Obsessed with extensions

By Petulia Clarke, Staff Reporter

Carlington Wilmot Photo

HE REACHED up to stroke her delicate cheeks and the calloused tips of his fingers grazed her skin. The pulse in her throat quickened as he laid his thumb against it.

His hand began a slow ascent up her face, to her temples, itching to touch.

"I want to see your beautiful hair spread across my pillow," he breathed. "And in the morning I want to see the sun shine on it and set it aflame like the way your beauty has my body on fire."

He bent to kiss her and buried his fingers in her hair ... and the kinks, bumps and stray strands sent a horrified look across his handsome features.

A lock of her hair fell on his arm in a soft caress.

How she had hoped that the glue would have been strong enough.

How he had dreamt of feeling that shining mane across his bare shoulders ...

But alas! It wasn't hers.

Long hair. 'Tall' hair. Burning desire.

Silky tresses that blow in the wind and spread in wild tangles over perfumed pillows.

Some have it. Many don't, and the absence of it has been a source of anxiety for those who want to participate in the magic it creates ­ a magic that, although highly overrated, has many women running in droves to the salon.

OBSESSION

There is indeed a mini obsession with long hair in Jamaica.

"I remember once I was going to work after going to the hairdresser earlier that morning. The taxi driver kept looking at me through the rear-view mirror," accounts clerk Annette Baker said.

"'Is your real hair that?' he finally asked, and when I nodded, 'bwoy it tall eh, yuh boyfriend mus' love you'. Even though I was lying, I felt absolutely beautiful."

It starts, for women, before conception when mothers choose their mates in a bid to get the right genes so their girls will "be brown-skinned with long 'coolie' hair." Others prayed for some pre-birth miracle to get the child's hair straight.

It continues in primary school when the girl with the longest hair not only gets all the pre-pubescent boys, but the attention of the teachers ­ and the high grades. It grows into adulthood when men pant at the sight of shoulder length or longer healthy locks on an attractive female.

Just ask Meisha Samuels. She's been "struggling for years" with her hair which, since she was 19, has never been without some form of extension.

"I hate short hair," she said, "everyone else in my family has long hair, I had hell in school, I had hell at home. I had hell with guys." She spends thousands of dollars each month keeping up her sewed in weave.

MIRACLE GROWTH

A few years ago, 'granny wigs' were the only way for short- haired females to deal with the 'problem'. Extensions were a no-no, braids fell out unexpectedly when dates got a little too exuberant and those who were lacking in that area could only hope and use miracle-grow products while withstanding the 'picky picky head' jokes.

Now, there are ways to make the hair 'grow' in a matter of hours, making long, touchable, silky hair possible literally overnight.

"Weaving, braiding and other hair extensions have been made popular by movie stars mainly", said Syretha Adamson, a stylist who does this procedure at home in Portmore, St. Catherine.

"When persons like bald headed Jada Pinkett looks good in extensions, every woman wants to look the same."

Ms. Adamson's customer base has grown to the point where she has quit her job at a regular salon to host her clientele, by appointment, at home. Dozens of heads in Portmore boast her creations.

She notes that there are a variety of weaving, braiding and extensions to choose from. There are those that won't fall out in water or during a heavy love making session; those that won't kink; horsehair; human hair; microbraids and piece-ons. There are also ponytails, buns and wash and wear. In other words, a weave to suit every need and occasion.

INSECURITY

But why the obsession?

"It may have something to do with the way men respond to women with long hair, and also the cultural perception that short hair is more African and longer hair is European. It's the whole love affair with white women's standards," Ms. Adamson said.

Journalist Lloyd Lodgesagrees ­ somewhat.

"Actually I don't think it has anything to do with the men. Over the years black women have developed an obsession with long flowing hair primarily through indirect indoctrination via television, movies etc. So black women have tried the cream thing and the weave thing for effect."

Whatever the reason, it has been a godsend for 25-year-old student Nordia Allenwho has just discovered "the wonders of weaving.

"It started when I was nine and my younger sister and I had our first hair straightening session. Afterwards everybody commented on whose hair was longest. Daddy bought her a present because she "looked so pretty," and I vowed to do anything to let mine grow."

But, 10 years and some chemical upsets later, she was told that only braiding would help restore her thinning hair.

"When I braided my hair, the comments that I got from guys increased. When I took them out and weaved, I got my first long term boyfriend."

Her boyfriend Earlton is in a frenzy over her new fibre-bonded hair-do.

"I like my women with long hair," he admitted. "I think it's sexier and easier to maintain. Short hair is too masculine, I like when my woman takes care of herself, I want something to touch, something soft."

Kenneth Edgar, a team player at The Vanity Lab and Spa in Twin Gates Plaza says that the percentage of women seeking to do 'hair augmentation' has grown rapidly in recent years.

"Before, women used to be afraid that people would know that they had it in (weaves), Kenneth said, "but since September of last year, we've had several dozen people coming in. It's really growing rapidly. When they want to extend the hair we have a thread-trace fibre bonding method that the movie stars use, the kind that nobody can tell is a weave, the kind that they can even swim in."

SELF ESTEEM BOOSTER

He believes that the obsession with long hair may have something to do with self esteem issues.

"Many want to extend their hair because they don't like short hair," he said. "It makes women more secure, they get satisfaction when their hair blows in the wind, that makes them feel a bit more pampered."

The pampering includes hours of either plaiting the hair in tiny sections (braiding), sewing or gluing hair onto the person's natural locks or attaching to the head with hairpins.

For some women who wear weaves as a means of seeking attraction, no matter how well it's done, the purpose could be defeated.

"I don't like the weave thing. I hate it. I agree that some women look good wearing it but overall I think it looks tacky," Mr. Lodges explained. "Its nice though when you can run your fingers through your girl's hair and not feel bumps. I like women with long hair but mostly if it's their own. However, the advantages of long hair are few. In fact, some women are absolutely gorgeous when their hair is worn close-cropped."

So men hate weaves. But men like long hair.

Short hair? Attractive?

Explain that to the growing number of women who visit shops like Ms. Adamson's and others, and to synthetic hair manufacturers who seem to have found a niche market in the Caribbean. Though, weaves and braids might not be accepted by all, they're obviously working for many. And from the thousands of women opting for the weave-do, it's apparent that someone is liking it.

Some names changed.

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