Difficulty with growing out my afro hair?

rara_layay · 02-28-2011, 09:40 AM

Hi all!

My natural hair is basically an afro. it's curly/kinky/coily when wet, but when I pick it out it turns into an afro. It also grows "up" rather than down. I'm having such difficulty with growth! I bc'd last september, and I have a substantial amount of growth, but it's still very short for five months post bc!

My mother tells me that when they had afro's in the 70's, they would braid them up at night and make sure they were well moisturized. I can't braid my hair, because it's so short! Any suggestions on how to make sure it grows to it's full potential and help it stay healthy?

the picture is of my hair currently!

vorsybl · 02-28-2011, 06:20 PM

Erm....you just let it grow I think. Afro hair does the afro thing on its own, I'm not sure how it looks or feels when its wet but, yeah as far as I can guess you just let it grow out like a chia pet. And I don't think it's possible for your hair type to grow downward unless you use chemicals to do so. Fact of nature I guess, but why perpetuate the norm? Break it by being different

rara_layay · 02-28-2011, 07:35 PM

I'm aware of that, and I wouldn't say the growth of my hair is similar to a "chia pet". It can grow like any other hair type, maybe not in the same direction, but it should grow some. I was just giving a description of my hair to help with informed people that reply to me. Afro textured hair isn't some alien hair type, and there are things I can do to maintain/and tame it.

Fronomenal · 03-01-2011, 06:32 AM

Hi!

It's natural for our hair to display the following charecteristics-- "curly/kinky/coily when wet, but when I pick it out it turns into an afro". It also grows "up" rather than down". Once you retain more length, you will be able to style your hair such that it will "hang" a bit.

Don't worry too much about hair growth...it'll come naturally. Hair grows because you are alive. You retain length depending on what you do to your hair. Rough handling and detangling can lead to unnecessary breakage which will hinder length retention. Just focus on gentle handing and moisture to facilitate the length retention process.

To keep it healthy, keep it clean (co-washes and/or shampoo washes, ACV rinses, etc), moisturized and handle it gently (detangle gently, comb gently, etc). Once it get's long enough to braid/twist/band comfortably, do so after washing to prevent unnecessary tangling.

For info on washing natural hair:
(http://maneandchic.blogspot.com/2008...o-washing.html)
(http://blackhair.about.com/od/natura...aturalhair.htm)

For info on how to moisturize:
(how do i properly moisturize (very coarse) natural hair? here)
(YouTube - Moisturizing, Pampering, and Taking Care of my 4B Natural Hair)

For info on detangling: (Detangling Kinky Hair - Natural Hair Care l Natural Hair Styles l Natural Hair Tips)

Here are some TWA styles: YouTube - 10 Styles for your TWA

//////

When my hair was that length, I co-washed daily (shampooed weekly) and moisturized with shea butter. Then, gently picked and patted my hair into a 'fro. Once it grew out some more, I did two-strand twisted bantu knot outs a lot. After some more length retention, I tried braid outs, twist outs, puffs and many other styles.

All the while I experimented w/ different techniques and products to take care of my hair. I found keeping a hair journal helped with the trial-and-error process. here is some info on keeping a hair journal:
(Getting It Down On Paper: Keeping a Hair Journal Tips, Ideas & How to Get Started | Little Golden Lamb)

Good luck!

P.S.
Also, our hair is not an animal to "tame" but a friend to get to know, bulid and maintain a relationship with. I know it's corny but it helps to not have an adversarial relationship with your hair when embarking on this journey.

vorsybl · 03-02-2011, 01:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rara_layay

I'm aware of that, and I wouldn't say the growth of my hair is similar to a "chia pet". It can grow like any other hair type, maybe not in the same direction, but it should grow some. I was just giving a description of my hair to help with informed people that reply to me. Afro textured hair isn't some alien hair type, and there are things I can do to maintain/and tame it.

Hey man, chill, you put up your pic, I looked at it, and your hair looks like a chia pet. There's nothing bad about it but it looks exactly the same.

http://www.buying-chia-pets.com/images/chia-guy.jpg

See?

RitaCeleste · 03-02-2011, 05:26 AM

I've heard eating enough protein is also important for hair growth. Hair should manage to grow about six inches per year. Some people get a little more but not much more usually if they are otherwise healthy. So all the stuff that claims to stimulate the scalp probably won't help. Keeping what grows is the most important part.

Fronomenal · 03-02-2011, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vorsybl

Quote:

Originally Posted by rara_layay

I'm aware of that, and I wouldn't say the growth of my hair is similar to a "chia pet". It can grow like any other hair type, maybe not in the same direction, but it should grow some. I was just giving a description of my hair to help with informed people that reply to me. Afro textured hair isn't some alien hair type, and there are things I can do to maintain/and tame it.

Hey man, chill, you put up your pic, I looked at it, and your hair looks like a chia pet. There's nothing bad about it but it looks exactly the same.

http://www.buying-chia-pets.com/images/chia-guy.jpg

See?

Saying her hair (or anyone else w/ similar looking hair) looks like a Chia Pet is not cool for many reasons...

Also, you don't seem to know much about type 4 hair (don't know what it would look like wet, don't know that it will hang "down" with more length retention, etc).

So, with all due respect, please stick to your realm of knowledge and refrain from offending people (and then not apologizing when the offense is called out).

rara_layay · 03-07-2011, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fronomenal

Quote:

Originally Posted by vorsybl

Quote:

Originally Posted by rara_layay

I'm aware of that, and I wouldn't say the growth of my hair is similar to a "chia pet". It can grow like any other hair type, maybe not in the same direction, but it should grow some. I was just giving a description of my hair to help with informed people that reply to me. Afro textured hair isn't some alien hair type, and there are things I can do to maintain/and tame it.

Hey man, chill, you put up your pic, I looked at it, and your hair looks like a chia pet. There's nothing bad about it but it looks exactly the same.

http://www.buying-chia-pets.com/images/chia-guy.jpg

See?

Saying her hair (or anyone else w/ similar looking hair) looks like a Chia Pet is not cool for many reeasons...

Also, you don't seem to know much about type 4 hair (don't know what it would look like wet, don't know that it will hang "down" with more length retention, etc).

So, with all due respect, please stick to your realm of knowledge and refrain from offending people (and then not apologizing when the offense is called out).

so true. It's phrases and comparisons like that that make little girls with this hair type ashamed of their hair. And thank you for your tips and suggestions, I will be implementing them immediately! Not the chia pet commenters.

Fronomenal · 03-07-2011, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rara_layay

so true. It's phrases and comparisons like that that make little girls with this hair type ashamed of their hair. And thank you for your tips and suggestions, I will be implementing them immediately! Not the chia pet commenters.

Your welcome! Good luck!

P.S. Don't mind the haters.

Ninjarette · 03-08-2011, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vorsybl

Erm....you just let it grow I think. Afro hair does the afro thing on its own, I'm not sure how it looks or feels when its wet but, yeah as far as I can guess you just let it grow out like a chia pet. And I don't think it's possible for your hair type to grow downward unless you use chemicals to do so. Fact of nature I guess, but why perpetuate the norm? Break it by being different

Did you just fall off a pickup truck, and land at NC? I have Afro hair and it grows down. Now, figure that one out.

"You don't think". Yep...you're right.

Gretchen · 03-08-2011, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NEA

Quote:

Originally Posted by vorsybl

Erm....you just let it grow I think. Afro hair does the afro thing on its own, I'm not sure how it looks or feels when its wet but, yeah as far as I can guess you just let it grow out like a chia pet. And I don't think it's possible for your hair type to grow downward unless you use chemicals to do so. Fact of nature I guess, but why perpetuate the norm? Break it by being different

Did you just fall off a pickup truck, and land at NC? I have Afro hair and it grows down. Now, figure that one out.

"You don't think". Yep...you're right.

This feels a bit snippy to me. Will you please find a way to express your thoughts in a kinder way? And please know that we very much welcome new NaturallyCurly members, even if they don't have quite as much knowledge as some of our equally marvelous veteran members.

03-08-2011, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vorsybl

Quote:

Originally Posted by rara_layay

I'm aware of that, and I wouldn't say the growth of my hair is similar to a "chia pet". It can grow like any other hair type, maybe not in the same direction, but it should grow some. I was just giving a description of my hair to help with informed people that reply to me. Afro textured hair isn't some alien hair type, and there are things I can do to maintain/and tame it.

Hey man, chill, you put up your pic, I looked at it, and your hair looks like a chia pet. There's nothing bad about it but it looks exactly the same.

http://www.buying-chia-pets.com/images/chia-guy.jpg

See?

This is such a rude response. Please watch how you "talk" to members. You're new here, so I should let you know that we don't tolerate insults and attacks on other members. Here are the board rules/guidelines. Please read them before continuing to post. Thanks.

Link.

Ninjarette · 03-08-2011, 12:08 PM

Yes. My response was snippy. I don't take kindly to a possible troll making type 4 hair associations with chia pets. I don't care what lack of knowledge a person may or may not have. They should know enough to know better.

So feel free to delete it. Cuz personally, it wasn't as snippy as it could have been.

EllyEllyOxenFree · 03-08-2011, 12:44 PM

In another thread, that same poster told someone with tightly curled hair that it looked like beetles crawling on their head....that is incredibly rude and warrants a snippy response. I understand that everyone is not as "educated" with curly hair, but that doesn't make insulting responses okay.

RitaCeleste · 03-08-2011, 12:49 PM

I just tried to ignore the comment because I didn't want the thread to become all about that. It wasn't that I agreed or anything. My hair is only 2c, very stiff coarse and porous but still only 2c. I have noticed some conditioners give more flexibility to my hair than others though (Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose). My own hair just needs a lot of weight and deep conditioning to lay down. Its long but the last time I colored it, I noticed it took awhile to see roots. It doesn't always comply and grow 1/2 an inch a month. Only if you average it out over time does it seem to be growing right. I can't imagine what my hair would do if it was cut short. I had a few short cuts in my life and ended up with hair sticking up everywhere. Stylists were telling me I had to "train it". That meant wetting it and combing it down over and over before I could leave the house (maybe a curling iron and a blow dryer too). I just grew it out so it would stay down. Eventually her hair should get to a point where the weight pulls it down shouldn't it?

sweetmx85 · 03-08-2011, 02:35 PM

so its ok for them to call her hair a chia pet but someone else replying to it is "snippy?" how are you gonna just gonna bypass the first comments?? thats not right or fair at all

prentonne · 03-08-2011, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RitaCeleste

I just grew it out so it would stay down. Eventually her hair should get to a point where the weight pulls it down shouldn't it?

^^^ this. when your hair gets longer it will lay down alot better....

Fronomenal · 03-08-2011, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sweetmx85

so its ok for them to call her hair a chia pet but someone else replying to it is "snippy?" how are you gonna just gonna bypass the first comments?? thats not right or fair at all

^^I agree wholeheartedly.

If anything, you should have addressed the inflammatory comment as well as the "snippy" one.

Keenylicious · 03-08-2011, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rara_layay

Hi all!

My natural hair is basically an afro. it's curly/kinky/coily when wet, but when I pick it out it turns into an afro. It also grows "up" rather than down. I'm having such difficulty with growth! I bc'd last september, and I have a substantial amount of growth, but it's still very short for five months post bc!

My mother tells me that when they had afro's in the 70's, they would braid them up at night and make sure they were well moisturized. I can't braid my hair, because it's so short! Any suggestions on how to make sure it grows to it's full potential and help it stay healthy?

the picture is of my hair currently!

how long was your hair when you BCed? because 5 months= 2.5 in of hair, so you seem to be right on track.

imma just give a healthy dose of side eye to some of the folks in this thread, let jesus take the wheel, and move on...

but yea... your growth seems fine.

Kinky DaySha · 03-08-2011, 08:17 PM

Shrinkage (which is common among 4s) plays a big part. It may look like it's not growing, but it is. Make sure you are drinking lots of water and eating well so the hair that grows out will be it's healthiest.

Also figuring out what your hair likes and doesn't like will help too. Take notes about how your hair feels after you use something. It can hinder growth too. I used products that made my hair dry, which led to breakage and split ends, cause I thought I should. Then I had to get rid of those nasty ends and start over. If your hair doesn't like gel, don't use it trying to get some hang. Baby it, healthy hair is key to growth. Happy growing