Length/Texture Differences on One Head!

[fiortiz]

While bc'ing, I noticed the front of my hair was significantly shorter than the back. Also the front, was almost as straight as the relaxed ends I was cutting. It was hard to tell where the demarcation point was..even with my hair saturated with conditioner.

Did my hair in the front not grow in the 15 months I transitioned? I currently have it in TSTs (under a 1/2 wig). The twist in the back have stretch, while the twist in the front don't. Is this normal? Now that I've bc'd will the front catch up w/ the back? Ugh!!! {o

[LBellatrix]

Welcome to the club, dear. ;) There's no such thing as "normal" when it comes to hair.

Most likely you have different rates of shrinkage in the front and the back. Since you say the twists in the front don't shrink, but the hair in the front is shorter, it's likely that you cut the front shorter because of the lack of obvious difference in texture between the natural and permed part.

If your front is significantly shorter (by more than 2 inches) than your back when it (the back) is stretched out, and it's important to you that your hair be the same length all over, then you might want to cut the back down to match the front. Otherwise, if you choose to wear shrunken or semi-shrunken styles, the front will probably surpass the back eventually in terms of visible (not actual) length.

I have the reverse issue: My front shrinks up much more tightly than my back. Consequently, if my hair is the same actual length all around, I get the ever-so-popular Afro mullet look past a certain growth point.

[set4str8]

When I bc'd I think I cut off way more of my front than necessary for the same reason. As your hair grows you will see that you have different textures and lengths all over, that's normal. You can embrace it and learn what styles compliment it.

[bcurly]

I'm having the same issue. Since I started my transition 9.5 months ago my hair has grown significantly in the back but so-so in the front. I've realized that my hair was always like that b/c when I was still getting perms I could always tell when it was time for a touch up by the amount of new growth in the back. I also understand the different textures as I have four different textures in my head not including the relaxed ends.

I'm going to do a mini chop and get rid of the relaxed ends in the back and cut the front shorter but still leave some relaxed ends on for length. Hopefully it will all even out. When I talked to my stylists about the different textures (one being striaght as if it's relaxed at the crown of my head) and she said once I'm fully natural I may just have to use different products to create the look I want and blend it so that it's all even and the same texture (or close anyway). GREAT, as if I'm not already enough of a product junkie.

[fiortiz]

Is the front of most natural's hair straighter in the back due to more manipulation (brushing, slicking and tying down w/scarfs)?

[dontlye27]

My hair after the bc was really hard but after about 3 or 4 month I noticed that I have 2 textures. One testure in the front, onthe sides and in the back (my hair is very soft when I blow dry my hair it look like I have relaxer also when I put gel in these areas I get big curls. but the hair in the middle of my head is shorter and more coarse when I put gel in here the curl are very tight. But even before I did the bc my hair was alway shorter the middle and slower to grow then everywhere else. Since it is the middle of my head I can alway hide with my longer everywhere else. Was her hair alway shorter in front then in the back even before you the BC?

[Q_tee]

My hair is straighter in the front than the back..its goes from loose curls almost straight..tighter spirals in the middle and frizz and tighter spirals in the back..Welcome to the world of Napptural hair...Most of our hair is extremely bipolar..lol

[fiortiz]

My hair after the bc was really hard but after about 3 or 4 month I noticed that I have 2 textures. One testure in the front, onthe sides and in the back (my hair is very soft when I blow dry my hair it look like I have relaxer also when I put gel in these areas I get big curls. but the hair in the middle of my head is shorter and more coarse when I put gel in here the curl are very tight. But even before I did the bc my hair was alway shorter the middle and slower to grow then everywhere else. Since it is the middle of my head I can alway hide with my longer everywhere else. Was her hair alway shorter in front then in the back even before you the BC?

My hair always appeared to be the same length throughout my head when I was a permie. I probably did go scissor happy when I bc'd and cut more off of the front that I needed to since the texture was so similar to the relaxed ends.

Now...I'm going to go crazy pampering it and giving it the best care so that it can grow out healthy. Thanks everyone!

[mymy]

Is the front of most natural's hair straighter in the back due to more manipulation (brushing, slicking and tying down w/scarfs)?
I doubt it. That is just how your hair is growing. If your hair did look straighter from manipulating it, once you put water on it it would go back to normal.

BTW my hair is looser in the back, not the front.

[CoilyHairedBeauty]

most of my hair coils up pretty tightly. lots of shrinkage.

but the front top center is made of tiny waves instead of coils. therefore it has almost no shrinkage. it even feels slightly softer, IMO.

when my hair is shrunken, it always looks funny in the front...8), part of the reason why i don't wear it like that.

-------as for the slicking back/scarves, I do think that has an impact, on MY hair, at least. I've stopped using tools to lay my hair down. I just smooth with my hands.

[Claire76]

Is the front of most natural's hair straighter in the back due to more manipulation (brushing, slicking and tying down w/scarfs)?

Not necessarily. My hair has different textures in certain areas simply because that's how it is. In a nutshell, my head has different "zones".

As you continue on your journey you'll find that this sort of thing is perfectly normal.

[fiortiz]

Thanks everyone!!!

[brinatural0988]

I Noticed That My Hair Has And S Curl In The Front And Coils In The Back. I Think Thats Normal Though To Have Different Textures. And When I Got My Hair Cut My Hairdresser Left Some Straight Ends In The Front (For It To Be Even With The Back) Because My Hair On Top And Up Front Wasnt As Long As The Back.. So Don't Stress My Dear Its Gonna Work Out

[fiortiz]

I Noticed That My Hair Has And S Curl In The Front And Coils In The Back. I Think Thats Normal Though To Have Different Textures. And When I Got My Hair Cut My Hairdresser Left Some Straight Ends In The Front (For It To Be Even With The Back) Because My Hair On Top And Up Front Wasnt As Long As The Back.. So Don't Stress My Dear Its Gonna Work Out

Thanks sweetie!!!

[meraki]

It's normal to have several textures and normal to have sections of hair that seem to grow faster/slower.

[naturalmadison]

My hair has different textures too! (sounds like a running theme) Wavy in the front/top and defined curls in the back/sides. I wear my TWA shrunken about 99% of the time and it seems to be different lengths, even flat in the back sometimes. But if I pick it out or put gel in it, it comes out to be the same, or similar lengths. I think that you probably cut too short when looking for the line of demarcation in the front. One of the reasons I BC'd at a salon so they could shape it up for me.

[Sianna]

Guess I'll welcome myself to the club! I have not only different curl/coil patterns, but my hair feels different in certain areas as well. I have a patch at the very front of my hair, and slightly to the left where the hair feels coarser than anywhere else on my head. The hair here is more an "s" shape than my normal coils and does get good curl definition. I also have hairs at the top of my head that have more of an S shape, but they define nicely. Because they are loosely curled, I initially had believed they were relaxed ends. I have since discovered that they maintain that same shape all the way to my scalp. The sides and back of my hair are super soft compared to the rest, and the middle is mostly tiny spiral coils! :D

[NeverGiveup]

Welcome to the club, dear. ;)
I have the reverse issue: My front shrinks up much more tightly than my back. Consequently, if my hair is the same actual length all around, I get the ever-so-popular Afro mullet look past a certain growth point.

Me too!

OP I've got at least 3 textures on my head and when I chopped I kept chopping the front thinking I had relaxed ends--but I only saw these ends in the morning after I removed my scarf. I finally realized my coils were getting stretched out from the tension of the scarf push my TWA flat against my scalp. Thank God I figured that out or I'd have been chopping forever.

[artsygirl]

When i did my bc, i cut some areas of my hair too short simply because i did not understand the difference in the several textures of hair in my head. The front if my hair is a loose pattern as well as the back. The sides are kinda inbetween and the middle is really course, coily and thick. I had to learn how to manage them all and find the correct styles my hair. I learned that for the middle i have to do a little bit more moisturizing than i do with the rest of my hair. Its all about getting to know your hair and learning a special routine that will work for all the textures that you have..lol