An Afro a Day Keeps Length Away?

[MonPetite]

Thanks ladies!

 

[cmw45]

Hmm...well, I can only speak for myself, but I don't retain nearly as much length when I wear my hair out as I do when it is in protective styles ocassionally. I am not a complete protective styler but I also don't wear my hair out all of the time.

 

[Bigghair]

I wear my hair out a lot and I retain length. I think it depends on the moisture level of your hair, your climate, and how you are handling your hair when it is out.

When my hair is out most of the time it is up in a puff. If it is out in a puff or an afro for a week, I NEVER pick or comb it. I finger style and go. I think if you are having to pick and comb your out style daily that might have a negative effect on length retention.

 

[Mimi22]

My mom used to tell me this all the time while taking care of my hair (when younger). She said leaving the ends out too much makes it prone to environmental damage by wind, snow etc

I think its tru to an extent.

 

[justNikki]

I wear my hair out 99% of the time...no length retention problems here.

Another example....ladylibra...I know she does protective styling sometimes, but she seems to have her hair out a lot as well. Most of the women on NC wear their hair out as well and their hair is growing.

I think it's about how you maintain your hair.

ETA: I 100% agree re: the picking daily. Picking is murderous on afro hair. I don't understand how anyone can do that regularly. When the hair starts curling and coiling back on itself, lawd, what a mess.

 

[KrimsonKween]

Well I never wear my hair in protective styles. Weaves break me out and make me feel like something is crawling in my head. I have thin sides so I don't use head wraps often maybe one every two months when I am just lazy. I wet my hair evey day x2 and oil x2. Even though I bleached my hair and dyed it I have no problems with breakage at all. I tried a blow out for 2 days but one side of my hair is longer than the other. But over all my hair is very healthy and it is still growing becasue I can see the natural color coming in nicly att he root. Alot of protective styles are just not for me. I am allergic almost everything.

Length is 2 1/2 top and sides, 2 in the back and 1/2 at nape.

 

[DeepBluSea]

It is true for me to an extent. When I was in the TWA stage no problem. But once I got the in-between stage, it became more difficult. This winter when I did wear puffs, I just spritzed and fluffed with my fingers. I think you will get in trouble if you try to comb and detangle daily.

 

[KrimsonKween]

Oh ya I don't do alot to my hair. After evoo, eco and moisturizer I leave my hair alone until I spray again that night. I don't try to comb or brush i fluff with my fingers morning and massage with the balls of my fingers at night.

 

[DMJ's Mom]

the first time I went natural I constantly wore my hair in braidouts and never ever had a problem retaining length.

 

[anon123]

It is true for me to an extent. When I was in the TWA stage no problem. But once I got the in-between stage, it became more difficult. This winter when I did wear puffs, I just spritzed and fluffed with my fingers. I think you will get in trouble if you try to comb and detangle daily.

this seems right. lots of people wear twas with no problem. once it gets longer, depending on a variety of things like humidity in air and your texture and so forth, your hair may tangle more and more. more tangles means harsher detangling which will mean less length retention. i think if you find your hair is not tangling, it'll be okay to wear it out. mine tangles.

 

[blkbeauty]

this seems right. lots of people wear twas with no problem. once it gets longer, depending on a variety of things like humidity in air and your texture and so forth, your hair may tangle more and more. more tangles means harsher detangling which will mean less length retention. i think if you find your hair is not tangling, it'll be okay to wear it out. mine tangles.

Exaclty. I don't think its a matter of how you wear your hair but how are you taking care of it the way you are wearing it. If you wear it out (afro), please remember that can eventually lead to tangling and having to detangling. Also contant detangling with a brush or comb can be harsh to the hair.

In my experience as a natural and I have many mishaps. I've learned to just leave my hair alone. Contant anything on natural hair can be detrimental.

 

[AfroKink]

My hair is the opposite. I have very thin, barely there strands. If I wore an afro an a daily basis, I would see negative effects. It would tangle, dry out, and break. Thankfully, I love twists and braids. I wore my hair twisted and braided even when I was relaxed!

Anyways, I think your texture will play a role. Since you have coarse hair (thick strands) it will probably be able to hold up better.

Lys

 

[MonPetite]

Thank you for all your responses!

I can see it being an issue at the SL mark as it can be for relaxed and texlaxed hair. erplexed At that point I'd have to protective style during the winter at the very least, so that issue may take care of itself.

I poo, cowash, and detangle daily because my tight, 3c/4a hair won't have it any other way. LOL. I've tried infrequent washing and weekly detangling and actually suffered set backs. I tried no-pooing and my hair revolted (I use gentle poos though, unless I'm reviewing an SLS shampoo).

I fuzz it into a 4a/4ab fro because it is easier to maintain an even texture (no worries about curl definition) and because I'm training myself to not like my hair because "it's curly" (sounds too much like that good hair, bad hair hogwash) but because it's the way it was meant to be.


Again, I appreciate your responses! Any other thoughts? Especially from longer hair naturals who's hair grows down (which mine will at SL length, so I'm nervous about that turn of events)? Any other perspectives will be greatly appreciated!

 

[LadyKaypnyc]

I'm not sure, I alternate between wearing protective and nonprotective styles...sometimes I'll go months w/o wearing a protective style, and my hair still grows...but then again, I sometimes go months wearing protective styles, so IDK

 

[Sunshine0801]

I can't retain length if I manipulate my hair daily, so no, I couldn't wear an afro all the time and reach my hair goals.

 

[vpoetic]

I think that a lot of it has to do with keeping your hair moisturize. A lot of people who has type 4a/b has nature dry hair and when you don't keep it moisturize it starts to break. When I wear my hair in an afro I don't usually have problems because I am always putting something in my hair. Plus you have to remember not to comb it too much.

 

[danigurl18]

bumo bump bump

 

[loolalooh]

I wear my hair out a lot and I retain length. I think it depends on the moisture level of your hair, your climate, and how you are handling your hair when it is out.

When my hair is out most of the time it is up in a puff. If it is out in a puff or an afro for a week, I NEVER pick or comb it. I finger style and go. I think if you are having to pick and comb your out style daily that might have a negative effect on length retention.

ITA. I wore my hair out when I was relaxed and still like to wear it out as a natural. Daily shrunken fros WILL hurt my hair, but wearing twistout fros has allowed me to retain length. I don't comb often either.

 

[Violets-are-blue]

My hair is the opposite. I have very thin, barely there strands. If I wore an afro an a daily basis, I would see negative effects. It would tangle, dry out, and break. Thankfully, I love twists and braids. I wore my hair twisted and braided even when I was relaxed!

Anyways, I think your texture will play a role. Since you have coarse hair (thick strands) it will probably be able to hold up better.

Lys

This is me. I once wore my hair out in a bantu-knot out for one day. It was mucho cute, but i -knew- I'd be paying for it later. I think i put it in buns or something for a few days before I washed it out. I ended up detangling in my bath-tub -forever- because I knew it'd be too long for me standing up. Since then, I decided to wear my hair in braids/twists 90% of the time.

I think your hair diameter and texture definitely plays a role in what it can and can't handle.

If your hair seems to be doing fine and not have any tangling issues, then go for it Just monitor it to make sure wearing it out isn't causing any issues and keep taking good care of it. ^^

 

[msa]

My hair gets too tangly and dry if I wear it out often. But, I know lots of people who can wear an afro every single day. So, if you're not experiencing breakage and it's not hindering your progress, go ahead. It's always nice to see an afro out on the street.

 

[LunadeMiel]

I wear my hair out everyday and have no length retention problems. I wear a bun 1 week out of the month.

 

[naijamerican]

Thank you for all your responses!

I can see it being an issue at the SL mark as it can be for relaxed and texlaxed hair. erplexed At that point I'd have to protective style during the winter at the very least, so that issue may take care of itself.

I poo, cowash, and detangle daily because my tight, 3c/4a hair won't have it any other way. LOL. I've tried infrequent washing and weekly detangling and actually suffered set backs. I tried no-pooing and my hair revolted (I use gentle poos though, unless I'm reviewing an SLS shampoo).

I fuzz it into a 4a/4ab fro because it is easier to maintain an even texture (no worries about curl definition) and because I'm training myself to not like my hair because "it's curly" (sounds too much like that good hair, bad hair hogwash) but because it's the way it was meant to be.


Again, I appreciate your responses! Any other thoughts? Especially from longer hair naturals who's hair grows down (which mine will at SL length, so I'm nervous about that turn of events)? Any other perspectives will be greatly appreciated!

(Lol, I know this is an old thread!)

I do the same thing. I have 4A (crown) and 4B (everywhere else) hair. I always wear it in a fro and shape it with my hands to make it look uniform, or fluff it out with my fingers. I co-wash daily. I think co-washing and maintaining a high moisture level has helped my hair retain length; otherwise there's no way I could wear a fro. As it gets cooler and dryer I will definitely be twisting it.

 

[KizzieNapps]

I've tried infrequent washing and weekly detangling and actually suffered set backs.

Your hair sounds just like mine. I heard that co-washing daily and wearing the fro out is too much mani. But my hair is not having anything else right now. When I detangled weekly; my hair was getting knots and breaking but I have no problems as long as I keep it detangled everyday. Also, I have to poo at least twice a week or my hair will get too much build-up and start breaking. So, I too am worried about when it gets longer what I will do with it. I have no problems right now...my hair's doing great but I guess I'll cross that road when I get to it. But uh, it sure would be nice to hear from naturals who's hair was like mine in the TWA stage.

 

[Poohbear]

I do not believe an afro a day keeps length away.

I wear my natural hair out in a fro most of the time, sometimes twistouts and braidouts and puffs. The key to retaining length is to avoid excessive and/or rough combing which can break off the ends of your hair strands.

 

[JustKiya]

It really, really, really depends on your hair.

Mine? No. I would wear an afro if I was happy with my length and wanted to maintain. In order for my hair to retain, though, it has to 1) stay detangled 2) be only marginally mainipulated and 3) be protected.

An afro violates all three of those.

 

[frankie]

What about an afro puff?

I was wearing my hair in a puff daily before I got it twisted this past Saturday. I co-washed/rinsed daily in the shower and detangled when necessary. I finger shaped my puff and used conditioner sealed with castor oil. I don't think I've had any retention issues.

 

[almond eyes]

I think it all boils down to moisture retention. An Afro wash and go is too drying unless you keep your hair short and rinse everyday or so.

Best,
Almond Eyes

 

[ladylibra]

hey, i made it to BSL while wearing my hair out or in a puff almost all the time. and the puff actually was worse cuz my hair would tangle and mat more. i'm sure i could've achieved more even faster with protective styling but i'm not sweating it. this works just fine for me

 

[brucebettye]

I wear my hair out in an afro or an afro puff every day and i still retain length. Put I do not comb my hair everyday, just finger comb and baggie my hair ever night to keep my hair moisturized.