Can Your Hair Grow Long If You Use Heat? Natural Or Transitioning

 From the start of our transition, T has opted to wear her hair flat ironed straight half of the time as her styling option.

 From the start of my transition, I mostly wore my hair in it's
natural state (with the help of perm rod rollers), occasionally flat ironing just to see my growth progress. It was pretty encouraging to see how long my hair got during transition!

CAN YOU USE YOUR FLAT IRON AND STILL GROW YOUR NATURAL HAIR LONG?   So many people ask me that question because T wears her hair flat ironed straight for 2 weeks out of the month. The other 2 weeks, she wears her hair curly. It's a fair exchange.                                                                                                        We began that compromise a while back, with the understanding that she only apply heat to her hair 2 times a month. Her flat iron regimen includes blow drying hair that has already been 50% air dried. She uses heat protectant, and she wraps nightly. The temperature that she uses the flat iron to straighten her hair has been tried and experimented with. Basically meaning that she started at a low temperature and worked her way up to the low 300's.                                                                                                                                                                 The main question has been is it okay to put heat to your natural or transitioning hair. Will it stop you from growing long, healthy hair?

Judging from the growth that she's already achieved and retained, I would say that it is very possible to use heat in a safe and responsible way, and grow your hair as long as you'd like. I want to put out there that

the condition of your hair should be healthy before experimenting with heat.

Please understand that using heat on your hair can be damaging. It's very important to assess the health of your hair prior to using heat. Also, determine the best heat settings, and use of the proper heat protectant. Lastly, wrapping the hair nightly to retain the "straight" is best, as opposed to "bumping" it with the flat iron daily.

So back to T and her hair growth. The condition of her hair appears to be healthy, lustrous, and is retaining length rapidly. Her ends are trimmed as needed.

 Some people say that length will be retained only if you stay away from heat. But we will be tracking both of our progress. Me being the "non heat" participant. I use heat once every 2 to 3 months. T being the "heat" participant. We began our healthy hair journey approximately the same time. I had a 2 month head start, as I began my transition in July 2009, and hers began in September 2009.

 We plan to track the following:

1) Length
2) Condition of Hair Ends
3) Hair thickness (as it relates to each individual--mine is thicker than hers naturally)
4) Overall hair health (especially while curly)

Our review will take place in March (towards the end). We will report in a post to advise of our findings. I think it will be really interesting, because the outcome could prove to be very helpful to anyone not wanting to use chemicals on their scalp anymore, but still loving straight hair.

CLICK HERE TO SEE OUR REVIEW OF HEAT AND LENGTH RETENTION

 We'd love to hear from transitioners and naturals about their experience with heat and hair length retention. Meanwhile, we'll follow up on this post at the end of March with our results.

Want Guaranteed Results with Your Hair?

WILL YOU KEEP 6 INCHES OF HAIR LENGTH IN 2012?

So, you--like me...want to grow long hair. 2012 I plan to get results.

Be it "natural" or relaxed, or any other chemically treated tresses, we just want it long-- we want results. Regarding hair growth: The fact of the matter is that our hair grows between 1/4'' to 1/2'' or thereabouts in a month's time. So figure that your hair grows 1/2''...within 6 months, your hair could be about 3'' longer! No big excitement there...that's pretty much what's been happening for all of us. 

And with that squared away, we move on the length now, not growth. Regarding length: It's all about the ends, baby. Of course the hair shaft is important too, but the ends are where the hair is most vulnerable. It really is the oldest part of the hair because it's been on the head longest, blah, blah...it's subject to fabrics, heats, and being at the end (where we really try to lay it down), it truly takes a beating! So if the ends are so important to length, what do we do to care for and pamper it? There's a lot of things you can do to save your ends and retain your length.

The ends of our hair are most vulnerable--but that's what we need to save

Wash N Go's are Great Low Manipulation Styles. Add Conditioner & Spritz Daily

1) Moisturize with a leave in conditioner, and seal the moisture in with your favorite oil.

2) Deep condition your hair as needed, I deep condition 1 time each week.

3) Pre-poo (oils or conditioner before you shampoo), to prepare the hair for any harsh shampoos

4) Wear hair styles that put your hair into sections (for instance, two strand twists, finger coils), because there truly is strength in numbers.

5) Protect your ends by tucking them away into a style that you love. This is not mandatory, but it will yield you quicker, more sure and guaranteed results for keeping your length.

6) Detangle properly. Use detangling tools as needed (combs, brushes, etc). What I mean by this is to start detangling with your fingers, then use a wide tooth comb, then use a brush that is suitable for your hair. Most of the time you will not have to "go over your hair with a fine tooth comb" LOL Unless your styling plans call for that kind of detangling. 

7) Do not detangle every day. Keep your manipulation minimal. Styling options such as braidouts, twistouts, wash-n-go's, buns, etc can all be excellent low manipulation styling depending on your maintenance and care.

8) BE CONSISTENT. If it's working, keep doing it.

Well folks, gonna wrap it up for the day, this post was long enough. But if I forgot something, please share what you do to keep your length. No tricks to the growth, just tricks to keeping it on your head.

Using Two Strand Twists To Grow Long, Healthy Natural Hair!!

 

You ever notice how long loc'ed hair gets--and how quickly? I think the same growth/length maintenance rules apply to two strand twists. This "low manipulation" styling is the perfect storm for length retention. Lets establish that your hair is growing. It was easy to see all of that "new growth" when your hair was relaxed! But why isn't the hair length going down my back? Mostly because of the hair ends. The hair ends have been on the head for the longest time as compared to the rest of the hair. It's been subjected to the environment (sun, wind, clothing, etc). It snags easily with each comb/brush friction. It's pretty much being beat down daily. BUT two strand twists require that your ends are twisted together (forming a thicker bond). 

With this thicker bond, your ends are better equipped to sustain the environmental abuse. Also, when you wear two strand twists, you don't comb through or brush through at all during that time. If you keep the twists moisturized, alternate with protective styles, then you can pretty much be assured of seeing growth over a two month period of time. A few challenges are: 

1. Keeping them moisturized  
2. Having the patience to take down all of the twists safely  
3. Re-doing the twists again in another 2-3 weeks.

The longest I've ever kept my two strand twists in for is about 3 weeks. I co wash my hair approximately 2 times a week while I have my twists in. Once your twists are wet, they are suseptible to "loc'ing". Many people who are beginning dreadlocs often begin with two strand twists! So be watchful of your twists during the time you wear them. Watch the roots for tangling. Some two strand twist wearers "refresh" their twists on a daily basis by re-doing a section at a time. Do whatever works best for your hair.