Greetings naaniFAM!

I recently received a question from a visitor who has natural hair wondering why African hair types grows longer with Dreadlocks than with any other style.

Honestly since there isn't much scientific research with regard to dreadlocks, your guess is as good as mine but I have a theory and here it goes...

I have a green thumb...ok, actually it's more of a greenish-brown but most of my plants thrive so I must be doing something right.  One of my favorite outdoor projects involved a climbing rose bush.

Rose bushes are pretty hearty but they need a lot of care to keep them from falling victim to bugs, disease, dehydration.  Even with the proper TLC, a climbing plant, unlike a regular bush/shrub, needs a solid base to anchor itself otherwise it'll just bend/fall with the pressure and break.

Whether it's ivy climbing along side an English castle or cascading over a garden trellis, the more solid, open and expansive the structure on which to climb, the better able the vines and leaves are able to grow and spread.

I think the same can be said of dreadlocks.  Although people don't like to use the word "fragile" to describe African hair, I think that to a degree it's a quite suitable term.  After all, some of the world's most valuable objects...fine "China," crystal, natural stones, art work are all designated "fragile." Fragile doesn't necessarily mean "weak" and in the case of natural, African hair, it's simply another way to say "Handle with Care."

If you've ever had natural hair for an extensive period of time, did you ever on occassion peer very closely at your tresses?  I guarantee you'd find tiny knots down a single hair shaft.  But where do these little knots come from and how do you prevent them?



The point in all this is is that our natural hairs ability to entangle itself makes styling a challenge and breakage far more common.  Any hair that is weakened due to day to day styling will suffer from split ends and will not grow healthy.  Leaving it subject to future breakage.

Like a vine, dreadlocks serve as a foundation on which our curly hairs can unite.  We replicate this all the time with cornrows and braids.  People who grow their natural hair out with braids and dreadlocks find that their natural hair grows faster and with less damage/split ends because the braids/cornrows serve to protect our hair.  They act as an anchor or "vine" so to speak.  With dreadlocks, our hair is free to tangle, curl, un-curl...do whatever they like.  In this environment, our hair is free of restrictions and the confines of what's "right" and what isn't so it's capable of growing non-stop.

Now just because the dreadlocks are growing, does this mean that my hair is actually that long?
There are people who meticulously undo their dreadlocks after several years of growing them.  Although a lot of hair is lost in the process, much of it is hair that has shed naturally over the years.  When all of it is removed, the length of the loosed hair is mere inches off the length of their dreadlock'd hair.  So yes, depending on the person, your hair really is that long.

Is there a way for me to grow my hair longer or faster?
There are a number of things that you can do to encourage healthier, faster hair growth.  Keep in mind that on average, most people grow approximately .5 inches of new-growth per month.  Maximizing growth is generally about doing what you can to insure you gain .5 inches every month or 6 inches every year.

Believe it or not, your daily water intake impacts the speed at which your hair grows.  Healthy hair can not grow in a toxic environment.  Make sure you're getting a healthy amount of water everyday (usually 8 glasses).

Fruits and veggies are rich in vitamins that are essential for healthy, strong hair and nail growth.  A good indicator of hair health is to look at your fingernails and nail bed.  If your fingernails are strong and long, typically, your hair is too.  Why?  Because hair and nails are made of virtually the same elements.

Insuring that your scalp is healthy is also key to increased hair growth.  If your scalp is excessively dry, your hair will grow at slower rates.  Using milder, natural hair care products will dramatically reduce many problems associated with African/Black hair. 

Finally, certain essential oils actually help promote growth.  naani has developed two Hair Growth Formulas that are excellent for use on any hair type.  Our Elixir Series of products rely on herbs, pure essential oils, natural and organic ingredients to encourage growth and strength hair starting at the scalp.