Why is my sister's hair growing like weeds and...

Why is my sister\'s hair growing like weeds and...

mine is taking forever!
Her hair is relaxed.
She goes to the salon once every 6 weeks for a touch up/trim - and this is the ONLY time she has her hair washed (when she goes to the salon once every 6 weeks!)
Mind you, she doesn't use any heat while at home - just puts her scarve on at night and combs it out when she arises in the morning!

How can this be - when throughout this site I've learned the imp. of washing/conditioning one's hair at least once per week.

Feedback please b/f I follow suit!!!

Re: Why is my sister\'s hair growing like weeds and...

I had a sister who was like this, her hair is way longer thatn mine and she does absolutely nothing to it. My explanation....some people have and some people dont...no matter what they do. I strongly feel that long hair is in your gene. If you look at some of the women who are features of the month....most of them have always had a thick full head of hair. they always had that potential...Now I'm not saying that people with short hair cant grow theirs long, I just feel like it might take some years.

Re: Why is my sister\'s hair growing like weeds and...

I feel like the length is there (especially if you are not hot combing it, not blow drying it, not flat ironing it) however you will not see it as easily as with straight hair.

Which would be easier to see...a pic of the back of your sisters hair with all of it one length going straight down her back...or natural hair with shrinkage and curl?

If you just want to see length...then relaxing is the way to see that. But if you want to stay natural then you have to remember natural hair has TWO lengths. When it is kinky and coily it LOOKS short...but on those rare versitile days when you want to wear it straight...you may be surprised that your hair is longer than hers...because of what you are NOT doing to it.

Patience and perception is the key.

Re: Why is my sister\'s hair growing like weeds and...

[ QUOTE ]
Natural_Girl said:
mine is taking forever!
Her hair is relaxed.
She goes to the salon once every 6 weeks for a touch up/trim - and this is the ONLY time she has her hair washed (when she goes to the salon once every 6 weeks!)
Mind you, she doesn't use any heat while at home - just puts her scarve on at night and combs it out when she arises in the morning!

How can this be - when throughout this site I've learned the imp. of washing/conditioning one's hair at least once per week.

Feedback please b/f I follow suit!!!

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I believe that part of her success is the fact that she doesn't handle her hair. I used to get my hair washed more often than I do now. I was in the hospital for several weeks following an accident and noticed that my hair appeared to be significantly longer. I started washing my hair every other week, rather than each week. I definitely maintained more growth.

Now, I'm not suggesting that this regimine will work for everyone, and I think my hair looks so much better with a fresh washing, but I have gotten better growth results when I don't wash as frequently.

Also, keep in mind that every person has their own individual hair growth rate and growth phase and your sister's may just be faster than yours.

Re: Why is my sister\'s hair growing like weeds and...

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pookeylou said:
If you just want to see length...then relaxing is the way to see that. But if you want to stay natural then you have to remember natural hair has TWO lengths. When it is kinky and coily it LOOKS short...but on those rare versitile days when you want to wear it straight...you may be surprised that your hair is longer than hers...because of what you are NOT doing to it.

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ITA. My hair is a couple of inches past my shoulders, but you'd never know it because it looks neck-length when coiled up. It's looks so short.

And about the washing, I'd rather have short-looking clean hair, than dirty long hair. What's that old saying? "Cleanliness is next to godliness." I'd rather have a clean, fresh-smelling head no matter how much work & manipulation it is.

Re: Why is my sister\'s hair growing like weeds and...

Here's the thread on "Not Washing Hair". It seems some ladies have found great growth success by not washing or not handling their hair for a long time.

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showflat.php?Cat/0/Number/10852/page//view//sb/5/o/all/fpart/1/vc/1

Re: Why is my sister\'s hair growing like weeds and...

My mother's hair requires very little maintenance and is absolutely beautiful. When I joined the board I was obessed with growing long hair. I took everyone's advice, and did everything. Protective styles, conditioner washes, no heat, protein treatments, you name it. And I wasn't seeing progress and it was leaving me very frustrated. I've decided to simplify my routine. Just washing and deep conditioning once a week. Using a moisturizer daily, rolling my hair at night (to keep from having to curl it since I can't wrap worth a flip) and wearing my satin bonnet. Get my relaxer and trim every 8 weeks, do my vitamin thang, and let nature take its course. My hair cannot handle a lot of manipulation. So in the mornings when I take my rollers out I just finger comb into a style and go. When I get home for the evening the satin cap goes back on until its time to roll it for the night. For me, I really feel the more simple my routine is the better, considering when I had long hair I did nothing to it. NG, hang in there, I'm confident you'll find something that works for you, but please keep us updated and please whatever you do, Do not wash your hair once every 6 weeks!!! /images/graemlins/grin.gif

Re: Why is my sister\'s hair growing like weeds and...

My mom's hair grew and grew when she was in hospital, so maybe there is something to not washing. I can't do it cause I get the itchies and soreness of scalp and the smell would bother me.

Re: Why is my sister\'s hair growing like weeds and...

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Natural_Girl said:
mine is taking forever!
Her hair is relaxed.
She goes to the salon once every 6 weeks for a touch up/trim - and this is the ONLY time she has her hair washed (when she goes to the salon once every 6 weeks!)
Mind you, she doesn't use any heat while at home - just puts her scarve on at night and combs it out when she arises in the morning!

How can this be - when throughout this site I've learned the imp. of washing/conditioning one's hair at least once per week.

Feedback please b/f I follow suit!!!

[/ QUOTE ]

I believe that part of her success is the fact that she doesn't handle her hair. I used to get my hair washed more often than I do now. I was in the hospital for several weeks following an accident and noticed that my hair appeared to be significantly longer. I started washing my hair every other week, rather than each week. I definitely maintained more growth.

Now, I'm not suggesting that this regimine will work for everyone, and I think my hair looks so much better with a fresh washing, but I have gotten better growth results when I don't wash as frequently.

Also, keep in mind that every person has their own individual hair growth rate and growth phase and your sister's may just be faster than yours.

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Very well said, Webby...... I too notice more growth,thicker hair, and healthier ends when i manipulate and handle my hair less.... /images/graemlins/cool.gif

Re: Why is my sister\'s hair growing like weeds and...

Thanks for bumping this.

Re: Why is my sister\'s hair growing like weeds and...

washing every week doesn't work for everyone. i definitely don't do it. my sister's hair is thicker than mine & has the potential to be longer than mine if she stopped trimming everytime she relaxes. She cut it short back in '95 & it didn't take her long to grow it right back out to be longer than my uncut length effortlessly. Mine just doesn't grow as fast as hers and mine is thinner, so while she can try so many different things w/o damage, I have to watch it.

Re: Why is my sister\'s hair growing like weeds and...

My mothers hair sounds like your sisters'. I don't understand it...she relaxes religiously, doesn't wash often, and trims excessively, yet her hair grows faster than mine. However, in between all this madness she leaves her hair alone in a phony pony. So I attribute that growth to less manipulation, because I know there is no way I could leave my hair in a phony pony for weeks on end and not wash it.

Re: Why is my sister\'s hair growing like weeds and...

My mother sounds like yours, Lovely. She goes to the salons every other week and does not wash in between. She trims every 6 weeks. I just found out that her last relaxer was a year ago, and that this stylist presses her hair after putting her under the dryer /images/graemlins/huh.gif. I'm like what kind of fake transition was that? She refuses to even wrap her hair in silk/satin at night, and her hair grows like crazy /images/graemlins/wallbash.gif It's insane and frustrating...because I no longer believe growth is genetic...otherwise, where are my long locks??

Re: Why is my sister\'s hair growing like weeds and...

Before joining this forum, I used to wash my hair every 3-4 weeks. When I joined this forum I saw people getting lots of growth with washing their hair more. I decided to try washing my hair more often like 1-2x per week or even every other day! I found out that washing my hair more often didn't work for me either. Now, I've decided to wash every 2 weeks and I've noticed less breakage...probably from less manipulation! /images/graemlins/smile.gif

Re: Why is my sister\'s hair growing like weeds and...

[ QUOTE ]
mine is taking forever!
Her hair is relaxed.
She goes to the salon once every 6 weeks for a touch up/trim - and this is the ONLY time she has her hair washed (when she goes to the salon once every 6 weeks!)
Mind you, she doesn't use any heat while at home - just puts her scarve on at night and combs it out when she arises in the morning!

How can this be - when throughout this site I've learned the imp. of washing/conditioning one's hair at least once per week.

Feedback please b/f I follow suit!!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Your sister's name in its natural state, may not be so tightly coiled and prone to breakage, it sounds like my mothers hair, she would wash her hair every two - six weeks, because her scalp got very greasy as she got older, then she used to wash it every two weeks. Her hair would always go very fast, whereas mine would grown slower than snails pace. I also used to wash my hair every six weeks, then three weeks, then I increase to two weeks in the winter, once a week in the summer. However, since I have gone natural and I rinse my hair on a daily basis and wash once a week. My hair has grown very thick and very fast. I realise that I have my fathers hair, it was also fast growing, because he used to wash it every day, especially as he used to keep it very low. Some people need more moisture than others, I definitely need that, also my hair cannot taking relaxing, because it would always break after two years and I suffered from thin ends, split ends very badly. As a child I never had long hair, it would stop the bottom of my ear lobes, stretched out a little past my jaw. My hair needs daily moisture. If I don't rinse my hair daily but just wash it once a week, then length would stay the same, however rinsing daily and washing weekly, my hair is in its element.

Re: Why is my sister\'s hair growing like weeds and...

I think for every one woman I have seen with long hair who doesn't wash it, I have seen 50 who don't wash it and have broken off, dry hair that "doesn't grow".

Although I did achieve most of the length I have now from getting my hair "Dominicaned" once a week and leaving it alone in between, I think it was the less manipulation (as many of you ladies have said) more than the water that made the difference.

and we have to remember that everyone's head has specific differences that make it look like their hair responds to one thing. For example, I have an extraordinary number of hairs on my head, but I also have a TON of breakage on hair that is naturally weaker than most people's that's left me with demarcation lines along every few inches of each strand. But someone looking at my hair might think, "oh she has long thick hair, I should do what she does." DON'T!

Even I can't go to the Dominicans anymore because the head of hair that I have now is completely different than the bone straight one I had before and now they break my hair off like crazy with all the blowdrying. So it really depends on fitting your style to your particular hair. all these women with the not washing might just all have something in common, like hair that holds moisture.

Re: Why is my sister\'s hair growing like weeds and...

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I feel like the length is there (especially if you are not hot combing it, not blow drying it, not flat ironing it) however you will not see it as easily as with straight hair.

Which would be easier to see...a pic of the back of your sisters hair with all of it one length going straight down her back...or natural hair with shrinkage and curl?

If you just want to see length...then relaxing is the way to see that. But if you want to stay natural then you have to remember natural hair has TWO lengths. When it is kinky and coily it LOOKS short...but on those rare versitile days when you want to wear it straight...you may be surprised that your hair is longer than hers...because of what you are NOT doing to it.

Patience and perception is the key.

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/images/graemlins/up.gifCopying and pasting this response for future reference.

Re: Why is my sister\'s hair growing like weeds and...

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I just found out that her last relaxer was a year ago, and that this stylist presses her hair after putting her under the dryer . I'm like what kind of fake transition was that?

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/images/graemlins/rofl.gif