The Great Debate: Genes and Hair Growth

[CurlyCrly]

You're right! But genetics IS NOT race!

I KNOW that. I am saying that your race/ethinicity is determined by genetics.

 

[senimoni]

We have to remember that WE are the generation that found 'THE TRUTH'
QUOTE]


.....Let the church say AMEN!!!!!!!!

 

[kizzylonghair]

We have to remember that WE are the generation that found 'THE TRUTH'
QUOTE]


.....Let the church say AMEN!!!!!!!!

Senimoni,

AMEN !!!!.

I dont know about you, but have you tried to eduacate any of your elders others about hair care. I have and they will not accept any of it.
They are not doing bad things to their hair. They are just not doing WHAT IT NEEDS!!!

 

[Keen]

Remember I said excluding black people mix with other races. Black people of mix race tend to have faster hair growth then blacks not mix with other heritage.

I see your point but you can't really say this about EVERY black person of African heritage and EVERY white person. There are SOME white people whose hair takes a longer time to grow than someone on this board because of their genes.

 

[Keen]

In 50 years the black race (in America, I can't speak for others) will have more people mixed with other race than today so of course they will have longer hair.

Also, I don't think retaining lenght is an issue here. Today's generation is more educated to retain lenght but that doesn't mean our grandmothers' hair grew any slower than today's generation because they didn't know what we now know. I do agree that black people can grow long hair otherwise I would not be on this site. I just think that black people's hair grow at a slow rate then other races and that is just a trait of the black race.

Black hair has a lot of traits against it to get to great lengths
0 The curl pattern
0 The fact that most of us relax it
( Remember most white people have totally un-processed hair)
0 And more importantly our MIS-EDUCATION!!!!

We have to remember that WE are the generation that found 'THE TRUTH'
Our Afrian, Carribean elders did not know of these methods thats why we see this misconception that black people can not grow long hair.
Its up to us to pass down the information to daugthers, thier daugthers and thier daugthers. So in 50 years time long hair will be a common fixture on a black head ( I MEAN REAL HAIR, NOT FAKE)

 

[Keen]

Sorry but where did you get that conclusion from what I just said??? I never said anything about hair type or hair texture...

Genetics determine our hair growth rate and race.

Genetics is not race.

If you were not referring to hair type then I miss understood. What were you referring to when you said this? What I highlighted in green is what made me assume you were referring to hair type.

Race is just a classification based on common traits among a group of people. For example, Negroid (Black) race usually has dark skin, coarse curly hair, wide nose, big lips.

I'm getting back to work now. I'll reply later if Poohbear don't mind continuing the great debate.

 

[Healthb4Length]

In 50 years the black race (in America, I can't speak for others) will have more people mixed with other race than today so of course they will have longer hair.

Also, I don't think retaining lenght is an issue here. Today's generation is more educated to retain lenght but that doesn't mean our grandmothers' hair grew any slower than today's generation because they didn't know what we now know. I do agree that black people can grow long hair otherwise I would not be on this site. I just think that black people's hair grow at a slow rate then other races and that is just a trait of the black race.

I'm going to have to agree to disagree with you on this one, black hair and non black hair grows at the same rate per month...this is what I was taught in college and in cosmetology school. I believe it has to do with hair texture rather than growth pattern, naturally straight hair or hair with a looser pattern is going to appear to be longer or grow longer than hair that has a tighter or kinkier curl pattern. And let's not forget that many of us with kinky hair get a lot of shrinkage so it may seem like it's not growing when in fact it is. I'm not trying to give a bio lession but all humans regardless of race are 98% the same genetically but it's the 2% that makes a big difference (skin/eye color, hair color/texture).

 

[kizzylonghair]

In 50 years the black race (in America, I can't speak for others) will have more people mixed with other race than today so of course they will have longer hair.

Also, I don't think retaining lenght is an issue here. Today's generation is more educated to retain lenght but that doesn't mean our grandmothers' hair grew any slower than today's generation because they didn't know what we now know. I do agree that black people can grow long hair otherwise I would not be on this site. I just think that black people's hair grow at a slow rate then other races and that is just a trait of the black race.

Keen,

Its ALL about retaining length. My point is not that the our hair grows faster or slower depending on race.
'A BLACK PERSON COULD PUSH OUT 2 INCHES A MONTH IN REGROWTH' But if they have not been taught about how to care for it. It would break as fast as it grows. And thats exactly what happens to us!!!

You are correct there are more and more mixtures of race but that wont be the reason non-mixed people will hvae long hair. It because they are educated

 

[Poohbear]

I KNOW that. I am saying that your race/ethinicity is determined by genetics.

Oh I wasn't putting down your comment. I agreed and knew what you were saying. I just added my comment to it.

 

[Poohbear]

Remember I said excluding black people mix with other races. Black people of mix race tend to have faster hair growth then blacks not mix with other heritage.

Who is 100% Black? Black is just a category we are placed in based on COMMON traits. I believe everyone is mixed. We all have different genetic makeups.

 

[Poohbear]

If you were not referring to hair type then I miss understood. What were you referring to when you said this? What I highlighted in green is what made me assume you were referring to hair type.

Race is just a classification based on common traits among a group of people. For example, Negroid (Black) race usually has dark skin, coarse curly hair, wide nose, big lips.


I'm getting back to work now. I'll reply later if Poohbear don't mind continuing the great debate.

Yes but I WASN'T saying our race determines our hair type/texture like you were saying. You must not have read what I said AFTER that......

Requoting myself (please read underlined part):
Race is just a classification based on common traits among a group of people. For example, Negroid (Black) race usually has dark skin, coarse curly hair, wide nose, big lips. Caucasian (White) race usually has light skin, fine straight hair, narrow nose, thin lips. This is not true for every black person considered black and every white person considered white. Have you seen black people with narrow noses, light skin, and thin lips? Have you seen white people with coarse hair and big lips? That's what I'm talking about when I said how fast our hair grows is not based on our race.

Hope that helps you understand what I was trying to say!

 

[MeccaMedinah]

No it will not come off because it is all matted together from roots to end. No doubt some ladies in this forum have long hair but my point is it takes them longer to grow that hair then it would have taken a white person because of their african heritage.

That statement in bold is incorrect. If that were the case my co-worker would never get his hair retwisted/palm rolled, because it would be growing out of his head already matted. I also disagree with your saying that locs appear longer because of shed hair. That's just not true.

 

[Poohbear]

Any more thoughts about this Great Debate???

 

[Belle Du Jour]

That statement in bold is incorrect. If that were the case my co-worker would never get his hair retwisted/palm rolled, because it would be growing out of his head already matted. I also disagree with your saying that locs appear longer because of shed hair. That's just not true.

I agree.

 

[brickhouse]

In beauty school we learn that hair is hair regardless of one's racial background. I agree that genetics is NOT race...I did the research and this is just not so. The average growth rate for a majority of people is 1/2 inch a month. The reason why it seems as if those with a straighter or looser curl pattern grows faster is because with a straighter or looser curl pattern the oil is able to travel down the shaft of the hair easier. Kinky or coily hair does grow but because of the bends/twists/and turns the natural oil or sebum has a difficult time traveling down the hair shaft. It is because of lack of knowledge or ignorance why one would believe that kinky/coily type hair (natural or not) 'don't grow as long as white hair'. For years others (Asians and Whites) have tried to understand 'our' hair type...the only conclusion that they came up with was not to wash it too often or it will dry out and to put loads of grease on it to give it moisture...we all know what that did to our hair...since we have decided to empower ourselves we {on this board} are proving the haters and naysayers all the time...don't fall for the hype that blacks can't grow long luxurious hair cause we can (regardless of texture). I don't remember who but someone posted that African's (not all) you don't usually see them with long hair, I say to that...what kind of Africans do they portray in the media? Usually the poor, the ignorant or nomads...I can't say that I know everything about African politics (I digress a little) but for the most part some Africans and African countries are in war or famine etc so I think that the health of their hair is the LAST thing on their minds. My point is don't fall for the hype, look to the ladies here for inspiration and you (those who don't believe our hair can be ultra long) will prove the haters and yourself wrong! Thanks for letting me vent .

Check out these ladies for inspiration
www.growafrohairlong.com
www.hairobicsallnatural.com

ITA. Most people just do not understand this.

 

[InsertCleverNameHere]

No it will not come off because it is all matted together from roots to end. No doubt some ladies in this forum have long hair but my point is it takes them longer to grow that hair then it would have taken a white person because of their african heritage.

This isn't true. Me and my friend who is as white as they come started growing our hair out from shoulder length at the same time...I had the same mindset that black folks hair doesn't grow as fast. In fact I tried to tell myself differently and would prolly preach it to you if you asked but deep down I though my hair didn't grow as fast.

Well 2 months ago my white friend came to visit me after I had not seen her for over a year. Before she came I thought a lot about how long her hair would be. I just knew it would be sooooooo long and my hair would just look like it hadn't grown AT ALL.

Well let me tell you I was SOOOOO WRONG. With cuts and setbacks my hair was THE SAME length as hers and after comparing my SO said mine was about an inch longer. She had been growing hers out steadily as well with only trims.

So TRUST AND BELIEVE that as a black person your hair DOES NOT grow slower. As an individual, yes it may grow slower than another person. But it is NOT because you are black. You may experience more breakage because of a different hair texture but I repeat your hair does NOT grow slower because you are black.

 

[Poohbear]

This isn't true. Me and my friend who is as white as they come started growing our hair out from shoulder length at the same time...I had the same mindset that black folks hair doesn't grow as fast. In fact I tried to tell myself differently and would prolly preach it to you if you asked but deep down I though my hair didn't grow as fast.

Well 2 months ago my white friend came to visit me after I had not seen her for over a year. Before she came I thought a lot about how long her hair would be. I just knew it would be sooooooo long and my hair would just look like it hadn't grown AT ALL.

Well let me tell you I was SOOOOO WRONG. With cuts and setbacks my hair was THE SAME length as hers and after comparing my SO said mine was about an inch longer. She had been growing hers out steadily as well with only trims.

So TRUST AND BELIEVE that as a black person your hair DOES NOT grow slower. As an individual, yes it may grow slower than another person. But it is NOT because you are black. You may experience more breakage because of a different hair texture but I repeat your hair does NOT grow slower because you are black.

Thanks for sharing your example! This is so true!