Does our type really correlate with our length? TYPE 4s!

[ladytea]

4a/b with a lil 3 at the nape. The 3 hair is easier to care for and remains more balanced than the 4 hair. I've accepted it all and think of them as having different personalities. I'm mostly mostly natural. Cottany, super thick, no shine, raised cuticles on strands. Those are all challenges, but I've learned how to care for these so they are not issues anymore. I'll be right at APL when I come outta these braids.

I've been BSL before as a relaxed-head adult and as a natural child. I grow 1/2 inches per month and retained most of it.

 

[MochaEyeCandy]

I'm 4a/b, SL.

I'm not stuck at SL, I bc'd in December and I'm growing my hair out. The longest my hair has been as an adult natural is past BSL.

ETA: I think hair care techniques and product selection has more to do with length retention than anything else. If you don't know what to do, or what to use, your "progress" will be stagnant at best.

 

[MsEllie]

I'm 4a and SL - I've been trimming it since Feb to get rid of the damage that was done to it. I started SL and still am SL now I am just waiting on growth.

 

[aquajoyice]

I dont think it's so much the hair type, but the similarities in issues that people can relate to with their hair.... in any hair grouping I know that there are some 1, 2, 3 & 4's that have issues with damage that result in dry hair. And the fact that their hair is Dry is the common factor that would allow them to take advice from one another. Because hair is comprised of the same elements it would need similar things to help infuse moisture. And then there are those with oily hair that runs throughout all hair types as well. It's like the fact that there are some 4's that find certain products made for 2's and 3's work better for their hair. Instead of using the hair typing to segregate ourselves let's use it to bring us together to realize that it's all the same it just falls different.

 

[AfroKink]

So the results speak for themselves...

But what can we do to increase our retention? We know about baggying, steaming, DCin, cowashing, protective styling, moisturizing, moisture-protein balance... But why don't these techniques work as well on our hair type and what can we do?

Lys

 

[chiprecious]

Super duper 4b/4z checking in. erplexed I've never been past shoulder length.

I can't understand why 3's want to claim 4 status and then say how hard it was to get that length, when in reality, "hard" is subjective.

I will go ahead and agree with some of you ladies and say it's easier for a 3 to get more HEALTHY length than a type 4. But I don't think it's because their hair grows any faster/better/different. I really think it's because we as women, from childhood, are thought to manipulate your hair to make it look as non-Black as possible. We sat between our mother's knees to get burned weekly with the pressing comb, when she got tired of that, we were relaxed, our scalp was oiled, and some gave up and graduated to weave 24/7.

It taught us:
1. That our hair is unruly and not as cute as the wavy/curly girls.
2. If your hair is too coarse (4's) either straighten it was heat or chemicals. Don't walk around looking nappy!
3. Oil your scalp, forget your ends.
4. It taught our brothers to demand their women do the same and coarse is ugly. To this day, my brother wants (in his words) a yellow chick with "nice" hair.

However if you hair was a bit more managable (3's), you probably weren't literally forced to get a relaxer or even press. Until the last 5 or so years, there were not as many products out here for coarser textures. Which means, up until recent, it was simply harder for 4's to LEARN TO work with what they have.

I think as we progress, there will be more and more longer 4's. I'm 7 months into my transition and I intend to have BSL hair for once in my life!!!

 

[Jewell]

Voted type 4a and BSL/longer. Longest I have been is long MBL (close to waist) some years ago. I would like to grow my hair as long as possible, and have adopted a "not allowed to cut" policy for the next 6-8 years just to see how long it can get.

I do think hair type correlates with length, because the smoother textured 3's can retain length easier without the tangling and breakage that 4's often experience. That leads to a larger consensus of type 3's that have longer hair, than type 4's. I don't think one type grows faster or slower than another, but I do believe that its harder to retain what you do grow with a coarser/kinkier hair texture.

 

[yaya24]

I am 4A/B when I was relaxed and started my journey, I went from NL to APL in a little over a year.. now I'm at a 2 in TWA so i did not vote

 

[Nice Lady]

The longest my hair has been has been APL but it is due to bad practices.

 

[Mystic]

I think the way we comb our hair has a lot to with retention. I have seen the way Sera combs her hair when she detangles and it takes FOREVER!! I DO NOT have that kind of patience . By the time I get through detangling, even though I comb only when wet and try my very best to be gentle, I guarantee split ends will rear its ugly head soon. Dryness is another killer so I try to wet the hair daily. I compare my naked natural hair with my current BKT hair, and I marvel at the difference in manageability. I have to wonder what problems ladies with natural soft texture/curls have - I really do, because the difference to me is like night and day! I would give anything to be able to do daily wash and gos and define the curls using gels. My hair would be a nightware once it dries, lol. It confirms to me that a looser texture is easier to comb-through /detangle which could result in significant length over time; as compared with someone who has my hair texture. It is not surprising that many people with CNapp who relax and have a good hair routine might be better able to get to WL quicker than a natural CNapp. As a natural, my hair hasn't gotten any longer since 12/08; this never happened when I was relaxed.

This poll has definitely proven a point about length and hair texture. I am enjoying the wash and go that BKT has a afforded me and I hope it will help me to realize my hair goals. If not, I might have to go on a long term weaving challenge to get to APL sometime way in the future.

So the results speak for themselves...

But what can we do to increase our retention? We know about baggying, steaming, DCin, cowashing, protective styling, moisturizing, moisture-protein balance... But why don't these techniques work as well on our hair type and what can we do?

Lys

 

[CurlyMoo]

So since I'm a combo of 3's and 4's do I get to vote in both polls?

 

[CurlyMoo]

At the risk of being Ninja kicked , I'm going to say that 3's retain more due to less resistence of combing, brushing and other manipulation. 4's are more fragile and need delicate handling. Now that I've read most of the posts and reflect on the hair that's left in the sink after grooming are the 4's. Some days I will get one or two full strands of 3's and 20-30 broken and full strands of 4's. This helps me because I have manipulated my hair differently now, I may even have to moisturize my 4's more than my 3's because the 3's particularlly the 3b's tend to become gritty if oiled the same as the 4's.

 

[RedVelvet310]

I'm 4a/3c... I bc 21 months ago and I am right now just above APL... I probably would be apl if I didn't trim so much... and did more protective styling.

 

[JinaRicci]

Hey Mwedzi, Thanks for this! I think it's a great snapshot of the board.

Now I have all kinds of questions. LOL! Like how much are those people with looser textures inclined to use high heat, relaxers etc... and does that make a difference in retaining length? Wish more 3s had voted- maybe there aren't as many as we thought. erplexed

Still- it is so interesting how the trend towards longer hair flips right at 4a/4b.

 

[anon123]

At the risk of being Ninja kicked , I'm going to say that 3's retain more due to less resistence of combing, brushing and other manipulation. 4's are more fragile and need delicate handling. Now that I've read most of the posts and reflect on the hair that's left in the sink after grooming are the 4's. Some days I will get one or two full strands of 3's and 20-30 broken and full strands of 4's. This helps me because I have manipulated my hair differently now, I may even have to moisturized my 4's more than my 3's because the 3's particularlly the 3b's tend to become gritty if oiled the same as the 4's.

I'm glad it may help! I think you're right. 4 hair is more fragile, so it breaks more. To vote, I'd say choose the type you have the most of.

Hey Mwedzi, Thanks for this! I think it's a great snapshot of the board.

Now I have all kinds of questions. LOL! Like how much are those people with looser textures inclined to use high heat, relaxers etc... and does that make a difference in retaining length? Wish more 3s had voted- maybe there aren't as many as we thought. erplexed

Still- it is so interesting how the trend towards longer hair flips right at 4a/4b.

There are definitely more 4s than 3s amongst us. There's another poll someone did called "what's your hair type?" or something like that and there are way more 4s than 3s. 4a/b was the most common vote.

 

[PinkSkates]

My hair is type 4A. My length: when silky straight is almost WL; when kinky straight is BSL;and when 100% shrunken is SL.
And yes my hair type is the most fragile which makes it a bit more challenging to retain length...but I love a challenge!

 

[Kimdionneca]

Mwedzi,
Thank you for this poll, I voted 4a SL, my hair when it's not flat ironed is about 3 inches above my shoulders. But it is below my shoulder flat ironed.

It is good to know that 4's can go beyond what may be viewed as the "norm" with careful manipulation and a lot of moisture. I haven't been on this forum very long under a year, but I really appreciate all the good info ladies like you are providing!

Thanks

 

[vestaluv1]

From what I remember (before I relaxed) I was a 4a/4b. Although I'm transitioning and it looks as if I'm 4a, I obviously can't be 100% sure. However, I'm definately a 4 sumthin'!
Anyhoo... I'm currently top of BSL. Before the forum, my hair was never any longer than SL.

 

[Kellum]

I'm 4a/b and BSB. I voted for APL since I'm not BSL yet (I wear my bra low) and didn't want to claim it.

 

[wheezy807]

I'm 4a and BSL...

 

[goldielocs]

Not sure if locs are really part of this poll, but I'm 4b and WL.

 

[BlackDiamond21]

I am a relaxed 4a/sometimy 4b and been at BSL for the past 2+ years. I am now going into a protective style regi for 6 months to see if I can get past BSL. It is a serious challenge... I feel w/o doing this though, my hair wont go past BSL.

 

[Daughter]

4a/b, some parts hit BSL but mostly past APL.

I know people with type 4 longer than mine; I know a few ladies with type 3 hair that doesn't grow very fast or get much longer than SL.

 

[almond eyes]

4a/b SL. The front is chin length that part of my hair takes longer to grow that's where most of my 4b hair resides. It should have been longer had I known how to better take care of my extension braids before I stopped wearing them as my main hair style. Also wanted to add that I have several grains of 3c in various places that are unevenly distributed throughout my hair.

Best,
Almond Eyes

 

[JMH1908]

I'm a 4a and its currently shoulder length. It has been constantly chopped off consistently through the years . My grandmother reminds me all of the time that if I did not cut my hair do you know how long your hair would've been by now . Oh well, but anyway I know my hair tends to grow back fast after a cut, so to me it didn't matter and I took advantage of it. I was always atleast APL for a while until I would get bored with it and see a great cut, but I do remember being BSL back in high school.

 

[yellow08]

4a/b and the last time I checked my length (back in May) I was about APL

 

[vpoetic]

I am 4a/b with a little of 3c and my hair is going towards waist length (I think).