I answer these types of questions about African-American hair all of the time, so here's my opinion:
Like most black women, I permed my hair for years. I was a faithful beauty salon customer. I went every 5 weeks for the perm and every 2 weeks for wash and style. Kept my ends clipped. I bought professional products from her for when I washed my hair at home. I did everything right. I faithfully went to the salon. I usually wore wraps so I did not put a lot of heat in my hair; I usually just flat-ironed or hot-curled it about once or twice a week. I wrapped my hair at night, oiled it well, and have never colored it. Yet over years of perming, my hair never maintained health or length. Sometimes I'd wear braids for 6 months or even longer than a year. Then I'd perm my newgrowth, have long, beautiful thick hair for about 3 months and it'd be broke off again.
Plus, I enjoy working out. Although permed hair will stay straight at the root while its wet, if you get caught in the rain, humidity, sweat alot or other moisture, you still have to wash it and apply heat. All things considered, I just couldn't keep up with my perm. Oh yeah, and it wasn't really long enough for many ponytails.
Then I started noticing that all the black women with natural hair had beautiful, rich, thick, long, voluptuous, healthy-looking hair. All of them. And mine was dry, shabby, and damaged.
So...needless to say, I went natural. It has been 2 years. My hair is longer and fuller than it has ever been and most importantly, it is healthy. No broke off patches in the back, no more $100/month at the salon, no more bathroom shelf full of hair care products to end my relentless breakage, no more all day Saturdays at the salon. No more combs full of broken hair. I love being natural. It takes lots of moisture and patience, but the proof is in the pudding. I usally wear it in twists, braids, or a curly fro, but on special occasions when I want to straighten it, I do so with a pressing comb. Old school all the way. My only regret is not having gone natural sooner.
It takes dedication, because you do have to regrow another head of hair. You have to eventually cut off the permed hair. Also, there is stigma in the mainstream about natural African-American hair. It is said that it is not professional, that it is not pretty. Well, there is a difference between natural and unkept hair. I have seen natural hair that was not well taken care of; permed hair too. You have to take care of whatever style you have. Even bald people have to maintain their proper baldness. Even if you wear a fro, you should maintain an edgeup and make sure the fro is shaped well.
I think our problem is not the hair growing from the scalp, as it is maintaining it's length while its growing. Some people's hair grows fine with perms, but I would venture to say that most don't, as evidenced by the numberof black females with exceptionally long, permed hair.
Either way, do what works for you. I wish you the best in whatever you choose. If you want to talk to me about it, email me: puntodevista77@yahoo.com
2007-08-07 19:50:22
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answer #1
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answered by florita 4
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Switch to using an all natural shampoo and hair styling products. Both Carol’s Daughter and Beauty 4 Ashes Christian Health & Beauty provide high-quality, all natural ethnic hair care products that are only filled with goodness for your hair type. In fact, in a double blind, three month, placebo-controlled study where 100 African Americans and 50 Biracial individuals participated, those who used Beauty 4 Ashes Christian Health & Beauty’s GodHead shampoo and conditioner and Puritea hair lotion, compared to the control group who used a synthetic based shampoo, conditioner, and moisturizer, experienced increased hair growth and health. 64 of the 75 in the Beauty 4 Ashes Godhead and Puritea group stated their hair was shinier, has less split ends, was more manageable, less tangled, and stronger. 57 of the 75 enrolled in the Beauty 4 Ashes group also reported hair growth of 2 inches or over. Only 15 of the 75 enrolled in the synthetic group reported increased moisture, shine, and health in their hair. However, 45 of the 75 in the synthetic based group reported scalp itching, dryness, and less manageability in their hair after use of the synthetic shampoo, conditioner, and moisturizer. Such evidence suggests that African American benefits from natural hair care product use instead of cheaper, synthetic based ones.
Put down the flat iron. If you must use it, try to only use it immediate after washing your hair. This will give your tresses relief from daily heat.
Stop using brushes. Ethnic hair has a tighter curl pattern and, although strong, can easily snap especially if stress is applied from a brush or comb to a dry head of hair. Instead of brushing your hair, buy a small tooth comb with smooth ridges.
Limit the use of glued-in extensions, tight braids, tight cornrows, and hard, gel hairstyles. These only place an excessive amount of stress on the hair. If you do get braids or cornrows, alternate between wearing the hair out and braiding it on a weekly basis
Avoid coloring if possible. Coloring only damages the hair by coating it with hydroxides and alcohols. That alone should say enough.
2007-08-07 20:02:02
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answer #2
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answered by Chocolate Kiss 5
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There are many methods to make our hair grow faster, shine , glitter in natural ways without using chemicals. Learn here https://bitly.im/aMNxZ Men, and sometimes women, notice that their hair is thinning prematurely for several different reasons. Age, menopause, pregnancy, genetics, illness, and other factors all play a role in hair loss. Sure, you can use drugs or you can go in for a hair transplant or fusion, but sometimes the easiest, most inexpensive solution, is to try to stop hair loss naturally.
2016-05-17 04:37:52
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answer #3
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answered by ? 4
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shampoo deep condition meaning letthe conditioner sit in for an hour wash out use a leave in conditioner no heat and use a heat protectant if you use heat. wear protective styles like buns pony tails and braids that are not to tight. use oil not grease. wesr a silk cap at night and a silk pillow case. drink lots of water and take biotin pills or prenatals. keep ends off your clothing this causes split ends. moisturize hair with hair lotion or oil. and the key is to deep condition. dont use curling irons or blow dryers thin just damage out hair.
2007-08-07 19:22:30
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answer #4
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answered by Anonymous
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actually "african american hair" can grow as fast or even faster than other races...you just have to take care of your hair and take extra care of the ends...your hair may be growing fast and you do not notice because the ends are breaking off. i'm black and i don't have a special routine for my hair. i have natural hair; i just co-wash(conditioner wash), condition, oil my scalp with carrot oil, and deep condition once a week. my hair grows faster than average and i have less breakage because i do not manipulate it as much as others may.
2007-08-08 03:01:26
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answer #5
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answered by WishfulLibra 5
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Well for my hair to grow it does take awhile!! In January of 2006 My mama did my hair in micros and she actually put superglue on them!! And she couldn't take them down so she cut them all out!! Crazy huh!! I was devasted!! But my mama kept my hair braided up and greased my scalp on occasions and well this year it is thicker and healthier than before and that was only a span of a year and a half! Also I have heard that weaves are healthy for your hair!! I hope I am helpful!!
2007-08-07 19:22:04
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answer #6
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answered by osocutebuttercreampie 3
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You just have to wait hon. My hair is down to my shoulders and it took more than four years. Some peoples hair won't grow that long. And stop putting chemicals in it for a good while.
2007-08-07 19:16:31
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answer #7
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answered by Anonymous
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I reduce off all my cozy hair nearly a 12 months in the past - abruptly. There is not something you'll do to opposite a relaxer considering it's everlasting, so you can have got to reduce off all of the cozy hair ultimately. It does not have got to be abruptly, however you'll do it little-via-little. On normal, hair grows a million/two inch monthly and plenty of folks will trim their cozy hair approximately a million/three - a million/two inch monthly as their common hair grows in. They would possibly not attain any duration in the course of that point, but when they are taking good care of their hair then they would possibly not lose any duration, both. Just watch out to not manage her hair an excessive amount of considering it is going to be very fragile with each textures and the cozy hair can without difficulty holiday off. Put her hair in braids or cornrows to protecting variety. Just be certain they are now not too tight, or that may motive harm. Or, you'll reduce all of it off and feature braids hooked up till it grows out. Its your alternative what you do. I wager you are within the excellent function to come to a decision if she'll be traumatized via it. I've heard of folks who is little women end up depressed from going from virtually waist-duration to shoulder duration considering of dangerous relaxers. Then, I've noticeable just a little woman who seemed 6 years historical with a teeny weeny afro, like her mom reduce out the relaxer, and he or she most likely had plenty of trust and it did not appear just like the very brief hair effected her, considering she proposal of herself as a princess, lol. But, most likely that trust was once instilled in her, considering I see many little women who're taught that their hair makes them who they're. Hair is whatever for you to develop again it doesn't matter what you do to it, that's why I reduce off all my cozy hair. Anyway, you can simply have got to be endurance as her hair grows out and give up stress-free. Many folks transition from cozy to common for a 12 months or 2, and a few do it for a few months, so it is as much as you on how lengthy you desire to hold onto the cozy hair.
2016-09-05 11:30:48
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answer #8
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answered by Anonymous
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im carribean american. most ppl reading this right now probally think my hair is in dreds. my hair is actually in cornrow. im trying to grow it out. it is nine inches, which used to be 7. keep on conditioning it. go to this site below.
2007-08-07 19:29:33
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answer #9
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answered by sierra a 2
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Try prenatal vitimans, they are good for making your nails grow faster as well!
2007-08-07 19:15:53
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answer #10
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answered by billingspets 2
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