so what's the story about black peoples and their hair. some don't want to go swimming and others don't care.

Question

what is "GOOD HAIR" AND WHAT IS "NAPPY HAIR"? And why don't they love what GOD gave 'em?

Answer 1

As a black woman, to me, there is no such thing as good or bad hair, all hair is good. The usage of good hair/bad hair is another misconception that any thing closer to white (skintone, hair texture, facial profile) is better or superior than the traditional african or black ones.

But to answer your question, hair that has a course, rough texture and is resistant to alteration is considered bad hair. Hair that is soft and fine in texture and has a looser curl pattern and is easy to manipulate is called good hair.

Example, Kellis, Racheal True, Alicia Keys all fit the profile of "good hair"

Oprah, India.Aire, have what some would call "bad hair"

Black people with finer hair texture have an easier time styling their hair once it gets wet. Many can wash and go.

Black people (not peoples) with courser hair texture, have a more time consuming beautification process. In order to get coarse hair straight, it must be processed straight either with chemicals or heat, both of which are extremly damaging. So, before the process of straigntening coarse hair begins, a deep conditioner under a warm dryer is in order (45-60 min.) this can be done before the heat straightening (called pressing) or after the chemical (called a relaxer or a perm.)

Pressing black hair, depending on the length and thickness can take anywhere from 45min to an hour. Perming black hair takes at least an hour.

After black hair is washed, it then has to be blown dry either by a blowdryer witha comb attachment, or wrapped in a wrap style or rollerset before being sat to dry under the hair drier. There goes another hour or so.

After the hair is dry and or/pressed, it then has to be styled, which can be another 30 min or so.

Now if some **** throws me in the pool after I JUST spent at least 3 hours in the shop getting my hair done, its gonna be trouble. Most other ethnic groups can get their hair wet, comb it out and let it air dry. Those with coarser hair can not. We end up with a big ball of fluff that will take several hours to rectify.

Another reason some black people dont want to get their hair wet is because their hair is permed. Perm, sun and clorine do not mix. Coarse hair is fragile, especially when its layers are broken down with chemicals. Ever notice how you seem to get more hair breakage when you swim if your hair is dyed? Thats why

I currently wear braids to give my hair a break from the chemicals. I dont like to get them wet when I swim because they weight like 40 lbs soaking wet and make my neck hurt.

As far as being happy with what God gave us, i think every racial group is guilty of that. I bet you wear makeup. Why arent you happy with the face god gave you? If you buy a car, does that mean you arent happy with the legs god gave you? If you dye your hair, are you not happy with the hair color god gave you?

Just because someone doesnt want their hair wet, doesnt mean they arent proud of their hair.

I commend you on asking a question you were curious about. You may want to re think your condesending tone though. Most black people dont mind answering questions like this if they are asked in a respectful tone.

Answer 2

I can't stand the fact that people think our hair aka bad hair needs relaxers it's not true!!! Our natural hair (believe it or not) is actually easier to manage than relaxed hair it just requires different care. I mean think about no or little swimming is just a disadvantage of relaxed hair others are you can't do a wash and go, pay all that money on products and salon visits, suffer scalp burns, breakage and if you didn't know relaxed hair is guaranteed not to be healthy no matter how much stuff you use anyways more disadvantages of a relaxer are you can't scratch your scalp anytime and you have to stay out of humidity after a style plus you have harsh chemical treatment on your hair and IT'S NOT THE HAIR YOU WERE BLESSED WITH FROM GOD THAT'S WHY IT BREAKS OFF AND HATES WATER. Natural hair is not meant to be combed when dry and needs little maintenance unlike relaxed hair which needs grease heat hair strengtheners moisturizers leave ins touch ups cremes and more u are wasting your money i could go on and on but to answer your question good hair is biracial hair and not so poofy hair and bad hair is nappy tightly curled hair that most people relax. And the reason people with relaxers are concerned about swimming is because there hair is chemically treated and with improper care you'll have tons of breakage (another disadvantage) that's why some people go swimming and the ones that do probably know how to take care of it.

Answer 3

I am african american, so I'll just answer from my point of view. "good hair" is the type of that you can run you fingers or a comb through. It is the desirable type of hair, because then there is no need to straighten it. But the suprising thing is that despite the many types of "good hair" that you will see in the black community, very few african american women wear it unless its the bone straight kind or just barely curly. This type of hair is typically not a problem to take swimming, because the hair will air dry like an earlier responder discussed.

"Nappy hair" refers to the african american hair that is very very very coily. It bends and twists every different way imaginable. Many african american women who choose to wear their hair this way are described as "going natural". The hair is made up of several different types of hair, on the same head, I can say this because my hair is all natural (that means no chemicals, just what I was born with). It's strange, one strand will be straight the other super curly, but the ending result on the head is a short or large afro, and since my hair is at least 8 inchs all the way around, that is a medium to large afro.

Because there is so much, what we call "shrinkage", I stretch my hair out by plaiting it in braids or putting it in twists. Because the hair is so curly, there is no need to burn or tie the ends, it just coils on its own. Our hair is quite remarkable, and very lovely, but just not very well understood. I can tell you though, it sure does cut down on the beautician bills, and I get way more compliments. You'll find me every once and a while playing in my hair, because of its interesting texture, and I have had to shoo other hands away from playing in it too.

Also, I have no problem swimming, or with the rain. Hair that is relaxed or permed "nappy hair that has been straighted", usually does not respond well to water at all. With nappy hair there can be damage from the pools chlorine, and water can dry the hair too if the water is a bad quality. But, that's true of all types of hair.

Please know that I do love what GOD has given me. It makes me very unique, and although it doesn't always seem like its very acceptable in our society, I think it is worth showing off. Everyone always looks better in their own skin, and after watching several african american women make the decision to were their "nappy hair", I am encouraged day by day by our progress. Although, honestly, there is some self-hatred of african american women about their hair, and that is something that we don't and usually won't admit. But, it's okay I think that every race of women struggles with something that she doesn't like about herself. And honestly african american women are no different.

Good Hair and Nappy Hair, are really just terms. We really do need to remember, that every hair type is good hair, no matter the texture

Blessings!

Answer 4

black people and their hair has been around the universe and back. i'm black. use to use relaxers to relax curl in hair, this makes it straight so if it gets wet it won't become nappy or hard to comb. also, a lot of black women have weaves some are sewn in and some are glued on. one that has the glue certainly don't want to get her hair wet,she may lose it in the water. the styles of many others use styling gel to keep the hair in place and the water would rinse the gel out,making her hair to become wild looking. for many years black people who had naturally puffy hair ,was called nappy-headed, while those who hair was wavy or striaght was said to have good hair. but, today a lot of black women are going natural,having their hair braided,twists, or locs. then some are wearing short-cropped afros. the hair can be styled into a lot of different styles and decorated with simple adornments if wanted. we love what God gives us. some of us just want it to be easier to style.

Answer 5

Well I'm a African-American girl and I love my hair. But most black girls don't like to go swimming b/c the chlorine in the water brings your hair out if you do not wash it properly.
"Good Hair" is a African-American with another race(white,indian,french,mexican) in their genes with causes them to have long or wavy hair, unlike full black African-Americans.
I know you've seen bi-racial blacks before. And nappy hair is thick, sometimes hard to comb through hair which requires relaxers(perms) every other month.

Answer 6

Well the chlorine makes anyones hair DRYER. As hair goes the more natural blonde you are the more natural OIL you have in your scalp. The opposite specrum to BLONDE would be AFRICAN type hair and the scalp in DRYER.

Persons with African type hair do have to provide more oil to the scalp with added products. So this can create a dileima to the hair itself when going swimming in general. On the average a person born with African type hair/scalp can probably get by with washing their hair twice a week where as a blonde type person needs to wash everyday.

There are many new and wonderful hair straighteners and hair products for BLACK/AFRICAN hair that make it easier to take care of in our modern times.

Answer 7

I think they do love what he gave them but itwas something and the ones who had hair like white people were treated better or something. But I dont know much about this. But inever heard that they dont like going swimming. Ive seen a lot of black people swimming

Answer 8

Oh I like it!! But I'm a little confused about the age of Jane and Matt.

Answer 9

GOOD HAIR IS SLANG FOR HAIR THAT DOES NOT NEED A PRRSSING COMB OR PERM. WONT NAP UP. NAPPY HAIR IS THE NATURAL STATE OF BLACK PEOPLES HAIR. TIGHT DRAWN UP HAIR. THE NATURAL IS A NAPPY STYLE OF HAIR. BLACKS DO GO SWIMMING, I WEAR A SWIMMING CAP BECAUSE WE DONT WASH OUR HAIR DAILY, IT WOULD STRIP OUR HAIR OF NATURAL OIL. OTHERS HAS CHEMICALS AND THE CHORINE IN THE POOL WILL CAUSE DAMAGE.

Answer 10

Trackstar summed it up. But it's a sad labeling I love my hair regardless. At least you asked some people just go around assuming. As for the swimming thing that's a "chick thing" mainly not a race thing.