Scab Hair?

Angel54

Angel54

Natural
What is it? I have been hearing this term used often from women after the BC. What exactly is scab hair and how do you know if you have it? Excuse my ignorance, but I am not sure if anyone ever mentioned how to determine if you have scab hair. TIA for your response.
 
Scab hair is the hair which is still affected by residual chemicals from relaxing/perming/etc. Some people experience scab hair for up to 2 years following their last relaxer and some never experience it at all. It can depend on the length of time you went between relaxers as well as the way in which the relaxer was applied. This hair may be drier, rougher and have a totally different texture from what your healthy natural hair truely is.

For me personally I did have some scab hair which was cut with my intial big chop (my last perm was in Nov 2000- big chop was in July 2001). I had damaged follicles which were due to improper relaxer application - thankfully they healed and regrew quickly.
 
Yup. I have an idea of what I think it is but I don't know if I'm right or not. You know if I find the answer, I'll PM you. /images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Thanks Divastate. I now have a better understanding of this term. I am still not sure if I have scab hair because I have not done the BC yet. I have been relaxer free since February, but I am still holding on to some relaxed ends. I guess after I do the BC I will be able to tell.

BTW, I love your hair. Your album was one of the first that I saw since joining the board. It really inspired me to continue on my natural journey. Thanks.
 
Thanks, Divastate. I was thinking that I might be suffering with some scab hair. My hair feels and looks a bit different than it did the last time I transitioned.
 
I had issues with this when I first chopped. It took me about three months to get rid of it all. I noticed that as my hair grew out, it was getting softer and shinier than it was at first, and my hair type changed a bit as well. (When I first BCed, I'm pretty sure it was mostly 4b. Now, it seems to be a mix of 4a and 3c.) It also took awhile for the hair on the sides and back of my head to start growing. I think the folicles were damaged.

So, I guess the only real way to know if you have it is to wait, keep taking care of your hair, and see if there are any noticeable changes.

~Rochelle. /images/graemlins/Rose.gif
 
Angel: good luck with your big chop- and for me the only way to tell my actual hair type was to chop I had no clue ahead of time. And thanks for the compliment /images/graemlins/kiss.gif

Tai: no problem I'm glad to help

CE: I know exactly what you mean- this is why I'm still not fully convinced that for some people (maybe even most) you can tell your actual hair type if you have relaxed ends. My hair was clearly 4B from looking at my new growth when I was transitioning but upon chopping it looked more 3c/4a and with time I'm a pretty classic 4a all over.
 
This is interesting because my hair seems different from when I did the first big chop in January. Now it's softer and just better looking all together. /images/graemlins/confused.gif Who knows?
 
I have a question.. so how do you really know if you have scab hair or not?? Do you just have to wait and see?? I will assume that I do have scab hair from what I have read..but maybe not in the nape area?? My nape area is a "silkier" texture than the rest of my hair.. I would say my hair is 3c..but in the nape area I would assume..from what I see..I would consider it 3b. I do remember when I was relaxing..(which was every single month) and even when my mother did it when I was younger.. that we'd do my nape area the very last.. basically it was put on there and right after that is when we would wash the relaxer off..literally seconds later.. does that makes sense? So could my nape area be less "scabby" than the rest? LOL /images/graemlins/lachen70.gif Seriously though.. what do you think??

Thanks for any help!!!!
 
I think you'd have to wait 2-4 mo. after you do your big chop, RushGirl. After I BC'd I had this awful haystack on my head!! I thought, "OMG!!!" Eventually, that all came out, leaving me with softer hair that was able to absorb moisturizer. Before, that haystack wasn't absorbing nothing!!! I could put a ton of moisturizer on it and my hair would mock me bitterly. /images/graemlins/frown.gif

You can't do nothing with scab hair. It'll just sit there looking at you like, "So, you wanna piece of me??" /images/graemlins/rofl.gif

And yes, some areas can be more 'scabby' than others.
 
RushGirl...if you always noticed that area was different, even while perming...then it is just a different texture. Many women have different textures. I have 4a over most of my head...but in my front edges and in my nape...it's probably about 3c. It won't hold twists without gel, and even then they unravel in those areas.

Scab hair is hair that is dry, and hard. It won't respond to any amount of products/conditioners. You'll know it's scab hair because your hair at the root will be different than at the ends. Scab hair won't respond to anything but being trimmed away.

The tricky part when dealing with scab hair is to make sure you are taking good care of your ends...otherwise you may confuse ends that need moisture with ends that are scab hair.
 
[ QUOTE ]
RushGirl...if you always noticed that area was different, even while perming...then it is just a different texture. Many women have different textures. I have 4a over most of my head...but in my front edges and in my nape...it's probably about 3c. It won't hold twists without gel, and even then they unravel in those areas.

Scab hair is hair that is dry, and hard. It won't respond to any amount of products/conditioners. You'll know it's scab hair because your hair at the root will be different than at the ends. Scab hair won't respond to anything but being trimmed away.

The tricky part when dealing with scab hair is to make sure you are taking good care of your ends...otherwise you may confuse ends that need moisture with ends that are scab hair.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ohhhhhh. I see.. Actually, I never noticed that they were different textures till now that I'm transitioning because I started wondering why the heck my mother relaxed my hair in the first place..lol My hair always relaxed very easily...basically I'd put on the relaxer then it was time to wash it out as soon as I was done.. Just from reading about the relaxer residue thing..I was wondering how do you know if you have residue or not.. know what I mean?

Thanks for your help!!!!!!!!
 
You know what..while perming..it wasn't a different texture.. it was all the same..that's why I was confused about the scab hair thing.. if that makes sense..
 
[ QUOTE ]
You know what..while perming..it wasn't a different texture.. it was all the same..that's why I was confused about the scab hair thing.. if that makes sense..

[/ QUOTE ]

huh? above you said you had some 3b and 3c...I don't understand.

Are you saying that you didn't notice a difference while perming? I didn't notice a difference either when I was relaxing. It wasn't until I big chopped that I realized what my true texture was...and even then it has changed a lot and still is.
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
You know what..while perming..it wasn't a different texture.. it was all the same..that's why I was confused about the scab hair thing.. if that makes sense..

[/ QUOTE ]

huh? above you said you had some 3b and 3c...I don't understand.

Are you saying that you didn't notice a difference while perming? I didn't notice a difference either when I was relaxing. It wasn't until I big chopped that I realized what my true texture was...and even then it has changed a lot and still is.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's what I meant..while I was relaxing..I never noticed a difference..I guess I'll have to wait a while and see what the outcome will be.. I was never relaxing the correct way..I think the very last time I relaxed I did do it the right way.. after all those years..lol So.. I'm sure I'll just have to wait a while and see what my true texture is.

Thanks DelightfulFlame!!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Qualitee
The term 'Scab Hair' confuses me
Replies
5
Views
1K
CurlTalk
CurlTalk
lusciousladie07
Naturals: Have YOU Experienced Scab Hair??
2 3
Replies
64
Views
18K
cinnespice
cinnespice
Peachtree
"Scab Hair": Did u have it? If so, read on...
2
Replies
52
Views
8K
oldcrayons
oldcrayons
I
What, praytell, is "Scab Hair?"
Replies
13
Views
2K
dicapr
dicapr
B
Scab hair question
Replies
6
Views
2K
shamarie
S
Back
Top