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When it comes to hair, all women can relate. Whether you are white, black or Asian, we all agonize over how to wear it, toss and turn about what colour it should be, and cringe at the thought of cutting it too short. Dermatological research (see Browne, 2006; Loussouarn and Rawadi et al., 2005; McMichael, 2003; 2007; Wolfram, 2003) has shown that we are all born with approximately 150,000 hair follicles on the scalp but when it comes down to it, not all hair is created the same. Visually, black hair is thicker, curlier, and often frizzier as compared to Caucasian and Asian hair. And, from a grooming standpoint, it is also more sensitive to excessive manipulation, requiring a different set of styling techniques.
For me, hair has always been a constant battle. As a child it was long and healthy, but after over a decade of using a chemical straightener, it grew increasingly damaged - a tale that rings true for millions of black women - and I became tired of repeating the "process" every six to eight weeks. "Why am I doing this?" I wondered. "What does my thick, curly, frizzy hair actually look like?" And, "Is there a way I can take care of my hair without using a chemical, a hot comb, or having to wear a wig?" Fortunately, both my sisters have worn their hair natural for several years, so I have seen firsthand how to care for that style, but so many women are not as lucky. And so last January, I sought to share my story with whoever would listen, and that is when my hair journey and that of Strictly Roots (SR)1 owner, Ruth Smith, collided.
One gloomy morning in February 2008, I walked into SR, a natural hair care studio - which means no measures are taken to alter the natural state of black hair - located in Toronto. Open since 2002, I had been a client of SR for months; however, this morning was different. As I entered the shop, Ruth was on the phone doing an interview about an article that was published in the Toronto Star, entitled, "Why Do Black Women Fear the 'Fro?,"2 which I had written a few weeks prior....