Is Hair Really Just Hair?

[kxlot79]

I recently came across this video by one of my favorite YouTubers and found myself engaged in heated and interesting discussion amongst close friends.
I've been a long time member of LHCF and this site is chock full of anecdotal evidence that hair ISN'T "just hair." At various times in my life, I attributed little to overinflated importance to my own hair. And having become a licensed cosmetologist and healthy haircare specialist/professional, I've seen some incredible things that my understanding of science and professional study can't explain...
It's a bit of a long video, but some of the highlights that intrigued me most were:
-Global similarities with hair traditions across space and time: cutting/shaving hair for religious/spiritual practice or to disconnect from negative energy. Even the modern reflection of that with many Black women who cut their hair when going through major life changes.
-The practice of incorporating human hair extensions with your own hair. I've always wanted to ask frequent weave wearers if they've ever noticed anything ooky spooky from a particular wig or batch of bundles. (The very notion that some metaphysical aspect could be connected to human hair has turned me off it since I was a teenager.)
-If you shave off one eyebrow, it grows back to the same length as before to match the other... what's up with that? If terminal length was really a thing... wouldn't that be by hair strand life cycle and growth rate? How DOES the body know when hair is missing and when to stop growing?
-Ever experience a stylist with "growing hands?"

 

[Evolving78]

I think when people say hair is just hair, it means that they won't allow their hair to cause bondage, or make hair their god.
I do believe in hair carrying positive and negative energy.

I don't believe in growing hands, but I do believe that a stylist's energy will have an impact on their clients, and their work will reflect that energy. I have had stylists that made my hair look good, but they caused a lot of damage. But the way how they are in life is the same way they approach their professional practices to their clients. I am a skin care professional, so I totally understand. I want my clients to look good and feel good inside and out. I love on them. lol I had hair stylists really listen to me, cared about my wants and needs, and provided great service. They respected that I was serious about the health of my hair. I also respected the stylists as well. I didn't tell them what to do, or make them feel like I knew more than them. Consultations are so important. If we talk and you take the time to get to know me and what my goals are, then you will already know as a stylist how to gauge what direction you go in with me and you will know if we will be a good fit for each other.

 

[YvetteWithJoy]

I have tried to tell myself at various times that hair is just hair, in the attempt to concern myself less about hair.

But I'm certain if I were bald, I in no way could feel that hair was just hair.

When I wear a wig or crochet braids, I do feel different. I feel completely free/me when I wear my own hair.

I'm pretty certain I've experienced growing hands. My hair grew like a weed with that stylist, and I had no concept of hair care back then. The mechanism of "growing hands" might just be skill and nothing spiritual -- I don't know. But salon visits with this stylist felt amazing.

I now try to view my hair as my crown and thus glory. I try to capitalize on the fact that hair health is a function of personal health, among other things. I am consciously working to give a more relaxed and confident investment of energy into caring for and styling my hair. I want my hair to be for me and work for me, not the other way around . I'm finally getting there, and I definitely owe it to the support, information, wisdom, and encouragement at this forum. I'm very grateful and try to share liberally in return.

 

[tapioca_pudding]

It's not "just" hair, but it's not "life", either.

 

[Prettymetty]

Hair is much more than just hair. The right style, cut, color, etc. Can make or break your entire look. Bad hair days make me feel unpretty. Good hair days make me feel confident.

 

[YvetteWithJoy]

It's not "just" hair, but it's not "life", either.

Nice, succinct reply/sentiment.

 

[Coilystep]

Hair is so much more than hair. It can mean different things at different times during your life. I didn't realize how much other people are invested in your hair until you make a change to it. I haven't gotten a chance to watch the video but I will.

 

[BlackRinse]

Lol @ I ain't tryna be on no Taren guy ish.

 

[frizzy]

It is "just hair". Whether I have a head full or am bald it doesn't make the world a better or worse place to live. Individuals place whatever level of importance to having or not having hair.

I don't hold anyone in any higher or lower esteem that rocks their own hair, no matter how it looks (almost). I respect that. I do judge people who insist on wearing fake hair, no matter the damage incurred and the fantastical styles and looks worn just to have fake hair on their head.

I do imagine that if I had ever had any issues growing healthy hair, I wouldn't be so nonchalant and cavalier in my feelings. I love my hair but I could cut it off today or lose it (God forbid) and still be happy.

 

[momi]

If hair is "just hair" then why do I feel fabulous when my hair is checking every box? When my hair is not together I can't help but feel incomplete. Granted my put together for that day may be a sleek bun or updo, but it definitely makes a difference.

Disclaimer: I have not watched the video.

 

[RossBoss]

No, hair is just not hair. Hair can even be an indicator of good health or bad health so he is definitely wrong. Hair completes your look and as women this is important.

 

[I Am So Blessed]

Hair can never be just hair especially since God cares about it.

When the Lord said that every hair is numbered, and that not a hair on my head shall parish, and that if a woman have long hair it is a glory unto her, He's is talking to me!

But I really try not to have hair as a god (I have sat and thought about this many times in private), I truly hope that I do not! Cause when the Lord said "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me" He's talking to me.

 

[YvetteWithJoy]

I like reading all of the different perspectives in this thread. Everyone's perspective is legitimate for them.

My mom lost her hair to cancer.

I would never have dismissed her feelings, emotions, hurt with, "Hair is just hair." The way hair loss affects people is one way I know that for most people, hair is not "just hair."

And . . . I would never say that means that I value and esteem my mom less now that she doesn't have much hair.

I guess my point is . . . saying "Hair is more than 'just hair'" is in no way saying "so those who lack hair are of lesser value." Why would the first statement imply the second? They are unconnected, for me.

 

[frizzy]

It's an individual thing. To some it is "just hair" and to some it is not. We could apply this question to almost anything and everybody would have a different opinion or feelings toward it.

 

[YvetteWithJoy]

It's an individual thing. To some it is "just hair" and to some it is not. We could apply this question to almost anything and everybody would have a different opinion or feelings toward it.

Yes -- I was thinking the same thing. I thought, "That's like asking, 'Are fingernails just fingernails?'" What does that mean?

Yes, fingernails are just fingernails means . . . ????????
No, fingernails are more than 'just fingernails' means . . . ??????

I mean . . . I value my fingernails. I really, really do. I saw someone who lost one and was like, "Ooooo. Fingernails are not just fingernails." Whatever that means!

Or "material possessions are just material possessions."
Or "skin color is just skin color." (PLEASE DON'T TALK TO ME ABOUT THIS: I ONLY INCLUDED IT BECAUSE IT MADE ME THINK, AND I'M NOT SAYING IT'S TRUE OR NOT TRUE. )

I guess the point is to say, "Don't OVER value hair. Don't OVER value material possessions. Don't make hair mean something it doesn't." And so forth. But, then, hair will mean different things to different people. So . . .

 

[frizzy]

@YvetteWithJoy

I had started a response using fingernails too, but I erased it! I have known women whose whole identity was their beautiful long hair. It's so one-dimensional.

 

[YvetteWithJoy]

@YvetteWithJoy

I had started a response using fingernails too, but I erased it! I have known women whose whole identity was their beautiful long hair. It's so one-dimensional.

Hmm. Wow.

 

[I Am So Blessed]

It's an individual thing. To some it is "just hair" and to some it is not. We could apply this question to almost anything and everybody would have a different opinion or feelings toward it.

This is so true .......for opions!

But the FACT still remains that hair is not just hair.

 

[YvetteWithJoy]

This is so true .......for opions!

But the FACT still remains that hair is not just hair.

Buwah haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

Chica, you are hilarious.

 

[Misseyl]

When you have lots of it, then it's just hair. When you trying to grow it, then its something else.

 

[YvetteWithJoy]

When you have lots of it, then it's just hair. When you trying to grow it, then its something else.

Helpful perspective!

 

[I Am So Blessed]

When you have lots of it, then it's just hair. When you trying to grow it, then its something else.

I understand your point.

for me...

back when I had a twa nobody could tell me nothing about my future hair even when I didn't have any as proof (aka receipts.) Therefore it was even more about the hair in order to get to the future hair.

I was nuttier then....

 

[Coilystep]

@YvetteWithJoy when I chopped my stepmother was going through breast cancer so she had lost her hair. She didn't really want me to cut my hair at the time. Which really surprised me at the time.

 

[YvetteWithJoy]

@YvetteWithJoy when I chopped my stepmother was going through breast cancer so she had lost her hair. She didn't really want me to cut my hair at the time. Which really surprised me at the time.

Do you feel like she felt she "knew something," as in "Don't cut your hair, baby! You WILL feel a loss."?

 

[Tefnut]

If I may, I'm going to amend your statement to say: When you're able to grow it to any length easily, then it's just hair. When you're struggling to grow it, then it's something else. Because you have women who have struggled to get their hair to a certain length and aren't willing to cut it for anyone

I didn't watch the video but I think that hair for black women has come to mean something entirely different post-colonialism and post-AST than it did years before. For example, many people believed that black women (or black men) couldn't grow their hair long if they weren't mixed with some other race. Though that mindset is changing the impact that misconceptions about black hair is still permeating. And so are outside influences. There are black women who only want to grow long hair just to prove that dark-skinned black woman can have WL hair or a "nappy-haired" black woman can have WL or that not all black women are "bald-headed" and need "fake" hair to achieve length. There are also women who want to grow longer hair so they can treat others the way they were treated when they couldn't grow their hair. It's kinda interesting. My point is that black women, no matter how happy and nappy we proclaim to be, seem to still be influenced by nonblack beauty standards and hair ideals.

(I know that may be a little wordy. I had been thinking about this while watching YouTube videos and thinking about the origins of my own beauty standards and ideals.)

When you have lots of it, then it's just hair. When you trying to grow it, then its something else.

 

[dicapr]

When you have lots of it, then it's just hair. When you trying to grow it, then its something else.

I think it is the value society places on hair and whether you buy into it or not. I had longish hair all my life and thought that having long hair was equivalent to some sort of beauty standard. I was encouraged not to cut my hair because it wouldn’t grow back or I wouldn’t look as feminine with short hair. However having my hair damaged from some braids and ultimately cutting it off into a tapered TWA really made me see hair was just hair.

After the initial shock of having short hair I realized I felt just as attractive with short hair as I did with long hair. My femininity and attractiveness was not tied to hair at all. Hair is just hair-an accessory to do what I will with it. I purposely kept it short for years and then I decided to loc it because I wanted something easy. After I’m done with locs I’ll cut them off and start again. It took me having to cut my hair off to truly put things in perspective.

 

[YvetteWithJoy]

If I may, I'm going to amend your statement to say: When you're able to grow it to any length easily, then it's just hair. When you're struggling to grow it, then it's something else. Because you have women who have struggled to get their hair to a certain length and aren't willing to cut it for anyone

I didn't watch the video but I think that hair for black women has come to mean something entirely different post-colonialism and post-AST than it did years before. For example, many people believed that black women (or black men) couldn't grow their hair long if they weren't mixed with some other race. Though that mindset is changing the impact that misconceptions about black hair is still permeating. And so are outside influences. There are black women who only want to grow long hair just to prove that dark-skinned black woman can have WL hair or a "nappy-haired" black woman can have WL or that not all black women are "bald-headed" and need "fake" hair to achieve length. There are also women who want to grow longer hair so they can treat others the way they were treated when they couldn't grow their hair. It's kinda interesting. My point is that black women, no matter how happy and nappy we proclaim to be, seem to still be influenced by nonblack beauty standards and hair ideals.

(I know that may be a little wordy. I had been thinking about this while watching YouTube videos and thinking about the origins of my own beauty standards and ideals.)

Interesting.

Do you consider long hair to be a beauty standard that is nonblack? Or, is that one of those misconceptions?

Just thinking aloud and making no accusations about what you meant:

Every time a black woman is aiming for long hair, is it somewhat because she's trying to have white beauty? Or, is long hair a universal beauty thing? Does beauty-from-long-hair belong NATURALLY to nonblack woman and ONLY UNNATURALLY or by COPYCAT "belong" to black women?

Hmm.

I love that myself and other black women are having longer and longer hair, and I thought I was glad because we are no longer letting unhealthy hair care practices eat up our hair and are attaining what is universally a beautiful thing (not that short hair isn't also), not because I was thinking, "We're getting to be like white women now. Yay." But I could be misunderstanding myself. Maybe some people think long hair is mainly beautiful because they associate long hair with whiteness . . . and, consequently, if white women only had short hair, then they themselves would not want long hair. That doesn't sound correct to me, but I could be wrong.

ETA: I am indeed glad when I see young black girls with their hair thriving, and part of that gladness is that they don't erroneously believe long hair is not for them and only for others.

 

[curlicarib]

For me in my world, hair is just hair. I've shaved it. I've grown it out past my waist. In the end (for me) it's just hair. If I lost all of it today, I'd rock my baldie proudly. However, I do recognize that for other people, hair can be everything. I can respect that.

 

[curlicarib]

I actually think I'm cuter with no hair or a extra short feminine fade.

I think it is the value society places on hair and whether you buy into it or not. I had longish hair all my life and thought that having long hair was equivalent to some sort of beauty standard. I was encouraged not to cut my hair because it wouldn’t grow back or I wouldn’t look as feminine with short hair. However having my hair damaged from some braids and ultimately cutting it off into a tapered TWA really made me see hair was just hair.

After the initial shock of having short hair I realized I felt just as attractive with short hair as I did with long hair. My femininity and attractiveness was not tied to hair at all. Hair is just hair-an accessory to do what I will with it. I purposely kept it short for years and then I decided to loc it because I wanted something easy. After I’m done with locs I’ll cut them off and start again. It took me having to cut my hair off to truly put things in perspective.

 

[Saludable84]

I didn't watch (at work) but I don't believe hair is just hair. I believe that people place different values on hair. I'll give some for instances.

Me: I had decent relaxed hair that I struggled to retain until I did it myself. I always needed to wear it out to prove a point that I had hair. Once I began taking of my own hair (relaxed and natural) I love my hair, but I could care less what other people think about it now. Which is why I hardly ever wear it out. Most people know it's long by the size of my bun, but whether they know I have a lot of hair or not is not something I'm out to prove anymore.

Two male employees whined to me about thinning hair and balding. Both were looking for shampoos and solutions because one felt his hair was thinning and the other is bald and said it's hard being young and bald and trying to date. To them, it's about appearance.

When my mom was relaxed, she kinda always had her hair short. Now that she's natural, she wants it to be long and calls me for advice all the time. I feel her perspective changed when she went natural.

I have two coworkers with ombrés. One went to devachan, so she got a good treatment, but damaged hair was not an option for her and she has always had WHIP length hair. The other went somewhere her friend went despite my advice and went from WL hair to APL hair in less than 6 months and was kind of sad about it. Still is.

Last, i know someone who only wants her short relaxed cut. That's it. That's. It. Her beauty and appearance is based on this style.

That's just my opinion.