African American Hair Textures

'Can I touch it?' The fascination with natural, African American hair

(CNN) -- Tamara Winfrey Harris tells a story of being in a chain restaurant with her husband when their names were called for a table.

Just as the couple rose to go, a middle-aged white woman standing nearby reached out swiftly to touch Winfrey Harris's hair which at the time was styled in natural twists.

"She missed by mere seconds, she was actually going to grab my hair as I walked past her," recalled Winfrey Harris who runs the blog What Tami Said . "I turned around and she said, 'Oh, your hair is neat.' It just floored me because who does that, just reaches out and touches strangers?"

It's a common tale shared by women of color whose natural hair can attract stares, curiosity, comments and the occasional stranger who desires to reach out and touch.

The reaction to such fondling can range from amusement to outrage over the invasion of personal space.

The discussion surrounding it is often rooted in race relations.

Blogger Los Angelista explained her response to a woman's incredulous "Are you serious, I can't touch your hair?" by writing that no she couldn't, "Because my black ancestors may have been your ancestors' property, and had to smile while they got touched in ways they didn't want to, but I am not YOUR property and never will be so you'd best move your hand away from me."

"Natural hair" for black women is, by definition, hair that is not processed and not chemically altered. Straightened hair is oftened viewed as easier to care for and more attractive.

Rather than use chemical straighteners known as relaxers (also sometimes called "creamy crack" for both the damage it can do to black hair as well as the inability of some women to live without it) some women wear their hair in its natural state.

Natural hair can be described as curly, kinky, wavy, or -- the sometimes dreaded and considered by some to be an offensive word -- nappy.

Black hair fuels a more than billion-dollar industry which includes products, weaves, and wigs that can enable African-American women to change up their styles at a whim. Tons of websites, blogs, books and videos about natural hair exist to educate those desiring to "go natural."

The style has been embraced for reasons of fashion, politics and simply by those unwilling to spend the time and money to maintain their chemically processed hair.

African American Hair Texture - Digital Life at Digi 2005

African American hair comes in an almost infinite variety of textures, from curly to woolly, from kinky to wavy, from natural and thick to straight and sleek. But whatever its texture, Black African American hair is a gift that reflects both our beauty and our ancestry. Unfortunately, though, it’s often next to impossible to feel good about our hair. Why? Because it feels like we’re constantly at war with it.

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The Basics

At some point in her life (or many times throughout her life!) virtually every woman wrestles with the question of natural versus relaxed/permed. There are advantages and disadvantages to each, but whatever the choice, it’s crucial to take care of your locks.

Good hair care starts from the inside out. That means eating a balanced diet to give your body all the nutrients it needs in order to grow the healthiest hair possible. It also means drinking plenty of water, to give your hair (and skin) much-needed moisture.

The Comb/Brush

The next critical element of hair care – regardless of your hair’s texture – is using the proper comb/brush. The truth is, the vast majority of combs and brushes are made for non-African American hair. The ideal tool for our hair is a combination comb/brush that is designed so that the teeth easily slide under our coiled hair texture. It’s like a detangler that works by rolling out the hair instead of pulling it out. In the process, it naturally conditions and relaxes hair, making it soft and easy to style or braid. This kind of comb/brush also keeps our hair healthy and helps prevent breakage.

Next Steps

In addition to having the proper comb/brush, there are several other things you can do to help prevent breakage. First, use heat sparingly, especially if your hair is permed. Second, don’t wash your hair too often – every seven to ten days is ideal. When you do wash it, use a leave-in conditioner. In between, rinse your hair once or twice a week (and especially after a workout), and use a conditioner every day. And, don’t neglect your monthly deep conditioning treatment.

Embrace Your Texture

The hairstyles you choose will change over the course of your lifetime, but the best hair care advice is to embrace your natural texture and work with it. Hair that is naturally curly will act very differently than hair that is naturally woolly. Similarly, super-kinky hair will respond in a different way to treatments than naturally wavy hair.

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