Is genetics the key? Yay or Nay....article included

[the_UnPrettiest_pretty]

Interesting article. I copped it from BHM. Well, there was a thread about the article on BHM. Check it out:

http://www.hairfinder.com/hairquestions/african_waist_length_hair.htm

Do you think genetics is the key? This brings up a lot of questions, such as bloodlines, hair types, etc.....

 

[Creatividual]

If genetics determines your blood type, suseptibility to different diseases, how tall you will be, etc. why wouldn't determine how long your hair will grow too?

 

[the_UnPrettiest_pretty]

I agree. However there are a number of people who will disagree and say that genetics is not entirely the sole determining factor for hair growth. For example, a few friends and I had a debate about this very topic. Their argument was that genetics has nothing to do with how long your hair grows. They say that what you put into your body and how you take care of your hair is what determines how long your hair will grow. I have my opinions and I refuse to argue with them about it, but I'm just wondering if anyone else feels this way. For example, when you have friends and family members that tell you your hair will never be WL because no one in your family has ever had WL hair, do you believe them? Or do you think it can be accomplished with persistence and faith?

 

[caliber38]

I definately agree that genetics is involved with hairgrowth. Thats why some people have hair to their knees or to the floor. I think that most people can grow their hair to waistlength though with a lot of TLC. African Americans have dryer hair than other cultures and often put their hair through a lot of stress. I think thats why a lot of us dont reach our full hair growth potential. WAISTLENGTH HAIR CAN DEFINATELY BE ACHIEVED BY AFRICAN AMERICANS.

 

[growth2come]

After seeing "normal" black folks with BSL and WSL hair relaxed and natural I believe any length is possible be it with genetics or a bit of help from science i.e BT, MTG, MSM.....

 

[the_UnPrettiest_pretty]

After seeing "normal" black folks with BSL and WSL hair relaxed and natural I believe any length is possible be it with genetics or a bit of help from science i.e BT, MTG, MSM.....

Well said

 

[sheena m]

Bump, Bump, Bump

 

[Creatividual]

I agree. However there are a number of people who will disagree and say that genetics is not entirely the sole determining factor for hair growth. For example, a few friends and I had a debate about this very topic. Their argument was that genetics has nothing to do with how long your hair grows. They say that what you put into your body and how you take care of your hair is what determines how long your hair will grow. I have my opinions and I refuse to argue with them about it, but I'm just wondering if anyone else feels this way. For example, when you have friends and family members that tell you your hair will never be WL because no one in your family has ever had WL hair, do you believe them? Or do you think it can be accomplished with persistence and faith?

I think their hair never reaches the length genetics says it can get to b/c they do not understand what their hair needs and b/c of the way they are taking care of it. All the women in my family have short hair either b/c they like it that way or b/c they take horrible care of it so it is constantly breaking off. You can eat all the right foods but if you are not taking the proper care of your hair, it makes no difference. Some people no matter how healthy they eat and how much they exercise cannot put heat in their hair everyday and expect to get it WL.

 

[Creatividual]

I definately agree that genetics is involved with hairgrowth. Thats why some people have hair to their knees or to the floor. I think that most people can grow their hair to waistlength though with a lot of TLC. African Americans have dryer hair than other cultures and often put their hair through a lot of stress. I think thats why a lot of us dont reach our full hair growth potential. WAISTLENGTH HAIR CAN DEFINATELY BE ACHIEVED BY AFRICAN AMERICANS.

Totally agreed!

 

[the_UnPrettiest_pretty]

I think their hair never reaches the length genetics says it can get to b/c they do not understand what their hair needs and b/c of the way they are taking care of it. All the women in my family have short hair either b/c they like it that way or b/c they take horrible care of it so it is constantly breaking off. You can eat all the right foods but if you are not taking the proper care of your hair, it makes no difference. Some people no matter how healthy they eat and how much they exercise cannot put heat in their hair everyday and expect to get it WL.

Now that is a point well-mentioned. Try telling that to my hard-headed cousins. I made the mistake of telling them my hair goals and they just won't give me any support and encouragement and says it's all in the family. My hair will never be that long. I figure the only way it won't get that long is if my growing cycle has really peaked and will not grow any longer. Other than that, I'll continue to take my pill-poppin', growth aid usin' arse on about my business and do everything I can to prove them wrong. I know it's not a matter of me proving them wrong, it's my own personal growth goal, but it just makes me wonder sometimes. Will I ever have WL hair? Have I been sabotaged by family genetics?

 

[AvaSpeaks]

Genetics is not the whole story. It's only part of the story. And genetics really doesn't control how long your hair grows, it controls things like; hair color, thickness, maybe how fast it grows, texture, type. But not really how long.

Remember, you got two parents, and they got two parents. So know you are dealing with 2-6 people and their hair and their family's hair. Everybody hair is not going to be the same.

 

[chicacanella]

Um, I think waist length is attainable but just because everyone in your family has waist length hair or has had it in the past dooesn't mean you will either. People think that just because people in their family has had or has wl then they will too.

I take myself for example: My grandmother's hair now is thin APL because of her age but when she was younger it was longer than wl. My aunts had wl when they were younger and one now still has tailbone. Same for my dad's side but they never liked hair longer than BSL. But guess what, I never had wl hair so does that mean I can achieve it just cause my family members have?

I would like to think so but since I never had hair that long before I will just have to believe I can.

 

[SleekandBouncy]

I do believe genetics can determine hair length.
HOWEVER, there are a lot of people who have the genetics for long hair, but due to poor hair practices may not achieve it. Therefore I believe it's important that everyone (who wants it) at least try to achieve their goal because you'll never know unless you try. You can't necessarily rely on your mom's hair length as evidence of your hair's potential. There are several variables and you can always go by visuals.

Additionally, all that we do habitually can become part of the genetics we pass to our kids. Improving ones health can be part of improving the quality of future hair (strength, growth speed, thickness, etc.).

The only way one will truly know their hair's growth potential is by trying to grow it out. Who knows whether you got Mom's slow growing, weak 4b hair or great, grandmom's 4b, strong hair?

 

[chicacanella]

I do believe genetics can determine hair length.
HOWEVER, there are a lot of people who have the genetics for long hair, but due to poor hair practices may not achieve it. Therefore I believe it's important that everyone (who wants it) at least try to achieve their goal because you'll never know unless you try. You can't necessarily rely on your mom's hair length as evidence of your hair's potential. There are several variables and you can always go by visuals.

Additionally, all that we do habitually can become part of the genetics we pass to our kids. Improving ones health can be part of improving the quality of future hair (strength, growth speed, thickness, etc.).

The only way one will truly know their hair's growth potential is by trying to grow it out. Who knows whether you got Mom's slow growing, weak 4b hair or great, grandmom's 4b, strong hair?

That is the thing. You don't know unless you try and even though I have no one hair texture or length, I will continue to try.

 

[hothair]

I do believe genetics can determine hair length.
HOWEVER, there are a lot of people who have the genetics for long hair, but due to poor hair practices may not achieve it. Therefore I believe it's important that everyone (who wants it) at least try to achieve their goal because you'll never know unless you try. You can't necessarily rely on your mom's hair length as evidence of your hair's potential. There are several variables and you can always go by visuals.

Additionally, all that we do habitually can become part of the genetics we pass to our kids. Improving ones health can be part of improving the quality of future hair (strength, growth speed, thickness, etc.).

The only way one will truly know their hair's growth potential is by trying to grow it out. Who knows whether you got Mom's slow growing, weak 4b hair or great, grandmom's 4b, strong hair?

ITA with good hair practice and..So based on genetics I'm good to go!!

 

[the_UnPrettiest_pretty]

Thanks for everyone's opinions. This really helps me a lot b/c sometimes I get discouraged while going further and further down this journey and I feel like I may not make it to WL at all. But then I remember to come back here and look for lots of inspirational threads and they always help me to remember one thing: nurture vs. nature. I won't let some theory about genetics completely turn me off from achieving my goal. Now, I do believe in genetics, but I also believe in faith and determination. If I'm not meant to have WL hair, then I will accept that. But until I am proven wrong, I will continue to work toward my goal. There's just so many contradictory theories out there now about hair growth and things of that nature, so it gets confusing sometimes.

 

[chicacanella]

Thanks for everyone's opinions. This really helps me a lot b/c sometimes I get discouraged while going further and further down this journey and I feel like I may not make it to WL at all. But then I remember to come back here and look for lots of inspirational threads and they always help me to remember one thing: nurture vs. nature. I won't let some theory about genetics completely turn me off from achieving my goal. Now, I do believe in genetics, but I also believe in faith and determination. If I'm not meant to have WL hair, then I will accept that. But until I am proven wrong, I will continue to work toward my goal. There's just so many contradictory theories out there now about hair growth and things of that nature, so it gets confusing sometimes.

Sometimes, I wonder if it has to do with hair texture too because all the people I know including family members have like 3a hair and I have 3c/4acrown. But then I see alot of people with similiar hair textures and their hair has grown to ws so I am leaning towards more nurture.

And maybe you were like me when you were growing up with a mother who didn't know how to nurture your hair texture properly becuase her hair tex. was so different.

But we are in this together Cherokee and according to Robin's growafrohairlong website, 24 and sometimes even 28 inches is normal. I think she said knee lenght and stuff like that is hereditary.

 

[the_UnPrettiest_pretty]

Sometimes, I wonder if it has to do with hair texture too because all the people I know including family members have like 3a hair and I have 3c/4acrown. But then I see alot of people with similiar hair textures and their hair has grown to ws so I am leaning towards more nurture.

And maybe you were like me when you were growing up with a mother who didn't know how to nurture your hair texture properly becuase her hair tex. was so different.

But we are in this together Cherokee and according to Robin's growafrohairlong website, 24 and sometimes even 28 inches is normal. I think she said knee lenght and stuff like that is hereditary.

Maybe you and I can be buddies in achieving our goal together!! But seriously, my mommy and I have 2 different textures of hair, and although I remember her taking good care of my hair as a child, I do remember things like her putting a relaxer in my hair at an early age. She took good care of my hair, but she could have done better, which is something I look forward to when I have a little girl someday (hopefully). Now that I know so much more about hair care, I wouldn't dare treat her hair with anything less than pure and genuine TLC, regardless of her hair texture.

 

[silverlotus]

Yes there is a such thing as terminal length, but I wouldn't worry about it, especially so early in your hair journey. You'd have to be growing your hair for several years without any breakage or trims to really know what it is.

There's a discussion about this over at LHC and they seems to think the avg terminal length is WSL, or maybe even classic. Here's the link http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=71024&page=1.

 

[the_UnPrettiest_pretty]

Yes there is a such thing as terminal length, but I wouldn't worry about it, especially so early in your hair journey. You'd have to be growing your hair for several years without any breakage or trims to really know what it is.

There's a discussion about this over at LHC and they seems to think the avg terminal length is WSL, or maybe even classic. Here's the link http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=71024&page=1.

Thanks for that thread silverlotus!!!

 

[chicacanella]

Maybe you and I can be buddies in achieving our goal together!! But seriously, my mommy and I have 2 different textures of hair, and although I remember her taking good care of my hair as a child, I do remember things like her putting a relaxer in my hair at an early age. She took good care of my hair, but she could have done better, which is something I look forward to when I have a little girl someday (hopefully). Now that I know so much more about hair care, I wouldn't dare treat her hair with anything less than pure and genuine TLC, regardless of her hair texture.

Yes, I am sooo glad that I know all I know about hair and alot of things. Even if her hair texture is dif. from mine, I will still know how to take care of it.

 

[locabouthair]

I'm not sure if genetics determines how long your hair will get. It might. But if everyone in your family has always had hair no longer than NL, you can assume your hair won't grow longer than that but how will you know if you don' try. Yes no one in your family might have long hair but if they arent taking care of their hair anyway, you can't base how long your hair will grow on their length.

 

[newflowers]

I have to disagree - I do not think that genetics determines hair length. I know genetics determines hair TYPE and some types of hair require more care to retain length.

Fingernails and hair have the same basic protein structure - thus the reason for many ladies who see faster nail growth when they eat better and take supplements for hair.

Genetics may have given you a hair type that is easier to care for, but I do not think it determines the length to which you can grow your hair.

 

[the_UnPrettiest_pretty]

I'm not sure if genetics determines how long your hair will get. It might. But if everyone in your family has always had hair no longer than NL, you can assume your hair won't grow longer than that but how will you know if you don' try. Yes no one in your family might have long hair but if they arent taking care of their hair anyway, you can't base how long your hair will grow on their length.

I think this is a valid reason that alot of women that I'm around don't try to take care of their hair and get it to grow. I always hear them saying "my hair just won't grow" or "I can't grow my hair that long, it's stopped growing" or "nobody in my family has long hair". I always tell them that if they put up a conscious effort that they may be surprised as to what they can accomplish with their hair. They look at me and say "girl, I ain't got time for all that". It's pretty obvious that a lot of women around me actually believe that malarkey about genetics. They don't even try to grow their hair!!

 

[Valerie]

Genetics is not the whole story. It's only part of the story. And genetics really doesn't control how long your hair grows, it controls things like; hair color, thickness, maybe how fast it grows, texture, type. But not really how long.

Remember, you got two parents, and they got two parents. So know you are dealing with 2-6 people and their hair and their family's hair. Everybody hair is not going to be the same.

I agree, you have put it very well!

 

[Eisani]

I agree, you have put it very well!

ITA; it's a balance of nature and nurture, most def.

 

[january noir]

I agree that genetics is the key to how your hair grows.

Yes, you can care for your and improve the situation and there will be ladies who can probably attain extreme lengths in spite of genetics.

 

[Shardonay11]

I agree. However there are a number of people who will disagree and say that genetics is not entirely the sole determining factor for hair growth. For example, a few friends and I had a debate about this very topic. Their argument was that genetics has nothing to do with how long your hair grows. They say that what you put into your body and how you take care of your hair is what determines how long your hair will grow. I have my opinions and I refuse to argue with them about it, but I'm just wondering if anyone else feels this way. For example, when you have friends and family members that tell you your hair will never be WL because no one in your family has ever had WL hair, do you believe them? Or do you think it can be accomplished with persistence and faith?

I'v e had people say this to me. It just makes me more determined. I think it could have something to do with it. My father side of the family has a nice grain of hair and the women seem to be able to grow their hair to nice length. My great grandmother (on fathers side) was a black Indian and had hair hanging all down her back. On my mother side of the family although very very beauiful women. They seemed to struggle with their hair. I know it's because they had no idea how to care for it. Anyway, my grandmother (on mothers side) have said I would never achieve BSL. I say right, we shall see. I am confidence, I will achieve BSL and beyond, that's to LHCF.