What, praytell, is "Scab Hair?"

[InNeedofHairapy]

I've heard about something called "Scab Hair" when you are transitioning to natural, and I'm not sure what it is.

I THINK I might have an idea...but how long does this scab hair last? Is it just hair coming out of a funky follicle?

Someone drop some knowledge on me please, thanks...

 

[SparklingFlame]

Scab hair is the hair you have when u first go natural. Your hair has become affected by the relaxer that has seeped into the follicle. Scab hair is dry, crispy sometimes, and doesnt repsond to products and it usually needs to be deep conditioned more. Here is a link with detailed info. HTH!

 

[asummertyme]

yup yup............

 

[InNeedofHairapy]

Scab hair is the hair you have when u first go natural. Your hair has become affected by the relaxer that has seeped into the follicle. Scab hair is dry, crispy sometimes, and doesnt repsond to products and it usually needs to be deep conditioned more. Here is a link with detailed info. HTH!

It really did help, thank you! You would think that the term "scab hair" would be self explanatory, but I guess not for me but I understand better now, and now I know that when I go natural again, I have to trim, moisturize and trim some more to overcome the scab hair. I now know that i must have been dealing with scab hair when I went natural the last time, and I am curious to find out what my natural hair will look like now that I know a thing or two from this board.

I've made my decision..I'm going natural..for good this time.

 

[Crackers Phinn]

scab hair is..........................a fallacy.

I don't believe it exists. Since scab hair has the exact same symptoms as product buildup - I suggest that new naturals fall into a set regimen and use a clarifying shampoo before they turn to the scissors.

But that's just me.

 

[MizaniMami]

scab hair is..........................a fallacy.

I don't believe it exists. Since scab hair has the exact same symptoms as product buildup - I suggest that new naturals fall into a set regimen and use a clarifying shampoo before they turn to the scissors.

But that's just me.

I too agree. I don't believe in scab hair. JMHO, I think some people fall into this when their natural hair grows out into what they DIDN"T expect/like.

But that's my opinion.

 

[B_Phlyy]

I too agree. I don't believe in scab hair. JMHO, I think some people fall into this when their natural hair grows out into what they DIDN"T expect/like.

But that's my opinion.

I agree. When I first transitioned and BC'd my hair was hard but when I changed my products and routine, my hair started cooperating. I had never even heard of scab hair either.

 

[glamazon386]

I think it exists. The first time I stretched my relaxer 6 months my new growth seemed like scab hair. It was sparse, wirey and disgusting. This time around when I stretched for 6 more months and then BCed my hair seemed like a whole different head of hair and texture. Nothing in my regimen changed so IDK what did it. Even now I have a few patches that feel like the new growth did the first time (My edges on the left side and my nape on the right), but the rest of it's totally different. Just thought I'd add my 2 cents.

 

[KiSseS03]

What JCoily and MizaniMami said!

When I first did the BC a few months ago the hair at the front of my head was dry and hard and had no coil pattern like the back (not that that is necessarily a bad thing, but it almost seemed damaged). Through trial and error and I learned (well still learning actually) what to use on my hair and it's finally at a good moisture level. I think that phase is what a lot of new natural's might think is "scab hair."

 

[Legend]

Scab Hair: Fact or Fiction?

I don’t know if I believe in the whole “scab hair” thing either. I’ve transitioned more times than I care to think about, and I have never experienced those “symptoms” of scab hair as described.

Now, that said, my hair is naturally ridiculously coarse and wiry 4B (no curl pattern at all, just irregular kinks), so—to be perfectly honest—I probably wouldn’t have noticed any difference anyway.

But, I’m just not fully convinced of its existence. Maybe this “scab hair” thing is different for different people (some may get it, some may not, and sometimes the same person may not experience it every transition).

*shrug* It's an interesting concept regardless of whether it exists or not, and definitely has interesting implications.

 

[angellazette]

I believe I had scab hair and I cut it off in July. Those ends were nothing nice...about an inch deep. It ended up leaving my hair pretty short but I have not had those types of problems with my ends since. So yeah, I think it can happen! Then again, I also had micros which could have been the cause but whatever it was, it's gone

ETA, now that I remember, the ends of my hair were coarser than the rest of the strand when I BC so it couldn't have been the micros.

 

[sunshyne_krissy]

I think I may have some scab hair.. I hate the new growth in the front of my head. 7mos. post relaxer and transitioning.... very thick and course 4a... No curl pattern just tightly waved...eewww the back is sexy though! 3c with sexy spiral curls when wet. takes to beyond the zone-noodlehead very well.

 

[angellazette]

krissy in your case it just sounds like multiple textures. When I think of scab hair, I think of the ends of the hair being affected because that is the hair that could've been most affected by the relaxer since it was the closest to your scalp when you last relaxed.

 

[dicapr]

I have scab hair. I know this because the ends of my new growth are a totally different texture than the rest of it. I thought it was 4b becuse the first 1/4 inch was frizzy , fuzzy and had no curl or coil pattern. But the last 1 - 2 inches of the same hair is smoother and coils. No product change. Just more time between it and the last relaxer. Other sections are almost a inch long with scab hair and now at the base of the hair a smoother texture hair is growing in. I was like . 1 -1/2 of growth in my transition now the texture is changing on me.