Did your hair grow faster when it was relaxed or natural?

[monie20032007]

Im thinkin about going natural so thats why I ask. Or do you retain more length one way or the other?

 

[locabouthair]

I thought I would retain length more by going natural but nope, I didn't. I's day the retention and rate of growth were the same.

 

[Maynard]

I think your hair grows at the same rate.

 

[sonce]

Growth rate was the same but I retained a lot more length as a natural.

 

[carrie]

mine grows at the same rate, but natural I seem to retain A LOT more.

 

[Sashaa08]

Oddly enough, my hair is now relaxed and the longest that it has ever been. However, I think it is the fact that during the first 20 years of my life when I wasn't relaxed, I did not know how to truly take care of my hair. It was always long but never "grew." Now that I have been doing it myself, I retain a lot more length. So glad I found you, LHCF!!!!

 

[Cichelle]

All I know is that my hair stayed at bsl for years when I relaxed it. Now that it's natural, it's growing past waist. So, retention is much better natural. Or maybe it's just that I take better care of my hair now. I imagine the growth rate is the same.

 

[imstush]

^^^Same here. When I was relaxed it stayed at one length, and I didn't use direct heat, etc. All the times that I went natural my hair was the longest including now.

 

[Covergirl5906]

growth rate is the same....now that I am relaxed and not dealing with the tangles, breakage & knots on wash day...I am retaining more length. I think it depends on the person, hair type, and how they care for their hair. I feel like if I had a different hair type like say 3 something I would do well natural.

 

[PinkPeony]

As natural I never made it beyond collarbone stretched and my nape which is unrelaxed is behind in growth with my relaxed hair.
I think it's easier for me to retain as relaxed versus natural.

 

[shawniegee]

My hair grew faster relaxed because of the frequent washings. But I retained more length natural. I could never master handling two textures.

 

[Valerie]

When I had my hair relaxed, my hair would be jaw length, the only time it was longer, when it had a wave nouveau, however it was very thin and it was past shoulder length nearly bra strap length. Now it is natural, I am able to retain my length and it is nearly bra strap length.

 

[Tenacious]

Relaxed, my hair had a slow growth rate due to buildup of dandruff on my scalp and I wasn't making it any better by putting grease all over my head. My ends would snap off easily.

Natural, my hair grows like a weed (since I wash more often and avoid grease on my scalp) I've noticed that I have a slightly faster growth rate than most of my family, even when my hair was slightly damaged, I could still retain some length...Every time I get a 1" trim, it grows back to it's regular length by next month. However, I am scissor happy and I trim every 4-6 weeks.... I've just stopped doing this in November. erplexed

 

[Mena]

It grows faster natural....because when it was relaxed I wouldnt wash it as much because i didnt want it to get nappy (this is what my stylist also told me when growing up) and now i love and embrace my naps which has helped me greatly with growing my hair

 

[Sweet_Ambrosia]

When my hair was relaxed my growth rate was average, only when I would co-wash frequently and apply the C&G method it would grow faster than the average. Now that my hair is natural it definitely grows faster, no matter if I apply those methods or not.

 

[BeautifulFlower]

I believe it all depends on what methods work for you (relaxed or natural) and what you are willing to endure to get health, growth, and retention. There are tons of relaxed waist length on this board as well as naturals so whatever you think is best do that.

 

[lovelymissyoli]

My hair only grew with protective styles --- i.e. braids -- when I was relaxed. However, as a natural, I could style it as often as I wanted, in as many different styles as I wanted, and it grew and retained so much length. With that said, my vote is for natural! I added a pic below...



Right now I'm going to test this theory as a texlaxed head!

 

[SignatureBeauty]

My hair grew at the same rate being natural or relaxed, I took care of my hair as Relaxed or Natural so that was never a Problem for me. But it is all different for each person.

 

[LiberianGirl]

I'm not 100% natural but so far it seems like I am retaining more length during my transition than when I relaxed. Although it's more work, washing weekly is what my hair prefers.

 

[Songbirdb]

Natural. I don't think I manipulated it as much. I always wore it in a high pony tail or a bunch of ponytails with barretts. I was in middle school lower. My hair hasn't been that long since.

 

[felicia]

It seems to be growing faster as a natural. I bc'ed in March/April(with about 1 inch of hair) and I'm already at neck length at the back and sides. I kept cutting the crown and front thinking it was scab hair, but those areas are already catching up. My relaxed hair was long(mbl), but I think I can grow it longer with natural hair.

 

[morehairplease]

natural....def. natural for me

 

[MizAvalon]

I was natural for 4 years before I went back to being relaxed. My hair grows at the same rate either way.

 

[glamazon386]

I've retained more length as a natural.

 

[MissMarie]

Grew the same. At least I think so estimating from my growth now and how much newgrowth I'd get between touchups back then.
I definitely retained more when I stopped relaxing; I think partially b/c my hair is healthier without the chemicals, but also because of changing products and nearly eliminating heat. When relaxed I was generally around SL, sometimes chin length, sometimes almost collarbone; general SL range. Transitioning I grew some inches past my natural waist (mom argues with me about where one's waist is in regards to where I wear my pants) and now natural my longest layer is @ bsl or mbl shortest @ sl/apl (thats stretched/straightened, shoulder to armpit airdried)

 

[MysteryMe]

All I know is that my hair stayed at bsl for years when I relaxed it. Now that it's natural, it's growing past waist. So, retention is much better natural. Or maybe it's just that I take better care of my hair now. I imagine the growth rate is the same.

Co-sign....

My hair grew like crazy while it was natural for seven years. I am on my 4th touch-up (with 10-12 week strech between relaxes) and my growth seems to have really slowed down. Even to the point that I am considering going natural again. While natural I only washed, braided and greased my scalp, that's it. Very rarely conditioning, let alone anything else. Now that I prepoo, shampoo, moisturize, seal, DC w/ heat once a week, my hair seems to grow very slowly. Overall, my hair was alot healthier in its natural state.

 

[DayStar]

Grew the same. At least I think so estimating from my growth now and how much newgrowth I'd get between touchups back then.
I definitely retained more when I stopped relaxing; I think partially b/c my hair is healthier without the chemicals, but also because of changing products and nearly eliminating heat. When relaxed I was generally around SL, sometimes chin length, sometimes almost collarbone; general SL range. Transitioning I grew some inches past my natural waist (mom argues with me about where one's waist is in regards to where I wear my pants) and now natural my longest layer is @ bsl or mbl shortest @ sl/apl (thats stretched/straightened, shoulder to armpit airdried)

GURLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL your hair is FIYAH!!!

 

[inthepink]

No difference for me. I have the same growth rate as I always did. I thought I have an easier time retaining length being natural and I think I will once I lay off the heat!

 

[silkii_locks]

MY hair absolutely thrived when I went natural in 2000. I cut it down to about 1" maybe 1 1/2". I used to wash it every morning, rub some isoplus light conditioning gel through and go. I even had the sides cropped really close to give it some shape. After a few weeks I had to cut it again to keep the style. Eventually I stopped cutting and let it grow and boy did it ever. It was so healthy, thick and shiney. I also discovered that my natural hair color is actually darker than I thought! My natural hair color is dark brown almost black, but the relaxers turn it a soft, medium brown color with all sorts of highlights. It had grown to chin length in a few months. But my hair is extremely thick and just couldn't handle it anymore so I gave in and relaxed and I've pretty much been stuck at the length in my pics ever since. I often wonder how long my hair would be today had I stayed natural. I've actually been thinking about going back, maybe this thread will help me make up my mind.

 

[moni_kerr]

My hair grew about the same I just cut it more often when it was relaxed because I never took care of my ends.