DR ISIOMA OKOLO

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Is Your Hair Costing You Your Health and the Environment?

Isioma Okolo

DISCLAIMER: This blog does not represent medical advice specific to individuals. Please consult your healthcare provider for individualised health advice.

I acknowledge that Black womxn are not a monolith. We are not a homogenous group. In this week’s blog, I recognise the presence of shared experiences across multiple geographies and times where Black womxn exist.

Finally, the purpose of this blog is not to demonise any specific hair care practice but to encourage reflection on the intersection of culture, environment, internalised racism and health.

While writing this blog, the lyrics to India Arie’s famous song “ I am not my hair” kept repeating. Rock it how you want to whilst educating yourself about chances and choice in reproductive health.

Throughout this blog, I endeavour to use the word ‘chance’, not ‘risk’. I am cautious of the coercive nature of the word ‘risk’ and appreciate that healthy choices are harder to make for some of us based on personal, socio-economic and political circumstances.

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Why on earth am I talking about hair? Because hair is a reflection of our health and well-being. Hair is such a big deal in Black communities. It is a form of self-expression, identity, a chapeau to our ancestors, and a community. So many things that my words can barely capture. Our hair can be the first thing people notice about us. Your crown is your glory, I guess. Hair care has always been a big part of my identity, and expression of beauty, but honestly an occasional source of pain. No pain, no gain is the phrase that comes to mind when I think about beauty; but does it have to be? What if our hair is costing us our health? This week I’d like to focus on the intersection of Black beauty, reproductive health and environmental justice.

I first saw this gorgeous exhibition, “ Hair styles craft” by Sonya Clark in Boston at MOMA. Check out her website

But first I’d like you to play a game with me. Grab a pen/pencil and a piece of paper. I want you to draw a table- with four columns and three rows( like the picture above).  Label your columns from left to right, A to D, and your rows from top to bottom, 1 to 3.

We’re going to play a game of Black Hair bingo. Every time I make a ‘Black hair bingo ’ statement that you have experienced (directly or indirectly), I want you to mark your square. Once you get 4 in a row- you shout out bingo! Ready?

Black hair bingo A3: You’ve lost a braid or twist in public and feigned ignorance/shock as the ‘snake’ on the floor startles passers-by.

WHAT IS ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, AND WHAT DOES IT HAVE TO DO WITH HAIR?

Environmental justice highlights the unequal distribution of environmental burdens( toxins, exposure) and benefits across different racial and socioeconomic groups. Communities of colour have shouldered a disproportionate burden of environmental pollutants and toxins. For example, the Global Black Maternal Health group published a report indicating that Black Londoners are three times more likely to live in parts of London with illegal pollution levels. We know that air pollution is linked with an increased chance of miscarriage, pre-term birth and stillbirth. This phenomenon is no different in the realm of beauty products, where the Black community has often been exposed to higher levels of toxic chemicals in skin, hair and cosmetic products due to limited access to healthier, sustainable and affordable alternatives.

Black womxn spend more money on hair products than any other group of womxn. The Black beauty industry is a rapidly growing industry, valued at $6.6 billion and £2.7 billion in the USA and UK, respectively. However, Black womxn and girls are disproportionately exposed to toxic chemicals in beauty products, which can have serious health consequences. This problem is made worse by the ongoing issue of racism that is deeply embedded in our society and favours beauty standards that are traditionally associated with White European features. The lack of diversity in beauty advertisements and marketing only reinforces these standards. The preference for straight hair can be traced back to the legacy of slavery and colonization, where it represented beauty and higher social status, forcing Black women to conform to white norms.

Black hair bingo B1: You’ve been charged extra to get your hair done at a salon because your hair was too tough or ‘nappy’

What do we know about reproductive health in Black womxn?

Black womxn experience disproportionally higher levels of poor sexual and reproductive health across the life course and between generations. From infertility, pregnancy loss ( miscarriage & stillbirth), menstrual disorders ( like endometriosis, fibroids and PCOS), sexually transmitted diseases, gender-based violence, gynaecological cancers like breast and cervical cancer and invisibility when it comes to menopausal care.

Black hair bingo D2: Rain or any form of unplanned moisture is your kryptonite

The conditions in which you are born, grow up, work and live have the greatest impact on your health

Why is this?

It’s not because of the melanin!( check out my previous vlog)

Health is a complex dynamic interplay of bio-psycho-social factors within the ecosystem- from our immediate physical environment to our communities, countries and wider world. Whilst medicine, public health, scientists, policymakers, and the media insist on attributing this to ‘Blackness’ or biological, genetic differences ( biological essentialism), the truth is that reasons are complex and driven by the structural determinants of health- a key one of which is systemic racism. Your health is predominantly (70%) affected by the conditions in which you are born, grow up, live, are educated, work and die, and less so by genetics (10%) and access to healthcare ( 20%).

Black hair bingo B2: You have been mistaken for another colleague at work or school when you changed hairstyles

My earliest childhood memories revolve around two things –food and hair. Hair was such a big deal growing up.  Aunties, siblings, mothers and grandmothers convened around the hair.  Sitting in between an auntie’s lap and having your hair parted and scalp greased whilst listening to grown-ups gossip was a Saturday ritual. As a teen, I remember visiting the salon for a wash and blow dry or touching up new growth with a relaxer.  The pride ( and pain)of newly commissioned braids and subsequent swagger as a guaranteed side effect. The hair salon was a safe place where people gathered, shared stories, shed tears, laughed hard, and broke bread, whilst getting their edges laid. Hairdressers ( and barbers) are pillars within communities- often acting as informal therapists and or town criers of the latest gossip. In many ways, hair care in Black communities is linked to spirituality. Tracee Ellis Ross covers this beautifully in her documentary Hair Tales.

chemicals in our environment impact our reproductive health through hormonal disruption

EDC= endocrine(hormone) disrupter chemicals.Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) factsheet

Hormones play a crucial role in maintaining the normal functioning of our bodies. They regulate our sexual, reproductive, and metabolic health, ensuring that everything runs smoothly. However, emerging evidence suggests that certain environmental chemicals can disrupt this delicate balance, leading to various health issues. This process, known as hormone disruption, has become a growing concern in recent years.

Black hair bingo D3: you’ve sat and cried whilst removing your fresh braids or twists because your scalp was so itchy it felt like it was on fire


This study published in the Lancet journal analysed the chemical content of a common brand of synthetic braiding hair, ‘Kanekalon’. It contained carcinogenic chemicals and an alkaline base coating- known to trigger contact dermatitis- an allergic reaction on the scalp. Often causing the itchy scalp that causes Black womxn occasionally ‘pat their weave’-rather vigorously! Hormone disruptors can enter our bodies through various routes, such as our skin, the food we eat, the beverages we consume, and the air we breathe. Once inside, these disruptors interfere with our hormonal pathways, disturbing their normal functioning. The consequences of this disruption are vast and can profoundly impact our overall well-being.
One area greatly affected by hormone disruption is female reproductive health. Disruptors can harm ovarian and uterine function, potentially leading to conditions like premature puberty, endometriosis and fibroids and infertility. The influence of these chemicals extends beyond reproductive health, as disruptions of metabolic function have also been observed. Researchers have linked hormone disruptors to insulin resistance, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and even diabetes.

Black hair bingo A1: You’ve experienced the burn of relaxer, aka creamy crack, and thought, “aghhh at least it’s working”

Alarmingly, many of the products we routinely apply to our skin and hair, often without a second thought, can contain these disruptors ( for example, parabens, BPA, phthalates, insecticides, and pesticides). One prime example has stood the test of time – the relaxer, a product commonly used for chemically straightening Black afro-textured hair. For so many years, I relaxed my hair and endured that chemical burn in the quest for straight hair that was silky and more manageable. But something never felt right- the caustic smell that burned my poor eyes and skin. We now know that regular use of chemical hair relaxers may increase your chance of womb cancer( uterine cancer).

Black hair bingo B3: You know what I mean by the L.O.C method

L.O.C stands for leave-in, oil and cream. It is a technique of sequentially applying hair products to afro-textured way to ensure our strands retain moisture and malleability after a wash day. Kinky hair has a coil pattern that predisposes it to dryness. So it not uncommon for Black womxn to slather a combination of oils, creams and pomades to our scalp and hair strands or to leave deep conditioning treatments on their hair for hours under a heat bonnet to encourage deeper penetration that combats dryness.

Researchers from Harvard TH Chan led by Professor Shruthi Mahalingaiah believe that these hormone disrupters in Black hair products could explain reproductive health disparities. There is a known dose-dependent relationship regarding exposure to hormone disrupters - the greater your exposure, the greater your chance of hormonal disruption. Is it possible that the way we apply beauty products in Black communities further exposes us to the chance of hormonal disruption? I have not come across any studies investigating this yet. This is not surprising due to the lack of representation within research teams, and participants in reproductive health. I believe it is possible that the lack of diversity within research teams is costing society through delays and missed opportunities to understand the pathways to poorer reproductive health further.

When researchers finally commit to respectfully engaging and partnering with minoritised communities, hiring and recruiting diversely and critically interrogating the role of racism, NOT race, in their methodology and results, then we may actually move the needle forward and begin to tackle disparities in racially minoritised womxn’s reproductive health.

Black hair bingo D1: You own at least three wigs with glorious names to match their personalities

Black hair bingo A2: Shout out to my 4b/4c queens

Hair texture has been classified by some into four categories- 1 to 4 with increasing degree of curliness and tightness of the hair curl as illustrated above. There is a huge diversity of hair textures among Black people. I discovered my hair texture is 4b/c when I finally stopped relaxing my curls to embrace my natural texture. This hair texture is very coily, prone to tangling and dryness, so it needs loads of moisture. I had to re-learn how to look after my curls. Like many people, I turned to famous branks like “Pink Lady’, ‘Dark & Lovely’, ‘ Blue Magic’ to name a few. While these could ‘tame’ my strands, reading the ingredients list was like reading a science experiment. Petroleum, Parabens and Dimethocones are frequently top ingredients in hair products marketed toward Black womxn.

Black hair bingo C2: You’ve turned down social events because your hair was not in a ‘presentable state’

My dear friend Nwanneka, also my main supplier during my product junkie days, at an exhibition at Boston MOMA

How could I have been born with this hair yet struggled to look after it? My frustration with my hair was masked by an overindulgence in the latest ( often American) products. My product junkie lifestyle was single-handedly upheld by my dear friend Nwanneka, who lived in the US, and provided me with a constant supply of the good stuff. I was quite frankly addicted. Looking for the next best thing that promised to grow, stretch, lengthen and moisturise my hair. I would spend hours on the weekend deep conditioning, detangling and moisturising. My husband knew that wash day meant ‘no wife day’. I was unavailable; and quite literally ‘doing the most’, when it came to my hair.

Now I must admit doing my hair is also a form of self-care. Whilst I no longer indulge in weekend-long hair care sagas and my product regimen is now very minimalist, ‘doing’ my hair brings me joy and peace. I’ve incorporated this into a holistically balanced and healthy lifestyle focusing on healthy eating, exercise and stress management. That’s the key.

Black hair bingo C1: You are a ninja at Limbo, due to years spent dodging stray hands and the rhetorical question, ‘Can I touch your hair?’

If we know these things are bad for us, why don’t we stop applying them to our skin and scalps?!

Because the politics of presentability & professionalism is underpinned by systemic racism

A recent article in the Independent highlighting risky levels of heavy metal contained in skin bleaching products

Internal used racism is the silent enemy that sows doubt and insecurity within individuals from marginalised/minoritised communities. The beauty industry, often dictating standards of beauty that don't align with Black features, perpetuates internalised racism. The pressure to conform to Eurocentric ideals drives demand for poorly regulated products laden with hormone disrupters , which promise to alter appearances to better fit the mould. This self-perpetuating cycle highlights the urgent need for redefining beauty standards and embracing diversity. I have heard multiple stories of friends and colleagues being advised against wearing their natural hairstyles in corporate and other professional settings. Across the UK, USA and even South Africa, there have been stories of dismissals from workplaces and schools for people wearing loved, braided or afro hairstyles. On a similar thread, the widespread use of skin-bleaching agents in Asian and African countries reflects internalised racism and colonialism. We accept the chances and dangers of reaching these unattainable standards by accepting and internalising the dominant belief that Black, Brown and Indigenous bodies are less beautiful. We will never move forward until we work hard to reverse this as a community.

Black hair bingo BONUS( for my health care workers) C3: You’ve worn two scrub hats to fit all your hair in a surgical theatre(OR).

PSA- healthcare employers, please provide scrub hats for people with big hair and larger heads.

CALL TO ACTION

Education is the foundation of empowerment. By understanding the harmful effects of hormone disruptors and the interconnectedness of systemic racism and environmental injustice, individuals can make informed choices that align with their well-being, values and abilities.

Here are specific ways we can address the environmental injustice faced by communities of colour:

  1. Support Black-Owned Brands: Healthier choices can be very expensive. To ensure true environmental justice, we must support brands that prioritise clean, sustainable, AFFORDABLE and inclusive practices. Excercise your consumer power with your Naira, Pound or Dollar.

  2. Research and Innovation: Support research initiatives that create safe, effective alternatives for beauty products tailored to diverse hair and skin needs; as a researcher in reproductive reading this blog, consider the various manifestations of systemic racism, including environmental injustice, which may increase the chance of poorer health in Black and Brown communities. Avoid the biological essentialist argument- it is flawed and always wrong.

  3. Regulation and Transparency: Advocate for stricter regulations and ingredient transparency in the beauty industry to ensure that consumers can make informed decisions about the products they purchase.

  4. Empowerment Through Education: Read ingredient labels carefully. I’ve included a list of apps to help you do this. Avoid products that contain known hormone disrupters, such as phthalates, parabens, BPA, and triclosan; Look for products that are certified by a third-party organization that tests for the presence of hormone disrupters.

  5. BONUS point Do not touch anyone’s hair without their permission. It is never ok to ask Black womxn if it’s ok to touch their hair. Don’t do it. Look and use your internal voice to appreciate the beauty you are beholding.

The journey toward detangling the problematic web of environmental injustice, systemic racism, internalized racism, hormone disruptors, and the Black beauty industry is not for the faint-hearted. It requires collective action, self-awareness, and a commitment to change. This is more than just consumer choice. It is striving for collective well-being by demanding safe environments for everyone. As we strive for a world where beauty is celebrated in all its diversity, and the products we use to enhance our well-being without harming the planet, let us remember that each choice we make, each conversation we engage in, and each brand we support contributes to the transformation we seek. The path may be arduous, but the destination—a world of true equality and sustainability—is worth every step in the quest for beauty.

With knowledge comes power, but frequently also overwhelm. Never mind. After reading this, go for a walk, drink some tea and do your best. That’s really all you can do. Discuss it with a friend but don't ignore it.

I’ve included some resources which you may find useful: