Scab hair

I have been seeing this term a lot lately, but I really have no idea what it is or what it looks like. Can someone please explain it for us new naturals? Thanks!

Here is what I found when I Googled the term ... [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

"Scab hair is the rough texture of hair that you may experience while transitioning (or on your freshly big chopped hair). If you’re transitioning right now and still roughly under 3-4 months, you likely have scab hair. You know you have scab hair if your hair fails to: 1) retain moisture, 2) absorb products (i.e., the leave-in conditioner just sits on your strands) or 3) hold a style longer than 24 hours."

http://naturallyfamous.wordpress.com/2008/01/07/scab-hair/

"Hey!! Scab hair is apparently the hair that is still damaged by chemical processing (even if you have stopped relaxing, due to damage to the scalp and hair follicle). It's usually drier, frizzier, fuzzier, and less defined. For instance, if you have a head full of coils, but one spot is troublesome and won't get moisturized, some would consider that scab hair. Some say scab hair is a myth, some say that it takes a year for your hair to start growing out healthy after relaxers."
http://www.naturallycurly.com/curltalk/showthread.php?t=99091 [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

I thought this article made some good points, but it contradicts what you posted envizionj.

Many believe that when we undergo the BC, when the scab hair emerges from the scalp and becomes new-growth, we're left with a false impression of our actual texture. We may be led to believe that this softer, straighter hair is a true representation of our hair in its natural state. Overtime, hair that is just below the scalp that has not been impacted by chemicals will emerge as the new, new-growth and its texture will be vastly different from the previous set of chemically altered or "scab" hair.


http://naani.com/content/my-natural-black-hair-texture-changing

Thanks! Hopefully some other ladies can weigh in on this.

wow, I never really knew what scab hair was...thanks for the info ladies!!!

Wow. I always thought scab hair was when you got a relaxer burn and then the hair got stuck in the resulting scab; I had a friend who had her hair burnt in the form of a ponytail. It was convenient (?) but a little unfortunate....

I am newly natural myself...6 weeks in and I never bought into the scab hair terminology but it's true I have to admit...I have a patch of hair on the left side of my hair in the front that is very frizzy, dry, and straight....I have to seriously manipulate the curls when I apply products to it....I call the patch "stepchild'.....lol! I do see a teeny bit of my coils starting to come in at the root but it is far from being defined like my other curls...

Check out this video