DIY: The Cost of Silk-Pressed Hair
Silk Press
Fast-forwarding to the 19th century, different cultures
adopted various techniques to achieve the "straight look," as my mom
would say: to get the hair "bone straight."
The hair-straightening process evolved over time to become
more efficient, and less damaging to the hair due to heat applied to straighten
it, as well as the tools used to achieve the straight look.
Chemical hair relaxers were popular for women with curly hair
patterns. After the hair was chemically relaxed, it was straightened with a
metal pressing comb placed on an open burner to heat the tool, then combed
through the hair to give it a finished appearance.
When non-Black women with straight hair during mid-20th
century wanted straighter hair, they used a clothes iron to straighten their hair to
achieve a polished and well-put-together look. These chemical- and
heat-straightening processes are still in use today. However, for women of color
with curly locs, the chemical-straightening process is becoming a thing of the
past.
The book: Encyclopedia
of Hair by Victoria Sherrow, 2nd edition, discusses the history of hair
straightening through the ages, revealing certain common threads and many
differences among cultures worldwide..."
In 2022, the National Institutes of Health announced that
"Hair straightening chemicals were associated with higher uterine cancer
risk." The "NIH study finds Black women may be more affected due to
higher use." To further substantiate the claim, the study
completed in 2023: "First Large Study of Hair Relaxers Among Black WomenFinds Increased Risk of Uterine Cancer" was performed at Boston
University.
Since the natural silk press is on an upward trend, the price
for the service has increased. When I began wearing my natural hair in 2012,
the cost of the silk press was $35. In 2024, I paid $75 for the service. Now,
the silk press has increased in some locations to $195, and when you add in the
20% gratuity, that’s $234 for four days to two weeks of silk-pressed hair (if
the moisture doesn’t set in first)!
However, when you compare the cost (sacrifice) to the risk of cancer (death vs. life), the cost is not too much. But, when you consider the average Black female as one of the 99%, the price (amount of dollars) is too much! That’s close to $500 per month for hair!
As awareness of the cancer risks associated with hair relaxers grew, an increasing number of Black women embraced their natural hair. This shift has not only fostered a deeper appreciation for the diverse beauty of natural hairstyles, such as braids, locs, crochets, wigs, extensions, dreads, weaves, twists, and natural silk presses but also empowered many to prioritize their health and well-being.
The movement towards natural hair represents a powerful step towards self-acceptance, cultural pride, and a collective commitment to safer, healthier beauty practices.
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