Necessity is the mother of inventions. That’s apparently the best way to describe the measures most women now take to look good, as the price to pay for beauty goes out of reach.
For a few years now, the cost of living has clashed with the cost of fashion and lifestyle, particularly for women.
From clothes, shoes, undergarments, among other things, their prices have seen continuous increase, women have only had to improvise and adopt other cheap alternatives.
Economy&Lifestyle discovered that one of these alternatives is the switch to plantain or banana fibre hair extension, as against the costly human hair extensions.
Plantain hair extensions are made from fibres extracted from plantain or banana stems. They are softened and dyed in various colours.
Despite the claim that plantain or banana fibre hair extensions are organic and affordable, compared to human hair, it does not go without wondering how some classy ladies, for instance, could agree to wear plantains on their heads.
However, many women say there is actually no difference, arguing that instead, the plantain hair is organic and more classy.
Testimony
Mrs. Gladys Douglas, a sales representative, said: “Most of my wigs are made from plantain fibre hair extensions.
“I loved carrying human hair wigs, but the cost of these hairs have increased, due to the high exchange rate.
“You’ll need to have at least N200,000 and above to get quality human hair, while with N30,000 or a little more, I can get a plantain fibre hair extension.
“I had to think twice. Opting for the latter made me cut costs and also have savings.”
Mrs. Judith Olamide, a marketer, said: “Before you can get a hundred percent human hair extension, you will have up to N250,000.
“Some vendors will convince you that the hair being advertised is hundred percent human hair but when you buy it and use it for a month, it begins to tangle from the tip.
“This is because most of these hairs are blended (a mixture of human hair and synthetic hair).
“When I heard of banana fibre hair extensions, I was not interested.
“On one occasion, I saw my church member wearing it and it was so lovely. That was how I bought the hair extension.
“It was way cheaper than human hair.”
Mr. James Chukwuma, a retail seller of various hair extensions, said that getting a high quality human hair extension is expensive due to the continuous instability in the foreign exchange rate.
“Seeing this, many hair vendors buy low grade human hair which is mixed with synthetic hairs that accept heat and are advertised as a blend.
“With the high cost of goods and services experienced in Nigeria, most women can hardly afford human hair extensions.
“Some hair vendors sell these hairs in pairs, say one bundle, for those wigging with synthetic hair and want to use the human hair for closure.
“Many customers are now asking for the fibre hair extension.
“Most of them claim it’s better compared to synthetic ones and cheaper compared to human hair.
“I don’t buy quality human hair in bulk and customers prefer using it for closures or frontal.
“Women will always improvise to save cost when it comes to anything including fashion.”
Most hair extensions are made from various synthetic fibers like Polyvinyl Chloride, silicone, or polyester and are generally more affordable than human hair extensions.
… cancer
A National Institutes of Health (NIH) consisting of the National Library of Medicine and National Center for Biotechnology Information, study titled: “Carcinogenic materials in synthetic braids: an unrecognized risk of hair products for Black women” noted that synthetic hair extensions contains toxins that are harmful to human health.
“The current lack of governmental regulation has resulted in the exposure of Black women to toxins in these readily accessible and popular synthetic extensions.
“For instance, the affordable modacrylic fiber Kanekalon is utilized by many well-known synthetic braiding extension brands and is commonly recommended by professional braiders due to its resemblance to Afro-textured hair and resistance to unraveling.
“Modacrylic fiber is composed of acrylonitrile and vinyl chloride, both of which are toxic to humans. The Environmental Protection Agency classifies acrylonitrile as a probable human carcinogen.
“The National Cancer Institute directly links vinyl chloride with leukemia, lymphoma, and rare forms of liver, brain, and lung cancers.
“Synthetic extensions also contain and emit other concerning substances, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs) upon heat exposure.
“Hair extensions used for braiding consist of either human hair or synthetic fibers. Synthetic extensions tend to be used more frequently due to affordability.
“Extensions are typically worn for at least 4-6 weeks, with continuous exposure to carcinogenic ingredients for those who subsequently reinstall their braids throughout the year.
“This exposure is taking place in a population already plagued with high rates of endocrine disorders, breast cancer mortality, and uterine disease.”
They projected that by 2028, the global hair wig and extension market is expected to surpass $19.12 billion and pointed black women in the United States, along with women in continental Africa, as the largest consumer group of this industry.(Vanguard)
