Help Me Grow My Nape!!

[dontspeakdefeat]

I did a video on about my hair pulling. I feel so anxious just typing about it. I actually saw the damage I've done to it. It's pretty bad. I'm going to be concentrating on growing it back this year.

I will be incorporating lots of castor oil massages and keeping it braided. Lord I didn't realise it was that bad.

Apparently its a form of self harm... I don't see it that way though :-/

NefertariBlu

I agree my nape was in pretty bad shape and I still struggle to keep my hands off. I am keeping it moisturized and covered but I still find my self reaching and pulling. It has grown enough since I made the video to be able to plait it in 3 small braids. Good Luck with growing your back.

I can remember as a child around the age of 10 when this habit started. My hair had broken off so bad in the back that my mom had to cut it. I walked around with a short nappy nape and a short broken ponytail. I was really embarrassed. My situation may have a lot to do with my hair woes as a child. I don't see it as self harm either but it's something.

 

[Froreal3]

I keep seeing women (grown) with hair braded around hairline and nape and wondered if this helps in re-growth. My hairline and nape are like someone else's hair. Especially right nape - thin, weak 4(b) when balance of hair is 3(b) and (c) -- can't figure it out. I had been using blue star ointment on right nape because it seems irritated. But I am going to try the braiding thing that you suggest below.

rawsilk I think I will start alternating dd's nape with flat twisting or light cornrowing. My only concern is parting it in the same place may cause thinning above the part I'm trying to protect. I hope to bring her nape to shoulder length this year.

 

[rawsilk]

Froreal3 You know what? Kids are resilient and their hair will grow like grass with the right nutrition, minimal stress, gentle hair care, etc. Your DD has a Mom who is knowledgeable about hair and who is actually thinking about the way that it is braided -- that puts her miles ahead in the hair dept. I'm sure she will be just fine if you braid loosely and keep it moisturized as dontspeakdefeat suggests above.

Another note, I'm about to get It's a 10 because I keep hearing so many good things about it and I luv, luv, luv rollersetting

@rawsilk I think I will start alternating dd's nape with flat twisting or light cornrowing. My only concern is parting it in the same place may cause thinning above the part I'm trying to protect. I hope to bring her nape to shoulder length this year.

 

[NefertariBlu]

NefertariBlu

I agree my nape was in pretty bad shape and I still struggle to keep my hands off. I am keeping it moisturized and covered but I still find my self reaching and pulling. It has grown enough since I made the video to be able to plait it in 3 small braids. Good Luck with growing your back.

I can remember as a child around the age of 10 when this habit started. My hair had broken off so bad in the back that my mom had to cut it. I walked around with a short nappy nape and a short broken ponytail. I was really embarrassed. My situation may have a lot to do with my hair woes as a child. I don't see it as self harm either but it's something.

I think I was the same age. I remember someone pointing it out to me that I was pulling my hair when I was in class. They made a joke about it. I kinda shrugged it off so it's been going on for a while.

This is going to be a real test of willpower, since I have been doing this for many years.

 

[dontspeakdefeat]

I think I was the same age. I remember someone pointing it out to me that I was pulling my hair when I was in class. They made a joke about it. I kinda shrugged it off so it's been going on for a while.

This is going to be a real test of willpower, since I have been doing this for many years.

NefertariBlu

Yes indeed it is!!

 

[rawsilk]

My nape has always been the bane of my (hair) existence. Always had burns only at my neck because the lady who pressed my hair as a little girl could never really get it right. (In contrast, she barely touched the balance of my hair with a warm comb.) Seriously, the stylist who relaxed my hair would use regular on nape and mild on rest of hair. I went to someone else who was heavy handed and used a comb to smooth and ever since then (we're talking 20 + years, years of transitioning, etc.), the right side of nape has been a fuzzy, weak, brittle mess. The only time that I can remember my nape being soft like the rest of my hair was when I took down a weave that I had left in a long (too long) time - I couldn't believe my soft little curls. Wondering if it just came from not touching it at all. I have had weaves since then (though I've now sworn off - another thread) but nape never felt that way again. Wish I could figure out what I did other than -- completely ignoring it.

 

[uofmpanther]

Wow. I pull my temples and nape too. The more stressed i am, the more i pull. I never knew it had a name.

What has worked for me:
- braiding the nape (until I subconsciously work a piece free)
- using sulfur 8 (the light version). Getting grease on my hands when I touched the area kept me from doing it.
- chewing gum (redirects the stress)
- stopping myself when I notice I'm doing it
- hiding my hair under a wig with my hair in flat twists