Naturals with Stretched vs Unstretched Hair Goals

[Je Ne Sais Quoi]

Jcoily your type of hair most likely isn't going to hang down, it will just keep getting bigger and bigger. Mine is like that too

 

[DarkVictory]

howd u get ur plait to defy gravity?

That's just what it does. If I do a low plait at my nape, it points back.
My hair doesn't do "down", even when stretched like it is in the picture. That's why bmoreflygirl's post kind of struck me - my growth is up and out, never "long".

 

[Jhuidah]

I don't know that I have any unstretched goals. My hair has such extreme shrinkage that to have an unstretched goal would be an exercise in frustration. And I'm the same boat as many of you ladies--my hair grows up and out, not down. Well, the back which has a bit of a looser curl hangs down. My unmanipulated shake-n-go's look like a shag (the black version of a mullet, y'all).

Currently my goal is to have shoulder-length twists all over. I'm hoping to be close (if not completely there) by the end of 2008 After that, I'm not sure.

 

[grnidmonster]

I have both unstreched and "flat iron". My hair is weird, it is superfine and doesn't curl just waves-tight waves that draw up. If I clarify, they draw up even tighter. Also my hair has different textures so part grows out and part hangs down. My hair grows more in an oval-out and down.

Unstreched goal is APL (which would mean the part that grows out would amount to a travel pillow)

Flat iron goal btw mid back and BSL

 

[glamazon386]

That's just what it does. If I do a low plait at my nape, it points back.
My hair doesn't do "down", even when stretched like it is in the picture. That's why bmoreflygirl's post kind of struck me - my growth is up and out, never "long".

Maybe your hair just has a mind of it's own. Also, it might be the way you're plaiting it. My mother said when I was younger she always twisted my plaits instead of braiding them because they would stick up and out. For some reason twisting them made them stay down. But I've noticed when I do box braids on dry hair they hang down if I plait underhand. They will stick up if I plait overhand. The ones in the top/front anyway. If I plait wet hair it doesn't matter.

 

[scarcity21]

Maybe your hair just has a mind of it's own. Also, it might be the way you're plaiting it. My mother said when I was younger she always twisted my plaits instead of braiding them because they would stick up and out. For some reason twisting them made them stay down. But I've noticed when I do box braids on dry hair they hang down if I plait underhand. They will stick up if I plait overhand. The ones in the top/front anyway. If I plait wet hair it doesn't matter.

that makes sense!

 

[AvaSpeaks]

But that's how our hair grows ladies; up and out.

Then as it gets longer, it goes up and out and down. But it's not because our hair is growing down, it's just gravity and weight.

That's why our hair breaks off so much. Because we (meaning most sistas) comb and brush their hair down, like "other" people. When we should pick or comb it out, the direction it really grows in.

Hence why we can do the and others cannot!

 

[Cichelle]

My hair grew more east-west than down when it was shorter. I had triangle head and it drove me crazy. At some point it started to grow down more than east-west. But if I air dry it loose and then brush it, I can still get that big NY/CA look.

Even with that being the case, my unstretched hair can look different lengths on different days or times of the day. It's too hard to figure out my own progress. So my goals are always stretched or wet.

 

[missty1029]

My hair grows out not down. No matter how many inches I gain it still appears shoulder length. My new unstretched goal is door way width.

But I so know how you feel!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[EMJazzy]

Say what?

View attachment 8255

Your hair is reachin' for the stars girl.

 

[JustKiya]

My concept of unstretched is in two strand twists, which have gotten wet and allowed to airdry loose. Stretched would be the length I would be at if I grabbed that twist, and pulled it down - the infamous 'boing!'

And both of those lengths are shorter than what my hair would be if it was flatironed.

I never even THOUGHT of trying to gauge the length of my hair loose as 'SL' or 'APL' - it needs to be braided or twisted to see any accurate changes along those directions.

 

[miss Congeniality]

I finally understand what the OP was saying. I am currently between SL and APL with my hair stretched, but when it shrinks in a wash n go or twists it is barely touches my shoulders. If I am ever to reach APL unstretched it will definately take 3 more years.

 

[Sunshine0801]

My unstretched hair goal is BSL, which means the state of my hair when it is in braids/twists or braid/twistouts. I suppose my hair is still technically stretched when in these styles, so I am distinguishing stretched (via braids/twists/outs) and super stretched (physically stretching my hair to its ultimate length, since I have never straightened my hair while natural).

I haven't worn my hair completely unstretched since I had a twa, so my length in that state isn't any part of my goals. I honestly don't even know what my hair looks like completely unstretched, since I even wash my hair while in loose braids, and thus stretched to some degree.

 

[fivetimestwo]

I think some people are finding that the unstretched goal isn't going to work. My hair only really hangs down when it's wet. Once it starts to dry it goes up and out. Some of it does hang down though. Like the hair around the perimeter. I usually put product in it to weigh it down and then it'll hang.

co-signing with the bolded. My hair around the perimeter is 3c and does not grow outward (which is why I never really achieved a good 'fro). So as it gets longer, I do have some "hang time" right now I'm about 2 inches from BSL stretched and my hair is about 2 inches past shoulder unstretched. It may be a lofty goal, but my goal is tailbone stretched/mbl unstretched. That's years away though

 

[sunflower]

I don't think my hair even knows the word "down" erplexed When it get wet - instead of being weighed down by the water it fights back and then shrinks up even tighter -- by the time it drys it's impenetrable. So any goal I have would be stretched/straight -- just to keep myself from going crazy.

Same here. At 10 12 inches my fro is huge.

 

[mscocoface]

I guess being the one with the snap back to the ears at BSL I have realized that I may never see an unstretched goal of BSL, it will be more of a large frolicious tumble weed type of thing.

It is all good though. I am sure some of the naturals will be able to obtain those goals because their hair hangs. But for those of us in the Cotton Hair family with a shrinkage factor of Warp 10 it is up and out versus down.

As we continue to grow hair like ours these are things we are learning about the beautiful world of nappiness. Back in May I would have thought there was hope to see an unstretch goal with something hanging, but from what I am learning now I am going to have to seriously adapt and adjust that expectation.

As the saying goes we are living and learning. Can you imagine 10 years from now the things we will be able to tell newbies who have begun embracing their natural hair?

Now that is a goal I think is more than worthy of obtaining. I look forward to being in the company of all of you wonderful ladies and sharing this natural hair journey experience with those new to the path.

You all make me proud, happy and thankful to be natural.

Signed,
Your Sistah in Naps!
Mscocoface

 

[TinyT]

I never had a hard unstretched goal. My hair does increase in its east to west volume as it grows. When I talk of hair goals they are always stretched goals. When my hair is damp out of the shower it quickly shrinks to shoulder length or shorter. The only time my hair stays at shoulder length when completely dry, is when it is in twists.

 

[SVT]

There are some real comedians on this board!

I gave up on having an unstretched goal. The majority of my hair grows out.

 

[BrockStar]

Hmmm I wonder if I'll have to give up my unstreched goal It's hard to determine b/c the front of my hair grows a lot slower than the back so the front is going more out and the back down..I guess only time will tell!