"Long Hair Gene"

[bedhair29]

This has probably been discussed before in the past, but im new so pretty please humour me? ok so, who believe's in the whole "long hair gene" theory? Pryetty sure most of you grew it by simply working on your hair and taking care of it properly but im curious! :scratchch

 

[CurlsBazillion]

Not I, said DayDreamist

 

[Poranges]

I subscribe to it to an extent. I believe that certain people (not entire races, however), but individuals, are predisposed as a result of genetics to be able to retain their hair to extremely long lengths with relative ease, some people also have faster growth rates also due to genetics. Just my opinion.

 

[CurlsBazillion]

I can't cosign with a long hair gene but maybe a resilient hair gene.

 

[leona2025]

I don't really believe in the long hair gene thing. I am the only one in my family that ever had really long hair. When my mom took care of my hair as a child she kept it right at WL. She had the same exact reggie for my sister and my sister hair never grew past bsl.

None of my aunts or cousins on my dad or mom's side had long hair. My two grandmas had hair around BSL.

 

[abcd09]

I think your genes can determine whether your strands are thick, resilient to styling and every day stress and splits, and whether they retain moisture and strength, which all adds up to long hair.

 

[SerenavanderWoodsen]

I think your genes can determine whether your strands are thick, resilient to styling and every day stress and splits, and whether they retain moisture and strength, which all adds up to long hair.

I think this is probably it although I do think some people's pre determined terminal length is longer than others...

 

[koolkittychick]

Doesn't that reinforce the concept that there is a long hair gene? In your case, you were the only one that had it. Anomalies happen in families too, and that doesn't mean it's not genetic.

I wholeheartedly buy into the concept. My mom, who is a 3ab natural who has never put a chemical other than henna in her hair for color, has never had hair longer than BSL -- and she hasn't cut her hair or worn her hair down in 40 years. My older sister has relaxed her thick, 4b hair maybe twice in her 43 years has never gone beyond BSL. My little sister, who has been a 3c-4a natural for almost 4 years now, has, you guessed it, between APL-BSL hair.

I am relaxed for just over two years now, and it has been a struggle for me to reach and maintain APL; shoulder length is easy, but making it beyond that without extreme efforts (NO heat, PS 90% of the time, moisturizing every day and sleeping in a satin scarf every night) is damn near impossible. I still have hopes of reaching BSL and beyond, but I do believe I would be fighting my genetics in doing so.

 

[SuchaLady]

I believe it to an extent. But chances are there are just healthy hair practices being shared between women in a family.

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[SuchaLady]

What I have always found interesting is how people think hair knows just long to grow to stay at X length. Hair just comes out the scalp; it doesnt know how many inches it takes to keep someone at a certain length.

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[bedhair29]

I don't really believe in the long hair gene thing. I am the only one in my family that ever had really long hair. When my mom took care of my hair as a child she kept it right at WL. She had the same exact reggie for my sister and my sister hair never grew past bsl.

None of my aunts or cousins on my dad or mom's side had long hair. My two grandmas had hair around BSL.

Hmm do you think if the reggie had been slightly modified to suit her, then maybe her would have got to your length? Most, if not all the women on LHCF have different reggies to suit their hair needs

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[bedhair29]

What I have always found interesting is how people think hair knows just long to grow to stay at X length. Hair just comes out the scalp; it doesnt know how many inches it takes to keep someone at a certain length.

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Did not think of it from that view ...... Hmmmmm lol

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[testimony777]

I think your genes can determine whether your strands are thick, resilient to styling and every day stress and splits, and whether they retain moisture and strength, which all adds up to long hair.

I think this is probably it although I do think some people's pre determined terminal length is longer than others...

I think that both of these are true. I do not believe that everyone can grow their hair to the floor. Having hair that long is contingent not only on proper care and the resilience of one's strands, but also on each strand having a longer than average growth cycle. And that is most certainly determined by genes. However, like Poranges I don't think that having this genetic disposition is determined by race.

 

[WhippedButterCreme]

Hmm do you think if the reggie had been slightly modified to suit her, then maybe her would have got to your length? Most, if not all the women on LHCF have different reggies to suit their hair needs

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That's true. Between my mother, sister and I, not one of us has the same hair type.

My mom's hair is so fine that as an afro it won't 'stand up' whereas my hair is thick enough to break combs and my sister's hair is somewhere in the middle.

When my hair was over-processed with relaxers I think my texture handled it better since my sister's hair broke off.

Also I cosign with the idea that genetics plays a role in perhaps how fast your hair will grow and how easy it will be to retain length.

But ultimately I think healthy practices make the most difference.

 

[BEAUTYU2U]

I don't think it's a gene. I think some people have more resilient hair. Some can perm - never neutralize, dye, flat iron, sleep on cotton pillowcases, etc. and still be waistlength. Others need more care to maintain/retain length. Nothing wrong with that at all.

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[luckiestdestiny]

I just think about where I want my hair to grow and wait for my reality to catch up with my dreams. I'm not one for limiting myself. Though in reality, I'm sure that we all have some limits: how long it will grow, the density and thickness of strands, etc. BUT if I"m always thinking about limits I'll never get where I want to. Instead I think about how to overcome and succeed inspite of obstacles. I think what's the point of dwelling on negatives all the time? They only serve one purpose: to assess so that you can form a strategy to succeed (and turn that neg to a positive result).

 

[bedhair29]

That's true. Between my mother, sister and I, not one of us has the same hair type.

My mom's hair is so fine that as an afro it won't 'stand up' whereas my hair is thick enough to break combs and my sister's hair is somewhere in the middle.

When my hair was over-processed with relaxers I think my texture handled it better since my sister's hair broke off.

Also I cosign with the idea that genetics plays a role in perhaps how fast your hair will grow and how easy it will be to retain length.

But ultimately I think healthy practices make the most difference.

Oh ny I wish I had fine hair, mine is soooo damn course but it handles relaxers better so me likey lol. But yeah I agree that how you treat hair will be the ultimate factor on length retention etc

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[bedhair29]

I don't think it's a gene. I think some people have more resilient hair. Some can perm - never neutralize, dye, flat iron, sleep on cotton pillowcases, etc. and still be waistlength. Others need more care to maintain/retain length. Nothing wrong with that at all.

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That sounds reasonable, lol I wish I was on those people who could grow long hair with slipping all over satin sheets every nught

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[bedhair29]

I just think about where I want my hair to grow and wait for my reality to catch up with my dreams. I'm not one for limiting myself. Though in reality, I'm sure that we all have some limits: how long it will grow, the density and thickness of strands, etc. BUT if I"m always thinking about limits I'll never get where I want to. Instead I think about how to overcome and succeed inspite of obstacles. I think what's the point of dwelling on negatives all the time? They only serve one purpose: to assess so that you can form a strategy to succeed (and turn that neg to a positive result).

Yeah I never thought about genes until my mum said my genes wont let me grow my hair too long... Now im determained to prove her wrong. Wheww hope I can make it :/ to atleast APL (i know that's not very long in LHCF but it would be a first for me)

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[BlkOnyx488]

I believe some people are blessed with effortless hair growth. Meanwhile others people like me have to work for it but we, I can still grow long hair. I just have to be more gentle with my hair. But believe me when I get to BSL and beyond I will be claiming l have the "long hair gene" too!!

 

[Carrie A]

With everything in the human body there are genetic factors and environmental factors. But there is not one determination of outcome for hair growth. The goal at LHCF is to provide a superior environment for the hair we are given (products, techniques, and optimizing overall health) so that one can reach their maximum growth point.

 

[spacetygrss]

Everyone's hair is different, from characteristics of the actual strands of hair (thickness, porosity, etc) to length of the hair's growth cycle (2 years vs 7, for instance). Everyone even has a different distance between each length stage (i.e. the number of inches one person needs to get from SL to BSL is different from another person). All of those things are determined by genetics by default. However, I don't necessarily believe in a specific gene for long hair. I can't discount it though. Who knows? While going through the human genome they might find that very thing.
The key is to use healthy hair practices so that you can maximize your own hair's potential.

 

[brittle_hair]

I have a friend who went natural a whole year before me, I currently at CBL and she's NL. Even though she PS's under wigs she claims NL is her terminal length because her hair is fine. I don't understand how NL can be anybody's terminal length, it just doesn't make any sense to me. I'm not sure I even believe in the concept of terminal length because unless you have a medical condition your hair is always growing.

Her response was that me and my sister have always had hair that grows long easily.

I think hair management has a much bigger role to play in what length your can reach. I agree that the type 1-3 is more resilient to daily combing and styling, but type 4 hair can retain just as much length once you understand that it wasn't designed for daily combing and styling in its natural state. Even before lhcf I've always noticed that if I limit the daily manipulation of my hair by wearing braids it breaks a lot less and therefore I keep all of what I grow.

Asian hair may grow a few millimetres faster but I don't think that means that afro can not reach long lengths too. And I have long stopped believing that a only black girls with type 3 hair can have long hair.

 

[LiftedUp]

There are people who hair just grows ridiculously quickly and resilient with little or no effort on their part. I've grown up around people type 1a-4b, natural and relaxed whose hair grows long, thick healthy and effortlessly.

It is just is and I have accepted it.

Any healthy individual can grow long, healthy hair, some just effortlessly.

 

[RoseTintedCheeks]

Also remember, sometimes what appears "effortless" is just a woman with a great hair regimen. My sister in law is Filipino with color-treated, WL, shiny, beautiful hair. I'm close to her and have known her for YEARS, yet I just recently found out that she regularly cowashes.

Bottom line, you don't have to be on a hair board to practice healthy hair habits.

 

[TheNDofUO]

My mum once asked me "How do you know you can grow your hair long? Not everyone can"
I replied "I won't know until I try"

 

[SuchaLady]

Your last statement is what I don't think people around here understand. Just because you arent on a hair forum doesn't mean you have awful hair practices. Black folks have had long hair for centuries. And being on a hair forum doesnt mean your hair practices are great either. I've seen some regimens around here that make me go

Also remember, sometimes what appears "effortless" is just a woman with a great hair regimen. My sister in law is Filipino with color-treated, WL, shiny, beautiful hair. I'm close to her and have known her for YEARS, yet I just recently found out that she regularly cowashes.

Bottom line, you don't have to be on a hair board to practice healthy hair habits.

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[prettypithy]

I think genetics play a role. A lot of us on this board have had longer hair in the past that was damaged and we're re-building. My mom and sis both have long lengths, I had "long" hair before I over-processed it and this was before I was using healthy hair care practices. So, in short, I believe genes play a part but healthy hair care practices can help anyone, regardless of their genetics.

 

[candy626]

Are some people more likely to have long hair due to genetics? Sure.

For starters, some people definitely have a faster then average hair growth gene. I've met people of all races with this gene but have seen it the most with Asians. I went to school with Asians girls that would have their hair shoulder length at the beginning of the school year and BSL/MBL at the end. I guess that's why most weave hair comes from there.

Also some people's hair (like most Asian hair for instance) is naturally more resilient to manipulation, heat styling, combing, brushing, chemical processing, etc. which can make growth retention easier/harder. When you retain growth easier, your hair gets longer quicker.

 

[Spongebob]

Two identicle Twins (i.e. = identical set of genes), can have very different hair growth. Why, because it's not just genes that determine the structure of something. the environmental factors that facilitate that structure will influence the final structure. That is why studies that separated identical twins at birth, and exposed them to different circumstances will develop differently, despite having identical genes.

Has anyone ever experienced stress so bad that your hair fell out? this is an example of how an environmental factor influences hair. No doubt diet (another environmental factor) influences hair growth (as you can testify with all the vitamin challenge threads on the forum).

Another interesting observation is the difference in hair seen in different ethnic groups. Not necessarily the rate (speed) of growth, but certainly it's structure, resilience, proneness to damage and therefore overal hair health. My house mate (from trinidad) is half black half indian, the amount of times she cuts her hair (out of boredom) annoys the hell out of me. She can straighten it daily, and her hair shows no damage. Yet me a natural for 2 and half years who has only ever straightened her hair once in 2 and a half years have split ends. So there you have it, there are factors involved that are certainly not environmental (i.e. genes), other wise my hair should've been foot length by now lol