Kinky Hair Extension Introduction and Definition:
A Kinky Hair Extension is the natural hair texture of certain populations in Africa mainly in Sub Saharan Africa, the African dispersion, Oceania, and in some parts of South and Southeast Asia. Each strand of this hair type grows in a tiny, angle like helix shape. The overall effect is such that, compared to straight, wavy, or curly hair.
English adjectives such as woolly nappy or spiraled have been used to describe natural kinky hair types. More formally this type of hair refers to afro-textured hair, its antonym being smooth-haired. In 1825 Jean Baptiste Bory introduced the scientific term Multichip for the purpose of human taxonomy.
In 1997 hairstylists created a numerical grading system for human hair types. The Andre Walker Hair typing system classifies kinky hair as type 4. However kinky hair is often difficult to categorize because of the many different variations among individuals. Those variations include pattern, pattern size, density, strand diameter, medium, coarse, and feel.
Background:
Historically, many cultures in continental Africa developed hairstyles that defined status, religion, fertility, adulthood, and death. Hair was carefully groomed by those who understood the aesthetic standard as the social implications of hair grooming were a significant part of community life. Intensive thick, clean, and neatly groomed hair was something highly admired and sought after. Hair groomers possessed unique styling skills, allowing them to create a variety of designs that met the local cultural standards. Hair was usually dressed according to local culture.
Structure:
Different ethnic groups have observable differences in the structure, density, and growth rate of hair. About structure all human hair has the same basic chemical composition in terms of keratin protein content. Franbourg has found that black hair may differ in the distribution of lipids throughout the hair shaft. Classical kinky hair has been found to be not as densely concentrated on the scalp as other follicle types. Specifically, the average density of kinky hair was found to be approximately 190 hairs per square centimeter. This was significantly lower than that of Caucasian hair, which on average has approximately 227 hairs per square centimeter.
Loussouram found that kinky hair grows at an average rate of approximately 256 micrometers per day whereas Caucasian hair grows at approximately 396 micrometers per day. In addition, due to a phenomenon called shrinkage kinky hair that is a given length when stretched straight can appear much shorter when allowed to naturally coil.
Individual hair shape is never completely circular. The cross-section of a hair is an ellipse, which can tend towards a circle or be distinctly flattened Asiatic heads of straight hair are formed from almost round hairs and Caucasian hairs cross-sections from oval shapes. Kinky
hair strands can possess torsion twists, where the hair strand turns around itself. These torsion twists may prevent the hair strands from coiling into tight curls, instead of separating them and allowing the hair to have a fluffier, more undefined look.
Adaptation:
Clarence (2012) suggests that kinky hair may have initially evolved because of an adaptive need amongst human’s early hominid ancestors for protection against the intense UV adaption of the sun in Africa. About the hypothesized recent African origin of modern humans, the author argues that kinky hair migration that populated the rest of the globe.
According to Clarence (2012), kinky hair may have been adaptive for the earliest modern humans in Africa because the relatively sparse density of such hair, combined with its elastic helix shape, results in an airy effect. The resulting increased circulation of cool air onto the scalp may have thus served to facilitate the body temperature regulation system of hominids while they lived on the open savannah. Kinky hair requires more moisture than straight hair and tends to shrink when dry. Instead of sticking to the neck and scalp when damp (as do straighter textures), unless completely drenched it tends to retain its basic springiness. The trait may have been retained and/or preferred among many anatomically modern populations in equatorial areas. Such as Polynesians, Micronesians, Melanesians, Australoids, and the Negrito, because of its contribution to enhanced comfort levels tropical climate conditions.
A study reveals that the human hair industry in Ghana has been on the rise for the past two years and has become extremely profitable. This is because Ghanaian have gained more knowledge about how to make themselves more prominent with kinky hairstyle extensions. Despite the high costs associated with these extensions, women are still buying them for special cases and for everyday use. These hair extensions are readily available and all over the market, so women have more measures to buying them. Data collected shows that about 70-80% of hair salon’s female clients in Accra want to have human hair extensions fixed into their hair. Therefore, this study investigates the reasons why Ghanaian women are wearing human hair extensions, as contrasting to other popular hairstyles in Ghana. It also discourses the issue of how these extensions affect a woman’s awareness of beauty. The paper also delves into the history of the various hairstyles African American women have been doing. The history can also be applied to Ghanaian women as they have the same hair touch. Finally, the study provides useful approvals for Ghanaian women who regularly wear human hair extensions.
How to take care of Kinky Hair Extension?
- Detangle before washing,
In order to truly know how to care for kinky hair extensions, you must master the detangling technique. Before washing make sure to completely detangle hair from the tip gradually going to the root.
- Use a sulfate-free organic shampoo,
Section your hair before washing. This will help you manage and control your hair especially if you have a tighter curl like 3C-4A or 4B to 4C hair. 4 sections are ideal you can make more if you like.
- Use a moisture-rich conditioner.
Not all conditioners are meant for curly hair. Therefore, always sure to use a moisture-rich conditioner and don’t raise off all the conditioner. Leave some behind to keep the hair hydrated.
- Air dry hair instead of blow dry,
Preferably, air dry has as opposed to drying with a hairdryer. Always allow hair to properly air-dry up to 80% then finish with low head dryer and diffuser attachment.