Why are you doing this?

[PinkPeony]

I just got tired of not being able to do my hair on my own - like at all LOL
Most ppl in my area of the world when I grew up never dealt with Afro hair so I was as mystified and clueless as everybody around.

 

[Nonie]

Nothing deep really in my case. I've always wanted long hair since I was knee-high because of all the things one could do with it. Since low manipulation is a lifestyle of mine, that it can be put away quicker than short hair has always been an attracting factor eg, one braid instead of millions just before bed. Since healthier hair has a better chance of growing long...you know the rest.

 

[Nix08]

I hang my head in shame as I state that despite being an educated and curious individual it just never occurred to me that I could have 'long' hair. Now that I know better...I certainly am doing better all the way to Waist length 2013

 

[fletgee]

I've been on this journey prior to joining LHCF. About 13 years in total so far.

At first I just wanted to see if I could grow my nape length hair longer using healthier methods. I tried and my hair grew all the way to bra strap.

Several years later I was diagnosed with an incurable cancer. I lost my hair. And from ear to ear at my crown I was totally bald with just a front fringe of a hairline.

I dropped out of LHCF, got rid of my personal puter hair photos and went on several years of a hair pity party.

After the party I came back to LHCF and started my journey all over again. My hair is responding well, although I still have severe damage in my crown.

Let's face it. It's all about the hair. That's why we're here.

For me, in the beginning, it was all about hair length. Healthy methods was a second thought.

Now..I just want my new head of hair to be healthy. Period.

 

[NIN4eva]

It wasn't really about length for me, it was about health. After I entered my 30's I realized I needed to start looking like a woman who can take care of herself and I needed to handle my bidness.

 

[kittikat24]

My hair was damaged neck length. I was reading a teen mag, and was inspired by the black girl with long hair, so I went into the bookstore and decided to find a book on growing long black hair.
Came across Cathy Howses book "Ultra BLack Hair Growth" and was AMAZED at the APL length...from there I found these hairboards and have been a loyal hairgrower ever since!!!
I'm doing this because it's a fun hobby..I love the reward of acheiving healthy, long hair.

 

[Cherokee-n-Black]

My hair was damaged neck length. I was reading a teen mag, and was inspired by the black girl with long hair, so I went into the bookstore and decided to find a book on growing long black hair.
Came across Cathy Howses book "Ultra BLack Hair Growth" and was AMAZED at the APL length...from there I found these hairboards and have been a loyal hairgrower ever since!!!
I'm doing this because it's a fun hobby..I love the reward of acheiving healthy, long hair.

kittikat24 - Wow, you're doing great! Keep it up!

 

[Cherokee-n-Black]

1) I've always been a "hair person" and a product junkie--here I have found my kindred spirits

2)I've always had long hair and have not always been able to find good resources on caring for it (I've also had damage, bad hair decisions, and short cuts I grew back out)

3) I'm going natural for two reasons:

1) to set the example for my DD and 2) because some people find me "ethnically ambiguous." I really believe the straight hair was the reason for this and I feel like if I wear my hair natural, not only will I achieve a new level of self acceptance, but the world will really know "what I am."

I'm proud of my black heritage and I want my kids (who were born into a family full of IRR's on DH's side) to be proud of it too. The world is confusing enough as it is! If it sounds like I have a complex--maybe a little one. But we'll be getting over that!

 

[SuchaLady]

Ive always had long hair. Ive never done anything special to it. I stumbled upon LHCF when searching for a new flat iron. I did have a few months of using too much heat and my hair suffered health but didnt break off too badly but I quickly put that to an end and cut out all heat so Ive been okay after that. Though I never had to do anything special I just keep it simple still even after finding LHCF. Its just that now I know the proper things to do versus what not to do.

 

[iri9109]

after i graduated HS i decided i didnt care about having long hair, so i cut my hair into a short tapered bob...after i started college i decided i wanted to grow the cut out, and did a google search and found LHCF...initially i just wanted long hair period...i saw most of the ladies here w/ super long hair were mostly natural, and alot of the ones who were relaxed stretched their relaxers...so i started off with the intent of stretching my relaxers, but as i read more about HHJs (cowashing, sealing, etc), i started thinking maybe i'd go natural...esp. because i was never a fan of the flat "fresh perm" look, or the burns that always accompanied it, and i though back to my childhood when my hair was the longest (APL-BSB) and thickest, and i was natural then, so it made sense that to get back to that, going natural would be the best option...then i found CurlyNikki and that really made me solid in my decision to go natural and pursue a healthy hair journey.

 

[FoxxyLocs]

I've always had long hair since I was little (BSL+). I was texlaxed/kiddie permed at 6, and started getting regular relaxers at 12. I went natural because I hated perms (the smell, burning, scalp sores) and all of "the rules" (no swimming, no sweating, don't get it wet in the shower/tub, don't go out in the rain, don't scratch your head). And I hated the amount of time I had to spend in the salon. I felt like a slave to my hair.

I grew my hair long after my BC because I like long hair, but also to prove that it could be done. I had so many people tell me that if I cut my hair off it would never grow back.

 

[somewhereinbtwn]

I come from a family of type 3's and even the type 4's didn't compare to mine. I was made to feel like my hair was just extra nappy, dry, hard to comb, blah blah ect. As a result I developed a complex that my hair could never look nice, so I just never tried. I would let my hair get matted under hoods and hats. Fast forward to 06 when I got all my damaged hair cut off, and just decided to wash and leave conditioner in my hair. I liked the look and just kept wearing it. I guess that is when officially went natural, or started wearing my natural texture.

When I found this site I was getting sick of my hair and unhappy about the texture. I came here trying to loosen my curl pattern, and funnily enough ended up falling back in love with my hair. I love learning all the things my hair can do. I have always wanted long hair but thought I could never have it. Now I know I can. I want to prove that type 4 hair can grew, and I would really love to become the "long haired" one in my family.

 

[RegaLady]

The economy... it was cheaper to care for my own hair and grow it out rather than to make salon visits to get it cut.

 

[EbonyCPrincess]

Well...my reason is vanity also. I have always loved, admired, and coveted long hair. For the way it looks, the styles I can wear, the way it makes me FEEL. Its the same feeling I get when my makeup is perfect or I look and feel really fit and in shape. When I started my official HHJ I already knew it COULD be done because I saw several progress videos on YT. So my reasons have nothing to do with proving to other Black women or people of other races that it could be done. The main naysayers in my life were my family members...lol. HTH!

 

[chrisanddonniesmommy]

Bottom line: Healthy hair, Happy Me.

 

[lilyofthenile]

I was tired of wearing fake hair to make it seem like my hair was long. I want to wear my own hair and use what I have got. So I want to keep it healthy and make sure it grows strong and big.

 

[SmilingElephant]

My obsession with long hair began when I was in kindergarten This girl in my class had looooong hair down to her behind (hiplength). I decided I wanted my hair like that.

Begged my mom for a relaxer and for her to "grow" my hair. But she would say she didn't have the money to grow my hair...however, I DID get a relaxer. For most of my life my hair stayed between SL and APL...the longest my hair was as a child was BSL...that's when I was 8.

Flash forward. I found this board after suffering at the hands of hair stylists that either cut my hair off or caused chunks of it to fall out and burning my scalp and ears and neck with relaxers and/or Marcells or flat irons.

I decided to go natural bc I was tired of the chemicals...and even tho my hair grew to my waist. (touché girl from kindergarten) it was thin. I want more thickness and I want it healthy as possible. And I am growing it back to my waist first but I think I really want to be Hip Length.

 

[libertysince05]

I dont consider myself to be on a HHJ, this is my ordinary life and will be as long as i live. The term HHJ implies that there is an end in the future, and that is not the case for me.
My hair was relaxed and healthy until i bleached it, with the intent of cutting it into a fade afterwards. Once i got the fade (sooner than i planned) i decided to just let it be as it would, and i've learnt techniques and products that make styling (and keeping) the hair easier.
Why am i growing it long? For the same reason i got the fade: Because i can! And i just feel like it at the moment....
PS: another reason why i'm not getting relaxers again is because i never liked them (they make your hair stink when wet), they made my fine hair look limp and i have sensitive skin prone to dermatitis and other skin conditions.
(and no one likes the burns!)

 

[tenderheaded]

From 2000 to 2005 I couldn't find a stylist who could make my hair straight AND let it grow. One stylist gave me unwanted cuts TWICE in 3 weeks, another applied permanent color then relaxed, causing all my hair to fall out!

April 2005 I had my natural hair relaxed. I told the stylist "no cutting" and she got mad and started raking the comb thru my hair across my shoulders! ENOUGH!!! I did a search, Don'tSpeakDefeat gave some wonderful advice about growing hair, and here I am!!!

 

[Anakinsmomma]

I wanted to add, I've had chemicals in my head since I was three (a jheri curl). I have no clue what my natural texture is beyond the two inches of new growth ive seen. I figure at 28, this is basic information I should know and it's time to find out.


Sent from my iPhone using LHCF

 

[missjones]

I was tired of how thin my hair looked relaxed. After looking at pics on here of ladies' natural hair and how thick it was, I decided to transition. My mom put a relaxer in my hair I think when I was 5 and I just kept getting them. I've never seen my natural hair before.

I'm a year and almost 4 months post. I plan on BCing in September. I'll be 18 months post then .

 

[NJoy]

It never occurred to me that it could get so long. Hanging out above apl, I thought my hair was long already. But after being told about this board and finding that sistahs were growing crazy long hair, I decided that if it could be done (and it seemed like everyone on the board was doing it), I could do it too -- so I did!

 

[AuNaturalMaMa]

I was at my moms going through an album of hers and saw lots of pictures of me when I was little before I was relaxed. I saw how healthy and long my hair was. I wanted that at this age. After really looking at the state my relaxed hair was in (nothing against women who relax lots on women here are relaxed and have beautiful hair because they are educated about caring for relaxed hair I was not) I immediately was like I'm not relaxing any more, I want my old hair back. Thats what I did. I was transitioning before I even found this site and once I did it immediately motivated me to BC.

 

[sunnieb]

To prove to myself that my hair can grow longer than SL without breaking.

I've never had long hair as an adult, so this is exciting for me!

Sent from my Comet using Comet

 

[sunnieb]

I dont consider myself to be on a HHJ, this is my ordinary life and will be as long as i live. The term HHJ implies that there is an end in the future, and that is not the case for me.
My hair was relaxed and healthy until i bleached it, with the intent of cutting it into a fade afterwards. Once i got the fade (sooner than i planned) i decided to just let it be as it would, and i've learnt techniques and products that make styling (and keeping) the hair easier.
Why am i growing it long? For the same reason i got the fade: Because i can! And i just feel like it at the moment....
PS: another reason why i'm not getting relaxers again is because i never liked them (they make your hair stink when wet), they made my fine hair look limp and i have sensitive skin prone to dermatitis and other skin conditions.
(and no one likes the burns!)

My relaxed hair smells like lavender and coconut when wet. I've also never had a relaxer burn.

Maybe I also want to show that relaxed hair can be long and thick. Not all of us have thin, lifeless, flat hair.


Sent from my Comet using Comet

 

[greenandchic]

My journey started in the early 2000s when my hair was breaking off and not retaining length. I wasn't relaxed, but I had my hair hard pressed and flat ironed weekly - no exceptions (except maybe when I wanted to swim). I really don't remember exactly how it happened, but I reminded looking at recent photos of myself and I just didn't like my flat, limp hair. I preferred my curls and kinks.

Since my hair was heat damaged, I had to transition. I started learning more about the health of my hair and valued health over texture. Though I thought I valued health by not using heat, I but didn't take the best care of my hair. I did DAILY wash-n-gos for years, didn't detangle properly, protective styles, sleeping on cotton, etc so it was pretty damaged. I also cut my hair plenty of times over the years, but in the last year I started getting interested in having long hair again. I want to grow it out as long it will go.

I made a 180 when it comes to hair care practices and products in 2010.

 

[NJoy]

I dont consider myself to be on a HHJ, this is my ordinary life and will be as long as i live. The term HHJ implies that there is an end in the future, and that is not the case for me.
My hair was relaxed and healthy until i bleached it, with the intent of cutting it into a fade afterwards. Once i got the fade (sooner than i planned) i decided to just let it be as it would, and i've learnt techniques and products that make styling (and keeping) the hair easier.
Why am i growing it long? For the same reason i got the fade: Because i can! And i just feel like it at the moment....
PS: another reason why i'm not getting relaxers again is because i never liked them (they make your hair stink when wet), they made my fine hair look limp and i have sensitive skin prone to dermatitis and other skin conditions.
(and no one likes the burns!)

Huh? What kind of hair and/or relaxer do you have? I've never had stinky hair with a relaxer sooooo... I'm taking your comment as they make YOUR hair stink when wet. That was just crazy right there.

 

[mzbrown]

I met my s.o's cousin who's hair texture was similar to mine and her hair was gorgeous and long. She gave me hope and sent me to this LHCF.