanna do!" (In my Bobby Brown voice). Protective hairstyles simply cover your hair. Nothing more and nothing less.

But, make no mistake protecting and growing hair will never result in strong, fortified hair that will withstand the rigors of manipulating hair in its many ways. Manipulating hair is typically done via braiding, wrapping, flat ironing, combing, brushing, wearing a scarf, chemically altering it, getting it wet and so on. Hair needs protein to fortify the second layer of hair to keep it strong enough to handle manipulating it. Hair also needs reconstructors to repair the cuticle layer which is responsible for the shine and feel on our hair.

How many braids do we braid on a daily?
Me say, "Money, I mean many many many!"

The third and final problem with the promotion of "protective hair styling" is cleanliness. Next to dehydration, nothing weakens and compromises hair in every way imaginable than dirty hair. Keeping your hair covered, braided or with weaves to keep your hands out of it to keep from breaking your hair off and losing your length is understandable. However, what you really need to understand is that the yeast, dirt, and growing bacteria is the perfect breeding ground for hair eating and follicle (the tiny hole that your hair grows from) compromising micro-organisms that will always result in weak, limp, damaged, over processed, lackluster, thinning, smelly, scaly scalp, lice, and nit infested hair. That is; when you take it down.

I so get the importance of embracing what God gave you by way of hair texture. But what good will pointing out the beauty of your God given hair (regardless your race, texture and length) if you do not wash it properly with the correct products formulated for your unique hair fabric? What good is protecting your natural hair if you cover it, braid it or  "weave" it and you will not wash it and fortify it? What good is it to boast and brag about being natural and going natural when you are too busy to care for it? What good is it to be "natural" if you do not want to learn how to do it yourself or invest in someone who can?

Hair nits. The struggle is real. Do not use hair straight
from the package. Clean the artificial hair first.

I will reiterate how I get the movement. I understand. I too promote braiding it, covering it , and weaving it. But, where the movement is going and who are allowed to go on it, remains something of an enigma to me? Using fear and ignorance, coupled with unresponsible leadership will continue to move those with hair in the illusive wrong direction of protective styles that require no care, no treatment, no cleaning, no nothing; well not at least for 3 weeks to 3 months. That will never suffice and result in strong shainy hair. 

In closing, would you Google a movement, followed its directions and buty their endorsed products to protect your vagina like that?

Exactly!

Nappy Hair

Stereotype. 

Is it me, but do you ever reflect back on those pivotal moments when you had those "A-ha Moments" in learning that were very fascinating? I still have them to this very day. When I was in the 6th grade, I was full of excitement to learn how to use different words to express myself. 

In reminiscing, nothing quite tickled my fancy that I can recall, like learning the word, "stereotype." Now, if my memory serves me correct, which it doesn't as I age, I recall thinking the word stereotype meant some kind of stereo. I just knew my guess could not be wrong. After all, I knew what a stereo was and I knew what type meant; so how could I have went wrong on that word? Boy, was I wrong. 

Since learning what stereotype meant, I've come to realize that it is just as real at 48 years old as it was at 11 years old. If it has been a while since you've read the definition of stereotype, let me refresh you. As defined in Websters, "stereotype is a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing."

Being a hairstylist, stereotyping, unfortunately, is very commonplace. For example, it is not uncommon for a hairstylist to assume that a person is black if they have brown skin with textured hair. I highly recommend licensed hairstylists to do a thorough consultation. A consultation gives the professional  a chance to get to know the customer first before they even touch their hair. It is the consultation that reduces the likelihood of stereotyping. 

Artificial hair.

In no place do I see stereotyping like I see it in the hair industry. Stereotyping has moved from the eyes to the thoughts, to the pages and now to the computer screens worldwide. Words and images of "natural hair" being predominantly associated with women of color regardless the location. As a matter of fact, stereotyping is also changing the meaning of words. Stereotyping promotes the ignorance that "natural hair' is textured hair for Black girls and women. Funny, what about boys and men?

Yep, it's that bad. I was in the salon the other day and my new guest asked, "What is your take on natural hair? I notice in all that I read about you, you shy away from that word." I responded, "Well...if it grows from your head, it's natural." She was like, "Oh." I told her that I was not trying to be funny or not sensitive. I told her that I was being professional. In being professional, it is in one's best interest to avoid stereotyping. I doubt any customer I serve would find me credible if I asked if they had "natural" hair as I touch it or implied it wasn't natural because it was chemically altered. To me, that would not be professional. To me, that would be stereotyping.

For the record, a wig or weave in any fashion is the only hair that is not natural. It is sewn onto some sort of netting, weft or is attached to the natural fibers growing from your scalp in many ways from gluing, to sewing, to clipping them in, fusing and the likes.  Seriously, not much of hair styling can take place without some hair. Except In the many cases of people who can not grow hair, is on medication that causes them to lose their hair or for those who simply shave it off because they don't want any hair; then no hair it is. They may opt for a wig in the many ways they can be made. 

Natural hair! 

Natural hair is hair that grows from the scalp in the varying textures of curly, kinky, wavy, straight and Afro. Everybody of the same race or within the same family does not have the same hair. Natural hair is not a black thing. Textured hair is most certainly not a black thing. Natural hair that is chemically altered via straighteners, texturizers or hair color REMAINS natural. Just because it is altered does not mean that it is not natural. It means your hair is altered. Promoting altered hair as anything but natural is like saying, "If you wear makeup, earrings or put clothes on; you are not natural." 

For the record, hair is a pliable resilient fiber that you can safely do many things to alter it. Hair's chief purpose is adornment because adorning yourself is innate. The unknown desire to be cute or alter your appearance (hair included) is natural as scratching an itch! To be exact, they still have not found any scientific or biological reason why we have hair. Aside from the obvious theory of protection, research has not yielded anything profound about why we have hair.

If it grows from your scalp, it's natural.

Rather a person wants to braid, twist, loc, color, relax, perm, wave or weave their hair; it is still natural. Texture and race have nothing to do with determining whose hair is natural. Again, if it grows from the scalp or skin; it is natural. 

The deliberate act of excluding others who do not look like you is along the lines of discrimination, racism, classism, sexism. When you clump people together and assume they are all the same and share your sentiments is stereotyping. I professionally and deliberately do not do business with any hair company, styling tool manufacturer and hair stylists who overtly or indirectly incorporate stereotyping in their scope of service for financial gain. When it is at the expense of uninformed people, it makes my skin cringe. 

Natural Hair

As much as I am a fan of social networking, I do not like it when I see people stereotyping the phrase, "natural hair." Then they have the audacity to take it to another level by indirectly cyberbullying and using overt racism by promoting that "natural hair" is a black thing. That type of behavior is exclusive. Natural hair is inclusive. Most humans are designed to grow natural hair. Therefore, promoting it as exclusive to one race or textured hair group of people is not true. Exclusion is mean spirited. It scares people and it confuses people. 

This "natural hair" movement in some ways is not moving.  The "natural hair" movement has an element of rhetoric that misinforms, divides and hurts. It is rhetoric that takes advantage of people who want to belong. It misleads those who are looking for solutions to hair styling challenges. It is also rhetoric that has an element of a clique that only a certain photo filtered shades of brown with made up faces and innuendos of being "black enough" is natural. That is wrong on every level and you know it. 

If you cut us open, humans are
pretty much wired the same!

Stereotyping happens to me often. I once participated in a "natural hair" event and was questioned the "naturalness" of my race and hair because my hair was artificially colored blonde. My hair is still blonde. Regardless if my hair is artificially colored or not; I am a woman of color and my hair is still natural. Challenging a person's authenticity of naturalness based on the color of their skin or if their hair is chemically altered or artificially enhanced is preposterous.  Suggesting that girls and women must somehow be validated as "natural" by images that rarely looks like them when they wake up and get on with their day is uberly unrealistic. That challenge and suggestion give way to a belief that "natural" is carefree and automatic. Natural is never carefree and automatic. Natural requires time, creativity, care, attention, and patience. 

In conclusion, as a licensed hair stylist, I know for certain that "natural hair" really does grow from the scalp of all who can grow hair. I know that "natural hair" is not a black thing. It is a biological thing.