Is Your Hair Long Enough?

October 21st, 2011 - By Alexis Garrett Stodghill

By Anu Prestonia, Natural Hair Care Expert

Black Hair Long Dreads

Someone recently asked if I think many people want Locs just so they can have long hair.  I don’t know the answer to that; I think it’s a case-by-case observation.  I do know that long hair has been a standard of beauty in western culture.  It has been mentioned since the beginning of western writings in every form imaginable, including prose, poetry, songs, fiction, nonfiction and even in sacred writings.

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  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=75002227 Carolyn Simon

    I was really disappointed when I read this article. For a natural hair care expert you should be aware that it is possible to grow black hair down to your waist or your butt. All you have to do is go to Youtube and you will see girls who have done it, who are doing it and helping others to do it. You do not need locs to have long hair. Furthermore, that is a myth that our hair grows slower than others. I have seen people who have monthy growth rates of more than the average 1/2 and month. I find this article to be so full of misinformation. It just goes to show that in spite of the hundreds of thousands of ladies on the hair boards and hair sites growing their hair long that a lot of misinformation is still out there. 

  • Emkanto

    I am a white woman and I recently cut my hair from really long to a short, layered bob. It’s my husband who hates when I do this but I am so much happier with this hairstyle. I will go through periods where I will try to grow it out for him but I don’t feel like myself with long hair and I am a girly girl otherwise!

    I never thought it would be impossible for a black woman to grow her hair past a certain length. After reading the comments posted I would have to disagree with the article’s statement as well!

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_LMDJBVQT7URMQNBISXGOF73QTU MixedUpSiciliano

    It is OUR hair. Why should we not want OUR hair to grow as best as it can? Whether it is shoulder length or down to ur butt, it is something to be proud of. Again, Madame is criticizing people for wanting to have healthy, natural hair instead of the white mans hair toxins. Ugh whatever. 

  • Jaay

    WOW! I cannot believe how many people are offended by the article’s note that curly/kinky hair does not grow as fast/long as straight hair, or that mainstream western society values European type hair more than other hair types. These are facts people! It is a fact that the curlier your hair pattern is it is less likely to grow at the same rate as straight hair types, regardless of race, ethnicity, etc. Look at commercials, ads in papers or the hairstyles of women on TV and in film. You could count the “natural hairstyles” you see, if any. There is nothing derogatory in stating those facts. Long hair is relative. The point the author was trying to make is simple; Get to know your hair, take the measures necessary to keep you hair healthy and manageable. I took a look at longhairdontcare2011’s youtube clips that some posters mentioned. She is a very smart young lady, who has taken the time to get to know her hair and is sharing her experiences. I could follow her hair advice all day long and I may see positive results, but that young lady’s hair pattern is alot loser than mine. Folks really need to relax. Nobody’s knockin black hair in this article.

  • JaiDaDiva

    Thank you!! Anyone who's on a HHJ, knows this whole artilce is CRAP Just go on LHCFdotCom, and you'll see for yourself how many natural women have WHIP length hair. This author needs a self hatred check!

  • Veronica R

    so glad yall already went in on her about saying that kinky hair doesn't grow as long as straight hair.. obviously she is speaking from experience and no true knowledge.. Hair no matter what head it is on grows at the same rate now there are different cycles, etc.. but it doesn't depend on your DNA, your texture, color, strength of your hair, yes but how long it can grow, uh NO.. It ALL depends on how you care for your hair.. I am a perfect example, first hand experience(with knowledge), I used to think my hair would nvr grow long down my back and it could only go as far as my shoulders but boy was I wrong after becoming natural and babying my hair I have reached BSL w/o even noticing until recently when I straightened my hair.. OH and another thing curly hair doesn't look as long because well, they are curls just like the ribbons that you curl with scissors.. when my hair is curly without stretching it goes just past my shoulders.. when straight as aforementioned its BSL.. Take care of your hair and it will take care of you..

  • guest

    If your hair will grow long in locs, it will grow long any other way as well….

    • Ojeword

      no… that is not so… wen ur hair is locked u dont comb it so u dont lose hair as u would wen u comb ur hair

  • salina

    You are so wrong believing that kinky hair doesn’t grow just as fast as any other type of hair. The only issue is the curl pattern…kinky hairs tightness causes the fallout at the ends, not to mention split ends. This is the only reason you won’t see longer hair. Please research before making those type of assumptions.

  • wyquita

    Enter text right here!check out kimmaytube on yutube. her hair is natural and it is long. if people would take out time and use wisdom to protect there hair it will grow. i have a thyrod problem and my hair fell out. that was two years ago. with protecting my hair and streching my relaxer i am almost armpit length!

  • http://justlissen.wordpress.com Just Lissen

    I've had long hair until I got a relaxer, then it all broke off, and now 6 years later, it's back and it's long again… all I can think about? Chopping it off into a cute bob so that I'll never put it in a pony tail…
    Black hair grows! And it grows beautifully! But you have to be patient, tender, and loving toward your hair— whether you have a perm, kinks, or curls.

  • Ashleigh

    My cousin has tightly coiled (extremely nappy) hair down to her waist and NO she does not have locs. Growing hair this length is not unheard of. It's time consuming and a lot of work, but long hair growth is possible regardless of how kinky your hair is. This article is not very accurate.

  • Kayleigh

    I'm a hair stylist and afro textured hair does have the ability to grow long with out being locked, also not all European woman have long hair down to their back. I do think hair growth can be genetic but its not always the case. The important thing is that hair is kept in good condition with regular treatments and trims the prevent breakage.

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