Abstract
Hairstyling trends among Black women fluctuate with social, cultural, and environmental pressures. Dermatologists should be aware of current trends and their associated risks in order to provide the best care to this population. In order to summarize the updated trends and associated health risks for the most common hairstyles worn by Black women, a literature review was performed. PubMed and EMBASE were used to identify articles related to hair styling practices, studies on the effects or risks of various styling practices, and magazine articles citing current styling trends among women of African descent. All hairstyles were found to have associated health risks; however, natural styles had the fewest adverse associations of all styles reviewed. Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia (CCCA) is the most cited hair disorder in this population, possibly linked to both chemical relaxants and traction styles. Additional studies are needed to further establish causality between these styles and CCCA. Additionally, while acceptance of natural hairstyles is on the rise, there is more work to be done throughout society to help protect and encourage women who choose to wear Afrocentric styles. Dermatologists should be well versed in these hairstyles and ready to lend appropriate advice to patients when it is requested.
Highlights
Hair is an essential part of a person’s identity, self-perception, and can be a way they communicate with those around them
Each style discussed comes with an associated risk, it appears that natural hair carries the fewest adverse health effects of all the hairstyles included in our review
Dermatologists should continue to recommend natural hairstyles to their patients, especially to those struggling with traction alopecia (TA), Cicatricial Alopecia (CCCA), or seborrheic dermatitis; they need to be aware of the potential psychological implications and discrimination that patients may face when choosing to wear natural hairstyles
Summary
Hair is an essential part of a person’s identity, self-perception, and can be a way they communicate with those around them. There has been substantial debate and discussion regarding the association between certain hairstyles worn by Black women and their connection to hair disorders and other health conditions common to this population. Given the underrepresentation of Black dermatologists in clinical practice, it is crucial to remain up to date on current trends in this community and consider how they may be influencing and/or potentially harming patients’ dermatological as well as overall health. In this educational literature review we aim to identify and summarize the current trends, potential risks, and updated recommendations for the most commonly cited hairstyles worn by women with Afro-ethnic hair. The results will be organized by subsection according to the hairstyle being discussed
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