jennifer30
Well-Known Member
How do you guys do it, I mean is it in the genes, what is it? It's so hard for my hair to grow....
How Do You Guys Get Your Hair To Grow So Long?
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mzteaze
Pilates and Yoga Kinda Gal
It's nothing magical. Patience, time and:
1) Following healthy hair practices. This takes work and discipline. But, to see growth, you need to retain as much as you can.
2). This can't be stressed enough - eat plenty of (healthy CLEAN) protein, fresh vegetables and drink tons of water. What you eat and drink helps your hair grow.
3) Make sure YOU are healthy. Rule out health issues and make sure your iron and Vitamin D levels are where they should be. (My hair started started thinning due to a deficiency but quickly reversed when I worked on it)
4). Exercise. Work up a good sweat regularly. Most members attest to better, faster growth with frequent exercise. Besides, with regular exercise, you get better blood flow to all area of your body, including your scalp. Increased blood circulation = better hair growth
5). Lastly, consider supplementing. There are dietary supplements like Biotin and/or MSM. Also, various hair "growth" oils and such that work for some. Explore these knowing that while none are magical, they CAN help as long as you are doing everything from 1-4.
Hope that helps.
1) Following healthy hair practices. This takes work and discipline. But, to see growth, you need to retain as much as you can.
2). This can't be stressed enough - eat plenty of (healthy CLEAN) protein, fresh vegetables and drink tons of water. What you eat and drink helps your hair grow.
3) Make sure YOU are healthy. Rule out health issues and make sure your iron and Vitamin D levels are where they should be. (My hair started started thinning due to a deficiency but quickly reversed when I worked on it)
4). Exercise. Work up a good sweat regularly. Most members attest to better, faster growth with frequent exercise. Besides, with regular exercise, you get better blood flow to all area of your body, including your scalp. Increased blood circulation = better hair growth
5). Lastly, consider supplementing. There are dietary supplements like Biotin and/or MSM. Also, various hair "growth" oils and such that work for some. Explore these knowing that while none are magical, they CAN help as long as you are doing everything from 1-4.
Hope that helps.
This book changed my hair life. While I still struggle from time to time this book helped me understand the basics. Growing your hair out is doable. Might not be easy but it can be done.
@jennifer30 do you have a set regimen? Have you ever considered getting a hair analysis of you really feel stuck to see what's going on.
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VictoriousBrownFlower
Well-Known Member
I got my hair to waist length(and the longest it's ever been in my life) by having a consistant regimen, leaving it alone, and being able to read what my hair needs and likes.
I know if my hair needs protein and I know it likes moisture most of the time. I know what ingredients it would like and don't stray from my tried and true dc's unless it gets discontinued. I don't experiment with products. I tried new dc's maybe 5 times since I started my hair journey. I found what worked for me early on. I def think that's helped too.
Lastly I limited the heat, and wore buns the majority of the time.
I know if my hair needs protein and I know it likes moisture most of the time. I know what ingredients it would like and don't stray from my tried and true dc's unless it gets discontinued. I don't experiment with products. I tried new dc's maybe 5 times since I started my hair journey. I found what worked for me early on. I def think that's helped too.
Lastly I limited the heat, and wore buns the majority of the time.
BrownSkinPoppin
formerly NaturallyBri87
Protective styling
No heat (haven't flat ironed in over a year)
Exercise
Vitamins (manetabolism, msm)
No heat (haven't flat ironed in over a year)
Exercise
Vitamins (manetabolism, msm)
sunnieb
Well-Known Member
Girl, you know better than to say this! Post those tips/practices in here.
I've been thinking about this thread and I want to start a new thread topic, but I'm trying to see how to word it......
julzinha
Well-Known Member
I agree. If I had the funds and knowledge at the time. I could have bypassed an ton of trial and error by simply reading the science of black hair and getting a komaza analysis. Those two things are really all you need if you want to be handed a healthy hair growth plan on a platter.
Napp
Ms. Nobody
I'm in the same boat. I've grown my hair to bsl before when relaxed but I as a natural have been stuck between shoulder length and apl for like 2 years now. I did the wig thing for 6 months and my hair was terrible when I decided to wear my real hair again. I had to cut it and it still looks uneven. I don't get what I did wrong. I moisturized every other day and dc once a week
nothidden
TeamNatural95-Fractals/Zigzags
Mine isn't very long (yet), but I experienced tremendous growth after about a year and a half of kicking product junkyism; nailing a regimen; upping my protein intake via powdered vegan protein, spirulina, and chlorella; and being consistent with my vegan multivitamin, which happens to contain biotin.
Sounds like a lot, but once I got it all figured out, everything ran like clockwork.
Sounds like a lot, but once I got it all figured out, everything ran like clockwork.
C@ssandr@
formerly known as "keyawarren"
Not to derail the thread, but it sounds like you were doing too much. I only need to dc my hair every other week if I'm not PS'ing. If it's in a protective style it doesn't need to be mositurized or deep condiioned nearly as often. Souns like there was a bit of oversaturation in your case.
11228
Well-Known Member
PinkSunshine77
New York's Finest
1. No heat
2. Moisture
3. Trims when needed
4. Inversion once a month
2. Moisture
3. Trims when needed
4. Inversion once a month
Victoria44
Well-Known Member
If your health is good and your ends aren't damaged there are three things you should consider in growing your hair:
1. Having a good moisture/protein balance
2. Protective styling often
3, being extremely gentle in handling
If you do all three you shouldn't have a problem. But you should at the very least be doing two of those things.
For example for the first 4-5 years that I was natural my hair was bone dry no matter what I did, but it still grew because I compensated for it by keeping it protected and being superrrr gentle whenever I had to manipulate it.
1. Having a good moisture/protein balance
2. Protective styling often
3, being extremely gentle in handling
If you do all three you shouldn't have a problem. But you should at the very least be doing two of those things.
For example for the first 4-5 years that I was natural my hair was bone dry no matter what I did, but it still grew because I compensated for it by keeping it protected and being superrrr gentle whenever I had to manipulate it.
There are a lot of things that helped me. I'm texlaxed with thick hair that breaks easily.
1. Vitamin E oil on my ends stopped dry ends (and I retain length better)
2. Jamaican black castor oil scalp massages before wash day
3. Doing my own trims - I have never had thicker or healthier hair than I do now. I learned to trim my hair on LHCF.
4. I wash when my scalp tells me it needs washing.
5. Texlaxing helps me retain length. I was natural for 5 years and that didn't help me have long hair, but it did help me understand my texture.
6. Low manipulation (I bun, I wear flexirod rollers at night then unroll)
7. I drink a good amount of water
8. Eat lots of green veggies, and for some reason eating bananas gives me more length (potassium, more vitamin B, I don't know)
9. Work out (sweating is good)
10. I use a moisturizing lotion and seal with oil...
11. I believe in using higher end shampoo, conditioner, leave in conditioner and heat protectant.
12. Very rarely use heat.
13. No permanent color
14. Lye instead of no-lye really made a huge difference! (Stay away from box relaxers or those you have to mix)
That's everything I can think of for now. I hope this helps someone. It's still helping me.
1. Vitamin E oil on my ends stopped dry ends (and I retain length better)
2. Jamaican black castor oil scalp massages before wash day
3. Doing my own trims - I have never had thicker or healthier hair than I do now. I learned to trim my hair on LHCF.
4. I wash when my scalp tells me it needs washing.
5. Texlaxing helps me retain length. I was natural for 5 years and that didn't help me have long hair, but it did help me understand my texture.
6. Low manipulation (I bun, I wear flexirod rollers at night then unroll)
7. I drink a good amount of water
8. Eat lots of green veggies, and for some reason eating bananas gives me more length (potassium, more vitamin B, I don't know)
9. Work out (sweating is good)
10. I use a moisturizing lotion and seal with oil...
11. I believe in using higher end shampoo, conditioner, leave in conditioner and heat protectant.
12. Very rarely use heat.
13. No permanent color
14. Lye instead of no-lye really made a huge difference! (Stay away from box relaxers or those you have to mix)
That's everything I can think of for now. I hope this helps someone. It's still helping me.
Kinky4Agirl
Well-Known Member
Why not pass it on to all of us? We're all hair buddys here...Spill it!
jennifer30
Well-Known Member
I had a setback ..I applied some monistat on my scalp. It broke some of my hair off. I had to cut my hair. Don't ever use that stuff. It causes hair breakage and shedding really bad. My hair grows when I'm not doing anything to it but slowly. I don't have a regimen but I wash when I can..I'm relaxed btw. I think my problem is retaining. The ends always break off. It's frustrating.
Saludable84
Better Late Than Ugly
When I was relaxed, I learned slowly that less was more.
I was frustrated because I was not ready to be natural and also wanted to gain knowledge on how to handle relaxed hair before jumping ship to natural hair. It was also hard when everyone around me was going natural.
I learned that washing and deep conditioning weekly helped. Steaming helped tremendously but even using basic heat helped. I relied on indirect heat and air drying when doing twist outs only. When I used indirect heat, I moisturized and sealed 3x a week. I kept my hair bunned when roller set or in a style when air dried. The point was to keep my hair off my neck and clothes.
Using a silk or satin scarf or bonnet helped. Learning which products worked during the season helped.
As a relaxed head, you need to have a good protein-moisture balance. Try to limit protein to every 4-6 weeks, and try to use hydrolyzed animal protein. Your hair loses keratin when you relax, so you should try to replenish it. In between this time, incorporate moisture. Look at your products and make sure protein is very low on the list.
Use lye relaxers and don't process the hair as much and as long. Leave some texture.
It seems like a lot, but most of this stuff coincides with each other. I could give way more tips, but the relaxed hair thread and @sunnieb can help you so much more.
Ahem, here goes my best attempt:
Sulfate free shampoos: I found that this was a step in my regi that I didn't know I needed. My hair is much better for it.
Deep conditioner: A couple things here. Please find a quality DC. I have a couple professional brands I swear by. Let me know if you need a recommendation
I spend the most money on my products here. Also, leave it on for a few minutes. Deep conditioning for the length of a shower will not do enough for most. Atleast it won't do anything for me. Plus my conditioner costs too much to wash out that quick
Protein treatments: Absolutely necessary with relaxed hair. Finding the frequency and strength your hair needs is totally trial and error. Start with the lowest strength with a low frequency. Experimenting in reverse is dangerous
I'll be back later with more.
Phoenix11
Well-Known Member
My hair grew the longest (below bra strap) with this 2 step simple routine:
Bun daily
Applied Mane & Tail Condition (on dry on damp hair) daily to style and slick hair back into bun
I would wash my hair whenever, not on set schedule and relax every 3 months.
I have fine strand hair, low density, but apparently my hair loves moisture and just grew like weeds with this routine.
On the few occasions I wore my hair down, family, friends and co-workers were amazed at how long my hair was.
Once I started to wear my hair out/down everyday for a new job, I lost all my length with daily heat styling.
I am trying to get it back now without wearing a bun, but it is a slow go.
Bun daily
Applied Mane & Tail Condition (on dry on damp hair) daily to style and slick hair back into bun
I would wash my hair whenever, not on set schedule and relax every 3 months.
I have fine strand hair, low density, but apparently my hair loves moisture and just grew like weeds with this routine.
On the few occasions I wore my hair down, family, friends and co-workers were amazed at how long my hair was.
Once I started to wear my hair out/down everyday for a new job, I lost all my length with daily heat styling.
I am trying to get it back now without wearing a bun, but it is a slow go.
@jennifer30
Maybe protective styles would work for you (worth a try - along with some of the other great advice here). I love protecting styling (as always worked great for me).
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