Because of our afro textured hair shape, kinky curly hair is really coiled so it can stretch out a lot. Since a natural hairstyle that isn't braided or twisted will be naturally coiled, then the hair growth will be really hard to notice if tracking it daily. While this may sound a bit obvious, I really cherish my hair growth so I have been a bit too "obsessed" (I'd say that's the word) about growing my hair!
As I was going through the pictures of the last 6 months, I was quite pleased to see that, on a month by month basis, my hair has certainly grown. I would say the growth has been more of an "up and out" growth which, this being my first time growing my kinks, I guess is normal. My hair is not going to be dangling any time soon unless I braid it, but then I am happy to rock out my teenie weenie afro which is now taking on the shape of a full afro. Once it hits the length of approximately 12 inches (according to what I have read and to my sister), then I can get decide what the next hairstyle is, whether it would be cornrows or braids, or maybe dreadlocks (like a young Gary Dourdan!). Or maybe just keep the afro hairstyle and just get some regular trims. I'll see as I have quite some length left to grow and time to think about it.
By the way when I mention 12 inches of length I am talking of the length I get when I pull a lock of hair. When I release the pulling tension on the lock my hair coils back really short which is pretty much what I mentioned at the beginning of this post. Matter of fact, this curly phenomenon is what is regarded as the curl factor in a book I have been reading called The Men's Hair Book (the full title of the book is much longer although that's the main title). I am loving the book so far and would like to review it in this blog soon as this book can help a lot of you guys with learning about your manes. The book is from none other than Rogelio from the Manly Curls site and I am learning so much about hair care and at the same time realizing I don't know as much as I thought I did that I have left a friendly disclaimer above this blog linking to the Manly Curls site if you're looking for hair advice that is more on the professional side. That doesn't mean that this blog of mine won't be of use to you, all it means is that my blog has been more of a starting point for me to document what I learn about kinky curly hair and natural hair as I go along. Blogging for me is a hobby although I do consider myself just a humble blogger with lots of (hair) questions to solve!
Peace.
Hendrick
