I know it's not true but....(long)

[inthepink]

I know it\'s not true but....(long)

my hair "seems" to grow faster when it's cut.

Last year around the 2nd or 3rd week in September, I noticed breakage in my nape area from my bad relaxer.

The hair I saw was about .5 to 1 inches straight...VERY short! I had to disguise until it was long enough to pin into my head with a bobby pin. Then, it grows long enough to fit in my ponytail. Now, it is creeping towards my bra strap and it's not even a year later.

What happened?

I think this area has been doing better than other areas of my hair for several reasons:
1. It broke off to the natural hair leaving no room for more breakage. It broke evenly straight across as if it had been cut. Nothing else to break...essentially now, it was healthy hair. (more on this in a minute)
2. I kept the area very well moisturized.
3. I made sure to wear my ponytails loose and my scarf loose.
4. About 6 months later, I trimmed a couple of centimeters off the ends just to keep it nice and even and to make sure no weak points from it having "broken" off instead of being "cut" off existed.

Now, why isn't the rest of my hair growing as fast or as healthy?
1. I have sections that have this frizz and I truly believe it is due to uneven breakage. I can hold the hair up and see the pieces. I believe this contributes to the frizz I experience.
2. The hair that has broken can't be trimmed so it could be breaking/splitting more causing me to lose length as it grows.
3. I can't get to the ends of the hairs that broke b/c the relaxed ends of the other hairs are still hanging on for dear life so the ends may be damaged thus causing frizz.
4. The natural hair wants to curl in its natural curl pattern but the relaxed hair prevents this. Thus frizz!

None of these problems exist in my nape.

Anyhow, I just wanted to share some of my thoughts about breakage, hair cuts/trims, and frizz.

Oh yeah, I also posted a couple of pics to show my length in the nape area.

 

[inthepink]

Re: I know it\'s not true but....(long)

*bump*

 

[crazyabouthair]

Re: I know it\'s not true but....(long)

Wow hairlove, your hair is gorgeous. That part of your hair went from nearly newgrowths to almost brastrap in less than a year!! Girl you give me hope.

 

[JenniferMD]

Re: I know it\'s not true but....(long)

Wow! Your nape area "IS" growing fast. I noticed the same thing with my nape area when it was broken off. I thought I would have to eventually cut the rest of my hair when I thought the back was "long" enough to even things out; but the nape area caught up with the rest of my hair (now why won't my head as a whole grow like that!)

It brings to mind something George Michael said (I don't know his exact words) when hair is two different lengths the shorter length trys to "catch up" or "equal" the longer length.

I'm probably screwing up his theory but I know it has something to do with long and short lengths trying to equal to each other.

 

[auntybe]

Re: I know it\'s not true but....(long)

I can't explain it but it seem to be true. I had a section near the front of my hair cut after it melted while I was pressing it. It has already started to grow. I don't know why but, I am impressed with my little sprouts.

 

[FlowerHair]

Re: I know it\'s not true but....(long)

I think it grows faster, because the ends are always fresh and won't break as easily. I always trim every 8 weeks for this reason. Hair that is never trimmed will eventually be a little thinner towards the ends and not as strong. That's only my theory, I have no proof except for my own hair.

 

[dontspeakdefeat]

Re: I know it\'s not true but....(long)

Hairlove, I am taking your points into consideration. I have decided t give my nape area a mini trim to see if maybe just maybe this theory is true. My nape area is always the shortest area of my head but it is also the area that I never trim. So maybe if I trim it sometimes along with extra tlc it will stop breaking and start retaing length.

 

[moneychaser]

Re: I know it\'s not true but....(long)

[ QUOTE ]
FlowerHair said:
I think it grows faster, because the ends are always fresh and won't break as easily.

[/ QUOTE ]
YEP, I believe this too

Well, I don't think it grows faster, but you retain more length

 

[honey_jammz82]

Re: I know it\'s not true but....(long)

Girl, I agree with you 100%! After I cut my hair it grows super fast, everyone thinks I am crazy, I just trimmed my hair about 2 in, and I swear it has already grown back. I do not say anything to people b/c I would not believe me either, but it is soo true!

 

[Tracy]

Re: I know it\'s not true but....(long)

I think it probably seems this way to people who's hair already grows fast. Trimming just makes the growth more obvious because you are watching exactly how long it takes your hair (which already grows fast) to go from point A to point B. If you don't get the trim is not as easy to see the growth when the line isn't so clean and you don't have the length you cut to as a reference point two months down the road. At least not as obvious a reference point.

I'd bet my last your hair grows just as fast without the trims, but the trims make fast growth more obvious. Thaht's what I think.

I do think the hair may grow with better quality when you get the trim tho. It just looks ten times healthier. The problem for us slow growers, is that we don't grow enough hair in between the trims to see any appreciable growth.

 

[inthepink]

Re: I know it\'s not true but....(long)

Tracy - Yep, I agree with you 100%. In fact, you're saying exactly what I said but in a slightly different way. The trims only make it "seem" as though your hair is growing faster. It's just that it's retaining length better.

 

[FlowerHair]

Re: I know it\'s not true but....(long)

Exactly, that's what I meant by "grows", I meant that the hair retains length better.