Why is it Hard for Black Women to have Long Hair?

Question

I've noticed out of all the black women in my family (and those I grew up with), it seems like a constant life struggle for black women to grow their hair out. Is it cause we try too hard? Relaxers? Micros? Diet? I know for a fact its not genetics cause everyone's hair grows around the same rate, regardless of race, but why Black Women?

Answer 1

Black women are constantly reminded of how they should supposedly look to be pretty. That means that they must of long, silky hair that has no friz or curl. Naturally, black women don't have that kind of hair. Most black women have very curly hair that may or may not be frizzy...some black women have curlier, frizzier hair than others. That is simply the natural biology of their hair. So, when the media and other sources tell them that they need....well...white women hair, they desperately start looking for ways to make their hair "pretty." They flatiron, relax, and do anything to make their hair the way it "should look." Those relaxers and straighteners hurt hair tremendously, and it ruins the hair in a matter of years. Then, the black women are stuck with short, often very abused hair that can't take much more damage. When this happens, they are sort of stuck. They either accept their natural hair (which is beautiful) or they continue to straighten the little hair they have. So, people begin that stereotype that ALL black women have virtually no hair. This is a cruel statement to make, considering the fact that black women are only trying to be "pretty" by white standards. My mother is black, and when she was little she straightened her hair with a relaxer. It ruined her hair, and when she was an adult, she started over. Now, she has lovely long (ver long) dreadlocks...100 percent natural. No salons. Very few hair products. And no worries about water touching her hair! I'm bi-racial, so my hair is a mix of sorta straight and sorta curly. I choose to keep mine natural, and never use straighteners to make it straighter than it is. Black women, though it's tough for them to accept it sometimes, need to love their pretty hair NATURALLY and do hairstyles like dreads. It is a STEREOTYPE that they don't have hair...NOT genetic and NOT diet. Nothing except the standards they think they must meet to be pretty. It's NOT true that they aren't pretty with natural hair...my mom's hair is so nice people think it's fake. White women don't need to worry about straighteners, because their hair is already straight. Black women can love their hair naturally...and it's pretty!

Answer 2

I'm black but my hair is below mid-back length (has been much longer in my younger years), very thick, soft, and healthy, but there are many reasons why this is. For most black women, it's a combination of factors why many bw seem to have stunted and unhealthy hair. 1) One thing is genetics…sometimes it makes things a lot easier with a good starter kit but this is not always necessary. 2) Healthy diet also can influence/change genetics. This area most black women don't want to deal with because it takes to much effort to eat right or in a way that creates optimal conditions for great hair growth. They would rather pop vitamins or eat whatever is convenient and taste good despite the lack of nutritional value. 3) Lack of exercise. The heart isn't pumping blood and getting it flowing strongly in areas good increase hair growth. 4) Less ideal hair care practices. Granted, bw do spend a lot of time and concern with their hair. But many don't realize that a very natural approach is the most ideal for black hair. No harsh chemicals such as relaxers and no commercial hair products. Completely organic products are best for bw hair. You can get them at your Target, TJ Max, Ross, online, etc. Doesn't have to be at a health food store all the time, which may be out of the way for some bw. Also, wearing a lot of tight, contorted hair styles that pull the hair out the scalp and break it off doesn't help. When BW have most if not all of this things going for them, they will have beautiful healthy heads of hair. Until then, it'll be a continuous cycle of putting a bandage over a wound that never has a chance to heal.

Answer 3

Well (despite my little cartoon picture) I have hair that goes far past my shoulders and grows pretty long, and so does my mother and sister. But your right it's not genetics, it's about habbits. The women in my family don't put weaves or pony tails in their hair, they don't detangle their hair by ripping at it, they wrap it every night and oil the scalp and put tea tree oil on the tips. I get my perm done at the shop but I wash it once a week and don't color treat it or anything extra. My hair is shiny and long and healthy. You have to treat your hair, and keep it moisturized. Put conditioner on it (after washing) and place a cap over it for 30 minutes once a week. Also what I do to give my hair a boost is give it a break and put it up in braids for the end of the winter time, by the summer time I have an extra four or five inches with NO breakage. I do that once a year. My ahir has been all the way down my back before.

Answer 4

we don't treat our hair the proper way. our hair is not really the type of hair to be permed but these steps that do work will grow your hair out but it is possible for us to have long hair mines touches my shoulder and is still growing. also my aunts hair touches the middle of her back. dieting is hard for us because of the food we eat and the temtaion that we have. sometimes we are not dedicated. im working on it and i was having a hard time but now im shedding pounds. about dieting be dedicated about it and you will see results. for your hair i was told by a lady named Mixed_Beauty hear is what she said.

Treat your hair good!!! Human hair grows 6 inches every year (about 1/2 inch each month) and no more than that!!! But it will appear to be growing faster if you take care of it and treat it right. Because its growth wont be stunted, breaking or thining.

1) Wash/keep it clean (once a week)

2) Deep Condition Every Week (Motions CPR Conditioner)
http://www.motionshair.com/m_products/m_...

3) Use a Protein Restructuror
http://www.motionshair.com/m_products/m_...

4) Keep those ends trimmed

5) Stay away from heat (Curlers, Flat Irons & Blow Dryers)

6) Keep it Moisterized (I use DooGro & Motions moisterizers)
http://www.doogro.com/vitalizers.html...
http://www.motionshair.com/m_products/m_...

7) Take a Women's Multi-Vitamin & drink LOTS of H20

For more details check out some of my best answers.
http://answers.yahoo.com/my/profile;_ylt...

~ Have a Blessed Day ~
(By the way, you can get all of this at Sally's or any Black Hair Store)

Answer 5

That's not an accurate statement. I have long hair and I can show you several others (not mixed)that have long hair. It's all in how you treat your hair. When I was young, my mother used the hot iron and grease to press my hair, and I find that a lot healthier than perms and relaxers. That's the problem with our young girls today. They are too grown and they want to do thier own hair, coloring it and putting chemicals in it because thier peers around them do it.

Answer 6

i guess it depends on the how much products they put on the it damages the hair and takes time off the growth i m not sure

Answer 7

Dont know but my friend is 3/4 black and 1/4 chinese...She got long long hair..longer than mine.But yeah i see what u mean..I ask my friend that she said she dunno -.-

Answer 8

I am all black and my hair is long(look at my pic)i grease it every day...n was it 3times a week n pearm it 3 weeks after i wash it and grease it about everyday

Answer 9

It IS genetics. It's dry and it breaks off. Doesn't matter how fast it grows if it keeps breaking off.
Best thing you can do is avoid chemical services, avoid using heat on it, and use moisturizers.
Also, washing it is rough on it. May sound a bit gross, but if you want it to look great don't wash it more than once every 2 weeks and keep it moisturized.

Answer 10

im not exactly sure but i think its because they try to do more with their hair like perms and stuff and sometimes like the brads and things wear down on the hair making it harder for it to grow im not positiv but i guess u can call it my theory or w.e because i dont really know much about hair