Hair means something different to each of us, but Black hair has a uniquely meaningful history as a symbol of survival, resistance and celebration. It's been wielded as a tool of oppression and also one of empowerment—and our society's perceptions of Black hair still influence how Black people are treated today.
Black Hair is Easier to Maintain
The darker the hair, the higher the concentration of melanin, therefore, black hair has the highest concentration. The benefit of having excess melanin in hair is it's less prone to sun damage, which is important to Sri Lankans as we are constantly under the sun.
Robbins (2012) suggests that afro-textured hair may have initially evolved because of an adaptive need amongst humans' early hominid ancestors for protection against the intense UV radiation of the sun in Africa.
It is a dominant genetic trait, and it is found in people of all backgrounds and ethnicities. Black hair contains a large amount of eumelanin pigmentation, a type of melanin. This hair type contains a much more dense quantity of eumelanin in comparison to other hair colors, such as brown, blonde and red.
Compared to silkier hair African-American hair contains more lipids, or fats, but the lipids are less bonded which is why the hair loves oils so much. Along with that, the follicle size is much thicker and it has a flattened elliptical cross section causing it to be curlier than other hair types.
Caucasian hair usually appears thicker since it is more difficult to see through the scalp than other ethnic hair types. However, Asian hair is the thickest and coarsest hair of any ethnic group.
Caucasians have the highest hair density among the ethnicities studied. Black people have the lowest. Asian people have hair density that falls somewhere in between.
There are two reasons why we believe African hair texture is genetic. Firstly, the texture is universal in Africans, while nearly absent from other ethnic groups. Secondly, it is consistently passed down to the children in each new generation.
There is no specific and separate term for someone with black hair. However, people have suggested the term noirette or brunette.
According to research hair grows an average of 1.3cm per monthand although it's true tha black people's hair grows slower than this, the difference is not extreme. The only reason black hair appears to grow slower is because it is extremely curly whereas other types of hair grows straight or in bigger curls.
Black hair as identity. In pre-colonial African societies, Black hair was seen as a symbol of a person's identity. And during that time, there was a hairstyle for everyone and every occasion: whether you were royalty, a soldier going off to war, or a mother about to give birth.
Scientifically, black hair is the slowest growing hair type due to its elliptical shape and only grows about one third of an inch per month. Alongside slow growth, you'll likely also encounter issues such as breakage, thinning and shedding whilst trying to grow your afro hair; typically, this is due to dehydration.
A 2005 study in the journal International Journal of Dermatology also found a difference among races in the rate of hair growth. For example, Asian hair grows the fastest, while African hair grows the slowest.
Thick, glossy strands go a long way toward making hair look healthy—even when it's not. "Because the hairs are thicker naturally, dark hair is better at camouflaging damage than light hair; it weighs down flyaways and split ends," notes Adrian Wallace, senior colorist at Rita Hazan Salon in NYC.
Long black hair was rated as more attractive than medium-length black hair in the study. While black hair is attractive on a woman, lighter and longer hair makes women look more attractive in some circumstances, research finds.
Black hair is always best suited to those with olive or darker-toned skin as it will complement your tone without looking washed out. Dark hair with a slight undertone of blue is fabulous against olive skin while jet-black hair will always look stunning against dark skin tones.
Hair means something different to each of us, but Black hair has a uniquely meaningful history as a symbol of survival, resistance and celebration. It's been wielded as a tool of oppression and also one of empowerment—and our society's perceptions of Black hair still influence how Black people are treated today.
Definitions of black-haired. adjective. having hair of a dark color. synonyms: brown-haired, dark-haired brunet, brunette. marked by dark or relatively dark pigmentation of hair or skin or eyes.
To sum things up, naturally black hair does not exist. The only way to get truly black hair is to dye it yourself or with the assistance of a professional colorist. If you want to go black, feel free to use the tips and instructions above to make it happen. We wish you the best with your hair!
Fros don't absorb as much moisture as our caucasian cousins' hair, added to this the structure of our hair (curls and kinks, and increased density) means that nutrients often don't travel along the length of our strands as well as we'd like.
Natural Hair
Even though natural black hair is dry, the build-up of debris can make it feel greasy if not washed regularly. You should ideally wash your natural black hair once every seven to fourteen days. Use a mild cleansing shampoo and a gentle conditioner.
Curly hair is not certain to a race or ethnicity, it appears all over the world in many forms. White, brown, black and everything inbetween! There is also a scale on which curly hair is classified (2a-4c).
Asian hair shows the fastest growth rate in comparison to the other two hair types. African hair has the lowest growth rate.
Genetics (which controls ethnicity) is the number one cause of hair loss. Certain races have higher rates of hair loss compared to others. Caucasians have the highest rates out of all the ethnic groups. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Native American Indians, Inuits, and Chinese have the lowest rates.
When it comes to the race that tends to lose the most hair, that goes to Caucasians. Additionally, West Asian (specifically Indian) people are likely to experience similar hair loss levels to Caucasians.