So, You Think You Wanna Grow Your Hair to its Longest Lengths????

Well, then there are a few things that you need to know.  Now, these are things that I have discovered primarily through my own personal journey to growing my hair to its longest lengths.  Now, I am going to be very candid and direct here.  But I am going to put the bottom line up front before I get all funky in here!  The bottom line:

• If you can't be consistent and like to try new things and products in your hair, then growing your hair to its longest lengths is NOT for you!

• If you are person who doesn't like to make commitments and gets bored with your hair often, then growing your hair to its longest lengths is NOT for you!

• If you like to look fly 24/7, then growing your hair to its longest lengths is NOT for you!

DISCLAIMER: It is not my intentions to discourage anyone from attempting to grow her hair to its longest lengths; I want those who are just starting their journey and those who have not made much progress in their journey to know what it really takes...I mean we ALL want long hair flowing down our backs and it truly is ours to have - and without the assistance of weaves, wigs and extensions.

As it has been mentioned several times already at LHDC, and will CONTINUE to be mentioned, outside of the 3C's, you MUST be committed and consistent with your hair care.  If you aren't consistent with your regimen and what you find works best for your hair, your hair will not reach its fullest potential where length is concerned; and that is as simple as I can put it.  Jumping from product to product or hairstyle to hairstyle is NOT going to help you obtain your growth goal.  Once you find what works for you, STICK TO IT!  Co-washing is not for everybody, but if it is doing your hair good, be consistent with it.  Growth aids are not for everyone; but if your hair is reaping benefits, keep at it on a regular basis.  Increased time between relaxers is not for everyone; not trimming is not for everybody; Ayurvedic hair care is not for every person attempting to grow her hair out...  So, like I said before, once you find what works for YOUR hair and YOUR lifestyle, be consistent with it.  And consistent doesn't mean every once in a while.  You should be cleansing your hair at least once per week; you should be moisturizing your hair daily (at least until you get to know your strands); you should be deep conditioning at least once per week (at least until you get your moisture levels in check); you should be using a satin scarf/bonnet/pillowcase every night and you should be taking your progress pictures quarterly so that you can actually SEE that your consistency is working!

I can't harp enough about commitment.  In most cases, you are NOT going to see growth progress in 1 or 2 weeks or even one or two months.  There are those rare and fortunate few sistas who grow hair at that coveted 1" per month rate, but that is NOT the case for the majority of us - myself included!  The monthly AVERAGE growth rate is 1/2".  THAT means there are some whose hair grows faster and some whose grows SLOWER than 1/2" per month.  Truthfully, expect a rate of 1/4" to 3/4" per month.  If you get more, GREAT, if not, don't get discouraged.

It is SOOOOOO easy to look at someone's progress pictures and "oooohhhhh.....aaaaahhhhhhh" over them and quickly forget that in most cases it took that person YEARS to grow their hair to the point that you are ooohhh-ing and aaahhhh-ing over.  Many people have setbacks for one reason or another, but they kept at it!  I have found that as many Black women who want long hair and as many Black women who are familiar with the practices to grow long hair, MOST of them DO NOT have the patience, dedication or commitment it takes for them to GET that long hair!  People get bored with no-contact styling, so they start abusing heat...people what a change so they dye their hair...people want to spice up their style so they get a trendy cut...people get a case of the lazies and slack on their regimen...there are all sorts of "reasons" why people don't make their hair goals and have been growing their hair for three years and still at the length they started at, but the underlying reason to most if not all of the "reasons" is LACK OF COMMITMENT.

Again, there are those fortunate few who can just grow hair no matter what.  We all know those women who get their hair fried, dyed and laid to the side FAITHFULLY and it seems like it STILL thrives.  The reality is, those women are in the minority.  The majority of us, however, must pay close attention to our strands and treat them with care and respect if we want our hair to thrive and grow to its longest lengths.  "What do you mean, LHDC?"  What I mean is, lay off the heat.  Lay of that comb and brush.  You can't look "fly" all the time (shoot, most of the time)!  What I mean by "fly" is getting YOUR hair fried, dyed and laid to the side!  We all know and love that look that I am talking about BUT start no-contact styling as often as possible - better yet, every day!  You hair is most likely NOT going to get to the length you want without no contact styling, so you will just have to get used to a bun, or braids or wigs or whatever no-contact style you choose.  Suck it up and wear it until you reach your goals.  After that, you can re-visit your regimen and modify it so that you can enjoy your newly grown locks. 

Sidenote: If your stylist is scissor happy, overlaps/over-processes chemicals or NEVER deep conditions your hair...leave her/him alone!  You will NOT reach your goals when you are getting your hair trimmed so 'it can grow' every month and overlapping your chemicals!  Start teaching yourself to do your own hair!  Granted it won't be like the shop, but at least you know you won't be the cause of not reaching your growth goals...

And one more thing!  As wonderful as it is to look at other people's progress, DO NOT compare your growth journey to theirs!  "So-and-so grew her hair from ear length to bra strap length in 18 months, so, so can I..."  Maybe you can but most likely you can't.  If you aren't So-and-so's very close relative (and sometimes even if you are) chances are your growth journey isn't going to be like hers.  Get to know YOUR hair and what it takes for YOUR hair to thrive and flourish.  Use other people's progress pictures for inspiration and motivation, not necessarily to compare where you are in your journey to where they are; are you picking up what I'm putting down??

Good, then.

I hope I wasn't too brutal, I really just had to put that out there.  It really is all love!  Good luck and happy hair growing!

 

Comments

[Meridien]

Cool blog. There is another way to get "hair down to there":
Sisterlocks. Tiny locks that just grow, and grow...and grow. I'm on the journey and it's been going on 6 years, I started from hair that was 2.5-3 inches in length. It is now about mid-back, a touch lower than BSL.
I can style mine beautifully and get lots of compliments (vain moment here!) I moisten it and roll it, then once it dries it is huge soft deep waves and curls, and it is as versatile as I want it to be. I don't stress my hairline, handle my hair like it was fine and delicate silk, moisturize with a mixture of glycerin and water from a spray bottle, keep it conditioned, and it loves it. I don't use any oils on my hair at all. It just attracts dirt and I hate how it feels on my hair.
I gather it up in a loose pony and it just brushes my shoulder blades and swings softly down my back in a tumble of curls. I get creative with it. It's strong, healthiest it's ever been, and it's all mine.
Sisterlocks has been the answer to my tangled hair history! I've been there: braids, relaxers, wigs, you name it. Never having to hear "Girl, you need to let me trim those ends" ever again has been worth it. I always wanted long hair, never had it, and to feel my husband with his hands in all my hair is out of this world!
Thanks for reading my long (hair) comments...
Be well, stay healthy, and however you're growing it, much success to you all.

[Tee]

ITA - one thing to note is that when you see these women with healthy and possibly full/long hair (natural or relaxed)they are not necessarily mixed race. I find it insulting that so many of these beautiful black women have to iterate that they are black (seems to need more clarification in the US than here in the UK). I was relaxed from my early teens until my mid twenties - I usually had short hair. I stopped relaxing in Nov 2007, but still had a preference for short hair. I decided to 'grow' my hair this year May and a friend who saw me last week said 'you're hair has really grown and it is soft - do you have any Indian in you?'!

Be prepared for people to directly or indirectly sidetrack you, but remember that it is the journey not just the destination!

[Kordae Ortega]

Wow!!! Couldn't have said it better myself!!! I'm new to my hair journey and taking care of my hair and all of those things you said were required to maintain hair length seemed crazy coming from the ladies who mentioned "only using heat 4 times a month" and so on I was like WHAT?! I used to use it everyday! But now I see the difference!! And yes I've caught on and have had to realize and start all of the things you said were required in order to get long healthy hair!!! Keep the info coming I'm all ears!!!

[Janee]

Can I please have the password to your fotki account? My hair was almost BSL and I decided to pull a Rihanna (sides and back shaved to the skin). I am natural and I made a bet with my mom that I could reach waist length. It's not that she doesn't believe it can grow that long, she just knows that I am scissor, dye, whatever-happy and get bored with my hair easily. This site has provided amazing information, and I would love to be able to see the hair of the amazing woman that created it.

Thanks
Janee

LHDC: Hi, Janee!!!! Thank you for the compliments! I will email you me PW. You can also get it from my profile or siggy on the LHDC Forums...

Thanks so much for reading!!!

[Tiffany ONeal]

Girl this post was on point on so many levels!!! I wish I could send this to errrbody who looked at me like I was crazy when I told them they need to be focused if they want long hair!

LHDC: Hi, Tiffany!!! I'm so glad you liked the article. When you get to the length you want to be, ain't nobody gon' be looking at you crazy then LOL

[LaQT/Ty]

Great tips! I love the honesty and the way you put it down. I will refer to this post when I need some sense smacked into me or for someone else.

LHDC: Hi, LaQT!!! Girl, tellin' it like it is is the only way I know how to communicate...sometimes it's good and sometimes it's bad. LOL Thanks for reading, sis!

[Beautiful]

I apologize, please disregard my question on what you meant by 3Cs boy I'm dumb!!! I just read the Beginner's Guide!! (smile)
LHDC: LOL! It's cool! You aren't dumb at all! The term and usage of the 3C's with regards to hair growing is something that is exclusive to Long Hair Don't Care so you wouldn't have heard it anywhere else but here or from someone who is a regular here and follows the 3C's. Thanks for stopping in, Beautiful and happy hair growing!!!

[Beautiful]

Hello, I just found your site you provide great information, and I simply love your hair just beautiful.

Can you explain what you mean when you say "outside the 3C's you must be committed and consistent with your hair care" Does this mean that a person with 3c hair does not need to be committed to their hair or is this not for 3c hair types. I'm sorry I'm just do not understand the statement.

LHDC: Hi, Beautiful!!! The 3C's as referred to here are - CLEANSE, CONDITION, CARE - the basis and foundation of any healty hair care routine. Thanks for stopping by!

[LongHairDontCare]

LHDC: Hi, Lina!!! :wave: PLEASE keep me posted on your progress!!! You know I am a fan of your hair!!!

[lina40]

thank you girl for making it the long hair goals plain as day! -- I was so inspired with many people's albums recently that I planned to change up my regimen and possibly expose my hair to more damage.. but this post brings me back to earth. I will stick to kinky twists, because that along with yarn twists works really well for me in retaining length. I will take some pics for sure in Dec since that will be the end of my 3 month protective style..

Blessings,

Lina40