THE REAL KEY TO GROWING YOUR HAIR LONG

By Hadassah Agbaps - June 26, 2015

Hi people, what's been on?
Boing!!!

I've been asked by a lot of people how I managed to grow my hair long with some resigning with the phrase "Oh, long hair must run in her family, can't you see her sister's hair too?"



The hair she was carrying that drew the remark.  She's natural too and working on her ends.  We straightened so she could see her progress. She's three years in.


Time is usually too short to explain but that's what this blog is here for abi?

So here's what nature and genetics gave me...
- Type 4b/c hair (believed to never grow longer than shoulders)
- Very porous hair (prone to dryness, split ends and knots)
- Fine strands (prone to breakage. The hardest type of hair to retain length with).
I read somewhere that fine haired naturals with very long hair are hard to find....true in a way because most featured naturalistas of the type 4 variety with waist length hair have dense, medium/thick stranded and low porosity hair.


Yet I managed to grow it almost down my waist stretched.

Clumping gives my hair the strength it needs


How???

Making sure my scalp was clear and healthy was one thing. Afterall the scalp is the soil from which hair grows. Most hair growing pills (Hairfinity et al) concentrate on fertilizing the soil (scalp) but that's where it ends.
P.S. if you genetically have fine, less dense hair, there's only so much those pills can do.

My major progress in length retention came from the ends of my hair not just from the roots.

The hair on the ends of your hair is older and more weathered than the roots.
There's no point your hair 3 inches a month and 4 inches breaks off at the ends. It's not that your pills weren't working, YOU weren't working...lol.

I'll convert my lemons to lemonade by saying that if genetics hadn't given me the kind of hair that takes no nonsense (it will just break, shikena), I probably wouldn't have developed and maintained a reasonable hair regimen.

I really do envy those people with genetically thick, medium/low porosity and thick stranded hair. These properties make it easier for the hair to withstand damage and break less. A feather could literally break my hair.

So knowing my ends are important in growing my hair long, here's how I baby them.

1. MOISTURIZE
 I don't play with moisturizing my ends
Infact how well a product works for my hair depends on how "boingy", moisturised and happy my ends looked. Straw like ends equals product fail in my book. I'm all about the boings.
If I fail to apply a leave in to my hair, I never fail to apply even just a dab to my ends. I start all product application (except shampoo) to my ends.

Products ready for their exam. Exam officer: My ends.
Only two out of the three products passed. The Denman brush has graduated.


2.  HIDE YOUR ENDS
The main reason I don't like people touching my hair is because of my ends (aside messing up a twistout on fleek!). That's the first part people touch and they aren't as gentle as I am with my ends.
I keep my ends protected by tucking them in when I style. Moisturize then tuck.

My favorite go to bun, the "cheat bun" has my ends comfortably hidden. So if I said no to opening up my bun, it's nothing personal. Just me jealousy guarding my ends.

3. KEEP YOUR HAIR UP AND AWAY
I love shrinkage for the fact that it manages to keep a lot of hair out of the way. God's perfect design.
No chance of my ends rubbing on my clothes and breaking off. When I straightened my hair, someone remarked once that I didn't want to flaunt my asset. It flew over my head because my ends are more important than flattery. I have other assets to flaunt like my life (being alive is an asset), my brain (the ability to think is an asset), my lips (I love how full they are), my eyes.....gosh...this will be an exercise in narcissism abeg!!!
So ends up and away.....the heat even encourages me.


4. PROTECT YOUR ENDS AT NIGHT

Satin bonnet, satin scarf, satin pillowcase, pineappling, take your pick. Point is your ends and any surface are sworn enemies especially if your ends are of the fine, feathery variety like mine.

5. GEL CAST IS A SUIT OF ARMOR
I love gel for the main reason that it protects my ends. It's like a suit of armor protecting my ends from invading forces like friction, dryness, heat, sun, dust etc. It also keeps my hair clumped. For my hair type, "united we stand, divided we fall".
I rate gels by how well they keep my ends moisturised while forming a cast which is one reason I'm willing to swap that Jessicurl Spiralicious Styling Gel. It dries out my ends!
I don't joke with stylers not just because of curl definition and clumping but also the protection they give my ends

6. STRENGTHENING TREATMENTS

I also don't joke with strengthening my ends and I'm of the opinion that there should be products for ends only!
Which is why I'm in love with my NappyGirl Haircare products (personal hyping but my ends made me do it!!!). I also love henna, coconut/palmkernel oil, manshanu, my modified Aphogee protein treatment, Aussie Moist DC etc because they reduce breakage at my ends. I don't see broken pieces of hair and the only thing that reduces my length is trimming. I like to groom my afro hedge (note: I didn't say scissors happy).

7. AVOID STYLES THAT STRESS MY ENDS.
I pet my ends a lot! I kiss them, sing them to sleep, prepare them breakfast but mehn most stylists don't care about them as much as I do!  Any stylist that can handle my ends gently is great in my book which is why I like Joy, the stylist at the salon. I don't care if you can braid for Africa, just handle my ends gently.
Ways you can protect your ends during styling are

- When doing braids, don't braid till the end, twist instead. Twists are easier to loosen.

- For children, protect their ends by using extension at the ends before putting beads (if you must put beads!)

- When flat ironing or blow drying, don't make more than two passes (one is the best sef) on your ends.

- Even if you have extensions in, don't let your hair rub on your clothes.

- Moisturise ends daily. Scrunch in gently. Don't rub.


So that's it from your ends obsessed blogger!

How do you protect your ends?

PRODUCTS

SheaMoisture Restorative Conditioner
NappyGirl UberMoist
Ciccolatina Bamboo Leave In Conditioner
Gels/stylers
Protein treatment
Henna
Coconut Oil
Palm kernel Oil
Satin bonnets



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22 comments

  1. This is one of the best posts ever about hair. I feel I identify with all you just said and learned a lot. I shall work on baying my ends.questions:
    -when you have a wash and go, do you still moisturize them daily? If yes with what: oil or more gel?
    -how did you discover you were high porosity? I just discovered I may be high as well, because my hair loves protein, acv, aloe when all this while I thought I had low porosity because of the water test.

    Thank you. I really hope I can enjoy long hair one day. Been natural for so many years so it's a little hard to be hopeful, but I am still trying to hold on a little to the dream that I can grow my hair.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks Neuyogi! To answer your questions,
    Yes I moisturise the wash and go daily by spraying it especially ends with clean water. It rehydrates my curls and reactivates the gel cast. Then I scruch in a little oil for shine.

    I found out about my porosity when I read the characteristics of porous hair, mainly absorbs water easily but loses it just as fast. Products sink in quickly too. Then when you slide your fingers against the strand in the opposite direction, it feels rough. My porosity was also confirmed by viewing under the microscope.

    Yes you can grow it long. Just watch out for the ends.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Excellent tips! Healthy ends are key to length retention.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! Yes and I noticed you also pet your ends too.

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  4. Great post. Which gels, oils and moisturizers do you recommend? My hair is similar to yours. I believe medium to high porosity.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Inekka, here's a link to some recommended products http://www.nappilynigeriangirl.com/p/natural-hair-products_5.html

      Delete
  5. What styles would you suggest for someone who has hardly any front hair and a big forehead? lol thats what's keeping me from going natural.

    www.theplushist.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Chai, wanty wanty doesn't have, getty getty doesn't want....see me highlighting and contouring to get a forehead! Well, you're in luck, having natural hair is a perfect way to distract from the forehead as it's bigger...lol. You can try styles with a side swoop. Google up Rihanna and see what styles she does to hide her fore...you can try some...but mehn, I really love the look of a high kinky bun with that forehead...priceless.

      Delete
  6. Hi!

    Thanks for your advice. I have the same type of hair and the fragility of fine hair can be frustrating at time. On top of that, I have a low density hair so bye bye volume but well got to love it anyway.

    I have a question how do you keep your ends away and protect them in the short stage (I BC'ed 8 months ago).

    Thx in advance

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes it can be. At 8 months, you've got up and away naturally covered. Try sleeping with a satin bonnet to protect your ends at night. For keeping ends tucked in, you can try the cinnabun. Type cinnabun in the search button for a simple pictorial on how to do it. My sis was 8 months at that time too.

      Delete
  7. Great post! Babying those ends is a must for length retention.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Really nice post.
    Everytime you say you're 4B/4C, I always thought- really? But now that I see the curls at the back, I agree. I'm trying to do better with my ends. Haven't been doing too well on the length retention P. And, what you said about clumping giving your hair the strengthening it needs. So true. Mastering the wash n go can actually help 4C hair retain length contrary to popular opinion. All that clumping, with the gel in place, hair won't tangle so easy. Again, good post! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank AB! About my texture, my dear, I get that a lot ehnn. People don't believe I have 4c hair just because most times I either keep it stretched or clumped that's why I vexed and took pics...lol.
      I think you're doing okay with your length retention from the last stretched pic I saw on your blog o!

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  9. Hey

    I love your writing style. You have me cracking up at times lol
    I'm a fine hair chick too and I am finatic about length retention too but I haven't sung and made breakfast for my ends lol must get on that!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Michelle. You really should try them, they work like a charm! Tip: Extra points if you're singing "Let it grow" variation from Frozen and if breakfast includes black tea!

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  10. I've really enjoyed reading your posts! Keep up the good work. Please I'd like to nicely suggest that you use another blog site, Blogspot is not very reader friendly. Also I'd like to know how frequently I should do I protein treatment. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for stopping by, Ekechia. About the blog, what particular problems are you experiencing? Protein treatments are usually done once a month or once every two months for healthy hair but if your hair is protein deficient, you might need to do it as often as once every two weeks...

      Delete
  11. Just discovered your blog��! Love, love, LOVE it! Big ups from Uganda :)

    ReplyDelete

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