Retaining Length with natural hair- What your best method?

[Oasis]

Low manipulation is the only thing that works for me. The style I choose is irrelevant because that's is not what gives me breakage. It's the detangling and washing and styling that does it for me. The only way I won't get breakage is to leave my hair alone completely. Weaves are low manipulation for me.

Protein treatments have also helped me tremendously.

 

[sweetpeadee]

When I first went natural, I only did twists and twistouts, and was able to grow out and maintain my length. Now that I'm trying to grow it out again, I've decided to go with what worked before--SIMPLICITY!!!

 

[SEMO]

I find that proper moisture, low manipulation and wearing buns really help me to retain length.

 

[catgurl]

Thank you OP for starting this thread!

My best retention has been with kinky twist extensions which I wore for the last 7 months. But I've grown bored with them and missed my real hair so I am seeing how much I can retain w/o them.

I am now wet bunning most days during winter and twist-outs otherwise.

 

[NerdSauce]

I've come to the VERY sad realization that...because I have to go to work and fit my head under a hat, and because I lack a hooded dryer...and because my ends like to knot like mad under most circumstances (and lately split as well) I have to take a break from natural styling. It's not really working for me. (at all.)

If I could stay home all day and keep my hair twisted and tucked, or even do the twist and tuck if I could be sure my hair would be dry by the time I have to take it out in the morning, I think I would be fine.

I'm going to make sure the last of my bkt is stripped, do a serious DC, and just be a straight natural for a while. I might experiment with rollersets, for when I *finally* get back to regular exercise... but at my length protective styling is much less time consuming and much easier on straight hair. (I don't even want to hear anything about washing or co-washing twists. A million splits and brutal tangles and knots have made it clear that that is not the way.)

I'll definitely be taking notes in this and the straight natural's thread.

 

[Jenn22588]

I voted for bunning. I was on the protective styling for the last 3 months challenge and I decided to wet bun because that was the easiest for me. I finally broke through the length I was stuck at. Also search & destroy instead of trims have helped me retain length also because my SSKs are sometimes 2-3 in up from the ends.

 

[Deszdamona]

All I know is that I can't do the wash and go thang and twists are sooo time consuming but twists are what are working for me now. And I still incorporate protein since I have highlights.

 

[Keedah]

I wore lace wigs for almost a year and while I retained a lot of length, I feel I couldve done better. I washed and detangled every 2 weeks but Im gonna switch it up.

Im gonna wash with the cornrows in and take them out and redo them every 4 weeks. Im also gonna switch it up with a few weave installs that way I can leave my hair alone for 6 weeks at a time.

 

[jupitermoon]

Low manipulation, buns and updos, and co washing.

 

[jamaica68]

Keeping your ends moisturized and proper detangling whether dry or wet

I agree, also wearing my hair in twists 90% of the time.

 

[biancaelyse]

I've been natural for 9-10 years now. Moisture is key to me as well als low mamipulation and avoiding direct heat.

My hair retains more of its length when I keep my ends moisturized and healthy. This comes from cowashing, bunning and only combing my hair when it's wet and full of conditioner.

I have found that color is very damaging to my hair and causes extreme breakage, even when done by a colorist in the salon.

I have to watch the flat ironing too - my hair seems to need a lot of heat to get straight and the ends are easily heat damaged.

 

[purplepeace79]

Wearing twists and braids, with or without extensions, have been the best for me. I take the theory from the fact that they mimick the locs I had. Keeping the ends twisted or braided up with extensions keeps them tucked away. You just have to be careful taking them down. I never cut the ends of my twists. Always unravel from the bottom up so I dont mistakenly cut any of my own hair.

Whenmy hair gets to the length I want, I'll probably stop adding hair.

 

[bablou00]

Ive only been natural since June but I think whats helped me stay away from a lot of breakage is keepin my hair in twist 95% of the time. I also co-wash daily to every other day as well while in twist. Just finding the right moisturizer for your hair

 

[MizzBrit]

under wigs,a sew in or braid extensions.
i transitioned for months with braid extensions and when i wore a sew in, my hair flourished.
now im trying to wig it up for a while to see where it takes me...but either way my hair loves low better yet NO manipulation for a couple weeks

 

[CenteredGirl]

Minimimal product. I use spray bottles for everything (3/4 water 1/4 product). Low manipulation. Wigs until Dec 10. So far more retention than ever before.

 

[yaya24]

Cornrows under wigs and Full head sew ins.

My natural hair likes to be left alone with the exception of daily moisturizing and 1x weekly washing.

 

[BostonMaria]

Well... what I can say is that retaining length for me has ALOT to do with the frequency of washing my hair. I neglected to wash my hair in the time frame that I was used to and lo and behold...note siggy pics.

Heat is my hair's friend too. I have to deep condition during every wash. I rollerset my hair to dry. I know for a fact that airdrying breaks my hair off. What I'm going to attempt to do is dry my hair in big braids with rollers just on the ends. Perhaps that will cut down on the drying time. I'm in the experimenting stage right now.

I thought I was going to click the links and see really short hair. Girl your hair looks just fine! Actually its quite lovely.

To answer Lexi's question - I think that for me keeping my hair stretched has helped significantly. I also do search and destroys on the regular to get rid of those SSK and split ends. I rollerset my hair once a week in the fall + winter, but do not flatiron. I just put it back in a bun and leave it alone. Putting it up in a bun is the only way I won't over manipulate my hair.

Good luck and I love your blog

 

[Misshairdiva]

Getting rollersets and having my roots blowed out every week has helped me retain length.

 

[Wildchild453]

Twists have always worked for me. I'm actually getting back to them because my hair growth has kinda stalled

 

[Miss AJ]

When my hair was longer i was always in twists or buns. Now that it's short again my saviour has been twistouts and braidouts. I think all of these methods fall under low manipulation though.

 

[Daughter]

Been natural for nearly 12 years, what's worked for me is low manipulation which for me means twisting or plaiting my hair every 1-2 weeks, keeping my hair moisturised with my beloved glycerin/water mix and not using direct heat on my hair anymore. Most of all, improving my diet a bit and trying to keep up with drinking enough water.

 

[Pooks]

Having my hair twisted or plaited small = low manipulation of my ends for a minimum of 2 weeks (up to 5 weeks in small plaits). Then only wearing my hair in buns or other updos (kept hair moisturised and off shoulders and clothes).

Moisturising, sealing and DCing regularly.

Not doing rollersets and bantu knots on my twists/braids when they were too wet because they caused me split/weak ends - my hair was still stretchy while wet and I would do the set too tight, then after the hair dried my ends would just break off - took me a while to realise that (Doing them looser on partially dried hair or dry hair misted with water is fine though)

Staying away from heat - some people's hair can do heat, but I've realised that mine thrives without it

 

[preciouslove0x]

for me it's been yarn braids & twists (with my own hair). these styles allow me to keep my hair stretched, with minimal manipulation. i moisturize/spray daily to every-other day, and no-poo weekly. i dc about every 2 months, or when my hair needs it, and keep heat styling to a minimum 3-4 times a year.

I really dont mean to be 'snooty' or anything... but Im seriously wondering how you do yarn braids with your own hair. I thought the only difference between yarn braids and regular braids was the use of yarn. Is there another difference?

 

[Fine 4s]

I have not participated in any challenges and am newly natural as of 12/2009; however, single strands knots are the one thing that I have noticed keeps naturals from retaining length. You can only get rid of them by cutting them off.

If I am wearing my hair out (sort of wash & go) I cover it in conditioner (curly primer method). I find that the coating keeps the hair from tangling around itself.

http://public.fotki.com/RegsWife/curly-primer-method/

I also put in a Brazilian Keratin every few months and that has also cut down on the single strand knots. I have only noticed ONE single strand knot in the last month.

This why the best option for me is medium sized twists. However, it's too much work and I don't enjoy doing it as often as I used to. This year, I'm blowdrying my hair in order to avoid knots and do all protective styles after I blowdry (hopefully on low-medium heat with lots of heat protectant spray).
So we'll see how that goes for this year....

 

[NikStarrr]

I really dont mean to be 'snooty' or anything... but Im seriously wondering how you do yarn braids with your own hair. I thought the only difference between yarn braids and regular braids was the use of yarn. Is there another difference?

I'm thinking she meant 1)yarn braids, and 2) twists done with her own hair.


I could be wrong, tho. haha

 

[MaintaintheSexy]

I did a big chop the other day and while I grow out my hair, in its natural state, I plan on wearing a weave. I am going to wear braids here and there but not often for the sake of my edges.

 

[lilsparkle825]

I'm thinking she meant 1)yarn braids, and 2) twists done with her own hair.


I could be wrong, tho. haha

i was thinking the same thing...but tkj25 is one of our male hair growers.

 

[Maracujá]

I voted for twists and braids.

 

[bella gee]

im still trying to figure this out LOL

....let's just say i've been at a BSL plateau for quite awhile...thats why im weaving it up for awhile (6months), hopefully ill retain some length

 

[sweetpeadee]

I've been natural for 9-10 years now. Moisture is key to me as well als low mamipulation and avoiding direct heat.

My hair retains more of its length when I keep my ends moisturized and healthy. This comes from cowashing, bunning and only combing my hair when it's wet and full of conditioner.

I have found that color is very damaging to my hair and causes extreme breakage, even when done by a colorist in the salon.

I have to watch the flat ironing too - my hair seems to need a lot of heat to get straight and the ends are easily heat damaged.

I have actually learned that (color and heat) too...the hard way!!! I would always want to color my hair to add a bit of *flair* or straighten it to se how long it was. Now I've decided to no longer color unless with henna and straightening will only be done by me...once I do some more research (DEFINITELY do research...and ask questions ) to find some of the best ways to get it straight with very little heat!

AND thanks for the starting this...I'm learning some new things too!!!