Hair Growth Revelations : Post your Theories:

[Mahalialee4]

When we cut our hair super short, it keeps on growing. If we shave our heads, it keeps growing. It appears that our hair NOT ONLY CAN GROW, but WANTS to grow. Sometimes I believe that my hair can leap over tall buildings and grow down to "there" and other times, I think...IF I can just get it to below bra strap all one length, I will be happy....actually I am bargaining with my hair to grow some more (lol). It has really been encouraging to read around on other boards and realize that not only AA women struggle with reaching their hair goals, but other ladies as well. what I do find notable is that they maintain such a strong positive atmosphere that they have had some tremendous successes. I want to stress that being around women like yourselves has given my hair a positive environment. Outside of the board, I do not have a support group for my hair goals. I so look forward to coming here. When I read a post that has a "success" story or a Hair Tip or positive hair growing discovery technique, it's like finding a pearl!
I do not know how long my hair will actually become, but I do know that currently it is longer and healthier and has the optimum potential to grow longer, thicker and healthier than it ever did. It's like being in a nice big sunny garden ladies! Bonjour and Thank You for all the beautiful months of sunshine.

 

[Guest]

mahalia, i don't have much support outside of the hair boards either. the one woman that doesn't laugh at what i tell her and supports me unconditionally is my best friend. she is also trying to grow her hair now and follows all of my advice. her hair has also come a long way!

my main revelation is a play on that line from Field of Dreams... "if you leave it alone, it will grow..." /images/graemlins/grin.gif

adrienne

 

[sweetcocoa]

I'm with you ladies also.... When someone does want to talk 'hair'... the conversation is over when I tell them I don't use curling irons or the blowdryer anymore....they look at me like I must be crazy..although they are telling my how healthy my hair looks they don't want to hear they might have to give up something they believe doesn't harm their hair... /images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[caramelbarbie]

<font color="blue"> I guess the revelation for me was the idea of not blowdrying or using a curling iron. My hair had always grown but never passed my shoulder. I asked my hairdresser about not using heat to straighten my hair and she was ultra supportive! My hair doesn't have a curly pattern .... when its relaxed or natural so i wash it and then wear it in a bun. I'm going to wash and wear it for 6 months see if it makes a big difference. I hope it does.
If you'd like to know more about wash and wear you can read about it here http://www.jazma.com/relaxer.html

 

[henrilou]

My theory on hair growth is MINIMIZE the heat and manipulation. And I know it's easier said than done. I get a wash/press once every 3 weeks and THAT's it.
1. I believe the 'comb-out' after the wash and when the hair is wet is damaging.
2. Heat is not good. period. Yes I do press once a month, but that works for me. And in between I wrap. EVERY night and I wear it in a loose up/do during the day. And if it 'goes back' I still wait until it's time to press again, I don't cheat-ever.

I know this is going to get some of my sistah's mad, but...for ME perming doesn't work. Yes it made my THICK hair more manageable and shiny---but I didn't get length. I truly believe that it weakened my hair to a point (usually just at my neck) and it would break off. And I just couldn't win--if I retouched every 4 weeks then my hair broke, if I waited then my hair broke at the line of difference (my natural hair is NAPPY) so a perm just doesn't work if I am trying for length. Eventually it ALL broke off and I started over as natural and now I am b/s length.

This is just my opinion. I have certainly seen some LONG relaxed hair. But this is what works for me.

 

[LondonDiva]

Henrilou

We aren't gonna get mad for you stating that relaxers just weren't for you or that you didn't gain any length from it. There are sites out there that seem to get a littles ticked off if someone decides to go natural after being relaxed. But that's not our mentality. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

We all know what works for one doesn't work for another. But regardless we're totally respectful of each person's personal hair choice.

 

[Armyqt]

I agree with what's been said already. I think that heat is definitely not good. I'm a slave to blowdryer and that's been the hardest thing for me. That has a lot to do withpatience though. I use to blowdry once a week, but Ive managed to cut that down to about 1 or 2 times a month. I'm still working on this. I usually wear my hair in a ponytail and rarely ever hotcurl. Now that I have my caruso rollers I will never hotcurl again (maybe ocassionally). The biggest thing for me was the moisture issue and understanding how important it was for maintaining length. Now that I deep condition my hair once or twice a week, my hair is doing 100% better. The other thing that I believe is that no-lye that I used for so many years really dried my hair out. So if there were 3 things I could tell someone to do to have a healthier head of hair, it would be: Lye relaxers, no heat and condition, condition, condition.

 

[Honey Vibe]

Heat is bad! Avoid, I say!!!
My theory is that hair left alone will grow the healthiest. Anything you add to your hair growing regime should take the hippocratic oath: first, do no harm.

 

[Growingitlong]

Bump

 

[UmSumayyah]

My. Hair. Actually. Grows.
And it can grow long. Even with my overlapping fiasco a few months back, it is still longer than it EVER was before finding hairboards.
And now that I have finally found a self-relaxing technique that works for me, I believe I am unstoppable!
We can all do it, ladies! Keep the faith, keep reading, keep trying until you find what works!
Climb every mountain
Ford every stream.
dum dum da dum dum (forgot that line)
Till you find your dream...
Sound of Music moment there.

 

[Growingitlong]

What is your self relaxing technique?