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

[ImFree27]

maybe your hair did stop growiing, you know hair goes through phases. I think its called the anaphase, but i'm not sure, where your hair takes a break. some people hair grows for six years straight and then it takes a break and then starts growing again. some people 2 years straight and then it stops and take a break. you may be at the end of your growing cycle...Try taking some magnesium, it supposed to extend your growing cycle. so you can grow it up to 6 years...but you should def. have some healthy practices to maintain the hair you have on your head...hhg

 

[BeautifulNameX]

Girl I feel you I'm sad my natural birthday is next month I'm in braids so I'm itching to see if I got growth. My boyfriend started growing his when I cut mine I'd be depressed if he beats me to apl or even sl.

 

[Jetblackhair]

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 Nonie, beautiful. Now that's the type of progress I'm looking for.

OP, I know my hair is growing but I've been having a hard time retaining. I've been wearing twist-outs a lot so I decided to go back to braiding (6 braids) and wearing my half wigs. I was just seeing too many small pieces of hair.

 

[that_1_grrrl]

I was going to try to do C&G this year. I let my sister braid my hair, and she braided them too tightly. I took them down and rebraided them. When I took those braids down, it was a b***h. So now, I am scared of it, lol.

I mostly wear wash 'n gos and then keep my hair under a satin bonnet all day. I think I will keep that up until I can find a way to do C&G in a way that isn't stressful to my hair.

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.

 

[Allandra]

I'm still transitioning, and I have about 4 inches or so of relaxed hair. I feel like my hair is growing pretty fast.

Is your hair shrinking more and just looking like it's not growing?

 

[HairHustla]

Hi Ladies,

I have been natural for a year now and I have had significant growth but it has been a lot of work such as co-washing daily, sealing with oil, deep conditioning on weekends and all kinds of stuff I would have never known about if it were not for this forum. My question is, since I have a limited scope of growth as a natural, would I be better off returning to permed hair so that my growth would be faster and easier to gauge?

 

[Leeda.the.Paladin]

Hi Ladies,

I have been natural for a year now and I have had significant growth but it has been a lot of work such as co-washing daily, sealing with oil, deep conditioning on weekends and all kinds of stuff I would have never known about if it were not for this forum. My question is, since I have a limited scope of growth as a natural, would I be better off returning to permed hair so that my growth would be faster and easier to gauge?

Your growth won't be faster, it's gonna grow out of your head regardless if the ends are relaxed or natural at the same rate. As far as gauging your hair growth, why not just measure and take stretched pictures? that is what I do. Also natural hair does not need to be a lot of work. Do you have to cowash daily? Maybe you could do some protective styles or just moisturize daily.

Now if you just want to perm your hair, then go ahead, but don't just do it for those reasons.

 

[1babydimple]

Braids can help but you definately have to remember to keep your hair moisturzed. Spray at least 2x a day so your hair won't dry out and snap underneath. My hair stays much more moisturiazed in braids than loose because I spritz them anytime and not worry about messing up the style. Keep that hair moist and pliable and you will retain. Good luck CG.

 

[Dee Raven]

Sometimes. When that happens I stop doing length checks so frequently. A watched pot never boils, right?

 

[Country gal]

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

I feel like twists make me look like a kid. I like wearing my hair out.

 

[Country gal]

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

It seems my hair is growing but retaining the lenght is the problem. It seems the back grows nicely everywhere else is sensitive. I noticed some breakage along my hair line probably from the braids.

 

[Country gal]

Wow Nonie, beautiful. Now that's the type of progress I'm looking for.

OP, I know my hair is growing but I've been having a hard time retaining. I've been wearing twist-outs a lot so I decided to go back to braiding (6 braids) and wearing my half wigs. I was just seeing too many small pieces of hair.

That;s the culprit. I would see small hairs. I feel sometimes those small hairs are misleading because you don't realize you are suffering from breakage. I am giving my hair a break from braids for a month. I think the next step is to get a sewn in weave which completely hides my hair and let it rest.

 

[darlingdiva]

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.

I have the same issue. I like the way that I look and braids & they do help me to retain length, but the damage that they do to my edges--particularly on my right side--just isn't worth it. I'm now caring for my hair under my wig.

 

[Country gal]

I'm still transitioning, and I have about 4 inches or so of relaxed hair. I feel like my hair is growing pretty fast.

Is your hair shrinking more and just looking like it's not growing?

When I look at my fotki it does appear to have grown over the years. My afro looks the same as it did in previous years just a little bigger.

08 pics
http://public.fotki.com/Countrygal75/2008-hair-progress/

07 pics
http://public.fotki.com/Countrygal75/07-pics-/

 

[Nonie]

I feel like twists make me look like a kid. I like wearing my hair out.

Have you tried updos like JustKiya, Anherica or Mscocoface? I have been wearing mine in updos and they are kinda becoming...and not at all childlike.

 

[Nonie]

I was going to try to do C&G this year. I let my sister braid my hair, and she braided them too tightly. I took them down and rebraided them. When I took those braids down, it was a b***h. So now, I am scared of it, lol.

I mostly wear wash 'n gos and then keep my hair under a satin bonnet all day. I think I will keep that up until I can find a way to do C&G in a way that isn't stressful to my hair.

I don't follow the bold. Do you mean just the fatigue/headache of taking them out or was there a problem?

 

[naturalgurl]

I'm feeling stunted too. Whenever I wore single braids or twists my hair grew like Nonie's. I'm getting single braids next month. I will have them redone in the summer and then giving my hair a break for the holidays from braids. Back to basics...

 

[Country gal]

 

[ShaniKeys]

My hair is growing, but I'm not retaining much. I've tried braiding my hair to protect it from the cold weather an hopefully I'll retain more length also, we'll see in may.

 

[Carrie A]

When I look at my fotki it does appear to have grown over the years. My afro looks the same as it did in previous years just a little bigger.

08 pics
http://public.fotki.com/Countrygal75/2008-hair-progress/

07 pics
http://public.fotki.com/Countrygal75/07-pics-/

You're really pretty BTW beautiful skin. I looks like it's growing. I remember when you were debating whether to incorporate more heat styling into your regimen. Do you think pressing is contributing to damage?

 

[Junebug D]

I seem to be in a rut. My hair was doing just fine until I moved back to Chicago. And I wasn't doing half the things in Ohio that I do here; I was styling almost daily and not conditioning much at all. I am tempted to blame it on the water and the weather here, although Ohio wasn't significantly different.

Hopefully my situation will turn around, but it's only been a few months since I've started treating it better. I just have to be patient.

 

[mscocoface]

I am pushing myself to be in protective style mode for the next 2-3 years. I will take down my protective styles 3-4 times a year for a week then put it right back up.

I do the twists with hair longer than mine and errday I am spraying something and placing something where my hair ends in the twists. I did a check of my hair back I think in December and won't check it again until June because I get frustrated with how slowly it can grow at times.

Remember protect those ends like a jealous lover!!!!! And as usual I am constantly working on taking care of my EDGES around my temples!!!!!! Geesh these things are more delicate than my ends! I keep my temples oiled at all times.

Hang in their ladies!!!! I figure this is a character building excercise sometimes I pass sometimes I fail!

 

[Country gal]

You're really pretty BTW beautiful skin. I looks like it's growing. I remember when you were debating whether to incorporate more heat styling into your regimen. Do you think pressing is contributing to damage?

Thanks a bunch. I know when I blow dry my hair, I may rush through the back becasue it is hard to blow dry straight.

 

[*closer*2*my*dreams*]

I've been transitioning for a year and it seems that my growth has slowed significantly. I've been using OCT & megaTek (off & on again) since September. I sometimes feel dejected as well. I mentioned to my boyfriend that I should have been SL by now, but i'm not close (maybe one little piece in the back is, nothing else is close to hitting my shoulders). I was hoping to be between SL & Apl in May in time for my graduation, but I'll be lucky if i'm closer to sl by then...

 

[msdeevee]

Country Gal, I feel you.

I am feeling the exact same way. I got to APL and my hair seemed to stop at that point. I know I have growing hair and with all I've been doing my hair should at least be BSL by now.

I know that I was not deep conditioning like I should so I joined the DC challenge and have been doing that 2x a week and my hair is feeling much softer and moisturized but my ends were badly split and crackly. I tried to hold on to them thinking that they would miraculously heal but it doesn't happen.

Just yesterday I had to break down and after doing my DC I had to chop off 3" all around just to get those dry , split ends off.

I'm hoping now that it will start growing again.

I would consider braids but I feel like I'm too old for braids now.

Have you tried trimming? are your ends split? do you DC regularly?

 

[ToyToy]

I feel the same way . It all seems like so much work. There seem to be all these rules and precautions, it's still overwhelming, even though I've been natural for 3 years . The only thing keeping me from relaxing again is my scalp problem.

 

[Country gal]

Country Gal, I feel you.

I am feeling the exact same way. I got to APL and my hair seemed to stop at that point. I know I have growing hair and with all I've been doing my hair should at least be BSL by now.

I know that I was not deep conditioning like I should so I joined the DC challenge and have been doing that 2x a week and my hair is feeling much softer and moisturized but my ends were badly split and crackly. I tried to hold on to them thinking that they would miraculously heal but it doesn't happen.

Just yesterday I had to break down and after doing my DC I had to chop off 3" all around just to get those dry , split ends off.

I'm hoping now that it will start growing again.

I would consider braids but I feel like I'm too old for braids now.

Have you tried trimming? are your ends split? do you DC regularly?

I basically hid my hair to allow it to grow. Now I feel I need to baby it some more by regular deep conditioning. I use Narobi deep conditioner. The past 4-5 months I have only washed my hair once per month since my hair was in protective styling.

 

[kweenameena]

I feel you CG! I've been on and off the hair board for years as well and I haven't had any real progress at all. My ends are raggedy and my hair is breaking like crazy. Then I went and got highlights. Never again!! I just can't learn. I might have to start my own little crown and glory challenge soon. It's just that I got my new pibbs and wanted to start putting it to go use to justify that $200+ that I spent on it.
My hair has been really depressing me lately.

 

[Fine 4s]

I'm stuck in a lil rut myself!
So...aggressively doing the protective styling thing. Dayum there locking my hair and THEN re-twist.

 

[Country gal]

I feel you CG! I've been on and off the hair board for years as well and I haven't had any real progress at all. My ends are raggedy and my hair is breaking like crazy. Then I went and got highlights. Never again!! I just can't learn. I might have to start my own little crown and glory challenge soon. It's just that I got my new pibbs and wanted to start putting it to go use to justify that $200+ that I spent on it.
My hair has been really depressing me lately.

Your hair and your baby's hair looked so cute when I saw you last week. I was like all Kweena has a mini me.