How To Check If Your Hair Is Growing

How to keep track of black hair growth to help in tweaking your regimen to perfection!

Keeping a record of your progress is not only very important in adjusting your hair regimen but also helps in confirming what you already know. Yes, your hair is growing!

Finding a perfect regimen is about finding the right combination of products and styling methods to keep your hair healthy and retain maximum length. The best way to keep track of hair growth is through pictures.

At the beginning of your hair journey, take pictures of your hair from different angles and in various styles. If your hair is relaxed, a growth check picture can be taken with each relaxer touch-up. Many like to wear the same t-shirt with every growth shot to compare the lengths. This is easier if the t-shirt being used has some design detail so that you can see the difference in the length. There are specifically made t-shirts that you can buy online with inch line markers on the back to help with length checks.

It takes a few months to see visible growth in straight hair and the same applies for curly natural or kinky* hair but it is more difficult to tell unless the hair is straightened. If your hair is natural and curly, you can straighten it every few months to check progress and take pictures. See the article on how to straighten natural hair without damage.

However, if you prefer not to straighten your hair you can still check growth progress by stretching the hair. You can grab a small section of hair from the front of your head and stretch it downwards until it is straight. Take a picture showing where the hair reaches (e.g. tip of your nose). Do the same with sections of hair from the side and back of your head. Each time you take a progress picture, try to grab the same section of hair and stretch to see how much longer it is.

Another way you can check progress if your hair is natural is by wearing the hair in a stretched style e.g. single flat twists or a light blow out. Take pictures and compare their lengths. It is always easier to assess growth when the pictures are placed side by side which can be done easily on some picture editing software. You may also post pictures of your progress online in a blog or an album. Many websites will allow you to create albums where you can share your progress with other members of the community or with your family and friends.

It is always best to wait at least 3 months before taking picture updates to see any visible results. If no visible results are seen after 3 months, just give it another 3 with your current regimen. If you still cannot see any good results then there might be something in your regimen that is preventing the length retention. Rethink your regimen and get advice from hair care forums online until you find the perfect regimen.