Welcome to The Remedy with Dr. Rani Whitfield, where medicine, music, literacy, and other hot topics meet. Today's episode is for the ladies, for the stylists, for the women who've ever skipped a workout because of a fresh press or delayed a checkup to make a hair appointment. This one's called Hair Over Health, and it may get me in trouble, but it's coming from the heart. I'll never forget talking to a patient of mine. Beautiful woman, smart, successful, career driven. She told me, doc, I'm not sweating this hair out. I'll walk around the block, but I'm not hitting a treadmill. And she wasn't joking. That conversation stuck with me because she wasn't lazy, she wasn't uninformed, she was just caught in the reality that so many black women face every single day choosing between maintaining their hairstyle and maintaining their health. This isn't vanity. This is survival In a world where black hair is policed, politicized, and deeply personal. And if you've seen Chris Rock's 2009 documentary, Good Hair, you know exactly what I mean. That film begins with rock's own daughter asking Daddy, how come I don't have good hair? A child already questioning her beauty. That question wasn't about hair. It was about identity belonging and the pressure to fit into a Eurocentric standard. But this conversation didn't start with Chris Rock. Back in 1963, Cicely Tyson made television history not just for her talent, but for her hair. She appeared on east side, west side with her natural texture, wearing a short afro and corn rolls. During a time when black actresses were expected to straighten or cover their hair, Tyson made that choice deliberately knowing it would spark controversy. Her decision wasn't just about aesthetics. It was a quiet revolution. She once said, I want it to be me. I want it to be black. That image inspired thousands of women to do the same, cutting off their perms and embracing their roots. Tyson's boldness became a spark for what would later ignite into the natural hair movement. Years before Black is Beautiful, became a national mantra. Let's talk facts. According to a CDC supported study published in the Archives of Dermatology, nearly 40% of black women say they avoid physical activity because of concerns about their hair. Hair related barriers include time, maintenance, and a cost of re-styling after sweating. Meanwhile, the Office of Minority Health reports, four out of five black women are overweight or obese, and they're less likely to meet national physical activity guidelines than white women. We know this isn't just about preference, it's about pressure, about perception, and about how deeply personal and powerful our hair really is. Add that to the$2.5 billion we spend annually on hair care. And we see this isn't a small issue. It's a public health challenge rooted in identity culture, and systemic stress. To be clear, there's nothing wrong with investing in beauty expression or self-confidence, but in a more equitable world, that same investment might also support gym access better nutrition or preventative care without guilt, shame, or sacrifice in Good Hair, Chris Rock takes us into the billion dollar beauty industry showing how much we spend on perms, weaves, and wigs. He even demonstrates how sodium hydroxide, the main chemical and relaxers can eat through aluminum, and yet it's routinely applied to our scalps. We've normalized pain, burn and even hair loss as the price is being presentable. But the conversation doesn't stop there. Many of the synthetic and human hair products sold in the US, especially those marketed to black women are imported from countries like China, India, and Bangladesh. These products are often treated with chemical preservatives, dyes, and synthetic coatings to maintain appearance and shelf life during long overseas shipment. Some of these substances, including formaldehyde releasing agents and phthalates, have been linked to allergic reactions, hormone disruptions, and even cancer. Yet these risks are rarely disclosed to consumers and there's very little regulation on the labeling of imported hair. Relaxers themselves have been undergoing scrutiny. A recent wave of lawsuits and studies have linked long-term relaxer use to increase risk of uterine fibroids, endometriosis, and reproductive cancers disproportionately affecting black women. And still the marketing continues pushing the narrative that straight is safer, cleaner, or more professional. Now there's another layer with the conversation. Tariffs. With global tensions rising and changes in international trade policies, the cost of importing hair products is climbing Tariffs on synthetic and human hair could drive prices up, of hitting black consumers and business owners hardest; especially those already spending hundreds of thousands of dollars a year on styling, maintenance, and products. That financial strain often goes unnoticed in conversations about health disparities, but it is real. For some families, it's the choice between a protective style and a wellness visit; between a new unit and a healthy meal. We're not saying ditch beauty. We're saying redefine it, empower it, make sure it's informed and doesn't cost us our health in the process. Look, I get it. We've been conditioned for years. We've been taught to protect our edges, but not our health, to cover our crowns, but not check our blood pressure, To suppress our curls, but to suppress our wellness. That ends today. This isn't just about fitness, it's about missed mammograms because women don't want to sweat out a silk press; mental health avoidance because self-care doesn't fit into a beauty first schedule; swimming lessons declined by mothers and daughters because of hairstyles; and post-surgical care interrupted because I can't get my hair wet. Let's be real; hair discrimination plays a role. According to Dove's Crown Act study, black women are 1.5 times more likely to be sent home from work because of their hair. 80% changed their hair just to fit into workplace expectations. Good Hair reminds us that this isn't just about preference, it's about policy, about perception, about women getting passed over for new jobs, facing microaggressions at work; or being told their natural coils are too much. And the pressure to conform has real measurable impacts on physical and mental health. It's a fight that started decades ago, and icons like Cicely Tyson carried that torch long before natural hair was trending. Her 1963 appearance didn't just turn heads, it turned tides. Today we're still riding those waves. Every twist, every lock, every braid, every fro you see in a boardroom or on TV, traces back to that kind of courage. Michelle Obama once said, I had to learn how to love my natural hair. It took time, it took unlearning. Tracee Ellis Ross was quoted as saying, my hair is not something I hide. It's something I honor. Dr. Regina Benjamin, former Surgeon General said, we know that many African American women avoid exercise because of their hair. That's a serious concern. Let's revisit a line from Good Hair that always stuck with me. Chris Rock said, I don't care how much money you have. If you've got a relaxer in your hair, the bank owns you. He was half joking, but there's truth in that joke. And to be clear, this isn't a dig at sisters who relax their hair. Everyone should have the freedom to choose. But we do have to ask, are we making that choice freely or are we following a script that's been handed to us for generations? We're not here to shame. We're here to shift, and here's how we start. Number one, reframe beauty and wellness as partners, not opposites. Self-care isn't selfish and sweating doesn't mean you're sacrificing style. It means you're extending your life. Number two, workplace policy and cultural change. Support the Crown Act. Normalize natural hair and professional settings. Offer flexible schedules to allow health appointments. Number three, fitness options that fit hair needs. Promote low sweat workouts like yoga, Pilates, or walking groups. Encourage protective styles, braids, twist, wraps that support movement without compromising style. Number four, stylists and barbers as health advocates. Good Hair showed us how central the salon is in our culture. Let's elevate that role. Imagine a stylist saying,"Hey, sis, when's your next wellness check?" That's the kind of care that goes beyond the mirror. And number five, media and community representation. Highlight women who embody beauty and health. Folks like Issa Rae and Tabitha Brown normalize the image of a woman in curls and sneakers in braids and in boxing gloves. And if you haven't watched good hair, go watch it. Laugh, learn, and listen because it still hits. And the question it raised back then we're answering them now. Listen, here's a letter to my black women. Short and sweet Dear Black Women, your health is the inheritance your children can't live without, and your beauty, it never needed permission in the first place. This has been the Remedy with Dr. Rani Whitfield. If this episode hit home, share it with a sister. Let's move from hair over health to health with hair, because protecting your peace, your mind, and your body, that's the real glow up. And if you want to dive deeper, check out the book Twisted The Tangled History of Black Hair Culture by Emma Dabiri. It's part memoir, part manifesto, and it unpacks everything from hot combs to hair politics across the diaspora. And of course, you know what I'm vibing to right now India Arie's"I Am Not My Hair". I'm not my hair. I'm not the skin. I am the soul that lives within. That's not just a chorus, that's a creed. Join me Sunday for new episodes. You can check me out on Spotify, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your audio fix It's Tha Hip Hop Doc. They call me H 2D. Come on y'all, let's get hip hop, healthy! Peace and blessings, i'm out. The content on the Remedy with Dr. Rani Whitfield is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider for personalized medical guidance. Dr. Rani Whitfield is a licensed family physician, but the information provided on this podcast should not replace professional medical consultation.