Does Relaxed Hair Grow Faster than Natural Hair?

[BostonMaria]

I don't think the hair grows faster. It's all natural when it grows out of your scalp. I'm sure shrinkage with natural hair makes it appear that it isn't growing as much. Also, there's no new growth so you can't actually see where the new hair has come in.

I agree with this post. It all grows in natural so it has nothing to do with relaxers or being natural. My hair shrinks up to my neck natural, but straight its APL. For me not having a relaxer let's me retain length. For others its hard to retain length being natural because their hair tangles up really badly. I voted it depends on the person.

 

[Aggie]

It doesn't matter to me if relaxed or natural hair grows faster, as long as it grows I am very happy. I love the look of both but at the moment I only have the patience for one.

 

[Saida]

For some reason when my hair gets at least an inch of new growth, it grows faster to me. And I'm relaxed but I've been relaxing every six months. It seems llike after a relaxer it take forever to get new growth but once I get a lot. The growth takes off! But that's just me.

Thats exactly how I am too, after a relaxer my hair takes forever to grow, but once I have a lot of new growth it grows faster

 

[Casarela]

I think thats the same question as asking if the person with dyed hair will grow faster hair than the person with hair that have never been dyed. IMHO...the answer varies from one person to another why??? Because its really an issue of how you retain lenght and thats in straight correlation with your technique and skills and regimen as well. The state of the hair wether its natural or relaxed doesnt matter. I think on LHCF we have living proofs of that beautiful relaxed and natural heads. However , lets not deny that some people find it easier to deal with relaxed hair and others find it easier with natural hair .

Hope I helped,

Casarela

 

[*Muffin*]

No, relaxed hair doesn't grow faster, and I'm not sure if it's right to say natural hair grows faster either. It really has more to do with length retention and keeping your hair from breaking. You could have a relaxed head that stretches their relaxers, doesn't manipulate their hair much, and almost never heat straightens and it seems as if their hair grows like a weed (when really it's because their hair isn't breaking much) and you can have a natural head who heat straightens her hair to the hilt and over manipulates it and it seems not to grow very fast (when really it may just be breaking), and vice versa. As long as you take care of your hair and focus not only on growth but also on length retention, you should be able to grow your hair whether relaxed or natural.

 

[Qetesh]

i think regardless of chemicals hair growth remains about the same.

retention can vary depending on what each individual is doing to her hair.

my growth rate is not slower than any relaxed chick. if i take care of my ends i retain growth quite well also. thats a IF because my ends will tangle on itself easily if i am not careful... and when blown out i have to resist using heat too often.

 

[locabouthair]

I dont think so at all.

I've many naturals on this site get more growth than I've ever gotten.

But I dont think one grows faster than the other.

You have to consider different things and look at it on an individual basis.

How much shrinkage does the person have?

Their diet, exercise, lifestyle, even the climate all affect growth.

Less manipulation, less heat, more moisture can allow you to keep what it coming out of your scalp.

 

[locabouthair]

Also I should say I'm relaxed and I was natural when I came to the board and my hair grows the same rate no matter what.

 

[Hot40]

After reading the thread wanna go natural, it reminded me to ask the question I keep forgetting to ask every time I come to LHCF. Does relaxed hair grow much faster than natural hair?

I just happen to wonder because it seems that most ladies on here who are relaxed seem to have better hair growth progress in having relaxed hair and stretching in between touch ups. Believe me, I've seen some beautiful heads of hair on this forum that's natural, but it just seems so much easier to have relaxed hair and watch for the new growth, and care for it.

I've been natural for three years after transitioning from relaxed hair. I didn't realize however how much thicker and coarser my hair is. It also seems to grow much slower in comparison when I had relaxed hair. Does it have something to do with my curl pattern being much looser allowing moisture to sink in? I ask this because now that I'm natural, every time I add moisture, my hair seems to drink it up and dry out like a desert. I only wash twice a week and add light oils such as grapeseed and jojoba. But the only time I seem to be getting anywhere is when my hair flat ironed and not tightly coiled in natural curls. I hope to use caruso steam rollers to do the trick in making my hair a bit more manageable.

I apologize, I just had to vent out my frustration at that moment. But I am still curious for your answers and opinions.

Great Question

 

[sweetcocoa]

For me personally, I would have to say no. I went from relaxed to natural back to relaxed and I have to say my hair grew much faster when I was natural.

 

[seraphim712]

Wow, I can't believe this thread is still going stong

I asked this question when I first joined LHCF; but I do hope that the answers here do help many people with their hair journey decision.

 

[luckiestdestiny]

I believe that the growth rate is the same for healthy relaxed and natural heads. The difference that you are talking about may be in the retention of hair. I dont know, but if I were to theorize, maybe the looser curl pattern of relaxed hair facilitates (for some people) better retention because there is less manipulation?

Hmmmm.

The reason I've flat ironed lately (when I'm not in braids). I noticed less tangling (from 4a kinks/curlies) equal more retention. Even with slow detangling, there's just more manipulation. so by flat ironing, on a daily basis there is less manipulation. Now yes there's heat but I covered that w/ Moisture Block and I'm darn near close if not hitting Midback now, and in March I was kissing brastra

Re edit, I wanted to clarify. flat ironing once every two weeks leaves , on a daily basis less manipulation.

 

[luckiestdestiny]

I could not retain growth beyond BSL with relaxers. Now that I am natural, I am able to retain the growth and my hair is longer than it ever was relaxed. If the growth rate is better now, it has to do with other factors, like nutrition, rather than the relaxed/natural difference. IMO.

I'm wondering if this has to do with who is applying relaxer, and overprocessing more than the relaxer treatment. However, that's what's keeping me on the fence and staying natural!

 

[luckiestdestiny]

Wow, I can't believe this thread is still going stong

I asked this question when I first joined LHCF; but I do hope that the answers here do help many people with their hair journey decision.

Funny. I thought this was a new thread

 

[moonglowdiva]

I don't think relaxed hair grows any faster than natural hair it's just that with relaxed hair you can see the progress because it is straight. If natural hair seems not to be growing it is because the hair is breaking faster than the results are being seen. The same thing goes for relaxed hair. Natural hair shrinks with any little moisture so you won't recognize growth because the strands are coiled up. I think that natural hair is a little more difficult to take care of because it is fragile but it can be done an example of this would be zzirvingj (btw I just love her hair). I'm not natural but that child in my siggy is. You cannot manipulate natural hair daily. Shucks, you can't manipulate relaxed hair daily. You have to be on top of the moisture game and protect those ends. This is just my 2 pennies.

 

[Country gal]

My hair thrives without the perm. It is really thick and is growing nicely.

 

[msdeevee]

No, relaxed hair does not grow faster.

I have been natural for 5 years and my hair care has been hit or miss.

My hair is longer now than it's ever been relaxed.

 

[BeautifulNameX]

To me it seems like My natural hair grows faster. Because its already the length it was befor I BC but it just like draws up and seems short.

 

[seraphim712]

Funny. I thought this was a new thread

No it isn't lol if you go back you can see that it was started back in 2006

 

[Naturelle]

The growth rate of your hair does not change because you decide to change the texture of it. It still grows at the same rate albeit, not considering growth aids.

It seems like there is more progress cause with us naturelle heads, our new growth is our hair...there is no obvious difference between what has newly gorwn out of our scalp and the hair that has already been growned (yeah I said it, growned )

It appears longer with relaxed heads because the hair is straight, so when new hair pushes you are able to see it and say "oh yay, my hair is growing look at all the new growth I have, well time to get a relaxer"

There appears to be more progress, but that's just an illusion. If you were to straighten your hair more frequently you might notice the growth a bit more. What you also might notice however is that you're not retaining the length if you're not careful with your straightening habits. I can vouch for that .

 

[jendazzler]

It depends on several factors. In winter, I was cowashing and stretching a perm. In summer, I straightened it every week and it grew faster. I think it was the warm weather and my morning jogs that made the difference. If I was completely natural, I believe my hair would grow fast. I relax my hair 2-3 times a year.

 

[czyfaith77]

I voted wrong. I said yes because I read the question wrong (was on the phone). Anywho, from my personal experience going natural last year natural hair grows faster. Again, this is my personal experience. Last year my hair was about an inch from bra strap. I stretched for a while and when my hair was long enough to cornrow which was about 2-3 inches. I then wore a sew in from then until now. My hair is about 2-3 inches shy of where I was before I cut my hair. And I easily could have been there now but I did have a couple of trims that now I know I could have done without (that whole dry ends things and simply not knowing what to do.)

 

[Duchesse]

My natural hair just stays on my head longer, thus appearing to grow faster.

 

[Lucky's Mom]

After reading the thread wanna go natural, it reminded me to ask the question I keep forgetting to ask every time I come to LHCF. Does relaxed hair grow much faster than natural hair?

I just happen to wonder because it seems that most ladies on here who are relaxed seem to have better hair growth progress in having relaxed hair and stretching in between touch ups. Believe me, I've seen some beautiful heads of hair on this forum that's natural, but it just seems so much easier to have relaxed hair and watch for the new growth, and care for it.

I've been natural for three years after transitioning from relaxed hair. I didn't realize however how much thicker and coarser my hair is. It also seems to grow much slower in comparison when I had relaxed hair. Does it have something to do with my curl pattern being much looser allowing moisture to sink in? I ask this because now that I'm natural, every time I add moisture, my hair seems to drink it up and dry out like a desert. I only wash twice a week and add light oils such as grapeseed and jojoba. But the only time I seem to be getting anywhere is when my hair flat ironed and not tightly coiled in natural curls. I hope to use caruso steam rollers to do the trick in making my hair a bit more manageable.

I apologize, I just had to vent out my frustration at that moment. But I am still curious for your answers and opinions.

ALL hair Grows at the SAME rate.

 

[SlantedEyezMiss2003]

After reading the thread wanna go natural, it reminded me to ask the question I keep forgetting to ask every time I come to LHCF. Does relaxed hair grow much faster than natural hair?

I just happen to wonder because it seems that most ladies on here who are relaxed seem to have better hair growth progress in having relaxed hair and stretching in between touch ups. Believe me, I've seen some beautiful heads of hair on this forum that's natural, but it just seems so much easier to have relaxed hair and watch for the new growth, and care for it.

I've been natural for three years after transitioning from relaxed hair. I didn't realize however how much thicker and coarser my hair is. It also seems to grow much slower in comparison when I had relaxed hair. Does it have something to do with my curl pattern being much looser allowing moisture to sink in? I ask this because now that I'm natural, every time I add moisture, my hair seems to drink it up and dry out like a desert. I only wash twice a week and add light oils such as grapeseed and jojoba. But the only time I seem to be getting anywhere is when my hair flat ironed and not tightly coiled in natural curls. I hope to use caruso steam rollers to do the trick in making my hair a bit more manageable.

I apologize, I just had to vent out my frustration at that moment. But I am still curious for your answers and opinions.

IMO, it depends on how YOU take care of your hair after the relaxer and when it's natural......my cousin is 100% relax (no texlaxing, no growth aids, no LHCF, ETC...) and her hair is down her waist, probably pass now......so it's not the relaxer or it being in it's natural state, it's how you take care of it......

 

[loulou82]

I think they grow at the same rate. But whether you retain the length depends on your hair care practices. Some people don't know how to retain the length they get either way. Since I've joined hair boards I think I could retain the same amount as a relaxed head or as a natural.

 

[femalegold]

For my hair I'm getting greater results being natural. There is a big difference the way that my relaxed hair grew and the way my natural hair is growing now. My hair is alot thicker and growing very healthy. I'm really interested in trying out the henna. I've only been natural for 10 months so I'm still learning about my natural hair.

 

[shae101s]

After reading the thread wanna go natural, it reminded me to ask the question I keep forgetting to ask every time I come to LHCF. Does relaxed hair grow much faster than natural hair?

I just happen to wonder because it seems that most ladies on here who are relaxed seem to have better hair growth progress in having relaxed hair and stretching in between touch ups. Believe me, I've seen some beautiful heads of hair on this forum that's natural, but it just seems so much easier to have relaxed hair and watch for the new growth, and care for it.

I've been natural for three years after transitioning from relaxed hair. I didn't realize however how much thicker and coarser my hair is. It also seems to grow much slower in comparison when I had relaxed hair. Does it have something to do with my curl pattern being much looser allowing moisture to sink in? I ask this because now that I'm natural, every time I add moisture, my hair seems to drink it up and dry out like a desert. I only wash twice a week and add light oils such as grapeseed and jojoba. But the only time I seem to be getting anywhere is when my hair flat ironed and not tightly coiled in natural curls. I hope to use caruso steam rollers to do the trick in making my hair a bit more manageable.

I apologize, I just had to vent out my frustration at that moment. But I am still curious for your answers and opinions.

This might be why it ends up feeling really drying even after moisturizing....You need to apply some form of moisturizing product after washing, like a leave in conditioner, a hair milk, (Cantu-Shea Butter, Happy Nappy, Elucence just to name a few options). Then apply the oil to seal! Hope this helps and you see some differences I know I did. I used to just wash, then apply some moisturizer, but never sealed it in, and I got the same problem, then I did what u did, wash, no moisturizer but oiled, and same problem, then finally I realized I needed both.

And oh, as far as hair growth. I'd say your hair grows the same rate, relaxed or natural, it's your maintenance that will make it seem slower or faster (trust I proved this to myself, was lazy for a few months, did nothing to my hair, it seemed like it wasnt growing but it did just really slowly, then I got back on my grind and voila, my hair was loving the moisture) So it's all in the retention and maintenance. HHG!

 

[blue_flower]

I noticed with myself that my hair grows longer when I don't apply chemicals to it as much. Back in the day I used to relax my hair every 3 months and I never noticed a change in length. But when I don't touch up as much or even if I decide to just straighten it with heat, I notice growth.

 

[yellow08]

I voted no...I think its about retention