Hair growth

[Mookie81]

Hi all, glad to be here!

My hair is 3B/4C and haven't relaxed it for at least 15 years.
Tried to get it to grow for so long but no luck.
I wash once or twice a week, use Cantu natural products, hardly ever blow dry.
I hardly ever get it trimmed, could that be the problem?

It's above shoulders, the ends brush the bottom of my neck when blow dried.

Hey @Mookie81 do you do any deep conditioning treatments ? How often do you trim your ends?

Hi @Mookie8. I have 4c hair and in the last 3 years my hair has grown from neck to below breast length. I deep condition my hair fortnightly when I have it out, trim my ends, put it in protective styles, make sure I keep my scalp hydrated, use black caster oil on the nape and sides, drink plenty of water and take vitamins and biotin everyday without fail. Others may have other advice, but this is the only thing that has worked for me.

@kazzer2867

Hi *@Mookie8*. I have 4c hair and in the last 3 years my hair has grown from neck to below breast length. I deep condition my hair fortnightly when I have it out, trim my ends, put it in protective styles, make sure I keep my scalp hydrated, use black caster oil on the nape and sides, drink plenty of water and take vitamins and biotin everyday without fail. Others may have other advice, but this is the only thing that has worked for me.

@kazzer2867 I do everything that you have said (my friend who is a hairdresser advised me) and my hair has grown so much! My hair is now bra length at the back.

I must admit I get it trimmed maybe once a year . How often should I?
I deep condition maybe once a month, should I increase that?
At night I plait it and wear a silk cap.
I take gummy vitamins which have made a difference to the thickness and healthiness.
Probably don't drink enough water.
Mum is mixed race, dad black, mum didnt really know how to do my hair growing up so her black friend would cornrows my hair.
I stupidly cut it really short (and relaxed at the same time! 😱) when I was about 15 and have been paying for it ever since!

Do you just take a normal multivitamin and biotin? My hair grows quite long quite fast. I have a serious problem with length retention. Tbf when I followed a regime similar to the one you describe my hair did grow and maintain length. I've been lazy. Time for me to return to basics now.

@Dastardlythefriendlymutt

Do you just take a normal multivitamin and biotin? My hair grows quite long quite fast. I have a serious problem with length retention. Tbf when I followed a regime similar to the one you describe my hair did grow and maintain length. I've been lazy. Time for me to return to basics now.

Agree, I think I've been a bit lazy!

I know it's different strokes for different folks but washing twice a week sounds a bit too much for your hair type? Have you tried reducing the frequency of washing your hair? I do find that my hair (4B I've proudly recently learned ) grows much quicker when I leave it alone for a long while. I only learned that because I often found my hair growth to be so healthy after wearing a weave. At the moment if I can be bothered to use hair straighteners, it falls about an inch or so below my shoulders. Only because I NEVER do anything with it though 😂 as I mentioned on another thread, my going out routine is two big plaits.

Oh btw I forgot to mention - before I learned this about my hair I would also wash it two times per week. Leaving it for longer at first wasn't a pleasant experience because it felt 'dirty' but honestly that feeling goes away so quickly and the result is worth it.

@Mookie8. I wear a lot of protective styles, mainly braids. I really noticed a difference when I increased the amount of water I drank along with the vitamins and biotin. I probably cut my ends every 3 - 5 months.I had relaxed hair previously, until I went natural about 13 years ago and my hairdresser refused to relax my hair when she saw how healthy my natural hair was. As others have said, you might be washing your hair too often. I have never washed my hair weekly. When I wear braids I clean my scalp with diluted apple cider vinegar.

Ok, so I will start by reducing washing to once a week, upping the deep conditioning and getting it trimmed more regularly and see how we go.
Can I just say its nice posting a thread and actually getting some responses!

@Mookie81.
Can I just say its nice posting a thread and actually getting some responses!

Couldn't agree more.

@Mookie81

Ok, so I will start by reducing washing to once a week, upping the deep conditioning and getting it trimmed more regularly and see how we go. Can I just say its nice posting a thread and actually getting some responses!

It's nice reading a thread and feeling qualified to give responses

Make sure you also have a good moisturising routine and seal in that moisture every time with a butter or oil, whatever your hair likes. Be extra careful when detangling too, as you don't want your hard work to be wasted if you're breaking the ends whilst manipulating your hair.

A few video suggestions that may help:

Thanks everyone x

Another for less frequent washing! I can easily go 2-3 weeks without needing to wash. I usually wash it if I haven’t kept up detangling and need to sort out the matted-ness rather than feeling dirty. 7-10 days if I’m in an exercise phase.

I’ve tried to find the original Curly Girl method website which has, really good advice around brushing; washing; sleeping and it tested products, but it seems to have huuuugely trended since I found it originally and there are pages and pages of less specific advice. Anyone know where the original is?

My tips, in no particular order - I would DC every time you wash, and don't be afraid of shampoo or a clarifying wash every now and again. I wash my hair every 4 to 6 days, and my hair loves it. Don't forget your protein treatments, I do mind every 6 weeks or so as that's what my hair needs.

Tbh more than curl type you need to know porosity. My hair is high porosity, eg water gets in quickly, then leaves quickly hence my more frequent washing. There are lots of quizzes online (but don't bother with rgr hair strand in a glass test!) and knowing your porosity will help you so much. Trim when needed and use protective styles. Wear a silk bonnet at night, or silly pillowcase, as this helps retain length.

Can I hop on? I normally get my weave removed then put back in on the same day, but decided on a whim to get a kerastraight treatment and to my utter shock it’s longer than my (16 inch extensions 😳). I’ll try all the tips on here but any recommended products? Apologies for the hijack!

Have heard good things about washing hair in rice water but not tried it myself. Have a look on You tube... lots of hair tutorials for black hair, growth etc

Conception and pregnancy vitamins have made my hair grow the fastest it ever has. My hair is 4b.

Holland and Barrett do various different tablets for hair skin and nails. I’ve recently started taking some but it’s too early to notice a difference yet.