by
The Natural Haven
By Jc of The Natural Haven
I have previously written about the possibility of African hair actually growing at a slower rate. However it should still get you to one foot of hair. I think that there is a huge disconnect for us in the triangular relationship that is retention, breakage and mechanics (i.e Hair does not gain length because the ends broke off. The ends broke off because they were either weakened or were pulled with excessive force.)
Truth is many of us are not willing to accept that WE are the reason why hair is not growing. We want it to be genetics or a hair product. It simply cannot be our fault.
Going natural is not going to automatically help your hair get longer (especially so if your curl is tighter).
Here is what I have observed
1. Long haired naturals (with a type 4 texture) LIVE in twists or braids (especially so in the beginning 2-3 years). The basic regimen is wash, condition and twist up for 3-4 weeks (and even longer). Hair is out for a weekend or a few days and then back to to the 3-4 weeks of twists.
2. Long haired naturals with a looser texture LIVE in protective styles. They do not typically twist up for 3 weeks but would regularly do so for 1 week then bun up or wear off the shoulder styles.
3. Natural hair thrives in a heat free regimen. This is especially true for people with thin strands. People with thicker strands can get away with murder. Type 4 hair is usually assumed to be thick and this is simply not true. Some have thick strands some have thin.
4. Most long haired naturals rarely if ever use extensions.
5. Trimming is more important than people make out. The less damage you have to your hair, the less you need to trim. It is not about trimming a quarter inch every 2-3 months but rather about examining the ends of your hair and assessing how much needs to be trimmed and how often (i,e look for split ends!). Splitting and thinning hair ends will not gain length. period.
Meanwhile the most common questions that people ask when it comes to growing hair are
1. Which hair product to use
2. Which washing method is best
3. How to avoid ‘chemicals’ in hair products
4. How to style hair
5. How little should we trim (emphasis on little)
6. How should I moisturise my hair
7. How can I make my hair soft
8. What can I apply to my hair/scalp to make my hair grow faster
9. What should I eat to make my hair grow faster
In my opinion, people have used different products and methods in their hair care and still gained length. The fundamental similarities are what we should see instead of investing time on the differences.
The simple truth is that people do not want to wear 4 week old twists which have been washed weekly and are a little puffy and undefined. We listen to and do things that are not suitable for our particular texture (i.e we do not listen to our hair choosing instead to do what works for a different person).
Ladies, what are your thoughts??
177 Responses
My question is what do you mean by Twist up? Is that referring to twiss that stay in your hair day in and day out? or does that mean the hair is twisted up at night time, whether you leave it or let it loose during the day?
Also, maybe it is just my self image of being plus size or maybe just my face shape and hairline, but even though I like the Natural looks on others, Sometimes I don’t think they are suitable for me. I haven’t relaxed my hair in over 2 plus years. I admit, I do like to straighten my hair at times although it puffs right back up. But it is somewhat sleeker looking in a twist out or pin curl or rod set than my natural hair. And For me i am looking for a way to balance gaining the length that will balance out my face and reverting back to the damaging things i have done for 20 years to my hair.
I will get some kind of braided or twisted extension in my hair about twice a year (most times I do it myself to avoid the extremely tight pulling of your edges that shops usually do), and I am beginning to use more organic and “natural” products however. Hopefully, my daughter will grow up with better hair knowledge than I did. My mom didn’t need to try hard to care for her hair, it grew and laid down perfectly with water and grease or could rock an Afro just by picking it out after a wash.
Well I had long hair as a kid, when relaxed and Ive been natural again for a little over 3 years and my hair is waist lengthed..Ive never been a huge fan of boring protective styling and up-dos so I wear my hair out..Ive never had an issue with growth or retention..but I could see why its needed for some.. And I have 4A hair with low porosity..A friend in my college class has waist lengthed relaxed hair and she always wore her hair in a bun unless she was feeling snazzy. She said that thats why her hair grew long.
I’m a 3c/4a and I just took my twists down I’m retesting tonight . I also am going to start wearing a kinky curly w
I started goin natural since march 2013 nd bc jan dis year 2014.have been using mostly water, olive oil, leave-in conditioner, don’t no if Dats enof to get to my hair goal of waist length.nice blog
I do everything to my hair my self. Right now, I have braids in my head with some 2 dollar braiding hair and I debating on how to cleanse my hair on my extremely tight budget. I was considering a water only regimen that I feel like would work with the fact that I have braids in and i do not want any build-up in the braids. . . then I was wondering if I should add oil at the end, but I am not in a position to purchase any other products then what I currently have. . . Help.
I DO NOT do protective styling -__- it was forced upon me when I was relaxed, and I will NOT go through it as a natural lool I just can’t re-live that horror… I know it’s a great way to retain length but natural hair to me is the most versatile hair their is out there.. And I couldn’t bare to leave it in twists for 3-4 weeks!
My hair regimen:
– Cold water co-wash
– 1 hour deep condition
– Detangle in the shower with my conditioners in and my paddle brush
– LOC method and put it in twists to dry
– Buns buns and more buns 😀
Lool I know I said I hated protective styling but I’m waiting for my GHD straightener 🙁 my hair grows around an inch a month so I guess I’m doing something right LOOL ladies don’t be afraid go full out with your natural hair!!… Just make sure you do your research first haha xx
I agree with you completely on this. With me just 2 strand twisting my hair and leave for at least 3-4 weeks my hair has grown at a nice constant rate. I will twist for 3-4 weeks then take out the 2 strand twist for one week then wash on weekend. I take care of my sister hair which is down to her back and all I do is keep her hair in 2 stand twist.
My biggest challenge is I cannot stand to have my hair up, braided or bunned for more than a few hours. I have been this way my entire life….I transitioned to natural for 2 years and am now completely natural. My hair is somewhere between 3B and 4A with very fine strands. It simply does not hold curl (no matter how you try) and has growth but I think it would do so much better if I could learn to use protective styles. Any suggestions – I mean I can literally take my hair down in my sleep!!!
If it doesn’t hold a curl then there’s no way you’re 3b. Sounds more like 4b/4c
My hair is exactly the same and I am somewhere between a 3A/3B. I gave up on protective styles because that just didnt work for me. I make sure to moisturize, seal, and keep my ends trimmed as needed. My hair is out 4 to 5 days per week but I sleep in a bonnet with a satin pillowcase and in the 2 years since going natural my hair is now totally natural and at bra strap length. Do what works for you. Not every naturalista has to protective style.
I made it to bra strap length In 16 month of having my hair completely chopped to zero inches. my hair grows fast and I have had my hair in twists for the past 16 months
Heredity can impact growth rates, just like hair loss. Not sure why society can accept that hair loss can be passed on genetically, but the growth rate can’t?
Drinking water and exercising are probably two of the most important steps that anyone can do to help achieve a healthy head of hair and moisture.
I think the article is right on. My habits are simply having a weekly regimen to:
* pre-poo
* wash
* deep condition (protein treatment once per month)
* moisturize and seal as often as needed (generally every other day)
* low manipulation styling (or protective styling)
and the hardest part: keeping my hands out of my head except for during those activities. :-p
Through trial and error, we all eventually conclude which products or ingredients work best for us individually. It’s a journey worthwhile. I think the mystery is over, but the fascination is alive & kickin’
I need your help I want my hair to grow longer.
I agree with this article, I have three type hair. Its currently 15 inches long (blown straight) according to my length check t-shirt, lol!!! I keep it braided in platts usually, I only wear it out like every 3-4 days on “pre-poo” day b/c I know when I get home from work/school I’m going to slather it conditioner and pure coconut oil (my pre-poo solution) and put a shower cap on it until morning when I wash and re-plat my hair. I usually wear beanies too, to keep it away from the elements, to tuck my ends. Drinking lots of water, taking 10mcg of biotin, plus prenatal gummies have helped w/ my growth tremendously. I use the LOC Method of Moisturization it works!!!
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What is the location moisturizing method. How do you do it…jus stating out.
LOC stands for liquid, oil, cream (hairdress)
This article is probably what I live by.
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TIP. Twist, Box Braids etc… can last for at least 2 months if you take care of them. You don’t have to wash them every week, constant washing will cause them to fag out. if they’re in for a month you can wash them twice for that month or once. Some people don’t even wash their hair when it is braided for that period. Also the use of organic/natural shampoos also help. Some shampoos strip your hair of everything so if you wash your hair every week then you can guess what happens every week. Washing your hair only needs to remove build up not strip your hair. Sometimes rinse rather than wash.
P.S. water is your BFF and olive oil is your main bish! Good luck 🙂
I don’t believe it. For the past 3 years, I always wear protective styles, until the twists get puffy and undefined, and everything else, and do everything I’m supposed to, and my hair will not grow past nl. I feel so not feminine (no diss to anyone else). It just sucks.
Hey Ashley! Instead of just twisting and styling, why not try using coconut oil as well. For a whole tub you can get it under £3, so its very cost effective.When I wash my hair, I massage the oil into my scalp and cover it with a shower cap for about ten minutes or so (occasionally doing the inversion method for one week every month). I also co – wash 🙂 I have very VERY tight-curled Afro/ Caribean hair and have restricted my use of heat on my hair to once every three months. I’m on my fourth month of this regimen and have seen the difference it has made! I really hope i’ve helped … GOOD LUCK!
Reaching bout to pass BSL…I actually don’t know my length like that…I haven’t stretched it in forever…but I must say…I do maintain protective styling by “bunning” it. I’m still learning about my hair and I been natural forever and some change
I keep my twist in for a week, cleanse my hair and moisturize and re twist. I’m going on a year and half from a full shaved head and I am enjoying it.
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I’m transitioning now (8 months post),but the longest my hair was before it broke was below my shoulders. I was often told i had such long hair.I think that was due to genes but not only tht, i would only use heat for blow drying which i did twice or three times a month. I never straightened my hair, and hardly manipulated it.And would apply hair cream every other day,and was not and am not a product junkie.
I would also cover my hair at night. Personally my hair thrives when its mostly when left to its own devices.
i agree with this article, my hair only grows when i leave it braided for weeks at a time.
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The green house method grows my hair long and FAST! Plus it keeps my hair moist and soft If you are not doing this and want growth, you are slipping. To each their own however. Enjoy your Natural Journey Ladies!
My hair is at it’s longest it’s EVER been. It’s not that long to most people, but this is HUGE for me. My hair has never touched my back before I went natural. It has been a year.
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I do not put heat on my hair often. I has been blow dryed four times this year. I wear twist outs and redo them at the end of 5-7 days. I try to make sure my hair does not dry. This means using grease/oil and I spray it with hair lotion to keep it moist. My hair has grown several inches this year. My daughter is 11 and has not had a perm. We finally figured out sew in’s and her wearing an afro puff lets her hair rest and grow. Her hair now grows 3/4″ every month the past few months as we have stuck to this routine. I also encourage her to make sure her hair is not dry. She does not blow dry her hair either. She washes it and wears an afro puff. She does not prefer to wear her hair straightened. This is nice because that’s less heat on her hair. It has been straigthened once in 3 months and she doesn’t want it straightened again until Dec. We each use different products and yes, I can agree that we all have to find a system that works for us.
I find that the best way to get continual growth is to listen to your hair. I have discovered that my hair craves moisture and without it the ends get dry and split, then break! Everyone should listen to their hair and not someone else’s.
Help I don’t know my hair type
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It is impossible for me to leave my hair in micro twists for more than a week. Even smallet two strands start to get knotty at the roots. I feel inches from having locs in less than five days. And. Too my fingers are always itching to touch my my hair. I need to learn to live with a protective style for a long period. Any suggestions there.
I love my natural hair !!!! never had a perm & loving it
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I find your comments a little different from my experiences. I did use weaves to get my hair to just to the top of my shoulders. I found a person who could do an sew in invisible part with a sew in weave and I treated my hair with henna and deep conditioners every 6-8 weeks between weaves. I now wear my hair in twistouts and have maintained length and had slower growth so that it is now below my shoulders. I believe that manipulating your hair as little as possible is very vital to growth hence people do need to do protective hairstyles. But I couldn’t possibly wear twists for 3-4 weeks. So I try to keep it pinned up when I can but if I do wear it down, I protect it at night with a satin bonnet and large twists.
I also find that low manipulation co-washing and using a mix of shea, castor, and coconut oil has kept my hair in the proper condition.
I know alot of ladies would not agree with me but from experiance with my daughter, putting loc’s in for a few years will grow your hair. Its a pain to take out but if you are careful you can take them out and retain length. I just took my daughters out and her hair is down to her waist stretched out. I inttend to put microlocs in her hair in a few days and leave them in until she is about 16. At that time she can take them out or keep them in. Right now she is 10 years old.
I don’t know…I am still growing my hair out, but I follow a lot of style mavens and I know naturals of all different lengths (mostly type 4s). The long-haired naturals I follow and know personally don’t “live” in twists. Some of them wear twists and braids all the time; some of them bun their hair all the time (including the type 4s) and some of them do left out styles at least part of the time. My sister is a type 4 natural with hair down her back and she wears it in a bun almost every day, but rarely twists or braids.
I also don’t agree that most long-haired naturals rarely use extensions. They may rarely use extensions once they get long hair, but I know a LOT of long-haired naturals who transitioned with braids and some who transitioned with weaves.
Yeah, I agree with you. Extensions, when used correctly, can help hair to grow! The woman who founded the heat free movement (and is now selling ‘natural-hair-looking weaves’ called for kinks and for curls) mentions on her website that wearing weaves helped her grow and retain 8 inches in a year! Additionally, several of my long haired friends who are naturalistas, regularly braid or weave up their hair with extensions.
A brief report issued by Tianshan Net, an official news Web site for Xinjiang, said that in Hanairike Township in Hotan, a crowd wielding weapons “assembled in a disturbance, and the public security authorities took emergency action and detained people taking part, rapidly quelling them.”
what?!?
I would LOVE to have big gorgeous long hair like the ladies pictured on this site but not so much that i wear twistsfor weeks on end.back to back to back. Im going to enjoy my hair and keep it healthy. Length will come eventually
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Girl, I was thinking the same thing.
I know right, It feels like my hair has been shoulder length forever! but I as well will enjoy my length, it’s growing but it takes patience which is difficult for me lol
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Keeping hair in protective styles using minimal heat will help preserve length, but truth be told the products you use will impact your growth. Specifically using products with synthetic chemicals, unnatural preservatives, harsh substances and fragrances. I am recommending Just 4 Kinks for natural women who desire to have an organic hair care line that will provide 80x more moisture than almost any other product on the market. The line even includes a tea to help cleanse the liver and build blood, addressing some of the internal reasons women experience hair loss.
hey linda …. my hair is almost th same length as yours ..how long have you been transitioning fo ?? I hvnt cut off all my relaxed ends mayb thts y I feel like thers no difference in length because im always cutting of the relaxed ends whenever im in th mirror doing my hair …and I just get sooooo depressed because I feel its nt growing . ..what do u use in yo hair ?? ? thank u in advance
sorry meant quinette not Linda …
It’s ok:) lol
On board 100% with what you’re saying. I only wear my hair in twist for bed and wear it out in a FTP in the day. Each nite I moisterize it and I currently do not use a comb to accomplish this. My hair is growing. Not as fast as I would like but it’s growing. In loving and enjoying the hair I have now, more hair is coming.
I made a YouTube video of some things that worked for me personally. May not be the case for everyone, but has certainly increased my growth after I did the big chop:)Video can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/C-N46JH4Lxk I also wrote an article on how to keep your natural hair healthy while still using heat on my website OhSheSaidIt.com Hope it’s helpful to some (or all) of you!
I’ve just been washing my hair each week (yestocarrots conditioner) and doing a deep condition (neutrogena triple hair mask….but I might go back to yogurt ^^) on it, twisting it with shea moisture curl smoothie – put JBCO on my scalp….put my scarf on and wear a beenie all week until it’s time to redo my hair……..I want to retain as much length this year as possible – so I’m trying to do minimal manipulation – so far it’s grown 1 1/2 since Dec. when I got a trim ^^…..but I think I might start taking vitamins – if I can remember too ^.^ –
I agree with some of the above comments. I have noticed personally that I gained more length when my hair is in protective styling. When you think about it’s not rocket science as long as you give your hair what it needs( shampoo/condition/ moisturize) and don’t mess with it too much as it could lead to breakage. Then your hair will be healthier which will lead to longer hair over a period of time.
Please follow my hair journey on YouTube.com/tarebless
Instagram: tarebless
Enjoy your hair curlies!x
What other styles are there for people with loose curls? I have attempted to do twists and braids on my hair and within a few minutes they come undone. I never realized that my hair is now about 4 inches away from being waist length. I use Shea Moisture restorative shampoo and conditioner. I normally use the conditioner as a leave in and add some curling smoothie and just let it go. The only regimen that I have is to always use a satin pillow case and put my hair in a bun when I go to bed. I also can’t go as long without washing my hair because I have psoriasis on my scalp and tend to have a lot of build up, so going for weeks with twists or braids won’t work for me. Any other suggestions?
Is it mandotory that I co wash my hair ever while I have in my twisst in for 4 weeks?
Nope, but do use some type of hydrating shampoo if you’re going that route. Shea Moisture makes a moisture retaining shampoo. Botanique (sold at Whole Foods among other places) makes a hydrating shampoo. Both contain all natural products.
I agree with what you were saying but for those of us who have shorter hair, we can’t do these twist outs so what would you recommend as a holding for us? Also, my edges are in terrible condition, what would you recommend to grow them back?
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You can use castor oil or jamaican black castor oil to grow your edges back.
I agree with using castor oil or jamaican black castor oil. I mixed mine with rosemary essential oil and it worked really well for my edges. Another thing you may want to try for your edges is being careful with those elastic head bands (just a suggestion based on the picture you provided). Elastic bands tend to pull and snag our edges and before we know it, we have lost hair in that area. I had my stint with those bands and had to kiss them goodbye. The elastic bands on satin bonnets can wreak havoc on your edges too, so try to be careful with those as well.
I have short hair also, but since I started reading articles on naturallycurly.com and watching YouTube videos, I learned how to care for my hair. The real moisture is water. Dampen your hair with it and some oil in a spray bottle before twisting it. Learn which oils penetrate hair and which ones coat it. That is, some add moisture, and some lock it in. I’ve just learned this over the past couple months. Once I figured out what my particular type of hair needs, I learned what it can do. I don’t have to blow dry to attain my maximum length. My ‘fro used to always be either a dry twa or a fly-away blow out. Today I use Shea Moisture products (because they’re all natural) to help me define and enhance a curl pattern. I use their curling souffle, or curl & style milk, or Eco styling gel with argan oil for hold. No flaking of any kind. I twist to elongate my hair. I use small rods to give my hair a slight curl pattern on the ends. When I take it out the next day, I have all of my (short) length; I have style; I have hold, and I have moisture.
For your ends, use a bit of water and oil before bedtime. I read that, tried it ,and it works. Have fun learning about YOUR hair.
P.S. Until just a couple months ago, I thought I coulnd’t do twist-outs too. Today I am elated knowing I can. The key was learning how according to MY hair type (4c).
Dear Rasheema two things that can help with both your problems
1)Only condition wash. Find a conditioner that makes your hair feels really soft on application. Add some of the conditioner to your hair when you finish (as a leave in.)
2)Each morning ( EVERYDAY)moisturize your hair with water (from shower moisture or wiping wet hands over you hair), oil and a nice butter or body lotion. Smooth your edges with your hands- NOT a brush -after applying moisturizer.
3) With edges not growing well watch headbands especially the skinny ones.
Try for a month and let us know how you go. Hope it helps.
Patience:)
I have to admit even though my hair is 4a/b and fine texture – I’ve been natural for 2½ years now. My hair hates twists – I hate twists! I wouldn’t and have never worn them to work and can’t understand anyone who does! To me they just look untidy! That said – I did try with them especially after a wash. The twists at the end always knotted – I always ended up giving me a trim!. But my hair still knotted… just too fine for them!
So what I did instead was up do puffs with a tight hair band and some days used various clips to make my hair look tidy.
Since April my hair has been loving hair buns. For me my hair has really excelled and the crown area has started to come down!. So it looks like it’s gonna be buns all the way – at least until the end of the year. For now I only let my hair out at the weekend. So its at least 80% protective styling..
I have finally ended my product junkie episode. I’ve brought so much stuff I could open a shop! Of course most products don’t make much difference, because its the moisture thats important. if anything this last year has taught me to be gentle with my hair and don’t pay too much attention to those gals on u-tube with their ‘good hair’ because whatever they do and use – wont work for u!!
Just do U – listen to U and you will get long hair in as little as 3 years…. I know – I’m on my way!…….
I think it depends on how thick the twists are and how they are styled. When I twist my hair it is in a bobbed shoulder length style and I am constantly getting compliments from people of all races. Even relaxed women who would not dream of going natural tell me it looks great!
i have type 3 hair but i would say that my hair has no issue growing to about BSL when i’m not using heat. this is irrespective of protective styling. I didn’t struggle to get my hair to grow past BSB until i began going hard on the heat, but without, my hair tends to stay in good shape for a long time. it’s a blessing, but i credit my success with having the right tools and knowledge. its about finding what works for you. there’s no one shoe size fits all approach.
The only “person” I listen to when it comes to my hair is: MY HAIR. Actually for me, the best thing for my hair is to not mess with it by putting a whole bunch of product in it -just keep it moisturized and keep it moving. I read a lot of blogs and articles of the regiments that people put themselves through and I ask myself “Why? Is this really necessary?” Although I like to hear how others take care of their hair, I and my beautician know what’s best for my hair. People have tried to push me to do a BC, and just grow out my relaxer with out cutting off my hair. The “natural hair snobs” think I am “wrong” for not doing so,but my hair is just fine and progressing well. I get hit by other to use this crap or that crap because they liked the result they received with using whatever they use but the funny thing is those same people will complain about that product they once so thought was the “end all be all” for them just a few weeks prior. Now I do wear the “protective” hair styles, wash-n-gos’, braid outs but never twists -not my personal taste. I even wear it bone straight as well. I simply do what I want. People criticize me for how hair’s end result but my hair texture is different than others so my how my hair does -is how my hair does. Period. Some “Natural Snobs” can’t get past that either -but I don’t care.
Georgiana I agree. I am currently transitioning from relaxed to natural and have done a lot of research. Some people say Natural is the best and only way to go, and others say you can still have healthy hair with a relaxer. In my opinion taking good care of your hair and “listening” to it, relaxed or not is the only way. I didn’t choose to go natural to join the “cult” as some people would say, I simply made the decision because I was curious and I actually love the texture, feel and character of my natural hair vs. my relaxed ends. But really I’m just trying to enjoy my hair. I moisturizes, use deep conditioner, and shampoo when my hair “says” so and don’t drown my hair in product . Whichever you choose, your hair should not feel like a burden, and avoid “bandwagons”. What works works and everyone’s hair and preferences are not the same.
So happy I found this forum!! So how often should i moisturize my hair I never wear it out, I keep it in 8-10 braids in between co washing and shampoos I also have tried pre poo! So question should I wet my hair with water and seal my ends daily or just after co-wash or shampooing? Thx
Lol just noticed I said MLB I meant MBL lol also not sure what my type is how can I find out?
Also my hair really shrinks so i don’t like my natural hair out ever love the styles on other though
any one else have that experience or ideas for styles I can try? Maybe a fake puff?
Thx
Hey im a newbie im MLB /4 I think lol hair is getting harder to wash need suggestions! Pls/thx
Can my hair still get clewned if washed while braided up?
I spray my hair w/a water bottle filled w/rosemary tea and sage oil a section at a time and apply a lil castor oil or coconut oil (sometimes shea butter)on the ends and twist at night. I cover w/a silk scarf and let it out the next day or just simply use beautiful scarf wraps as a style. If I leave it twisted it gives a nice look w/the scarf as a headband.
My type 4 hair is thin, soft and very fragile. I keep it in twists and twist outs which seem to make a difference. Wash and gos do not work for me as I was getting fairy knots and split ends on a constant basis.I wore braids for years and am now dealing with thin to non-existent edges. They are growing back slowing with the aid of castor oil and just leaving them alone. I’m just trying to work with what I’ve got even though it’s frustrating at times.
I PS (hate that term) as a matter of convenience not because I’m obsessed with length. Hair will either grow or it won’t and some folks are genetically predisposed to have longer hair than others. I enjoy my hair as it is bc its what I havenow. Hair length is not worth waiting for.
This is all a bit much for me. I’ve been natural for 8 years. I have no idea what number my hair is, I just call it kinky. I never thought of protective styles, I wear s ponytail, blow and flat iron, or wash and wear I have no clue what these acronyms stand for (AML, APL, etc.), I definitely don’t know how many inches I have, I just describe it as, in the middle of my back at my bra strap. I feel stupid saying that on here with all of this hair lingo being tossed around. I haven’t put that much thought into my hair. I just started having fun with my hair. I love the versatility being natural gives me. My hair is fun, not a source of stress– it’s like a job for some of you guys from what it sounds like to me. I didn’t post this to offend, so please don’t be. I just starting feeling stress from reading the posts and wondering if I wasn’t doing enough for my hair. However, I’m comfortable with just having fun and taking care of my whole self– inside and out.
K Nikki, if it’s working for you, then it’s working for you and what works for you may not work for others. No one wants to push any of their styling and care tips down your throat, but if it might help and not hurt, I don’t see the problem with it.
It absolutely is not a problem for me what people do. I simply expressed what was on my mind as a result of reading everyone’s posts. I’m sure this helps many people, but I’ve never had problems caring for my hair natural or relaxed. I wish you well.
I’ve been natural all my life, 42 years, but retired the heat about 2 years ago. I know what you mean by it being all too much, and frankly, it’s irrelevant what your hair type is, etc. When I decided to leave my hair alone and let it grow, I took my cues from the brothas…their hair grows like wildfire because they’re not always playing in their hair and loading a bunch of goop in it. And for me, it’s working. I wash/condition and twist it up once a week and don’t touch it until the following week. And you’re right…a lot of us are making this too complicated. It’s just hair! Good luck.
My hair stops at the bottom of my neck,nd that’s alright with me. I enjoy creating different styles. Hair length isn’t that big a deal. If it grows longer, fine. If not, as long as I am enjoying my hair, I’m content.
I used to keep my hair twisted ut didn’t know how tto care for it, so it was breaking all the time. Today I twist it to attain a curl pattern for styles. Today I care about strength, not length. It’s only recently Iearned how to moisturize and attain styling versatility. That’s a lot more fun than worrying about whether or not my hair is growing to a certain length. In that, I agree with K Nikki even though my hair isn’t as long as hers. What matters is that my hair is strong, and I’m enjoying it.
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your hair is beautiful
Spiral sets are a great protective style! They won’t look scalpy and you can wear them up, down, half up-half down etc. They’re very versatile, and my hair grew in soooo healthy!
gotta agree with the author. i spent 5 years natural and only got to shoulder length. figured i reached a plateau. once i got hip to protective styling my hair retained length. never thought i’d be closing in on waist length but it’s so possible. i just have to face the fact that my hair thrives on protective styles. it won’t break off with braid out but it’ll need more trimming due to knotted ends and thus stay the same length.
I wholeheartedly agree, but my hair locks if I don’t undo my twists quickly so I only keep mine in a week at a time, wash my hair, undo them, detangle, and retwist. I also don’t load my hair w/a lot of product and if I use product, it’s only on my wash day.
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I know I’m late but I agree with napfrocurlzgirl… My hair locks after a week especially once I wash it. However our hair texture seems to be very different. Goes to show that diversity in natural hair is amazing and you dont always know what to expect.
That’s not quick! My hair begins to loc after a day. I have to deal with this thing EVERY day. The only good thing that comes out of that situation is that my hair detangles very easily. I have no problem with detangling, but the few time i’ve had to deal with SSK they were really a pain.
This is so my hair. I tried it and before five days I thought iwas screwed but it de tangled with no problem except that wearing twists for OMG cannot be on my agenda.
yyess!!! that’s exactly how my hair is It bugs the mess out of me because doing my hair every week feels like such a hassle especially since when I wash it it shrinks like a mug *smh* how do you keep your hair from getting all tangled up and knotted when you wash (I personally co-wash only and use shampoo like once a month)
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I had that problem and I started putting conditioner on my hair after a wash n go, detangle, and put it in 4 to 6 braided platts (loose not to scalp) then wash. It also stretches hair in the process.
Washing your hair in sections help with the shrinkage and knots. that way it wont be so hard to detangle.
I have 3C hair and I would LOVE to wear my hair in twists or braids bc my hair is under some kind of distress. My hair has been falling out/breaking more than usual. Sadly twists don’t stay/get fuzzed up (no matter how much head tying I do) and braids come out scalpy. I guess wearing it off the shoulders in buns etc could work but I just don’t want to touch it period.
I would like to know, what is wrong with wearing sew-ins during transitional period?
Also, what dos EVOO, ACV and APL stands for?
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Apple Cider Vinegar and Arm Pit Lenght. For your first question, I asked the same scroll back up to June 12th responses.
I would have to admit that wearing Braids worked for growing my hair. And to be honest Braids is the only thing tha keeps my hair growing. I got micro braids and kept them in for 3 mons and then I would go maybe a week or 2 then without them. Them got more micros for 3 more mons. Did the same routine for for another 3 mons for a total of going 9 mons with micros altogether. It worked for me and my hair was very healthy and healthy looking. The trick is when u have your hair braided not to mess with it to much. I was happy with my progress. But I messed up and we to the beauty shop and got aand let my stylist talk me into getting a perm. And she used a super and it broke out all my hair. I shoulda known better. So now I’m back to my micros trying to get my healthy hair back. WISH ME LUCK!!!!
I’m confused can someone explain? Is 1 and 4 not the same?
1 = twists or braids done WITHOUT extensions (real hair)
4= hairstyles done WITH extensions (added fake hair)
My hair absolutely hates twists… it knots so much (probably needed a trim!) Anyway for the past 3 months I been using protective styles. The one I am enjoying the most is Bunning!
I am loving this style!!! So this week going to blow it out and do a little trim and see if it’s made any difference to my length. I only wanted 12 inches – this is my 2nd year (May gone) and its taking forever!!!
Before these last 3 months I was in love with my hair just being out in afro puffs or hair pinned up and back out – I just wanted it out – and in some ways still do – but it has to be long!!
I kept noticing loads of little hair curls on the floor and realised that’s where my hair length had gone! The first year was great and growth was good. But this second year has been really slow, and it made me sit up and revaluate – fast! just what I was doing and where I was going wrong!
I feel I’m on the right path now though – my hair is loving this style and its all calm on the western front!! So I’m hoping something comes out of this! Preferable long hair please!
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Want to add low manipulation I took to different level.
I consider true low manipulation is the less time you need to spend in your hair, point blank. So the only time I fully detangle is after cleaning my hair. I try to make a style last minimum a week, unless I do an out style. I don’t ever braid unless it will be an out style and only then I only do it at the on my bangs. The only time a do finger detangling is to keep the hair detangle while washing and conditioning and that is just get the product though hair and very minimum amount. And the other time I finger detangle is if I have for some reason have to redo or update a style when it is not wash day, but that is just to get the hair do what I need it not a true detangling. It is part my keep it minimal work on my hair to make it less time consuming, and less stressful part of my life.
I find now that my minor laziness and the true low manipulation has contribute hair progress. Now in foresight obvious now where I went wrong in the first 2 years of officially being natural: It when I was saying “hair care was too time consuming” was my hint. Doing the protective styles that took too much time and involved more manipulation was my down fall. Making my hair practices and style as simple and lazy as possible is what solved it. It truly a case of keep it simple stupid. Now my super kinky hair is happier.
I didn’t like twists until i came across a video from Naptural85 on youtube and she has many tips on how to do them/take them out etc…
I have thin 4b hair, and my hair more or less sits below the nape of my neck. Although I don’t care for two-strand twists on me, I tried them again recently as a protective style. However the process of taking them down and detangling was murder. I think my hair is happy enough with two braids at night and being pinned up or back during the day.
I agree, twists are not for everyone, and I personally feel very limited in terms of styles when my hair is twisted.’
So as-low-manipulation-as-possible it is for me, lol.
Great article though, and I really enjoyed reading everyone’s opinions and experiences 🙂
I have thin 4b hair, and my hair more or less sits below the nape of my neck. Although I don’t care for two-strand twists on me, I tried them again recently as a protective style. However the process of taking them down and detangling was murder. I think my hair is happy enough with two braids at night and being pinned up or back during the day.
I agree, twists are not for everyone, and I personally feel very limited in terms of styles when my hair is twisted.’
So as-low-manipulation-as-possible it is for me, lol.
Great article though, and I really enjoyed reading everyone’s opinions and experiences 🙂
Well…i have both 3 and 4 type curls(i guess…according to CG i am Corkicelli) but i do not “LIVE” in protective styles per se. My hair thrives on a daily wash n go. I do twists sometimes…but they do a number on my ends so i don’t do them often.
Protective styling isn’t for everyone.
My take on this article is that low manipulation is what helps to retain length.After i wash my hair or style it for the day i leave it ALONE and that helps me retain length.
My routine:
*Co-wash weekly
*Deep condition/Pre-poo rouhgly x2 a month.
*Clarify 1x a month
*I use a satin cap/scarf and ALWAYS braid my hair before bed
*I unravel my braids with EVOO or Coconut oil and style as desired
*Protective style is single braids or twist 2-3x a year when i feel to do it and i dust my ends when needed.
“That’s all folks!” LOL
I like keeping my 4b/c hair in twists/twistouts and sometimes mini-twists. I find that my hair is better moisturized while in these styles vs. being in the afroish styles. I was watching “Africanexport” do an crotchet braid hairstyle on her daughter this week on her youtube channel for protective styling. I will definitely be trying this out on my hair, because just leaving it alone differently works, and keeping it moisturized every 2 or 3 days for me. I’m looking to add another 4 inches to my hair before the year is out, I’m currently between 12 to 12 1/2inches on my head.
I’ve recently started twisting my hair and am going to experiment with protective styles for the rest of the year to see if there is a huge difference. I’m also going to try KinkyKurlyQueen microtwists in December, but without blowdrying my hair. Although my growth is pretty steady, I want to see if I can get more than 3 inches before the year’s end. Last year I braid my hair -which took a “blissful” 9+ hours- left them in for almost 2 months, and thought my hair had grown tenfold; in actuality I just hadn’t seen my hair down in a while so I perceived more growth than there actually was.
I truly think hair growth is relative to the person. For me, it’s been more about regimen, trimming split ends on the spot, also doing a formal trim to help oxygen get into my hair (every 4 to 6 months), and exercise–which helps the blood circulate throughout my hair, and most importantly moisturizing when needed and always deep conditioning after a wash. I do agree with not using heat and I’ve never been one for extensions/weaves because they are way too heavy. I also don’t bother taking my hair out of a bonnet or scarf if I’m just hanging around. This article really made me think–awesome!
I believe that first and foremost being healthy is the way to achieving healthy hair, drinking plenty of fluids, eating right and exercising. All this also helps with stress management which can damage hair. Being healthy and keeping my strands moisturized is the key to my hair growing and being healthy, any other advice I take with a grain of salt. I have 4b hair that is naturally thin; I have been natural for 3yrs and have shoulder length hair. Braids and twist do not work for me on a regular basis. I wash my hair every other day with Trader Joe’s Nourish Spa Shampoo and Conditioner, I only comb my hair with conditioner while in the shower, I use Paul Mitchell’s leave in conditioner daily and Qhemets Burdock Root Cream daily. At night before I go to bed I do not always twist my hair but I do apply shea moisture cream and put my silk bonnet on and lay my head on my silk pillow. My hair is healthy, moisturized, shoulder length and just over all growing. I have even dyed my light brown hair blond and 6 months later no damage to report. I will say this, I deep condition weekly with things from my kitchen: Olive Oil, Plain Greek Yogurt, Bananas, and Honey. Also I do not apply heat to my hair but once a year, and even then it is limited.
As I long-term transitioner, I believe the following items listed have helped me to retain length:
Protective Styles: I wear these mostly due to the fact that I’m a KISS (keep it simple stupid) kinda girl…I wear them 4/7 days a week
Low Manipulation: I only wash my hair once a week and style my hair twice a week; once on wash day and once at the end of the week when I want to let my hair down. When I do manipulate my hair, I try to be as gentle as possible. I always ensure it’s a little damp before I start and find myself doing the bare minimum amount of finger detangling when I do restyle my hair.
Heat: Haven’t used direct (flat iron, curler, hot comb, crimping iron, etc) heat for over 2 years now.
Moisture, Moisture, Moisture! Nuff Said!
Lastly, I invested in silk scarves, a bonnet, and a silk pillowcase. I created a DIY on how to make your own silk pillowcase 🙂 At your leisure, please check it out:
https://www.lillian-mae.com/diynatural/diy-silk-pillowcase/
I L-O-V-E the silk pillowcase idea! I’ve been too lazy to buy one and just use a bonnet or scarf. I’m going to bust out my home-ec skills and sew up a silk pillowcase! Gracias!
YAY FOR DIY!
Seriously, Amazon charges $47 for one…I made mine using thrifted silk scarves for $8!
Remember the article the other day on how much we spend yearly on natural hair products? The silk scarf is half the budget!
Great info. I have been taking really good care of my hair but have not seen much growth so I decided starting this past weekend to keep my hair for longer periods in protective styles. I have decided on two weeks for right now to see whether this makes a difference.
Great post! I learned a lot! I couldn’t figure out how to fight the little one strand knots and how to prvent my hair from tangling on itself. I’m now positive it was because I kept wearing my hair out, unstretched and doing a piss poor job of protecting my ends. I’ve been natural for 3+ years and when I first started, I was on a strict regimen and saw the best results. So for me personally, I’ll be back on a regimen that incorporates keeping my hair braided M-F, washing every week, ACV’ing more consistently, deep conditioning every two weeks, henna’ing once a month and lightly moisturizing my hair daily. It’s a lot but I want to reach my hair goals, it’ll be worth it.
I definitely agree with the protective styling points, especially for fine hair.
My strands are fine but my hair is super dense and type 4. I used to think my hair strands were thick but really it was a lot of fine strands closely packed together. So it looked like “thick” hair. In my ignorance I would detangle frequently, wear it out all the time, use a blowdryer to stretch, etc — and my length was somewhat stagnant.
Eventually I realized that my strands were actually delicate and fine, so I started doing long stretches of protective styling either in twists or braids (sometimes w/ and sometime w/o extensions). My hair is now about 1.5 inches short of BSL.
Also, when I do wear braid or twist extensions, I typically wear them in the super humid summer months when my hair isn’t in need of constant daily moisture like in winter time. I ALWAYS do them myself (I learned how when I was a teen). I secure the extensions loosely and don’t use too much weave per section of hair. I also trim the extensions every week to gradually lighten the load on my own hair and also to just change the look up. I still moisturize and condition weekly, but try not to go crazy on my scalp so that my braids don’t get fuzzy at the roots. It lasts for about 1-1.5 months. I actually retain quite a bit of length with extensions, as much or moreso than I do with natural twists or braids.
But please please please be careful with extensions. Make sure you hair is in good health before you add them, and also the extensions shouldn’t be painfully tight or super tiny, that is a big no no if length retention and hair health is your goal. Don’t weigh down your hair too much by adding too much weave and also go easy on your edges (don’t try to get all the little fuzzys around the edge, don’t make the braids too small, and don’t pull your hair tight). I prefer a braid spray for a moisturizer instead of a rub-in one (I make a spray out of water, glycerin, castor oil, peppermint oil, rosemary oil, and infusium 23). Extensions can be pretty safe, just be smart about them and you can still retain significant length. I also find them more fun than twisting/braiding w/o extensions, since w/extensions I add colors and change the texture, cut, length, etc.
PERIOD. POINT BLANK. HERE’S THE COMBiNATION.
Successful Long Hair =
low manipulation
no heat
no weave
two strand twists or braids (no styles that pull edges)
moisturizer (natural oils allow you to go longer without washing, other products will have you washing more often)
trim only when needed (which will be less often if you follow the rules above)
if you do not follow any of the rules above you will have to sacrifice something whether that be trimming more often, washing more often causes manipulation, not being able to wear your hair out more often, or tearing and breaking of the hair.
THAT’S MY TAKE ON IT……HOPE THIS HELPS.
+1
I agree totally!Retaining length really challenges every fibre in you, as you have to be disciplined even if its to make sure you cover your hair at night…….. LOL
This definitely seems to be sound advice but wouldn’t braids be considered high manipulation and also what is your take on truely low manipulation? Especially for detangling or keeping hair detangled, that’s when I find most manipulation happens no matter whether it is with a comb or fingers.
I’m a thick 4c, and I say protective styles are definitely a win. I’m not sure if my hair really locs when it’s in braids or twists, because I’ve had kinky twists in my hair for 4 1/2 months (I could of gone longer but I was afraid of dreading) and I had about an inch and a half of new growth, afterwards doing protective styling (twists, bantu knot outs, and just fros) I don’t comb through my hair unless I’m conditioning it. Last summer I had severely color damaged my hair and a lot of it fell out, and I still have a teeny bit of damaged ends that I’m clipping off gradually, but after I took my kinky twists out, a lot of the damaged hair came out too. I cosign to this post 🙂
I’m a long haired natural, but the only time I wear twists is to bed. I’m a twist out every day type of girl, only had braids three times in the two and a half years I’ve been natural.
Some people can do less I guess.
+1
+1
like some ladies here my hair has many fine strands. I twist the front half only and keep that in a 1 to 2 weeks . other wise it wud also look very thin and scalpy
Wow I to have type 4b to 4c and it is also thin. When I do my twist outs I tend to have alot of parts in my hair. I don’t like to lift with the pick because I lose alot of the twist definition. It’s funny that when I read about how protective styling helps to retain length because since I’ve gone natural I don’t like protect styles. I’m I the only one who feels this way. Back when I was relaxed you couldn’t keep me away from the micro braids and sew ins. Now I don’t care for them at all. I have been natural for 1 year and 2 1/2 months. I have passed the twa but have not yet reached the medium length yet. I’m at awkward stage. I don’t want braids, sew-in, I don’t even want to wear the wigs. Do you ladies have and suggestions. Need HELP! My twist outs only last a good and day, I may make it to day two but thats a stretch. Hair to thin to wear the two strand twist without doing the twist out. Dont know what do. Does anyone have this problem?
I think if your hair is short it is not necessary to use protective styles yet. Your hair is basically new, and it has not sustained much damage from the elements (wind, sun etc.) and mechanical damage from combing/brushing. This is particularly true if you started growing your hair using good hair care practices such as avoiding heat. You may want to wait until your hair reaches neck length to start using protective styles.
thanks alot….have any suggestions for getting more than one day on twist outs?
I am curious about the size of your twists. I found that when I make larger twist my hair is not as defined and last only a couple of days versus my smaller twists that can last two weeks. (Except for the very front of my hair I have to retwist with leave-in or some other cream after a week). Try playing around with the size of your twist.
Try a combination of the following:
1. use a product with more hold
2. wear the twists for a few days before wearing the twist out
3. sleep with a satin scarf
4. try not to fluff or separate the twists much
5. make the twists smaller as previously suggested
I feel you girl…I have a similar problem but I noticed that after wearing my 2 strand twists in for 3 weeks, the twist outs have lasted longer. At night I just mist it with water and twist into about 12 big twists and in the morning, my twist out is still defined. I use a comb to lift the roots in those areas where my scalp tends to be a bit more visible and it still stays defined, but in the past it didn’t use to. Might be how much manipulation you’re doing that’s causing less definition. I also don’t like wearing wigs anymore, I don’t care for weaves (haven’t put one in since I bc’ed in May 2011) because I don’t want to have to blow dry my hair for that and although I like braiding, my edges suffer so for now I’ve resigned myself to 2 strand twists (I don’t like the way I look in them but I have a hair goal so my focus is not on the current season but the future)…I let myself enjoy my hair in updos for a couple of days when I take them down but then I put them right back in again after washing and conditioning. Will attach a pic here so you can see my twist out – this is day 2.
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I completely cosign this article. And I like the part about how type 4 naturals can get away with murder, hehe! The whole time I was reading this article I was nodding my head in agreement. I DO live in twists & braids for the majority of the week, and my hair thrives on that.
Others might not like protective styling so much, and that’s cool too. Do whatever works for your lifestyle & hair texture(s).
Everything she mentioned from number 1 – 5 is exactly what I do for my hair.
I’m willing to argue that this is one of the top articles posted on BGLH!
I’m a kinky coily, “type 4” natural with ~12 inches of hair and I don’t “live in twists or braids”…
For me, the key to length retention is gentle detangling [finger-detangling in 12 sections with oil &/or conditioner before shampooing], washing in twisted sections [12], keeping my hair moisturized [leave-ins, creams/end sealants/etc.] and wearing stretched hair styles [braid-outs and buns].
With that said, I do agree with the heat-free, hair extension-free and trimming conscious parts as I find those methods work well for my hair.
Agreed.
“Thicker strands get away with murder.” This is true. My close friend with natural hair has coarse strands and does some things I would not ever do to my hair for fear of it breaking off, includig straightening and using heat, brushing and combing regularly. My hair would yell “ouch!” I BC’d again on V Day of this year. My hair just likes to be moisturized, given protein boosts, protected at night. I don’t like styling. I have decided my styles will have to be, mainly wash and go’s, headwraps and coverings when not in a WNG, and occasional “style” by way of flat twists, braids/cornrows. That is all. Great article.
I totally agree! natural hair is happier when left alone. I have noticed that the condition of my hair improves even after a week of protective styling. Great article.
“People with thicker strands can get away with murder” — somewhat true. I got my hair wash, blowed, straightened and trimmed by my stylist every two weeks — for two years. But she was really gentle with my it and it grew LIKE CRAZY. Now that I’m trying to save cash and do everything on my own, I don’t have as much length. It takes work to learn how to care for your own hair…whatever texture it is.
What i’ve found to work the most for me that made a visible difference is in gentle handling. i have found that i can get away with handling my hair on the daily provided that i keep tension off my ends (manipulate roots- to mid hair only) and that i finger detangle (completely have excised the comb outta my regimen for the past month and the results are amazing!) exclusively. i’m now in the process of weaning myself slowly off of washing my hair every 2-3 days to stretching it to 5-6 if my scalp permits lol it’s used to being washed way more frequently. but in general, i keep my hair stretched and on detangle day i carefully separate each and every strand, painstakingly and i define each and every curl with my fingers- that way my hair doesn’t tangle at all, and it give me the option of wearing my hair down throughout the week with absolutely no breakage. i don’t even have to wear a satin nightcap, and this week i may have lost only about 5 strands in the past 7 days following this method. i stop manipulating my hair if i find myself coming up on a third broken strand. the breakage that i do get, though very minimal now, is solely due to the damage that i did to my hair with the flat iron and bleaching. so i know better than to stress when i see straight ends broken, but now that i’ve learned the art of gentle handling, i can take comfort in knowing that my hair will thrive better than it ever has. i usually retain length well in general, so i expect to be full BSL by the end of this year.
so far as the points JC made though, i agree with most of them. i will say though that the looser-textured folks who i know don’t live in protective styles. they do manipulate their hair very little but they ALL wear their hair in out styles- either in a ponytail or loose. but maybe they’re exceptional because they all have MBL to WL hair lol i think the rules of the game change a little when your hair is already long. and actually all of the girls DO implement heat in their regimen because they all use heat to “train” their hair. shoot, it works for them- their hair is healthy and evenly thick so hey! i might give it a try once my hair gets to those lengths.
I’m supposed to be taking a break from hair discussions but I HAD to come in here and throw bouquets of roses for this post…thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! 🙂
I keep thinking the disconnect you mention is resolving itself — because we’re supposedly more educated now that we have all this info online now, right? — and then someone posts about how braids/castor oil/eating raw lemon peels/having a Greek granddaddy made her hair grow faster and it’s like *face palm*…
Growth rate largely isn’t in our control, but length retention absolutely is. Certain types of hair are simply not going to retain length without some unique help…and there’s no point in crying about it, wishing for a different texture, etc. The sooner people figure this out and accept it, the easier (IMO) the hair growth journey (if they choose to continue it) is.
Even though I’m not a huge fan of two-strand twists on me, due to a very busy work schedule I’m wearing them now. I’ve had them in since the end of April, redoing them twice (my own hair — I dislike fake hair even more than I dislike twists). Each time I took them out, I wore the twistout for maybe two days tops, and then put them right back in. I have always suspected that I have a better-than-average growth rate but never has it been more evident than when I wear twists for weeks at a time. When I take them out, almost all the hair removed is shed hair, which means I’ve retained just about all the length.
I have mostly-4b hair with fine strands. For a long time I chose to just have fun with my loose hair knowing that FOR ME fun length. But in the back of my mind I’ve always known that if I want to experience truly long hair in my lifetime, and I don’t want to loc it, I’m going to have to get used to wearing twists or braids most of the time. That’s the hand I was dealt and I’m cool with it. For now they’re just in for the summer but who knows…I might start to like them enough to wear them into the fall… 😉
*…knowing that FOR ME fun does not equal length…
Have to say I totally agree with you. I also suspect my growth rate is above the average especially when wearing 2 strand twists for weeks. I seem to notice more length retention when I wear them for 3 -4 weeks although I will admit that my hair actually starts locing when I take them down (there’s a trick though to taking them down that reduces breakage and tangles – water and coconut oil generously applied before pulling apart). I hate the way they look on me because I have somewhat fine strands but for me at this point I’m more concerned with length retention so I will continue to wear it until I get to a length I’m satisfied with then I can be more adventurous with other styles.
Also, just wanted to add: I have 12-13 inches of hair after taking down my locs. Is JC suggesting that this is virtually as long as it’s going to get for me?
I am going to take my chances and continue to rock my afro puff or twist outs. I just can’t do protective styles 24/7.
I am not sure about that first point. I am a type-4 natural, and wearing twists or braids without extensions for days on end results in knots and terrible tangles upon take down. Even being gentle in detangling – to the point of doing so by hand – does little to minimize this unintended side effect. I am starting to feel like point #2 is more accurate and relevant for me. Keeping my hair stretched and moisturized – perhaps set in big twists overnight or upeon washing – is essential to prevent all the knots (and SSKs). I then am apt to wear it in a bun, or out for the day and tucked and protected at night.
you are so right hun! i tried this protective style twists one and it actually cut my hair because the shrinkage from getting wet and just humidity in general caused me to have so many single strand knots . Now,i either braid my hair at night or blowdry(once in a blue moon though) and rock it in the morning. I disagree that long haired naturals dont wear extensions cuz wearing weave actually grew my hair,i wasnt manipulating it and that led to a lot of length retention.
check out my vids on dry detangling for how to detangle without breakage and tangles
https://www.acurlcandream.blogspot.com/2012/06/videos-dry-detangling.html
Well I have to say I have learned a lot in passed year, even though I have been “Officially natural” 2+ years and maybe actually gaining some length now even though the trims set me back by inch and half. It definitely has to do with what good for you not others. I am glad that I am starting to see some progress. I found that low manipulation (not braids) protective styles are the best for me boring as hell and not forgiving for human sleeping habits but definitely beneficial. I have started getting the time it takes to do my hairstyle when on the run down to 10 mins (if stretch) to 20 mins (if not really stretched.
Trim is only beneficial if you have someone who know what the hell there doing from wash, to trim, to style, if not better off going without trim, One salon set me back a few months with here use of the tangle teaser, lack of listening to customer and inability to comb from root to end. Argh. I found a great hair dresser that specializes in natural hair but he is a bit expensive but think it work not dealing with drama.
What I have learned this year about my hair that has been most beneficial:
1. My hair grows only 1/4-3/8 inch from the root (bleach test method)
2. ACV is a game changer for my hair, reduces tangles,makes detangling easier, hair is shinier, smoother and softer
3. EVOO is a good general all purpose oil.
4. Updos with no elastics is good for work, time, hair and my sanity.
5. Protein conditioner is helpful once a month treatment for me
6. Co-wash is a great quick washing method.
7. leave-ins are not necessary for spring and summer in Southern Ontario (humidity)
8. Castor OIl is necessary for moisture retention for Winter months.
9. Coconut oil is a no it causes me to break out.
10. Having a customizable tracker app on your phone to track hair ands skin stats lets you track your progress without obsessing and about it. Just select the applicable icons or enter them amount and I am done.
hyspin, what type of phone and phone app tracker are you using? I’ve been looking for just that.
whats this??? hair and skin tracker ?
never heard of this.,..
Id also love to learn more about his skin and hair tracker…i would so love one…
I agree and support most of what she said, but I have type 4 hair (A through C depending on the different areas of my head), and I do not “live” in protective styles; my hair has actually grown a great deal in the past year and couple months(7-8 inches). I personally do not like protective styles, so I don’t wear them that often.. If you have thicker hair strands like me, and want to retain length without protective styling, just twist/braid your hair at night after you lightly finger detangle with water, seal with your favorite oil/butter, and wear a satin bonnet/scarf to go to sleep. The next morning you can wear a twist/braid out.
RARELY handle your hair when it is dry (when I do that I notice wisps of hair on my shirt), so I suggest you invest in a spray bottle and fill it up with water and use liberally.
This may work on thick hair, but it doesn’t work on thin hair 🙁
I don’t think it works on “normal” (medium) hair either. It may also depend on the length you are starting with. My hair can grow from 0 to 10 inches without any effort, but to get to 19 inches (where I am now) I used protective styling for 1.5 years.
19 inches! wow that is awesome! Well for now I have not reached a plateau in my hair growth yet. But if I do, I will definitely follow the advice given here. I also like the way protective styles look on long hair rather than shorter/medium hair. So I’m sure you look great with your twists/up-dos 🙂
Yeah, I’ve had APL hair or longer for probably 9 out of 11 years of being natural and until recently never lived in protective styles. I only do so now b/c of my busy work schedule. And while my hair has retained a bit more length lately while being exclusively worn in protective styles, that was never an essential component to me achieving long hair. I think protective styling can be a really important tool, but I don’t think it needs to be the exclusive (or even predominant) mode of styling to achieve long kinky hair.
I have thin fine hair and I protective styled with braid for my first 8 months of being natural but I noticed my edges were suffering so I stopped.
I have been natural just over 1.5 years (transitioned for 2 months) and I rarely protective style and my hair is thriving and growing, it’s almost at AML. But I am starting to protective style with my own hair, I gave up on two strand twists but mine are so scalpy.
Like Sophie Ann I am very gentle with my hair to the point where I only finger detangle and do not use any form of heat. I make sure I moisturise and seal. When at home my hair is always in twists and the only time I do anything with my hair is when I’m going out.
I’m glad we’re on the same page 🙂 I don’t use heat either. I haven’t used it in 1.5 years (not even indirect heat).
A tip for the future if you do decide to go back to protective styles, try not to make them too tight because that’s probably what was hurting your edges.
Btw, sorry for asking, but what is AML?
I totally agree Sophie Ann! I have 4a/b hair and am about 8 months post big chop; I transitioned for 10 months. My hair is about shoulder length when fully stretched so it has grown a lot! I RARELY wear protective styles, and wear my hair out 99% of the time. When I do wear updo’s, I take them down nightly, moisturize my hair with water and shea butter and put it in large twists. I cover with a satin bonnet and go to bed. In the morning, I take down the twists and create an updo. On the weekends, I typically just wear my hair down in a twist out.
They key is keeping the hair stretched, which makes it easier to moisturize with less tangles. I refuse to “live in twists and/or braids,” that is NOT my style, nor does my hair respond to that. Not every type 4 needs to abide by this rule for growth, I am an example of that!
Also, I use indirect heat (hooded hair dryer) because I don’t have ALL day and night to wait for my hair to air dry, and I’m not to keen on beanies, and I’ve haven’t suffered any damage.
Landry, when I first began my journey I too wore my hair out and didn’t wear protective styles. My hair grew out tremendously but now that I am 3.5 years into my journey my hair has stopped at APL. I am a 4 b/c and believe that when you get to a certain length you will need to wear protective styles to grow it beyond that point..I do agree that the stretched method works as well because when my hair is stretched I rarely have any breakage.
I understand Shay, and honestly, I do look forward to wearing protective styles as my hair get’s longer. It is certainly less time consuming that twisting nightly.
The main reason I don’t protective style too much now is because I don’t like how mini-twists/two strand twists look at my current length, even in an up do. I look about 12-lol! It’s inspiring to hear a 3.5 year Veteran reach APL–I look forward to that!
I would have to agree with Landry. I understand if longer hair is your absolute goal, but what fun is it to have to constantly wear your hair in protective styles? I like my hair loose and wild! I keep the curl loose by occasionally twisting, but a lot of the time I use a water-based curl cream to loosen it, and I wear it out. For me, wearing it protected all the time is like having candy and never eating it! Just my thoughts, no judgement on anyone-DO YOU LADIES!!!!
Yup! I completely agree.
And like I said before, this may not work for everyone, but I have thick/coarse hair strands, and thick/dense amount of hair (people often ask me if I’m wearing a wig because I have SO Much hair per square inch..)
I was just suggesting that for those who do have stronger/thicker hair, there is no need to “live” in protective styles; it’s honestly not my style either. My friends recognize me from miles away because of my iconic round fro, or my big stretched out styles.
I think the lesson is, no matter what kind of hair texture you have, Tender Love and Care (and patience) are the best methods to take care of your mane. 🙂
I agree with you, Sophie Ann – and with Denise – I really believe it is all about what works for you! I wear my hair either out in curls/waves, or in a puff (which is great for summer and when I work out). I don’t like the way I look in my twists because it makes me look a tad young. 🙂 However, my hair has been growing because I take very good care of it. :-)I don’t know all of the acronyms for the growth lengths, but when stretched my hair is brushing my shoulders. I experience shrinkage, but it doesn’t bother me like it bothers so many people – it’s just my hair – it’s what it do :-)! I’ve learned to accept what my hair does and just make sure I take care of it and love it like everything else on my body!
I also did a henna treatment once, and I noticed that it REALLY helped my hair be stronger and greatly reduced the amount of little wisps of hair that I get on my shirt when manipulating my hair. So that probably will also help with length retention. I now plan to continue doing those once every 1 or 2 months.
Yeah, henna is GREAT for our wig-looking-suoer-coarse-4c-hair lol
I appreciate the note that not all type 4 hair is thick. You can have a lot of strands, but they can be thin in nature.
A lot of strands by thin, that is my hair as well. Something else I notice is that doing a monthly coconut milk hair soak made my hair less breakage prone.
This is article is spot on. I saw the most length retention when I would wear two strand twist 90% of the time. It works. It just requires discipline and patience.
I would like more explanation on number 4. Most long haired naturals rarely if ever use extensions.
Extensions weigh down your hair and can cause traction alopecia (hair being pulled out because of tension) if they are too tight. This can cause hairs to be pulled out, and as a result your hair will be thinner. Edges are more susceptible to this type of damage.
MBL/WL “type 4” here and I’ve worn extensions at various points during my 11 year journey. My hair actually thrives with sewn-in pieces and braided extensions. Perhaps that may not be the case for some, but I don’t feel like there was very much support offered for that particular proposition. Would need a bit more evidence…
that is, the proposition that naturals who have long hair typically don’t wear extensions…
I believe the blogger, Cipriana also credited carefully done extensions with helping her regrow her hair at one point.
Just seems like a blanket statement without much support.
I see what you are saying. Extensions can be a protective style if they are done safely. The problem is that they are often done improperly. Another issue is the take-down process, which can easily cause breakage. In addition, hair that is in extensions is often neglected.
I don’t really have a problem with the statement regarding extensions because I’m a “long haired type 4” and I don’t use extensions. But I agree, just because I don’t do it doesn’t mean that’s true for most “long haired type 4’s”.
I have to say – I have worn extensions in the past, especially when I was transitioning and since I have been completely natural, and they have not done a thing bad to my hair at all. The only problem I ran into was using the same products initially that I used on relaxed hair. When I get extensions, I moisturize and condition my hair before and while it’s being braided. I also take care of my hair while the braids are in my hair, and I don’t leave the braids in long – no more than a month. I found that my hair grows so much more when it is in braids because I am not fooling with my hair all of the time. I also leave some of my edges out because I don’t want to lose them. 🙂 I think extensions can be okay if taken care of properly and not used as an excuse not to take care of your hair!
Long-haired type 4 natural cosigning to this post! :o)
+1 Long haired type 4 as well. It can be done. People ask me how it I do it. I tell them that I just leave my hair alone. :o)
For me this is unfortunately true. I have thin and fine hair so my twists always look scalpy and anemic (huge spaces between twists). Extensions tend to ruin my edges so I avoid them. I keep seeing these gorgeous pics of two strand twists in lovely styles but only on thick and/or dense hair. “Out” styles just look best on me (at least in my eyes).
I’m looking for some sort of happy medium. I currently wear twists for a 5-6 days and then out for 1-2. Redo on day 7 or 8. I’ve just accepted that my hair retention will be slower than most.
I am the same way. My hair is fine and not super dense so my two-strand twist look crazy scalpy. I drool over and envy those thick full twist but I know mine will never look like that. My hair is MBL now but I have to be very delicate with it and I know that retaining length is more of a challenge for me than others with thicker strands.
I have the same problem with twists, and my hair doesn’t like them anyways cause it’s a nightmare to detangle when I take them down.
I’m trying a mix of 2 strands flat twists and african threading and it seems to be working well. Braids are good too, if you find the right thickness (it looks a lot less scalpy).
I’d recommend trying african threading; check out the Youtube channel GirlsLoveYourCurls for tutorials (my Mum used to use this method on my hair when I was a kid, and I had quite long hair).
I agree with you. This is how I style my baby’s hair (African Threading)and she is retaining length more than I am doing. I am going to start threading my hair for the summer and see if I can retain more length. I actually tried it a bout a month ago. It was very hard to thread my own hair but I just have to practice more.
[img]https://bglh-marketplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_0663.jpg[/img]
this is gorgeous!
What is African threading and can I do it myself?? Or get a pro to do it?
Taji, I found a link to a couple of youtube vids on African threading. Looks easy. I just have to remember to pick up the thread.
https://www.curlynikki.com/search?q=african+threading
Braids?
Thought that will look more scalpy….not to talk of how long it takes to detangle.
And yes, my twists also come out scalpy 🙁
Hey ladies! look at other types of protections styles in conjunction w/ your twist outs.
Like scarves, head wraps, etc. I personally don’t know about keeping a twist in for 4-6 weeks (my hair wouldn’t stay in a 2 strand twist for that long), but i can braid it, and then wrap it.
To be honest.. even “wigging” it would be an option. cornrow that up & wig it to prevent constant manipulation ( just make sure to keep it clean & moisturized). Thats what i would do. so the key is find a way that will work for you so we can all rock the bglh look!!
<3! jasmine