Naturals: How Many Inches

[MizzBrit]

does it take for your hair to grow in order for you to see a difference in thickness/bigness of your hair?(in another words..know that its growing)
i feel like my hair looks the same size/length in a puff/afro/plaits for a while now..hopefully is is growing and retaining..but eh..it could show me some kindness by making my afro bigger or puff thicker.
starting this weekend, i will be in protective styles back to back until summer time..so i can stop watching it.
i know some natural's hair doesn't make a noticeable enough change until it grows maybe 2-4 inches or even more.maybe im one of them
​

 

[bedazzled]

I know I don't qualify to respond, and I know my answer is probably an answer you say "duhhh" to but... do you think some hair just shrinks so much that the BIG hair wont show until youre like MBL or WL?

 

[MizzBrit]

I know I don't qualify to respond, and I know my answer is probably an answer you say "duhhh" to but... do you think some hair just shrinks so much that the BIG hair wont show until youre like MBL or WL?

yes i think so..i've seen some naturals who are Sl but stretched..BSL or longererplexed...i keep my hair stretch by plaits..and even then..it sitll looks the same length/.thickness stretch

 

[MochaEyeCandy]

My shrinkage is ri-damn-diculous, so it' can be difficult for me to notice growth at all. Shrinkage and I are quickly becoming friends because it makes hiding my hair so easy. I have noticed in recent months that even in its shrunken state, my halo of kinks is getting bigger...and momma like!

 

[MrJohnsonsRib]

does it take for your hair to grow in order for you to see a difference in thickness/bigness of your hair?(in another words..know that its growing)

i feel like my hair looks the same size/length in a puff/afro/plaits for a while now..hopefully is is growing and retaining..but eh..it could show me some kindness by making my afro bigger or puff thicker.
starting this weekend, i will be in protective styles back to back until summer time..so i can stop watching it.
i know some natural's hair doesn't make a noticeable enough change until it grows maybe 2-4 inches or even more.maybe im one of them
​

You aint never lied about that! I feel that same way. It's like dang just grow already. But because i'm so impatient I have been thinking of buying a wig to hide it for some time since folks up here are chargin a bit too much to braid my hair. I miss my cousins. They would never charge $300 for braids! Anyway the winter is coming and I need to protect the lil bit of hair I do got...so I may need the hubby to drop some change into my wig fund.

 

[MrJohnsonsRib]

My shrinkage is ri-damn-diculous, so it' can be difficult for me to notice growth at all. Shrinkage and I are quickly becoming friends because it makes hiding my hair so easy. I have noticed in recent months that even in its shrunken state, my halo of kinks is getting bigger...and momma like!

I went natural just 2 days before you did Mocha! How crazy is that? We both had the same thing on our minds that week. He he! I had my hair "shaped" a few months ago in an attempt to make my afro look nicer and neater and ended up having the barber bring it down further than I should've went.That set me back a few months on growing... Oh well. Now I'll just get it trimmed and not worry about having a perfect shape.

 

[JustKiya]

It takes about 6-9 months of growth to see a difference in twists. It takes about a years worth of growth for me to see any difference in length wet, soaked in conditioner. It takes about two years worth of growth for me to see a difference dry.

I grow about 3-4 inches a year. *sigh*

 

[MizzBrit]

It takes about 6-9 months of growth to see a difference in twists. It takes about a years worth of growth for me to see any difference in length wet, soaked in conditioner. It takes about two years worth of growth for me to see a difference dry.

I grow about 3-4 inches a year. *sigh*

im on the same boat as you..i get about 4 inches a year

 

[mscocoface]

Same with me about 3-4 inches of growth, this year seems really different though.

I am not sure how many inches it takes. I won't even discuss my frenemie SHRINKAGE!!!!

I go by how far it pulls out like from the back I will take a piece and see how far it wraps around my neck or down my back or wherever.

Shrinkage is a character builder.

 

[Nonie]

If you're relying on a size of puff to know length (a puff that isn't stretched) then you may be waiting forever. As I posted before, my shrunken puff now and what it was after my BC look more or less the same. But the stretched hair is definitely longer now than it was then. So you would have to either stretch your hair against a ruler and note the length (several different, distinct sections) and then do it some months later (same sections) and calculate the difference. Or press it and see where it falls and repeat a few months later.

I would like to add that a watched pot never boils. The more you look for progress, the more likely you are not to see it or the less likely your are to feel good about the strides you have made. However, if you just focus on good haircare and having fun with your hair, you will be pleasantly surprised at how much growth you get when you aren't paying attention. I know this from my own experience, but I have also witnessed it in others. One true testament to this is one of my idols, Mwedzi. Before she pressed her hair and saw it at BSL, I don't think she had a clue how much longer her hair was than the last time she looked. I could feel her excitement in the thread in which she shared this discovery and I couldn't help sharing in her elation as I read her update.

So quit worrying about "how many inches" as if in a race. Have fun and let your hair bear fruits when the season is right.

 

[yaya24]

Watching this thread***

 

[miss Congeniality]

Honestly, it is hard for me to tell if/and when my hair grows. I really have to focus on the health of my hair and hope growth will be the reward.

 

[MochaEyeCandy]

I went natural just 2 days before you did Mocha! How crazy is that? We both had the same thing on our minds that week. He he! I had my hair "shaped" a few months ago in an attempt to make my afro look nicer and neater and ended up having the barber bring it down further than I should've went.That set me back a few months on growing... Oh well. Now I'll just get it trimmed and not worry about having a perfect shape.

Oh yaaaaay, I had no idea. I've been looking for a bc buddy...not actively or anything, yall know I'm lazy I was planning to start a December 08 bc thread at the end of November to see everyone's progress. Can't.Wait.

Same with me about 3-4 inches of growth, this year seems really different though.

I am not sure how many inches it takes. I won't even discuss my frenemie SHRINKAGE!!!!

I go by how far it pulls out like from the back I will take a piece and see how far it wraps around my neck or down my back or wherever.

Shrinkage is a character builder.

but true.

I would like to add that a watched pot never boils. The more you look for progress, the more likely you are not to see it or the less likely your are to feel good about the strides you have made. However, if you just focus on good haircare and having fun with your hair, you will be pleasantly surprised at how much growth you get when you aren't paying attention. I know this from my own experience, but I have also witnessed it in others. One true testament to this is one of my idols, Mwedzi. Before she pressed her hair and saw it at BSL, I don't think she had a clue how much longer her hair was than the last time she looked. I could feel her excitement in the thread in which she shared this discovery and I couldn't help sharing in her elation as I read her update.

So quit worrying about "how many inches" as if in a race. Have fun and let your hair bear fruits when the season is right.

PREACH! Truer words were never spoken regarding hair growth.

Honestly, it is hard for me to tell if/and when my hair grows. I really have to focus on the health of my hair and hope growth will be the reward.

That's what I do as well, and it works.

Each time I check my length (every 3 months or so), I appreciate my shrinkage a lil more...it's like Christmas morning once I reach for that blowdryer.

 

[MizzBrit]

hmm ok thanks ladies..at least im not alone!

 

[kblc06]

At least two. At around BSL, there is a significant drop in the amount of shrinkage when curly, and seems to stretch out more as it grows downward.

 

[MochaEyeCandy]

At least two. At around BSL, there is a significant drop in the amount of shrinkage when curly, and seems to stretch out more as it grows downward.

I'm not sure my hair will ever stop growing out and start growing down, but here's to hoping

 

[godsflowerrr]

I'm not sure my hair will ever stop growing out and start growing down, but here's to hoping

Me too!!! lol It has been a year since my bc and my hair is still growing out and not really down. The top of my hair is starting to "hang down" but my 4a sides are stilll growing outward lol. I think by next year it may "hang" a little more ...lol

 

[BlkOnyx488]

I can't see a change at all unless I straighten my hair
My tight little coils on the end can be hiding 4 inches of length

 

[jamaraa]

Why don't you straighten it for a length check? Everybody's natural hair is diff in terms of shrinkage, so that's probably the best way to find out your length.

 

[blkbuttahflyy]

I agree that a watched pot never boils. I went natural in 96, but had should length hair at the time. I did a BC in August 2004, but started locing only 4 months later. I thought my locs would never grow. So I jumped on a few bandwagons in the past 2 years. Biotin gave me the worst skin ever and I'm still in recovery. MTG stunk and my homemade version was more tolerable, but while they worked, I had tarnished jewelry and funky pillows, so I was never consistent. I'm now using Mega-Tek. It's definitely the easiest routine for my hair to grow faster, but I opt not to use it too often because my new growth comes in too fast.

 

[MizzBrit]

Why don't you straighten it for a length check? Everybody's natural hair is diff in terms of shrinkage, so that's probably the best way to find out your length.

i would..but ive promised myself not to use heat on my hair for at least a year..iits only been 7 months since my last heat job and ive suffered some heat damage ive almost cut all off if not already...i might use heat next December...

 

[WyrdWay]

could you just do a couple of small/thin braids maybe on in the back of your head, at the crown , and at the front they should be straight enough for a length check. it won't accurately tell you how long it is but it will show you the progress. or you could just cornrow it straight back every couple of monthe and take progress picks.

 

[tocktick]

As it gets longer, it feels like it takes longer for me to see a difference. When it was shorter, I was seeing a difference very easily in unstretched length and thickness. I could tell it had grown without measuring etc in about 2 months. I'm not sure how much that equates to in inches though.

 

[Truth]

yes i think so..i've seen some naturals who are Sl but stretched..BSL or longererplexed...i keep my hair stretch by plaits..and even then..it sitll looks the same length/.thickness stretch

it's like you read my mind..... i'm soooo disgusted with my fro.. i wanna see some growth..some thickness a change....I dont see NNEEEETHINNGG.... i'm thinking this bad boy isn't even growing.. just sitting up there staying at this length... sad part is.. I dont even think my hair is longer when it's stretched.. i feel like wether it's in it's shrunkned state or it's stretched state it's the same damn length... smh.. i'm so ready for some braids so I will stop lookin at it and wonder why the hell It wont grow..lol

 

[PPGbubbles]

I suggest taking pics!.... Day to day I never thought my hair was growing... but when I compared it to old pics and I noticed the length.

Also the longer my hair get the less I "stretch" it. I used to do corn row out or blowdry, basically do everything human possible to fight the shrinkage.

But now that my hair has grown I embrace the shrinkage! I havent touched a blowdrier in months. So that makes my hair appear "shorter" but its waaaaayyyy fuller now... so I guess its a trade off

 

[loulou82]

I finally saw a difference in unstretched length that I could over after a year. That equals about 4 inches. My hair has steady improved in health throughout that time though.

 

[Filmatic]

I was wondering this too. My WnG still looks like my BC. I can't tell. I am waiting on length to straighten but I may do it after I finish the Protective Challenge.

 

[Leeda.the.Paladin]

It depends on how I have it styled. If it's a wash n go, it takes like 4 inches for me to notice significant change. For twists, it is more noticeable with two inches or so.

 

[Celestial]

i know some natural's hair doesn't make a noticeable enough change until it grows maybe 2-4 inches or even more.maybe im one of them

I'm one of them. The sad thing is that it will take me years to get the 2-4 inches. One of my new year's resolution is to try to grow 2 inches in a year.

 

[lbellin]

My hair grows about .5 inch a month. The crown and nape grow down and from the nape to the crown grow out. That areas seems to be my trouble area. It is very dry and shrinks like nobody's business. I have to be very careful with that area.