4b hair growth?
- Thread starter Ladylynn
- Start date
I have 4a/4b, but on my last stretch, my hair grew about 3/4" a month for a total of 2.5 inches in 12 weeks. I don't know whether that is fast/slow or not. I am going to increase my protein, because my hair seems to be growing a little slower this time. 
I drink lots of water and take GNC Ultra Nourishair twice a day, and Centrum Multi once a day. Other than my growth being slow so far this stretch, my hair is still healthy.
I drink lots of water and take GNC Ultra Nourishair twice a day, and Centrum Multi once a day. Other than my growth being slow so far this stretch, my hair is still healthy.
Ladylynn
Member
I confess, I don't drink a lot of water. Something I am definitely trying to change. My diet, I think it's pretty good. I'm trying to up my protein intake. I should also start taking my vitamins again. I just hate swallowing pills. But for better health and better hair, I guess I have to.
TigerLily
New Member
Going out on a limb, here...
I think that 4b hair does grow the slowest out of all hair types. It is the most fragile and drier than the other hair types and breaks faster because of all the bends and angles. I know some of it has to do with hair care and diet, but I really think it grows the slowest. The looser the curl/kink pattern, the faster the hair grows. Not an expert, however, I've seen enough heads to prove my theory correct.
I know a lot of people will disagree....that's what I truly believe and until I see something different...someone telling me it's not that way isn't gonna cut it for me anymore...
I think that 4b hair does grow the slowest out of all hair types. It is the most fragile and drier than the other hair types and breaks faster because of all the bends and angles. I know some of it has to do with hair care and diet, but I really think it grows the slowest. The looser the curl/kink pattern, the faster the hair grows. Not an expert, however, I've seen enough heads to prove my theory correct.
I know a lot of people will disagree....that's what I truly believe and until I see something different...someone telling me it's not that way isn't gonna cut it for me anymore...
CatSuga
New Member
Ladylynn said:
That is about right.
The normal rate of growth is 1/4 every 4 weeks.
Several factors play in hair growth.
Are you taking vitamins, working out, drinking water, avoiding caffeine and fats, and massaging the scalp.
Right now I don't even think that my hair is growing at all because I am under soooooooooooo much stress right now.
L
LaNecia
Guest
At least I know I'm not alone and that it's not just in my head. My hair usually creeps at about 1/4" a month, on a good month, I'll get about 1/2". When I used to retouch every 6-8 weeks, seemed to me that my hair started moving a bit faster around week 5 and 6. I've wondered if that was due to scalp trauma from the relaxers.... :scratchch
I've managed to get my growth to a little over a 1/2" a month but I think that's about as good as it is going to get. As long as it's growing, I keep it healthy and retain as much length as possible, I'll be happy with that.
I've managed to get my growth to a little over a 1/2" a month but I think that's about as good as it is going to get. As long as it's growing, I keep it healthy and retain as much length as possible, I'll be happy with that.
hopeful
Well-Known Member
Ladylynn said:
I guess I can see why you are freaking out because I just did the math and I guess if the 1/2 inch growth continues every 8 weeks you'd only get about 3 inches in a year and that's if you don't lose or cut any of it. Most of my hair is 4a but I believe I have some 4b on my sides (really spongy and major shrinkage) but it grows really fast and does not break off easily. I don't really know what to say but I always think about DSD and her motto of Don't Speak Defeat. Don't give up just yet. Maybe it will grow faster in the summer. Maybe that hair needs more moisture. But for now maybe say, I'm going to figure out what my 4b hair needs to help it grow a little quicker and then be patient with yourself and with your hair. And in the end if it does grow really slow and you can't do anything about it, embrace it, because it is growing, it's all you got and it can do things and hold styles that the other hair textures can't. Don't really know what else to say except good luck and don't give up.
prettygrl
New Member
TigerLily said:
I think you are almost right.
4B hair is definitely the most fragile and breaks because it is harder for oil (moisture) to travel down the hair shaft through all of the angles...
Because it breaks easier... it appears to grow slower, but I don't think it does.
I have 4B hair and my hair grows really quickly.
locabouthair
Well-Known Member
I heard that type 4 hair does not grow very long but I do not believe that is true. like the other people said type 4b is more fragile,breaks easier, and it's harder for moisture to get to the whole shaft, therefore you cannot retain the length. But I think it is possible for it to grow with the right diet and proper care.
Netta1
Well-Known Member
There are SEVERAL nappies (myself included) that have proved the whole "nappy hair grows slower because of its texture" ideal to be a straight up MYTH....so NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO I don't think your TEXTURE (rather 45678910ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ) has ANYTHING to do with it.
And for the record nappy hair is NOT hard to moisturize especially since water and naps go hand "n" hand. Its a matter of finding out what works best for you and treating your hair with simple care.
And for the record nappy hair is NOT hard to moisturize especially since water and naps go hand "n" hand. Its a matter of finding out what works best for you and treating your hair with simple care.
Last edited:
TigerLily
New Member
Yeah...I've seen several, too. However, the people with type 1,2,3, 4a hair outweigh the several that I've seen. What I've seen isn't a myth. Sorry, I just do not believe that....
I think texture has everything to do with it. Care and diet plays a role, but I think texture plays a bigger role. I see more type 1,2,3, 4a retain length and grow faster waaaay more than 4b's. (and I've seen a lot of heads, especially being on these darn hair forums!
)
I've had nappy hair and it was darn hard to moisturize. Water and my napps did NOT go hand in hand. My hair stayed dry! The more I wet/washed it the drier it got. (I never understood the whole 'water is the best moisturizer' saying....my hair disagreed loud and clear on that one!) I know I'm not the only one, who's had this problem, so I know it is harder to moisturize because of the bends and angles. Maybe that worked for you and some others because you're hair holds moisture, but everyone's hair does not hold moisture...
I think texture has everything to do with it. Care and diet plays a role, but I think texture plays a bigger role. I see more type 1,2,3, 4a retain length and grow faster waaaay more than 4b's. (and I've seen a lot of heads, especially being on these darn hair forums!
)I've had nappy hair and it was darn hard to moisturize. Water and my napps did NOT go hand in hand. My hair stayed dry! The more I wet/washed it the drier it got. (I never understood the whole 'water is the best moisturizer' saying....my hair disagreed loud and clear on that one!) I know I'm not the only one, who's had this problem, so I know it is harder to moisturize because of the bends and angles. Maybe that worked for you and some others because you're hair holds moisture, but everyone's hair does not hold moisture...
Last edited:
Porsche19
New Member
My 4a hair does not grow fast. Most months I get the normal half of an inch or slightly under it. Only sometimes I get 3/4 of an inch.
But
hair type has nothing to do with how much hair actually grows out of your scalp. That's different for everyone, regardless of hair type.
But
hair type has nothing to do with how much hair actually grows out of your scalp. That's different for everyone, regardless of hair type.
Porsche19
New Member
Tiger.... you serious? Water on my hair is working out marvelously, and I've got some thick, nappy hair. 4a isn't considered to be nappy?!?
Why would a certain hair type grow faster than another? Like, a scientific reason??? Retaining length is easier for looser curl patterns, but I'm talking about actually GROWING the hair. Why would a type 3 grow hair faster than a 4?
Why would a certain hair type grow faster than another? Like, a scientific reason??? Retaining length is easier for looser curl patterns, but I'm talking about actually GROWING the hair. Why would a type 3 grow hair faster than a 4?
balisi
New Member
Everything I've ever read or heard from sources "in the know" about the rate of hair growth says that average hair growth is 1/4 to 1/2 inch per month. Hair type was not mentioned as an important factor, but age and season were. Specifically, children's hair tends to grow faster than adults, and hair tends to grow faster during warm weather.
My 4a/4b hair grows can grow 1" a month if I give it a lot of TLC. I would say on average my hair grow 1/2 " a month since I never really measured my hair length. But I do not from experience that whenever I had caught my hair above my shoulders my hair grows back to shoulder length in a blink of an eye.
Hair growth is a combination of hair texture, heredity and TLC that is given to hair. My hair was always pass my shoulders and if I give TLC it grows faster than flowing water.
Hair growth is a combination of hair texture, heredity and TLC that is given to hair. My hair was always pass my shoulders and if I give TLC it grows faster than flowing water.
Seriously, who knows why things are the way that they are. Why do asians have the strongest strands of hair? Why is it so hard to imagine that a certain type of hair would grow faster than another?
TigerLily
New Member
Porsche19 said:
Yep...I'm dead serious. Why wouldn't I be? Water didn't work on my hair. It dried it out. I had to limit the amount of water I put on my hair. The more I shampooed/co-washed/wet, the drier it got,then the more products I'd have to slather on. It was ridiculous. I'm glad it's working for you, though.
I never said 4a hair wasn't nappy. I didn't imply that it wasn't.... I said MY hair was nappy, not that 4a hair wasn't.... Saying that doesn't imply anything.
I don't know why certain hair types grow faster and I don't need a scientific reason for real. I know what I see. (that includes hair albums from various sites and all)
It probably sounds stupid to others, but you know I could care less
Until I see different with my four eyes, that's just what I'll believe. 
Hey Ladies. another thing to think about is, 4a/b hair is really tightly curled...so, while when you look at it, or perhaps pull it out, it may look to be just 1/4 inch, but when fully straightened, it maybe in fact be 1 inch. I know this is the case with my hair.
I shaved the back area off because stress and overprocessing broke it off unmercifully. Now that it's growing back, I yanked a piece out the other day to examine it. In my hand, its all curled around itself and looks to the eye to be about 1/4 inch, but when i hold it between my fingers and stretch it taunt, its a little over 1.5 inches.
So, thats just something to think about also if you are looking at it unrelaxed and/or unstraightened. Oh yeah...and the hair grows slower in the cooler months also...so maybe the growth rate will pick up in the summer!
I shaved the back area off because stress and overprocessing broke it off unmercifully. Now that it's growing back, I yanked a piece out the other day to examine it. In my hand, its all curled around itself and looks to the eye to be about 1/4 inch, but when i hold it between my fingers and stretch it taunt, its a little over 1.5 inches.
So, thats just something to think about also if you are looking at it unrelaxed and/or unstraightened. Oh yeah...and the hair grows slower in the cooler months also...so maybe the growth rate will pick up in the summer!
CarLiTa
Well-Known Member
i DONT think type 4b hair grows slowly. I think my sister has 4b hair, and her hair used to be at brastrap 2.5 years ago. You would think she has waistlength now, but due to constant heat and her being so nonchalant about her hair, it's just at her shoulders now... it's such a shame... I looked at her hair two months after she got a perm, and she only had 1/2", so yeah her hair grows at 1/4" a month, which is what I get every two weeks. The reason being that she doesn't eat right, hardly drinks anything at all since she doesn't drink soda but barely drinks water too, she doesn't take vitamins... I'm really trying to get her back on track... I mean, her hair used to be longer than mine and after those two years when my hair has been at about the same length, hers only got shorter. She's going away to college and I'm trying to get her into good habits so that it doesn't all fall off...
I wrote all this to say that it might be something else. It's not the hair texture... it could be deficiency, water intake, protein intake, or you just need more circulation up there... by the way, if someone is anemic, will that cause the hair growth rate to slow down???
I wrote all this to say that it might be something else. It's not the hair texture... it could be deficiency, water intake, protein intake, or you just need more circulation up there... by the way, if someone is anemic, will that cause the hair growth rate to slow down???
CarLiTa
Well-Known Member
I dont think hair type has anything to do with growth rate... it's genetics and TLC... I always wondered:
If hair grows because the blood goes up there and feeds the follicles, does that mean that black ppl are genetically engineered to not have enough blood go up there and stimulate growth? Do white ppl have something special in their blood that makes their hair grow faster? do they have more protein than we do?
it all confuses me. One of my Chinese friends, her hair grows average. I know she gets 1/2" a month because in June 2004, her hair and mine were the same length (2 inches past shoulders) and she really wanted to grow hers out. Now, in May 2005, that's 10-11 months later, and her hair is at about mid-back. She NEVER cut her hair throughout that time and wore it out practically everyday. it's not about growth, it's about RETAINING growth. that was my problem, otherwise I would have been mid-back just like her, since my hair grew at the same rate. I wasn't able to keep the length because of heat, and bad hair care.
She washes her hair everyday during the summer, because she has oily hair, and her strands are pretty strong when you touch them. She NEVER uses heat because her hair is bone straight, which she hates... I don't think the fact she has a different hair texture helped her grow that amount of hair, it only helped her in keeping it on her head
If hair grows because the blood goes up there and feeds the follicles, does that mean that black ppl are genetically engineered to not have enough blood go up there and stimulate growth? Do white ppl have something special in their blood that makes their hair grow faster? do they have more protein than we do?
it all confuses me. One of my Chinese friends, her hair grows average. I know she gets 1/2" a month because in June 2004, her hair and mine were the same length (2 inches past shoulders) and she really wanted to grow hers out. Now, in May 2005, that's 10-11 months later, and her hair is at about mid-back. She NEVER cut her hair throughout that time and wore it out practically everyday. it's not about growth, it's about RETAINING growth. that was my problem, otherwise I would have been mid-back just like her, since my hair grew at the same rate. I wasn't able to keep the length because of heat, and bad hair care.
She washes her hair everyday during the summer, because she has oily hair, and her strands are pretty strong when you touch them. She NEVER uses heat because her hair is bone straight, which she hates... I don't think the fact she has a different hair texture helped her grow that amount of hair, it only helped her in keeping it on her head
Maybe I have characterized myself under the wrong hair type. Am I still 4a if my new growth looks like this: ^^^^^^^ (zig zag)? That's how my hair grows out. That's exactly how 2.5 inches looked on my last stretch. What type of hair is that, because I am beginning to doubt that I am 4a. 
caligirl
Well-Known Member
Jewell said:Maybe I have characterized myself under the wrong hair type. Am I still 4a if my new growth looks like this: ^^^^^^^ (zig zag)? That's how my hair grows out. That's exactly how 2.5 inches looked on my last stretch. What type of hair is that, because I am beginning to doubt that I am 4a.
I think ^^^^^^^ (zigzag) is 4b.
Mine looks like ~~~~~~(corkscrew curls) and I call myself 4a.
Jewell said:Maybe I have characterized myself under the wrong hair type. Am I still 4a if my new growth looks like this: ^^^^^^^ (zig zag)? That's how my hair grows out. That's exactly how 2.5 inches looked on my last stretch. What type of hair is that, because I am beginning to doubt that I am 4a.
zigzag are 4b
Similar threads
