how do i retain length

[eve777]

ive just been reading stuff in here and it says that the main thing is that you retain length, but how???my hair is in the process of growing, but how do i keep it growing and help it to grow past the usual length when it just stops

 

[BroadstreetBully]

I take it that you're natural, and being natural presents its own struggles, especially knots and tangles. So I'd suggest you search for a thread on how to deal with that.

The keep to retaining length is decreasing breakage and splits that cause you to have to constantly trim. Moisture is key as well as low manipulation hairstyles.

Could you provide more info about your hair?

 

[SouthernTease]

Stop getting trims if you don't really need them.
Wear Protective Styles.
Stop using brushes/ fine tooth combs.
Stop Using heat
Moisturize Moisturize Moisturize
Wash your scalp... not your hair...
I could go on forever...
there are 800 million threads
and thousands of books on the subject.
Those are the main ones though

 

[eve777]

I take it that you're natural, and being natural presents its own struggles, especially knots and tangles. So I'd suggest you search for a thread on how to deal with that.

The keep to retaining length is decreasing breakage and splits that cause you to have to constantly trim. Moisture is key as well as low manipulation hairstyles.

Could you provide more info about your hair?

i have 4b hair and its all natural, i straighten it cause its so think and hard to manage.it pretty healthy and strong,and its just started to grow. i deep condition weekly and moisturise daily, and scalp massage every night b 4 bed.i take my vitamins and wear a phony pony as a protective style

 

[BroadstreetBully]

Well you are doing everything right! Have you been noticing any breakage or anything?

 

[eve777]

Well you are doing everything right! Have you been noticing any breakage or anything?

not at all, thats good yeh? ive only been on here since april and first i gained healthy hair and now i have noticed growth, so this will sustain growth then and maintain length yeh?

 

[Legend]

i have 4b hair and its all natural, i straighten it cause its so think and hard to manage.it pretty healthy and strong,and its just started to grow. i deep condition weekly and moisturise daily, and scalp massage every night b 4 bed.i take my vitamins and wear a phony pony as a protective style

Sounds like a good plan. The only thing you may want to add--if you don't do this already--is baggying your ends under the phony pony. Some people have tried this and have not had good success. Others have had great success. So, it may be worth a try to see if this method helps. Good luck!

 

[eve777]

will do. the only thing that concerns me is that i read someone comments on another thread that said the pulling back of her hair wrecked her hair line and the nape of her neck.as this happened to any one elseerplexed

 

[Legend]

will do. the only thing that concerns me is that i read someone comments on another thread that said the pulling back of her hair wrecked her hair line and the nape of her neck.as this happened to any one elseerplexed

I've never had this problem and I've been wearing ponies almost every day for about three years (if not more) and my hair is as thick as ever, my hair line is in good shape, and my nape is out of control thick as usual. I don't mind, though. I only recently started wearing quick weaves for a style change. But, everyone is different. *shrug*

I really depend on pieces because I don't like daily styling at all. I used to take 30 minutes to 2 hours to do my hair every morning. I was at the breaking point and couldn't do it any more. Now, I go for Quick and Easy.

 

[BioGeekChic]

will do. the only thing that concerns me is that i read someone comments on another thread that said the pulling back of her hair wrecked her hair line and the nape of her neck.as this happened to any one elseerplexed

I bun almost everyday and my hair was breaking at the hair line but it was because my buns were too tight. Now that I wear looser buns my hairline has grown back and is thickening also. So don't worry about bunning or ponytailing just don't make them to tight.

 

[eve777]

I've never had this problem and I've been wearing ponies almost every day for about three years (if not more) and my hair is as thick as ever, my hair line is in good shape, and my nape is out of control thick as usual. I don't mind, though. I only recently started wearing quick weaves for a style change. But, everyone is different. *shrug*

I really depend on pieces because I don't like daily styling at all. I used to take 30 minutes to 2 hours to do my hair every morning. I was at the breaking point and couldn't do it any more. Now, I go for Quick and Easy.

so what do you use on your hair to maintain the thickness of the hair line?

 

[eve777]

I bun almost everyday and my hair was breaking at the hair line but it was because my buns were too tight. Now that I wear looser buns my hairline has grown back and is thickening also. So don't worry about bunning or ponytailing just don't make them to tight.

i tend to put it in some chunky plaits at night so its in a different postion,thats cause i hear alot of people saying when you do the same hair do it will break in the manipulated areas

 

[BioGeekChic]

That's a good idea I'll try to moving my buns or ponytails around so that I'm not overworking the same spot and I can keep all of the progress I've made.

 

[jaded_faerie]

protective styling helped me

and not getting trims when it wasn't neccesary

 

[SerenityBreeze]

1) Say GOOD BYE to direct heat (No curling irons, flat iron, blowdryers)

2) Moisturizing your ends every night

3) Deep conditioning your hair for 30 min each week with a moisturizing conditioenr

4) Covering your head at night with silk or satin

5) Not letting your ends brush up against cotton

6) Not sleeping on cotton cases

7) Wearing protective styles at a minimum of 65% of the time (at least until you reach armpit)

8) Stretching your relaxers to no less than 8 weeks

9) Never pulling the relaxer thru to your ends

10) Getting a good protien conditioner every 6 - 8 weeks (Dudleys DRC or Aphogee Treatment)


Good Luck!

 

[SerenityBreeze]

Welcome

 

[BrooklynSouth]

Eve, I bet your hair does indeed grow but as you've been advised you have to protect those ends or they snap off making you think you have no growth. I bun, baggy, braid and twist. Phony pony once in a while. I use anti-breakage every time I attach my ponies. Surely boring at times but for me...I must keep my hair under cover to see any length. Only time my hair is 'free' is post relaxer for a few hours. I've resigned myself to hardly ever using a comb; even when rinsing my hair I rarely comb it out just hand or water manipulation. Boar brush my edges gently once in a while.I envy those who do not have to bun their hair but different strokes.........

 

[Legend]

so what do you use on your hair to maintain the thickness of the hair line?

Not anything special, just low manipulation, no heat, no brushing, lots of moisture, etc. In the winter, I add a little cream-based moisturizer to the edges because my hats will rub against them too much. Also, I wear a pony that matches the texture of my hair (full and wavy) so I don't have to pull it taut.

Incidentally, I just reckoned the years up: I've been wearing ponies at least 5 days a week since early 2003!

 

[Guapa1]

It's hard to manage because you are forcing your hair to do something that doesn't come naturally. Have you tried wearing natural styles instead of straightening it?

 

[eve777]

It's hard to manage because you are forcing your hair to do something that doesn't come naturally. Have you tried wearing natural styles instead of straightening it?

i have had natural styles but i dont like them, ive seen people on here with straigtened hair and i aim to be very careful, so i can have what i think suits me. i no its no the way to go but its suits me better than the chemicals in relaxers

 

[eve777]

Not anything special, just low manipulation, no heat, no brushing, lots of moisture, etc. In the winter, I add a little cream-based moisturizer to the edges because my hats will rub against them too much. Also, I wear a pony that matches the texture of my hair (full and wavy) so I don't have to pull it taut.

Incidentally, I just reckoned the years up: I've been wearing ponies at least 5 days a week since early 2003!

by the way what moisturisers do you use?

 

[audacity.]

i have 4b hair and its all natural, i straighten it cause its so think and hard to manage.it pretty healthy and strong,and its just started to grow. i deep condition weekly and moisturise daily, and scalp massage every night b 4 bed.i take my vitamins and wear a phony pony as a protective style

Eve,

It looks to me like you are on the right track.

HHG!