To the people with super tight penspring coils...

[Napp]

how do you manage to have length on your edges? my edges are super tight and they stay at the same length no matter what. the rest of my hair grows fine but those edges

Is it a futile goal to have edges the same length as the rest of your hair if you have tight afro coils

 

[Nola Darling]

I dunno...my sister has this problem too! Her hair has some good length but it breaks off at the front. I think maybe it's her brushing method.

 

[Nonie]

how do you manage to have length on your edges? my edges are super tight and they stay at the same length no matter what. the rest of my hair grows fine but those edges

Is it a futile goal to have edges the same length as the rest of your hair if you have tight afro coils

Have you tried keeping it braided without extensions? I love to wear a puff with cornrows at the front. I would guess that minimizing manipulation by keeping the hair braided might help.

 

[Foxglove]

Pay extra special attention to them, make sure they are always moisturized and I think how I comb affects my edges. I always start from wide toothed and work my way down and I use a medium boar hair brush if I want that extra smooth look which isn't until later (6 to 8 weeks post and beyond). Also, I noticed a huge difference in manageability when I DC'ed often (2X a week or more)

 

[KrimsonKween]

I have very thin edges myself. I mean very thin. First since I have started going natural my hair has thickened very nicely. With my hair I do not comb my hair unless I am in the shower and I am under the water. I feel this has helped me maintain my sides even all around.

I hardly ever comb my hair during the week (1x per week). I usually use water, leave in condish, and softsheen carson wave care and I just let it dry then I kinda rub gently to get my hair alittle fluffy and I do nothing else during the day.

One of the nautral posts said it best. As a natural we must learn our hair is different not bad just different. It can not take all of the manipulation that we were used to giving it when it was relaxed. I bet if the hair was just left alone and massaged at night (I talk to my hair) it would grow. Mine certainly has taken off.

 

[mscocoface]

My edges are my weakest point and that is true for some other long haird springy naturals.

I have not combed or brushed my edges in ages. I very selmed put in single braids or twists on my edges. I usually will twist or cornrow my front and even then I have to be extra careful. Even when I am detangling I am extra careful with this area of my hair.

I am seeing a change but it is very very very slow. My temples are the worst.

It is possible to see it grow but it takes some time and is a real patience builder.

I think sonce and Dsylla have a similar issue also and they have some of the longest natural hair on this board.

Moisture and massages are helping. I am also using Qhemets Pomade every other day and then horsetail, jojoba and alove vera jel the other days.

 

[cmesweet]

I haven't noticed any edge probles.

I try not to wear tight styles.

I comb my hair once a week.

When I braid/ twist, I don't do it tightly. I do not try to fit every strand in hair into the braid/twist.

 

[cutenappygrl]

Co signing on low manipulation - I used to wear tight cornrow extensions and when loose - brush my edges into puffs or or put an elastic headband around it. Needless to say I say thinner hair on the sides and shorter hair in the front. So now I am being a lot more gentle w/it. I definitely used to comb/brush the edges a lot more than the rest of my hair to achives certain looks - but now I just leave the area alone.

 

[morehairplease]

how do you manage to have length on your edges? my edges are super tight and they stay at the same length no matter what. the rest of my hair grows fine but those edges

Is it a futile goal to have edges the same length as the rest of your hair if you have tight afro coils

I know how you feel. I use to put all types of growth pomades on my hair but now I have said forget it. This time around, I am just not going to mess with it and let it be.

 

[JustKiya]

I haven't noticed any edge probles.

I try not to wear tight styles.

I comb my hair once a week.

When I braid/ twist, I don't do it tightly. I do not try to fit every strand in hair into the braid/twist.

This, very much so. I contain my fuzzies via fakeout - well misted hair and a tightly tied scarf. If I keep my hands away from my edges (which I try to) the front will stay decent for a 8 hour work day. If I don't, I'll have a halo by midday.

The nape/backline, I don't even TRY. If it's long enough to fit into what's going on back there, it's included. Most of the time, I have a fuzzy halo around the back of my head too. That's my 3c bits, so they are REALLLLLY fuzzy. I wish they did curl tighter - at least they would look neater. Sometimes I'll twirl a bit and tuck it into the rest, but it works it's way back out quickly.

I think pomade & gentle, slow, firm pressure is a better bet than brushing to insure retention....

 

[loolalooh]

I don't think it's a futile goal.

I think as a natural, it is important to minimize the use of headbands/scarves and manipulation of the edges. I only wear headbands once in a while (1x a week on average). I also don't brush or comb my edges ever.

 

[Reinventing21]

While my sides are not as you describe, I do have a possible solution for growing that part. I can not stand edges that stick out in any way, soooo... I used to use hubby's gel or any gel and brush down with boar bristle brush BUT my edges looked only okay and stayed the same length.

One day I decided (IDKY) to use my Suave Tropical Coconut instead. My edges stayed in place, and before I knew it my edges were super long again like when I was a little girl!

Btw brushing them down will train them. I have proof--on one side of my face they lay flat, and on the other side where my bangs fall and I didn't brush them cuz they were hidden is more wild. Now I am gently brushing that side to train it as well.

HTH!

 

[Poohbear]

If I were you, I wouldn't worry about how long your edges grow. The hair around your edges is not going to grow as long as the rest of your hair. The hair around your edges may have a shorter hair growing phase where it stops growing and then sheds at a certain length, just like our eyebrow hairs and eyelashes stop growing and shed at a certain length.

 

[anon123]

If I were you, I wouldn't worry about how long your edges grow. The hair around your edges is not going to grow as long as the rest of your hair. The hair around your edges may have a shorter hair growing phase where it stops growing and then sheds at a certain length, just like our eyebrow hairs and eyelashes stop growing and shed at a certain length.

I think this is the case, too, particularly around the very edges. OP, how far back do you mean. BTW, this is always what I want to say when people say they don't understand terminal length and our head hair should grow forever because we keep needing relaxers. We keep needing to shave, too, but that doesn't mean our leg hairs will grow to 5 feet long if we don't.

 

[anon123]

If I were you, I wouldn't worry about how long your edges grow. The hair around your edges is not going to grow as long as the rest of your hair. The hair around your edges may have a shorter hair growing phase where it stops growing and then sheds at a certain length, just like our eyebrow hairs and eyelashes stop growing and shed at a certain length.

I think this is the case, too, particularly around the very edges. OP, how far back do you mean? BTW, this is always what I want to say when people say they don't understand terminal length and our head hair should grow forever because we keep needing relaxers. We keep needing to shave, too, but that doesn't mean our leg hairs will grow to 5 feet long if we don't.

 

[Reinventing21]

I think this is the case, too, particularly around the very edges. OP, how far back do you mean? BTW, this is always what I want to say when people say they don't understand terminal length and our head hair should grow forever because we keep needing relaxers. We keep needing to shave, too, but that doesn't mean our leg hairs will grow to 5 feet long if we don't.

True. But I will say that when I was a kid my edges were very long. Somewhere in my adulthood, they became short like a half inch, and I was wondering what happened. When I began using Suave coconut as 'gel' for my edges, they became long. When I say long, I mean brow, check bone, and nose bridge lengths. While I don't expect them to grow necessarily to my chest, I do think they should be at least this long.

 

[ajoyfuljoy]

True. But I will say that when I was a kid my edges were very long. Somewhere in my adulthood, they became short like a half inch, and I was wondering what happened. When I began using Suave coconut as 'gel' for my edges, they became long. When I say long, I mean brow, check bone, and nose bridge lengths. While I don't expect them to grow necessarily to my chest, I do think they should be at least this long.

I like the idea of using Suave instead of gel. I've been stretching to 13 weeks which involved pulling my hair into tight ponytails (I need to find a new way to stretch)! I was using gel and after my relaxer this past weekend I noticed my front edges are a little thin (this is something I've never noticed through all my years of really bad relaxer experiences).

So I think I will use the Suave instead of gel, that's a good start.

Oh year, BTW, my natural hair is also little penspring coils (some are larger than that but the smallest are like a penspring).

 

[MeccaMedinah]

I'm having the thin edges issue right now. I am going back to my no brushing routine for my edges. The were fuller when I didn't.
But, every winter my temples & front hairline fall out- to almost bald. So, it's almost inevitable for me. Surge helps & I'm using BT now too. So, I'll see what happens