Restrictive instructions for EEGs could discourage people with thick, curly or textured hair from undergoing the diagnostic test, KFF Health News reported April 27.
Sadé Lewis, a 27-year-old Black woman living in New York City, recently documented her experience undergoing an EEG for migraines on TikTok.
Ms. Lewis said she received instructions from her medical office, West 14 Street MedicalArts, that patients must remove all hair extensions, braids, cornrows or wigs prior to their EEG. The office also instructed patients to wash their hair the night before the appointment and not use any styling products on it. Failure to comply would cause appointments to be rescheduled and result in a $50 cancellation fee.
"As a Black woman, that is so exclusionary for coarse and thick hair. To literally have no product in your hair and show up with it loose, you're not even reaching my scalp with that," Ms. Lewis said in the TikTok.
Ms. Lewis' frustration is not unique. Current EEG technology requires electrodes to sit flat on the scalp in precise spots, which can be difficult to achieve for people with thick and curly hair. Scientists are working on new technology to capture brain waves in people with textured hair, but more research is needed before these tools can be widely used in healthcare facilities.
MedicalArts canceled Ms. Lewis' original EEG appointment after she asked to keep her mini-twists in, though she was eventually able to receive the test a week later with the same hairstyle. MedicalArts declined KFF Health News' request for comment.