Reasons for why afro hair doesn't retain length?

[HollyGolightly1982]

I wasn't retaining length because

1. My hair was getting permed from root to tip EVERY TIME I relaxed
2. My mom trimmed every time she relaxed my hair
3. I used heat EVERY day.
4. I was using shampoo which is a major no no for my hair. It dries my hair up something awful.
5. I had never heard of protein/moisture balance.

 

[CenteredGirl]

My take,

It's about sebum distribution. The straighter the hair the more naturally protected it is against pretty much EVERYTHING. It's stronger, more resilient, more manageable because of SEBUM - all natural babe. White girls got it galore, in fact any sister up to 3C is more likely to have long hair.

Kanky hair needs helps distributing natural sebum. I have bought every product manufactured and it was nothing compared to the natural stuff. once I got a handle on spreading it around my 4 ab, all my problems were ova.

For me it's not about not handling my hair, hidding it under wigs and braids. Why should I? If you know how to spread sebum, it's all good. I don't want to spend another minute hidding my hair and treating it like a second class citizen. Natural hair is BEAUTIFUL beyond compare. IMHO, the more nappy it is, the more glorious it is. EMBRACE. GET back to basics.

Off soap box.

 

[msa]

All in all I see where you're coming from. I hope you dont think I'm trying to change your view, I just wanted you to really know where I was coming from.

I love discussions and really getting into the meat of things. Nothing wrong with that.

Kinks and curls do make the hair more susceptible to damage. But it's not about extremes. It doesn't mean that not everybody who has type 4 hair is doomed. Type 4 hair is more fragile than types 1-3. It is a scientific fact that even though it looks stronger, it is in fact more fragile.

Thnx for all the information given.
Call me a skeptic, but I'm just, I guess, unwilling to believe 4 type hair is weaker. I guess, since I dont see the difference in my hair, I am unwilling to see it on the hairs of all my type 4 sisters.

As glam said, it's a scientific fact that type 4 is more fragile than other types and therefore more susceptible to damage. If I can find the links to the papers that say that I'll post them.

It's not about the hair being weaker per se. It's just that type 4 hair has characteristics that make it more likely to incur damage if using the same techniques that a type 1 uses.

It's extremely rare to find someone with type 4 hair that can shampoo, blowdry, and flat iron everyday and still be APL-BSL. In fact, I haven't sleen one yet in my lifetime. But I lived in a dorm full of type 1's who could do that.

 

[Junebug D]

Kanky hair needs helps distributing natural sebum. I have bought every product manufactured and it was nothing compared to the natural stuff. once I got a handle on spreading it around my 4 ab, all my problems were ova.

Please share your methods.

 

[vkb247]

In reference to the statement of how 2 or 3 type curlies differ from type 4 curlies, our hair has much more bends and twists and each one is, at least, a potential weak spot. More weak spots equals weaker hair.

 

[Kimiche]

for ME it was:

*Finding the right products for my hair type
*Decreasing manipulation
*dusting / search & destroy instead of regular trimming (something I just recently started)

That describes me as well. I definitely wish I could find the right products for my hair too.

 

[CenteredGirl]

Please share your methods.

Given my PASSION on this subject, my views are VERY unpopular because they don't involve a quick fix. The up front time required to get the sebum flowing and the comittment to a healthy diet to increase its production is only for those who are willing to work at it.

If it's something you'd still like to know more about, pm me. Totally willing to share tha Truf about manageable kinky hair.

 

[katblack]

Other things that should be considered is diet. Are your getting enough in your diet that will build strong hair? As oppossed to you using protein treatments to fix weakness in your hair you may have.
I love talking about these things because it allows many to take a closer look at what affects hair, which is pretty much everything.

 

[locabouthair]

^That's a good point. Now there are some people who will have thick long hair without a good diet but there are some us who need extra vitamins/nutrients to achieve healthy hair. External care can only do but so much.

Not to stereotype but a lot of black americans dont eat well enough to begin with. Therefore we deal with diabetes, hypertension, etc...

 

[LadyEuphoria007]

For me:
-The knots that I get on the ends from not detangling often.
-Not knowing how to take care of hair natural or relaxed

So now I detangle more. lol

 

[LadyEuphoria007]

Other things that should be considered is diet. Are your getting enough in your diet that will build strong hair? As oppossed to you using protein treatments to fix weakness in your hair you may have.
I love talking about these things because it allows many to take a closer look at what affects hair, which is pretty much everything.

You are so right. I noticed that back when I was lifting weights and eating a lot of protein I didn't really need protein treatments. I fell off the wagon and my hair showed.

I'm back on the wagon now.

 

[katblack]

I love discussions and really getting into the meat of things. Nothing wrong with that.





As glam said, it's a scientific fact that type 4 is more fragile than other types and therefore more susceptible to damage. If I can find the links to the papers that say that I'll post them.

It's not about the hair being weaker per se. It's just that type 4 hair has characteristics that make it more likely to incur damage if using the same techniques that a type 1 uses.

It's extremely rare to find someone with type 4 hair that can shampoo, blowdry, and flat iron everyday and still be APL-BSL. In fact, I haven't sleen one yet in my lifetime. But I lived in a dorm full of type 1's who could do that.

My sentiments exactly.
The reason I even question these so called facts is because of the nature of this world.
Like I said, there are exceptions to the rule keep that in mind. Anyways, I was on this site where there were intellectual debating this one scientists theory on how blacks were less intelligent then all other races. Well it quickly became racist, someone mention how asians are smarter than whites and all hell broke loose (coupled with the fact that someone mentioned our superiorty in sports).Basically "intellectual smart people" descended to calling black the 'n' word and so on.
The point is the scientist was an obvious moron, and I do not doubt there are many, that believe his theory, perhaps believing his theory to be true facts.

When we have a truer handle on how our natural hair should be treated, I will succomb to fact made by europeans.

This is my opinion and quite frankly a bias I have. So, dont worry so much if I am not giving data, stats or sources.

 

[vkb247]

Katblack I hear what you are saying and I have a tendency to be skeptical about science as well. But I try my best to do a lot of research from different sources and then factor in my experiences with the world as well. I believe what is said about the different types of hair for these reasons. But I don't think that you can really say it is white hair or black hair because black people can have naturally straight hair and white people can have 4a fros.

 

[katblack]

Thanx vkb247, but that was just an example.