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OK, What in the world is scab hair??

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TigerLily said:
No, you can't tell if you have scab hair until you cut off the relaxed ends. Once the natural hair doesn't have anything attached to it and the air hits it fully, it will behave far differently than it does with a different texture attached to it. And then sometimes, you'll think you have one hair type, 'cause the relaxed hair is stretching your natural curl, only to find out that you have a different hair type after you've cut off the relaxed ends. It does make a difference.
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How come I can't tell if I have scab hair or not while I'm transitioning? Of course my natural hair will behave differently with a different texture attached to it, but my relaxed hair can't be weighing my hair down that much to make it look like my natural hair is a different form. But I don't think that matters. Plus, wouldn't my natural hair be curlier and tighter once I do cut my relaxed hair off? I don't see how that explains why I can't tell if I have scab hair or not right now as a transitioner. With enough natural new growth, shouldn't I be able to tell? If no, why not? :confused:
 
Poohbear said:
How come I can't tell if I have scab hair or not while I'm transitioning? Of course my natural hair will behave differently with a different texture attached to it, but my relaxed hair can't be weighing my hair down that much to make it look like my natural hair is a different form. But I don't think that matters. Plus, wouldn't my natural hair be curlier and tighter once I do cut my relaxed hair off? I don't see how that explains why I can't tell if I have scab hair or not right now as a transitioner. With enough natural new growth, shouldn't I be able to tell? If no, why not? :confused:
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Well, I guess I really don't know why you can't tell with the relaxed hair still there..but I had no idea that I had it till WEEKS after I BC'd.. Thinking back now.. I BC'd and prolly the majority of my hair had scab hair..so until it started growing out more..I didn't feel much of a difference in texture.. except my nape area has the least amount of scab hair.. which is the part of my hair that the relaxer was put on last.. for a minute before washing it out.. Actually I really noticed all the scab hair after I started doing CG(Curly Girl).. maybe because I was paying more attention to my hair after reading that book..or because I stopped using all of the bad shampoo's and products with all of the silicones in them, etc.. I'm not sure.. but I really didn't notice that I even had it till I think the beginning of Dec..
 
I have scab hair. I could not tell while transitioning...new growth was new growth and it all felt the same, but after chopping off the relaxed ends the ends of my hair feel coarse compared to the hair near my scalp which feels smooth and very soft after moisturizing. So I definitely believe that I have scab hair, and I don't think that I can contribute this to anything other than my hair getting used to not being relaxed considering I moisurize and treat all my hair the same. I think that the whole 3 inch thing varies from person to person, for me it's about an inch or so in some areas. I plan to grow out my hair and get trims to get rid of it.
 
tropicexotic said:
I have scab hair. I could not tell while transitioning...new growth was new growth and it all felt the same, but after chopping off the relaxed ends the ends of my hair feel coarse compared to the hair near my scalp which feels smooth and very soft after moisturizing. So I definitely believe that I have scab hair, and I don't think that I can contribute this to anything other than my hair getting used to not being relaxed considering I moisurize and treat all my hair the same. I think that the whole 3 inch thing varies from person to person, for me it's about an inch or so in some areas. I plan to grow out my hair and get trims to get rid of it.
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after reading this, i think i know what you're talking about now TigerLily. :)

but i was just talking about noticing scab hair around my edges, not my whole head nor the hair around my demarcation(sp?) line. ;) that would be hard to tell if you have scab hair in those areas unless you chop the relaxed hair off.
 
After all this time on this forum, I'm just getting the undersatnding of what scab hair is, and I think I got it :eek: . Sounds like some kinda funky disease :barf: . I'm grossed out now, I dont want to touch my hair now :perplexed

Thanx Rushgirl for the link to this thread :)
 
Poohbear said:
after reading this, i think i know what you're talking about now TigerLily. :)

but i was just talking about noticing scab hair around my edges, not my whole head nor the hair around my demarcation(sp?) line. ;) that would be hard to tell if you have scab hair in those areas unless you chop the relaxed hair off.
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You still would'nt be able to tell from just your edges. You need ALL of your natural hair out and exposed.
 
I think i'm definitely suffering from this scab hair, my newgrowth especially the middle to the front is very dry and wiry, i've been taking MSM and it seems to help with my texture especially notice the diffrence in the back areas, i hope i see changes in the front as my hair grows out because i've been very tempted to continue relaxing.
 
i definitely have scab hair. it was always dry no matter what i did to it. and im pretty sure my naturak hair irght now is way coarser and drier than my natural hair before i relaxed for the first time. i now have it in braids cos there's noting i can do to it. f*cking scab hair!!! uh....when will the scab hair stop growing? does it depend on the individual?
 
Dolapo said:
i definitely have scab hair. it was always dry no matter what i did to it. and im pretty sure my naturak hair irght now is way coarser and drier than my natural hair before i relaxed for the first time. i now have it in braids cos there's noting i can do to it. f*cking scab hair!!! uh....when will the scab hair stop growing? does it depend on the individual?
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I'm empathise with your frustration, i swear my natural hair wasn't this dry and coarse, i just hope MSM can restore my true texture soon, i've stopped relaxing since last november and its getting hard because of the dry textures. I really feel like giving in and relaxing again.
 
den1 said:
I'm empathise with your frustration, i swear my natural hair wasn't this dry and coarse, i just hope MSM can restore my true texture soon, i've stopped relaxing since last november and its getting hard because of the dry textures. I really feel like giving in and relaxing again.
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den 1 dont give in to the creamy crack!!!! you are 1 of my natural inspirations.

have you been deep co alot? also try to use products with less protien most naturals need very little protien.
 
crml_buttafly said:
den 1 dont give in to the creamy crack!!!! you are 1 of my natural inspirations.

have you been deep co alot? also try to use products with less protien most naturals need very little protien.
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Thanks girl, i'm trying not to texturize!!!!!! i'll hold off for now, but if i still feel the same I may have to. the MSM is working i've only been taking it a little over 2 weeks, i'm getting very impatient, especially since i've just been wearing braids all the time to prevent breakage. I did a deep conditioing treatment two days ago, i don't do them often because it makes my hair feel harder nearly all of them contain protein, vo5 conditioners are good for my cws. i'll probably try clarifying when i remove these braids.
 
I didn't experience scab hair but I don't think it's some far-fetched theory.

Imagine if you put a little relaxer on your arm or something, just in a tiny area. Say you left it there long enough to to feel "tingling," and then you rinsed and neutralized. Say you did this, on the same spot, every few weeks for 15 years. Don't you think that would cause some kind of damage to the skin there? I think it would. And don't you think the amount of damage would depend on several factors such as how sensitive the individual's skin is, how long the relaxer was left on, and how often it was reapplied? I think that's why some people experience scab hair and some don't.
My relaxer was never left on very long and I only got it done every 3 or 4 months. So if damage was done to my scalp, it probably had enough time to heal itself before I relaxed again. But if you relax every 5 weeks, your scalp doesn't have as much time to heal, and you will probably slowly build up cumulative damage over the years. And for a lot of people it doesn't even take that long before they start noticing thin hair or rough hair, or maybe the relaxer just never really "agrees" with their hair to begin with.

We all know you aren't supposed to get relaxer on your scalp. But I think most people have felt itching or burning sensations during relaxing, even if it wasn't severe, and even if it didn't leave any burns/scars you could see or feel with your hands. Relaxer gets on your scalp. It just does. That's why you're supposed to base your scalp.
Anyhow, if there is damage to the scalp, I'm sure it would affect the texture of the hair until the scalp has a chance to completely heal.

All this rambling is mainly to suggest that while treating the "scab hair" with moisturizers and stuff will make it easier for you to deal with, the best thing you can probably do is to treat your scalp so it will heal faster. Use products that are geared more towards scalp health, like poos and cons with tea trea oil in them, etc. Heck, try rubbing a little neosporin in those areas from time to time. I dunno.

I just think this is why a lot of people who are stretching their relaxers for the first time notice such a difference in their hair :yep:
 
I believe scab hair exists. I'm transitioning and the first inch of hair is a completely different texture to the rest. It's coarse and dry, basically if that was how my whole head was going to continue to grow I wouldve just relaxed again. However, after that 1st inch my hair is much softer and has more of a curl pattern to it.
 
I've been completely natural and am now transitioning again with about 5-6 inches of new growth.
I've never experienced this scab hair either.
I think it's more about learning what to do with the natural air and what products to put on it.

ETA: Since everyone's hair is different, maybe some people get it and some people don't?
 
I have just bced and the first week I felt what i believed to be scab hair but with conditionor washes and moisture I now have a softer texture.
 
zoya_j said:
Isn't it funny how the ladies with relaxed hair disagree with this theory while ladies with natural or transitioning hair who may have experienced this do agree with the concept of scab hair? After transitioning for about 6 months I finally cut off my relaxed ends. My hair was very dry and coarse and brittle. I set out to revitalize my hair because I had not heard about this scab hair stage. I applied moisture, moisture and more moisture. I don't think I actually experienced scab hair myself, because after a week or two, my hair was softer and more moisturized. Now after a few months, I notice that there is a slight texture diffrence between my hair at the roots and my ends. I'm gonna wait till the end of the summer after my hair grows a little longer and then cut off the ends of my hair. Then maybe I can determine whether I actually had scab hair or not.I guess what I'm trying to say is although nobody can make you believe anything, you can't just dismiss something completely because you've never seen it happen.
smile.gif





drunk.gif
Slowly, but surely
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I totally agree with you. I just did my big chop and to be honest I don't remember my hair being this dry at all. I applied, EVOO, Castor Oil-- you name it, and at the end of the day regardless of what I put, my hair always felt--well coarse and I DEFINITELY remember how soft my hair was. But it's not all over either. I have patches of my hair that are the ORIGINAL hair texture before I relaxed my hair but very small patches.:rolleyes:
 
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