I saw a lady with the most beautiful hair...

[melodee]

In Whole Foods today. She had her 4a/b hair locked and it was swinging 3 inches below her butt. I was like

It made me realize that black ladies were also made to have long hair. I am really considering going natural now! Chemicals and my hair are not friends. I keep thinking, what will my firends and neighbors think if I go natural? But hey, it's my choice right?

 

[shelli4018]

I can relate. I just have no idea what texture I'll end up with. I keep hearing ppl mention their texture changes when they go natural.

 

[JazzAngel]

[ QUOTE ]
I am really considering going natural now! Chemicals and my hair are not friends. I keep thinking, what will my firends and neighbors think if I go natural? But hey, it's my choice right?

[/ QUOTE ]

Why worry about what others think?

I remember after stopped relaxing my hair I had all the wrong idears of what people would think of me. For one I was told that only gays wear their hair that way. I have nothing against people's sexual preference but that FREAKED me out!!! lol

Thank God I am not a conformist. I was determined to enjoy my natural hair. Besides you are on the right track by being on this wonderful board. The ladies here are sooo warm and loving. I am always soo amazed by how supportive they all are.

It takes a bit of time to learn what works with your natural hair but that's the fun part of it. Look at georgous ladies like Seoul and YanteCoi and Sweetcocoa and the list goes on and on and on. They are a godsend, so learn from them.

 

[TinyT]

[ QUOTE ]
I keep thinking, what will my firends and neighbors think if I go natural? But hey, it's my choice right?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yep it is your choice, so think about it, and do what u think will make YOU happy. If you need support we are here 4 ya.

Tracy

 

[ineedmoney]

do what you do girl. don't worry about others because you the only one who has to walk in your skin. or in this case under your hair

. love yourself and the rest will follow

 

[Supergirl]

Not to rain on your thread girl! (and yes black women's hair can grow long) BUT--when the hair is locked , it can pretty much get to any length. Why? Because hair that would naturally shed after the growth cycle is complete (2 to 6 years) is locked up and will not fall. Does that make sense?

 

[coilygirl]

supergirl:

not quite. Locked hair grows long because the hair is not over-manipulated, pressed, combed, fried and dried.

It's not the unshed-dead hair that makes locks look long, but rather length is retained because the hair is not abused.

coilygirl.

 

[Supergirl]

I agree that not abusing and over-manipulating the hair plays a part, but the other part of what I wrote is indeed true. If you could "un-lock" the hair, you would find that some of the hair that is "locked" is no longer attached to the scalp

Thanks for your input though--that's what this board is all about.

 

[Allandra]

[ QUOTE ]
Not to rain on your thread girl! (and yes black women's hair can grow long) BUT--when the hair is locked , it can pretty much get to any length. Why? Because hair that would naturally shed after the growth cycle is complete (2 to 6 years) is locked up and will not fall. Does that make sense?

[/ QUOTE ]
Supergirl,

This is also what I've read and what I was told about locked hair. Must be some truth to it.

 

[coilygirl]

Allandra and Supergirl:

thanks for your thoughtful comments. It's so wonderful to have thoughtful discussions.

You are right that locked hair contains a lot of unshed hair. True, true. I've read that in all of the natural hair books.

But, the unshed hair is not responsible for the length of locks. Unshed hair may contribute the to thickness of locks but not necessarily to the length. (It's an apples and oranges issues.)

Just like long relaxed hair consists of hair that has been on the scalp for years, long locked hair features the same dynamics.

Have a great day and thanks for your thoughtful comments.

 

[pmichael52172]

You know, this co-worker of mine has the most BEAUTIFUL natural hair. Get this, it's twisted and it looks locked but it's not. It seems like every week I go to her desk to chit chat, her hair is yet a longer length. That's an exxageration but I've seen it get thicker, and longer in the past several months.

The thing about it is that this girl, untwists, washes and twists each section back up! She deserves and award because her twists are not big, they are small and they are VERY neat and look professionally done. She amazes the white people everytime she comes to work. That girl does crossover styles and can do some wicked things with her twists.

All of "us" thought it was locked until one day I called her at home and she said she was taking her twists out to wash her hair. Now THAT's a method I'd love to use. Having the locked look (which I love to see on sisters and brothers) but not having it locked.

 

[melodee]

Wow ladies! This is an interesting discussion. I'm glad we have this forum.

 

[SherryLove]

SuperGirl - I am with you 100 percent on the length of locks being attributed to continuous hair shedding and fall out. Otherwise, why would someone have to cut to get them out??????? Because it is hair that has fallen from the scalp..... Or why is it that family members (who do not have locked hair)of those who have locked hair can never seem to achieve anywhere near that length?????


But, I must say that when locks are maintained well they look sooooooooo good.......

SherryLove35

 

[Allandra]

[ QUOTE ]
Otherwise, why would someone have to cut to get them out??????? Because it is hair that has fallen from the scalp..... Or why is it that family members (who do not have locked hair)of those who have locked hair can never seem to achieve anywhere near that length?????

[/ QUOTE ]
Good point indeed Sherry.

 

[pebbles]

[ QUOTE ]
You are right that locked hair contains a lot of unshed hair. True, true. I've read that in all of the natural hair books.

But, the unshed hair is not responsible for the length of locks. Unshed hair may contribute the to thickness of locks but not necessarily to the length. (It's an apples and oranges issues.)



[/ QUOTE ]

I understand what you're saying Coilygirl. I'm no expert on locks, but that makes sense to me.

 

[coilygirl]

Thanks so much Pebbles. : )
I appreciate--as always--your sensitivity and fairness.

Here's some research to answer a few questions/issues:
From Cathy Howse: Ultra Black Hair Growth II page 130
2000 edition:
"The less damage you do to your hair when you care for it, the more you can keep on your head. Remember dreadlocks cannot even be combed yet they grow quite well on lots of brothers and sisters.

From No Lye by Tulani Kinard page. 110 also has a similar explantion.


"Once they have grown to a certain length the process of locking is irreversible and the length to which your hair will grow is only limited by a pair of scissors. The process is this: When hair is no longer combed or brushed, every strand that would otherwise come out from normal grooming regimen, along with shedding and breakage, starts to become entwined, meshing, spiraling, coiling and locking together...."


By the way, I don't have loc'ed hair, I have long nappy hair that I wear in long braids or occassionally twists.
But I have done a lot of research on hair (Natural and relaxed)
I enjoy chatting with you all.
Have a great day.
peace
coilygirl

 

[TinyT]

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks so much Pebbles. : )
I appreciate--as always--your sensitivity and fairness.

Here's some research to answer a few questions/issues:
From Cathy Howse: Ultra Black Hair Growth II page 130
2000 edition:
"The less damage you do to your hair when you care for it, the more you can keep on your head. Remember dreadlocks cannot even be combed yet they grow quite well on lots of brothers and sisters.

From No Lye by Tulani Kinard page. 110 also has a similar explantion.


"Once they have grown to a certain length the process of locking is irreversible and the length to which your hair will grow is only limited by a pair of scissors. The process is this: When hair is no longer combed or brushed, every strand that would otherwise come out from normal grooming regimen, along with shedding and breakage, starts to become entwined, meshing, spiraling, coiling and locking together...."


By the way, I don't have loc'ed hair, I have long nappy hair that I wear in long braids or occassionally twists.
But I have done a lot of research on hair (Natural and relaxed)
I enjoy chatting with you all.
Have a great day.
peace
coilygirl

[/ QUOTE ]

I have read the same things, but thanks for the references.

Tracy

 

[Supergirl]

[ QUOTE ]
The process is this: When hair is no longer combed or brushed, every strand that would otherwise come out from normal grooming regimen, along with shedding and breakage, starts to become entwined, meshing, spiraling, coiling and locking together...."


[/ QUOTE ]


Coily, I definitely agree with the facts that you posted. However, since nothing(except MSM perhaps) , not even wearing locs can extend the life cycle of the hair, the hair still does it's "usual" shedding. But of course, you don't see the shed hair because it's "locked."

 

[TwistNMx]

Hi Ms_Kenesha

 

[uniquev11]

I agree with you coilygirl because I watched what happened when my husband's Aunt locked her hair.
In 1995 she had about 3 inches of hair that she started to lock. By 1999, her hair was waistlength and it has not gotten any longer since then. One of her sisters who had previously starting locking had waistlength hair in 1995 and her hair also has not gotten any longer.

It looks like their maximum hair length is waistlength, but they were only able to acheive it by locking the hair and leaving it alone. That's good news to me because it means that we can grow our hair to great lengths depending on the way that we care for it.

 

[Guest]

U really did a good job on your twist out. I am going to try a braid out this weekend. Wish me luck.