Yes, African hair is naturally curly and coily, making it prone to frizz because its structure makes it harder for natural oils to travel down the hair shaft, leading to dryness and the cuticle opening up, but with proper moisturizing and gentle handling, frizz can be managed and celebrated. Frizz in African hair often results from dryness and humidity, but this texture is also a symbol of natural beauty and resilience.
Afro hair is frizzy and dry due to lower sebum production and its generally porous nature, which is more prone to losing nourishment and moisture than other hair types. Coily hair is also particularly elastic: its ability to “shrink” can be up to 75%!
Most black/biracial people of West African descent have hair textures ranging from 3a to 4c. Within those textures you get your normal hair defining features: dry/oily, frizzy/silky, thin/thick, volumized/flat. It's not uncommon for black people of East African descent to have hair ranging from 1A to 3C as well.
Studies have shown that the morphology of the hair follicle can be influenced by a person's race. Individuals of African ancestry, for example, are more likely to have curly hair due to the oval shape of their hair follicles.
African hair does have some unique properties that make it more fragile than other hair types. It is commonly less dense, with fewer cuticle scales, and sharp bends or curls that create more stress points on each strand.
Asian hair has the highest hardness and elasticity. It is resistant to stretching and can withstand a traction force of 60 to 65 grams.
Fine hair is the most fragile of the hair texture types as the individual strands of hair are very thin. This texture type may not hold style well and it will likely get oily easily. A common need for fine haired folks is more volume, but too much product will weigh the hair down and ultimately cause breakage.
It is generally accepted that Caucasian hair grows at a rate of one centimetre per month (i.e. 12 cm per year), that frizzy or mixed-race hair grows at a slightly slower rate (0.8 cm per month, i.e. 10 cm per year) and that Asian hair grows at a slightly faster rate (1.25 cm per month, i.e. 15 cm per year).
This structure gives afro-textured hair a denser appearance compared to other hair textures such as wavy, curly, or straight. Historians believe afro-textured hair is the evolutionary product of an adaptive need among African ancestors who were exposed to extreme ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun.
In malnourished and hypoproteinemic states, African hair straightens in an uncomplimentary manner. Recently, we observed that in certain diseases African hair changes to a desirable silky wavy texture.
In fact, African hair actually produces more oils than Caucasian and Asian hair. However, due to the tight curls, the oil doesn't spread evenly along the hair fiber. Without lubrication, the fibers can become dry. This causes the strands to become more brittle, which contributes to the hair's texture.
Thin hair was reported in 34.7% of European ethnicity and 23.3% of Asian ethnicity. Dry hair was found in 46.7% of African, 33.2% of European, 35.8% of Hispanic, and 35.1% of Asian ethnicity.
Keeping your curls moisturised, using products with hold, and applying them with the right styling techniques will tame frizz. If you are experiencing frizz from dryness, using products that contain moisturising ingredients will smooth the hair's cuticle and prevent frizz from forming as the hair dries.
It occurs when the hair shaft becomes excessively saturated with water or moisture-retaining products, like deep conditioners and leave-in treatments. Moisture overload tends to affect those with high hair porosity, causing it to look limp, stringy, and greasy.
In straight type, thin hair was judged most attractive, whereas in wavy type, hair with mean diameter received the highest attractiveness judgments. In conclusion, there was considerable variation in age, health and attractiveness perception of hair with regard to effects of hair diameter, type, and color.
5 Signs of Damaged Hair
Mechanical properties vary among different ethnicities. Asian hair demonstrates the highest hardness and elastic modulus, followed by Caucasian and African hairs, respectively.
Afro hair is dry and brittle
– Among black people, the sebaceous gland is smaller and therefore produce less keratin and sebum which makes the hair dry. Under a hot, humid, sebaceous glands, stimulated by the sun produce more sebum.
Hairstyles That May Cause Hair Damage & How to Prevent It
Frizz is another common problem in those with thick hair and/or coarse hair. If your hair is naturally frizzy, you'll find that humidity makes it worse and can make your hair really tricky to manage. To reduce frizz, limit the amount of heat you use on your hair.
People of Asian descent typically have fine, straight hair. This hair type is characterized by a lack of volume and can be difficult to style. Fine hair is also prone to damage from heat and chemical treatments.