4B/C LADIES HOW LONG UNTIL YOU NOTICED LENGTH?

My hair is mostly 4c. I determined that by the way it looks with no product, dry. Cottony, dry, kinky and super shrunken. I have been natural one year. But based on the past year's growth and the shirnkage, in another year, I still can't rock a wash and go and will still have a short afro. Please give me some hope. Anyone out there can tell me how long it took for them to see length without straightening? Thanks.

If I let my hair air dry without twisting or banding it, it will shrink up and look like a TWA. When I style it wet, it looks WAY shorter than it is. When I tell people my hair is pass shoulder length, they cant believe it. I'm hoping by the time I reach the 18 month mark (Feb 2011), I will have more hang time.

As for wash n gos, I learn (the hard way) around 7 or 8 months natural, that unless I am willing to spend at LEAST 3 hrs detangling the shrunken mess I would have on my hands, that style is not for me

I have been doing a monthly picture diary of my hair growth. And its very evident of my growth over the past 9 months.

I am about like Deep_rooted_chick. I take lots of pics to see if I notice the difference.

Thanks for the replies ladies. Happy growing to you all. I took pictures too, but unless my hair is straightened, it looks the same length it was a year ago. Maybe my hair texture will just never have "hang time".

Hey Jorie- I am 18 months natural. I've always used some type of product in my hair but for the most part- without some sort of manipulation- I had very little hang time. I tried everything even twisting and using clips to stretch it. Even now, my hair is either shoulder/collar bone length but it shrinks and stands naturally. Something I used to hate but I have learned to embrace it. When I wash and go, it REALLY looks short, above my ears- so I rarely wash and go. I think you will find that trying twists or braid outs would give you some of what you seek. And probably doing them on dry hair as Lynnie suggests. Give it a try!

Last night I was doing some searches for hair styles and found this young lady with 4b/c hair. Her hair journey is amazing, she is natural for 5 years and has waist length hair. She has a youtube channel with some beautiful hair styles and a video of her 5 year journey. I recommend it for inspiration.

Her youtube name is Sera2544

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfN8m38mvUI

JORIE wrote:Thanks for the replies ladies. Happy growing to you all. I took pictures too, but unless my hair is straightened, it looks the same length it was a year ago. Maybe my hair texture will just never have "hang time".

Are you doing twist in your pictures then stretching them? That's what I do.

If you are doing a wash n go then yes, your hair will appear a lot shorter due to your texture. However, there are other ways you can wear your hair to stretch your hair without relying upon straightening. You can twist your hair, braid it, or even rollerset it to elongate your hair. I know I cannot rely upon any type of wash n go style because of single strand knots that appear in my hair and it makes it harder to detangle my hair.

I BC'ed May 2008 so i guess that makes me over 2 years natural and only now do I love my twist/braid outs done on wet hair. I mean, I liked them before, they were cool but when i untwisted, like you said, my hair would be a lot shorter than it was when I first did the twists. Now my hair actually hangs at a length that is a lot more comfortable for me. Unfortunately the only advice I have is patience.

I honestly also haven't seen much growth since March. If not for measuring my hair every 3 months, I'd think that it isn't growing at all!

You said it well! When my hair isn't straightened I think it seems like its staying the same length. I actually thought my hair was breaking because it seemed like it wasn't growing at all. Then I straightened it and was like woah what was I talking about? It's definetly grown alot I guess patience is key. Since i've been taking care of my hair it's gotten its electasity back and athough sometimes it looks really short to me it is growing.

Just be patient

That's the nature of our hair. It's a little frustrating sometimes but I always surprise people with how much variety I have with my stretched styles

I ask myself the same question... Like you, im one year in and when I wash my hair it looks just like it did about a year ago... So sometimes before twisting my hair, I blow dry...
That way I have a bit more length (I wear my twists To work so they've got to look decent)
I ask my natural friends all te time, when am I gonna see it without a blow out?!?! Dang it! Lol
Oh well, I'll b patient...

My hair is a wild combination with mostly 4a coils and 4b zigzags, a couple of big waves in the back and 4c no specific texture throughout. Pulled down with fingers it is bra strap length. Last relaxer was August 2008 and big chop November 2009, so I am a little over 2 years natural.
Wet and hanging it is a little below shoulder length. Dry, little to no product it is ear and chin length. Can you say major shrinkage! But I enjoy the looks I get when I wear different styles because people are not sure how my hair works. Especially my WnG pony puff. Sometimes its long, most times its short. hehe I love it. It seems to grow in sporadic spurts.