The Great Debate: Genes and Hair Growth

[Belle Du Jour]

I've always heard people say that if long hair isn't in the genes, it ain't gonna happen. I even believed that as I grew up, even though many people in my family have flowing hair (west indian).

I've come to the realization that genes may determine how easily you may be able to grow your hair, but not be the determining factor in whether you have long hair or not.

White, asian and indian people have coarse hair strands with circular follicles. Their hair grows more easily. Black people have the most fragile hair with elliptical follicles that prevent oil from nourishing the strand from root to tip. Bi racial people may get the genes that predetermine them to have coarse strands or a looser curl pattern. Your genes endow you with hair traits that equal easier, faster hair growth, but it's in ALL of our genes to grow hair.

Because my stands are fine and porous, I have genes that make it harder for me to retain length, BUT it is not impossible. As I continue to gather info from LHCF, I hope to find my personal "prescription" for length retention.

Any thoughts?

 

[harigeek]

Hey Classimami - I think it has to do with genes more than anything. My sister and I have the same type of hair. But she has been able to grow hers to much longer lengths than I have. If not for a bad relaxer, she would be at brastrap by now. When we were kids, she had enough natural hair for pony tails. My head was covered with beady bees I'm also looking for a knockout combination to make my hair grow but I need reality checks now and then. Some things will not change like the number of hair follicles I have.
I've decided to try and enjoy the ride and maybe one day the length will appear!!

HHG!!

 

[ChocoKitty]

I've always heard people say that if long hair isn't in the genes, it ain't gonna happen.

I've never agreed with this notion. I think the LHCF ladies prove that the above statement is wrong everyday. Your mindset determines the length of hair. If you have defeated attitude about your hair and it's health--you'll never achieve your desire. Care and patience is the key.

 

[BrwnSugaBabee]

ok I hope i do not get in trouble for saying this. But I totally believe genetics play a huge role in determining hair length. Not everybody is going to be able to get waist length hair no matter how great you take care of it. I do believe though, that our hair may have potential to reach lengths we never thought were possible because we did not know how to properly care for it. You can not deny that genetics plays a part in hair growth and retention as well as fullness. but I believe that healthy hair is acheivable by everybody.

 

[CurlyCrly]

I think that genetics play a role in how long one's hair is programmed to grow (for lack of a better way of putting it), but not in determing it's attainable length if it's cared for. I believe that the length is determined by how a person cares for their hair. A person who has genetics that gives their hair the ABILITY to grow their hair to their butt may NOT have hair that long because they abuse it and/or they're nutritionally deficient. This applies to any heritage, ethnicity and follicle structure.

 

[ChocoKitty]

ok I hope i do not get in trouble for saying this. But I totally believe genetics play a huge role in determining hair length. Not everybody is going to be able to get waist length hair no matter how great you take care of it. I do believe though, that our hair may have potential to reach lengths we never thought were possible because we did not know how to properly care for it. You can not deny that genetics plays a part in hair growth and retention as well as fullness. but I believe that healthy hair is acheivable by everybody.

I've read that on average every one can produce at least 28 inches of hair. Anything beyond relates to genetics. But since my personal goal is waistlength I don't see it being impossible...

 

[CurlyCrly]

chocokitty, you never know. It just might happen. 28" is still a good bit of hair on anyone though.

 

[Belle Du Jour]

I've read that on average every one can produce at least 28 inches of hair. Anything beyond relates to genetics. But since my personal goal is waistlength I don't see it being impossible...

I think I read than on another hair growth site too.

And I do think genetics plays a role. I just think it plays a role in terms of how easily you can grow your hair based on properties intrinsic to your hair. But I believe we can all have it. It might take me longer to reach bra strap than someone else and it may take me a while to figure out what I need to overcome the "hump" but I believe we can all get there

 

[HairQueen]

I believe that genetics play a MAJOR role in the natural moisture content of your hair. This can vary even in families where people have the SAME parents! Hair that natually has more moisture = longer hair naturally due to less frequent dryness and therefore less breakgage.

For example all of the women in my family have 'long' hair (by this I mean shoulder length and beyond) however the hair tends to fall into two groups:

1.Some have a corser, thicker hair (i.e. me and my mum and some of my aunts - her sisters)

2. Others have a silkier type hair (i.e. my sister and some of my other aunts - my mum's other sisters).

I have noticed that the ones with the naturally 'silker to the touch' hair takes less effort for them to grow their hair longer as it breaks less. My sister falls into this category and I do not. She does not do the 2xper week conditoning, no heat etc etc but yet her hair (and some of my aunts hair) is mid back length and beyond.

My hair on the other hand reaches shoulder length naturally but in order to ensure that I PASS shoulder lenght hair I HAVE to do to ensure that I deep con 2x per week, moisturise etc

Also another factor that adds to what I am saying is that the females I described in my family with the 'silkier to the touch' hair do not have to relax anywhere near as often if at all that the others do. For example my sister wears no relaxer in her hair yet at 6 weeks I am screaming out for one!

This is my view and I am able to come to this conclusion just by looking at my family my mum and her 5 sisters all of whom have same parents. My sister and I both have same parents yet we all have different 'groups' of hair...

 

[Jaelin]

I don't believe that genetics is the only factor. There are several women in my family that had shoulder lenght and longer but most of them never maintained it at that lenght. The main reason was not knowing how to care for it. The ones that have maintained it at a 'long' lenght all have a haircare regimen. There is one that's natural and doesn't have the 'silkier' type hair but it grows really quickly and she's always trimming because she just doesn't want it to be shoulder lenght, it takes too much time to style longer.

For most of them if I hadn't seen it personally or saw it in photographs I would have never thought it. If I had just looked at my mother's hair, I wouldn't have been encouraged because I have never seen it at shoulder lenght and beyond before. It's only now that she's switched to being natural that it's 'long.' So going by genetics I know that it's possible in my family. But I know that for most of us there are other things that you have to do.

ETA: Yes, genetics are funny this way: My sister's hair is not the same as mine. It's actually easier to comb than mine but she inheirited my mother's fragile hair and there was no way she was even going to attempt a relaxer because it would have broken off. She has really long locs. Maybe I'll catch up to her one day if she keeps trimming to stay at her current lenght . Meanwhile, I could relax mine but it would never get straight unless I used 'super' strenght and as soon as it was washed it was as if I hadn't just touched it up.

 

[Poohbear]

I've never agreed with this notion. I think the LHCF ladies prove that the above statement is wrong everyday. Your mindset determines the length of hair. If you have defeated attitude about your hair and it's health--you'll never achieve your desire. Care and patience is the key.

ITA!!!

 

[sillygurl18]

I think genes determine how long your hair can get, BUT MOST African Americans can't use genes as the reason why our hair isn't long. I believe our hair can get long.

We do so much to our hair that it breaks before we can see length. Other races usually have longer hair than us because theirs is stronger than ours. Our hair is very fragile. That's why other races blowdry, flatiron, and curl everyday and still maintain length.

If we left our hair alone we'd have long hair too. Most of us don't know how long our hair can get because most of our older relatives were practicing bad hair care.

 

[SisterGirl*]

I've read that on average every one can produce at least 28 inches of hair. Anything beyond relates to genetics. But since my personal goal is waistlength I don't see it being impossible...

Thats tailbone length for me! I'll take it

 

[NapturalGlory]

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[Honi]

Not too sure about this. Genes may prevent some of us from having knee length hair perhaps but I think that ALL of us can at least have BSL and beyond....near waist or in between. I know that some of my friends when they were kids never had long hair and others had long hair. BUT I can probably guess that the care for their hair was not the same across the board. My mother didn't wash my hair every week or moisturize like I do with my daughter's hair but I still had hair down the middle of my back.

There are some people I know that don't take care of their hair the way we do here and they have BSL hair. They use heat everyday, cotton rags to tie their hair up and wear their hair down everyday, etc. If I had the same hair practices as they did I KNOW for a fact my hair would not retain as much length that I have now.

I think that some people can get away with certain hair care practices while others need a little more or a lot more TLC.

 

[carmend]

IMO, Both genes and care will determine your hair length. According to some of the articles I have read everybody has a "predetermined" maximum length. This is based on the idea that some people's hair follicles have a 3 yr life span for example whereas some have a 5 yr life span. Considering the AVERAGE growth rate for human is about 6 inches per year. If you are on the shorter end then no matter what you do you are not going to get much more than (total life span * growth per year). Which in the example would be 3 years * 6 inches = 18 inches of hair total. Now certainly could do some things to help ur hair grow faster but even if you are surging and massaging and vitamining your scalp do death their is gonna be a max on the amount you can grow in a year. I have not read anything that says you can change the lifespan of your hair follicles. The thing that you CAN do is take good care of your hair so that you get the FULL life ... Here is an article that might help...

http://www.segalshaircare.com/old/about/book/anatomy.html

 

[SherryLove]

i just say this, however long or short someone's hair may be - they should always take good care of it to keep it healthy..... i know this is probably a moot point..... LOL>>>>

 

[divine]

I think it might, buts that just me. All the women on my dads side have curly or bone straight waist lenght hair. All the women on moms side are the same as my dad. I had waist, bra-strap, and what no hair until I go into the 9th grade. I've never had a problem with my hair until I started relaxing and dying my hair ever two-four weeks. All of that is chaning and I hope I will get my hair back to the way it was.

 

[curlygirl493]

I think genes are a factor- but it’s not the defining factor. I personally believe anyone no matter what race you are can grow 12 inches of hair. If this is not true then why are there black people with dreadlocks down to there knees? I think proper hair care can overcome genetic. I’ve read and seen on this board women who had never had hair below there chin with brastrap length hair+. I think most of the problems with hair growth has to do with hair care. you just need to find the right method of gaining hair growth, for some its protective styles, with others it might be braids, the less heat/manipulation, the longer hair will grow-no matter what race you are.

 

[Healthb4Length]

there are plenty of longhaired inspirations on this board who prove everyday that genes are not the only factor that determine hair growth...I believe a good diet, proper handling and care and helps out alot.

 

[Sweet_Ambrosia]

I think its 50/50 both genes & proper care will ultimately determine how long ones hair will grow. (IMO)

 

[HairQueen]

I don't believe that genetics is the only factor. There are several women in my family that had shoulder lenght and longer but most of them never maintained it at that lenght. The main reason was not knowing how to care for it. The ones that have maintained it at a 'long' lenght all have a haircare regimen. There is one that's natural and doesn't have the 'silkier' type hair but it grows really quickly and she's always trimming because she just doesn't want it to be shoulder lenght, it takes too much time to style longer.

For most of them if I hadn't seen it personally or saw it in photographs I would have never thought it. If I had just looked at my mother's hair, I wouldn't have been encouraged because I have never seen it at shoulder lenght and beyond before. It's only now that she's switched to being natural that it's 'long.' So going by genetics I know that it's possible in my family. But I know that for most of us there are other things that you have to do.

ETA: Yes, genetics are funny this way: My sister's hair is not the same as mine. It's actually easier to comb than mine but she inheirited my mother's fragile hair and there was no way she was even going to attempt a relaxer because it would have broken off. She has really long locs. Maybe I'll catch up to her one day if she keeps trimming to stay at her current lenght . Meanwhile, I could relax mine but it would never get straight unless I used 'super' strenght and as soon as it was washed it was as if I hadn't just touched it up.

I agree that genetics isn't the only factor - a good hair care regime is required for anyone who wants beautiful healthy hair but IMO genetics play a factor into what type of routine is required. My sister doesn't have to wear a plastic bag on her head all day to get past shoulder length but I do!!

 

[Amina]

I think genes only tell your hair how fast it grows not how long. I can't see them squence in any order length. Besides how will your genes know when to stop growing hair? Isn't hair dead? Just imagine if a person never cut their hair and have normal shedding, will you genes tell your hair to quick growing after it reaches bra strap length? I don't think so.

 

[senimoni]

Genetics tell your hair...for what length of time to grow, before it sheds and regrows. I think the average is four years, so 6 inches a year x 4 years....At the least you should be able to hold on to 20-22 inches of that....not sure where that would hit but I think for most that is at least bra strap.

 

[Poohbear]

I think that genetics play a role in how long one's hair is programmed to grow ....

I don't get this "programmed to grow" concept...

For ladies (especially relaxed ladies)... if your hair is programmed to grow a certain length, wouldn't it stop growing???

When you see new growth, don't you still apply relaxers?

It may seem like your hair is staying the same length but don't you think that's from your hair not retaining length (breaking off)???

 

[Poohbear]

I think genes only tell your hair how fast it grows not how long. I can't see them squence in any order length. Besides how will your genes know when to stop growing hair? Isn't hair dead? Just imagine if a person never cut their hair and have normal shedding, will you genes tell your hair to quick growing after it reaches bra strap length? I don't think so.

I totally agree!

 

[Porsche19]

I think that a good part of hair length and growth rate does depend on genes, but not on race!

A black person can have the same terminal length and growth rate as an Asian person... just different types of hair.

 

[Belle Du Jour]

The debate lives on!

There have been excellent points made about genes and growth. I think most of us believe that genetics definitely plays a role, but it's the degree to which genetics plays a role that varies.

 

[Porsche19]

Also, for all of the people saying that your hair doesn't stop growing, that's true. There is a point in which your hair won't get any longer though. It's when the amount your hair grows and the rate that it sheds reaches an eqilibrium. Your hair won't grow any longer because the hairs that reach a certain length shed.

Say that someone's hair sheds every 3 years. They can grow 8 inches in a year (amazing growth btw ) So at 24 inches, their hair sheds and grows a new hair. Around 24 inches is the longest that any hair on their head is going to grow.

Of course, your hair is going to keep growing after because every hair on your head is not in the same stage, but they are still programed to shed at 3 years.

 

[FlowerHair]

I believe you can have the best genes in the world, but without proper care your hair will not grow to terminal length - no matter what race you are.

And I don't believe that other races use as many chemicals & blowdryers etc as we do...at least not the people I know. Not to the same extent anyway.

Just leave your hair alone and it will grow! I'm living proof. My hair has never been as long as it is now because I have never taken such good care of it for this long. If only I had made the effort to stop abusing my hair earlier in life!