Afro-Ethnic Hairstyling Trends, Risks, and Recommendations

Beauty Inside Out: Examining Beauty Product Use Among Diverse Women and Femme-Identifying Individuals in Northern Manhattan and South Bronx Through an Environmental Justice Framework

The disproportionate use of chemical straighteners and skin lighteners by women of color is a growing public health concern given the link between product use and adverse health effects. Prior studies examined product use as an individual choice but neglected social-structural factors, which influence beauty perceptions and personal decisions around product use. We used a community-based participatory research approach to characterize product use by demographics and investigated how racialized beauty norms impact use among 297 women and femme-identifying individuals in Northern Manhattan and the South Bronx. Product use varied by race/ethnicity, nativity, and messaging from family and peers. Black respondents were more likely to ever use chemical straighteners than non-Black respondents (OR = 2.0; 95% CI = 1.2-3.2), as were respondents who heard that family members express a preference for straight hair compared with respondents whose family members expressed mixed preferences about hairstyles (OR = 2.0; 95% CI = 1.1-3.7). Compared with non-Asian respondents and respondents born in the United States, Asian respondents and respondents born in other countries, respectively, had threefold higher odds of ever using skin lighteners (Asian: OR = 3.2; 95% CI = 1.4-7.0; born in other countries: OR = 3.4; 95% CI = 1.9-6.1). Respondents' perceptions that others believe straight hair or lighter skin confer benefits such as beauty, professionalism, or youth were associated with greater use of chemical straighteners and skin lighteners. These findings highlight the pervasiveness of racialized beauty norms and point to the need to reduce the demand for and sale of these products through community education, market-based strategies, and public policy.

A community-based study of hair care practices, scalp disorders and psychological effects on women in a Suburban town in Southwest Nigeria

Introduction

The scalp hairs on an average African is dry with low tensile strength and a tendency to break easily. This is mostly due to poor penetration of the natural oils on the scalp and the very curly hair texture. Various techniques developed to manage African hair are associated with certain hair and scalp disorders and are sources of distress.

Objectives

This was a cross-sectional survey to compare natural African hair and chemically processed (relaxed) hair to determine the effect of hair care and grooming practices on common scalp disorders and the psychological effect in Nigerian women.

Subjects and Methods

Questionnaires were administered to women at the market, churches and outreaches with many women in attendance to document the hair grooming practices, common scalp symptoms and psychological effects experienced. They were also examined for the presence of seborrhoeic dermatitis and traction alopecia.

Results

The study involved 452 women (62.17%) with relaxed hair and 275 women (37.83%) with natural (untreated) hair. Women with relaxed hair experienced significantly more flaking of the scalp (P = 0.046, x² = 6.16), hair breakage (P = 0.023, x² = 11.35) and hair loss (P = 0.020, x² = 7.87) than those with natural hair. The most common psychological effects of hair scalp disorders in all participants were feeling of uneasiness 142 (19.5%), frustration 49 (6.7%), poor body image 40 (5.5%) and anger 38 (5.2%). Significantly more women with relaxed hair experienced moderate hair loss from traction than women with natural hair (P = 0.014, x² = 8.52).

Conclusion

Nigerian women experienced clinical and psychological distress consequent to their hair grooming practices. Individuals with relaxed hair had more physical symptoms, hair loss and psychological disturbances than those with natural hair.