India hair/Also, any tips for growing thick hair?

[Shepherdess]

Lately I have been looking online at pictures of long hair, and I couldn't help but notice how many of the pictures of people with long thick hair were of people from India.

Out of curiosity I was just wondering; is there anything different that the Indian people use on their hair to make it so thick and healthy? Or do they eat different foods that are healthier for hair growth? Or is it just genetics? Or maybe a combination of all three?

I hope I'm posting this question in the right area.

I am mostly wondering if there are any certain things that can help grow hair out thicker and healthier. I don't want to try anything that will make my hair change color, my hair is strawberry/honey blonde, so it probably would change color easily, and I don't want that to happen.

Anyone have good tips?

[gazelle]

I think all the things you mentioned play role. But not using commercial products and avoiding unhealty foods effect more than genetics, in my opinion.

[spidermom]

I think that you can maximize your potential with good health, but in my opinion it ultimately comes down to genetics. Some people in optimum health have thin hair. I can't think of any way to increase the number of hair follicles you have in your scalp.

[Beatnik Guy]

couldn't help but notice how many of the pictures of people with long thick hair were of people from India
There are also a lot of people in India (over 1.2 billion) and I can confirm that some of them have hair that looks like crap.

[lapushka]

There are also a lot of people in India (over 1.2 billion) and I can confirm that some of them have hair that looks like crap.

Yeah, that all Indians have thick hair was too good to be true. ;) :p

[holothuroidea]

I don't think that being Indian gives you a better genetic chance of having longer or thicker hair than any other ethnicity because they have variation in texture and thickness just as other peoples do. However, Indian culture I think there is more emphasis and attention paid to hair, and they are more likely to take very good care of it and show it off if it is long and thick.

This is just from my own observations and conversations with Indian-Americans. I've never been to India so my experience is kind of limited.

[Madora]

Some people are blessed with good hair genetics.

Growing thick hair (for me) boils down to treating it gently and diet..and having plenty of patience.

[Madora]

Tips:

Good hair genes, above all.
Diet
Buckets of patience!

[Jing]

Out of curiosity I was just wondering; is there anything different that the Indian people use on their hair to make it so thick and healthy?

The first thing that comes to mind is henna, which is also very popular around here (LHC, that is). Thickness, shine, strength, you name it. Will change your colour, though, obviously.

In general I think it's the same phenomenon that makes it seem like all Japanese women are under 25 and super gorgeous - selective advertising. :p

[esmeralda]

Indians don't really take care of their hair as much as most people think they do. India is not a very rich country and most people can't afford to spend much on their hair. And most people who can afford to also don't because they are not used to spending on it. Not everyone uses henna as a lot of them don't like the colour.They follow two basic rules.
These are to oil their hair regularly and wash with natural ingredients. They also rarely chemically treat their hair or use straighteners, curlers or even blow dryers
It's only after chemicals and shampoos have become popular here that hair problems are on the rise here. I'm quite young and my generation doesn't have great hair in India compared to our mothers and grandmothers because we straighten and curl our hair and don't oil or wash with natural ingredients.
And yes, we have great genetics. Out of out 1.2 billion more than 90% have great hair. The few people with hair problems is likely to be health related or hormonal more than actual problem with hair or scalp,. What u guys consider to be very healthy or very thick and long hair here would be considered just average in India.

[Laylah]

Indian people seem to have the genetics for thick hair but more importantly culturally they prefer long natural hair. A lot of Indian girls that move from India to western countries start cutting their hair shorter, not oiling anymore, shampooing more often, and heat styling. Even in India the fashion is changing to more modern, western looks.

Just over a hundred years ago most women in the US had extremely long hair (compared to now) and genetics among caucasian Americans has not changed... it's how you treat your hair.

[ravenheather]

Indian people seem to have the genetics for thick hair but more importantly culturally they prefer long natural hair. A lot of Indian girls that move from India to western countries start cutting their hair shorter, not oiling anymore, shampooing more often, and heat styling. Even in India the fashion is changing to more modern, western looks.

Just over a hundred years ago most women in the US had extremely long hair (compared to now) and genetics among caucasian Americans has not changed... it's how you treat your hair.

Great point. This gives me hope, since I can't change my genetics.

[jeanniet]

There are also a lot of people in India (over 1.2 billion) and I can confirm that some of them have hair that looks like crap.
And lots of them are bald! :D:D:D (My dad is Indian and he's quite bald)

[McFearless]

Your genetics determine how many follicles you have so that won't change but you can eat as healthy and balanced as possible. Figuring out what washing method gives you the lowest shed rate plays a big part too.

[Corticarte]

i think its genetic, but maybe the food and also care that the give to the hair

[Othala]

And lots of them are bald! :D:D:D (My dad is Indian and he's quite bald)

I'll match your bald Indian father and raise you my thinning Indian mother :p ;)

[Shepherdess]

Thank you everyone for your replies! ! ! :)


Indians don't really take care of their hair as much as most people think they do. India is not a very rich country and most people can't afford to spend much on their hair. And most people who can afford to also don't because they are not used to spending on it. Not everyone uses henna as a lot of them don't like the colour.They follow two basic rules.
These are to oil their hair regularly and wash with natural ingredients. They also rarely chemically treat their hair or use straighteners, curlers or even blow dryers
It's only after chemicals and shampoos have become popular here that hair problems are on the rise here. I'm quite young and my generation doesn't have great hair in India compared to our mothers and grandmothers because we straighten and curl our hair and don't oil or wash with natural ingredients.
And yes, we have great genetics. Out of out 1.2 billion more than 90% have great hair. The few people with hair problems is likely to be health related or hormonal more than actual problem with hair or scalp,. What u guys consider to be very healthy or very thick and long hair here would be considered just average in India.

Yeah, that is true, I think what people use on their hair does have a lot to do with it :)


Indian people seem to have the genetics for thick hair but more importantly culturally they prefer long natural hair. A lot of Indian girls that move from India to western countries start cutting their hair shorter, not oiling anymore, shampooing more often, and heat styling. Even in India the fashion is changing to more modern, western looks.

Just over a hundred years ago most women in the US had extremely long hair (compared to now) and genetics among caucasian Americans has not changed... it's how you treat your hair.


Good points there. I have seen some very old pictures of woman in the US who had extremely long hair. It must just be how people treat their hair.

[sweetestpoison]

There are also a lot of people in India (over 1.2 billion) and I can confirm that some of them have hair that looks like crap.

This may be true but from what i understand there is also a higher pressure in india to have nice hair. From what i've read good hair is a sign of good health. Here (where i live anyway) people define what's good hair as something that's obedient with a flat iron and chemicals.

[chotee]

Met a nice indian lady in about fifties this week who had a big bun. Out of curiosity, i asked her about her hair and she immediately let her hair loose and it fell right upto her ankles. She says her mother, grand mother and her sisters all had the same hair. And that too she lives in qatar where we use desalinated water which is horrible. She has been here for 35 years. She uses only two things, coconut oil before washing off with sunsilk egg shampoo. Nothing else at all. And i havent seen better hair in a long time. But her daughter who was sitting next to her has thinning hair only upto her shoulders, so this clearly explains that genetics with simple hair care that suits you. In my hometown, some really poor girls with not much to eat can have so much thick hair.

[Othala]

In my hometown, some really poor girls with not much to eat can have so much thick hair.

So genetics here are instructing the body to keep diverting nutrient to grow hair despite a lack of nutrition.

This is consistent with my father's (long deceased) sisters who had classic length hair and sometimes longer even though they were malnourished for most of their lives.

It really makes me think that hair has some biological purpose that science has not yet discovered.

[saera]

Genetics. I am indian and I have thin hair =P
The women in my family use coconut oil or one with a bunch of indian herbs with a head massage. They also dilute their shampoos and no conditioner. However their hair is still shiny and soft.

[Shepherdess]

Interesting comments everyone! Thanks! Seems to have a lot to do with genetics. I think that I have very thick hair (I am mostly of Scandinavian decent) but I still wish that my hair were somewhat thicker, I guess I should be happy with my hair the way it is. :p

[sakuraemily]

Lately I have been looking online at pictures of long hair, and I couldn't help but notice how many of the pictures of people with long thick hair were of people from India.

Out of curiosity I was just wondering; is there anything different that the Indian people use on their hair to make it so thick and healthy? Or do they eat different foods that are healthier for hair growth? Or is it just genetics? Or maybe a combination of all three?

I hope I'm posting this question in the right area.

I am mostly wondering if there are any certain things that can help grow hair out thicker and healthier. I don't want to try anything that will make my hair change color, my hair is strawberry/honey blonde, so it probably would change color easily, and I don't want that to happen.

Anyone have good tips?

There are a lot of Indians with terrible hair too. But yeah they are mostly the younger generations who are totally into heat styling and dyes and hate hair oil. A lot of people are ditching traditional hair care nowadays
Hair thickness and texture do have mostly to do with genes but many Indians do manage to beat genes when it comes to texture at least.

Being one myself I can tell you that the keralites who are famous for gorgeous hair here are nuts about fish. Bengalis are also nuts about fish. fish gives oyu a lot of omega acids that are great for skin and hair. spices are also supposed to be good for you.

Then there are the regular oil massages. A lot of people I know put on a little bit of oil and then do WO washes just enough to wash the dirt out. they don't try to remove the oil. They shampoo once a week after a heavy oiling left on overnight.

Then there are those who Do overnight heavy oilings that are washed out with shampoo the next day. Some do this everyday and some do it 2-3 times a week.

A lot of traditionalists use reetha and shikakai to wash their hair. They do not let chemicals come anywhere near their hair.

Healthy food can do wonders for your hair. That is why sometimes poor people who can't afford much have the best hair because They eat the most natural stuff using cooking methods that keep a lot of the nutrition intact and also save money. This is seen in a lot of Indian villages. I cannot talk about people from other countries because I don't know much about them.

[jojo]

I work with a lot of Indians and can assure you not all of them have thick hair, there's lots of different cultural backgrounds on here with beautifully thick hair so a lot of it boils down to genetics, though stopping things like heat and chemical dyes can all help towards thicker hair. My hair has certainly thickened up since joining here through good hair practices.

[Fethenwen]

Wow, such interesting thread! This is something I have been wondering about too.

Quite strange that in India were it's mostly very hot people have thick long hair, whereas in Scandinavia where it's cold most of the time it's more common for people have thin and brittle hair. I wonder why?

Diet and genetics go somewhat hand in hand, at least if the same diet has been through many many generations. If I remember right, hair, teeth and tallness is something that can change over generations according to diet and lifestyles. Hmm... I wonder if there are some studies made on this topic?