Not only is African hair often coiled, it also has a unique texture. So why is this? African hair produces plenty of protective oils, called sebum, which keeps our hair healthy. In fact, African hair actually produces more oils than Caucasian and Asian hair.
The most studied black hair gene is MC1R which causes the body to produce a protein called melanocortin. This protein causes hair follicles to produce a type of melanin pigmentation called eumelanin. Black hair has the highest concentration of this pigmentation with brown, blonde and red hair following behind.
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.
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.
Hair density.
According to HealthGuidance, Caucasians have the highest hair density, averaging approximately two hundreds strands of hair per square centimeter.
Asian-Americans top the list at 86.5 years, with Latinos following closely behind at 82.8 years. Third of the five groups are Caucasians, with an average life expectancy of about 78.9 years, followed by Native Americans at 76.9 years. The final group, African Americans, has a life expectancy of 74.6 years.
Afro hair produces plenty of protective oils called sebum, but the oil struggles to spread evenly along the hair fibre due to the curly nature of afro hair. Without lubrication, the fibres become very dry which causes the hair to become frizzy and brittle.
Genetics. Native Americans, East Asian, Southeast Asian, Southwest Asian, Middle Eastern, Far East Russian, South Asian and Himalayan black-haired people have thicker and straighter hair due to the derived EDAR gene allele that is linked to thicker and straighter hair and shovel-shaped incisors.
Why do we get dry afro hair? Dry afro hair is usually a result of a lack of moisture. Our scalp produces natural oils for our hair, however, unlike straight hair which allows these oils to glide down each strand, the oils in afro hair find it harder to move down each shaft.
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.
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.
By default, your tresses undergo several changes as you age that may be related to diet, hormonal fluctuations or any medications you take. And as textured hair tends to be drier, these changes, coupled with improper care, can weaken your strands.
You are at higher risk for fragile hair if:
Hair follicles in most people of African descent are shaped like an oval, giving way to many possible breaking points along the hair shaft. This results in hair curling and twisting when coming out of the scalp.
It is an oily, waxy mix of chemicals that will protect, lubricate and moisturise the skin and hair. The sebum is what makes some textures of hair look greasy after just a few days – however, in Afro hair it has a harder time spreading out and is more concentrated around the scalp.
African slaves no longer had access to their natural herbs, butters and oils to take care of their hair. They resorted to bacon grease, butter, and kerosene as their moisturizers, conditioners, and shampoo.
In general, however, the highest rates of male pattern baldness are found among Caucasian men. The second highest rates belong to Afro-Caribbeans. Native Americans, on the other hand, do not struggle much with male pattern baldness. As mentioned, pattern baldness is genetic, that is, hereditary.
It's mostly the Asian and African continents where there is a 'concentration' of black-colored hair, though it can be found in the southern parts of Europe as well. Did you know that people with Celtic heritage in Ireland that have black hair and black eyes are called the 'Black Irish'?
This may be related to differences in body composition, which is known to differ between ethnic groups. 62, 105 More specifically, black adults were found to have a relatively higher muscle mass (leading to a lower sarcopenia prevalence) compared to whites and Asians.
Sickle cell diseases are especially common in people of African or Caribbean ancestry. They cause your body to make red blood cells that are sticky and curved and back up in your liver, and they die faster than your liver can filter them out. Bilirubin from these cells builds up in your body, causing jaundice.
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).
Most African American babies are born with thick, coarse, curly or wavy hair that requires special care. Because of its texture and curl pattern, the hair tends to be dry and prone to breakage – so treat it gently!
Life expectancy for Black people was only 71.8 years compared to 77.6 years for White people and 78.8 years for Hispanic people. Life expectancy was even lower for Black males at only 68 years. Data were not available for other racial/ethnic groups.
Findings based on millions of deaths suggest that shorter, smaller bodies have lower death rates and fewer diet-related chronic diseases, especially past middle age. Shorter people also appear to have longer average lifespans.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the average American man will live to age 76, while the average woman in America will live to age 81. Women can also expect to be healthier than men in their senior years. Experts shave said the gap is due to a combination of biological and social differences.
It's a myth that Black hair doesn't grow. All human hair grows at about half an inch a month, depending on your health and genetics. Having long hair is really more about how much hair you retain after breakage. Black hair, because it's curly, can be weaker than straighter hair.