Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - New Medical Condition Among African Diaspora Women: Traction Alopecia

Traction alopecia is common here in Nigeria, in the older generation, among those whose hair is plaited very tight - the use of chemical straighteners is irrelevant, and indeed, it is the desire to achieve a straightness (neatness?) that the traditional weavers used to pull the hair so tight and not allow even the tiny hairs on the hairline to escape! In the younger generation, it is more likely to be due to what we call Ghana braids: that is more likely to go along with chemical straightening, it starts small at the hairline but it is often not realised that the whole weight of the attachment is pulling right from the hairline, and pulling.

But it would be a mistake to ascribe all this to low racial awareness among West Africans.

Ayo
I invite you to follow me on Twitter @naijama

On 25 Jan 2012, at 03:25, La Vonda <lrstaples@gmail.com> wrote:

> New Medical Condition Among African Diaspora Women: Traction Alopecia
>
> by La Vonda R. Staples
>
> http://lavondastaples.blogspot.com/
>
> Since I have embarked on the study of Africans in America I've been
> shocked on rare occasions. As Moms Mabley once said, "if you ever
> catch folks acting nice they're probably just not feeling well." Very
> little amazes me. I've recently been shocked to find out that there
> is a new condition among African Diaspora women. It's called traction
> alopecia and it is caused by the combined use of chemical relaxers and
> braiding/weaves as the ONLY style of coiffure maintenance. In this
> condition, women in their 20's are reporting to medical professionals
> with patterns of baldness seen in much older adults and those
> suffering from healthcare emergencies such as cancer. The condition
> is permanent. It is not reversible.
>
> The purveyors of this condition are Black American hairstylists who
> have yet to demand national certifications in natural hair care. As
> of yet, there is no national training school for the care of African
> hair. There really is no standard in the FDA for the regulation of
> products for African hair. Additionally, we have yet to see a
> standard on age at time of application of relaxers etc. If it is
> against the law to get a tattoo before the age of 18 surely there must
> be an eye and skin test for the application of the caustic chemicals
> involved in relaxing hair. Concurrently, there must also be a
> standard for West African immigrants who engage in the styling of
> hair. Again, persons who braid her are NOT required to obtain a
> cosmetology license or education in skin conditions. They just open
> up shop and start braiding.
>
> I've developed a background in beauty standards and applications from
> the gamut of the African Diaspora. From the black soap to the shea
> to the neem oil, I have sat down, shut up and let those women teach me
> their customs and cultures. More and more, the indigenous cultures
> are supplanted by Eurocentric ideology of health and beauty.
>
> How can a medical condition be produced in a mere decade? Ignorance.
> Plain and simple. Traction alopecia is a condition of ignorance, low
> self-esteem of gender and low racial awareness. Makes me crazy just
> to think about it.
>
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