Hair care and hair styles in women in Bamako, Mali

In contrast to Caucasian hair, which is fine and silky, black African hair has a dry and frizzy consistency. In both sexes, the natural hairstyle formed by the hair is used in various contexts as a means of self-expression, in particular to express female beauty. 1 Dry and frizzy hair does not easily lend itself to different methods of hair styling. Nevertheless, our hair salons produce hair styles that are impressive in aesthetic terms but which are poorly documented. 2 Hair care may also be sought for scalp problems such as pruritus, dandruff and alopecia. The types of hair care and styles available, as well as the side effects of the techniques employed, are poorly understood in Bamako. The aim of this study was to acquire a better understanding of the hair care and hair styling carried out in salons and hairdressing centers, as well as the side effects of these procedures observed in women in Bamako.