Quote:
Originally Posted by Shemsi en Tehuti
Uhm...the whole sebum theory is kind of silly to me. If it was really the case of sebum being able to flow down the shaft of the hair, thereby making it more moisturized, then the hair on top of your head, regardless of hair texture or "race", would always be dry and brittle. This sebum argument seems to be yet another "scientific" endeavor to inferiorize the traits of African people, and Africans are buying it (yet again).
The sebaceous glands are what secrete sebum, but sebum is just how the body naturally oils the skin. These glands are most often connected to hair follicles, but that only makes sense given it is an opening to moisturize the outer layer of skin. You will also find sebaceous glands on places where there is little to no hair such as the male and female genitalia, lips, and all around the body including the eyelids. The oil or sebum produced has been linked to the clogged pores resulting in acne and other dermitological problems.
If you have very active sebaceous glands, then I don't doubt that it would help naturally moisturize the hair near the scalp. However, to insist that our hair texture inhibits the flow of sebum down the hair shaft just simply isn't well thought out in justifying an argument that Afro-textured hair is "more dry" in my estimation.
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I agree that that it probably doesn't travel ALL THE WAY down by itself, particularly if the hair is very long, but people with straight hair tend to brush/comb their hair dry between washes. Plus, the sebum is only one of different factors. Of course if you wash your hair daily, whether it's straight or curly, it won't apply.
Why would the hair on top be dry and brittle? That's the first spot to become soggy with oil on people with oily scalp. The oil coats as it moves/is brushed downward.
I am confused on the reason for your opposition to this theory (or the theory of curly hair being drier generally than straight hair). How does not having oily hair translate to the idea of inferiority? I mean, I just don't see it.
It's a FACT that straight hair retains moisture for longer periods of time. There are people w/straight hair that their scalp becomes drenched in oil hours after washing it. This doesn't seem like a likely trait to be a candidate for superiority.
It's one thing to acknowledge true attempts at establishing inferiority and another to disregard pretty simple scientific explanation in favor for out of the way conspiracy theory. JMO.
Well what do say about the "flat-laying" vs. "lifted cuticle" theory?
The lifting of the cuticles is a reality of curly hair...whether the person is Black, white, hispanic, etc.
I see where you're going to a degree but understand that just because curly and kinky hair is
prone to being drier than straight hair doesn't mean it's doomed to be. It just means different techniques are required to keep it moisturized.
Even though my hair is curly I don't straighten, I don't blow-dry, I don't shampoo everyday, I don't even dye and I deep condition weekly as well as wear moisturizing products in my hair, and as a result my hair is less dry than my white friends and family members with straight hair who flat-iron, dye, blow-dry and don't use conditioner.