The Downside of Weave: Naomi Campbell’s Bald Hairline
This picture may not be a shocker for Naomi enthusiasts. But can you ever get used to the thought that one of the world’s most gorgeous women is completely bald in the front? This is like discovering Beyonce secretly has– well, we fail to find a congruent parallel here.
The queen of the catwalk was spotted at a photo shoot in New York City and the cameras went a flicking when her hairline was uncovered. Wow. This stings!
Could this be years of weave and wig wearing gone wrong? Did she purposely shave off her hairline for lacefronts? Whatever the cause, this is clearly the downside of Naomi’s elbow-length faux signature.
The world of entertainment–stages and runways alike can force some Black women into weave addiction or some kind of mane servitude. When is the last time we saw Whitney Houston’s real hair? And lots of industry starlets for that matter. Tyra Banks must be thankful for her loyal hairline after years of glued lacefronts.
It is no wonder the recent transition to natural hair was such a revolutionary and self-liberating statement for entertainers like Solange and Chrisette Michele who were vocal about the torture of non-stop weaves.
We feel bad for Naomi and we know this has to be a major insecurity for her.
Do you think the pressures of Hollywood and Fashion forces Black women to take some extreme beauty measures?
Is Naomi’s missing hairline the result of years of runway wear and tear?
Or this is the result of plain old hair abandonment?
You be the judge!
Photo Source: Splash News
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I think you’d probably find that most models have lots of hair damage, it comes with the industry.
yep. bad hair and bad feet.
Damn! That’s scary. I don’t know WTF that is but if that’s what weaves do you can count me out.
I think this opens up a larger conversation around Black haircare outside of the U.S. Naomi Campbell was born and raised in Britain and spent a lot of her early years internationally in places outside of the U.S. The access to Black haircare break-through, technology and product is largely limited outside the U.S. until recent years. And although Naomi is a global superstar who could call in anyone to care for her hair, this kind of neglect is common in Black cultures outside of the U.S.
I’m not trying to offend here, so please take my point clearly. I’ve spent a lot of time in various Black cultures in the Caribbean, Europe and Africa and there is a general and very unintentional neglect to haircare. Now I’m not saying the Black women in England or Nigeria for example hair doesn’t look good, there is a huge embrace of weaves, braids, etc, but what’s happening underneath is generally very unhealthy and damaged.
It’s something to be said about the fact that Tyra Banks has had the same kind of exposure and beauty expectations as Naomi as supermodels but even after all of the lacefronts, weaves, etc., Tyra’s hair is pretty healthy underneath of all that.
I’m just saying there isn’t a lot of early education and skill taught to Black women outside of the U.S. on how to care for hair. Black haircare has a long way to go in other countries. And again, even though Naomi is super rich, that British upbringing is still there and the kind of hair care skill Black American women are taught hasn’t extended to other Black cultures yet.
Black women in America made a huge investment to haircare decades ago. The inventions of Madame CJ Walker and other pioneering haircare experts taught us early on how to CARE for Black hair, not for it to just look good.
Not saying however, that there are lots of Black women who aren’t taught haircare here, some of us do abandon our hair and don’t care. But caring for our hair with conditioning, oil treatments, etc is largely apart of the concept of beauty domestically.
I’d like to know what people think about this.
You think Naomi Campbell was using local stylists when she was jetsetting around the globe? I highly doubt that.
@fanfan
lol, thank you.
Also, ignorance on self-care for black hair is a global issue, not foreign to american soil.
I think she just has very fragile hair. Some women (and men) have thin and weak hair that can’t handle the ‘stress’ of chemicals, weaves, etc.
Fanfan, as a model, you use whoever is on set. You aren’t always responsible for hiring your own hair/makeup people. And they aren’t always super knowledgeable in black hair.
i completely agree with you! black hair care outside the US is pretty dire, i live in the uk. specifically glasgow in scotland and trying to find a good black hairdresser is almost impossible. its very limited over here. i think thats probably contributed to her hair. i mean every model has to start of somewhere, she didnt become one of the worlds top models overnight.
@G wooooow
sometimes i think americans truly believe they are the complete know-it-alls of every and any subject in the world.
i live in the caribbean and there are people who know how to do hair and there are people who don’t. if you don’t know how to do your hair go to a professional, if you can’t find a professional that suits your hair and your hair needs then start seeking info on what you can do for yourself. that’s it.
in any country/region/society you are going to have people who are misinformed. it’s like those people who believe old wives tales or superstitions; in their minds they’re just doing what they know. you can’t fault them but you find that ALL over the world including America.
Taking care of one’s hair is a personal choice. You either choose to do it yourself and take the time to care for it or you go to a professional or someone else who has the patience. And worldwide women are suffering from damage because they are not using the right techniques but to say international sisters be looking the most dumpy in the hair department is quite offensive.
Cause no one could tell me that my nappies was blowing in the wind when I was in college but most of the American Black girls around me had damaged over processed permed hair…right?
Dendoo wrote: “sometimes i think americans truly believe they are the complete know-it-alls of every and any subject in the world.”
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Thank you, thank you, thank you! …say dat!!
#thatisall
Though I think Naomi should have had better access off of just being a supermodel, the statement about black haircare outside the U.S. is so true.
I spent 6 months in Paris…And I don’t think I ever saw a good weave. They all look poorly put in. They weren’t seamless. And many times they looked like they had spent WAY too much time on the head. Months overdue for a change. It seemed to be a style. sigh.
On top of that, Relaxed hair was poorly cared for. I saw some men with spotty bald heads from a mixture of relaxed hair and coloring. It wasn’t a good situtation.
I saw some natural women, who’s hair looked much better in comparison. But the only women who consistently had long hair, whether natural or straightened, was mixed women. I’m not saying their hair was easier, but it was more acceptable to wear natural, I guess.
I can’t speak for the situation in other countries besides France and the US, but this is what I observed. Naomi could have fallen victim to just…little education on the matter.
@Akai*
lol as a Caribbean woman it feels like I can’t go a week without an American telling me in some way shape or form that they either invented it, they are the masters of it, or I’m not an American so I can’t do it right. Lord.
@G – I just had a thought, just because Tyra’s hair didn’t go through the same scariness as Naomi’s means NOTHING. They’re not the same people with the same hair. I take wonderful care of my hair and earlier this year I put some braids in and my hair reacted badly to it. My sister put the same braids in her hair and nothing happened. We’re not the same! My sister’s hair can grow in this disgusting environment but all this dust and the bad water causes my hair to stop growing. Even though we are sisters we are not the same people. So comparing American Tyra to British Naomi just ain’t right boo boo.
We don’t know if she has hair loss in her family, if her hair couldn’t handle the stress of what she was doing to it, maybe she didn’t have the right care for her hair but just cause Tyra’s locks were flouncing and bouncing doesn’t mean a thing. I am sure there were times when Tyra’s hair was looking a hot ghetto mess.
All I can do is say Naomi I hope you can get through your hair trials and tribulations. It must be murder to have such a revealing picture of you on the internet and people know who you are.
It’s obvious everyone responding is on team “American’s have the best hair/hair care” but I know we non-Americans rock it just as well.
Dendoo wrote: “lol as a Caribbean woman it feels like I can’t go a week without an American telling me in some way shape or form that they either invented it, they are the masters of it, or I’m not an American so I can’t do it right. Lord.”
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Stop it (giggle)! A semester or few months spent studying abroad does not an ‘expert’ make; I’ve experienced the same thing and usually sniggle, shake my head, and keep it moving.
98% of the time the yap comes out the mouths of those who’ve rarely even left the state they were born in, let alone traveled or lived for extended amounts of time in other countries (painfully clear and obvious via their commentary). Even more ‘interesting’ is that individuals from a puny population of 40 million would dare take it upon themselves to speak with authority regarding 800 million that live throughout the rest of the world…as if Americans are the center of the universe, end all, be all and inventors of the wheel.
Anyway, about Naomi? I’ve never seen anything like this, can’t imagine what would cause it, and feel sad for her. She almost looks like she is ready to cry in the first picture and I just want to give her a big hug, but I think she’d look beautiful if she nixed the wigs and wore her own hair in a low-cut, non-straightened style for a while.
Gee ladies. I really didn’t mean to offend anyone with my comment. And I’d like to apologize to anyone whose feeling were hurt and caused them to speak out of anger and ignorance. I simply wanted to point out an observation that is quite painful and truly unfortunate for Black women abroad.
@Akai: Wow, you like to go for the gusto, huh? My fiance is a diplomat. I, a former Peace Corps member twice offer. Today, a global brand director for a major brand. I actually spend about 98% of my time abroad. I write to you abroad today in St. Thomas (thankfully this time a vacay.) I’ve done considerable research on this topic as the company I lead is a beauty brand with initiatives to market healthy and chemical-free products to women of color in low-income global communities.
With of all that said, I do think I’m somewhat qualified to make a considerable and valid claim here.
I take it you two (Dendoo and Akai) may be from the communities I speak of. Like my original comment said, I was not trying to offend. @SoulTorch, I stated in my comment that American women also experience this as well. It’s just not a big of an issue as it in abroad.
Face it folks, haircare is a class issue for most women so we can see a lack of haircare in lower income communities, beyond race, which is yes, a global issue. BUT Naomi Campbell represents a score of non-American women who have not been given the kind of early access and education to properly care for Black hair. I also agree with whoever made the comment that it’s also the industry and lot of the people she’s around doesn’t know how to care for Black hair. It’s common in entertainment. I have to purposely request Black hairstylists for shoots that we do.
Again, I’m not trying to offend. Rather attempted to make a sincere observation. And even beyond my exposure/research in loads of communities abroad, a common person, simply traveling to some of these communities outside the US for leisure can notice the neglect and lack of haircare. It’s a serious problem and rather than simply talk about, there ought to be more educational efforts for Black women, specifically Black women in hotter climates, low-income and lack of water/resources to acquire haircare education, services. Again, it’s important to start this kind of training early, because no matter how wealthy a woman can become, there must be a desire and something sparked within early for her to want to care for her hair, and not for it to simply look good.
And again, this is also an American problem too–lots of Black American women neglect their hair because they have weaves in, forgetting what’s happening underneath–it’s just not as significant as it is in Caribbean, European and African communities where there aren’t hair salons, beauty supply stores on every corner. American women have more access to haircare is my driving point here.
My observation. My opinion. I own it. Happy Independence Day!
You’re right. I leave in Quebec City, Canada and it might be really difficult to find a real hairdresser. They know how to braid and weave but don’t want to cut your hair or blowdry cause they don’t know how to do it… So what can we do other than braid and weave???? I try to do it myself but I let you imagine the results…And when a real hairdresser opens a salon, police is always not far, cause you
@G, you should’nt generalize…and ecspecially if you are a global woman..just walk in the ghettos here in America and you will see a bunch of hair that has not been taken care of, American stylists may have invented some “good” stuff for the hair but most of it is toxic !!! period! I happen to know A LOT of african women with beautiful lengthy, healthy hair..so am not sure am a fan of generalization.
Wow…just…wow. Not only does it look bad, it also seems uncomfortable.
@ G Your points are well-made and well-taken. However, I see a lot of bad hair, i.e. unhealthy, improperly maintained – natural and otherwise – being worn on Black women here in the US. So, while the issue may be more widespread abroad, there is a great deal of ignorance and mis-information on the part Black American women, despite the availability of information and the advancements made in hair care technology. When we see the extent to which so many of us are struggling to care for our natural hair, let alone weaves, relaxed hair, etc. it’s as much, and perhaps even more so, about the lack of self-education and the unwillingness to take one’s hair care into one’s own hands, as opposed to turning it over to hair care professionals, some of whom are not very good, is highly problematic.
I knew a Black woman who did NOTHING to her own hair. I am telling the truth. Subsequently, it was only washed, conditioned and styled every two weeks – by a stylist. Girlfriend didn’t even wash her own hair, and she didn’t seem willing to learn.
One doesn’t need much money to follow even basic hair care practices. As far as weaves, the fact that many Black women don’t even know where the hair is coming from, how it is acquired, and don’t seem to care, is equally as disturbing to be as the ignorance, misinformation and laziness.
This scares me.
From the second photo, it looks like its just not growing in anymore. It is either nutrition or from constant pulling/friction. The few strands that are growing look so thin.
When I was younger, I walked into a beauty salon and all the women (over 40) hairline started 3inches from where it should. I walked right out. It was like a prison scared straight program. Since then I have taken charge of caring for my hair, while I do go to the salon for certain styles that I cannot do myself (or when I’m tired), I do not let them tell me whats best for me. I learnt what was best for me on my own through trial and error. Now when I go in, I know exactly what needs to be done, I just need their help executing it.
Skin is skin. I’m not putting anything on my scalp, that I would be afraid to put on my face.
Sorry if I went a little off topic, but this really is scary.
I feel so bad for her, this picture is everywhere. A lot of black women would rather mess up their own hair wearing weave, lace front wigs instead of taking care of their own hair. I can’t believe what I see walking around the city. If they are not wearing those UGLY UNNATURAL looking lace front wig or a weave, they are BALD!
@clearasday
That’s real…
Honestly, one of the reasons why I’m natural is because I got tired of being confined to a salon. I know my hair and what it takes to maintain it’s health, something that most salons won’t tell you in fear of losing business.
Some of my friends used to get their weaves taken out with no mirrors around because they didn’t want to see what was underneath
two words: traction alopecia!!!! it is avoidable. this doesn’t HAVE to happen to weave wearers, it is the result of neglect!!!
All-
I find these pictures to be a little suspect. How did they get on the internet. Are you all trying to tell me the photographer who took the pics, put them out. I don’t think so. Those pictures belong to whomever he was taking them for. And no way would they give up ownership of photos for one of the world’s top models, and then splash them all over the internet.
So how did they get out?
A pap agency snapped them. She was doing a shoot in the meat packing district, there are tons of paps there b/c many celebs live there and it’s a hotspot.
Damn! And I just watched that docu Good Hair, not a good.
This can happen to anyone! I know first hand that you can end up with traction alopecia even if you wear your hair natural. Tight braids, over-twisted locks, blow-outs and afros can contribute to it just as much as perms, weaves and hot combs. If you notice hair loss or bumps, don’t wait it out thinking it will get better. Get youself to a dermatologist with experience in this area ASAP. It may take steroid injections, topical treatments, lifestyle changes, etc. but the treatment will be well worth it.
Well, she could just have alopecia, and that wouldn’t have anything to do with wearing weaves, lacefronts, or what have you, would it?
correction: Get *yourself* to a dermatologist
@G-
I totally agree with you. Haircare in other black global parts of the world is just not on par with us. We have some ladies in the USA who walk around looking bad, but it is even worse overseas. I spent some time In central Europe (Switzerland,Austria) and England. The few black(African) females that I did come across, their hair looked absolutely horrific. I have met men from overseas who assumed my hair was fake because living over there, that is what they mostly come across. In my opinion, Naomi also has issues with her black image; there is no way her hair has to look like that; I don’t care how many weaves you wear. That is total neglect. But hey, she think she white anyway….
True, I go to school where many of the blacks come from other nations and they ALL have weaves/braids/ that they wear constantly, on top of fried perms. So the hair never gets to breathe. It’s like they are oblivious to the damage they are doing. And they refuse to go to an African-American stylist who can actually save their hair. And Naomi probably does have some issues. She’s stunning but how many black guys have you seen her date? From the green contacts, to the straight wigs that she wears even on her days off, something is fishy. But hey, she doesn’t care so whatever.
This is not necessarily a downside of weaves but rather poor haircare. I wear weaves and my hair is fine because I also know how to take care of it.
here is a quick video of veronica webb speaking of the effects of weave/wigs and other styling products models during their time had to endure. hair stylist that had NO clue to to work with black/ethnic/textured hair.
http://www.realhealthmag.com/articles/hair_health_1936_17808.shtml
That was a great video.
I too have been one to lose my hairline. I went to a beauty salon and they did not tell me that my hair was thinning out or that I needed to take a break from wearing weave products, but none-the-less, it is a lesson learn. Fortunately, my hair will grow back!!! Also, this is what we do for ‘vanity”.
@ Shalstrawberry
That is definitely a lesson to be learned (and i had to learn it too)…Just because a person does hair doesn’t mean they know how to care for hair. I rarely ever go to salons anymore, but when i do go, i try to make sure that i go to a person who specializes in healthy hair. Most hairstylist are only in it for the money, so try to only use those who actually care about making sure you have a great head of healthy hair. And if you think something the stylist is doing is wrong, don’t be afraid to say something or walk out the salon.
I don’t know Naomi so I can’t judge from one or two distant pictures. The cause could be anything from diet, stylists, weaves, relaxer, heat, neglect, environment, stress, shaved head, Alopecia to Trichotillomania. It’s stuff like this that makes me glad to be the invisible common woman – I can tell my critics to go kick rocks and walk away (Can’t do this as a celebrity.)
Yes, I think the pressures of Hollywood and Fashion forces Black women to take some extreme beauty measures weraing lace front weaves and wigs all the time. These things can take a toll on your hair and your hairline. Hair extensions and tight braids can also take a toll on your hairline.
Yes, Naomi’s missing hairline is the result of years of runway wear and tear. I used to have a friend a few years back (we just lost contact), but she was always gluing bits of fake hair to her head with glue, that glue is like superglue, and I used to ask her how she was going to take the hair out, she told me that she uses oil to loosen it all up and the hair just comes off, but sometimes I am sure the oil does not always work because she also had a bitty hairline.
It’s not just the result of hair abandonment, because if you leave your hair alone, the chances are that it will grow more, it would be hard to manage if you just leave it, but it certainly would grow more.
I am not even going to get into the debate of black hair care “do’s and don’ts” outside of american soil……not the debate we should be having in my humble opinion. Naomi is almost if not already forty years of age and she has been in the fashion game since she was sixteen years old…..hello somebody! This is some serious ish right here….she very well may have alopecia. The debate should be, is as conscious women, no matter your race, color, ethnic background, after seeing Ms.Campbell like this……is it really worth it? I mean for real Clucthettes, is having long flowing hair really worth it and worth the sacrifice that obviously will come if you continue to partake it the extension convention because that is what society says you should have in order to be deemed as acceptable? Naomi, Iman, Beverly, and a host of others are the door openers for us, but notice that all of them wear some from of faux hair wether it be wigs, lacefronts or sewn ins…..them sisters have paid a heavy price and I don’t think we should continue to pay anymore.