Genetics and the hope of longer hair

[Bellamystic]

Personally me, I don't believe in the genetics myth. I do believe genetics determine your hair type and has little effect on how long the hair can grow. The reason I say this is because even though the hair follicle has a certain life length does not mean you can't get the results you want. If you push hard to get as much hair as you can out of them follicles before the death of it you can get any amount of hair you want. Another thing scientist don't tell you is that at any given time not all of the hair follicles on your head have the same life length and they don't all end their cycles at the same time. For instance, your nape area for which we call BABY HAIR is the prime example. If they say the shortest life length is 2 years, who could have known if they were studying the baby hair? That is good news for us because we can do numerous of things to prolong the life of those follicles. Those include vitamins and enzymes. It is true that genetics determine how easy it is to retain length due to hairtypes that are stronger than average. If I believed the hype that genetics is the MAIN purpose that determines hair length, I would have given up a long time ago. My hair is longer and healthier than it is ever been thanks to this board and proper haircare. Another thing the critics don't tell you is that height and proportion plays a part in the life of hair follicles. If you are short, your hair follicles life length may be shorter than a taller person's, but that doesn't mean you can't get hair dragging to the floor. Hair NEVER stops growing unless you have an illness that prevents that. Also, when hair gets longer, it is a pain in the *** to deal with so many believe their hair follicles has died off or their hair has just stopped growing. In most cases that is not true at all. That is the best time to start protective styling, just when u THINK ur follicles has died off or ur hair supposedly stopped growing which is very uncommon. If u need a relaxer every 8-12 weeks then ur hair has NOT stopped growing, retention is key. I wrote this article to encourage ladies not to listen to the hype its BS and anybody, male or female can grow long hair to where they want it despite genetics due to hard work and determination. On my dad's side of the family, nobody has long, thick hair and they consider my hair long, but I have a journey to complete still and don't consider it long yet. On my mom's side their hair seems to grow fast, but stops a little bit past shoulder length. If I based my hair on this I would have given up a long time ago. Right now my hair is a little bit past shoulder length in less than 10 months starting from 2 inches. I am not giving up and I hope I have inspired someone to keep going no matter what science says. My hair is thick also, something I sure didn't get from my dad's side. Keep growing, don't stop! F **k science and their unfinished observations.

 

[msa]

Can you break that up into paragraphs? It's hard to read.

 

[LongCurlz]

If genetics determine hair texture, curl pattern...ect.., why would it not determine growth rate? I personally have seen women who's hair grows and inch per month, and most of the women in there family all have long hair, and I have seen women who hair grows 1/4 inch month and most of the women in her family hair is short, but her hair is long becuase she knows how to retain her length.

Just becuase you were born with a slow growth rate does not mean that you cant grow hair long. Its nothing to get angry about if genetics do play a role in hair growth rates, you just gotta know whats best for your hair.

 

[msa]

Personally me, I don't believe in the genetics myth. I do believe genetics determine your hair type and has little effect on how long the hair can grow. The reason I say this is because even though the hair follicle has a certain life length does not mean you can't get the results you want. If you push hard to get as much hair as you can out of them follicles before the death of it you can get any amount of hair you want. Another thing scientist don't tell you is that at any given time not all of the hair follicles on your head have the same life length and they don't all end their cycles at the same time. For instance, your nape area for which we call BABY HAIR is the prime example. If they say the shortest life length is 2 years, who could have known if they were studying the baby hair? That is good news for us because we can do numerous of things to prolong the life of those follicles. Those include vitamins and enzymes. It is true that genetics determine how easy it is to retain length due to hairtypes that are stronger than average. If I believed the hype that genetics is the MAIN purpose that determines hair length, I would have given up a long time ago. My hair is longer and healthier than it is ever been thanks to this board and proper haircare. Another thing the critics don't tell you is that height and proportion plays a part in the life of hair follicles. If you are short, your hair follicles life length may be shorter than a taller person's, but that doesn't mean you can't get hair dragging to the floor. Hair NEVER stops growing unless you have an illness that prevents that. Also, when hair gets longer, it is a pain in the *** to deal with so many believe their hair follicles has died off or their hair has just stopped growing. In most cases that is not true at all. That is the best time to start protective styling, just when u THINK ur follicles has died off or ur hair supposedly stopped growing which is very uncommon. If u need a relaxer every 8-12 weeks then ur hair has NOT stopped growing, retention is key. I wrote this article to encourage ladies not to listen to the hype its BS and anybody, male or female can grow long hair to where they want it despite genetics due to hard work and determination. On my dad's side of the family, nobody has long, thick hair and they consider my hair long, but I have a journey to complete still and don't consider it long yet. On my mom's side their hair seems to grow fast, but stops a little bit past shoulder length. If I based my hair on this I would have given up a long time ago. Right now my hair is a little bit past shoulder length in less than 10 months starting from 2 inches. I am not giving up and I hope I have inspired someone to keep going no matter what science says. My hair is thick also, something I sure didn't get from my dad's side. Keep growing, don't stop! F **k science and their unfinished observations.

The bold is just incorrect.

Genetics/biology do determine your growth rate and the length of your hair's life cycle. Growth rate may be able to be manipulated, but I haven't seen any conclusive evidence of that so far. Because certain things are predetermined there is a point after which your hair won't get any longer, that's terminal length. Some people will never have hair to the floor no matter what they do because the life cycle of their hair is too short and/or their growth rate is below average.

Height and proportion have nothing to do with how long your hair will grow. The only thing they have in common is that they are both determined by your individual biology.

But, you're right that you shouldn't give up and you definitely should take good care of your hair.

 

[ladylibra]

it isn't hype. i mean... we've established that different people have different growth rates, right? heck, some of us even have different growth rates ON THE SAME HEAD, like me! why is that so easy to understand, but the concept of terminal length so difficult? everything in life is part nature (what your genes say), part nurture (how you care for it).

all the women on my mom's side of the family are big women. and now after having a kid, i'm kind of on the bigger side too. so i should just give up and go drown my sorrows in a pint of ice cream.

NO!

it just means i might have to work harder at losing weight than say, someone who has a higher metabolism and can keep weight off easily. it means i might never be a size 0, but it doesn't mean i can't get down to a smaller goal weight that is healthy and makes me happy.

man. i know after a lifetime of being told "you can't have long hair, it's not in your genes!" people feel a renewed hope upon finding this site and seeing that black women of all hairtypes have reached amazing lengths... and some of you feel that "terminal length" is just a new way of saying you can't have long hair. it is not a negative thing!

most people, not just black women but of all races, don't know their terminal length. most people aren't interested in finding out. they either cut their hair into cute short styles, or grow it out to a certain length and *think* that's the longest they can get it. sometimes, as you stated OP, they may have just hit a wall.

i have a gray hair on my temple, that sprouted sometime while i was pregnant with my son. i am currently tracking it as my own personal test of terminal length. so far, it's been there about 4 years. mind you, i've cut my hair several times, so i won't truly know what my terminal length might have been on that silver strand. but if it were to shed today, i can do the math and say, the terminal length on that strand would've been 24 inches. it's still there so... we shall see when it sheds.

 

[BroadstreetBully]

Genetics is the core of how long your hair will grow. If you take care of your hair, you'll reach that 'predetermined' length. If you neglect your hair, you'll have a harder time reaching that length because of breakage.

I believe the average woman can reach somewhere around WSL/HL. Not every woman will be able to go beyond that. When we talk about EXTREME lengths like Classic and knee length, genetics truly kick in.

 

[MizzBrown]

Folks just dont want to believe that there is a strong possibility that you may NOT have Waist length hair...EVER.

Why is that so hard to grasp?

 

[Bellamystic]

I am sorry if my post was too long, but I had a lot to get off my chest. I know you ladies say that genetics kick in when u try to get mystical lengths, but my point was to get as much hair out of them darn follicles before it dies off using good regimens especially vitamins and enzymes. There are so many enzymes in the world that probably no 1 person has discovered them all. It's all about people who believe they can't get what they want due to genetics. If anyonne believes enough, anything is possible. I believe I can get to waist length even though it may not be in my terminal length, but then again I'm short I may get there next year. BELIEVE that's all I'm saying.

 

[Bellamystic]

Folks just dont want to believe that there is a strong possibility that you may NOT have Waist length hair...EVER.

Why is that so hard to grasp?

Maybe you feel this way, but I have seen success stories and not on this board alone. People walking your very streets. If u use the right things at the right time + protective styles you will be ammazed. Sorry you feel this way.

 

[belle_reveuse28]

Well regardless of terminal lengths, as someone has already said, most people have a terminal length around WL/HL, and I believe that is totally true... And as someone on the board posted before on this recurring topic, that thank God our heads are round, and so therefore, if most people's hair will grow 2 feet in length, then the average person, and the hair at the back of their head would go down to their waist. Even if your hair only grew 16 inches, you'd still have a pretty good head of hair. And so even though genetics say your hair will only grow a foot and a half just about, so what, it's still pretty long hair. I doubt that there are many people who's hair grows under a foot and I would bet most grow hair more than a foot and a half... So be cheerful and expecting and anticipate that your hair will be long no matter what if you practice good habits and retain your length, no matter if you get a quarter, half or whole inch a month or more! Happy hair growing!

 

[chicacanella]

I also wanted to comment that just because people in your family can grow waist length or hip length hair effortlessly, doesn't mean you will naturally be able to do this.

I know because my hair texture is one of the coursest hair textures in my family among the women, so just because my granny, her granny, many of my aunts and folks on my dad side can grown waist length hair doesn't mean I will. It's just what you are speaking of but in reverse but I know that the possibility is there. At the longest, I've been about BSL and that was when I was in elementary school.

I haven't been full WL but I will be soon God willing and that is simply because of the grace of God.

 

[msa]

Maybe you feel this way, but I have seen success stories and not on this board alone. People walking your very streets. If u use the right things at the right time + protective styles you will be ammazed. Sorry you feel this way.

The bold is true.

But, someone can do all the "right" things and still never make it to WL or HL because of their genetics (growth rate & strand life cycle).

Example:
If I have a growth rate of .5 inch per month and my strand life cycle is 24 months. Then if I retain every mm of hair the longest my strand can get before it sheds is 12 inches. That may be APL or even BSB.

Someone else who has a growth rate of 1 inch per month and a strand life cycle of 24 months will be able to grow that same strand to 24 inches. That could be WL.

The point is, no matter what I do, I'm still only going to be able to grow 12 inches at the most while others can grow longer. That's just the way the cookie crumbles. Every individual is different.

I see what you're saying Charnedra and it's true, if you want long hair then good haircare practices and a positive attitude are necessary. But at some point your hair just isn't going to get any longer. That's just the way it is.

 

[Urban]

OP, your post seems to suggest that environmental factors can have complete dominance over genetics i.e. even with 'bad' genes everyone can definately still have longer hair if they have good hair care practices. That is not true at all.

It can be helpful to look at disease models to understand how these things work. For example, some forms of alopecia involve genetic factors. Even with the most healthiest hair care practices, very few patients will ever reach WL. Now you'll probably say, well it's because these people have a disease. But the point still remains, enviromental factors do not always have complete dominance over genetic factors. That is, if one has genes that affect their hair growth, healthy hair care practices, "vitamins and enzymes" etc does not guarantee them WL hair. Some people will just never reach those lengths.

 

[natstar]

The bold is true.

But, someone can do all the "right" things and still never make it to WL or HL because of their genetics (growth rate & strand life cycle).

Example:
If I have a growth rate of .5 inch per month and my strand life cycle is 24 months. Then if I retain every mm of hair the longest my strand can get before it sheds is 12 inches. That may be APL or even BSB.

Someone else who has a growth rate of 1 inch per month and a strand life cycle of 24 months will be able to grow that same strand to 24 inches. That could be WL.

The point is, no matter what I do, I'm still only going to be able to grow 12 inches at the most while others can grow longer. That's just the way the cookie crumbles. Every individual is different.

I see what you're saying Charnedra and it's true, if you want long hair then good haircare practices and a positive attitude are necessary. But at some point your hair just isn't going to get any longer. That's just the way it is.

I'm gonna have to agree with this too. I wish it wasn't true but I just think genetics do play a larger part. For me, I have practiced good hair practices for liker 3-4 years. My diet isn't bad-im healthy. I exercise, take vitamins. But I still haven't reached WL-though I thought I would by now.

Granted you, my hair is longer than it's ever been-SL-APL. But it hasn't reached further. My texture is also fine/thin so that may have something to do with it. Again- I wish we could all reach WL-HL, but over the years i have cared for my hair, I have started to think that for some (like myself) it's just not possible given genetics. Im just take it for what it is- APL healthy hair aint so bad. Im just concerned w/maitaining healthy hair I guess nowadays.

 

[Bluetopia]

I have a question tho:

What about people with locs tho? I mean I know folks who have locs for 5 years and their hair reaches WL and others like myself who had locs for 5 years and I got to APL.

Clearly thier hair grows faster than min but if I waited a couple extra years wouldnt I eventually be waist length too?

And before you say locs are just piled up dead hair - you can uncomb a dreadloc and what remains underneath will be a healthy (albeit weakened) strand of hair still attached to your scalp.

So if terminal length is a fact - than how does the dread example factor in?

Not saying I agree or disagree - but that seems to throw a monkey wrench that theory (at least to me).

Of course there are some folks who genetically can be blocked. I know a girl who had locks for 11 yrs who never went past neck length.....but her extreme example aside - I'd love a response

 

[RedVelvet310]

I might have to agree with you on this one OP. A lot of what I read from women here are "My fam doesn't have long hair therefore I don't/won't have long hair", but if your family was just as ignorant/uneducated on black hair care as you were pre-LHCF, that wouldn't be a fair statement to make because you are not fully aware of the full effects of one's own genetics.

I think sometimes 'genetics' is an excuse people make to explain why their hair won't grow past SL or ASL and BSL, when really the individual isn't doing everything in their power to retain length. WL hair isn't really that "mystical" and I believe a lot of women on here have the full potential to reach it.

 

[natstar]

I have a question tho:

What about people with locs tho? I mean I know folks who have locs for 5 years and their hair reaches WL and others like myself who had locs for 5 years and I got to APL.

Clearly thier hair grows faster than min but if I waited a couple extra years wouldnt I eventually be waist length too?

And before you say locs are just piled up dead hair - you can uncomb a dreadloc and what remains underneath will be a healthy (albeit weakened) strand of hair still attached to your scalp.

So if terminal length is a fact - than how does the dread example factor in?

Not saying I agree or disagree - but that seems to throw a monkey wrench that theory (at least to me).

Of course there are some folks who genetically can be blocked. I know a girl who had locks for 11 yrs who never went past neck length.....but her extreme example aside - I'd love a response

Blue- I actually had locs for 3-4 years too. that's a good question- I unraveled them with a safety pin and tons of conditioner. I guess since it has never been touched-the hair has a chance to grow a bit longer. But most of it -and for the most part, at least when I unraveled my locs, was shed hair.

 

[Urban]

I have a question tho:

What about people with locs tho? I mean I know folks who have locs for 5 years and their hair reaches WL and others like myself who had locs for 5 years and I got to APL.

Clearly thier hair grows faster than min but if I waited a couple extra years wouldnt I eventually be waist length too?

And before you say locs are just piled up dead hair - you can uncomb a dreadloc and what remains underneath will be a healthy (albeit weakened) strand of hair still attached to your scalp.

So if terminal length is a fact - than how does the dread example factor in?

Not saying I agree or disagree - but that seems to throw a monkey wrench that theory (at least to me).

Of course there are some folks who genetically can be blocked. I know a girl who had locks for 11 yrs who never went past neck length.....but her extreme example aside - I'd love a response

Locking your hair doesn't make it grow faster, they are mostly likely RETAINING more length due to low manipulation. Where as your hair was manipulated over the 5 years.

 

[ladylibra]

I have a question tho:

What about people with locs tho? I mean I know folks who have locs for 5 years and their hair reaches WL and others like myself who had locs for 5 years and I got to APL.

Clearly thier hair grows faster than min but if I waited a couple extra years wouldnt I eventually be waist length too?

And before you say locs are just piled up dead hair - you can uncomb a dreadloc and what remains underneath will be a healthy (albeit weakened) strand of hair still attached to your scalp.

So if terminal length is a fact - than how does the dread example factor in?

Not saying I agree or disagree - but that seems to throw a monkey wrench that theory (at least to me).

Of course there are some folks who genetically can be blocked. I know a girl who had locks for 11 yrs who never went past neck length.....but her extreme example aside - I'd love a response

you're talking different growth rates and shrinkage. yes, locs shrink. so i don't know what your question is really, but that should help you understand better. if you grew your locs for 15 years and then unraveled them, and then STRETCH a strand out, you might get an idea of what your terminal length is.

I might have to agree with you on this one OP. A lot of what I read from women here are "My fam doesn't have long hair therefore I don't/won't have long hair", but if your family was just as ignorant/uneducated on black hair care as you were pre-LHCF, that wouldn't be a fair statement to make because you are not fully aware of the full effects of one's own genetics.

I think sometimes 'genetics' is an excuse people make to explain why their hair won't grow past SL or ASL and BSL, when really the individual isn't doing everything in their power to retain length. WL hair isn't really that "mystical" and I believe a lot of women on here have the full potential to reach it.

genetics is more than just "looking at your family." yes, certain things run in your family obviously. but we're not talking about what your family's hair looks like (which is NURTURE, how they care for their hair). we're talking about what your genes actually code for (which is NATURE). if your genes only code for the potential to grow 24 inches... then 24 inches is all you're gonna get. if your genes code for 24 inches and you have hair care practices that are less-than-optimal and you feel you are always stuck at the 12-inch shoulder mark... that's different than your actual terminal length. you're at a hump that you have to figure out how to get over.

i know what you're thinking... well then how do you know if you're just at a hump, or have reached your terminal length?

that is precisely why, as i said, i am tracking that one gray hair on the side of my head. 4 years and counting now, and it has not shed. which means it is still growing. when it sheds, that means it has DIED. it's just that simple. and when i multiply my average growth rate by the number of years the strand was alive and growing... i will know its terminal length.

 

[that_1_grrrl]

Okay, I agree with terminal length.

What I do not agree with is the assumption that people of African descent automatically have the short hand of the stick, and that everyone else is out there just magically growing their hair to extreme lengths.

Don't buy that. There is no way to know what someone's genetics are.

I may have reached my terminal length already or be close to it because most women in my family have hair that is SL, and we take pretty good care of our hair. So, I am hoping to make WL, but if I do not, I will have really banging SL hair.

ETA: I wanted to add that I think it is possible that a lot of women do not see the growth rate their hair is capable, and I think that through a good diet and exercise, someone can increase their growth rate.

The thing that will not change is the life cycle of hair.

 

[knt1229]

you're talking different growth rates and shrinkage. yes, locs shrink. so i don't know what your question is really, but that should help you understand better. if you grew your locs for 15 years and then unraveled them, and then STRETCH a strand out, you might get an idea of what your terminal length is.



genetics is more than just "looking at your family." yes, certain things run in your family obviously. but we're not talking about what your family's hair looks like (which is NURTURE, how they care for their hair). we're talking about what your genes actually code for (which is NATURE). if your genes only code for the potential to grow 24 inches... then 24 inches is all you're gonna get. if your genes code for 24 inches and you have hair care practices that are less-than-optimal and you feel you are always stuck at the 12-inch shoulder mark... that's different than your actual terminal length. you're at a hump that you have to figure out how to get over.

i know what you're thinking... well then how do you know if you're just at a hump, or have reached your terminal length?

that is precisely why, as i said, i am tracking that one gray hair on the side of my head. 4 years and counting now, and it has not shed. which means it is still growing. when it sheds, that means it has DIED. it's just that simple. and when i multiply my average growth rate by the number of years the strand was alive and growing... i will know its terminal length.

I think Bri's point was that how do you know what's on your DNA if your family members haven't cared for their hair properly. There is no way for you to determine what is genetically possible. Therefore it's unproductive to use genetics as the reason for your hair not reaching the lengths you want it to.

As black folk we have no idea what potential our hair has because we have spent decades hiding it, trying to change it, not properly caring for it. There is not a lot of data and research on OUR hair. There's much more of it on caucasian hair but not our hair. Just look at the hair products marketed to blacks. They are loaded with harmful ingredients which tells me that no real and credible reasearch has been done on OUR hair. So we don't know what it's potential is or is not.

My mother and her sisters all have short thin/fine hair. They have cousins who all had long thick hair. The main difference I see between the long haired cousins and my mother and aunts is how the hair is cared for and the level of thickness. Care of hair is nurture. Level of thickness is nature. Length IMO is determined by nurture.

I have seen plenty of biracial kids with a decent grade of hair have short unkempt hair until the non black mother finds someone to do the hair for her. Then you start to see the hair grow and look healthy. Again it's nurture not nature.

 

[that_1_grrrl]

I agree with this.

I really do not care for studies that show this and that about hair because they can only tell you the average for the people they tested. There are so many factors that are not included.

With Black people in the US having bad diets and poor exercise habits, it is not surprising that the growth rate comes up slow. We do not know how healthy the people tested were.

It would be interesting to see what we find out about Black hair in healthy conditions.

This is OT, but you know what I have been thinking about? A lot of people here talk about how their goes through growth spurts in the summer. I wonder if our needs that humidity to get on the grow sometimes, lol. I mean, our hair was made for humid climates.

I think Bri's point was that how do you know what's on your DNA if your family members haven't cared for their hair properly. There is no way for you to determine what is genetically possible. Therefore it's unproductive to use genetics as the reason for your hair not reaching the lengths you want it to.

As black folk we have no idea what potential our hair has because we have spent decades hiding it, trying to change it, not properly caring for it. There is not a lot of data and research on OUR hair. There's much more of it on caucasian hair but not our hair. Just look at the hair products marketed to blacks. They are loaded with harmful ingredients which tells me that no real and credible reasearch has been done on OUR hair. So we don't know what it's potential is or is not.

My mother and her sisters all have short thin/fine hair. They have cousins who all had long thick hair. The main difference I see between the long haired cousins and my mother and aunts is how the hair is cared for and the level of thickness. Care of hair is nurture. Level of thickness is nature. Length IMO is determined by nurture.

I have seen plenty of biracial kids with a decent grade of hair have short unkempt hair until the non black mother finds someone to do the hair for her. Then you start to see the hair grow and look healthy. Again it's nurture not nature.

 

[ladylibra]

That doesn't mean terminal length doesn't exist... Which is what the OP's point was.

I think Bri's point was that how do you know what's on your DNA if your family members haven't cared for their hair properly. There is no way for you to determine what is genetically possible. Therefore it's unproductive to use genetics as the reason for your hair not reaching the lengths you want it to.

As black folk we have no idea what potential our hair has because we have spent decades hiding it, trying to change it, not properly caring for it. There is not a lot of data and research on OUR hair. There's much more of it on caucasian hair but not our hair. Just look at the hair products marketed to blacks. They are loaded with harmful ingredients which tells me that no real and credible reasearch has been done on OUR hair. So we don't know what it's potential is or is not.

My mother and her sisters all have short thin/fine hair. They have cousins who all had long thick hair. The main difference I see between the long haired cousins and my mother and aunts is how the hair is cared for and the level of thickness. Care of hair is nurture. Level of thickness is nature. Length IMO is determined by nurture.

I have seen plenty of biracial kids with a decent grade of hair have short unkempt hair until the non black mother finds someone to do the hair for her. Then you start to see the hair grow and look healthy. Again it's nurture not nature.

 

[Bluetopia]

you're talking different growth rates and shrinkage. yes, locs shrink. so i don't know what your question is really, but that should help you understand better. if you grew your locs for 15 years and then unraveled them, and then STRETCH a strand out, you might get an idea of what your terminal length is.

Let me be clearer

Locs dont stop growing. Im not speaking of growth rate - Im referring more to the fact that terminal length seems to allude that your hair stops growing at a certain point based on genertics. But locs DONT stop growing.

Almost all my friends are (or were) loc'd and i never saw any of them stop growing even after 10 yrs. And when I took out one of my own locs - even tho yes much of it was shed hair - I still had the full length of my loc'd hair in my hands. It was a long strand of healthy, slightly weakened APL hair.

So my question is: if there is such a thing as terminal length than how come it seems that people with locs can keep growing and growing (as a rule more than an exception)?

I often thought locs were bunched up shed hair - but now that I know that isnt the case...and that the hair is still in tact from root to tip - that feels like a monkey wrench in this terminal length theory that I would love explained.

Was that clearer?

 

[Freespirit02]

I don't know..I'm a little torn. I know some people who doesn't do anything to their hair and it's super long. Then on the other hand, I have a sister who barely washes her hair and never deep conditions..and her is thick and it grows. If I were to neglect my hair..it would be on the floor..because of breakage not growth.

 

[yuriko]

Let me be clearer

Locs dont stop growing. Im not speaking of growth rate - Im referring more to the fact that terminal length seems to allude that your hair stops growing at a certain point based on genertics. But locs DONT stop growing.

Almost all my friends are (or were) loc'd and i never saw any of them stop growing even after 10 yrs. And when I took out one of my own locs - even tho yes much of it was shed hair - I still had the full length of my loc'd hair in my hands. It was a long strand of healthy, slightly weakened APL hair.

So my question is: if there is such a thing as terminal length than how come it seems that people with locs can keep growing and growing (as a rule more than an exception)?

I often thought locs were bunched up shed hair - but now that I know that isnt the case...and that the hair is still in tact from root to tip - that feels like a monkey wrench in this terminal length theory that I would love explained.

Was that clearer?

No one ever said that hair stops growing, if not I would not be getting relaxers every 3 months. The point is that hair has a life cycle, when the hair has lived out its life cycle it will shed off, go into a dormant period and starting growing again from the scalp. The possible terminal length is calculated by determining the growth rate and the life cycle.

Its a plain scientific fact, and you could look it up, there are many stages of the life cycle of hair, something a lot of us learn in Biology. Some people have longer eyelashes than others right, same with hair on the head. I will paste the information below.

My brother had dreadlocks and so did many of my friends, a good portion of the bulk of dreads are shed hair, that it why sometimes the loc seems thinner at the base.

Hair Growth Cycle
Hair on the scalp grows about .3-.4 mm/day or about 6 inches per year. Unlike other mammals, hair growth and loss is random and not seasonal or cyclic. At any given time, a random number of hairs will be in various stages of growth and shedding. There are three stages of hair growth: catagen, telogen, and anagen.

Catagen - The catagen phase is a transitional stage and 3% of all hairs are in this phase at any time. This phase lasts for about 2-3 weeks. During this time growth stops and the outer root sheath shrinks and attaches to the root of the hair. This is the formation of what is known as a club hair.

Telogen - Telogen is the resting phase and accounts for 10-15% of all hairs. This phase lasts for about 100 days for hairs on the scalp and much longer for hairs on the eyebrow, eyelash, arm and leg. During this phase the hair follicle is completely at rest and the club hair is completely formed. Pulling out a hair in this phase will reveal a solid, hard, dry, white material at the root. About 25-100 telogen hairs are shed normally each day.

Anagen - Anagen is the active phase of the hair. The cells in the root of the hair are dividing rapidly. A new hair is formed and pushes the club hair up the follicle and eventually out. During this phase the hair grows about 1 cm every 28 days. Scalp hair stays in this active phase of growth for 2-6 years. Some people have difficulty growing their hair beyond a certain length because they have a short active phase of growth. On the other hand, people with very long hair have a long active phase of growth. The hair on the arms, legs, eyelashes, and eyebrows have a very short active growth phase of about 30-45 days explaining why they are so much shorter than scalp hair.

 

[ladylibra]

Let me be clearer

Locs dont stop growing. Im not speaking of growth rate - Im referring more to the fact that terminal length seems to allude that your hair stops growing at a certain point based on genertics. But locs DONT stop growing.

Almost all my friends are (or were) loc'd and i never saw any of them stop growing even after 10 yrs. And when I took out one of my own locs - even tho yes much of it was shed hair - I still had the full length of my loc'd hair in my hands. It was a long strand of healthy, slightly weakened APL hair.

So my question is: if there is such a thing as terminal length than how come it seems that people with locs can keep growing and growing (as a rule more than an exception)?

I often thought locs were bunched up shed hair - but now that I know that isnt the case...and that the hair is still in tact from root to tip - that feels like a monkey wrench in this terminal length theory that I would love explained.

Was that clearer?

ah, i see what you're saying now.

however... your hair would still have reached its terminal length at some point in those locs. obviously for you, APL isn't your terminal length. but let's say yours is hip length, and your locs grow to your knees before you decide to unravel them. the bottom 6 inches or so is going to be nothing but shed hair that is matted together, and as you work your way up you will eventually find the true ends of your hair, that are still growing and attached to your scalp but also matted into the loc with your old shed ends.

 

[locabouthair]

I agree with this.

I really do not care for studies that show this and that about hair because they can only tell you the average for the people they tested. There are so many factors that are not included.

With Black people in the US having bad diets and poor exercise habits, it is not surprising that the growth rate comes up slow. We do not know how healthy the people tested were.

It would be interesting to see what we find out about Black hair in healthy conditions.

This is OT, but you know what I have been thinking about? A lot of people here talk about how their goes through growth spurts in the summer. I wonder if our needs that humidity to get on the grow sometimes, lol. I mean, our hair was made for humid climates.

I agree with this. And I always get a growth spurt when I go to Miami.

I don't know..I'm a little torn. I know some people who doesn't do anything to their hair and it's super long. Then on the other hand, I have a sister who barely washes her hair and never deep conditions..and her is thick and it grows. If I were to neglect my hair..it would be on the floor..because of breakage not growth.

Its just like people who can eat fast food everyday and stay slim, but other people cna look at a burger and gain 10 lbs...

As far as locs go, everyone sheds hair. When someone has locs, and they shed their hair, the shed hair has no where to go, resulting in longer locs.

 

[Bluetopia]

ah, i see what you're saying now.

however... your hair would still have reached its terminal length at some point in those locs. obviously for you, APL isn't your terminal length. but let's say yours is hip length, and your locs grow to your knees before you decide to unravel them. the bottom 6 inches or so is going to be nothing but shed hair that is matted together, and as you work your way up you will eventually find the true ends of your hair, that are still growing and attached to your scalp but also matted into the loc with your old shed ends.

that makes total sense. Thanks Ladylibra! if i did grow them to my knees that probably would show me exactly what my terminal length is. At least now I know its to at least past APL

 

[ladylibra]

This is OT, but you know what I have been thinking about? A lot of people here talk about how their goes through growth spurts in the summer. I wonder if our needs that humidity to get on the grow sometimes, lol. I mean, our hair was made for humid climates.

alright, i'm contributing to going off-topic some more... i've been wondering about this for a while too, and should probably start a separate thread about it.

are growth spurts actually seasonal? or does the environment stimulate it? or both? cuz even when it is dry and miserable in winter my hair still grows faster than say, late spring and early summer. by August, my growth rate picks back up, and i get a good spurt in fall.