I recently received this email:

I am unsure if this is the correct place but I have a situation and want to reach all possible resources. I was a victim of racial profiling at the airport security checkpoint in San Antonio this past Sunday. After clearing the full body scan the officer told me I had to have my hair “patted”. This is in addition to the scan, which I already successfully passed. This was obviously a problem but I let her do it because I had a plane to catch. I did however ask her if that was the normal practice for African-American travelers with their hair in it’s natural state. She informed me that additional screening was necessary for “certain types of ponytails and buns”. I was still not convinced so I asked another TSA officer at my final stop if what happened to me was standard protocol. The officer stated that if I had already passed the body scan there was no reason for my hair to be “patted” (By the way my hair was in a puff that particular day). I have filed a formal civil rights/liberties complaint with TSA and I have also done research and have gotten into contact with a writer at the New York Times. He has decided to investigate and will be publishing a story for this coming Tuesday’s issue. Right now we are looking for others who may have had an encounter such as mine and had their hair patted. If so please inbox me because I would love to hear from you. The Transportation Security Administration has to know that they cannot single “naturals” and that this discriminatory practice has to be stopped.

Have you been a victim of this? Please let us know. Thanks!

I stumbled across this article from Strawberricurls. Apparently, a salon mixed the reader’s deep conditioner with a relaxer and applied it to her natural hair without telling her.

Here’s her story:

Late April of 2007, I was in IL house hunting. I was at this time natural, as in I didn’t have a relaxer, but I was in no way as knowledgeable about my hair as I am now.I had an appointment at a local Egyptian salon that was before a meeting I had for my new job. They had told me that I would absolutely be able to be seen on time.. but after an hour of waiting, I had to leave or be late for my work appointment.

I still had some time and a friend I knew in the area recommended an AA salon nearby. The person assured me I could be seen right away and that my hair not being relaxed wouldn’t be a problem. My hair was straighter than my regular texture because I used to straighten my hair all the time and I had a week old blow dry/flat iron when I went into the salon. Once washed, the shampoo girl and my stylist for the day went away from me and started whispering.. I supposed I should’ve worried but I’m not the paranoid type. After the whisper session, the stylist came over and asked what I wanted done… just a wash and blow dry is what I told her. This should involve them washing my hair, conditioning it, blow drying it and then flat ironing it. I had it done hundred of times before without an issue. She said okay and offered to do a deep condition treatment for me as it would help protect my hair.. her words.

I agreed as long as it didn’t take too long and she promised it wouldn’t. To the back of the salon she goes to mix up a deep condition treatment.. I didn’t find this abnormal. I often mix things together to use as a DT myself. She started to apply to my hair and it smelled weird, I asked her about it and she said it’s one of the ingredients for Ph balance.

Ummm.. okay.

About ten minutes in it started to burn which I found weird but she assured me it was just “tingling” and it was good for my scalp… another 3 minutes and I told her to rinse me because I was having some sort of allergic reaction or something (I have pretty sensitive skin so this was possible). She rinsed me out and moved me to the chair. My hair was noticeably straighter as my hair wet without product is very curly and big and poofy, lol. This time my curls hang straight-ish which wasn’t normal. She assured me that it was temporary from the heavy conditioner..

“Okay…” I said.

She did my hair as normal and 2 days later the breakage started. Panicked, I went to wash my hair and again the curls just weren’t there… I had major heat damage. After several deep treatments, co-washes, etc.. my hair never returned to its normal state and continued to break off. I returned back to Michigan (where I was staying) and had my hair braided hoping that would help.

When I finally moved to Illinois (about 3 weeks later) I was ready to take my braids out, upon doing so my hair was just coming out in huge chunks even though I was being gentle. I went back to the salon and pitched a fit demanding to talk to someone in charge. (Yeah, it may seem a bit crazy for hair.. but we know how important hair is to us, right?) When I finally spoke to the manager, she also feigned ignorance. I threatened police action, threatened to sue and eventually someone gave up the information I needed.

She told me that with “nappy” hair, they sometimes add a bit of relaxer to a deep conditioner and apply it. It’s the “kiddie perm” she tells me and most people don’t experience negative results. But it works well because people are happy that their hair is straighter so they continue to come back.

None of these people have healthy hair but that doesn’t matter to the stylists. They liked the ease of dealing with the straightened hair and the return client base who are excited about their “naturally straightened” hair. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much I could do.

I found this out via Strawberricurls.

Guys, this is really important. Never sit in a salon chair without knowing what they’re putting in your hair. In the past, when I frequented salons to maintain a relaxer, I didn’t know any better. I was never taught to ask about the products used, so I didn’t. I would just sit and let them apply whatever. They could apply bird poop and I’d never know it because I didn’t analyze the products and I didn’t ask.

At one point, as a child, I had a stylist who had a shelf full of conditioners and shampoos from different brands and would literally use a different combinations for the hell of it every time.

For some people, hair products can cause allergic reactions and in this woman’s case, breakage.

Everytime they pick up something knew, don’t be afraid to ask the following:

1. What product are you using?

3. What are the ingredients?

Don’t be ashamed to ask questions. If they get an attitude, ignore it. If they name an ingredient that you refuse to apply to your hair, don’t let them use it. Bring products that works for your hair as a backup, if you can. It’s your money and your hair. You have every right to know.