Any Naturals Feel Like their Hair is Not growing???

[Country gal]

erplexed I have been natural for almost 4 years. I feel like my hair has not grown in the past year. I am still not APL. I went to get my hair styled tonight and the stylist commented that my hair had different lenghts. The middle back is the shortest lenght. My back crown area is long. The sides are a little short. I wonder if doing my hair at home as stunted my growth.

 

[Urban]

I'm sure your hair is growing. Are you experiencing a lot of breakage? What's your regimen?

 

[KEWLKAT103]

What type of styles are you wearing?
Do you use alot of heat?
What's your reggie?

 

[veggiegirl314]

I feel like my hair isn't growing either...but I just did the BC 3 weeks ago. Perhaps I should be a little more patient. LOL

 

[Nonie]

I feel like my hair isn't growing either...but I just did the BC 3 weeks ago. Perhaps I should be a little more patient. LOL

Uhmm...YEEEEAH!

Your hair is growing. You're just at that awkward length where protective styling can be tricky if you can't find a way to get all the hairs into a protective style...so ends are kept as safe from wear and tear as possible. You'll get there. Don't feel bad; some have been natural longer than you and ahem haven't reached APL either.

 

[msa]

Barring any medical illnesses or death, hair is always growing. So the question is, why aren't you retaining?

You may be a slow grower but, are you doing EVERYTHING possible to retain every mm of length? Are you ends protected, moisturized, handled gently? Do you get a lot of knots, therefore causing you to cut (or snap, haha) off length? Do you trim often? That can really be a problem if you're a slow grower. How do you wear your hair at night when you're sleeping? Is your hair exposed to extreme elements?

IMO, I don't think you doing your own hair is the issue. You just need to figure what you're doing that is causing your hair to break off.

 

[1QTPie]

My hair is growing, but it's breaking just as quickly to my disdain and despair. I've had to cut it as it breaks so I am back where I was 2 years ago. And two years before that. erplexed It's a cycle.

 

[BroadstreetBully]

I've learned the hard way that with natural hair you have to BABY those ends. Knots, tangles, and splits will keep your hair the same length. I have to wet and oil the ends daily while keeping them detangled.

 

[danigurl18]

I'm 8 months natural and I feel this way now...

 

[Country gal]

Yes, you are right. I am having problems retaining lenght. I started wearing braids back in December but before than I was wearing wigs while my hair was corn rowed underneath. I think the braids did it. My hair was longer this time around with braids so my hair was not completely braided up. I think so breakage occurred while in braids. I felt my edges suffered while in braids. My cousin who did the braids had commented that my hair was so long before adding in the braids. I don't feel that way now. I will post pics later to prove my point.

 

[Country gal]

I've learned the hard way that with natural hair you have to BABY those ends. Knots, tangles, and splits will keep your hair the same length. I have to wet and oil the ends daily while keeping them detangled.

I think this is happening to me. I had a harder time detangling this week since taking out the braids.

I also get frustrated that my fro still looks the same as it did 4 years.

 

[that_1_grrrl]

I feel that way. I am trying to figure out what I am doing wrong and what I need to do stop it. I know for me, I have a problem with breakage.

 

[msa]

I've learned the hard way that with natural hair you have to BABY those ends. Knots, tangles, and splits will keep your hair the same length. I have to wet and oil the ends daily while keeping them detangled.

That is so true. That's why I'm going back into protective styles. I love wearing a puff everyday because it's fast and easy. But ummm...my hair was starting to form some locs on its own. It was cute but it's not the look I'm going for.

So now I'm thinking of getting a twist style done...and I've been plaiting my hair at night and that's been making a difference.

 

[Nonie]

Yes, you are right. I am having problems retaining lenght. I started wearing braids back in December but before than I was wearing wigs while my hair was corn rowed underneath. I think the braids did it. My hair was longer this time around with braids so my hair was not completely braided up. I think so breakage occurred while in braids. I felt my edges suffered while in braids. My cousin who did the braids had commented that my hair was so long before adding in the braids. I don't feel that way now. I will post pics later to prove my point.

What did it being longer have to do with not braiding it completely up? 'Splain Lucy!

 

[Country gal]

What did it being longer have to do with not braiding it completely up? 'Splain Lucy!

I feel that my hair was more protected while I had corn rows hidden under a wig. The last two months my hair was braided in individuals. In the past my hair was braided up completely with individuals but this time around some hair was out past the braided part. I also did not keep my hair covered up at night and laid on my sheets. I feel it could of added to the breakage.

 

[Kay.Dee]

I feel the same

My crown and sides are shorter (also coarser) than my nape, my crown is always breaking.

Wearing a puff everyday did not help my situation and I wasn't being as gentle as I should have been with my hair. I had to force myself to make a commitment to protective styling.

 

[Country gal]

I feel the same

My crown and sides are shorter (also coarser) than my nape, my crown is always breaking.

Wearing a puff everyday did not help my situation and I wasn't being as gentle as I should have been with my hair. I had to force myself to make a commitment to protective styling.

What are you doing to protective style your hair?

 

[Nonie]

I feel that way. I am trying to figure out what I am doing wrong and what I need to do stop it. I know for me, I have a problem with breakage.

Rosie, have you tried wearing your hair in a style that lets you leave it alone? I had your length early 2007 and decided to do the hard C&G challenge. In June 2008, I undid a couple of braids and pressed that section to see if my hair shines w/o products when pressed. I was shocked at how much progress I had made. I'ma bore you with that pic coz I absolutely love reliving the excitement of that discovery!

So I went from this in Feb 2007 to this in June 2008 thanks to braids. Of course I'm probably still at that June 2008 length today But that's not the point. The point is, when I wore braids and left my hair alone, it grew. So maybe you could try that. The surprise is well worth the wait. (Note to self: I need to go back to braiding. :scratchch ) And CountryGal, I braided all the way to the ends. Way beyond my own hair.

 

[Nonie]

I feel that my hair was more protected while I had corn rows hidden under a wig. The last two months my hair was braided in individuals. In the past my hair was braided up completely with individuals but this time around some hair was out past the braided part. I also did not keep my hair covered up at night and laid on my sheets. I feel it could of added to the breakage.

Always use extension hair that is a few inches longer than your own, so that you can braid past your own. That also allows you extra hair to play with if you use human hair as you can curl the ends with a hot iron w/o having to use heat on your own hair.

At least you know what it is you could have done better. You'll make better progress once you make the necessary changes. And when you feel discouraged...just know that you're in good company. Lots of us don't even know what APL feels like.

 

[danigurl18]

Great advice Nonie! Do you do your own braids?

 

[Kay.Dee]

What are you doing to protective style your hair?

From December until the beginning of of Feb I was in senegalese twists extensions (professionally done)

Yesterday I just got done putting in my own twists w/extensions because I;m broke.
I would wear my real hair in twists but my length is award and I have an afro mullet that looks even crazier when my hair is twisted.

You should join the twist for growth challenege! It started on the 15th and ends Aug 15th

 

[MrsMe]

Rosie, have you tried wearing your hair in a style that lets you leave it alone? I had your length early 2007 and decided to do the hard C&G challenge. In June 2008, I undid a couple of braids and pressed that section to see if my hair shines w/o products when pressed. I was shocked at how much progress I had made. I'ma bore you with that pic coz I absolutely love reliving the excitement of that discovery!

So I went from this in Feb 2007 to this in June 2008 thanks to braids. Of course I'm probably still at that June 2008 length today But that's not the point. The point is, when I wore braids and left my hair alone, it grew. So maybe you could try that. The surprise is well worth the wait. (Note to self: I need to go back to braiding. :scratchch ) And CountryGal, I braided all the way to the ends. Way beyond my own hair.

WOW! your hair grew like weeds...
I wish I could do that for a year... Unfortunately I need to take a break from braiding because my edges break if I wear them too long. I redo the sides and the back to refresh every 2-3 weeks, but I still can't retain any length in those areas. I'm gonna twist my hair this weekend with extensions and keep them on for max 5 weeks, because it does help me retain length on the rest of my head, but I can't wait for the spring to come so I can finally stop wearing hats...another drying and breaking factor for me! When I look at pics of my hair growth within my first nappturality growth, I'm always amazed at how fast it grew... but now, it seems so slow...

 

[Nonie]

Great advice Nonie! Do you do your own braids?

Yes I do my own braids.

 

[Qurlyqt]

I've certainly been there! Taking pics and doing comparisons have helped me to see the growth. Recently, it's been growing but I seem to have chopped what was growing. My goal is to do better this year.

 

[lilsparkle825]

I'm 8 months natural and I feel this way now...

me toooooo! oh btw hi there

Rosie, have you tried wearing your hair in a style that lets you leave it alone? I had your length early 2007 and decided to do the hard C&G challenge. In June 2008, I undid a couple of braids and pressed that section to see if my hair shines w/o products when pressed. I was shocked at how much progress I had made. I'ma bore you with that pic coz I absolutely love reliving the excitement of that discovery!

So I went from this in Feb 2007 to this in June 2008 thanks to braids. Of course I'm probably still at that June 2008 length today But that's not the point. The point is, when I wore braids and left my hair alone, it grew. So maybe you could try that. The surprise is well worth the wait. (Note to self: I need to go back to braiding. :scratchch ) And CountryGal, I braided all the way to the ends. Way beyond my own hair.

those ends will GET YOU. i didnt realize i had a problem retaining till i trimmed in januaryish, then straightened this weekend and realized my ends were raggedy all over again...so i need to get my hair out of the way as well. i really want to do my own braids...like ASAP...but i am afraid to leave them in for longer than a few weeks because i am paranoid about my edges. i took my kinky twists out after 2 weeks cause of the same issue. (i also cant decide b/w kanekalon and human hair but thats another story...)

 

[Nonie]

Perlenoire and Lilsparkle, you can leave the front of your hair w/o extensions and just wear bangs of your own hair if you're worried about your hairlines. I did that.

And Lilsparkle, you are not lying: I had to snip those raggedy ends off after straightening. Sucked, but they had to go!

 

[Carrie A]

You may just be a "slow grower" county gal.

 

[NYCQT16]

I'm feeling the exact same way

I need to do better with protecting my ends...and I am about to get braids soon

 

[HeavenlySkies]

I know its growing...just not fast enough lol

 

[Faith]

Yes, you are right. I am having problems retaining lenght. I started wearing braids back in December but before than I was wearing wigs while my hair was corn rowed underneath. I think the braids did it. My hair was longer this time around with braids so my hair was not completely braided up. I think so breakage occurred while in braids. I felt my edges suffered while in braids. My cousin who did the braids had commented that my hair was so long before adding in the braids. I don't feel that way now. I will post pics later to prove my point.

Hey CG,

The braids you did were they the ones where the ends are left loose? I lost 2" because of foolishness like that I have to warn every natural head not to do those type of braids. It leads to tangles, knots, splits, etc. If you braid all the way down to the ends and moisturize daily you should be totally fine while in braids.

What is your current regimen? What was your braids regimen?