Hair Growth Rate – Measuring My Hair [PICS]

I decided not to be lazy and actually measure my hair with a measuring tape. Firstly, let me start off by stating that I have two very different types of hair on my head. At the very front, there is little definition, lots of frizz, and little to no shrinkage. At the back, my hair is super defined, no frizz, and at least 50% shrinkage. At the crown/middle of my head is like a cross between the two hair types. I’ve wondered if my hair at the front was damaged from the pressing I did (which was last December), but the new growth (the part that has never been pressed) grows in that way.

So I measure from root to the demarcation line (where the relaxed hair and natural hair meet) and got these results:

Front: 14 inches (avg – 0.5 inches a month)
Back: 11 inches (avg – 0.4 inches a month)

[The natural part of my hair falls at full APL, and the entire transitioning hair falls at full BSL/light MBL.]

I was pleasantly surprised. I thought my hair grew .33 inches a month. These results show that it grows pretty close to or at the average rate.

Anyway, I know in the last post I said I would mix up my “growth aid” and document the steps. However, I never got around to even making the solution. With the exception of my temple area (lightly massaging it with just castor oil everyday should be enough), my hair is doing just fine in the shedding department. I washed my hair this morning and was super gentle. Very little hair came out, and my last wash day was 11 days ago. I’ll still keep a close eye on the shedding, though, and maybe start taking garlic pills, which is supposed to slow down shedding, apparently.

I’m starting to question my decision to press my hair this December. I haven’t found a new salon to do it since I’ve finished college and moved back home, and I don’t want to risk heat damage. This is a lot of growth to mess up! If I don’t press, I will at least stretch the hair and lightly blow dry it.

May 21, 2014 can not come soon enough! I’m currently 28 months post relaxer, and I want to be natural already haha.

The photos below were taken impromptu so they’re not the best. Ideally, my hair would have been freshly washed with no products. Here – though it is freshly washed – my hair has been moisturized with aloe vera/glycerin mix and sealed with grapeseed oil.

The front of my hair is lifeless. I will admit that the post-press hair is curlier than the pre-pressed hair. It could be heat damage or the perpetual stretching from protective styles.

Top/Crown

Major shrinkage! Most of the back of my hair is nearly fully natural.

Close-up of back. You don’t really see the curls well; I combed out my hair prior to taking this picture, which reduces the definition, unfortunately.

The Details of the Group Hair Consultation

So the group hair consultation I had with my cousins this past Saturday went well. We actually went through the whole process by me demonstrating each step with my hair, and explaining my methods and the products, as well as trying to help my cousins understand their hair and why it reacts the way it does. I went in intending to do my sister’s or someone else’s hair but then again, I’m glad I actually got to wash my own hair…because when I am in a lazy slump, it takes a while before I get the motivation to start up again.

DETANGLING (aloe vera juice and vegetable glycerin)

Anyway, we started by me detangling my hair first with the aloe vera juice and glycerin mix because I hadn’t detangled in nearly 2 weeks, which meant lots of shed hair. You do not want to wash your hair when it looks and feels like a bird nest. You’re just asking for more tangles so I made sure the  shampooing step would be made easier by detangling and removing shed hairs beforehand.

SHAMPOOING (tresemme naturals shampoo)

After detangling, I shampooed each section of my hair (I think I separated my hair into 2-3 sections) and made sure to really get the scalp. For not washing my hair in 2.5 weeks, the scalp looked pretty good pre-shampoo, but there was still a bit of gunk, especially in the front area where I’m most likely to manipulate my hair in between washes. I think the fact that I’ve limited my moisturizing to using purely the aloe vera juice, vegetable glycerin, and the occasional co-wash has helped tremendously with with flaky hair and product build up.

CONDITIONING (tresemme naturals conditioner)

I rinsed out the shampoo and used a generous amount of conditioner for each section. I also detangled again. The comb slid through my hair like butter at this point. Yay. 🙂

LEAVE-IN CONDITIONER (aloe vera juice and vegetable glycerin)

After rinsing out the conditioner I sprayed the aloe vera juice and glycerin to do the final detangle, as well as to add more moisture back into my hair. The aloe vera juice closes the cuticles, which helps lock in moisture and makes the hair less prone to breakage and splits. It also keeps it looking shiny. The  glycerin puts in the moisture. It’s a humectant, and my hair loves humectants. Wiki it to learn of its properties. I remoisturize my hair every day or two days, twice a day with this mixture and seal it with oil.

OIL SEALANTS (grapeseed oil and Jamaican black castor oil)

Anyway, I coated my hair with grapeseed oil, especially focusing on the ends, and added Jamaican black castor oil (JBCO) around the perimeter of my hair because my hair is a little thin there (JBCO is great for thickening hair). After, I made 4 large braids and held it in a bun. I kind of looked like Princess Leia haha. My hair dried fully by morning. If it were the winter, it would have stayed wet for way longer. I have a different regimen for the winter, though.

– end –

And voila. Those were the details. We started around 10pm and ended around midnight. I didn’t take pictures because I was more focused on explaining each step, the whys, and the hows. Also, it’s kind of awkward stopping to take pictures of your own hair haha.

However, I do plan on making a video (or take pictures) of one of my wash days. I also want to learn how to flat iron my own hair. Maybe I’ll flat iron my hair instead of going to the salon for my next length check. I guess it’ll depend on how I feel when the time comes.

Over all, the group consultation was fun and informative! Now, I just need someone to teach me how to cornrow haha.