Wearing hair down + inhibiting growth

[DayStar]

Am I the only one who can wear my hair down and still retain growth without breakage and split ends? I use to be scared to even try it when i started my hair journey, but my hair is not affected at all when i wear it down...i still see mad progress after every touch up and my ends are great...am i alone on this?

 

[nappity]

No but because of the conformities of our hair some hair is more frail and prone to breakage and needs protection. Wearing my hair out like you doesn't inhibit the growth- its the dumb stuff like letting people with blow driers and small toothed combs try to torture the lushness that is my hair. That leads ME to breakage and damage and the inevitable cut. So my hair has to play catch up.

 

[Eiano]

im too scared to try...
i've been programed over the last 3 years.. lmao!

I actually had a nightmare that the claw clip I normally wear broke on my way to the train station and I was on a train ride from New Haven, CT to Washington D.C. and the whole time my hair was rubbing against the head rest. Goodness. I woke up so shaken..

and even in real life, god forbid i hear a piece of hair snap against my shoulder or my jacket or a hat...

i always tell myself that when i reach my goal (MBL) i'll wear it down more often.

 

[kbfluff]

Yeah, I'm freaked out to wear my hair down too.
It's as if I have been reprogrammed or something.
C the thing is I have fine 4b/a hair. I like to call my hair newscaster hair because of how much body it has. I really should wear it out more because i like my hair...
The problem is I want this stuff to GROW. I know for ME, protecting my entire head of hair with cornrows keeps my hair full and I can retain most if not all of my growth.
I'm on a no holds barred growth binge...so I may wear my hair down everynow and then, but 99.97% of the time in 2008...it will be protected until I can gain that 6 inches I've been hearing/reading about.

 

[HoneyDew]

nope you are not the only one. There are many of us that wear our hair down and still retain length.

 

[chicacanella]

I think that the biggest hurdle is getting past shoulder length for most people. Once you get past there, I didn't think it was a huge deal to where your hair down but then again I could be wrong. I guess it just depends on the person and what they are comfortable with and for me, I don't think I would wear my hair down often until I got to my goal of waist length.

Even then I think I probably would wear a bun or some protective style two-three times out of the week.

 

[OneInAMillion]

I wear my hair down & I still retain some length. Probably not as fast as others because I end up having to trim to get a clean look. But frankly, I made a decision to enjoy my hair. I try to mix it up, wearing it down on the weekends and protected while I'm at work.

 

[Cichelle]

Once you get past shoulder length it's probably less of an issue. I used to wear my hair up all of the time because I was worried I wouldn't retain the length if I didn't. However, now I wear it up all of the time to keep it off my face and from being all over the place. The longer it gets, the more convenient buns and updos are for me. I like to know where my hair is, if that makes sense.

But yeah, there are people who wear their hair down all of the time and they retain the length. It depends on the hair type, your activities, weather, the clothes you wear and etc., I suppose.

 

[OneInAMillion]

Once you get past shoulder length it's probably less of an issue. I used to wear my hair up all of the time because I was worried I wouldn't retain the length if I didn't. However, now I wear it up all of the time to keep it off my face and from being all over the place. The longer it gets, the more convenient buns and updos are for me. I like to know where my hair is, if that makes sense.

But yeah, there are people who wear their hair down all of the time and they retain the length. It depends on the hair type, your activities, weather, the clothes you wear and etc., I suppose.

That's a good point to...when I do wear my hair down, I try to have on a silk shirt so that it's not rubbing against harsh fabric. And when the winter coat goes on, I pull my hair up into a claw clip until I get to my destination.

 

[mzcris]

No...you are not the only one. When I give my hair a break from those ponytails...I wear my hair down and my hair continues to grow, no breakage, no split ends at all!!! I don't even wear protectiv hair styles...I will wear a pony tail but my ends are not "hidden" I just make sure my hair is well conditioned and moisturized. And of course when I wear my ponytail I make sure that the ends are not tugging on my clothes...but other than that my hair grows very well.

Now when my hair was short I wore a bun (protectiv) so my hair would grow...but now that it is longer I don't wear protectiv styles.

 

[tapioca_pudding]

I think once I get to or past shoulder length then I will wear my hair out more. I honestly don't know if my hair is prone to breakage by wearing it out because I've never paid attention before. But I'm trying to avoid setbacks, so I really don't feel like playing 'Let's see what happens...'

I wear my hair clipped up all week and out on the weekend. In the spring/summer, I don't think I'll be as 'protective' crazy because I won't be wearing wool coats and turtle neck sweaters. But again, I haven't gotten there yet so I can't really say.

 

[chicacanella]

I think once I get to or past shoulder length then I will wear my hair out more. I honestly don't know if my hair is prone to breakage by wearing it out because I've never paid attention before. But I'm trying to avoid setbacks, so I really don't feel like playing 'Let's see what happens...'

I wear my hair clipped up all week and out on the weekend. In the spring/summer, I don't think I'll be as 'protective' crazy because I won't be wearing wool coats and turtle neck sweaters. But again, I haven't gotten there yet so I can't really say.

Your hair has grown soooo fast!

 

[sareca]

I wear my hair out everyday. I've retained more length and thickness in the last 4 months than my entire journey. Manipulation not air ruins my progress. Even daily bugging was too much manipulation.

 

[DayStar]

I wear my hair out everyday. Manipulation not air ruins my progress.

right!

 

[tapioca_pudding]

Your hair has grown soooo fast!

Thank you so so much!

 

[janeemat]

I wear my hair down a couple of days during the week, but I find myself putting it up before the day is up. That's because I feel my hair pulling on my clothes, especially wool. I notice that the ends want to tangle as well when it's down from rubbing. I'll just mainly keep it up. However, I have still gotten growth.

 

[janeemat]

I wear my hair out everyday. I've retained more length and thickness in the last 4 months than my entire journey. Manipulation not air ruins my progress. Even daily bugging was too much manipulation.

What have you done different in the last 4 months?

 

[lovenharmony]

I don't even have long hair yet and I'm scared to leave my hair down for an extended period of time!! I guess LHCF programmed me to baby my ends so much that anything other than protective styles does not compute.

"MUST... PROTECT... ENDS!!!" :borgsmile LOL

But I know it's possible to wear hair out and maintain length - there are so many lovely ladies here that do so.

 

[sareca]

What have you done different in the last 4 months?

I've adopted a low manipulation regimen (made possible by learning to detangle w/o breakage and oil rinses which keep tangle to a minimum)

I have chronicled my adventures in my fotki. http://public.fotki.com/Serica/hair-to-stay/my-second-year-1/september-october-2007/

I've also started a couple threads. Here's the latest one...
http://public.fotki.com/Serica/hair-to-stay/my-second-year-1/september-october-2007/

 

[chicacanella]

I don't even have long hair yet and I'm scared to leave my hair down for an extended period of time!! I guess LHCF programmed me to baby my ends so much that anything other than protective styles does not compute.

"MUST... PROTECT... ENDS!!!" :borgsmile LOL

But I know it's possible to wear hair out and maintain length - there are so many lovely ladies here that do so.

Yeah, that's funny! I'm the same way but I notice that ladies with BSL hair usually wear their hair up most of the time.

 

[Serenity_Peace]

Considered yourself lucky, young lady. Some of us have more delicate strands. After a relaxer my hair is almost as delicate as silk and fine line aged wine. Therefore, even the air indoors can cause breakage. The wind outside, cold air, severely hot temperatures...all can dry out and damage the hair. The next things are breakage and split ends. I really do not like wearing my hair up, not to mention the ridicule from co-workers and family members and friends who care *so* much about *my* hair.

But I have seen a difference in the overall health and the ability to retain length. Though my hair grows dreadfully slow (one reason why I am able to stretch for a long period of time), this is the first time that I have been able to grow long and retain that length. I would always get to about 2" past shoulders before becoming frustrated and cutting my hair off. This is the first time that I've been able to achieve length. Now thickness is altogether another feat that I'm working hard on to accomplish.

 

[Evazhair]

No, I can wear my hair down without damage, but I have gotten used to not having to worry about it getting caught in bag straps, seat belts and zippers and buttons, etc.. I do prefer to keep it up most of the time, but I am not a slave to protective styles. I do enjoy my hair, what is the point of all of this special care if we don't enjoy it?