History, hair, and Blackness

Today in good health and well-being, we discuss everything that synthetic braid users need to know. This article is inspired by a 2023 article titled, Carcinogenic materials in synthetic braids: an unrecognized risk of hair products for Black women by Chystal G. Thomas.

Anyone can install synthetic hair but this method of braiding is popular amongst Black women. As a Social Scientist, my stance is that race is socially constructed. Social construction means that we live in a society where human beings have unique experiences or stories shaped by history (e.g. colonialism and apartheid) and socio-political dynamics in different contexts and cultures.

Hair is a form of politics. Chéri Matjila discusses how hair is a form of politics in itself because historically, Black women in Southern Africa have been forced to assimilate to European beauty standards. However, this is not only a Southern African phenomenon but a global one that affects many Black women. Additionally, the transatlantic slave trade left Black women with a complex relationship with their hair because of the discrimination of having tightly coiled and curly hair. Furthermore, this hair was seen as undesirable and had to be hidden and somehow, beauty and attractiveness depended on how close to Whiteness a Black woman's hair was. Today, Black women still grapple with the concept of hair. This has led to highlighting the health concerns behind synthetic braids. 

Kanekalon and Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) 

Hair discrimination is real, especially for Black women. The type of hair a Black woman chooses to have on her head has an impact on the opportunities that she has access to. This is due to respectability politics that come with having tight curls which are viewed as undesirable in some industries. This pushes women to use braiding hair that contains Kanekalon- a harmful chemical that is used in the production of synthetic hair products. Caroline Faria and Hilary Jones state that people resort to using braiding hair that contains kanekalon because it is the cheaper option. Looking smart or the Eurocentric version of smartness makes people resort to disregarding their Afrocentric looks to appear desirable or put together in Eurocentric settings or spaces. The heating methods used in the braiding process have health impacts. The braiding hair releases VOCs activated by the heating process involved in hair braiding. These emissions affect the person who is getting the protective braiding hairstyle and the braider as well. Donna Auguste and Shelly Miller indicate that VOCs disrupt indoor air quality and can trigger diseases such as asthma for those in household and hair salon settings. 

Conclusion

As a Black woman myself, I have braided my hair for years. I thought this was a good option since braiding hair comes with challenges. However, I recently found out about the dangers of some of the most common beauty products. There is a need to educate Black women about the health-related disadvantages of some protective hairstyles. Then women can make their own decisions if they would like to use some braiding products or find other products that will not increase health risks. I believe that the same way that awareness has been raised for the health impacts of smoking cigarettes should be raised for braiding hair. People should have a clear and educated idea of what they are getting themselves into and making their own informed decisions.