Long African Hair
Blacks Cannot Grow Their Hair Long. Right? WRONG. Here is news for you if you thought or have always heard that blacks cannot grow their hair past their shoulders. This is the 21st century and we now can grow our hair past our shoulders. Was driving from Woodmead Shopping Center this afternoon when I tuned on to 702 Talk radio and heard a person ask on Jenny Crwys-Williams question and answer section of her show. This person’s question was, “Why is it black Africans’ are not capable to grow their hair long unless it is in dread locks?”
ATrichologist, apparently the only registered Trichologist in South Africa came on air and answered by saying indeed they cannot unless it is locked. I was in shock to say the least to hear someone with such a qualification confirming the misconception that most people have. She even went on to say even if it is locked, the locks cannot go past the hip. What misinformation. She said if you take the lock apart, it consists of shed short strands of hair which have been locked together with hair still attached to the scalp that is why hair appears long. She said locked hair does grow at a faster rate though due to the pulling and locking/twisting action which stimulates the scalp and helps hair to grow but warned on the dangers of pulling it too much for a long time which may cause damage to the hair follicle. We are in agreement on the latter statement.
The internet is indeed quite full of African ladies who have managed to grow their hair past their shoulders and even upto hip level. A few come to mind right now. I can give you, Cipriana of Urban Bush Babes, who has hip length hair and has type 4c hair which is considered the kinkiest African hair, Alicia James also has waist length hair, longhairdontcare2011 has hip length, fusion cultures is a black Ghananian and has long hair, Kimmyatube, mahoganycurls, phrophro a black Zimabwean and haircrush all have healthy beautiful long hair just to mention a few because indeed there are a lot of them out there and most do not even have channels or blogs on hair.
Black women have now learnt to take care of kinky hair for it different to straight hair and has quite unique needs. With technology and information at a click of a button, it is now possible for us to learn how to take care of our hair properly to realise it’s full potential. Enjoy the pictures below of the women I just mentioned and links to their sites or YT channels.
Hair Crush(Chime Edwards)
4 comments
I understand the perception that black women can’t grow their hair long. I didn’t believe it could be done by non-mixed race people til i saw legit 4c ladies on youtube with hair below their shoulder blades.
That being said, i have never seen anyone in South Africa with hair that long outside of dreads. I think it stems from the widely-held belief that natural hair (though lovely) is unmanageable, so most of us use relaxer (badly) and the breakage limits growth 🙁 Hopefully the current crop of Africa-based naturals will prove perceptions wrong using the methods popularised by internet naturals to show that length and health are within reach for South African women too!
Just read all your posts & I love the site! Sorry to write a thesis 😉
So true hey. Thanks for the compliment.
For someone to make such statements on national radio is utter ignorance. KInky hair doesn’t grow past shoulder because while it grows at the root, the ends are not taken care of. I, for one, am glad all those African-American ladies are sharing their natural hair journeys so I can learn how to do it myself also.
You know! The producers should have done more homework I think and maybe should have called a black sister who knows how to take care of her hair and not a white lady who is just a hair academic or a scientist so she said.
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