Why does her hair grow so fast?

[Rei]

I'm sorry, but I believe the hype. I take care of my hair meticulously & my yt friend's hair has outpaced my growth by leaps & bounds in the last 6 months even though she shampoos & blow dries daily.

I went to school with lots of Asians and their hair grew to BSL & beyond several times within 1 school year. It wasn't healthy hair v. damaged hair or what products they used- their hair grew long whether they dyed it, flow-dried it, curly permed it, or wore it down every day.

Hispanic girls (I grew up in Texas) would cut it, curl it, mouse it, tease it, and freeze it and it would still be back to WL.

Honestly, it almost brings tears to my eyes because it's so unfair. We can go natural, stay relaxed, wear PS all day and night and eat a huge bowl of sushi daily, and avoid direct heat like the plague - it's not going to change genetics or fate or make our hair grow as quickly or as easily as theirs.

I agree, and tbqh I think some ladies here are in denial Admitting someone else's hair grows faster does not mean superior, after all. I went to a school with a LOT of asians, so a lot of my friends are asian, including a best friend of mine. (and I've lived with her so I can safely say I see what she's doing to her hair and body most of the time, lol) Most of them have dyed their hair with box dyes, used bleach, and cut off their hair whenever they feel like it. a good number of them don't have the "traditional" asian diet either, they're super-americanized. And their hair still grows and retains at an insane rate. I figure its just becasue its so stick straight, all the oils just run down the entire hairshaft, making their hair moisturized as well. I mean I know with good haircare and practices every woman can retain length, but even withthat, most of the girls I've seen ON THIS BOARD have taken longer to get to where they are than what I've seen among my friends. (not that it's any less impressive). I just shrug it off and say different strokes for different folks. They grow it faster/retain it easier, and we have better styles imo

Just sayin, its a little unfair to rag on the OP for having bad hair practices when it might not necessarily be true.

 

[Junebug D]

I agree, and tbqh I think some ladies here are in denial Admitting someone else's hair grows faster does not mean superior, after all. I went to a school with a LOT of asians, so a lot of my friends are asian, including a best friend of mine. (and I've lived with her so I can safely say I see what she's doing to her hair and body most of the time, lol) Most of them have dyed their hair with box dyes, used bleach, and cut off their hair whenever they feel like it. a good number of them don't have the "traditional" asian diet either, they're super-americanized. And their hair still grows and retains at an insane rate. I figure its just becasue its so stick straight, all the oils just run down the entire hairshaft, making their hair moisturized as well. I mean I know with good haircare and practices every woman can retain length, but even withthat, most of the girls I've seen ON THIS BOARD have taken longer to get to where they are than what I've seen among my friends. (not that it's any less impressive). I just shrug it off and say different strokes for different folks. They grow it faster/retain it easier, and we have better styles imo

Just sayin, its a little unfair to rag on the OP for having bad hair practices when it might not necessarily be true.

See, I think most of what you said has to do with retention rather than the rate at which it's coming out of the scalp. Their hair is stronger than ours, yes, because it grows straight & Asian hair is coarse on top of that.

Maybe it is all because of race, but I think most people on average, regardless of race will fare .5 inches in a month. Just like the OP found an Asian girl who can go from SL to BSL in 3 months, you can find 10 more that can't. Personally, I haven't seen many women: Black, White, Hispanic, or Asian pull that one off myself. If there are race-based differences, just from what I see and what I know... the differences are negligible (but magnified due to the retention issue) and DO vary widely within races. it's not even a matter of "superior"/"inferior". When I see a white/other chick with really long MBL/WL hair, chances are she hasn't had a haircut in years. 9 times out of 10, it didn't get that way overnight. Or a year. Or two years.

As we have seen, a hair grows at a rate of about 1 centimetre a month.
After one year it will be 12 cm long. After five years it will be 60 cm long.
Waist-length hair is 80-90 cm long, and will have taken about seven years to grow.
Shoulder-length hair will have taken only about three years.

If that is the agreed-upon average, then I see plenty of Black African women around here who have fared better. The experts usually say the same thing about the .5inches per month... and they usually aren't trying to coddle to us. Black women, on average, tend to get that.

I don't think it's about denial either if you think race isn't the key issue about actual growth. Because sometimes people may just not want to hear that when they're trying everything they can yet the results still aren't the same... I believe retention is the key issue on the whole. It will vary from person to person, regardless of race. But when I think of "Why is black women's hair shorter than women of other races on the whole?" rather than comparing two individuals with distinct factors of their own... the answer is usually about retention.

 

[CurlyMoo]

Oddly...fish and I eat organic now. I eat 80 percent veggies (and whole grains) and the 20 percent is meat with most being fish (scallops, fish, etc), and sometimes chicken. I also drink green drinks, and drink nettle tea once a day and I have at least 1 Inch a month or more. Nettle tea tastes like black tea so it isn't hard to drink. It took a while to notice the benefits as it had to get in my system but once it did, it REALLY did. On slow months (when I haven't eaten as well, but still doing most stuff) I've received 3/4 which is still not that bad. I do a nettle rinse with every wash too. Now I just started adding chlorella into my diet so we'll see about that. I was reading that it's apart of japanese diets as they're starting to add it to their sushi and stuff. I just started chlorella four days ago but my nails are already growing super fast (I cut them completely off and now they're over 1/4 inch. they went to 1/4 inch after 2 DAYS and I could not believe it if I didn't see it myself). Chlorella seems to act super fast for some reason, but I can't speak about that just yet as I just started it.

Chlorella is a HUGE part of the Asian diet. I read it in an article you posted on another thread. Which is known to increase hair growth. Even Jade21 says she got 2" a month using this food suppliment! So why don't we start sprinkling this stuff on chicken wings and see what happens to Black folks hair.

 

[CurlyMoo]

Until there are studies done in a controlled environment where over a 2-5 year period; 100 people of each race put on the same diet and hair growth measured to show who gets the most growth, I ain't buying the idea that genes are a major factor. I strongly believe that diet, exercise, haircare practices and then genes plays a part in how much growth per month we get. Especially when it is well known that Asians have a superfood diet specifically geared toward optimun health that just so happens to also give above average hair growth.

Now I will agree that genes play a factor in inherited good health based on the fact that it has been passed down from generation to generation. If generations of families make a habit of eating superfoods don't you think the children will come out healthy and be less prone to diseases or illnesses even if exposed to bad diets, because the foundation has been build for centuries. I wonder about the general health of these Asian friends that you gals have. Are they prone to colds? Diseases? What of their general health?

 

[CurlyMoo]

I agree, and tbqh I think some ladies here are in denial Admitting someone else's hair grows faster does not mean superior, after all. I went to a school with a LOT of asians, so a lot of my friends are asian, including a best friend of mine. (and I've lived with her so I can safely say I see what she's doing to her hair and body most of the time, lol) Most of them have dyed their hair with box dyes, used bleach, and cut off their hair whenever they feel like it. a good number of them don't have the "traditional" asian diet either, they're super-americanized. And their hair still grows and retains at an insane rate. I figure its just becasue its so stick straight, all the oils just run down the entire hairshaft, making their hair moisturized as well. I mean I know with good haircare and practices every woman can retain length, but even withthat, most of the girls I've seen ON THIS BOARD have taken longer to get to where they are than what I've seen among my friends. (not that it's any less impressive). I just shrug it off and say different strokes for different folks. They grow it faster/retain it easier, and we have better styles imo

Just sayin, its a little unfair to rag on the OP for having bad hair practices when it might not necessarily be true.

No one mentioned superior. We are merely stating that diet is more of a factor than race. I noticed that in these "studies" diet and hair growing foods that Asians eat are never mentioned.

And I don't buy the theory that other races have more oils because based on a study they found that Black folks produce more oil but due to the hair coils the oils are unable to reach the strands. Wouldn't a simple upside down scalp/hair massage rectify this?

 

[Neith]

It's not as if EVERY Asian or White person has above average growth.

Human beings period... we have an average growth rate of 6 inches per year. There are some people who grow slower and some who grow faster.

Black people do not have some defective hair gene

 

[tinycoils]

Asians eat a much more nutrient dense diet that most of us Amerians do. Seaweed is full of micro nutrients and one that is imporant for healthy hair growth is iodine. And yes they also eat alot of fish but they eat alot more shellfish and shellfish are nutrient powerhouses!! Asian eat about 4 time more iodine than the average amerian. Iodine is important for proper metabolism as well as many other human bodily functions, but is is very important for hair growth.

 

[AtlantaJJ]

Asians eat a much more nutrient dense diet that most of us Amerians do. Seaweed is full of micro nutrients and one that is imporant for healthy hair growth is iodine. And yes they also eat alot of fish but they eat alot more shellfish and shellfish are nutrient powerhouses!! Asian eat about 4 time more iodine than the average amerian. Iodine is important for proper metabolism as well as many other human bodily functions, but is is very important for hair growth.

Until there are studies done in a controlled environment where over a 2-5 year period; 100 people of each race put on the same diet and hair growth measured to show who gets the most growth, I ain't buying the idea that genes are a major factor. I strongly believe that diet, exercise, haircare practices and then genes plays a part in how much growth per month we get. Especially when it is well known that Asians have a superfood diet specifically geared toward optimun health that just so happens to also give above average hair growth.

Now I will agree that genes play a factor in inherited good health based on the fact that it has been passed down from generation to generation. If generations of families make a habit of eating superfoods don't you think the children will come out healthy and be less prone to diseases or illnesses even if exposed to bad diets, because the foundation has been build for centuries. I wonder about the general health of these Asian friends that you gals have. Are they prone to colds? Diseases? What of their general health?

I tend to agree with the diet angle, which plays a role over generations which contributes to optimal hair growth. I base my opinion on personal experience because when I eat a good nutritious diet and get optimal exercise and rest, MY hair growth rate increases. When I slack off, my hair growth rate slacks off. So if I am diligent with my healthy routine, I will get optimal hair growth over time. This is a theory I am in the process of proving for myself and so far it is holding true.

 

[ebonylocs]

Honestly, it almost brings tears to my eyes because it's so unfair. We can go natural, stay relaxed, wear PS all day and night and eat a huge bowl of sushi daily, and avoid direct heat like the plague - it's not going to change genetics or fate or make our hair grow as quickly or as easily as theirs.

Yes, but in the long run, that doesn't really matter. Because if you retain your 5 inches or 12 cm per year, then you can get to BSL in three years. My hairs is much more fragile than my Asian friends and colleagues, and their hair might grow more quickly too. But my hair is still where I want it - MBL. Because I recognised that it was fragile and treat it as such - so as to avoid unnecessary breakage.

I think you can MAXIMIZE your own hair potential, but some people's potentials are much higher than others, and I think it oftentimes has something to do with your genes.

I believe this as well. So that is why, even though I agree that genes is a major factor, we probably shouldn't focus on it, until we are sure we have maximized our *individual* retention and growth. There is still a lot of scope to work with before starting to worry about other races' growth rate.

I figure its just becasue its so stick straight, all the oils just run down the entire hairshaft, making their hair moisturized as well.

That wouldn't affect growth rate, although it might have some effect on retention, by making their hair more pliable and elastic and less brittle.

But when I think of "Why is black women's hair shorter than women of other races on the whole?" rather than comparing two individuals with distinct factors of their own... the answer is usually about retention.

I agree with you in that it serves us best to focus on retention. Because the breakage of our fragile hair is the main factor giving many of us "short hair" (assuming the woman isn't cutting). Our hair is still growing at a good enough rate. Still doesn't mean Asian hair doesn't grow faster on average.

Black people do not have some defective hair gene

Defective???
See, this is what me and some of the other ladies were talking about when we said that some people seem to think that acknowledging that Asians hair grow faster than ours is somehow admitting an inferiority. There was also a post quoting a study where whites were shown to also have slower growth rates than Asians. Do they have a "defective" hair gene too? There is NOTHING inherently superior about fast growing hair, especially if you evolve in an environment where lots of hair was the last thing you need. In fact, in that environment, slow growing hair was probably a superior survival trait.

 

[Candycane044]

Until there are studies done in a controlled environment where over a 2-5 year period; 100 people of each race put on the same diet and hair growth measured to show who gets the most growth, I ain't buying the idea that genes are a major factor. I strongly believe that diet, exercise, haircare practices and then genes plays a part in how much growth per month we get. Especially when it is well known that Asians have a superfood diet specifically geared toward optimun health that just so happens to also give above average hair growth.

Now I will agree that genes play a factor in inherited good health based on the fact that it has been passed down from generation to generation. If generations of families make a habit of eating superfoods don't you think the children will come out healthy and be less prone to diseases or illnesses even if exposed to bad diets, because the foundation has been build for centuries. I wonder about the general health of these Asian friends that you gals have. Are they prone to colds? Diseases? What of their general health?

I don't truly believe in the genes thing either. I think that all of these things, diet, exercise, exposure to pollution, and hair practices contribute to our hair growth. I have seen several ladies on this forum who have always obtained 1/4 inch a month go to 3/4 inch. (including myself at times) I think we underestimate how important all these things truly are. I also believe that a lot of us (African Americans) didn't know how to take care of our hair. So you couple a less healthier diet, mixed with lack of knowledge about how to take care of our hair (both relaxed or natural) and of course it's going to appear that our hair grows slower because we're not retaining anything. I also think that manipulation is a huge thing especially when it comes to our hair. I've noticed with people who have dreds retain a lot more of their growth than those without them. My dad used to say that God intended for our hair to be dredded up because it can endure just as much as anyone else's hair in that state. Now, I'm not going that far but I am saying there's something to manipulation and protective styles. Another example is how a lot of black men usually can grow their hair out way faster they we can. I believe the manipulation factor is important.

Ultimately, it's way more than just genetics and race. I believe like luckiestdestiny said, nature sets up a spectrum and nurture places you somewhere on that spectrum.

 

[Rei]

No one mentioned superior. We are merely stating that diet is more of a factor than race. I noticed that in these "studies" diet and hair growing foods that Asians eat are never mentioned.

And I don't buy the theory that other races have more oils because based on a study they found that Black folks produce more oil but due to the hair coils the oils are unable to reach the strands. Wouldn't a simple upside down scalp/hair massage rectify this?

No one mentioned superior, but the fact that people are getting up in arms about this kind of shows for itself. Neith even said below that "its not like black people have a defective hair gene". This would imply that there is some sort of deepset feeling that a slower rate=defective. I mean, most of my friends have faster growth rates than even most white girls I've known, and does anyone think THEIR hair is defective?

I am agreeing that diet is a factor, however I do not agree with you, and I think it does have to do with race, and the type of hair they have. As I have said a lot of the super-americanized asians I know do not even eat the traditional "healthy" diet, and yet from what I have seen the growth rate remains the same. Now it could be maybe most of my asian friends are "special" and have supergrowthrates that are not indicative of their entire race (or maybe they hide behind the apt at night and stuff their face with chorella/sushi/greentea or whatever it is thats primarly responsible for it , and I have lived with 3 of them at one time)

This is what I have seen. Sure not every asian girl has an amazing growth rate, but I can only base my assumptions on what I have seen and experienced. I do not feel that my hair or my confidence as a black person suffers or whatever if I admit that some other races have an easier time of it growing hair. *shrugs* this is just my opinion though, i'm not really trying to convince anybody. In my eyes the proof is always in the pudding.

In the end, it is possible that I am completely and totally wrong, I'll admit, I'm not a scientist Probably we do grow equal and its all just a retention problem, they retain all and we don't retain as much with little effort. Either way, I doubt it really reassures anybody that their hair grows the same rate as everyone else if they're forced to keep it in a bun all the time to keep said growth. (not knockin PS, I love them too, but Im just sayin' ) Same diff to me.

there are a number of threads on that whole 'sebrum doesn't reach the end of the hair shaft' theory. It could be that that is not true either, but otherwise I don't really see why we would need to use oils. Maybe someone more knowledgable can clarify.

 

[Candycane044]

No one mentioned superior, but the fact that people are getting up in arms about this kind of shows for itself. Neith even said below that "its not like black people have a defective hair gene". This would imply that there is some sort of deepset feeling that a slower rate=defective. I mean, most of my friends have faster growth rates than even most white girls I've known, and does anyone think THEIR hair is defective?

I am agreeing that diet is a factor, however I do not agree with you, and I think it does have to do with race, and the type of hair they have. As I have said a lot of the super-americanized asians I know do not even eat the traditional "healthy" diet, and yet from what I have seen the growth rate remains the same. Now it could be maybe most of my asian friends are "special" and have supergrowthrates that are not indicative of their entire race (or maybe they hide behind the apt at night and stuff their face with chorella/sushi/greentea or whatever it is thats primarly responsible for it , and I have lived with 3 of them at one time)

This is what I have seen. Sure not every asian girl has an amazing growth rate, but I can only base my assumptions on what I have seen and experienced. I do not feel that my hair or my confidence as a black person suffers or whatever if I admit that some other races have an easier time of it growing hair. *shrugs* this is just my opinion though, i'm not really trying to convince anybody. In my eyes the proof is always in the pudding.

In the end, it is possible that I am completely and totally wrong, I'll admit, I'm not a scientist Probably we do grow equal and its all just a retention problem, they retain all and we don't retain as much with little effort. Either way, I doubt it really reassures anybody that their hair grows the same rate as everyone else if they're forced to keep it in a bun all the time to keep said growth. (not knockin PS, I love them too, but Im just sayin' ) Same diff to me.
there are a number of threads on that whole 'sebrum doesn't reach the end of the hair shaft' theory. It could be that that is not true either, but otherwise I don't really see why we would need to use oils. Maybe someone more knowledgable can clarify.

That is it right there, retention. Most of our hair care practices are based off of other people's hair.... I'd say most of the ladies on LHCF, had no idea how to take care of their hair before they came here. (including myself) As such, of course we're not going to retain as much. We're still all trying to learn the boundaries of our hair and figure out what's best for it, while many asians know from tradition and generational pass down what to do with their hair. No, we cannot abuse some of the techniques other groups do to their hair. But they can't abuse certain things either. Things like curly perms, not washing their hair for extended periods of time or maintaining dreds. All I'm saying is that each hair type has its limitations and boundaries. If each hair type knew the most optimal hair care practices for each other, everyone's hair would probably be the same terminal length.

Ultimately, the way this argument can be solved is if there's a study done with different races all eating the same thing and doing what's optimal for their hair type. I'm putting my money on the fact that we can probably achieve the same length at approximately the same time period. Now, with that being said, I don't exclude that some people do naturally have slower growth rates, but I don't think that has anything to do with race at all.

 

[BotanyGrl]

My experiences are very similar to Rei. All of my Asian friends are "Americanized" and their habits are at least 5 times worse than mine. I'm talking diet, exercise, chemicals, etc. To claim that their diet is the reason for their growth is ridiculous to me. Why? Because none of my Asian friends eat any of the food that has been listed and their hair habits are atrocious, but they all grow their hair to long lengths after a cut in a short amount of time.

The structure of their hair is also different. Which means that they are able to retain length better. But that's still a part of genetics. No matter how much sushi or fish you eat, the makeup of your hair will more than likely be curly and kinky if you are an AA woman. It's been proven that curly and kinky hair is more fragile and susceptible to damage than naturally straight hair. All of that is genetics... If you need more info just google paracortical cells/orthrocortical cells and the structure of hair. AA women have both paracotical and orthrocortical cells in our hair strands while Asians only have paracortical cells. At the end of the day it's genetics.

Yes, we can grow hair our hair to long lengths, but it may take longer. And it's nothing wrong with admitting that.

 

[Candycane044]

My experiences are very similar to Rei. All of my Asian friends are "Americanized" and their habits are at least 5 times worse than mine. I'm talking diet, exercise, chemicals, etc. To claim that their diet is the reason for their growth is ridiculous to me. Why? Because none of my Asian friends eat any of the food that has been listed and their hair habits are atrocious, but they all grow their hair to long lengths after a cut in a short amount of time.

The structure of their hair is also different. Which means that they are able to retain length better. But that's still a part of genetics. No matter how much sushi or fish you eat, the makeup of your hair will more than likely be curly and kinky if you are an AA woman. It's been proven that curly and kinky hair is more fragile and susceptible to damage than naturally straight hair. All of that is genetics... If you need more info just google paracortical cells/orthrocortical cells and the structure of hair. AA women have both paracotical and orthrocortical cells in our hair strands while Asians only have paracortical cells. At the end of the day it's genetics.

Yes, we can grow hair our hair to long lengths, but it may take longer. And it's nothing wrong with admitting that.

It's not even just about the diet in my opinion, it's also about doing what's most beneficial for your hair type. Many of the things that we do to our hair is not beneficial for our hair type. An example of this is people with straight hair can probably get away with heat damage a little more because their hair is already straight, whereas we are not only burning the hair but breaking and bending bonds as well. The damaging methods they do to their hair is ten times worse when we try on our hair because of its state. But if they were to do things like try to make their hair curly, or go without combing their hair I'm sure it would be harder for them to retain growth too. Of course our hair will appear more fragile if we're using methods that are not conducive to its survival such as combing, manipulation etc. But have they done research on people that have dredlocks or the people who have figured out how to make their hair stronger and more elastic? Probably not.

 

[PinkSkates]

It's not even just about the diet in my opinion, it's also about doing what's most beneficial for your hair type. Many of the things that we do to our hair is not beneficial for our hair type. It's been proven that kinky and curly hair is more fragile using the methods that we have been using in the past. Of course our hair will appear more fragile if we're using methods that are not conducive to its survival such as combing, manipulation etc. But have they done research on people that have dredlocks or the people who have figured out how to make their hair stronger and more elastic? Probably not.

Preach Candy...you are so right. I can grow my hair out just like any other race of woman, but I cannot use most of the methods they may use to do so. For example, I use a blow dryer on my hair just like "Becky" but Becky uses a brush with hard bristles and seamed combs as she is blow drying her hair. That method of blow drying would leave me with broken, dry, damaged hair. When I blow dry, I use no brush no comb...just my hands. I have long hair too...I just had to go down a different road to get there!

 

[Neith]

Defective???
See, this is what me and some of the other ladies were talking about when we said that some people seem to think that acknowledging that Asians hair grow faster than ours is somehow admitting an inferiority. There was also a post quoting a study where whites were shown to also have slower growth rates than Asians. Do they have a "defective" hair gene too? There is NOTHING inherently superior about fast growing hair, especially if you evolve in an environment where lots of hair was the last thing you need. In fact, in that environment, slow growing hair was probably a superior survival trait.

My point was, people are implying that black people's hair grow slower as a rule. As if there are no black people with fast growing hair. As if there are no whites/Asians that have slow growing hair.

I hate broad generalizations.

Including peoplel who have fast growing hair and people who have slow growing hair, the fact remains... for HUMAN BEINGS the average amount of growth is half an inch per month.

There will be some who are above average and some below. Maybe certain groups of people do have faster growing hair because of genetics and lifestyle, but it's never all inclusive.

SOME white people have fast growing hair. SOME black people have fast growing hair. SOME black people have slow growing hair.

When it all comes down to it we are all growing half an inch per month collectively. It's been in the science books for ages