Is Your Hair Longer As A Natural Versus Relaxed Hair?
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starchgirl
Well-Known Member
Yes - significantly longer. Partly due to low or no manipulation, no chemicals and no heat. The other part is LHCF taught me how to care for my hair like silk. It takes me about two years to get to BSL, where I keep my hair.
No. When I first started wearing my hair out relaxed I got a little past SL. Between SL and apl. Then I big chopped and I have yet to reach SL because I keep having to cut my hair. Hopefully this year is the year since I've finally learned how to do everything myself including trimming.
HaveSomeWine
Well-Known Member
Yes, because I actually know about proper hair care now. Natural, my shortest layers in the front are bra strap length or a little past and the longest layers in the back are at least waist length when flat ironed. When I was relaxed, I let my hair dresser relax from root to tip over already relaxed hair. I had a relaxer placed over previously texturized hair and it still wouldn't straighten my hair. Just destroyed the curl pattern and made it frizzy and puffy. I also used to flat iron/touch up my hair almost daily on the highest temperature on the flat iron without heat protectant. I did not even really own hair products outside of shampoo and conditioner. I never used a leave in conditioner or oil so effectively never moisturized my hair. I obviously didn't deep condition it either. My hair stayed around shoulder length or a few inches past shoulder length when I relaxed it without knowing anything about proper hair care.
It took 4-5 years to grow out to this length. I would have been able to grow it out much faster had I eaten a proper diet as my hair naturally grows fast when I'm healthy. I transitioned by doing wet buns until the natural hair was long enough to cut off the relaxed ends. Deep conditioning and low manipulation are a must to prevent breakage at the line of demarcation.
It took 4-5 years to grow out to this length. I would have been able to grow it out much faster had I eaten a proper diet as my hair naturally grows fast when I'm healthy. I transitioned by doing wet buns until the natural hair was long enough to cut off the relaxed ends. Deep conditioning and low manipulation are a must to prevent breakage at the line of demarcation.
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Rastafarai
Well-Known Member
As a relaxed head, my longest layer was BSL. I could only touch BSL with my V-shape hair. My sides were always breaking.
Now, as a natural, it is lower MBL. I am about 4 inches from my waist. More importantly, my strands aren't stringy, thin and uneven like it was when I was relaxed.
The chemicals were eating away my strands and caused more breakage, which stunted my growth. Now that I am natural my hair can reach its full length potential (I'm shooting for waist).
Now, as a natural, it is lower MBL. I am about 4 inches from my waist. More importantly, my strands aren't stringy, thin and uneven like it was when I was relaxed.
The chemicals were eating away my strands and caused more breakage, which stunted my growth. Now that I am natural my hair can reach its full length potential (I'm shooting for waist).
Nightingale
On the Grow and Keeping it Simple
My retention is better as a natural then it was as a relaxed head.
Care, styling, and maintenance is much easier for me even though it took me two transitions to get it right. My longest length relaxed was BSL healthy, then raggedy MBL. As a natural I currently have healthy, near waist length hair.
Care, styling, and maintenance is much easier for me even though it took me two transitions to get it right. My longest length relaxed was BSL healthy, then raggedy MBL. As a natural I currently have healthy, near waist length hair.
Prettymetty
Natural/4b/medium-coarse
My hair seemed to grow faster when I was relaxed (I was in my twenties). Now I'm around mbl which is the longest my hair was with a relaxer. It's much thicker though, because of the texture.
I voted same. Once I get to wsl I will update the poll.
I voted same. Once I get to wsl I will update the poll.
faithVA
Well-Known Member
My hair was longer when relaxed. I'm not sure of my longest length because I didn't really pay attention. I'm thinking it was probably APL. I haven't reached SL as a natural. When relaxed I went to the salon every 2 weeks and wore a wrap most of the time. I had good growth and retention and maintenance was easy. I never had longer hair because I would see some style and cut it. I liked short cuts.
Once I figure out what my ends like, I am hoping to get to full APL. We shall see if that happens in December.
Once I figure out what my ends like, I am hoping to get to full APL. We shall see if that happens in December.
Colocha
acne cream and afro dreams
I had SL-APL relaxed, I'm now past BSL as natural and planning to grow to WL/TBL. It took 2-3 years to get my hair to BSL (with setbacks). When I was relaxed I didn't use direct heat but I also didn't use a proper deep conditioner or moisturize properly. My hair was also maybe 1/6th of the thickness when relaxed.
B_Phlyy
Pineapple Eating Unicorn
My natural hair longer but that's because I kept my relaxed hair short. If I could feel it on my ears or it touched my eyebrows, back to the stylist I went. I was able to get it to SL once by doing braid extensions and phony pony buns one year.
My natural hair is last SL but not quite to APL. It would probably already be there of I hadn't gone to the salon to get a blow and trim that ended up being a cut. This happened 2 times in 2 years at two different salons. It took that as a sign from God to just do my own hair from then on.
My natural hair is last SL but not quite to APL. It would probably already be there of I hadn't gone to the salon to get a blow and trim that ended up being a cut. This happened 2 times in 2 years at two different salons. It took that as a sign from God to just do my own hair from then on.
NappyNelle
Kinky Coily 4A, Fine Strands, WSL
My hair is longer as a natural. I'm finally full MBL.
I spent two years on a healthier hair journey as a relaxed head and made it to BSL, but my hair is so fine that the length looked bad.
I spent two years on a healthier hair journey as a relaxed head and made it to BSL, but my hair is so fine that the length looked bad.
nothidden
TeamNatural95-Fractals/Zigzags
Been growing my hair out since 4/2014 from a barbered, close cut. Not sure when I hit brastrap length as a natural (cuz I barely, if ever, length check), but when relaxed the longest was maybe armpit length because it rested comfortably on my shoulders when straightened and curled. Also, my hair was NEVER this healthy when relaxed.
I would advise an all natural newbie to tidy up their diet, drink more water, develop your own hair regimen, do as little to your hair as possible (cleanse, condition, style), consider working out (has same effect as inversion method), and take care of your scalp (don't drown your follicles in goop!). That's where the new growth comes from, so a healthy scalp promotes healthy new growth.
I would advise an all natural newbie to tidy up their diet, drink more water, develop your own hair regimen, do as little to your hair as possible (cleanse, condition, style), consider working out (has same effect as inversion method), and take care of your scalp (don't drown your follicles in goop!). That's where the new growth comes from, so a healthy scalp promotes healthy new growth.
LivingInPeace
Well-Known Member
Longest it's ever been as a natural. I'm between APL and BSL and apparently it's not going to get any longer. I couldn't get my hair past my shoulders when relaxed. However, I didn't know anything about healthy relaxed hair so I used heat daily.
Miss617
Always left of center
My hair was longer when I was relaxed. At its longest, it was BSL. But I have no doubt I can get there as a natural, I'm about SL now. I transitioned without BCing and didn't know what the heck I was doing until about a year ago LOL. I'm a lazy natural though and style challenged, so it's going to take a lot for me to get where I want to be.
SUPER SWEET
Well-Known Member
I'm a fine haired girl with lots of strands but when straighted my hair looks so thinnnnn and unhealthy. I wonder if my meds are causing more issues with retention. I had MBL when relaxed my natural hair hasn't gotten past shoulder length.
Soaring Eagle
Singin’ the praises of the baggy method
When I did my big chop at one year post relaxer, my natural hair had already surpassed the length of my relaxed hair. I didn’t even take care of my hair while transitioning. I started my journey when I chopped, now my hair is twice as long as it was when I was relaxed.
Simply removing chemicals from my hair made the biggest difference, followed by low manipulation. I did low manipulation styles when I was relaxed but still couldn’t get past my collarbone— so getting rid of the chemicals made the biggest difference.
Simply removing chemicals from my hair made the biggest difference, followed by low manipulation. I did low manipulation styles when I was relaxed but still couldn’t get past my collarbone— so getting rid of the chemicals made the biggest difference.
SmilingElephant
Well-Known Member
My hair literally grows the same speed as a Natural than when I was Relaxed. What makes it different is that, back when I was Relaxed, I was also coloring my hair and applying heat a lot more often(about 1x a month then vs. 1-2x per year, now). I am now Hip Length, and I'm pretty sure I could have reached Hip Length when I was Relaxed, but I wanted my natural texture and my hair is much healthier for it. 
quirkydimples
Well-Known Member
My hair grows faster relaxed. It’s probably because I like wearing my hair straight. I cowash 2-3 times and week and shampoo once because I can’t have stinky, dirty hair. My hair is 4C, dense, but the strands are fine so being a straight haired natural who exercises and sweats like a man was no bueno for me.
I sometimes wonder if there’s a way for me to make it work. I don’t think so unless I give up straight hair.
I sometimes wonder if there’s a way for me to make it work. I don’t think so unless I give up straight hair.
shasha8685
Well-Known Member
I am seeing no difference in length being relaxed or natural.
Now I will say that my natural hair is hitting growth milestones faster. It took me 2 years to hit full APL as a relaxed head. As a natural, I have hit APL in one year.
Now I will say that my natural hair is hitting growth milestones faster. It took me 2 years to hit full APL as a relaxed head. As a natural, I have hit APL in one year.
Karmi
Well-Known Member
My hair was waist length relaxed when I decided to big chop to an inch of new growth. It looked thin (compared to my straightend natural hair) but I definitely retained length better relaxed even though I did nothing right as far as healthy hair care practices. I relaxed my roots every 4 weeks, never neautralized, and didn't deep condition.
I'm 4 years natural and can't seem to get past BSL. I have a lot of mechanical damage from trying to figure out all the different curl patterns and textures of my hair. My hair is high density so I can hide the damage easily wearing wash n go's. My hair looks healthy but it's not. I'm seriously considering going back to relaxed hair now that I've learned better hair care practices. But I know I'll miss my curls so that's where I'm conflicted.
I'm 4 years natural and can't seem to get past BSL. I have a lot of mechanical damage from trying to figure out all the different curl patterns and textures of my hair. My hair is high density so I can hide the damage easily wearing wash n go's. My hair looks healthy but it's not. I'm seriously considering going back to relaxed hair now that I've learned better hair care practices. But I know I'll miss my curls so that's where I'm conflicted.
grownwomanaz
Love and Harmony
I had long relaxed hair Apl-Mbl but it wasn't very healthy. My scalp was always getting burned and my crown hairs and down the middle of my head would always be singed lol. My natural hair has grazed waist length and is fuller. I'm an over trimmer because I'm somewhat of a perfectionist. I'd probably have alot longer hair if I didn't trim so much.
I Am So Blessed
I'm easy going.
My hair was long when relaxed (WL) but took forever to get longer (I was MBL natural when I relaxed) because I trimmed it all the time due to relaxer runoff, and for not protective styling. I had nice ends though, thanks to being scissor happy. But as a natural it's smooth growing. So do I retain length better as a natural? A resounding YES! Now I run without stopping. As opposed to relaxed hair were I grew trimmed grew trimmed grew some more trimmed some more. I don't like see through ends. Now my ends are in tack and full without the help of scissors, but by just letting it be natural and sealed.
Oh and since I have been greasing my ends with Blue Magic I really am flying high.
BUMP
Oh and since I have been greasing my ends with Blue Magic I really am flying high.
BUMP
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icsonia22
Well-Known Member
It took 2 years for my natural hair to grow out longer than my relaxed hair. I had terrible hair care practices while relaxed and I never figured out the key to length retention. Now that I have better hair care practices, I still wouldn't relax my hair because I prefer the volume of natural hair and I feel there is less room for setbacks.
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