Popular Question: how do black women grow their hair long? A black woman today has to search to get answers about how to grow long hair. Just like you I am looking for answers.
I have been wearing my hair natural for 10 years, growing it out for 8 of those years. All I can say is that this has been the healthiest and longest my hair has every been. I am not saying that you have to be chemical free to grow black hair, I am just speaking from my personal experience. What I do know is that knowledge is key. And if we as black women want to grow our hair long, we must get together as a community and get the knowledge.
So to our sisters out there who do have long hair, share your hair stories so we can help each other out. Do not let anyone tell you that black woman can not grow long hair. We just never took the time to understand the character of our “thirsty roots” to know how to treat it and maintain its natural luster.
I have chemically treated hair. Recently stopped parting my hair and greasing my scalp because my hair started have an odor. But now my hair is odorless but really dry and brittle. What kind of moisturizer should I use and how can I get my hair to grow past my shoulders? Thanks!!
Usually with relaxed hair, instead of using hair grease, you should use a moisturizing creme based solution.
Hi Marsha,
I found some information about how to treat your hair so that it will grow and stay healthy. The following product brands were suggested: Ojon, Beauty 4 Ashes, and Carol’s Daughter. Although I have never tried any of these instructions, in my research this seems to be good advice:
Heey,
i’am from holland
and my haire is horrible
i just hate it its soo mutch!
now i have weave and after 7 weeks il have braids.. but can you say how i just have to take care of my haire. when i comb it is hurt soo much. and i tried chemically i doesn’t work!
my scalp is terible. and i just want to have long beautiful hair. but now it is short ugley and much hair.. please help me
Ps i am sorry about my english i tried my best 😉
@ Haydee:
here are some tips i’ve found for taking care of our type of hair:
http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/tips/5-tips-to-heal-dry-hair
http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/ingredients/top-five-ingredients-for-moisture-more
if you need help combing your hair make sure it’s WET and has a lot of conditioner in it.
http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/tips/detangling-tip
i really hope this helped and your english is fine, girl! 🙂
hey i have relaxer and my hair is neck length cuz i cut it and i want it to grow out very quickly so could u help me as to wat products wud b best to use im currently using profective product healthy ends. Do you advice that i stick to one product alone or use others
hey i had braids and it pulled most of my hair out on the sides and now im losing the front of my hair so i just been wearing half wigs because i dont no what else to do so if you can please help me find out how to grow my hair let me no thanks!!!
@Cordneii and Mimi try Bee Mine products they have a great hair growth serum beemineproducts.com
when you get your hair braided make sure they dont pull your edges too tight that can take your hair out.
Its ok to use different products you gotta find what works for you.
Hey, Im from England. Its my last year in school and im going to prom with someone. I relax my hair and have no idea what to do with it. My friend suggested that she put weave in, but im not sure that if i want weave in as it would be my first time. The longest part of hair reaches to the tip of my shoulders. Each part of my hair is a different length, it just weird. I love my hair but its just taking too long to grow! Can you please help me to grow my hair long before the end June comes! 🙁 Thanks xxx
Hello
My hair issue is I just cut down my dreads & comb them out because they become despoil brittle the felt like potatoe chips 🙁 after eight years they where half way down my back…. My goal is to now grow out my fro style but I need to learn to manage my loose hair & promote healthy growth… Need a lil help… See with lock it was easier it’s a style in it’s self… 1 question also is it healthy & safe to braid my hair & wear sewn in weave to grow my hair out & how long should I wear it?
The main key is to keep your hair especially the ends, moisturized and sealed with an oil based product. You have to find what works for you. I am currently trying products to see what works for me. A good staple is raw shea butter. If you wear braids, make sure they are not braided too tight and pulling your edges, to prevent a thinning hairline and breakage. Also, do not keep them in too long. I do not go over a month and a half when I wear singles. Make sure you let your hair breath after wearing braids especially singles. One more piece of advice, I would not get micros that are very tiny the weight of the hair on your strands could pull out your hair and taking them out can do even more damage if not done correctly. Hope this helps.
– Sharina
I have short/medium hair. Do you have any advice you can gave me to help me grow my hair nice and long?
Hi
I used to have super long hair, but during the winter most of it broke off due to the dry weather, and i found that my scalp was very dry and super itchy. I use the Motion haircare line, but I found that it left my scalp itchy, so know i just use olive oil to moisturize my scalp. Also, i tend to have my hair in weaves alot, is this bad? and my scalp still doesn’t seem to stop itching, any suggestions?? I really need help!!!
hey..
All my life, i have had the worst hair out of my whole family. boys and girls. its embarrassing. When i was a baby i had cradle cap really bad and it took out my whole hair. my hair has never went passed my neck. my sides have never went passed my ears. ive been getting relaxers since i was 5 and im 21. idk what works and what doesnt. i use everything. optimum, pantine for women of color, motions, etc. i’ve been wearing weave for the past 5 yrs now and i cant do it anymore. im the only one in my family who wears weave and its just embarrassing. i need help to become NATURAL and having the longest and healthiest hair possible. what can i do to make this happen?!!
Thanks.
I have had long hair until I cut it into a bob style back in Jun 2011. But to keep my hair healthy and growing, I trimmed my ends, if I got color I stayed away from bright colors like blonde ( I tried it once and broke my hair some BAD) i washed my hair once ever 2 weeks. i used olive oil shampoo and conditioner. Along with that I would use a hot oil treatment by Pink or leave in the olive oil conditioner in all day with a cap (leaves your hair amazingly soft) I would also grease my scalp with a grease my hair with IC (it has a green cap) and blow dry and flat iron my hair with a heat protectant. NOW my hair is relaxed and I used heat on my hair a couple times a week which is not good for the hair but my hair somehow did not become damaged or really dry or brittle. I also would wrap my hair at night and after a week of wearing it down id put it in a ponytail or bun……the only reaso why i cut it was bc i had a ‘me, myself, and I”(you know like Beyonce moment and got a bob. I love the bob its just hard to maintain.
i moved to asia in 2007, away from my mom who has always kept my hair healthy. when i got here i started ironing my hair and using relaxer at least once every month to keep up with the growth. last year my hair fell off so much i thought of cutting it, but my boyfriend introduced me to coconut oil. i regularly apply it to my scalp, i stopped using the flat iron and i only relax my hair once in every 4 months and i’ve stuck only to organic shampoos and conditioners. i also opt for full-head weave-ons instead of single braids, they keep my hair protected from the everyday wear and tear and they save me a lot of time in the morning. my hair has recovered it’s thick,healthy look and now i’m just working on growing it longer. try that and it might just work for u ladies too.
My name is Mary Mbajo.
I am from Tanzani.
My hair look very bad, I am 35 I never see my hair long, and my hair is nature. Please help me what to do.
Hey I have being natural for 3years now. My hair texture is 2a and 3a hair texture. And right now my hair is above ear length right and it have being this way for 3yrs. Any advice on how I can care and moisturize my hair. I really don’t know how to care for my hair really. I’m thinking about cutting it all off and never growing it back. Can someone please help on telling me what to do with my hair. My hair wavy and curly which is type 2a and 3a hair type.
I would not buy Beauty 4 Ashes products…they are inconsistent and I got a bad batch that not only stripped my hair but damaged it…when I contacted the company for some resolution or a refund I was told to add oil to the product and that they do not do refunds…when I complained to BBB they threatened me with legal action…not a good company…
Hey Becky! First and most important question in haircare… Are you getting your routine trim? at least every 7-8 weeks?
Trying to find a good shampoo condition for my2 year old every time I wash her it ddry and hard to comb
Halo i hve just recently moved from nigeria to england and my hair is really short and boring i hate it i am 22 years old and i … want a boyfriend after my boyfriend dumped me plz help can i hve like a home made recipe !
Daraa Adgaboye 🙂 !
Hi lol sry bout the earlier comment I was considering becoming natural and wanted to go ahead with the BIG chop but I dont have the guts to go and do it!! but yet I see so many beautiful women pull it off with their own added twists my hair is usually in braids and I don’t know what to do with my hair when its actually out its especially hard when your living in cold conditions like London!
I had thick, long hair down to my bra strap and I went and got a beaded weave out it and I loved it but then all of a sudden my own hair was starting to break and it looks one-sided. What are some good tips to get my hair back the way it used to be.
hi my name is lashay i recently got african twist about 2 months ago and all my hair shaded so much.it fell out to the scalp.i dont knoiw what to do to grow my hair back.
To the person who was itching. I had the same problem. It was so bad that I scratched a bald spot in the back of my head! I went to a naturopathic doctor and he diagnosed it as yeast! (uggh!) He told me to stop using my normal hair dressings for awhile and apply tea tree oil to the spot and wash my hair with a tea tree shampoo (Aussie brands have one.) Within a week the itching was gone.
As far as hair care products, I love love love Softsheens’s Breakthru shampoo. it leaves my hair soft every time. I think it really is one of the most important regimens in the hair care process. Secondly, using a hot oil treatment really works and then following up with Organic Root Salon’s Olive Oil Replenishing Conditioner always works wonders on my hair.
I am trying to grow my hair back out again, too. 4 years ago I had hair in the front and back, past my shoulders. Due to stress in my life, my hair began to thin and break and I had to cut it. I’ve had braids before but am apprehensive about trying them again because I had someone put them in too tight once and it thinned my hair ): But because I really don’t have the time or patience to spend an hour on my hair each day, I am seriously considering doing it again. Are there any guidelines you can provide for the size and tightness of the braids? Thanks!
I am african american predominantly. Women need to know that healthy hair skin etc starts with what you eat. I eat fairly healthy but one thing I have found that keeps your hair, skin & nails healthy and your blood clean is raw garlic off of a bulb. I eat it religiously. My hair is incredibly long, shiny and continues to grow. I also use cocunut oil or cactus oil to keep it moist as needed and healthy as opposed to grease and the other synthetic stuff that these companies make ie that “organic olive oil” stuff. Nothing about it is organic. You get organic olive oil at a grocery store as is and can even use a pea sized amount to massage in your scalp, on your skin etc. As for a great holding product as opposed to gel, I use morocan argan oil, not some Sephora or drug store version, but purchased from merchants from the country. It is also great as an antiaging solution and clears up signs of aging. I reccomend checking your local area for those merchants, whom most of where I live, are muslim. Mre or less, the garlic is definite because of its high sulfur content. I hope this helps ladies!
Hi I have a big hair problem. Since I was little I use to have curly long hair, very curly. My mom started to put in braids when I was in 4th grade and now its up to my neck and not my shoulders like it use to be. What do I do and also I have deep conditioned hair and I want to transition it to natural is there any hairstyles (besides braids) that I could manage and it will grow long. I’m in 7th Grade, I cannot have extensions or weaves.
My hair is just past the middle of my back and natural. All I do is get a flat iron about every 2-3 weeks now. I went through about 3 years of wearing wigs to grow out my relaxed hair. I would get my hair in cornrows (not to tight), and take my wig off every night. I would go to the shop, getting it washed and trimmed when I needed it. Now I know the importance of not putting heat on my hair. Since I stopped wearing wigs it took about 3 trips to the shop to train my hair to hold the flat iron. Now I do not have to go that often, nor do I flat iron it at home, and it looks like my hair is relaxed. I love my hair and I think it is the first time I can say so.
I usually just put a lot of oil and hair growth serums to help my hair grow it grew a inch in a month…well that’s for my hair it grew fast i don’t wash my hair unless it’s one week on a Saturday and eating healthy drinking lot’s of water keeping your hair moist not cutting your hair help’s a lot!
My hair is pretty thick and it’s shoulder length. I recently got my first weave which was a quick-weave. I let my cousin do it and she only did one braid, permed, colored (with a rinse), and gelled my hair before putting the cap on for the weave. After putting the cap on she put more gel and spritz on it and began glueing the hair to the cap. Some of the hair was glued to my hair. I recently took the weave out and now I have chunks of my hair falling out and a bald spot around my edges, what can I do to get my hair healthy and thick again?
I currently have a perm in my hair, and am trying to grow my hair out. I got my split ends cut and I’m seeing some growth, right now my hair is neck length. I want my hair to grow as long as possible, I massage my scalp any time, Since my hair is very thick I have to wash my hair 3-4 times a month and the shampoo that I have comes with conditioner in it. My best advice is to eat healthy, get plenty of water, and excersize at lest 30min a day everyday.And don’t use a lot of heat on your hair and just let it air dry.
Hi I have neck length hair and I go to the salon every two Weeks to get a wash n set I really need your help as to what I should have my salonist use in my to help it longer
I’ve always worn my hair in braids/full body weaves and I will be relaxing it for the first time in a long time, and i wanted to know what can I do to prevent my hair from damaging after I relax it and what steps should I take in making my hair grow and become healthy?
hi..i am mostly african,with long hair down my back.no one taught that my hair would grow out again after it started thinning due to constant pressing and strenuous hairstyles but i used the profectiv line of product and followed a few advice given by my hair dresser such as wrapping,moistening daily,frequent washing,pressing ONLY on special ocassions and hot oil treatments……besides external care i used vitamin based supplements and cod liver oils…
hi ever since i was little i had long hair but when my cousin permed my hair its started to fall out.I also have split ends and my hair is shoulder length its been that way for years, i shampoo my hair once a month because i have really thin hair n i condition my hair nearly every day because i hered that it keeps the hair moisturized. recently ive stoped greasing my scalp because i heard it wasnt good to do that so i only use oil to moisturize the middle n ends of my hair n i would condition it every night ive been doing this for about a month and a half but i dont see my hair longer the only change is my hair is softer n the roots and edges are really straight! what do i do to get my hair to grow longer. please help!!!!!!!!! ( i dont wanna cut my split ends because im afraid that if i cut my hair it wont grow back i mean my hair is already short i dont want it to be any shorter 🙁 )
Hi I’m from the Caribbean where as I said before products for natural hair are limited nonetheless tht has not affected my hair growth. I did my big chop 2 years ago n now my hair is down pass my shoulders already! The products I use is organics, the shampoo conditioner and leave in conditioner. But most importantly what I used to grease my scalp which is the palmers coconut oil hair formula which is great! Key thing being coconut oil because it’s great for the hair n scalp as it locks in moisture which is what our hair craves! Im not to big on eating healthy so (embarassed smiley) i cant recommend any foods but my hair grew!! Its about loving ur hair and remember patience is key!nHope this helps!
I used to have long hair. I could go and have my hair cut it always grew back faithfully. But, as I approached 40 someone suggested I try a color change and I ran with it. Changed by black hair to brown with honey blonde highlights. I don’t think the young lady quite knew what she was doing (I was referred to her) and it left my hair seriously damaged! For 7 years I have struggled with uneven hair growth, because sections would not grow that were damaged. Dry scalp which I never had before. It was a mess. I prayed for an answer to my hair tragedy. Then one day I read about Emu Oil and began using a shampoo/conditioner with this product in it. It has been AMAZING.
My scalp doesn’t itch like it used to. My hair texture is soft as opposed to the dry brittle hair I suffered with as a result of the dye. I know there are plenty of people who dye their hair with little or no problems, hence the reason I think the hair dresser blooped somehow. But I have seen a DRASTIC difference and wanted to share my success with other women of color who are struggling with hair issues. Lastly, my hair is growing. I don’t know if it will ever be as long and thick as what it used to be, because of menopause, but its healthy. And has grown back enough to restore my faith that my hair doesn’t look like it has in the past 7 years.
I ordered mine’s from HealthyHairPlus.com
Best wishes to anyone else who trys it. And God bless! I thank God for the answer to my prayer!
Chanti says:
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
August 2, 2012 at 5:32 pm
I know this is kind of an old post, but I just really want to tell my story. I like many of the women on here use to have very short, damaged, uneven and all around “ugly” hair also. I tried all types of different products such as doo-gro, main and tail *which is somewhat effective if you have the patience” Dr. Wonder, olive and tea tree oils and conditioners, vitamins, braids..you name it; an none of these things proved to be effective. So I got fed up and turned to quick weaves figuring my hair couldn’t get any more damaged so why not. Much to my surprise this started growing my hair out VERY quickly!!! When I first started using them I barely had enough hair to pull into a ponytail as it was shaved down in the back ect..after the first time I took it out I noticed I had a small “afro” as you will but still not enough hair to really do anything with it so I got another one put in, left it in for about 4 or 5 weeks and took it out, this time my hair had grown enough for it to be molded into a small ponytail..I kept on doing the quick weaves for about a year 1/2 each time leaving them in anywhere from 4-5 weeks at a time and now my hair is nearly back length!! My bangs now reach the bottom of my chin and the sides are resting well on my shoulders. Everybody is so shocked and amazed by how healthy and long my hair has gotten. My sister who has been doing the quick weaves for me doesnt even want to continue to do them anymore cause she wants me to wear my “real hair” sooo bad since it has gotten so long and full. I know quick weaves are usually frowned upon because hair glue has been known to serverely damage our hair but here are some tips and tricks to do a quick weave, totally protect your real hair and promote rapid hair growth…
1)Steer clear of oils, hair grease and other moisturizers (I know we are raised to believe that our hair has to be properly moisturized but the thruth is moisturizers actually clog the pores in your scalp and cause split ends and shedding)
2)Make sure you have a fresh relaxer in your hair before starting your quick weave *I use the supreme “buy one get one” relaxers. I find them to be wayy more effective than the (dark ‘n lovely) ect..anywho having a fresh relaxer makes it easier to mold your hair back into a harder shell (I will get to this in the next step.
3)When molding the hair back in your desired preference it is important that you use a strong hold hair gel *I use ampro, do not get the ampro strong hold, the regular ampro is more effective* Gel the hair starting from the hairline on throughout to the nape, and brush it neatly into a back ponytail (or if your hair is very short, as mine was it is okay to use the wrap style mold it is important that you use a nice amount of gel, this molds the hair back easier the reason for this is that if the hair is not molded properly it can make the tracks harder to wash out because it will actually be glued on to your hair itself instead of the shell and this can result in hair loss
4.Now to the shell..after the hair is gel’d back into a back ponytail or wrap take a blow dryer and blow the hair dry and hard. This is your “shell” this is what protects your natural hair from being damaged. DO NOT proceed if the gel is still wet this will cause the tracks to slide out.
5.Proceed with gluing tracks onto your mold (do not worry your real hair is protected under your shell:)
6.When removing your tracks it is important that you’re removing your tracks that your hair is lubricated. The best way to take them out is to actually wash them out. Just as you are washing your real hair..get the tracks completely wet use a rich shampoo *I use nuturlizing shampoo* the tracks will just *slide out*
Good Luck and Great Hair to you all
It’s pretty simple! It doesn’t really matter the state your hair’s in, it’s more whether you can be bothered! Just like any other ethnicity, depsite our different hair textures our hair can grow way more successfully if natural! (Our ancestors did it)
You can still when pressed or permed but it takes twice if not triple the maintainence and I’m sure if you’ve looked at this article with your hair damaged as a result of perm then it hasn’t worked!
1. Go natural
2. Use only natural products for natural hair, they work hand in hand! Make your own it works out cheaper and easier in the long run if not try ones that are on the market!
3. LESS is MORE. Using less products in the hair will make your hair flourish! A natural moisturising shampoo and leave in conditioner thats about it!
4. Style – this is key to how your hair grows. The looser the hair the better it will grow! Don’t tighten or keep brushing the hair! Weaves,cornrows and extentions are good but not as much as single braids or twists so make sure you give your hair a break if you choose one of these. DO NOT HAVE YOUR HAIR PERMED OR PRESSED WHILST HAVING WEAVE OR EXTENTIONS THIS WILL MAKE YOUR HAIR BREAK AND CAN LEAD TO BALDNESS!
5. Maintain the hair – as you leave hair alone don’t forget to give it a trim even if you think it doesn’t do it! Every 2 weeks you literally snip the ends if not then 4 to 8 weeks, more will need trimming. If you style your hair everyday plate your hair before bed using leave in conditioner or warm hair oils then wrap so hair maintains the moisture.
6. Eat healthy – find foods that are good for the hair. Wellbeing – don’t let things stress you out. Stress is a cause of balding.
8. If you choose to colour your hair try to find a natural one they are not so damaging to any hair texture. It behaves better on natural because the hair should be more moistured, no heat or chemicals are being used which are bad combinations with dye.
9. MOISTURE THE HAIR – if coloured more moisture. Have a routine- shampoo your hair every 2 to 3 weeks, moisture whenever neccessary.
10. Don’t give up, it can be achieved. Enjoy every stage of your hairgrowth because then you start to realise how beautiful you hair is and how much it adds to your beauty!
My hair is short it has oil a lot of it 🙁 and I really been wanting my hair to grow for the longest what can I do ?
One thing I can say is if you have natural hair use natural hair products and if your hair is chemically treated make sure to moisturize it 2x as much. From my years of working with hair I can say greasing your scalp is a bad idea it doesn’t actually help as much as we think. I’ve been going natural for about a year now and my hair is the healthiest it’s ever been. When working with black or even mixed hair you mainly have to explore, our hair is a journey and being black doesn’t automatically put you into a set way of how to take care of your hair, you have to discover what works best for your hair texture. I know me and my best friend both black (but she’s Haitian and I’m a mixture of African cultures) although we both have course textured hair, we visited the same hair dresser and she said our hair looks the same on the outside but our textures are very much different. One thing I would suggest is finding a hairdresser that specializes in hair care, not just hair styling because that is about the best investment I’ve ever made. Don’t assume there’s no hope, our hair is a more difficult to take care of but it’s certainly worth it.
I finally grew my hair past my shoulders after reading a book called the 7 myths about Black Hair. I started going to a trichologist that mixes her own relaxers. I only get relaxers once every 8-10 weeks. I rarely use heat on my hair and I use a water based moisturizer (softnfree curl activator). This has changed my hair and I love it!
I tried using dove on my hair and also another body lotion do u think heating up pertelom jelly would help I’m 12 and haven’t explained to my mum that bue magic the one I want to warm up isn’t the best product for your hair my hair use to be up to bra strap lenth now sholder\neck how do I grow it back any natural tips ?
I am 12 I use olive oil hair oil on my hair do u think if I added lotion onto my hair it would help ? My friends do that
TIPS from experience:
1. Massaging my scalp helps a bunch. Last summer my hair grew noticeably! Once a day for about 10 minutes, maybe during a show. Not only is it soothing and helps with headaches, but it helps with stimulating your hair into growing (flow of O2)
2. Protective hairstyling. REALLY WORKS. Usually my hair is dry (I have thin hair too..) But thanks to YouTube I found my everyday hairstyle. Leaving your hair down all the time, especially when it’s already not in its best state leaves ur hair vulnerable. Protect it! Braids buns and updos!
3. Diet. Get your protein! When I’m making sure to ingest a good amount of protein, vitamins I see the growth. I feel the thickness. Your hair is mostly protein.
4. WASH UR HAIR. Lord have mercy to all of the black women out there who let their hair build up and barely wash their hair. Once a week. AT LEAST.
5. Coconut Oil to moisturize. And other natural moisturizers. The problem with other non natural alternatives are the ingredients! It’s horrid and cheap (and do nothing to help with actual growth!)
that’s at least from my experience. I have shoulder length hair (my bangs have gotten considerably longer&thicker) and I’ve been slacking in my own hair care. Since summer’s here I’m taking a break from the iron (that alone makes my hair so much thicker!for you heat addicts, YOU DONT NEED IT!). Seriously though, protective hairstyles ARE YOUR FRIEND and watch your diet! You’ll see a difference!