Why dont we admit it!!!

[happylife]

Scientific studies have shown that African hair grows an average of 4" per year compared to 5 or 6+ with Caucasians and Asians. I'll come back with the link if I can find it. The thing, though, is that "black" does not equal African. There is so much racial admixture in black people, esp. black Americans that the numbers are all mixed up.

And anecdotally, I know black people who's hair grows really fast, and also white people who's hair grows slowly. You can't really underestimate the importance of retention. Even if you only lose a quarter of an inch/month due to breakage, that adds up to 3" lost per year. I think this happens a lot with black women. White women don't experience breakage like that unless there's really a lot of damage.

sums it for me. we are just too big of a melting pot to cookie cut into one category- the slow growers.

 

[teysmith]

I agree that most white people are NOT concerned, but they DO think about it. Any white person that I have gotten close to/ lived with has asked me many questions about my hair.

My Asian friends were curious about my braids, and a Jewish friend of mine asked for hair care advice.

As always, my question is if WE are jacking up our hair so bad, how does one explain little black girls with short hair and white 3 year olds with long hair. Doesn't add up.

Excuse any errors - I am on my phone

PERFECT EXAMPLE!

 

[sharifeh]

What does that have to do with anything? Why does it matter what white peoples growth is or isn't? We'd be much better off if we put more focus on retaining all our own growth and maintaining healthy strands. The growth on another races hair has no effect on me and I dont lose any sleep over it.

I totally agree. But it does have an effect on me! I'm freakin jealous!!

On the bright side, it's kind of fun being obsessed with hair and tracking hair growth.

I'm so surprised that no one has commented on another thread about a lady who has done a BKT and someone asked her what race she is and she said, just black. Now come on, black is not a race and to me, its really deceiving. We all know, whether we agree or want to admit it, what everyone views as 'black hair' is not type 3 hair. You definitely have a mixture of ethnicity if you have type 2-3 hair. But lets keep the PC threads going.... THANKS ORIGINAL POSTER FOR SAYING SOMETHING!

You don't think black is a race? How do you define race then out of curiosity?
I mean, what were people supposed to say? That she's not black? She said she was...so she is.
Almost every AA has a mixture of ethnicity, but people usually only claim as far as their grandparents or great-grandparents.

I also kind of get annoyed by (and it's one of the reasons that it took me a long time to actually join up) how many people will resort to insulting the hair of women of other races. "Their hair is limp, stringy and scraggly looking, my hair is so versatile!" and then justifying the insults by saying "Well, they're talking about our hair anyway" or "White people are so obsessed with our hair". Chances are, they're not giving it any thought.

This! This drives me up the wall too!! The "my hair is so versatile and their hair is so limp and boring!!!"
Like if you have to put someone else's hair down like that, do you really love your hair as much as you say you do??

But honestly though, look at the long hair community. I feel that while whites have a wayyy easier time getting to Apl and BSB and maybe even midback...when they want to get to long lengths (healthily) they seem to have to work hard too. LHC is a testament to that....

 

[BostonMaria]

BoingBoing love the new siggie!!! (minus the guy with the drink)

 

[ActionActress]

I never really gave any real thought about hair growth speed in terms of racial background. I think there's an average and that's as far as I'll think about it. I'm more annoyed by the "White women do it too!" claim, as if that justifies unhealthy hair practices.

The thing is, whether white women do it or not, the sheer numbers don't lie. AA women are responsible for billions of dollars in sales for hair products, artificial hair, and relaxers. The percentages show that an overwhelming amount (not all, I'm not saying all, don't shoot me!) of AA women are buying things to make their hair appear longer or straighter, or to hide some severe damage. I find that when someone points out these observations, that's when people get twitchy about racism and they feel offended because someone says something about it.

I also kind of get annoyed by (and it's one of the reasons that it took me a long time to actually join up) how many people will resort to insulting the hair of women of other races. "Their hair is limp, stringy and scraggly looking, my hair is so versatile!" and then justifying the insults by saying "Well, they're talking about our hair anyway" or "White people are so obsessed with our hair". Chances are, they're not giving it any thought.

Two wrongs don't make a right. Besides it certainly does look bad. Black women aren't they only ones who read this board.

 

[sharifeh]

I think it is in reference to that attitudinal person sipping beverage from the plastic liquid vessel.

I don't know why I'm laughing, I just thought that was funny.

 

[-Volare]

I think it is in reference to that attitudinal person sipping beverage from the plastic liquid vessel.

LOL. I didn't think of that because I thought everyone knew that. I've seen that gif in so many siggy's. Excuse me, I've been drinking tonight.

Anyway, yeah your hair is beautiful girl.

 

[ActionActress]

Scientific studies have shown that African hair grows an average of 4" per year compared to 5 or 6+ with Caucasians and Asians. I'll come back with the link if I can find it. The thing, though, is that "black" does not equal African. There is so much racial admixture in black people, esp. black Americans that the numbers are all mixed up.

And anecdotally, I know black people who's hair grows really fast, and also white people who's hair grows slowly. You can't really underestimate the importance of retention. Even if you only lose a quarter of an inch/month due to breakage, that adds up to 3" lost per year. I think this happens a lot with black women. White women don't experience breakage like that unless there's really a lot of damage.

Are they measuring retention or when hair pushes out of the scalp??

 

[Sugarhoney]

Forget some whites folks hair....uhhh lets talk about your siggy. What I gotta do to get a body like that? I need help!

Oh, no that's not me. I'm getting there though. That is Miss Kenya Moore, former Miss America. She said she works out 3-4 times a week. 1-2 days of 30 min cardio and three days lifting.

 

[sharifeh]

She's talking about the man drinking the cup. It's amazing how many posters actually thought that was her!

I was kind of confused about it until she finally clarified....

That could've been a great hair pun, "Clarified"

 

[GodivaChocolate]

Since all blacks don't have the same genetic make up and all white, Asian, ect... people don't have he same genetic make-up that statement would not necessarily be true.

When Brittany Spears cut her hair bald it took her forever to grow her hair back, so it has more to do with genetics than race (ethnicity), I would think

 

[Solitude]

Maybe the people who are taking care of their hair are doing this to them? I've seen mothers combing all sorts of chemicals through their daughters' hair, braiding way too tight, relaxing, etc. There's this little girl who lives in my building, she's about 6-9 years old, and her mother has braided her hair into oblivion, with the heavy barrettes and beads. Her teenaged sister has one of those broken off, relaxed to the point of breakage, one inch pony stubs that sticks up like the flame on a candle.


As for white people asking about your hair, sure they'll ask. It's something different. On the other hand, when they're sitting around together with other white people, I doubt they're wondering what black women are doing to their hair.

I'm talking about black mothers who do take care of their daughter's hair versus white mothers who don't do much to their daughter's hair.
We don't sit around talking about their hair either. It's only a discussion because it is a hair board.
But, to say they don't think about it is not true. I had white people touching my son's fro. They are very curious. Maybe not overly concerned, but why is it impossible that white folks could talk about our hair?

 

[hair4romheaven]

most of my white friends hair grows faster. They cut all the time, flat iron, wash and pony tail with all kinds of hair bands and thier hair still grows quickly. I'm not saying its a racial thing this is just my observation. As long as my hair grows I'm good. ;-)

 

[aribell]

Even if there is a difference in hair growth (like above mentioned study), the difference has only been shown to be 1-2 inches per year, and that's only an average of all people in African, Caucasian, and Asian categories.

So no, there's no reason to think that white women have some kind of "supergro" gene that lets them magically sprout out hair like weeds while black women are stuck with sprouts. A 1-2" difference isn't enough to get riled up about or to explain why black women's hair is breaking off at barely SL while white and Asian women appear (key word, appear) to be growing to BSL and beyond with ease. 1-2" is the difference between BSL and MBL, not SL and WL.

The bad guy is not genetics. It's chemical processing and destructive styling practices.

 

[afrodeutsche]

As always, my question is if WE are jacking up our hair so bad, how does one explain little black girls with short hair and white 3 year olds with long hair. Doesn't add up.

Because if their mothers are jacking up their hair, well then they probably use the same MO on their children's hair. I don't have any children, but my family and friends that have children with 4-type hair keep it simple: low manipulation and hair butters and oils.

Their hair might not be as long as a 2-type hair kid, but it sure is healthy and soft and is a great basis for a little girl to grow her hair longer later on in life. I think that's what's really counts.

 

[aribell]

Are they measuring retention or when hair pushes out of the scalp??

That's what I wanted to know as well. I couldn't find the methodology of the study, but that would be a very reasonable question to ask. If they were measuring from root to tip, then it's possible that they didn't capture loss from breakage.

 

[Bene]

I'm talking about black mothers who do take care of their daughter's hair versus white mothers who don't do much to their daughter's hair.
We don't sit around talking about their hair either. It's only a discussion because it is a hair board.
But, to say they don't think about it is not true. I had white people touching my son's fro. They are very curious. Maybe not overly concerned, but why is it impossible that white folks could talk about our hair?

I don't think it's impossible. I just think that the overwhelming preoccupation that some people will accuse white people of having with AA hair is a bit improbable. I've read so many threads here, and there are countless posts of how "All white people are obsessed with our hair". I tend to at those statements.

If anyone (other than AA women) who are doing any talking about it, it's Korean vendors. I mean really, they're the ones who've cornered the market. It's their livelihood.

 

[happylife]

sorry to continue to derail but si, boingboing your hair looks great and op your cut is sharp ( i have thought that for a minute!)

sorry again

 

[changingSeasons]

I found this information here,
http://www.belgraviacentre.com/blog/hair-types-and-race-differences/ which is an hairloss clinic.

"Caucasians usually have the highest hair density Hair growth rates also vary between hair races. Caucasian hair grows at a rate of about 1.2cm a month and has the greatest density of all three hair types. Blondes have about 146,000 hairs on their heads, black-haired beauties about 110,000 hairs, brunettes 100,000 hairs and redheads roughly 86,000 hairs. Afro-Caribbean hair is predominantly black and a healthy person possesses about 50,000 to 100,000 hairs on their head but they have the slowest growth rate of about 0.9cm per month. Asian hair – the most dominant hair type in the world – out speeds the rest with a growth rate of 1.3cm per month, and despite an estimated 80,000 to 140,000 scalp hairs, it usually has the least density. "


Overall I dont really think it matters, Since being here and seeing the WOnderful heads of hair, I think that Most, if not All women can grow their hair long (excluding illness).

 

[Bene]

sorry to continue to derail but si, boingboing your hair looks great and op your cut is sharp ( i have thought that for a minute!)

sorry again

I agree. Her hair is pretty!

 

[teysmith]

here is somthing to think about...

We hear alot how white people complains about if they dont wash their hair it gets really oily and only if a few days!!!

Maybe its just the natural oils that their hair produces so well that causes them to have great growth!!

I dont think our hair produce oil like that..If it did we would be washing our hair every day too!! since our hair doesnt maybe thats the reason why we have dryer hair.

 

[ActionActress]

Because if their mothers are jacking up their hair, well then they probably use the same MO on their children's hair. I don't have any children, but my family and friends that have children with 4-type hair keep it simple: low manipulation and hair butters and oils.

Their hair might not be as long as a 2-type hair kid, but it sure is healthy and soft and is a great basis for a little girl to grow her hair longer later on in life. I think that's what's really counts.

Coily healthy hair will appear shorter too. (if unprocessed)

 

[MsBoinglicious]

Oh, no that's not me. I'm getting there though. That is Miss Kenya Moore, former Miss America. She said she works out 3-4 times a week. 1-2 days of 30 min cardio and three days lifting.

hehe OMG that is her! I wasn't even looking at the face I was just looking at the body lol *boingboing should of had a V-8*

okay I need to workout cause I am just to fat for life. I need cardio in my life! *hangs head low*

 

[Sugarhoney]

BoingBoing love the new siggie!!! (minus the guy with the drink)

That is a FEMALE drinking kool aid. She friends with Jia on JiaTV on youtube.

 

[WAVES4DAYS]

Scientific studies have shown that African hair grows an average of 4" per year compared to 5 or 6+ with Caucasians and Asians. I'll come back with the link if I can find it. The thing, though, is that "black" does not equal African. There is so much racial admixture in black people, esp. black Americans that the numbers are all mixed up.

And anecdotally, I know black people who's hair grows really fast, and also white people who's hair grows slowly. You can't really underestimate the importance of retention. Even if you only lose a quarter of an inch/month due to breakage, that adds up to 3" lost per year. I think this happens a lot with black women. White women don't experience breakage like that unless there's really a lot of damage.

This is true... I sometimes wonder, what we & our hair would look like without all the mixture?

 

[LadyRaider]

A Latina friend and I cut our hair short in late December, and for a while our hair growth was about the same. Now I haven't seen her since June, but I'm assuming she's passed me. But then again, I didn't have my hair in cornrows... or any extreme protective style... so I know I have retention issues. (Plus I had some "trims" and no telling what she's had now.)

But for a while we were about the same...

 

[aribell]

I found this information here,
http://www.belgraviacentre.com/blog/hair-types-and-race-differences/ which is an hairloss clinic.

"Caucasians usually have the highest hair density Hair growth rates also vary between hair races. Caucasian hair grows at a rate of about 1.2cm a month and has the greatest density of all three hair types. Blondes have about 146,000 hairs on their heads, black-haired beauties about 110,000 hairs, brunettes 100,000 hairs and redheads roughly 86,000 hairs. Afro-Caribbean hair is predominantly black and a healthy person possesses about 50,000 to 100,000 hairs on their head but they have the slowest growth rate of about 0.9cm per month. Asian hair – the most dominant hair type in the world – out speeds the rest with a growth rate of 1.3cm per month, and despite an estimated 80,000 to 140,000 scalp hairs, it usually has the least density. "


Overall I dont really think it matters, Since being here and seeing the WOnderful heads of hair, I think that Most, if not All women can grow their hair long (excluding illness).

Hence:

Diff. b/w Afro-Caribbean & White = 3.6cm/year, or 1.41 inches/year.
Diff. b/w Afro-Caribbean & Asian = 1.89 inches/year.

I get trying to be honest and real, but sometimes it seems like we're just trying to be defeatist. Like we want there to be this huge chasm b/w "us" and "them" that explains why we can't do better.

 

[zenith]

That is a FEMALE drinking kool aid. She friends with Jia on JiaTV on youtube.

I don't get how people think that is a dude?erplexed

 

[-Volare]

I don't get how people think that is a dude?erplexed

You don't wanna go there zenith.

 

[Nayna]

But, what have you seen in real life??? It is almost impossible to tell how fast a person's hair grows via the internet, their claims, and pictures taken from all different angles.

Just like people on youtube "supposedly" exaggerate their growth, people on LHCF do the same thing.

I can take a pic right now that will look like my hair is APL, but it's not

I didn't mention what I see in real life? Well let's see. My friend is Spanish and white and her hair has never grown past apl. Another friend is Italian and she refuses to show her length so she wears a weave 24/7 but I caught her on a humid day and she's around bsl. I got another friend that's African and she's mbl darn near wsl and she gets sick of it, chops off 6 inches and I kid you. Not it's like her hair is racing to get down her back afterwards. I can go on if you'd like I know plenty of women white, black, spanish and asian.

The point is that it depends on the person.

And no the african girl is not a 2 nor a 3 she's a solid 4a.