Why do black people want oily hair and white people don't?
Different hair fiber types are produced by different hair follicles. Large straight hair follicles with a circular cross section produce thick straight hair. Curly flat hair follicles make curly elliptical or ribbon shaped cross section hair. Most African Americans have very curly, flattened hair follicles in their skin that produce the highly coiled hair. Some research suggests that the hair follicles are actually spiral/spring shaped if you were able to look down the length of these hair follicles.
The shape of the hair follicle acts as a mold for the creation of the hair fiber. Deep in the hair follicle, where cells are added to the fiber at the root, the hair is soft and pliable. The cells of the fiber take the shape of the surrounding hair follicle sheath. As the cells are squashed together and keratinized, the chemical bonds form and hold the hair fiber into the shape of the hair follicle. Hence curly hair follicles make curly hair fibers. Don't ask what makes curly hair follicles because we don't know. There might also be racial differences in the chemical composition of the fiber. African American hair has a greater amount of low sulfur protein compared to high sulfur protein than observed in Asian or Caucasian individuals.
If anything, African American hair follicles produce more oils and sebum than follicles in other races, but the oils are not evenly distributed along the length of the hair fiber because of its coiled shape. The hair fiber is typically very dry and it seems to weather more rapidly with cuticle flaking and deterioration. Consequently African Americans are more likely to need hair oils to supplement their natural oil production and help keep the hair fiber flexible. In addition, tight spiral hair is difficult to brush and comb. Using oils helps reduce the friction and static from combing and make the hair more manageable. African Americans often find they need to use specially formulated oils and shampoos. African American hair responds differently than Caucasian hair and preferred grooming products contain humectants and mild cleansing agents while avoiding harsh plant oils or harsh detergents such as sodium lauryl sulfate.
The shape of the hair follicle acts as a mold for the creation of the hair fiber. Deep in the hair follicle, where cells are added to the fiber at the root, the hair is soft and pliable. The cells of the fiber take the shape of the surrounding hair follicle sheath. As the cells are squashed together and keratinized, the chemical bonds form and hold the hair fiber into the shape of the hair follicle. Hence curly hair follicles make curly hair fibers. Don't ask what makes curly hair follicles because we don't know. There might also be racial differences in the chemical composition of the fiber. African American hair has a greater amount of low sulfur protein compared to high sulfur protein than observed in Asian or Caucasian individuals.
If anything, African American hair follicles produce more oils and sebum than follicles in other races, but the oils are not evenly distributed along the length of the hair fiber because of its coiled shape. The hair fiber is typically very dry and it seems to weather more rapidly with cuticle flaking and deterioration. Consequently African Americans are more likely to need hair oils to supplement their natural oil production and help keep the hair fiber flexible. In addition, tight spiral hair is difficult to brush and comb. Using oils helps reduce the friction and static from combing and make the hair more manageable. African Americans often find they need to use specially formulated oils and shampoos. African American hair responds differently than Caucasian hair and preferred grooming products contain humectants and mild cleansing agents while avoiding harsh plant oils or harsh detergents such as sodium lauryl sulfate.