Scab Hair- What do you Believe? (Youtube Video)

[Giselle685]

First place I was introduced to the concept scab hair.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oslBfqHhMno


Second place I was introduced to the concept scab hair http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iplxt9rBxGQ&feature=related



If this is true, how could you repair it... Let me know your thoughts

 

[kmn1980]

What she said makes sense.

When I BC'd, the lady who did it used electric clippers to do it, not scissors. Afterwards, she washed it and there were these little hairs sticking up straight (about 1/8 inch long if that). She told me that what happens is that just like how people heat train their hair and it gets used to being straight, after so much time perming and heat styling, parts of your hair have to almost get used to being curly again. She said within a couple of weeks I wouldn't have that problem and sure enough...as I got it wet everyday it got progressively curlier and curlier.

 

[Nasdaq_Diva]

No, I disagree with what you said. I don't believe scab hair is heat damaged hair.

It's true, we dont' have an inch of hair under our scalp, but I do believe that the relaxer chemical does penetrate the scalp, and I do feel that prolonged usage of relaxers is the cause of that. For me, I had more than 1inch of scab hair while I transistioned.

eta: i got more to say but I gotta run..bbl

 

[westNDNbeauty]

that second video doesn't explain how those that did not use heat through their transition but still experience scab hair.

 

[melissa-bee]

Can't watch the videos at the moment cos I'm on my BB. But I believe in it cos I havr like half an inch of it. Someone else said it's an excuse because you're not happy with your real texture but it's not. I'm a year post this coming wednesday. And just before the dermercration line. It's feels really rough and it get's really tangly there. I normally air dry and flat iron every two weeks. But starting about 2 weeks ago I decided to co wash, airdry and wear braid outs and buns. So I didn't really comb but detangled with my fingers. And that point, and only the point where the scab hair is, started dreading together. My relaxed neither the my natural hair dreaded. Only the scab hair. I lost bare hair last week I was really close to bcing. But I've gone back to airdrying and flatironing. Keeping my hair straight during my transistion is the only thing that works for me right now.

 

[SignatureBeauty]

No, I disagree with what you said. I don't believe scab hair is heat damaged hair.

It's true, we dont' have an inch of hair under our scalp, but I do believe that the relaxer chemical does penetrate the scalp, and I do feel that prolonged usage of relaxers is the cause of that. For me, I had more than 1inch of scab hair while I transistioned.

eta: i got more to say but I gotta run..bbl

IA! I never used heat on my hair at all and when I first went natural, my hair was dry as heck and could nothing tame it, It took darn near 3 months before I had to trim the dry hair off and the new hair coming in was softer and held moisture better, I mean I still have dry hair but not like scab hair!!!

 

[ZkittyKurls]

i believe i have scab hair!! i am transitioning acurrently 61 weeks post and when i washed my hair, i saw that at the demarcation line, it was "bushier" than the relaxed hair of course but also my new growth as well. my new growth is soft and fluffy, but that nit of scab hair is a whole nother animal. so i am wearing braids so that i dont have to look at it, until it is time to bc, it doesnt even stay in twists like the rest of my natural hair. ick!

 

[halee_J]

While I do believe in "scab hair" I don't agree it heat damaged hair. Its been about 6 months since I last relaxed and I do notice that the first 1/2 - 3/4 inch of my NG feels rougher than the rest.also, I've transitioned twice before and I noticed both times as well.

I think there is some effect of relaxer on hair follicle and the texture of the hair emerging from it. I don't think its dangerous, or long term ( I am NOT knocking relaxer) but for me at least, there is some correlation.

 

[Giselle685]

I have a feeling that scabbed hair comes from having bad soil for the hair to grow on. In other words, our scalp has been affected by the relaxer. In all honesty, I don't know how to explain it, but it is definitely real. I didn't think I had it, until i was playing around in my hair today, 9 months post- all relaxed ends cut off.

 

[Sianna]

Though I have had no personal experience with it, I believe that "scab hair" really could be a real issue, and not just for people who've heat styled their hair during their transition. Like I mentioned in the comment I left on the second video, I believe that the chemicals can penetrate the scalp and damage the follicles. It makes sense to me to conclude that damaged follicles will then produce damaged hair. As the follicles begin to heal because of the lack of chemicals, the hair then becomes healthier.

This is only my own personal theory of course, but it makes sense to me.

 

[Giselle685]

Though I have had no personal experience with it, I believe that "scab hair" really could be a real issue, and not just for people who've heat styled their hair during their transition. Like I mentioned in the comment I left on the second video, I believe that the chemicals can penetrate the scalp and damage the follicles. It makes sense to me to conclude that damaged follicles will then produce damaged hair. As the follicles begin to heal because of the lack of chemicals, the hair then becomes healthier.

This is only my own personal theory of course, but it makes sense to me.

OK I am with this.

 

[chebaby]

i know scap hair is real. i transitioned for 11 month before i did the bc. when i did bc i did so down to only 1 inch of hair. the very front area was still bone strait like it just grew that way. it took over four months before that hair even began to wave up. and this is all after 11 months of zero relaxers.

 

[BEAUTYU2U]

I never really believed in scab hair, period. But I may be biased because I didn't have it when I BC`ed. I think it's just newbies who haven't quite figured out what works best for their hair.

 

[ZkittyKurls]

^^but what about the way it feels compared to the new, new growth? it just doesnt feel the same as far as texture wise. and i doubt, you can have two different textures on your hair if you are natural with no chemicals or any damage.the strand should feel the same from the root to the end i would think

 

[twnz&1mo]

What I thought was scab hair for me, turned out to be raised cuticles. I used the acv rinse and that little patc of hair that I wanted to cut off is now laying smooth. Keep in mind it's not as smooth as 95% of my hair but I've only done the rinse once. I really think this will help me in the long run.

 

[SignatureBeauty]

I have big chopped several times after a while of relaxing and it is still the same, some people get scab hair and some don't.

 

[BEAUTYU2U]

^^but what about the way it feels compared to the new, new growth? it just doesnt feel the same as far as texture wise. and i doubt, you can have two different textures on your hair if you are natural with no chemicals or any damage.the strand should feel the same from the root to the end i would think

Hm, I understand what you're saying but I just don't know... I'm just not all that convinced by the explanations. I mean, if this was a real thing, shouldn't Dr. Oz (lol) or somebody be talking about it? I'm not trying to dismiss ladies who feel that they have scab hair - I hate that name - but I'm just not convinced.

 

[ZkittyKurls]

Dr. Oz or anyone in the talkshow industry should be talking about lots of things catered to black women..or women in general for that matter about the haircare industry and the effects that the multimedia/society having such a grave influence on what we chose to feel comfortable with what we do with our hair. but i guess if its not life threatening then it wont become an issue worth researching...digressed, but i guess until there is more proof on it and research we cant really have iron clad proof of anything

 

[SignatureBeauty]

I don't like the name either, but I guess it was/is just a way to describe the extremely,dry, rough hair that most people get when the first BC, because it doesn't hold moisture at all. no matter what products you use. It is just a Hair Thing!

 

[.:Eden:.]

I believe scab hair is real. I still have about an inch of scab hair, even after my bc. I was relaxed for about 10 or 11 yrs. That part of my hair is stiffer and a lot drier than the rest. It doesn't stay as moisturized and has no resemblance to the rest of my hair's curl pattern. I never used heat while transitioning, so heat damage is not the issue. I have regularly moisturized my hair since doing the bc, and the only part of my hair that gives me problems is the last inch or so and that's for my entire head.

 

[Bun Mistress]

I haven't BC'd so I'm no expert but I don't believe in scab hair. I know that won't be a popular response. I thought I had scab hair when I first started transitioning. I just started to condition my hair better and saw improvement in the "werid texture".

 

[Chrissmiss]

I don't recall experiencing this the first time I went natural. If this were true wouldn't a person who has been relaxing for a couple of years or more have a whole head of scab hair??? At the same time my natural hair was always alot softer and moisturized than my relaxed hair was/is.

 

[Sapphire_chic]

I don't believe I have been effected by scab hair so I couldn't say whether it exists or not.

I haven't bc'd so I still have those first few months of growth. I don't really know how to identify it but I can't recognise a difference between any parts of my hair, all the same texure, all my hair feels soft and nice when properly moisturised etc I don't really have any difficult parts.

 

[Sugar]

I don't recall experiencing this the first time I went natural. If this were true wouldn't a person who has been relaxing for a couple of years or more have a whole head of scab hair??? At the same time my natural hair was always alot softer and moisturized than my relaxed hair was/is.

I was wondering the same thing as the bolded. And like you my natural hair is very soft and moisturized (ok, greasy because of my oily scalp).

I will say this much, my hair grows out straight and then it curls up into spiral curls. Just something random that I noticed when examining my hair. But I know this is a phenomenon that some curly-haired folks experience.

Then I saw this and it kinda confirmed that I wasn't going crazy. Check out the Growth Pattern:

http://www.mizani-usa.com/?m=92&rid=300

Maybe alot of people's hair grows like this.

 

[Blyss_curls]

Hm, I understand what you're saying but I just don't know... I'm just not all that convinced by the explanations. I mean, if this was a real thing, shouldn't Dr. Oz (lol) or somebody be talking about it? I'm not trying to dismiss ladies who feel that they have scab hair - I hate that name - but I'm just not convinced.

I learned about scab hair in Pamela Farrell's book, "Let's Talk Hair."
http://www.amazon.com/Lets-Talk-Hair-Personal-Consultation/dp/0939183021

Given that she worked extensively w/women with natural, relaxed and transitioning hair, at a time when NO ONE was trying to work w/us to help us transition (if we desired), I personally believe she had the expertise to speak to the issue (of scab hair). She probably saw it personally, worked w/clients that had it, etc.

I'm not sure why you feel people would be addressing the issue somehow, given that so few people were addressing curly hair at all. Fewer still were addressing our curly textured hair and how to care for it, and relaxers, transitioning, etc. Much of what we've learned about how to work with curly hair, and aa curly textures, has come to light in the last decade or so.

Professionals in the cosmetology industry, weren't learning a thing about how to deal with curly hair (other than how to straighten it). People in cosmetology school don't learn how to care for our hair--such as issues that can arise from relaxer use, heat styling, etc. The predominate population cosmetology students are taught to care for, are those w/naturally straight hair. So given this, how can we expect that doctors or other health care professionals to somehow have this knowledge?

 

[BEAUTYU2U]

I learned about scab hair in Pamela Farrell's book, "Let's Talk Hair."
http://www.amazon.com/Lets-Talk-Hair-Personal-Consultation/dp/0939183021

Given that she worked extensively w/women with natural, relaxed and transitioning hair, at a time when NO ONE was trying to work w/us to help us transition (if we desired), I personally believe she had the expertise to speak to the issue (of scab hair). She probably saw it personally, worked w/clients that had it, etc.

I'm not sure why you feel people would be addressing the issue somehow, given that so few people were addressing curly hair at all. Fewer still were addressing our curly textured hair and how to care for it, and relaxers, transitioning, etc. Much of what we've learned about how to work with curly hair, and aa curly textures, has come to light in the last decade or so.

Professionals in the cosmetology industry, weren't learning a thing about how to deal with curly hair (other than how to straighten it). People in cosmetology school don't learn how to care for our hair--such as issues that can arise from relaxer use, heat styling, etc. The predominate population cosmetology students are taught to care for, are those w/naturally straight hair. So given this, how can we expect that doctors or other health care professionals to somehow have this knowledge?

I see it more as a health issue than a hair/hair type issue that should be addressed. True, not all things that SHOULD be addressed - related to the AA community - is but I don't find the idea that far fetched. Thanks for the link.

 

[Blyss_curls]

I see it more as a health issue than a hair/hair type issue that should be addressed. True, not all things that SHOULD be addressed - related to the AA community - is but I don't find the idea that far fetched. Thanks for the link.

I don't think it's far fetched that as a health issue it should be addressed. I can agree with that.

Unfortunately, given that we're still seen as a minority, our issues simply are not addressed. At least not as frequently as those considered the majority (or mainstream population). So it's often up to us to bring such issues to the attention of others, and one another (as Farrell did w/her book)....as we do w/this board.

 

[LaFemmeNaturelle]

I'm not quite sure I believe in it. Why do only some people get it and some people don't? Is it related to a specific type of relaxer or are some people's scalp more permeable (which I've never heard of). And if the follicle has been damaged, how come after it comes through the scalp and is actually touched up, that part of the strand isn't weaker than the rest of the hair? And from then, all of the hair should be weak and damaged. That's what it seems it should be. So for all the ladies who experience "Scab hair" did you have weak, damaged relaxed hair? Maybe that's the difference and maybe that's why some people's hair can't take relaxers while others hair can flourish and remain thick and healthy; because the hair was damaged before it even came out of the scalp? And maybe those same ladies find it extremely difficult to stretch and transition?

I don't really know but I don't believe in it much unless I see that the women who have damaged relaxed hair go on to have scab hair.

 

[ZkittyKurls]

^^ it may have something to do with if the relaxer was lef ton the scalp, and the amount of time in between relaxer touch ups and maybe the length of time someone has been relaxed. im not sure but ive seen these ideas in an older post about this issue. i believe i have it but i dont think i had fdamaged relaxed hair...all the time. when i was younger i probably did because my hair wasnt cared for properly, but i know that when i tried to flat iron my hair a few months ago, the ends would not straighten properly, but the 3 inches of new growth was nice and soft, i even used heat protectant and couldnt figure out why i couldnt get the ends to straighten.

 

[knt1229]

Agree with the poster Bun Mistress, in that once I started regularly conditioning my transitioning hair the rough, dry, tangly texture changed. IMO, it seems that what some people call scab hair might be extremely dry underconditioned hair that just needs to be internally moisturized with regular DC's.