Keep your hair natural to boost economic growth - Dr. Obadele Kambon

Dr. Obadele Kambon, a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana, has said Ghanaian women should keep their hairs natural to boost economic growth in the country.

Across the country, the hair trade business seems to be booming with salons popping up in every corner with hairdressers specialising in modern European hairstyling that suits customer's preference.

Dr. Kambon said the same Europeans who convinced us to look like them are the same who profits economically and psychologically once we are convinced to chemicalise our hair.

Despite hairstyle apparently seeming like a fashion choice, Dr. Kambon said he had encountered a research that shows that women with natural looks carry a high sense of self-esteem and regarding what they naturally look like as African women.

‘‘Women who use chemicals on their hair stand a high risk of suffering brain cancer, when their hair begins to fall out coupled with other side effects of using these chemicals.

‘‘You can imagine how the billions we spend on the importation of hair chemicals could do to the economic growth of the country,’’ he told Ghana News Agency.

‘‘So, we must begin to ask ourselves who benefits economically from the booming of the chemical hair trade apart from its negative health impact.

''Going natural doesn’t don’t make you ugly, we must accept who we are as Africans and not emulate foreign cultures when it comes to hair-dos,’’ he said.