Impossible Beauty Standard Ruins Naomi Campbell's Hair
Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 11:00AM;)
Image from Gawker. Click to enlarge.For anyone who hasn't noticed, I'm a black woman and I have hair that is typical of people who have an African bloodline. Meaning, it is tightly curly and dark. I'm also a black woman living in a Western culture, meaning that as much as I love my curly hair it is not -- for lack of a better term -- the "beauty standard." Fortunately, unlike supermodel Naomi Campbell, I am not a professional pretty person. So even though it hurt the feelings a few shallow guys I used to date and shocked my parents for about five minutes, I stopped getting a perm when I was in my early 20s out of fear of what befalls so many black women after decades of chasing a dream of having straight hair via perms and hair weaves.
Sometimes that stuff makes you go bald.
From a comment following this picture of Naomi Campbell on Gawker:
I just died a little inside. It's called traction alopecia and it is pretty common with black women who have worn tight weaves, cornrows, etc for a long time. It's easy to say stop wearing them blah blah blah, but as a model with short and kinky hair that is prone to breakage, wearing versatile weaves is often a job requirement to fit in. Otherwise, you're a niche almost animal like model straight from Sub Saharan Africa with the shaved head (those girls are only seen as body). Then, when the hairline begins to recede, you have to keep feeding the beast and continue wearing weaves because your real hair is so unsightly.
I feel bad for Naomi (and I even feel a bit exposed myself, even though I don't suffer from it) because it prompts long explanations to a bunch of callous people who don't "get" it.
I know too many black women who have receding hairlines, severe hair breakage or who have gone bald as they got older due to alopecia. Usually these things are caused by harsh chemical relaxers or too-tight cornrows or heavy hair extensions. I've even seen it from dredlocks that got too heavy over the years. Last year when Tyra Banks made a production about taking her weave out I was somewhat concerned and half expected her to be bald as well because the fashion industry is not normally "curly hair friendly." I realized that a certain type of curly hair is kind of OK, (think biracial French model Noemie Lenoir) but as a fashion model you are really treated as an expensive Barbie doll who can, theoretically, grow back hair. Weaves, chemical dyes, wigs and extreme haircuts are commonplace and, again, the beauty standard is often long, straight hair.
Even though someone as lovely and striking as Campbell would be gorgeous no matter how she wears her hair, if she had chosen to keep her hair curly the amount and type of work she received as a fashion model would be seriously limited without wigs and extensions. But years of this have, obviously, taken their toll on her hairline.
What happened to Campbell is a lifelong fear of mine. From the first time I saw a preteen girl lose her hair to a bad perm, I lived in fear of going bald. I've always had a ton of hair. It was always long and curly. My mother used to press my hair straight every two weeks when I was child and took me to a salon to get a perm once every six weeks after I turned 13. I wanted to experiment with my hair, but there was always a voice in the back of my head telling me "YOU'LL GO BALD!" When my always thick hair actually started to get thin when I was in college and my hairdresser told me that it was because after years of resistance my hair was FINALLY getting accustomed to the chemical relaxer, I visualized my once vibrant hair just giving up on me and falling out en masse.
I didn't go natural out of racial solidarity. I didn't go natural trying to make some political statement about blackness. I didn't go natural to subvert the system. I just didn't want to go bald. Having hair was always better than no hair to me -- be it curly or straight or wavy or otherwise. I just wanted to have it. Hair I could twist up or braid or blow out or wear in an afro, but HAIR. I'd seen the future on the scalps of tons of black women and I'd decided, Dear Lord, that was not going to be me. I bought a natural hair care book, chopped off my permed hair and never looked back.
I don't feel that there's anything wrong with liking, loving long hair or straight hair even. As long as you don't get all weird and unhealthy about it like that one guy I dated who thought my curly hair was disgusting and that straight hair was the only way any woman should wear her hair. (We obviously didn't make it as a couple.) But at a certain point you have to be realistic. If you're trying to get your hair to do something that naturally it cannot do for extended periods of time there is going to be some price to pay in the end. And that price involves your follicles.
Reader Comments (85)
It almost looks alien like in that photo and makes me quite sad. A couple months ago when Naomi was on Oprah, and Oprah was talking about how beautiful she was, you could still see obvious insecurity.Being in an industry that tells you you are beautiful but an anomaly among your kind, and STILL not good enough is detrimental to one's self esteem. I stopped watching music videos because they were causing me to compare myself to impossible standards. I also stopped getting relaxers years ago, not as a political thing, but because of damage and practical reasons.Danielle, you're right, not so long nappy hair is bettert than none at all! With all that money, I hope Naomi can afford a really great dermatologist and therapist.
Thank you Danielle for posting this. I am transitioning to virgin hair because, like you, I don't want to be bald. My crown was thinning and yet it was everything BUT the relaxer. I stopped getting relaxers and now my crown is full and healthy. I hurt for Naomi and Vivica and all of the other sisters that are experiencing this.
I've already told you how awesome this piece is. But I would like to remind all of us that "nappy" may not be the word we want to use, because of its derogatory nature. Although "not so long nappy hair is bettert than none at all" is true, it still sounds as if theres a problem with being nappy. And should nappy even be the adjective? Danielle, you used the words curly and kinky and I think they apply better. I am natural, but I am not nappy and I have never met a person with nappy hair. I don't believe in it. Our hair isn't a consollation prize, its the real awesome deal whether people realize it or not.
All love though :)
I think is more an issue due to Naomi being a model and constantly having to change her hairstyle frequently. I see this as just another ‘women with natural hair are better than when with chemically treated hair’ propaganda article.
What we need to teaching is healthy hair, no matter how you choose to wear it.
@ conni3
I've known a lot of women who were not fashion models who lost their hair from various forms of hair damage. And too much chemical processing was just one of the reasons I listed. I named everything from a heavy weave to too tight cornrows to too heavy dredlocks as causing alopecia. Not just relaxers. So I didn't single out any one thing. My point was that if you put a lot of stress on hair it will become damaged. If I became addicted to getting my hair blown straight all the time or if I wanted really small, tight cornrows all the time it would cause similar damage. There's nothing wrong with wanting a perm for whatever reason that you want it, but my hair did not take well to chemical relaxers (Re: My hair became thin and damaged) so I stopped getting one.
I stopped perming my hair when I turned 19 and was able to be out from under my mother's choice to have "straight" hair. I've been natural for more than 20 years and have also shaved my head as well. Here in the states there is so much emphasis on hair and how it defines as a person. I feel for women who can't get past that; chemicals in your hair are going right into your body. I see the damage it has done to my mother's hair and she still stands behind her decision. My father stands behind me with my natural hair and I'm resolved. The mindset has to be changed because it is just getting rediculous that black women don't want to deal with their real hair.
Calling this a propaganda article is a bit extreme IMO. I've had my hair professionally permed and/or braided/weaved since childhood. I made it a point to keep anyone from seeing my hair in it's natural state. That includes waiting for my BF to fall asleep and getting up at O-dark-thirty to take my braids out in time for my appointment to get them put back in first thing in the morning. Last year I started seeing the tell-tale signs of my hairline going bye-bye and I said screw that! I took a deep breath told everyone that I had entered a state of weave-be-gone and cut it all off. Fortunately, it looks like I caught most of the damage early enough and my hairline is growing back in just fine and I'm now totally comfortable rocking my short little do. No group of hair enthusiasts is better than another, but the fact still remains that if you chemically treat your hair, there will be consequences and some can be worse than others. That's not propaganda, it's the truth.
I feel bad for Naomi, but she chose this route with both her career and her hair and this is an unfortunate consequence. I'm never going to be Ms. Campbell. I'm not as tall, thin, or absolutely gorgeous as she is. But, I'm also not BALD!
@Erica Jane- the word nappy is derived from the word nape as in "where neck means hairline", no?? Its not a negative term, just has a negative connotation in today's society.And I didnt mean that it was less than any other type of hair, just the opposite of what is valued in modern society. We, as black women, have more emotions and politics tied up in our hair than anyone. Sadsies :(
she must feel awful...such a shame.. i shaved my head bald for 10 years or so in my twenties - i loved the feeling of air on scalp... am just now thinking of cutting my locs off and starting again.... i think someone in her circle should get her to go bald then natural for a while to give her scalp a rest... and it would suit her too... her beauty would carry the look off easily...
I shaved my head a little over a year ago, and I absolutely LOVE my natural hair. I've hated getting perms, and presses, and everything my entire life. I can count the number of times I've gone to the beauty shop on one hand. I like to look in the mirror and like what I see, and I've never been truly apathetic about beauty, just unwilling to go through so much JUST for my hair. My mother thinks I do it to be rebellious (because I've always been such a good kid), my grandmother thinks no one will hire me if I have natural hair (clearly, she's kinda old school), and everyone else loves it.
Most importantly, I love it. I wish Naomi had been able to love her natural hair too.
Well, I did go natural out of racial solidarity. And to subvert the system. And to make a political statement about blackness and beauty. I was more worried about my daughters (biological and societal) hating themselves than going bald.
And my hair ain't no kind of long and curly -- it's thick and nappy and I love it to death.
@ Whimsickal: Nappy is actually derived from "nap" which, although it means hairy, was used to refer to the texture of a fabric.
@Whimsickal I feel you. I'm still trying to let go of my own hair issues. My hair is seriously short and seriously curly and I'm still learning how to be okay with that. I had LONG hair as a child, stupid long hair that my mother saw as a curse because of its curliness and I'm trying to forget the years of hard brushes fighting with my curls, perms weakening my hair, people grimacing when their fingers got caught in it (implying it was time for a touch up), my fro beign hyper sexualized and even now, feeling inferior to women with long hair... Its not an easy battle, but I'm trying. And I only commented on the word nappy b/c my bf lectured me about using that word to describe my hair the other day. He told me it was just another way of calling myself inferior, even if you're not using it in the negative sense. Its like using the N word but meaning brother. But I understand your point and again, its all love.
I feel bad for her, but it's a choice she made and continue to make once she saw the damage that was being done to her hair over the years. I haven't had a relaxer in 6 years and have never had braids or a weave, but now I get my hair flat ironed every 2 weeks and that works great for me.
@Tamika
Thank you.
Okay ladies, let some of us get away from assuming that "hair loss/breakage" is only an AA issue.
"It appears that years of wearing tight hair extensions have taken a toll on the model's natural hair (Naomi), causing severe breakage. Hair loss associated with hair braiding, weaving and extensions is known as 'traction alopecia'."
"Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, Victoria Beckham and Alexandra Burke are all reported to have suffered similar symptoms as a result of their extensions. While prolonged traction can cause permanent loss of hair in the affected areas, it is reversible if caught early. Trichologist to the stars Philip Kingsley said tight hair styles, pony tails, hard brushing and hair extensions could all lead to traction hair loss." www.dailymail.co.uk
(Trichology (from Greek θρίξ, gen.: τριχός, "hair") is the branch of medicine that deals with the scientific study of the health of hair and scalp).
@ el
I think the only reason why this topic comes up with black women more than other women is because it is much more commonplace to use hair extensions, chemical straighteners and tight braiding techniques for extended periods of time among black women. Most white women I've known, unless they were in the entertainment industry or were doing something for a special event like prom or a wedding, didn't get drastic hair extensions or braids on a regular basis. While there are white women who use hair extensions and have to deal with the drama that comes with them, most white women I've known and befriended over the years were either "wash n' wear" people or they bleached their hair. So while I don't know a lot of white women personally who suffer hair loss and damage from weaves, I've known TONS of white women who had hair loss and damage due to excessive bleaching.
Insane beauty standards make all of us suffer, even the ones "winning". Your hair is beautiful Danielle. :(
I honestly feel bad for Naomi. horrible situation.
thanks for this honest piece, Snob.
I have had a perm for over 20 years and most of my friends and family have perms. I simply do not know anyone who is going bald because of a perm. It is possible sure but I would think not having your hair done by a professional may have something to do with. Naomi has to change her hair due to her job her hair loss could be due the wear and tear of constantly changing her hairstyle or stress. We just do not know enough about her situation.
Women who go natural also have to be careful of their hair breaking off due to extreme dryness. I don't have a problem with women who prefer to go natural, but I do not like how dry natural hair looks! Women who go natural need to make sure they keep their hair Well Oiled! I have long hair and I have been getting perms since I was in 7th grade. The main reason was so I could wear my hair down without looking like Diana Ross' long lost daughter at the end of the day. I notice going natural is the thing right now, and sometimes I wish I could go natural. But I don't want to spend a ton of money going to a professional to get a natural hair style just so it won't get dry and break off. Because of my natural hair texture and because it's relaxed, I can go my salon once a month and I can go without getting a perm for months.
A beautiful, from-the-hip piece. Makes one stop and think. Thanks, Snob!
@ Laura
Most of the women I've known who lost their hair over the years due to perms went to beauticians, but often the problem was that not all hairdressers are created equal. For every hairdresser who will be honest about what they can and can't do with your particular style or texture of hair there are some who just like making money. So I've known women who have perms and their hair is fine, but I've known women who had perms, saw their hair thin and eventually break-off over the years -- all while under a professional's care. Not everyone's hair can handle a perm, but some hairdressers don't/can't/won't say no to a client. And some clients, if their told no, will just go to a beautician who will take the money and give them what they want, even if it destroys their hair.
For example, I went to school with a girl and her sister who only got a perm two to four times a year. Her hair is great and healthy. But I also went to school with girls who got perms every three to four weeks. Many of them struggled with hair that wouldn't grow, breakage and eventual hair loss. It's really about not putting a lot of stress on your hair. This is true if you get perms, color, blow-outs, braids, locs or extensions. You have to give your hair a breather sometimes.
I saw this picture of Naomi on another site and cringed. Anyway, I too went natural about 2 years ago as I was approaching my 40th birthday. I was noticing my hair behaving differently after my perms and was experiencing regular breakage in certain parts of my head that I never had before. I also had a friend who was experiencing severe hair loss and trying everything under the sun to get her hair to grow.
Growing up, I believed I had the nappiest hair on the planet. Washing and coming out my hair as a child was a nightmare. My head throbbed for hours after getting my hair done. My hair grew well as a teen and young adult whether being pressed or permed. Braids were almost never an option for me as I was severely tender headed. I usually had shoulder length hair that was pretty healthy. When I decided to go natural I chopped my hair down to a 2 inch afro. Problem was that I was so ashamed to wear it short and nappy, that I wrapped it up for months in various scarves, "African" style, until it grew out some. It took me months to get up the courage to wear my short and nappy hair out in public. Now I can't imaging wearing it any other way! I recently put sister locks in after cutting my hair back down to a couple of inches. My daily hair care routine consists of putting water on my hands in the morning and ruffling my hair so that my locks stand up (to get rid of the bed head).
Also to the person above who said that natural hair looks dry and has to be oiled, I have oiled my scalp only a handful of times since going natural. Those times were only in the winter when I noticed some flaking. My hair looks soft and shiny in its natural state without oils. When I wore my hair permed, I had to put tons of goop on my scalp and hair to keep my scalp and hair healthy. My pillow cases like my natural hair better too :-)
Black people need to stop thinking that you have to be able to run your fingers through our hair or have our hair blow in wind. Some of have hair like that, but most don't. There are some things that our hair wasn't meant to do and that's OK. We need to learn how to love our hair and take care of our hair the way that it grows out of our heads.
Hmmmm....I am not sure if her hair problems can be summed up to "perming", "relaxing" or "living up to euro-american beauty standards". I simply think she has neglected her hair and hasn't treated it well. She may also be on medications for a nerve condition or some other condition. My thyroid condition caused my hair to be thin and brittle. Now, its full and healthier than its ever been. Its one picture in a moment in time. It certainly doesn't tell the entire story. I know women with natural hair that look like this. So, it can't be summed up to the evil perm kit. I know sistas who have permed for decades and have a beautiful head of the healthiest hair. Regardless of what state you choose (yes, its a choice not a requirement to be black) to wear your hair, you have to take care of it. This sounds like Much Ado About Nothing. Instead of using this as a platform to decry sistas for their freedom to choose, its a great opportunity for a professional to be interviewed to inform us of how to care for our hair with all the options we have. Thats the beautiful thing about the modern woman, she is no longer limited to someone elses definition of them. They/we have options.