How many AA women you know are MBL or WL

southerncitygirl

Well-Known Member
I agree my hair has never been armpit length so who knows how much longer my hair can grow in terms of its terminal length. lack of proper hair care, improper usage of chemicals and crappy products are an issue with the lack of length we see on black women.
 

Mz.Shug

New Member
Besides the women I've seen on here...nada.I promise you, seeing the pics on this site is the only thing that keeps me believeing and trying.
 

Mane Event

Well-Known Member
Besides the women I've seen on here...nada.I promise you, seeing the pics on this site is the only thing that keeps me believeing and trying.


I'm with ya! Not sure if you're originally from Vegas...but I swear it's a regional thing. We both live in extremely dry climates, so seeing ladies with MBL and beyond just doesn't happen. I had a cousin move from Detroit to Phoenix...she was a healthy BSL but the dry climate has reeked havoc on her strands :perplexed

Every time I go to a state with extreme humidity all the women seem to have beautiful hair. I've seriously considered moving :grin::grin::grin:
 

jennboo

Well-Known Member
In elementary/MS there were 2 black girls(full) i knew of with mbl-wl hair...one was relaxed and the other was a pressed natural. Both girls had nice hair but i was always partial to the pressed natural bc her hair was thicker.

I went to a high school which was probably 50/50 black/hispanic.

There were a good number of black girls with nice/healthy looking relaxed hair...but it wasn't mbl or wl...apl maybe the longest...but the hair would be really nice looking, thick, bouncy, full of body, shiny. I actually attribute the health and vibrant look to the frequent patronage of dominican hair shops. There were also black girls with chewed-up thin hair, apl or shorter.

The one black girl (full black, not mixed) at my high school who had waist length hair was a natural who pressed. All the hispanic girls (mostly dominicans) had waist length to butt length hair, all of 'em.

In college, the girls in my immediate circle (3), most had *decent* looking relaxed hair: The hair would be shoulder to apl, not particularly thick, but they didn't have see-through ends.

Grad school...the one black girl (there werent many of us) who had lengthy hair...it was about mid back, but she was also a natural (in the 3b range) who got her hair roller set at some dominican salon in Pa.

Ive moved back to nyc, and i don't see ANY black women with straight mbl to wl hair. All the 'black' women who have hair that long are noticeably mixed OR have locs.

Collectively, it would appear that black women do have the shortest hair. I attribute it to bad hair care practices AND genetics.
 

Oasis

grabbing life by the pussy
I think I posted in this thread a while back but I forgot a woman. Her hair is at least waist but I'd say TBL. It's always in a bun or a long braid.

People are always harping about how she never does anything to her hair and how if they had it they'd be doing all sorts of styles. In all the years I've known her I've seen her hair out once. She's probably high 2 low 3 range.
 

Miss*Tress

Well-Known Member
Places that are more "natural friendly" probably have longer hair on average, w/ both relaxed and natural heads. It may be that if the attitudes on a place are more positive about African hair in its natural state, all BW benefit.
Very perceptive.
 
Most of the African-American women I know are anywhere between shoulder length and APL...with a majority being closer to APL. I only know a few with MBL or WL hair and most of them are from my salon. :lachen:


I've heard from this forum that in other US cities, the numbers can be skewed very differently, depending on where you are, etc.
 

Pooks

Well-Known Member
I know of one, and her hair seems to have thrived because of what she calls laziness (very very low-manipulation) - she stays in protective styles like twists/plaits/canerows and washes once every 3 months, sometimes longer.

In general, the reason black women 'can't grow long hair' (as perceived by the majority of society) is simply because most of us just DON'T KNOW HOW, or if we are exposed to someone who has healthy hair habits, lots just CAN'T BE BOTHERED when its so much easier to use extensions/weave/relax/constantly heat straighten/whatever.

There's only a small minority, mostly those who populate hair boards, who are interested in putting in the dedication and care that black hair generally needs to grow and thrive healthily.
 
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Pooks

Well-Known Member
^^ True. In my personal experience women my age want long hair but can't be bothered, its probably different because I'm pretty exclusively around other 4a-4b naturals who like me are pretty conservative as regards hair (aren't interested in cuts/colour, etc.)
 

Lovestyr

New Member
I know two women who are MBL. However, they are very older women so perhaps with age comes long hair idk.....
 

addaboutmyhair

Active Member
Not including LHCF? 1. And she's mixed, 2b hair. Yes she's black, but I never really felt like I had hope until I saw the brown, 4b long haired sisters on this site.
 

beans4reezy

Well-Known Member
I was working at a trade show in Chicago in October and I actually thought about this thread. So for the three days of the show, I counted the number and WL women (these shows are so boring, you need to find something interesting to do). I saw 4 WL'ers- all non-black.
 

BlackMasterPiece

Well-Known Member
Besides my two cousins who are just those types that dont have to try......I do see ladies with APL or longer hair in NYC, pretty often, we have some really good salons if you know where to go and most of the ladies with hair like that rely on a good salon to get their results.

We'd see much more of this if sista's just knew how to become DIYers.
 
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candy626

New Member
Outside of my family, I only have met a handful. Within my family, it seems like many can reach bsl-mbl. A couple have reached waist length or below. Most women in my family cut their hair when they get to be in their late 20's though.
 

Meritamen

On a happy hair journey
I only met a handful of women who are AA and have long MBL and beyond hair, everyone else is around SL to APL. A lucky few are BSL... anything beyond that seems to be rare in real life. :ohwell:
 

CrissieD

Well-Known Member
I know a few black women with APL-BSL hair. I don't know many women with MBL and longer regardless of race.
 

Seamonster

New Member
Wow, I just had a meet up for naturals and those interested in going natural. Two waist length 4b/c children came. 1 MBL 4a child was there. Of the adults 3 4a MBL, and 1 3b showed up. The trick with naturals is we have to tell you how long our hair is; the WL looked SL unstretched. There were just 21 of us at the meeting. I see a lot of MBL to WL naturals at the braid shop too, they like to protective style 100% for fashion, but they oil their scalps and use braid sprays.
 

MystiqueBabe

New Member
I just started looking at the Chris Rock interview with Oprah and it got me wondering, how many AA women I know with MBL or WL hair. I could only come up with 2 women and that's a shame. I'm not counting the ones I know from this board. Now I can see why, Indian hair is so coveted by women of color.

None. Zip. Zero. Zlich. :nono:

Most say they don't want long hair because you can't do anything with it and they have short hair by choice(not always exactly true). Yet they were impressed with the length of my hair when I got a virgin relaxer it was bsl:rolleyes:It's a shame really. If majority of BW would take the time to learn and take care of their hair the situation would get better.
 
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