by
Black Girl With Long Hair
Jessica brings today’s question of the day;
I went natural back in 2006, and kinda had fun with my hair the first few years of being natural. Earlier this year I became really focused on retaining length and started applying some protective techniques. I quickly learned that in order for me to retain maximum length I need to keep my hair in protective styles for at least two weeks at a time, and that my ends need to be tucked during this time. As you can imagine this limits my styling options tremendously. And, while I know I’ll probably have a lot of fun with my hair once it’s long, I was having fun with it when it was short, too. It’s like, I know that kinky hair can grow long, and that 4b&c-textured naturals (like myself) can have long hair. But the reality is that, for many of us, it’s a far more intensive and challenging process than for looser textures. And it just makes me wonder, is growing out kinky hair worth all the effort? Though I’d love to hear from everyone, I’d particularly love to hear from kinky-haired women who have actually grown their hair out. Was it worth it?
Wow. I’m looking forward to the responses on this one! What say you, ladies?
155 Responses
My hair grows faster without relaxers. They say it’s a 3B, which is a very loose curl. However, I envy the 4B’s because their hair has more shape to it. Mostly, I just heat style and flat iron my natural hair. It was worth it because I save money by not going to the salon as much. How much are perms these days anyway? About $100?
I think growing out kinky hair is worth the effort just as much as growing out relaxed/texlaxed/locs/whatever else… The point in growing out my hair is to maintain health first, and length or whatever style desire second. I’ve been natural prior to now, and grew my hair waist length, then got anxious and cut it really short… and the cycle for me continues, but the hard work and effort does not. I agree, shorter hair and even relaxed hair takes less time (for me anyways) than my kinky hair (4a/4b), but the effort is the same. I have not stopped researching how to grow healthy hair, and experiment with products that work. I understand the struggle, but knowledge is power. And hopefully, it will be looked upon as your daily maintenance/regimen.
When people comment on my hair taking a long time to do, or a lot of effort, I try not to give off a weird look (because it wasn’t hard to do)…and now I take it as a compliment, because I know how to handle my hair, and it looks damn good and healthy lol!!! I just cut my hair, and now that I’ve satisfied the really short hair look, I’m growing it out long again:) And this short hair, long hair pattern continues…
Every woman goes through their journey. Its all about self image, determination, and mentality. For many women, the natural journey is a spiritual experience. Its not an instant gratification for women with kinky textures. Personally, I started my natural journey because, “I don’t rock fake Gucci, Louis,or Prada, so why am I consistently wearing Brazilian wavy 24″?” It was more about seeing my natural beauty, and not being pretty for a black woman. There is something about being the only black woman in a room and being the only one who has ever had a weave. It is worth it. EVERY bad hair day, every joke, every look of disapproval. I’d do what it takes every day for the rest of my life to see my self image in the mirror for the first time. I love the hair I’m in.
[img]https://bglh-marketplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/20140317_232115.jpg[/img]
Dreadlocks are really worth the effort!
I was stuck at APL until I began protective styling regularly. I’m at MBL now and continuing to protective style. I still wear my hair down every now and again, but it’s mostly tucked away for two weeks at a time. Based on my experience, it’s certainly worth it. As far as styling, I used to think I would be limited, but all that was really limited was my imagination. I do all kinds of styles now. I hated protective styling at first, but I grew to like it with expansion of my style repertoire.
APL ..MBL??
yes it is worth it. A mean its your hair, but unfortunately some hair cant grow past its original length,like mine.
My hair is long and its been six years. The hair just grows before U know it. I can’t say its harder to manage it just takes longer because the hair is longer. It does look short when curly only because it is healthy. 4a curls over here!!!
You betcha it’s worth it. Of course you’ll have to bend over to style it due to length and save up for hair products.
What effort?? Once you embrace and not fight it theres not much to it.
AMEN! Look at my routine(8 months natural): shampoo once a week, cowash every other day, boom, that’s it! Lol! My hair is growing really well and it looks amazing 🙂
candy your routine will become increasingly unrealistic as your hair grows trust me….unless you have hours of time every other day to spare
I could never do this now. When it was short I washed every day and before I knew it it had grown. I am struggling now to wash or cowash weekly.
For me it’s not worth it. No matter how long my hair gets, it always looks shoulder length lol. Its belly button length straight but it’ll never stay that way, so I don’t really care anymore about growing it out. It was more fun in a lion fro anyways.
This is a toughie, Jessica. I am at that point myself. I am a 4c natural, with a LOT of thick hair. I can’t even really style my own hair, It’s just that much and that thick. I went natural in March and already my hair has grown enough that it can be styled. My mom graciously two strand twists my hair every two weeks and that works for me, given my busy schedule. I just wonder about all the 4b/c women with longer hair as well.
I’m echoing what someone else said (so that you’d hear it). It’s totally worth it if you (1) strive to find a simple routine, (2) don’t obsess over length and don’t set length goals, (3) trim your hair sparingly (I do once every 6 months), and (4) let your hair be what it is instead of spending so much time trying to force it to be what you want it to be. If you hair is kinky, you’ll save time if you give yourself an awesome kinky style. If you have wavy/curly hair, you’ll save time doing an awesome wavy or curly style. If your hair is frizzy one day, don’t worry about it and act fierce.
Too many women with natural hair get caught up in all the article and crazes and make their routine so complex it takes over their life. One shampoo, one conditioner, maybe an occasional deep/protein conditioner. Then to style, one leave in product and one oil if you like oil. It’s always crazy to go into womens’ bathrooms and then have more hair products than the Target beauty aisles.
I cut my hair in 2007 and recently it was at my mid-back straight…but then my hairdresser got extra scissor-happy with my trim. BUT it’ll grow back, so no worries. I’ve finally gotten to the point where I just think, “It’s just hair.”
Your middle paragraph is exactly my routine right now. And my style is just one braid at night, that gets unbraided in the morning and picked out with my fingers, and gets braided back up at night. If I don’t go out, the braid doesn’t come out.
Nice and easy, lol.
I completely understand this post. I am living this post. My hair is very antisocial and will only grow under conditions where we are not interacting at all, which makes for very limited styling options. Right now I am experiencing growth with box braids. Twists cause tangles for me so I can’t have them in very long.
I guess what is keeping me going is the idea that I can do it and the need to answer the question of, “Can my hair grow long?”
However, it can be very frustrating and there are times that I did want to throw in the natural hair growth towel and figure out another route.
yesi have 4d hair. is there a blog on out type hair?
Oh and as a side note: the shrinkage factor is ridiculous. Here’s a more recent pic
[img]https://bglh-marketplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/image-17.jpg[/img]
You’d never know that it almost touches my shoulders when I pull it.
I have 4b hair. I stopped relaxing my hair Feb 2012. I big chopped Oct 2012. My hair is very thick. Even when I relaxed I had days I wanted to cry when I had to comb it because of its thickness.
Since going natural I’ve learned what my hair likes. Moisture moisture moisture! Water is your friend. Along with a good conditioner and the right oils. I’ve seen my “naps” turn into curls. It’s still thick and I have my days where I’m out of patience with it and ill rake a comb through it ( i know that’s no no) because after detangling it tangles itself right back up. Frustrating but worth it. I’ve seen nice growth since my big chop. I’ve also learned to do my own box braids. When I can’t take styling it anymore I just braid it up for a couple months.
My hair is no where near “long” but that’s my goal. It’s possible because all things are possible! You can do it! Patience is key.
My big chop
[img]https://bglh-marketplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/image-15.jpg[/img]
Box braids
[img]https://bglh-marketplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/image-16.jpg[/img]
I havent had a relaxer in 8 months. I have really super duper kinky nappy dry brillo pad hair, none of that cute soft curly textured stuff. So, its super hard for me but Im taking it day by day. about I have about 12 inches of hair, have is natural and half of it is still relaxed, most of all of the relax part has grown out. So I has been experimenting with different curl patterns using different types and sizes of rollers/straws/ flexi rods sets. The thicker it gets the harder it seems to style it. I try to stay away from heating tools. I just got so fed up with relaxers but I just don’t know if this natural journey it’s worth it or not.
[img]https://bglh-marketplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/IMG_20121029_084408.jpg[/img]
My hair is just how @Monica has described !! It’s so soft to touch because I look after and condition it regularly and every now and then treat it with henna. But combing it ?!? O. My. DAYS,! It’s a mission. And just when I think iv finished, it curls in on itself and feels tangled all over again. Vexing but I still make it work. Today a colleague said I reminded her of janelle monae with the way I had worn my hair. I think it’s totally worth growing out kinky hair. I stopped relaxing my hair around 2011 and now when stretched it goes just past shoulders, and I’m not finished! On a mission to see how far I can grow it. Take up the challenge! But only if you are ready to invest some time into it. But I work full-time, volunteer and have an active social life and I can do it. The satisfaction in seeing your hair growing is totally worth it. Hope you do it 🙂
The picture (if it works)is of one of my favourite styles, twist out. It’s so versatile and can wear it all sorts of ways. Always get compliments
Im wondering the same thing! To be honest im transitioning currently having a difficult time retaining length.
My hair has never gone past shoulder to be honest if my natural hair does not grow out im going right back to relaxers!
Yes, it’s worth it. Once you find the right routine….I’ve been natural for a long time and about two months ago realized my hair (kinky, type 4) was damaged and dry after lots of things – micro twists, puffs, attempting to wear twist-outs, etc. And probably the most significant factor was not using conditioner for a very long time! So trim/cut and then trim/cut – lots of frustration! After more than 2 months of experiments (various spritz recipes, oil rinse, baggy method), i finally discovered that my 2-strand twists will stay soft and weighted by applying and squeezing in, not spraying on, my spritz everyday. Additionally for cleansing, I now just rely on applying conditioner to my dry hair strands then using lengthy, warm water rinses and occasionally using diluted shampoo to cleanse my scalp. I cleanse my hair with the twists in and apply a leave-in then retwist with a butter. Growth/retention of hair has been noticeable! Be prepared to experiment and adjust your routine as needed because “growing out” kinky hair is quite possible and will allow you the option for many other hairstyles. My spritz recipe is “borrowed’ – 25 ml water, 5 ml conditioner, 1 ml oil. I almost gave up on spritzes- since even kimmaytube’s recipe just didn’t work for me like it has for many others.
Many people with natural long don’t have super kinky hair. I want to hear from some one like me. Hair so kinky that combing it takes out hair and less that 10 mins later its right back tangled. Most people who are pro natural keep short kinky hair or have some Type of curl pattern. But not everyone’s hair is like that.
Youtubers
For me it’s not worth the effort, l like my hair short to medium length worn out. I don’t want hair all over my head dominating my face. I like to wash and re-wet my hair on a daily basis and style with air drying then I lift it and I’m done. I certainly never liked playing with and doing hair in a time consuming manner. I’m 50 yrs old so I just want healthy and neat hair.
Yes, it is absolutely worth it. I don’t measure my very kinky hair with what other type of hairs can do. I am proud of the potentials and embrace the limitations. And most importantly, I refuse to bow down to what the western ideal of beauty is trying to impose on my hair. I work in a coporate world and have been natural for the past nine years. I had very long permed hair. So long that most people always thought it was a weave; and at time, I got teased because of it. One day, I went to the barber and decided to chop all off. Now, my hair is natural and long and gets a lot of compliments. No one dares saying that it is a weave. I washed my hair every 3 weeks, keep it twisted, and change my hairdo on rare occasions. By the way, did you know that only less than a quarter of the world population has kinky hair? So, we are a rarety. Embrace the uniqueness!!
i think so. my hair is about 12-13 inches, and growing your hair long, in my experience, is a learning curve all unto itself. it was really easy for me to maintain and grow my hair when it was shorter than my shoulders, but now that it’s past my armpits, it requires new techniques, more intensive operations and just a gameplan altogether. i could get away with doing anything to it when it was short. not so now, not if i wanna keep my length and add some more. so that’s the thing, is just being prepared to challenge yourself. it’s not easy all the time and sometimes you do get bored. but the bright side is that some things do get easier, while some things get harder. there’s always pros and cons to everything. what you lose in ease of detangling you make up for in more styling alternatives. so i think that if you want long hair, you fantasize about it creeping down your back and eventually slinging itself in all its long and full glory (like i do sometimes…okay, more often than not!) then i definitely think it’s a great investment. it actually doesn’t take any time, either. the more time you spend not thinking about/doing your hair, the better off it’ll be and the quicker the growth will sneak up on you. i went for a week recently just finger detangling my hair and re-plaiting it every other night, undoing in the mornings, and was surprised to find that my hair was the length it’s now at- all while under my nose. so when you shift the focus from “oh this is so hard! why do i even bother?!?!?” to “i love my hair. it is unique. i like it when it (fill in the blank)” then you won’t see doing it as such a chore. have fun with it. it’s not a liability
YOUR HAIR IS SO GORGEOUS!!!!!
Jessica,
I have been asking the same question for a long time now. Going natural IS easier for those who have curl patters that are loose. For me – a 4b, 4c, I just chose to relax my hair once or twice a year (as opposed to once every six weeks) because I love the state of my thick relaxed hair.
Also, I realized that for me, the discussion about whether I should go natural wasn’t necessarily about “going natural” as it were, but was more about being bored with my hair. But relaxed hair can do exactly what natural hair can. So, I keep my hair routine spicy by trolling blogs like these 🙂 – and I’ve also learned how to do my hair myself.
Hope that helps.
That’s not true it has nothing to do with hair type you are giving bad advice
I do have a type 4 curl pattern, but I think curly naturals of all hair types have difficulties learning how to work with their natural curls. It is true that type 4 hair can be very demanding, but the same applies to other hair types – I do not believe it is possible to judge that one hair type is harder to take care of than another hair type. If you do not know how to take care of your hair, it really does not matter whether you are a 3A or 4Z. I have a friend with very loose curls (Irish ancestry) who knew how to make her hair look presentable but did not learn how to work with her natural curl pattern until she was about 30 – she ended going to a hair dresser that showed her how. There is a science to hair that is unique to the individual. We all have our struggles in embracing and showcasing our natural curls.
naturally like your web site however you have to test the spelling on several of your posts. Many of them are rife with spelling problems and I in finding it very bothersome to tell the reality nevertheless I’ll definitely come again again.
Hi desparetlywannaluvmyhair! Do some research on the Brazilian Blowout on African American hair on Youtube…not other brands, just the Brazilian Blowout name & brand. It’s not a perm or anything like one but it definitely makes super kinky hair more manageable. I got one in September and I love it. It’s basically a deep, deep conditioning adding keratin to each strand of your hair. Even those with perms/relaxers can get it. It makes your hair stronger and adds a lot of shine to ordinarily dry looking hair.It’s a little pricey but your don’t need the treatment often. I plan to do it again in March so that’s every 6 months or twice a year.
Be careful with keratin treatments. A Brazilian Blowout can nicely straighten your hair, but some naturals struggle to get their natural curl pattern back afterwards (I have heard of some bad experiences). Keratin can actually permanently alter one’s natural curl pattern.
Hi,
I see all those ladies with beautifull hair saying they have 4d,e even z type of hair and I would LOOOVE to have the same hair they have. Even my mom admits that my hair is the kinkiest she ever saw. I am natural and I have been for almost 4 years, my hair is growing but I DO NOT KNOW what to do with it. Whatever I do with my hair gives me a “messy look”, I would like to look clean and professional but my baby hair around the edges of my hair are unruly. I desparately want to love my hair. I beleive it is the key for me to love ME. To love what I am and eventually make people see what I see. But I go on youtube, google and such looking for people with my hair texture who knows hair styles and tips but there is no one.
So I am begening to ask myself : indeed, is it worth the effort to grow my hair?
Hi!
Yes! All you need is more exploration. I know it sounds crazy. But you will find out what works for your hair, and then you will be able to manage it and style it the way IT can be/wants to be styled. Try not to be discouraged. Be encouraged. But hey, on the flipside.. if you like your hair better short… who’s to say that that isn’t cute too?
Growing out my kinky, 4Z hair is definitely worth the effort. The more I learn about my hair, the more I LOVE IT! I had Sister Locs (16-18in) for 7 yrs & recently took them down so no BC from my locs. It took 19 days & I was left with 6-7in once trimmed. Its 3 months later & my hair is pretty healthy & groring nicely. I’m pretty confident that my hair will get back or even surpass the 16-18in I had with the locs but until then, I’m really trying to enjoy the journey & not rush things.
[img]https://bglh-marketplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/IMAG1585-1.jpg[/img]
I wore my hair natural when I was in my early twenties. Then I went into the corporate world and started relaxing my hair. Now that I am sixty I decided to go back to my natural hair. After 2 years my hair is to my chin. Not the shorter afro from my youth. I am just getting to know my hair again. During the summer I would wash, condition and go I let my hair dry on the go. Now that it is getting cold I don’t know how to handle it. If I blow dry my hair it takes my curls out. Does any one have any suggestions? I try styles like parts and one side vs the other. This is all a learning experience
Try the bantu knot outs…they’re cute easy and professional.
I have locs, but when I did not, I grew my hair out from the perm, w/o cutting it. I just clipped a half inch off every 6 mos., until eventually, the perm was gone. It took 3 years. So my hair was always long, until I colored it. Then, it broke off so badly, I had to cut it down to a short afro to even it out. I really did not like wearing my hair short. Short hair does not suit me. I’m thinning on top though, because of male-pattern baldness which both my parents had (it’s a recessive trait). Eventually, I will wear it completely close to my scalp, shaved, like Erykah Badu. I’m not going to wear locs w/ a bald spot on top. If there is no hair there at all, I’ll just wear a wig to work, and be bald during my off hours. I think growing out naturally long hair is worth it. Black hair is a wonder. Everyones is different and unique, and beautiful in its own way. Just let it go, keep it clean, and don’t mess with it too much. That is key. I used to 2 strand twist my hair once every other week, and wear it unraveled on the alternate weeks. Or wash and wear it, and rock the afro puff. I really miss my afro puff. Those were the days…
I’m a 4c and have been transitioning for 2 years by keeping my hair in cornrows (with extensions). It is the only protective styling I know. Does a database (or website) of protective styling exist? I can’t seem to find much online. Thank you so very much.
Look at youtube. There are tons and I do mean tons of videos on protective styles, some with extensions, others w/o, there are many many styles for transitioners too.
I went natural may 07.my hair has just grown like weeds. 4a hair has good days and bad when its pass shoulder
lenght. I feel the longer it is the more time it takes to do any and everything. Over all I love my hair.if your hair
Isn’t healthy you will more than likely hates having long natural hair. Knots, tangles, breakage,etc is higher.
I have stress over my hair upset because the time spent and frustration, but when I learned my hair life was
Easier. This will become an investment. protective styles help maintain lenght. Grow it and learn it’s worth it
Before I permed my hair in high school, I had relatively long 4b kinky hair. I did wear protective styles a great deal, but I did enjoy a great deal of twist, cornrows, and afros puffs. I think it really depends on you.
It is a struggle and it’s worth it IF you like or just want long hair, I have long hair I have 12 t o14 inches and for me while I look decent with short hair I look even better with long (again this is what works for my face and my personality) however being natural for 6 years it really is a lot of work, the tighter the curl it seems to get tangled more easily and I have porous hair so retaining moisture is a struggle for me too, my hair grows when up but is actually really soft there for it’s easy to break so I deal with a lot of paradoxes when it comes to my hair however I’m still learning what REALLY works on my hair and I have up an down days/weeks but I LOVE my hair
I’m down for the challenge I wish for my hair to grow to BSL with no stretching lol I know thats gonna be hard but I wanna at least try it.!
No. I have been natural most of my life. I have had short hair, long hair, and on average between 8-12 inches of hair on my head at any given time. That is the easiest length for me to maintain, no matter what. Even with a curl (in the 1st grade, MJ was my inspiration), a relaxer (about 4 years of my life), or natural, my hair can be that length (just below my shoulders) with out too much hassle. I am okay with that. I was a high level athlete, I now teach sports and am an attorney. I can pull it back, wear it down, and do all the things I need to do to look each of these parts. Keeping my hair hidden from the world, is just not me. I rock my styles and manipulate more than I should if I want to retain length. Plus, I model. Often the strides I make for months of work are stripped from me in minutes. Whatahyagonnado???
I was just thinking about this this weekend. I used to want a 17 inch afro. I wanted it to be long enough so that even with shrinkage, I still had a significant amount of length. I can’t even say that I care so much right now. My hair has seem to hit a standstill in its growth. I’m sure a lot of that has to do with moisture, drinking water, stress, and eating the right things. I even considered doing another big chop to just start over. What I’ve realized is that I’m STILL learning to love my hair texture…after cutting off my locs in 2006. And I know until I learn to “love love love” it, it doesn’t matter how long or short it is!
Hi. I have been growing out my 3c hair for about 3 years with my fullest efforts. My hair has had its struggles though. It has “dropped” over the years, it has been cut “accidently” by hairdressers who do not have a clue and I have been through so many products looking for moisture that I think my texture has even changed. My curls have gotten a bit looser which has been a good thing and that comes over time with length. I guess what I am trying to share is, I think the answer to the question is, it all depends on the person’s efforts and genetics. I wear my hair up all the time and the only time it is down is for special occasions or to wash it. It has grown quite a bit since I started clipping my ends and using the right conditioners and products…but it’s still not the length that I want and to see that length is my motivator. It is still worth the effort because it’s so beautiful, natural and all my own. It’s got its own personality, strength and its signature style. It’s an obvious part of us so why not make our best efforts to take care of it. !Love the site!
@ Upfulsistren
Check out naptural85 youtube vids and blog. They are awesome! She has a mixture of type 4 hair as well. She makes her own homemade products and buys an all natural mud shampoo. I have not tried them yet because my hair is in sew-in, but once I take it out I will! Her hair is beautiful!
Thanks!
Can some of the grade 4(ABC)Sistahs suggest some hair products they use? I had locs for 10 years, I did the BC this summer and now I am in the process of growing my hair out. I would love some care and styling suggestions/products for my gorgeous thick kinky textured hair. Thanks!
sure, qhemet is excellent, amla and olive heavy cream, karens body beautiful deep conditioner, coconut oil, castor oil.
i dont use anything thats too light or watery bc it will take soo much of that product to moisturize my hair.
i also suggest leaving in any conditioner, just making sure your scalp is clean, this can work wonders in the moisture department.
i also use karens body beautiful utter and creamilicious for when my hair is blown out.
you want to start doing all this caring stuff early so your hair wont require trips and has minimal breakage
twistouts are really great especially when your hair is not too long
I personally like to use oils like oluve, coconut, castor, shea butter, etc. A very good leave in (Kimmaytube leave-in conditioner) whicthe recipe can be found many places on YouTube.com. The conditioner is great for braid-outs/twist-outs & really transforms super kinky hair into soft, shiney, healthy hair IMO. Check out what youtubers say about it & see if it works for you. Good luck!
WHO IS THE GIRL IN THE PICTURE?…. WHAT IS HERE HAIR TYPE
BTW IM THIK IM TYPE 4 SOMETHIN AND IM MID BACK LENGTH ITS A HEADACHE… BUT IM ADJUSTING… I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT PRODUCTS TO USE FOR MY TYPE SO I WEAR WIGS AND KEEP MY HAIR BRAIDED LIKE WOOPIE IN THE COLOR PURPLE LOL
I never even thought about growing my hair to any particular length in the 9 years I’ve been kinky. At first, I just rocked the fro (because I’m short and it made me look taller, lol). Then when I got pregnant, that mess had to GO! Hot flashes, anyone? Super short hair is my first love, I found out, lol. But in the last year, I challenged myself to go two years without cutting (cheated six months ago) and have been pleasantly surprised at how much I can do with it, even though it’s only hitting the top of my spine right now. It’s forced me to learn to style my hair in something other than a perfect orb, gives my son and husband something to play with, and sparks some very interesting conversations when I wear it out loose and free. I’d say it’s worth it for me….. for now 😉
[img]http://bglhonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Picture2032.jpg[/img]I am natural myself for 3 to 4 years now. people are surprised how long my hair has grown…so am I! especially with 4c hair and 4bhair at certain sections. It is possible. hoping for waist length in the next 6 months 🙂
How did you get your hair so long??? I’m probably going to hit my 3 year marker soon. (I don’t know my exact natural bday) and my hair is about half or less than half your length.
Yes girlfriend…it is worth it..I had the same texture you have 4b. I tried to get my hair to grow but I was unsuccessful. It was not growing because I was getting my hair relaxed and wearing weave at the same time which totally destroyed my hair and my hair growth. So I bit the bullet and said “no more relaxers,” for a while. Boy was it challenging but I managed to keep relaxers, heat, and weave out of my hair for two years. Guess what…my hair is about 12 inches long in the back and about 10 inches long in the front, once I relaxed it. Before then my hair barely touched my neck. So yes it is worth it and hair that is tight and curly can grow long….
I believe its completely worth it. Unlike a lot of natural women today, I’ve always known my hair and the amazing things it could do. I had a relaxer for only five years 13-18 and I lost a lot of my natural hair how-to. I thought it was too much hassle to try and deal with my hair so I tried dreads for two years. I’ve been natural since 08 and this year makes three years. 😀 I got tired of the dreads and cut off all my hair. I had about an inch on my head. In just four months my hair now touches my shoulders (my hair grows quite fast) and I find it to be so easy to deal with. I make sure to moisturize everyday and I use an all natural shampoo/conditioner. Growing our natural crowns is super worth it!!
Not for me cause I’m fustrated right now!!! I buy the expensive stuff and the cheaper stuff and its been more than 4 yrs and I’m tired of this. Right now I just took out braids and I’m putting them back in next two weeks because wow I’m fustrated with this hair of mine!!!
As a 4b/4c (my head has 2 textures of hair)I feel it is more of a struggle for me to grow my hair to long lengths. I’ve actually never had growth past my shoulders while I was relaxed. Now that I’ve been natural for 18 months I’ve got to watch my hair grow, but I would like it to grow longer esp. in the back of my head.I actually like protective styling for the reasons you mentioned. Also because I’m a college student. Why too active and busy to pic, comb, brush, plat( at night)my hair everyday. So the protective styling allows me to “get up and go” but it also looks great. I would like to wear my hair down, but with the breakage and manipulation…..not worth it. I’m strongly considering locs because my strands will stay protected, and it’s a style within itself.For me length rentention is worth it because I sometimes feel like I’ll never have hair down 2 my shoulders or longer because my hair texture is so tight and kinky. So appart of me really wants to actually achieve this goal, loose or locked 🙂
I believe it is worth it if that is what a person wants. Over three years, I grew my hair out to where it was all hitting the length of my collar bone. I enjoyed it, yet realized I was damaging my hair. I used to get Dominican blow outs. So, I was able to wear my hair in various styles with the thanks to the blow outs afro, twist-outs or straight and layered. I grew frustrated with realizing I was damaging my hair However, I realized my ends were becoming damaged by the heat. I went to the hair salon every two weeks and my ends were still getting damaged. Finally, I made a commitment to myself to not destroy my hair. I decided to loc it up and be a 100% happy natural. I am not selling locs to anyone; however, I feel so free inside and outside. I don’t miss a thing with being able to do various styles. I think this is because I waited until I had a good length of hair. Good Luck on your journey.
I was just thinking about this the other day. I got my first relaxer at 5 (I was literally born with an afro – and I came out breach, imagine how gross that looked! lol ) and my hair was waist length for years, up until I hit high school. As you can imagine, I, like many others, never knew or remembered my real hair texture. When I hit college I just couldn’t afford to keep my hair up and started inadvertently “stretching”. February 2009 was my last relaxer and I decided to go natural, I’m a 4b/4c hair texture. Now, I am a few months short of 2 years, but almost at bra strap length & It is SO UNBELIEVABLY HARD TO TAKE CARE OF MY NATURAL HAIR. I’m a smart gal, I researched my head off – I “know” how to take care of my hair. I “know” when I need protein, I know when I need moisture…I “know” what ingredients to look for (hydrolyzed silk for example), but it is STILL TOO HARD. My goal was to have my natural hair reach the length of my relaxed hair, but I’m honestly not sure if I want to do it anymore. Never thought I’d say this when all I had was a TWA, but the desire to have long afro hair is being wane off by the realization of how much work it is.
I’ve been natural for 41 years, but decided to start growing out my hair last year. In cold months, I wear it in twists but don’t tuck my ends. I also “might” get my ends trimmed once a year…still hate scissors in my hair. I’ve gone through two cycles of constant twists and have gained two feet in length. It’s not a lot of work if you keep it simple so it’s worth it to me. I’m not a product or style junky, so I just dc, wash, cond and twist my hair once a week, and I love it! It’s therapeutic to me and I really enjoy that extra me time. As it’s grown so quickly, tho, it does take too long to smaller twists so I’ve had to increase my twist size to cut down on the time. It took me 6 hours once to twist all my hair and I don’t even do mini twists!
it absolutely is. regardless of if your hair is loose or kinky, we have all been told as black women for centuries that our hair is not beautiful and cannot grow. if it is your desire to prove yourself and others wrong of that take on the challenge.
protective styling can seem limiting but that’s where the beauty of creativity comes in. no other woman can do what we can as black women. that’s why we’ve been put down for so long. the longer our hair gets the more we prove that. so yes. it is so worth it. 🙂
great topic, its worth growing if you have the time and patience to take care of it and you do not need PS to retain length. I have been nature 2 years as of 8/23 and this is comparison
[img]http://bglhonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/comic(2).jpg[/img]
[img]http://bglhonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/comic(5).jpg[/img]
my hair is the longest and healthies in 2 years than it has ever been in my entire life! sad i know.
Now i cant say it was a piece of cake/piece of pie but I am enjoying it so it doesnt feel like hard work. I must say, the longer the hair the harder to style, especially because my hair is SOO THICK!!
its SOO WORTH IT!!!
Gorgeous hair!!
lovely
WHO IS THAT? The model in the header, I mean.
Check out this youtuber “DanyelleElizbeth” called Messy High Bun Tutorial… This is gorgeous can you image the shrinkage or nonshrinkage of her hair.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HumvJRoNvw
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HumvJRoNvw
Is there a way to request to view a vid that is private.
For me, it’s not worth it. I had that realization this year and it has been very freeing. The monotony of protective styles, daily time investment of hair care (finger detangling, retwisting, moisturizing, etc.), and my personal style preferences crush the benefits of a long ponytail or proving (to anyone) that it is possible. In order for me to retain length at an appreciable rate, I basically can never color, flat-iron, wash-n-go, fall sleep or have sex without covering my hair, skip a deep conditioning session, Dominican blow-out…Yeah, it’s not that serious. My hair is fine, super delicate, and shrinks like crazy, so length remains elusive. I didn’t go natural to feel more restricted by my hair, so that’s my choice.
“In order for me to retain length at an appreciable rate, I basically can never color, flat-iron, wash-n-go, fall sleep or have sex without covering my hair, skip a deep conditioning session, Dominican blow-out…”
:)))))
This right here…I’m wearing the BAA right now and yeah, it’s not the best style for length retention on my fine, super-delicate, super-shrinky hair, but I don’t care because I’m feeling like wearing big sexy hair right now AND I hate store-bought hair with a passion.
Hair GROWS. That’s what it does. Length retention is a totally different matter. (How come some black women still don’t get that?) Some hair retains length without any effort, and some requires lots of effort. That’s just how it BE. It all depends on how badly you want long hair and how much time you’re willing to invest.
I’ve been natural since 1999 after the lovely results of my last creamy crack hair experience. Only in Sept of 2010 did I start paying attention to W’s to my haircare. i.e. What I use on it & what actually works, How I handle and manage it & why I do what I do to my hair. It has been a great learning experience. All things of God are Good or better yet GREAT! My hair, our hair is GREAT & should be celebrated by caring for it in such a way that all are “naturally” amazed! Pslms 139:14 NIV I praise YOU because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full.So ladies continue to enjoy your hair in it’s natural state, protect it & show it love and in return it will delight you with a crown of glory!
I’m 4A/4B/4C and I really think the protective styling thing is a case by case issue. In general protective styling can help all hair types and it has helped me, but I can’t say that it affected my length retention at all. I prefer wearing protective styles these days because my hair is looong now and I’m LAZY with it because it takes so gosh darn long to style, but when i first went natural all i did was wear it out even up to the time I reached APL. What helped me retain length during that period was just making sure that I ALWAYS wrapped my hair with a silk scarf at night and twisted or braided underneath. The ends were always moisturized and tucked under and hidden with a bobby pin. For me personally, PH balance, protein/moisture balance and moisturized ends trump protective styling because I could still style protectively but not moisturize and that would cause my hair to break…
I think it’s definitely worth it, the ups and downs that you go throught with yr hair to get it healthy and long. Just be patient with it and eat properly and excerise it will grow.
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My hair just grows regardless. My strands are really thick though so length retention is not an issue for me. I can see how protective styling would a be very helpful to fine haired naturals though. I just can’t say that my ropes have to be babied in the same fashion. I remember always hearing in salons “Oh your hair is so THICK.” They would say it like I had been cursed. Little did they know that my thickness is a blessing not a curse. At least it has been while I have been natural.
I have tightly coiled and highly textured, collarbone length hair. Styling, caring (and growing out) my is very enjoyable and well worth my time.
My natural hair retains length–with or without protective styling (my “relaxed” hair didn’t retain length but I was not into “healthy” haircare at the time). I know I do not need to wear protective styles 24/7 in order to retain length. If I felt limited to protective styles in order to do so, I wouldn’t be as happy with my hair as I am. All I need to do is keep my scalp clean and my hair moisturized (as well as stretched)–the length comes with time and paitence.
P.S. It helps that I don’t care about retaining “maximum length”. I have no idea what that means (or physically translates to) but even if I did, I’d just wear my hair as I please. I also don’t care to compare my hair to others in a negative fashion–especially to those with very different textures than mine. It is a fruitless pursuit.
More often than not, I find caring for my hair to be therapeutic, particularly the cleansing and styling. The only time I don’t enjoy it, other than when it’s only 4 inches long, is when I try to manage it in the wrong frame of mind or under a time constraint. And the more hair I’m able to keep on my head, the better I like it. My hair is growing into new length territory, in spite of the challenge it is to retain any length at all, and I’m excited. I still have to keep reminding myself that my patience needs to be longer than my hair, and that it still grows when I’m not looking. I like wearing my hair in twists, and I’m beginning to make them bigger to compensate for increasing length in order to keep my styling time down to just around two hours.
I’m looking forward to being able to spool them into a chignon someday. Or maybe I’ll forgo twists sometimes and do one or two French braids down the back, or a bun on untwisted hair, or a big, shoulder-width fro one day, or . . . :-)!
“More often than not, I find caring for my hair to be therapeutic, particularly the cleansing and styling.”
I agree! I think my hair has helped me get through some tough emotional times. Weird, huh?
Not weird! lol!
My hair has helped me too.
Me too!! Doing my hair calms me down and relaxes me. The styling part. Sitting on the floor with my leave-ins, olive oil mix…yes a nice space to be in!
Yes!! + 1 on the therapeutic- my time for gentle and loving self-care 🙂
It’s definitely worth it, but for me it’s about balance. I could have worn my hair in twists most of the year and have really long hair and I would love it…or I could play around, experiment and keep my hair healthy, knowing that my length retention goal will take a bit longer, enjoy the ride, and still love it. There are periods where protective styles are my go to, but I don’t want my goal of long hair to prevent me from enjoying my hair.
When I first bc’d I had absolutely no length goal in mind. I just wanted to see was my hair was capable of with the proper care. The past few years have brought more length into my life than I anticipated but I’m still loving every second of it. Even the weird in between stage was worth it b/c it gave me patience and greatly increased my creativity. Either way it goes if I wanna dye it, cut it or loc it the next day I’m totally happy with my hair.
I thought the same thing…
I have a small fro and still working with what I got but I want to see how long it can grow. However I know I’ll have to work extra hard compared to my 3A,B,C and 4A girls
I agree. I see those other hair types journeys and their retention are completely different to my own. I also have fine hair which adds difficulty to retention.
i say enjoy it, short as well, protective styles shouldnt equate hiding it til its ‘better’ or longer, rock out with ur fro out, thats like wait til u have money to travel, dont put stuff off things are ‘ideal’, life is tooo short
I honestly think the question is more about finehair rather than kinky hair. Because regardless of how kinky your hair is (or how kinky it is not) fine hair is always going to be more difficult to grow and needs more babying.
I am always torn over if it is worth the effort. I have 3b/3c hair and it is very fine and i am at BSL and it takes so much to get longer than this. I just want to enjoy it and not keep it in protective styles so much. I guess when I get to my goal (MBL/waist) then I will enjoy and hopefully I will not ruin all my hard hair work and sacrifice.
I have to agree Cee Cee, my hair is fine as well and even as it grew and could easily be styled differently, the fuzziness drove me nuts. I had visions of it being longer and STILL being a fuzz ball around my hairline. Good luck with the growth!
It’s worth it to me. I wouldn’t describe having all this hair as challenging because I won’t let it be. Maybe if I were the kind of person who wanted to wear multiple styles throughout the week I’d feel different. I wear two-strand twists most of the week then a twist out until wash day.
I also think that your face shape and personal style should come into play as well as the work involved. Most people with straighter hair textures get their hair cut in a style when they become adults regardless of what lengths their hair can get to. But if you like long hair and look good with it, then I say go for it.
is have long hair that you grew worth it!?!
That is indeed the question. Not everyone thinks long hair is worth the effort/time.
It is worth it, so you can “whip your hair back and forth” in the faces of the people who called you nigger baby hair when you had a twa!!!
…oh, did I just say that???…
Okay, so maybe that’s not a good reason but if you find that you actually WANT longer hair, for whatever reason, then you should put in the effort. If long hair doesnt mean much to you, then you shouldnt worry too much about protecting your ends to maintain length. Just don’t stop protecting your hair and cause major breakage. The sole purpose of protective styles is NOT ONLY for length but for overall hair health. 🙂
Ok so I just want to say that eventhough my hair is not that long at the moment, I still think it’s worth it to grow it out. If that’s what you want, like others said. It doesn’t have to be a lot of effort. One example that I will give: HairCrush on Youtube. She has inspired me. Her hair is SO long and most people forget that her hair is 4b, 4c. She wears her hair out alot in twistouts. So make ur own rules. It’s YOUR hair.
Naw I believe she is more 3c/4a because there is alot of curl definition in her hair. But her hair is gorgeous so thick and healthy.
Or you want her to be 3c/4a…..
Her hair is whatever she says it is.
Haircrush is NOT a 4b/4c. She has not shrinkage. As a 4/b/c my extremely coily, kinky, 90 % shrinkage hair is worlds apart from Haircrush’s a bit kinky hair, no shrinkage hair.
OR maybe sometimes people want people on YT to be the long haired, against the odds type 4b/c when in fact they are a 3c or 4a who has just mistyped their hair. A lot of YTers do not come from hair boards and do not set any stock in hair typing. Most have only a rudimentary grasp of the system but when viewers demand that they type identify, they say whatever they think they may be without really understanding or caring for the system.
To me Cipriana of Urbanbushbabes is a long haired 4b/c but Haircrush most definitely isn’t. The girl does not even have much shrinkage, does not wash/handle her hair in sections and seems to do many things that are not synonymous with 4b/c hair. I think she can also do wng which for my 4b at least, is a complete no no. I notice Cipriana is into super protective styling i.e updos and twists whereas Haircrush is more in line with 4a/3c people who wear a majority of out styles and hanging twists.
I don’t think that noting someone like Haircrush is a 3c/4a means you are saying no 4b/cs have long hair which is how I think some people take it when they see people say ‘oh she’s not 4b/c’. Kimmaytube used to identify as a 4b then slowly stopped doing so. She didn’t care for the typing system much but again claimed 4b because people will ask YTers to identify and because she obviously didn’t know. When she was first on her journey her hair looked different to how it does down the line with her PH handling. Now no one would say she was a 4b. More like a 4a as her hair clearly clumps. Sera2544 is also a 4b who has long hair.
Hairtyping is soooo confusing. I have been natural for like 8 years and I still after so much reading and discussing have no clue what my hair type is. All i know is once I said I was a 3c/4a and people got on me BAD. Saying “oh I hate when people who clearly have a loose hair texture try and say their hair is kinkier…” it was all unfortunate. I love hair crush’s hair though whatever the texture!
+1 I love Haircrush too and she has given advice that’s helpful to me as a 4b/c but after I saw the video of her air drying her hair with practically no shrinkage I was convinced that she was not a 4b/c.
For me, it’s not worth the effort. My hair was a bit past shoulder length but you know what? Just thinking about how much braiding and weaving and protective styling (the time and cost )I’d have to do over the coming years to get it to bra strap length made me cut it off.
I’ve read so many places that ‘all hair grows at the same rate’. If that were true, there wouldn’t be so many blogs catering to black hair and getting it to grow. To put it simply, and as Jessica mentioned in her question, looser textures tend to grow like weeds; our hair on the other hand…
The thought of having to be so careful with my hair for a prolonged period, just to get it to a length that someone with naturally straight hair could achieve in a year or two, wore me out.
I know for some, having long natural hair is an achievement, and understandably so, cause for most of us it takes so much effort to get there; but pour moi, if I want longer hair I’ll wig it (or weave it or braid it). Natural hair is supposed to mean greater freedom: and if I have to be mixing potions and concoctions and not letting my hair touch my clothing, sealing and trimming and (insert random process here)….I wouldn’t be free.
Well, our hair grows like weeds too. Just retaining the length is usually the problem. I’m lazy, so I”ve never had much trouble. I do my hair once a week and just stuff it in a bonnet @ night and fluff n the am. I don’t get a foot of growth a year or anything, but I’d say a good 5-6 inches.
The ignorance in that comment was appalling. I just couldn’t bother responding, but you did a good job of it. Why is she confusing growth with the ability to retain? Who ever said these concoctions were mandatory? People do it because they enjoy it.
I think all the pulling and tugging from the braids/weaves and such did your hair in…. I made it a point not to let anybody pull or over heat my hair because it can be damaging if your not skilled and plus I like to wash and pony tail or bun. I’ve been natural for over a year and I did my first blow dry and twist out…..love it, and glad I waited.
If you don’t like having a head full of hair to play around with a grow, then going natural is not for you.
I had the same exact problem, my hair needs to be protected literally 90% of the time to retain the maximum length. And my texture disagrees with small twists and box braids, they get too tangled and the ends knot. Limited protective styling options combined with the need for constant protection was very difficult for me to handle. Also all the work and time it takes!!
But I discovered kinky twists and yarn twists! WOW! I make them bra strap length which offers lots of styling options!! AND I can keep my twists in for 5 weeks at a time. Talk about a lot of protection and a break from weekly styling. I make sure to use less hair/yarn on my edges and moisturize my hair GENEROUSLY to keep breakage away. I also rinse my yarn twists twice a week (after working out) and seal generously with castor oil.
MY 4C tough, dense, super tangle prone, Nigerian hair is now arm pit length. So I would say it is definitely worth it, you just have to stay open minded, creative, and resourceful to figure out what will work for you.
What is Nigerian hair? We don’t have the same hair and I am Nigerian.
it’s something lil’ wayne invented.
Ha!
I am starting to grow my type 4 hair out longer. For me, the key is just remembering to keep the ends moisterized, detangled, sealed and trimmed. I don’t thinks it is EVER a good idea to comb through type 4 hair alot whether you keep it in protectice styles or prefer loose styles(wash-n-go, puff, twist-out,etc).
Having never been past shoulder length I’d love to have waist length (or even longer) hair! Now that I know how to care for my hair it is actually a possibility so I am definitely giving it my best shot. It is worth it just to prove to myself (and consequently to people around me) that it is possible, and for the versatility of long hair. Since my hair shrinks up on a major level it won’t always be obvious that my hair is long so I’m not really bothered by whether others see it, I am doing this for me. Plus on the side I’m not keen on the weird shape of my head, big/long hair suits me better.
When will people give up this idea of one or the other? You can wear your hair loose and still have long hair retaining as much length so can someone permanently hiding their ends can have short hair….. I cant anymore
I’ll say to the poster if long hair is what you want then go for it.
The point is a lot of people can’t – which is obvious from a lot of the previous posts. If I didn’t protective style a lot – I would retain very little length and my hair wouldn’t get long. A lot of people with 4b hair are like me!
when I did not protect my hair it did not grow at ALL. NO MATTER what I did. I used all natural products, moisturized, sealed, co washed, deep conditioner, etc, etc, maintained a protien and moisture balance etc. But without protection, my hair will not budge.
Have to agree with Monisola and Lela. I have fine 4abcxyz. My hair only ever retains length with long term protective styling.
I think people with looser curls, thick hair and less kinks can manage to have free hair and still grow it long, not generally the case if you have very tight curls, fine hair and many kinks.
Agreed! If I leave my hair out to much it gets tangle real quick and causes me to get a gang of fairy knots so far me protective style is worth it for my 4a-z hair because I would like to see how long my hair would grow without breaking off due to tangles and knots. Besides, I can get lazy with my hair especially during school and the winter months so protective styling isn’t a big deal for me. But if you are the type of person who loves to style your hair and have options than maybe the growth journey isn’t for you right now.
+ 1:)
I can’t let these 4a-z strands loose y’all for more than one day,I believe they are infatuated with each other, always engaged in some type of contact!
I’m also way too active to go without protective styles if I want any growth. But, after much time in braids, twists, and tuck-under up do’s, I will be rockin a wig periodically through the fall and winter to protect my fine strands.
Sadly, some of my nauralista friends are giving me hell for shopping for a wig, but one knows what is best for one’s tresses. My tresses are saying: Leave me alone girl and let it do what it do! For me, the least I do with regards to manipulation, the better 🙂 Cheers y’all
anastasia, rock that wig this winter! I happily wear full and half wigs when it gets cold(in the spring too…the summer is half wig heaven!), because it works for me! I live in the Northeast, and when late fall/winter arrives, it can be rough. Wigs not only protect your style, they keep your head warm!! You can wear hats without worrying about rubbing your hairline, and you can experiment with different textures/colors/lengths without damage or a haircut. Just like you said, I know what’s best for me, and if a wig is best for the colder temps, so be it!
Rock that wig, girl! I have afro wigs and ponytails of different textures that I style in myriad ways. Noone except close friends, my man and my mamma knows they’re not mine!
I use a full wig as a traditional ‘fro and like it’s a half one by doing a flat twist close to my hairline, releasing it in the a.m. and pinning it back over the wig hair. In the interest of protection, I prefer to put individual twists or braids in front & style like crazy.
The ponytails are worn towards the back of my head, as side pony’s and as front-head poufs. I’ve found there is no end to what you can do with a wig/ponytail as a protective style alternative. Oh and don’t let me start on what a pack of marley braids can do in lieu of kinky twists!
I do agree that kinky hair often encounter certain challenges when it comes to retaining length, but I also think that some women with kinky hair, who may not otherwise take adequate care of their hair, view protective styling as a panacea for all hair-related ills. A lot of women think that just because you bun/ twist your hair all the time, you don’t need to trim it, etc. “Tucking your ends” cannot remedy/ account for wear and tear that your hair endures from combing, handling, etc. I actually think protective styling is quite useful. In fact, I credit braided extensions for allowing me to grow my hair to BSL within my first 2.5 or 3 years or of me being natural. However, after being natural for 10+ years, I realize that adopting healthy hair care habits in general has been more instrumental to me being able to maintain my long hair.
pardon the copious amount of typos…
well said! I’ve been natural for 15+ yrs. and I also kept my hair in braids as I transitioned(no BC)to natural, and the comb and I are friendly but not that close. I only comb to detangle, and only after spraying some leave in and/or aloe vera juice on my hair. Having healthy hair not only depends on the products used on it, it also relies on what goes into the body. Eating well and staying hydrated also goes a long way into having healthy strong hair. I’m also a huge fan of scalp massage. Not only does it feel heavenly and release tension, it stimulates the scalp.
This is exactly what happens to me
+1
I have 4b/4 c hair. My hair does not do well when it is loose most of the time. It gets tangled, and breaks alot. It does better when it is in a protective style. At the end of the day, it’s an individal choice. You have to find out what works for your hair, because not everyone’s hair is the same.
I never did a big chop so my hair is still long after a year of transitioning. I don’t find it was/is that difficult to maintain my long natural hair. I braid, twist, or knot for a few days and then let out…wash…repeat. My hairdresser that I see every 3 months for a deep condition says my ends are healthy!
I personally think protrective styles can be beautiful. And i really low maintenance. Out styles just dont look as cute on me, so maintaining my collarbone length hair in protective styles is just easier and its cute. i dont know why ppl think that ‘protective styling’ is a chore or imprisonment. Its a very creative way to express oneself.
I would suggest asking yourself what you enjoy most:
Having long hair, but being restricted to protective styling? OR
Having short to medium-length hair with free-range for styling?
I realized I prefer the latter…I plan on getting a styled cut very soon! I’m 4b, hair is collarbone length…
Protective styling hugely appeals to me and my general hair laziness.
Protective styling can be cute too, you just have to be creative.
http://thenaturalhaven.blogspot.com/2011/07/can-twistbraid-protective-style-be.html
“Protective styling hugely appeals to me and my general hair laziness.”
That’s basically my story too. My only length-related desire was for my hair to be long enough for me to be able to put my twists up in a high bun, because that makes it even *more* low maintenance, which is basically what I’m after. Having achieved that, I don’t have any other length goals.
That being said, I do enjoy seeing growth because it makes me feel that after nearly 20 years of being natural, I’ve finally started to take proper care of my hair. But growing longer hair is not something that I actively focus on.
Lol! We must be triplets. I put a protective style in, slap a wig on and keep it moving. I love the versatility of wigs while protecting my own 4b/c hair and have been able to grow it between my shoulder blades. Like Lela7 it grows out in layers with the front being much shorter than the back, but whatever.
After years of BC’ing whenever the mood hit, I’ve recently jumped on the growth bandwagon. My personal challenge is to keep protective styles in until my b-day next June, when I will have my first blowout in, oh,…12 years. Then again, my hair laziness is legendary so that may not come to pass.
I’m similar to you. My hair never really grew beyond neck length when I was younger for a number of reasons, e.g. used to comb it every day with a fine tooth comb, only used blue magic etc….. But now, its amazing. I’ve been protective styling for around 2 years (wearing wigs etc) and the growth is amazing! No one in my family can believe that my hair is actually coming onto my back. Unfortunately my hair tends to grow in layers, but all over its the longest I’ve ever had it. My aim as a natural was to retain the most length possible and have healthy hair. After growing it longer, I love the fuller styles I can do.
I like it longer because I can make my hair bigger and actually have hair coming around my ears! The only draw back is that after all the protective styling, I’m not that great at doing different natural hair styles! I’m always fumbling – but I’m getting there! I am a 4b kinky afro head!
I wasn’t particularly fond of protective styles when my hair was shorter. But for me personally it’s worth it now. However, I like the way I look in protective styles and I don’t know that it would be worth it to wear them if I didn’t like the way I looked because I also think I look good with short hair. If I’m honest I might look a little better with short(to practically no)hair. But I got tired of always making sure my head looked nice…not my hair…my head…I’m trying to see how long it will grow now and I’m enjoying the process because I like experimenting with new styles but then knowing that I can leave them in for awhile while I handle my academics(which are more demanding than they’ve ever been). So, if it’s worth it definitely depends on you. If I didn’t like the way I looked in protective styles I don’t know if length would be worth wearing them. I like length…But I think I look sophisticated with short hair…I like options. I enjoy the greater variety of styles that I can try as my hair grows. However, I also like the idea of being able to cut it off and still liking it(I don’t know that I would want to go through growing it out again though…as much as I like the process at times, I had a mullet stage where my hair wasn’t really longer in the back but it doesn’t shrink much and it’s only a small patch so voila!!!Mullet!
I don’t understand why people think the idea of type 4 ladies with long hair is so far fetched. I have type 4 (i think A,B,&C) hair and with the exception of my BC last Feb., I’ve always had BSL hair (natural or relaxed), and it’s on it’s growing back in no time. It’s not uncommon for me to see and not unrealistic.
I stand to be corrected but I don’t think she asked whether it was unrealistic or far fetched….
This is a very well placed question. I was just finishing up my twist out for the week and I started to wonder if the grow out I was doing is worth it. I have aspirations of mid back length and if I can handle it, waist length hair, and like the others above, I’m doing it my way and because I can. Would straight hair be easier to manage, yes, but I love my kinks and coils and the fact that I can have every style makes it worthwhile to me.
Hmm..this is a very interesting question. Right now I’m a new natural (just cut off the rest of the relaxed ends a few weeks ago!) and I’ve never had my hair this short. I’m enjoying it while it grows out and probably when it grows longer, I may cut it short again! I think it really all depends on where you are mentally in your journey and what your goals are. If you really want to grow it long, realize that you have to do a whole lot of protective styling. If you just want to enjoy your hair the way it is and length isn’t your goal, then have fun! Like a previous poster said, everyone’s journey is different and at the end of the day, it’s what you want to do! 🙂
Longer hair is fun. I have the hair pattern you mention. I’ve never been really obsessed with long hair, but I’m giving it a go just for the heck of it. (And my hair was never very long ’til now.)
I’m growing it…at MY pace. Sure, I could retain more and have it grow longer quicker. However, having it grow as long as possible as quickly as possible isn’t my personal goal. Healthy, beautiful hair is my goal…hair I can enjoy at any length.
So, is it worth it? Yes, if you do it the way YOU want. The tips from others are great, but the motivation and method must be personal.
My 2 cents.
” The tips from others are great, but the motivation and method must be personal.” +1 couldn’t agree more
I think everyone’s journey will be different.
So there won’t be a right answer, feel me.
I think YOU need to do what’s right for you, I’m thinking
you might feel pressured to have long hair. It should not be that
way.
And if you do decide to go through with the “long hair path” remember to:“Focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it.”
Ops! like Lisa said… is worth if that´s what you really want! I’m lucky my genetics let me grow hair fast ( i mean an inch a month or so) but I’m lazy!!! and i get tired styling my hair… My hair is to shoulder blade lenght I’m considering cuting it! O.O
same thing here… i cut mine last november because i had grown tired of it long. chopped it all off to about 2-3″ long. now, its back to where it was (shoulder blade) and i’m thinking about cutting it again -__-
It’s worth it if that’s what you really want. Me, not so much. I am on the journey of growing my hair long without having to submit to protective styling because I’m not a fan of it FOR ME. I got 4 good inches of growth in a year (even after cutting my hair 1.5″) without protective styling. I’ll continue on this path. I might not see huge growth like others but over time, I’ll see it. And I’m a 4B gal.
So girlfriend, tell me what your doing??? I just cant stand twisting my hair for hours at a time. I mean I really love it for the first three days and then…I don’t
Sorry if this is going to be a long response:
For me it’s worth the effort because I am having fun. For the first time in my life I am confident that I can “style” my own hair, and that it looks neat and presentable. I am also confident that it is healthy and it is growing.
that was never the case for me when I was relaxed or natural growing up (we went back and forth). My natural hair was dry, unmanageable, really kinky and unkempt. the barber hated me because my hair broke his machines – that’s how bad it was. my mom hated it because we couldn’t comb it. i hated it because it hurt and i looked like a homeless vagrant.
relaxing it didn’t help. we had no idea what to do with relaxed hair. my hair didn’t like relaxers – i was either too tenderheaded for them, or they didn’t work at all. so either i had to have a relaxer washed out immediately, or leave it on for no results (once a stylist left a relaxer on my head for almost an hour and my hair STILl wouldn’t relax) so after we go tired of it, we’d cut. And then the cycle begun again.
Already I am at collarbone length and can make a healthy ponytail – the longest and healthiest I’ve ever had my hair. The fun of it is watching my ridiculously kinky, dry, breakage-prone hair grow long and healthy and knowing that I did that. I took care of it to make it grow that way. And if it becomes too much of a bother, I’ll simply cut it.
It’s worth it! (L’Oreal anyone? lol)
Damn girl! This IS my story too! +++++1
10/10 response
Wonderful story.
Yay to making things happen for you.
What a great response! I’m not someone with tightly curly hair. But, I think the thing that you said here there is so relevant in regard to the question is that you enjoy what you need to do to retain length. I have come to LOVE protective updos/styles, so it’s not taking the fun out of natural hair. However, if you like to wear your hair loose and protective styling is not enjoyable, then it’s probably not worth it to that person. So, as always, you have to do you=)!
Amazing story hun; so many kinky haired naturals need to know this. You’ve inspired me to keep going with my own growth. :o)