Caustic/trivial.

[allana]

One of the drawbacks to being black in a predominantly white country is the hair. 'Afros are endlessly amusing for one's classmates at school (I remember vividly having a spider introduced to mine--it span a web over the top of my hair), braids are tied together, cornrows are laughed at even more.... You get the general idea. I first had my hair chemically straightened when I was thirteen, after begging my parents for at least five years. Just to try and fit in, you know?

Of course, as my brother and I were the only black kids in the county (population of approximately 40000 when I was growing up)... what chance did I ever have of fitting in? Anyway. It didn't work. Oh, the hair was straight, but I still didn't fit in.

Fast-forward many years, and I'm still having my hair straightened. Tonight I'm curled up, typing, with a painful scalp as I finally dragged myself to the hairdressers to be mauled. Only, tonight I'm having a hard time trying to decide whether my scalp is being slowly burnt or whether it's just had enough of chemicals and incredibly hot hair-dryers.

The junior at the hairdressers today failed to wash off the relaxing creme properly. Now, I'm not sure exactly which chemical is currently popular for breaking the sulphur bonds in hair, but when I first started having my hair relaxed it was sodium hydroxide--caustic soda. Still popular for heavy-duty oven-cleaning and drain-clearing. Will cheerfully burn a hole through floor tiles at low molarity, and so forth. At any rate, by the time my stunted nerve endings said "Ow", I was half-way through the cut and thus, I'd had this noxious compound on my hair for over an hour and due to the wash, running over the back of my neck too.

Despite another three vigorous washes, I'm still undecided about whether it's all out or not. I know I have incredibly thick hair. Everyone always tells me that it's the thickest they've ever encountered. And I know that the creme has the consistency of Sudocreme or lanolin, but, still! I'm paying £70 to avoid chemical burns. I've had some doozies in my time; in fact I still have nice black burns at the nape of my neck. I had to have foundation there when I had my hair all piled up for my wedding, which is ridiculous.

I'm not really very sure where I'm going with this... other than to say that caucasians should actually try putting hair relaxer on their own scalp for hours. Perhaps then they'll learn to wash hair properly. No, it's not the same as leaving perm lotion on. It's much more damaging and painful. I am fed up of explaining this to an endless stream of juniors. I'm giving serious consideration to having a buzz-cut and going natural, no matter how stupid I look.

P.S. Yes, I could go and stick my head under the shower for half an hour, but it's probably just the scalp being tender after much abuse. And I'm loath to ruin a really good blow-dry that I'm incapable of doing myself. Also, I suspect fuming about this is making it hurt even more. Also, there's a huge money factor too.

*sigh*

Comments

[jessie-s-girl.livejournal.com]

Hey, girl! Sorry to hear about your hair woes! What a pain (literally and figuratively).

I don't know if this will help, but it might bring a smile to your face. Famous people feel similar pain, too. James Marsters (Spike on Buffy and Angel) always had a burning scalp as well after getting it bleached that lovely blond color. He neutralized the chemical and was free of pain by putting Sweet 'n Low in his hair and on his scalp.

Just thought I'd share.

[kelpierocks.livejournal.com]

Sending sympathy vibes to you. :( And hugs.

[screwthedaisies.livejournal.com]

*hugs Ang* The things we do to blend in, huh? (Or just because curly-haired people lust after straight hair and straight-haired people lust after curls.) (I have just wavy hair, which means I wish I had straight hair some days and curls others. *headdesk*) It's a shame you can't get what you want with a safer procedure. How about the buzz cut and going with wigs instead? It's so much easier to brush out a snarl when it's not attached to your scalp. You can change your style in under a minute. Um. Gosh, now I want to shave my head and buy wigs. I saw this great wig that had really thin braids down to about chin length, and then curls from that point on. And a dredlocks wig that actually didn't look like a Halloweed costume.... And of course I'd have to get a straight one that falls to the middle of my back....

Mark would sink into depression if he had to sleep next to a buzz cut head, though.

[dragonspell.livejournal.com]

Don't take this the wrong way or anything but, honestly? My first reaction to this post? "Ang's black?" -_- Eh heh. Welcome to naive little me and my hometown in Northern Michigan. Black population: 2. (literally 2 people).

That sounds like a bitch to go through... So, you like the look of the straightened hair then? Better than your natural?

How often do you have to do that?

[madandy.livejournal.com]

Dude, you're right, I have no idea how you feel, emotionally or physically. Although I get the not fitting in thing, I just doubt it was the same...

And we'd love you whatever you do with your hair. I have to say it sounds fucking agonising what you go through.

[silentinflames.livejournal.com]

I know this doesn't really help, but I want you to know that I love you no matter wether your skin is brown or green or pink or your hair is straight or curly or wether you're bald.

I wish they'd find something better to straighten hair.

*hugs*

[glam-ang.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I had to go back this morning. The burning just kept going all night *sigh* But all fixed now!

Sweet 'n Low, eh? Hmm. I don't think I'll be putting that in my coffee anymore :)

[glam-ang.livejournal.com]

Thanks Keli!

[glam-ang.livejournal.com]

Yeah, we all want to be the same. I remember being very amused that all my friends were desperate to get tans, whereas I stayed indoors to avoid tanning :P One day, the human race will wake up and find that we all look exactly the same. (Huh. That seems like a good jumping off point for a story actually.)

I'd love a fushia pink wig. That would look cool :D

[dreammonkey.livejournal.com]

Owwowowowowowwww!
*cuddles from me too*
Your hair always looks so good though! (Miss Glam In A Sack!)
P.xxxxxxxxxxxx

[glam-ang.livejournal.com]

I am indeed :) Although, it's not exactly obvious--I get mistaken for Bangladeshi quite a lot. There's a picture in my Rockfic gallery. I know what you mean about your town; there was only me, my brother and my mother who were black. I didn't see another black person (in the flesh) until I was 11 and we went to the Caribbean on holiday. That was a bit overwhelming.

My natural hair is very, very tightly curled. Think young Michael Jackson, but possibly even more tightly curled. In its natural state, it looks like a microphone :P Much, much prefer straightened hair.

For best looks you're supposed to have your regrowth straightened every month, but my hair gets fragile and snaps if I do that. So, I usually have it done every five months. The weight of my hair drags the regrowth straight which means that I can get away with it.

[dreammonkey.livejournal.com]

OOOOOOooooOOOOO!!!! Yes. You'd suit Fushia pink :D

(2 days to dyeing day by the way)

[glam-ang.livejournal.com]

Thanks, babe. *snuggles up close* The fitting in thing--yeah, lots of people don't fit in. But because there was noone else like me, physically, that was just another way to keep me from fitting in. I must write a story dealing with that sometime.

Anyway, thank-you!

[glam-ang.livejournal.com]

Heh. You don't see me first thing in the morning. Dave always accuses me of turning into Don King overnight!

Thanks sweetie *hugs*

[glam-ang.livejournal.com]

Thank-you, Brigitte. That means a lot to me. Green could be fun!

[kraftpistole.livejournal.com]

Me too. I've looked at everyone's galleries at Rockfic but Ang's, so this came as a surprise to me too. Should nip over and finally meet Ang. :D

[kraftpistole.livejournal.com]

Ouch. Just ouch, mate. I actually read the aftermarth already, so I know it turned out as well as it could... but the words "some scabbing" still sound very painful to me. [hug]

[chickenpattysan.livejournal.com]

*huggles Ang* That sounds absolutely horrific. I'd read about the procedure before, but I had no idea just how nasty those chemicals were. Bleh! to hair-straightening.