Black Hair Growth

Now that we live in a time where the internet connects us to so many people we would never had met otherwise, I hope you have come to realize black hair can grow!  If not, I am letting you know the deal now.

Don’t fall for that old myth that has been a thousand times debunked that we cannot grow long hair. Is it more challenging to do so?  Well no, not if you know what you are doing.

The Old Genetics Argument

Some people blame their genetics or African heritage as to why they cannot grow longer hair. However, in many cases looking to your parents hair growth is not always a good indicator of how long you will be able to grow your hair.

Our people have had so many long generations of bad hair care practices. If your family happens to be one where they just don’t have the proper knowledge, then you cannot look to their hair growth as an example. When black hair isn’t treated properly it does break more easily than any other type of hair.

Plus, what if your mom preferred wearing her hair short? For example, for as long as I known my mom, she never desired longer hair, whenever it did grow, she cut her hair in a heartbeat!

Ultimately genetics do play a role in how long your hair is capable of growing, but if your mom or grandmom have hair that happens to be chin length for example, this most likely is NOT what they are genetically capable of.

The Science of Black Hair, is a good book which discusses this topic in more depth and gives more scientific reasoning as to why this is so.

Why Growing Black Hair is So Hard

Black hair growth is only hard when you make it hard. Sorry to throw this in your face, but you know why your hair is breaking? YOU.

If your hair is constantly dry and breaking YOU, do not know how to treat it, and YOU are essentially working against your hair.

You can grow your hair once you stop treating your hair like it something that is not.

Once you stop heating it up to conform it to something it isn’t  once you stop over styling it and let it rest, and once you successfully achieve protein and moisture balance you will be able to see what your hair is actually capable of.

Essentials for Hair Growth

Black hair growth is more easy than people think. It comes downs to three basic things:

Low manipulation (especially if your hair is kinkier), Moisture, and Protein Balance.

What makes it hard for some people is obviously we want to do different things with our hair, like wear our hair straight every once in a while, or wear that new style, or do this and that to it. However, these things when done too frequently or done incorrectly is what causes damage.

Learning how to use heatless styles rather than using heat all the time, how to effectively moisturize your hair, and taking advantage of protective styling is what is going to help you reach your goal.

The Real Hard Part

The real hard part about black hair growth, is putting your hair’s health before anything else and accepting it for what it is. Dr. Phoenyx Austin, discusses this in her book, If  You Love it, It will Grow. This a good book to read to get you to understand the mentality that you have to have in order to grow your hair and trust me it will put you in check.