The Long And The Short Of It

Hair Length Checks

Checking the length of your hair can reassure you that your hair care routine is actually working, but how often do you check how long your hair has grown...weekly, monthly, yearly???I know it can be very encouraging to see the progress of your hair growth, and I'm sure as naturals, we all have length goals, but how much is too much? Some folks can make themselves nuts checking the length of their hair every chance they get.
On average, hair grows about half of an inch a month. Some grow more, some less. If you stop and think about it, that's really not a whole heck of a lot.



Don't obsess so much on the length of your hair. I know slow growth rates can be discouraging, but if you focus mainly on how long your hair is, then you may neglect some important hair maintenance like getting regular trims in order to retain your length. Your hair may pay a crucial price in the end. You also may question the products and routines that you have been using and decide to change a perfectly good hair care regimen, trying to fix something that isn't broken. If you are that discouraged, then maybe you should check less often.

How to Check Your Length

In my opinion, the most thorough way to check your length is by straightening. NOT with chemicals, but with low heat, blow drying and flat iron. I typically do this twice a year or every 6 months, incorporating it into my regular hair trims.

If you prefer to stay away from heat completely, you can always just gently pull your curls to see how far they go. It may work better to do it wet. I recommend doing it once a month so that you can actually see a difference in length. Maybe document it by taking a photo.

One thing I like to do for my own amusement is pull the top of my hair to the roof of my car when I'm driving. When I first started doing that, it went half way to the top. Now, my hair actually touches the roof!!!

All in all, this is your hair journey. If you keep getting discouraged along the way, maybe it's time to take a detour in that journey and find a new path. LOVE YOUR HAIR!!!