Old lady, Long Hair

[dyh080]

Just curious:
Has anyone seen an elderly(age 60 plus) black woman with type 4 hair that is longer than shoulder length?

I have noticed that they usually wear terrible gray mixed wigs and they don't do this as a protective style. Under the wig they have little to no hair and some have huge bald spots. Years ago they would tie their heads up but you don't see that much anymore.

Maybe now that the younger generation is more aware of good hair care practices this trend will change.

 

[grownwomanaz]

My mother is 66 with healthy bsb mixed gray hair. She is a straight haired natural.

 

[LivingDoll]

I think it's rare to see a black woman over 60 with long hair period. Most women start wearing short do's and wigs once they hit their 50's. A lot of people think that long hair makes women "of a certain age" look even older.

 

[SherylsTresses]

My late grandmother maintained APL natual hair and kept it in a ponytail. She passed away two years ago at the age of 89, if that's not too long ago.

 

[InchHighPrivateEye]

My mom will be 60 in 2014 and she has type 4 hair that is APL stretched. Her goal is to grow it as long as it will go, and it's been growing beautifully since her BC, so she will be one of those 60 year old ladies.

 

[greenandchic]

My great-grandmother (passed away years before I was born) had waist length natural hair well into her 80s. When I used to go to the shop years ago, I saw many older black women with bald spots, etc.

 

[EnExitStageLeft]

My Grandmother was died about 4 years ago and before she died her hair was about APL and she was too a straight haired natural. She had thinning edges though. The lady use to stan for Glue in tracks for "length". SMH! If she only knew that was her hair's (edges) biggest enemy .

 

[Aireen]

My mum will be 60 in 2014 and she's grown her hair to HL. She usually keeps it no shorter than BSL, currently her hair is WL. Her hair seems to be a mix of 3c/4a probably more 4a but with a silky texture. My mum keeps her hair relaxed and she's never worn wigs or weaves. She has a bit of grey coming in but the vast majority of her hair is black. I was surprised when you said "elderly" because my mum doesn't look like she's over 45.

 

[dyh080]

Aireen due to the wide age range on this board. It certainly is not elderly to me, tho.

 

[Fenaxa]

My 90 years old grandmother has relaxed hair a few inches past APL. It has grown past that a few times but she gets it cut because she's not into long hair and has never been (her version of long of course since when she was younger, her hair reached just past Classic). (She usually wears/wore short wigs anyway).
I haven't seen her natural hair but a few months ago when she got sick and didn't go to the hairdresser for 3 months. She had 3 inches of THICK, silver kinky roots and it was soooo soft. Of course once she got well again, she got a jet black dye, relaxer (bone straight) and a 4 inch cut. Needless to say, despite her length, she has awful thinning and serious scalp flaking
I actually get mad at her hairdresser for giving her some paraben filled oil spray to oil her hair and scalp with along with some dry creme... And my grandmother doesn't want to hear any of my "healthy hair nonsense" either, just wants me to "grease her scalp" and oil her hair.. (stubborn Taurus lol)
So much hair comes out its awful. I'd post a picture but I'm not sure how yet lol. I'll figure it out.

 

[Shadiyah]

as far as them keeping it short has to do with hot flashes. they say the hair is too hot. but I don't know about the bald spots but just to say that they stop taking care of their hair a long time ago. my great grand mother use to take very good care of her hair and pin it up every night and let it down during the day and never colored it. but she was from the old school. now I am on my way to 60 and I plan on wearing my hair long. when it gets too hot for me I just pull it up. my step mother is 62 and she was having problems with balding because of all those perms and coloring over the yrs and she was a stylist and I told her about it and what to do but you know those stylist they are stuck in their ways so she is growing back slowly and wearing those wigs. she started cutting her hair off a long time ago.

 

[Forever in Bloom]

My mother is 66 with healthy bsb mixed gray hair. She is a straight haired natural.

My mom is 63 years young and has BSL hair. She prefers to wear her natural hair straightened and has been natural for 2 years. I cut her hair to SL back then. Her hair is super healthy with no visible split ends; her edges - well, I'm working on the left side. They have always been thin. I do her hair every Saturday night so that she looks and feels great for Sunday morning service.

Sent from my iPhone using LHCF

 

[koolkittychick]

That's an interesting question! And my answer is yes, but it depends on which generation and which country they came from. Both my mom and grandmother don't have type 4 hair, but my cousin's mom and grandmother do, and the differences are telling. Her grandmother is almost 90, never used relaxer (she lived most of her life in Haiti) and has snowy white waist length type 4 hair that she keeps in two plaits wound around her head dutch maid style. Her mother is 65, came to this country when she was 20, started using relaxer when they became popular (starting with Vigorol liquid relaxer), and now has thin, neck-length hair with bald patches she keeps under a wig. My cousin saw the difference, quit using relaxers about 5 years ago and now has a head of healthy BSL natural type 4 hair, which she plans to keep and take to the grave with her at its longest terminal length.

 

[dyh080]

Thank you, everyone for replying. Your posts are very interesting!

 

[RegaLady]

as far as them keeping it short has to do with hot flashes. they say the hair is too hot. but I don't know about the bald spots but just to say that they stop taking care of their hair a long time ago. my great grand mother use to take very good care of her hair and pin it up every night and let it down during the day and never colored it. but she was from the old school. now I am on my way to 60 and I plan on wearing my hair long. when it gets too hot for me I just pull it up. my step mother is 62 and she was having problems with balding because of all those perms and coloring over the yrs and she was a stylist and I told her about it and what to do but you know those stylist they are stuck in their ways so she is growing back slowly and wearing those wigs. she started cutting her hair off a long time ago.

I would think so. I couldn't imagine having hot flashes and having long hair. I would also cut my hair off. To answer the question. Yes, I have women that are older who have long hair. Longer than BSL.

 

[kblc06]

I saw a black lady at the Tax Commissioner's office last week with BEAUTIFUL silver gray hip length hair. It was so full and pretty and thick .

 

[wanakee]

My late grandmother had waist length hair. My mom would wash it, my aunt straightened it with a hot comb on the stove. Then she wore it in two long braids she wrapped around her head anchored w/ hair pins. And didn't take those braids down until her next hair washing.

 

[KittyMeowMeow]

My mom is 64 and has 4b hair in Sisterlocks. She trims when they get longer than CBL-APL because she prefers the way she looks with shorter hair, although Sisterlocks can grow to any length easily.

She can't get over how easy to care for they are, and how great they look. She literally washes and goes, and gets compliments everywhere she goes. She had bald patches while I was growing up and always was dealing with wigs, braiders, etc. Her hair is now healthy & thriving.

She's been preaching the Sisterlocks gospel, and her sister is now a convert.

 

[DarkJoy]

Both of my late grandmothers kept their silver hair BSB to WL. Neither of them ever got a relaxer in their lives. They both had medium density and no bald spots. They pressed their hair old school style with grease, kept it up on top of their heads and that was it.

 

[karenjoe]

yep grandmother was 92 MBL. ( natural) it gotten very busy latter in her life
when she passed
Mortuary didn't know how to style her hair.
I had them flatiron & curl.
Family & Friends to this day constantly say "we didn't know she had hair that long".
she wore wigs for yrs.

 

[karenjoe]

Just curious:
Has anyone seen an elderly(age 60 plus) black woman with type 4 hair that is longer than shoulder length?

I have noticed that they usually wear terrible gray mixed wigs and they don't do this as a protective style. Under the wig they have little to no hair and some have huge bald spots. Years ago they would tie their heads up but you don't see that much anymore.

Maybe now that the younger generation is more aware of good hair care practices this trend will change.

the bald spots & thinning usually come from the drop in hormone levels
male pattern baldness is the thin or bald spot on crown like men. That's hereditary.

 

[lalla]

Both my grandmothers had hair past APL. They kept it braided and under a scarf.

 

[Nonie]

In a previous thread, there was a discussion about gray hair and below are some of the ladies posted whose hair was longer than SL:

This beautiful 60 year old looks great with her gray hair:

^^Myrtis Jones, 60, volunteers to care for Border Babies at her local hospital; she’s a beach bum, exceptional cook, wife, retired information-technology specialist and resides in South Orange, New Jersey. "“I’'ve been able to create a nice life for myself. I love that I have so many wonderful friends I’'m in touch with. Now that I’m retired I can do what I want. I exercise regularly, volunteer, travel. I’m even thinking about starting a new career in the beauty business.”"

^^Jayne Kennedy

Toni Morrison:

My mom's hair in a banana clip

Here's my Mami- she was caught off guard in this one.

Here's some more of Bishop Millicent Hunter:

(Source)