Guinness World Record
Biggest afro hair in the world

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Afro hair is one of the timeless styles loved by African Americans. From funk in the 80s to tight braids in the 90s, there are styles that represent a certain time period and have stayed popular among men and women of all ages.

Aevin Dugas from Louisiana (47) has the Guinness World Record for the largest afro hair in the world. Her afro hair measured 9.84 inches tall, 10.24 inches wide, and 5.41 feet in circumference this year, setting a new world record. This is not her first Guinness World Record. When she won the first title as the largest afro hair in 2010, her hair circumference reached 4 feet and 4 inches, and she kept growing her hair with good care to renew her record in 2023.

Though she has grown her hair for 24 years, she never thought about growing afro hair in the beginning. Starting with the silky hair trend in the early 2000s where women used toxic and harsh chemicals to straighten their hair to achieve the then-desired bouncy look. Many women now are suffering from cancer and other diseases related to the chemicals, resulting in multiple class action lawsuits. She decided not to use chemicals altogether and ended up sticking to natural hair.

Due to frequent maintenance and styling needs, she spends a lot of time and energy to maintain her afro hair. Aevin provides some hair care tips.

Growing healthy hair can be tiresome, but she made it her habit. Before shampooing, conditioning, and styling hair, she does “oiling” with homemade butter or hot oil treatment at least once a week. She especially, emphasizes the care for the hair ends which are the most delicate and oldest part of your hair.

While Aevin wears various styles, she prefers more conservative styles for a daily look. If she lets her hair loose, she feels the staring of other people, and while she doesn’t mind people’s attention, some dare to pull or touch her hair.

Her large afro is not just for Guinness World Record. She does personally like large afro hair, but it is also a great tool to make an impression on other people about herself. Due to the weather in Louisiana, taking care of her hair is not so easy, and the hair can block her eyesight.

Aevin is very proud of being a Guinness World Record holder. She read and kept a copy of the Guinness Book of World Records in her youth, admiring the record holders. At the time, she read about the longest hair record and thought that would be everything there was for hair. Making the largest afro hair title with her natural hair was a personal honor for her.

In addition to her pride in the world record, she is proud of afro hair itself and the textured hair in general. The natural hair movement is now a mainstream, and the movement and relevant campaigns contributed a lot to Black hair care. It is also a part of the Black pride.

Aevin’s social media accounts are followed by many people who respect her choice and admire her hair. Along with people who want her advice, she is influencing other people with haircare tips, promoting self-confidence, and so on.

Aevin’s presence on natural hair community is quite sizable. Her natural Black hair stories and Guinness World Record made stories in the New York Times, Essence, and CNN among others, and she made a speech at a global natural hair event. She is a hairstylist and hair salon owner, and with her expertise, she is educating and helping others to grow beautiful and healthy natural hair.

Her stories remind us that “beauty exists in all shape and size, and everyone’s natural hair should be respected.” Her record is not just about the size of her afro hair but maybe of her self-pride and self-love for her natural hair. This is a good example where one accepts their own beauty as is to let others break their prejudice and appreciate the beauty.