Confessions: Of A Creamy Crack Addict!

Very recently, Chris Rock released his new movie, "Good Hair".

It a documentary of how African-American Women view their hair. Long, straightened hair, is considered as "good hair".

Crimped, coarse, unmanageable, hair is considered "bad hair". These were stereotypes that were passed on from one generation to the next, in the African-American community.

As a young African-American girl, I remembered my grandmother transforming my wiry, thick, shoulder-length

hair, into a sleek, straightened look.

This was done through the pressing comb. The pressing comb was made of metal. It had to be preheated, which

my grandmother did on her kitchen stove. Once the comb reached a certain temperature, she'd carefully comb through my hair, while still hot.

She would blow on the comb, to fan off excess heat. When she came close to my ears, she'd ask me to hold my

ear so that she wouldn't burn  it.

As I got older, I went through different phases in my life. When I was in my teens, I wore an afro. A thick, bushy,

hairstyle. It could only be worn in my natural, coarse, texture. This style was not altered by chemicals or pressing combs.

It was wiry and unique in shape.

I wore that for years. The Jackson Five made it popular, because all of them, including LaToya and Janet

wore afros.

After that phrase, I wanted a more defined look. I became obsessed with wanting my hair straightened.

I got tired of getting burned by the pressing comb, so I wanted to try "chemical relaxers and perms" better known

as "CREAMY CRACK".

I became so addicted, that I used for years and years. The creamy crack had an adverse on my hair. The straighter I wanted my hair, the more it thinned out, and sometimes took out my hair.

With the creamy crack, my scalp was burned by the harsh chemicals. Don't even think about sratching your scalp.

"Ouch!".

Along with the creamy crack, I used flat-irons, curling irons, crimping irons, etc.

All I can say is, BAD...BAD...BAD! for the hair.

The great divide in the African-American community, is there are women and men who believe that those of us who are still on creamy crack, have a self-hatred of ourselves. They believe this was handed-down from slavery. That

people like myself, are dissatisfied  with the texture of our hair.

There may be some truth to that, because I don't see myself wearing an afro. Those days are gone.

I've worn many styles to support who I am, including corn-rows, and braid extensions.

I like a more sleek look.

That's doesn't mean that I have self-hatred of myself or my hair.

I've always danced to the beat of my own drum, and what I do to my hair... is for me!