I ask this question because I've been contemplating this answer. A lot of women that have long hair as adults or that are taking care of their hair and their hair grows very long, also had very long hair as a child, just throughout the years their hair has been relaxed or they didn't take care of it and it wasn't healthy so it did not grow. Once they started taking care of it grew to the length it was when they were young. As a child I always had shoulder length hair that never grew beyond that and my hair was in cornrows 99% of the time so it was taken care of. I wonder if it's even possible for me to get lengths like armpit and bra strap or if I am genetically predisposed not to. I wanted to know if anyone went from having no hair as a child to having long hair as an adult.
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Is There Anyone That Did Not Have Long Hair As A Child But Now You Do?
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Autumn~Tint~Of~Gold
Rocking the Casbah
I have the opposite issue. I had long hair as a child but I struggle with having long and healthy hair now. I didn't have heat damage as a child. My hair was just pulled back into a pony every single day. When I was 14 or 15 I opted for a relaxer 
and my hair was super long and thick but gradually all the damage reared its ugly head. I can still remember that even the woman I consulted with seemed ambivalent about relaxing my hair 
. My curls were resistant so they had me return and put ANOTHER relaxer over that one 
It was alllll downhill after that.
I don't think I'll ever have hair like my virgin hair again. I'd have to shave my head and start over with no heat and I still think it wouldn't be nearly as thick...
and my hair was super long and thick but gradually all the damage reared its ugly head. I can still remember that even the woman I consulted with seemed ambivalent about relaxing my hair . My curls were resistant so they had me return and put ANOTHER relaxer over that one It was alllll downhill after that.I don't think I'll ever have hair like my virgin hair again. I'd have to shave my head and start over with no heat and I still think it wouldn't be nearly as thick...
Goombay_Summer
Well-Known Member
The longest my hair ever grew as a child was APL (I blame my archenemy chlorine). As an adult I've managed to actually graze TBL. My hair went boldly where it never went before with its natural 4B fine strands.
Wow this is a new one. I always figured people that had long hair could always get it back. Are you natural? If not have you thought of trying that to see if it grows again?I have the opposite issue. I had long hair as a child but I struggle with having long and healthy hair now. I didn't have heat damage as a child. My hair was just pulled back into a pony every single day. When I was 14 or 15 I opted for a relaxer
I don't think I'll ever have hair like my virgin hair again. I'd have to shave my head and start over with no heat and I still think it wouldn't be nearly as thick...
TBL from armpit? Now that's some growth! How long did it take? That's another issue my hair grows sooooo slow. Even with hair vitamins, water and exercise
Same here. I decided to transition to see if that will do anything. To see if my hair would grow past my shoulder if I'm natural. I don't know, it's an experiment. I don't have High Hopes though. Every single woman on my father's side of the family has very short 4C hair above their shoulders. Even my grandma most of her life wore wigs because her hair just didn't grow. My mother's side is all type 3 with extremely long hair. I'm 4C and started this thread because I wanted to see if I was being unrealistic. Hoping someone can come in and give me a great story to give me hopeDidn't have long hair as a child, experience some growth when I was relaxed but it didn't last. Now that I'm natural and taking care of my hair myself, time will tell
Well as long as you are alive your hair is growing so that isn't the issue. The key is retention. Some people do well in protective styles. Some do better with out styles moisturizing daily. You have to find out what works for you and implement those things and you'd be surprised by what your hair can do.
So what is your regimen like?
Im transitioning. I wash my hair once a week. I can't go any longer than that. I use a mixture of coconut oil, Jamaican castor oil, and rosemary oil and massage my scalp, put on a shea moisture hair mask with a heat cap for 30 minutes, wash my hair with shea moisture black castor oil shampoo and follow up with the conditioner. I don't use anything with sulfates or cons and no heat. I use a protein treatment every 4 to 6wks. I wear a bantu knot out mostly. But also wear braids in between. I eat well, exercise and drink plenty water.
I'm not new to the healthy hair game. When I was relaxing i still used no heat and also had protective styles that hid ends. My hair was healthy relaxed and is still very healthy so this is why I really think for some ppl it really boils down to genetics. I just want someone with no hair as a child with long hair now to prove me wrong.
Finally! You may give me hope. As a child were you relaxed? Or was it taken care of? Are you natural now? If so do you think that helped? How long did it take you to get to this length?
Colocha
acne cream and afro dreams
Had short, thin hair as a child. Only grew to maybe shoulder length+ natural. No one knew how to take care of my hair.
Now my hair is super thick, and at bra strap length. I know it can grow longer too, because I've been trimming recently and it's still keeping length.
Now my hair is super thick, and at bra strap length. I know it can grow longer too, because I've been trimming recently and it's still keeping length.
Goombay_Summer
Well-Known Member
It took a total of 9 years but I started my natural hair journey with a completely shaved head. I also suffered 3 major setbacks along the way.
Setback number 1 was heat damage my hair had to be trimmed from MBL back to SL. Setback number 2 the one were I cried like a baby because it was trimmed from WSL to APL. Setback 3 happened exactly 2 years ago from WSL to somewhere between APL and MBL. I'm just finnally grazing TBL.
My hair journey was not perfect and my fine hair strands make my journey that much more difficult. I also have an average growth rate but it doesn't hurt that I'm only 5'2".
OMG I don't think you realize how much hope you have given me. What do you think was the biggest contributor to your hair growth that wasn't happening previously? How long did it take you to get to APL?
This is a great story. I would habe cried too if someone cut from WSL to APL. Why would someone do that?? My hair is also fine. And I find that the older I'm getting the thinner it's getting. It just really made sense for me to try to go natural. Keeping my fingers crossed that I have great results like some of the women here.
Beachy
Well-Known Member
I never had long hair as a kid at most it grazed my shoulders. In my late teens early twenties I started taking better care of my relaxed hair (minimized heat, stopped using mineral oil products, only relaxed 2x a year) and my relaxed hair grew as long as bra strap length at one point. When I did my BC in October 2010 I had apl length relaxed hair that I cut down to about 3 inches and now I am hip length with 4b/4a fine strands. I admit I had my doubts too about attaining super long length but time, a solid regime and postive thinking can do amazing things.
Aggie
Well-Known Member
The longest my hair has been as a child was shoulder length. It grew to APL when I relaxed as an adult. Then I transitioned to natural and suffered a few setbacks before I texlaxed. First setback was a black tea rinse that made my hair shrink to the point where I couldn't even comb it. Second setback was when I had an SSK and split ends city on my head. Third setback in June 2014 was heat damage from a Chi Enviro Treatment.
Finally I understand my hair a lot better, I'm still texlaxed and my hair is at BSB length right now - the longest it has ever been. Funny thing is, it seemed to have grown a lot faster after the third setback. I PS a lot using wigs on braided/plait hair, trim only 2 times a year, deep condition once a week and take vitamins daily. These practices have helped me retain my hair lately.
Finally I understand my hair a lot better, I'm still texlaxed and my hair is at BSB length right now - the longest it has ever been. Funny thing is, it seemed to have grown a lot faster after the third setback. I PS a lot using wigs on braided/plait hair, trim only 2 times a year, deep condition once a week and take vitamins daily. These practices have helped me retain my hair lately.
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Autumn~Tint~Of~Gold
Rocking the Casbah
I'm actually transitioning now (second time lol) . I know I abuse the crap out of my hair. I use heat wayyyy too often (more than once a week) but I do deep condition often and I'm gentle with my hair.
I feel as if shaving my head would be my best bet at getting my childhood hair back. Shaving it and using no heat lol but I just can't
Evolving78
Well-Known Member
I didn't have long hair as a child. Retention is retention. My mother had bad hair care practices when it came to my hair. Ripping through it, greasing it, not moisturizing it, burning it straight, etc... a lot of black women have bad practices and we just pass it down. I don't really believe in long transitions. I don't like dealing with two textures.
GGsKin
Well-Known Member
4c/b here. I didn't have long hair as a child but it was thick, although I have fine strands. The longest length my hair got to was grazing APL. My mum used to wash and canerow my hair every two weeks. She loved doing different styles, combing with a fine tooth comb, and would chop me a braided fringe in a heartbeat (nevermind my protests).
Once I got my hand's on my hair in my teens, I would press it weekly. It was always SL. I relaxed at 16 and after years with a bob, I cut my hair and maintained crop styles for years. I transitioned after a setback, and now my practices are completely different. My hair is natural (no heat) and APL. I definitely believe I can retain on to longer lengths.
Once I got my hand's on my hair in my teens, I would press it weekly. It was always SL. I relaxed at 16 and after years with a bob, I cut my hair and maintained crop styles for years. I transitioned after a setback, and now my practices are completely different. My hair is natural (no heat) and APL. I definitely believe I can retain on to longer lengths.
AkosuaBabe
Active Member
I think you asked a good and interesting question. I did have thick hair as a kid but it wasnt long. Genetics play a part to some point but I think the most important thing is knowing how to deal with your hair, how to take care of it. Ever since I stopped worrying about my hair growth and measuring my hair every 2 days, I have noticed my hair is getting longer and longer. I think stress is one factor which hinders our progress. When you take good care of your hair, it will get healthier with time and with the health, you will difinately see the lenght at some point.
LiLi
Well-Known Member
Trust me, there is definitely hope!!
My hair has gone through so many stages. However, when I stopped getting my hair done at the salon, that is when it reached armpit length. I had two different scissor-happy stylists unfortunately.
I feel like one of the keys to my retention was washing my hair everyday and keeping it off my shoulders when I was relaxed. It got to armpit length before I knew it and to brastrap length even faster it seemed. Later in my journey, I started following the advice on growafrohairlong (website is no longer up unfortunately) and came up with my own version of it -- I kept most of my hair plaited and started using a lye relaxer vs. no-lye. That is when I finally got to waist length.
My natural hair knots up too much so I'm still trying to learn what works best. I keep it in plaits most of the time so that all I have to deal with is the top part of my hair. It is all in a bun every day. I take it out of the bun each night though.
Here are some things that are tried and true for my hair whether relaxed or natural.
1. Sleep with a 100% silk scarf.
2. Use a shower filter.
3. Use truly seamless combs.
4. Do not flat iron dirty hair.
5. If wearing in a bun, pull hair all the way through and then twist it in a bun.
6. Stay away from banana clips and any hair ties with seams.
7. Wash and condition hair as often as possible. Even if just condition washing. Water really has been the key for me.
8. Stay away from grease or at least don't put it on my scalp.
9. Don't flat iron too often. I probably flat iron my hair once or twice a year just to make sure I don't have some sort of weird breakage.
10. Wash hair in sections.
11. Plaiting most of my hair.
12. Taking care of my hair myself.
You will get there. Trust me on that!!!
Prettymetty
Natural/4b/medium-coarse
My hair never grew past neck length until I started taking care of it myself around age 16. I grew it to a thick healthy shoulder length in high school. In college I started looking online for ways to grow my hair longer. Within 6 months of "protective styling" (buns) and skipping salon trims, I was Apl.
I grew to Mbl with a relaxer, but a tangling disaster forced me to big chop. Now my longest layer is Bsl/mbl and my goal is waist length by the end of next year.
I grew to Mbl with a relaxer, but a tangling disaster forced me to big chop. Now my longest layer is Bsl/mbl and my goal is waist length by the end of next year.
Napp
In hair purgatory
No I was natural during my child hood. No body knew how to take care of my hair . I got a texturizer when I was 16. It got my hair too straight so I cut it all off. Since then I've been on and off relaxers. Right now I keratin treat my hair which is working for me.
Aggie
Well-Known Member
I forgot to mention, my ultimate goal length is full MBL. I don't care for it to be much longer than that because even at BSB, my hair seem to be a lot to handle already. Now because I don't want to go to a hair stylist to care for my hair, I have to keep it at a length that I feel I can easily manage.
MzSwift
Well-Known Member
Another one here! My hair grew to SL, maybe CBL as a child and I was natural. My mom kept my hair cornrowed. Then I relaxed it as a tween, cut it like Halle/Toni and have wore it short like that through adult hood. Whenever I tried to grow it out, I would get to 3-4 inches before I'd quit and chop it off again.
Started my HHJ in 2009 when I found the hair boards and shaved my head into a Caesar cut. Grew my hair to WL by the end of 2013. It's totally possible once you find what works for you! I had to stop experimenting with products before I saw real results. Once I became consistent with my techniques, my hair took off! I skipped a few milestones and was at WL before I knew it.
I texlaxed in 2014 and started slacking in my haircare routine. As a result, I've been stranded in MBL land for the past 3 years. Even this is longer hair than I've ever had.
You can do it! It can be discouraging sometimes. But even though you've been in the game a while, it's never too late to learn a tweak to your regi that will help you see the progress you want! GL!
Started my HHJ in 2009 when I found the hair boards and shaved my head into a Caesar cut. Grew my hair to WL by the end of 2013. It's totally possible once you find what works for you! I had to stop experimenting with products before I saw real results. Once I became consistent with my techniques, my hair took off! I skipped a few milestones and was at WL before I knew it.
I texlaxed in 2014 and started slacking in my haircare routine. As a result, I've been stranded in MBL land for the past 3 years. Even this is longer hair than I've ever had.
You can do it! It can be discouraging sometimes. But even though you've been in the game a while, it's never too late to learn a tweak to your regi that will help you see the progress you want! GL!
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Me, too; I barely had SL hair as a child. From the 4th grade forward, I would get my hair straightened with a hot comb once a month, but during my mid 20s, I discarded that for air drying and what are now called braid-outs. I did try a relaxer as a college freshman and again in my early twenties; and since both of those times sucked, I left them alone completely. In high school and beyond, my hair hovered between SL and APL depending upon my mood, the season and/or the type of hat I may have wanted to wear (I'm a chronic snipper). I began my HHJ with SL hair at the beginning of 2010 and by the end of 2012 I was WL. This March, I cut my hair back to SL for the helluvit and now it's currently approaching BSL. So, yes, I believe that you can grow your hair beyond your childhood lengths.
morgandenae
Morgan Denae'
Yeah I'm another opposite I guess. I had long (WL), extremely thick hair as I child. I look at pictures and I swear I was more hair than child. I got it hot combed every two weeks and left pretty much alone. My mom was forced to be gentle because Im sooo tender headed and shes too sweet she never wanted to hurt me 
At 12 I thought I was old enough to make my own decisions
so I got a relaxer like my friends. My hair got much thinner due to over processing and neglect but remained at ABL/BSL. Even at that length I was weave checked all the time in HS 
My last relaxer was 3 years ago and I'm stuck in that same APL/BSL area. I take impeccable care of my hair and I'm still at my touch up EVERY 4 weeks, never moisturizing, dc, protein ect relaxed length. Im starting to believe in the terminal length BS. Maybe the reason my hair seemed to be much longer as a child is because I was half my size ?
At 12 I thought I was old enough to make my own decisions
so I got a relaxer like my friends. My hair got much thinner due to over processing and neglect but remained at ABL/BSL. Even at that length I was weave checked all the time in HS My last relaxer was 3 years ago and I'm stuck in that same APL/BSL area. I take impeccable care of my hair and I'm still at my touch up EVERY 4 weeks, never moisturizing, dc, protein ect relaxed length. Im starting to believe in the terminal length BS. Maybe the reason my hair seemed to be much longer as a child is because I was half my size ?
As a child I was always ear or neck length. When I started high school a combination of things, unbeknownst to me, allowed me to retain some hair. I then remained shoulder length throughout my teen-adult life. I would at times reach cbl but as soon as I went to any stylist, snip snip and back to sl I went.
My hair is currently almost BSL.
My hair is currently almost BSL.
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