Don't Tell Me What To Do With My Hair

By: Samantha Carrasquillo

3/11/21

“It’s so much to do!”, “I do not have a good hair texture”, “I don't know where to start!”

If you find yourself saying any of these things, trust me you're not alone. According to the “African American Women, Hair Care, and Health Barriers,” study by Raechele Cochran Gathers, MD corresponding author, and Meredith Grace Manhan (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4174916/) , it states “Seventy-four percent reported that they had felt frustrated by their hair, and 41 percent reported that their hair had made them feel bad about themselves. Nearly half, 47 percent, reported that they had felt embarrassed by their hair.” Given this, it shows that in today's society curly thick, and kinky natural hair has a bad stigma in the media's eye. It does not help that up until recently schools and many jobs before had the right to penalize people for wearing natural hairstyles in these environments.

It’s not until recent years where the media has shifted its view on naturally curly hair. However, even though there is a push for the movement, you still see much more of a common standard promoting 3C hair( what is referred to as good hair.) more than seeing a 4C Hair texture on the face of a magazine. This brings about an identity crisis as to still what is the standard of beauty and leaving many women with tighter hair textures in despair and confusion. Furthermore, with the abundance of “Natural Hair Products,” either self-made or manufactured by already established big hair brands, black women do not know what to buy or where to start when it comes to their Natural Hair Journey.

Now, despite the negative stigma behind kinky and tighter curls, I am here to tell you, do not let society's stigma form and shape who you are and how to wear your hair. There is nothing wrong with wearing wigs, hair extensions, and clip-ins to create the desired look you want to create. Do you sis! However, do not let society's demands of what social media influencers and celebrities dictate what’s in and what's out. Do not let the media fool you into going out and buying that flat iron before knowing for example how excessive heat can damage your hair just to get that straight look. (I did this!) Do your research! Find out what works for you and your hair. There is a way and you can achieve that natural look. It just takes a little bit of trial and error. There is no such thing as a bad hair texture. You have to realize we are living in a modern world where acceptance of our hair texture is now only being recognized and the information that's out there is limited however with the amount of Youtube Videos and the growing online community forums you can find what you're looking for. Lastly, if there's so much to do, well start here by checking out The Natural Hair Bar! We offer many services from consultations to rod sets and twist-outs. Looking for products that work for that 4C hair we got you covered. The Natural Hair Bar, The Essentials that bring back your hair’s potential. Stay Extraordinary!

Samantha Carrasquillo

NaturalHairBar/HairLoss Trauma Center Marketing Intern

Sources MLA

Gathers, Raechele Cochran, and Meredith Grace Mahan. “African american women, hair care, and health barriers.” The Journal of clinical and aesthetic dermatology vol. 7,9 (2014): 26-9.