However, if you have short natural hair or a TWA, it may be worth seeking ways to grow your hair longer. Consider the benefits of growing your hair out below.
1. You Establish a Routiue
Any woman with natural hair will tell you that an established "go-to" routine is golden. In other words, when you are focused on growing your hair, you will select a regular rotation of products to use that will cultivate healthy, flourishing hair. With a routine you know which products and which steps work best for your hair. The longer your hair grows, the more you are able to observe about your hair's needs, wants, and desires.
Some products that should be considered for a routine are:
- Pre-shampoo (Pre-poo)
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Deep Conditioner
- Leave-in Conditioner
- Oil
- Cream/Butter
- Pomades
- Hair rinses
All of the products listed above can be included in a hair routine and some can be excluded. For example, when I first went natural, I used hair rineses like Aloe Vera Juice and Apple Cider Vinegar. I also Pre-pooed my hair with Coconut oil. Now, however, I only use the following steps: Shampoo, Deep Condition, Leave-in Conditioner, Oil, Cream/Butter.
The more you practice using your routine, the more skilled you become at selecting which products work best for you and which you can leave out of your process.
2. You Become Regimented
When you have longer hair, it is harder to ignore its needs. You must wash it regularly, condition and style it because if you don't, your scalp and hair will suffer. In other words, longer hair shows when it is being damaged more readily and hair care for it is harder to be dismissed.
On the other hand, if you have a short TWA, it can be easy to elude wash days, postpone hair care, and only style your weaves and extensions. While nothing is wrong with protective hairstyling when handled properly, short hair can create a "short hair, don't care" mentality, where the hair isn't cared for because it is short and can be easily concealed or hidden away.
Having longer hair or focusing on growing out your hair, is ideal because it allows you to pamper your natural hair. You can schedule a Saturday to wash your natural hair. You can dedicate a Sunday to style it. All of these steps are important because they create a process in your brain that helps you become regimented.
Once you are use to the practice of caring for your hair, you won't be tempted to neglect it, whatever the length.
3. You Welcome Possibilities
There are a plethora of styles that you can create with TWAs and shorter hair, often involving finger coils, dying your hair, or even incoportating extensions and weaves.
That being said, when you allow your natural hair to grow longer, you increase the amount of natural hair styles you can create. From faux locs to crochet hair, longer afros/medium length natural hair allow you to be versatile.
In short, while growing your natural hair out may demand more time or require additional attention, the benefits can create new practices and routines in your life that are best for your natural hair's overall well being whether it is long or short. So that at the end of the day, your focus should always be on how can you maintain healthly hair.
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