What is/was the hardest growth goal for you to reach?

[Curlykale]

DEFINITELY APL. My hair was rubbing my shoulders and I was excited that my hair was growing, so I kept wearing it down. Now I know that between shoulder length and armpit length it's all about keeping it in updos for me. SSK began at shoulder length too. It took me a while to understand that I needed to keep my hair stretched. I also have a loooong neck so it took forever.

 

[Seamonster]

Wow, I am shocked APL is voted the hardest length. Full shoulder length took me 10 years, now that is hard. Of course the hair in my nape, and a bottom sides would graze shoulder length. The hair in the crown of my head stayed brow length for nearly a decade. It would start growing toward nose length, then break off.

Full shoulder length has been quite elusive for me, still getting temple breakage!

 

[kupenda]

Omg APL is making me mad. I grew two extra inches and I'm still crazy far away. I swear my armpits are sliding down my torso...


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[SimJam]

APL, gosh when I was relaxed I breezed from NLt o about 2 inches from APL then sat there creeping for a whole year.

same thing now that Im natural breezed to CBL from a caeser cut in 1 year and now at snails pace to reach APL

 

[Janet']

Hardest for me has been WL, even while relaxed. I had no prob getting to and maintaining MBL, but to get those extra 4" to waist length is just sooo hard it seems! Seems like my torso gets longer and longer the closer I get to MBL, and it seems to take forever to get to WL. I have done it one time, and one time only while transitioning! But I'm aiming for it again by June 2012.

I was only able to get to WL while transitioning by PS 100% of the time, and today I wore my hair out for the first time in YEARS. I hated the shrinkage I got and how dry my hair felt after wearing it out today...I much prefer PS. I do wigs from Oct-March each year and that helps a lot with my length and thickness goals.

Now I've been trying to make it to WL for 2 years!! Everytime I think I'm close I hv a set back but hopefully I will make by May!!!


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WL has been a real challenge for me. I've been chasing it for two years now and am really praying that this Dec when I straighten again that I will have finally obtained my goal!

Even though I'm only grazing MBL, I voted WL . Honestly, I haven't had much trouble yet, but I can already tell that WL is going to be hard. There's a long distance from MBL to WL for me. I'm not even full MBL yet & I'm already debating with myself when I'll be able to claim WL. I think it will take a full year of growth retention.... And we all know a "retention" year could last longer than an actual year. I think I'll create a millstone goal between MBL & WL to make the target less daunting.


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At first I thought MBL cuz goodness I kept getting trims and couldn't get past my darn low brastrap. Now it's WL. I'm so close I can taste it but I had two trims this year too so it's taking a while. I know my hair is growing and I'm retaining, it's those darn scissors and the desire for blunt cuts!

Full SL- Grazing APL: 4 months- utilized both protective and low manipulation styling

APL-BSB: 4 months- utilized both protective and low manipulation styling

BSB-MBL (the bottom of my bra strap): 6 months- utilized low manipulation styling mostly

MBL- WL: 10 months and counting...I just broke through the retention barrier because for months and months my hair was apparently thickening up but I wasn't retaining length...now, I think that my retention is back on track, but I'm still a good 3 inches before I will claim grazing WL...so, for me--honestly, WL has been the most difficult to achieve...

 

[ebsalita]

I have to say APL - I have a long neck

 

[chrstndiva]

MBL. I am currently full BSL, but have had to do a few trims to keep my ends healthy. I really want to get to MBL, but I want my hair to look really healthy when I get there, so I am keeping my ends clean. I am going to have to bun it through the entire winter.

 

[Kurlee]

waist length continues to be elusive . . . .

 

[leleepop]

MBL please and thanks

 

[aribell]

BSL. My natural hair does not like being long. Just around APL it starts acting up. The knotting and tangles are too much and beyond normal. That's when I reach for the scissors. About to do BC #3, but I plan on it being my last for very many years/forever. Getting to BSL and beyond as a natural will require me to hide my hair for like 3 years.

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[Evolving78]

i got to APL and it took me 8 months, but due to damage, i had to cut off 2 inches, so i am back, trying to reach it again. i believe once i make it BSB-BSL will be smooth sailing.

 

[xu93texas]

I voted shoulder length. I've NEVER had any length longer than neck length. I had hair issues throughout middle and high school. Since my college days, I've always rocked super short pixies or hairstyles like Halle Berry, Anita Baker, etc. The only time I would let my hair "grow out" was during my pregnancies and I would cut it all off b/c of pp shedding. I'm currently dealing w/post partum shedding again, but I'm working patiently through it. Now, I wouldn't dare think of cutting it. I've come too far.

Shoulder Length 2012, here I come!

 

[tllundy]

I'm still trying to get to FULL SL!

 

[Mrsblessed]

For me bsl I've made it from ear to apl 3 times in a couple of months but bsl not happening for me

 

[koolkittychick]

For me it's definitely trying to reach APL!!! The front doesn't seem to have a problem getting there, but the back... It does NOT like brushing on my clothes at all, but when I put it up, it snaps off from the tension of being tucked away, whether it's in buns, braids rolls, twists, you name it!

I have finally perfected a super-hydrating regimen, and have gotten the strands long enough so that I can l-o-o-s-e-l-y bun it out of the way, so I'm crossing my fingers for some actual progress in the next couple of months.

 

[diadall]

I dont care how many times this question is asked or bumped I will always reply with APL! LOL

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[GIJane]

I would have to say BSL. I can reach SL and APL with no problem. But BSL I will get near there and bam set back. I could actually get a few strands there but never get full healthy nice BSL. My ultimate goal is to be healthy MBL. I really don't have the patience for anything longer. Plus I am addicted to styling. But if I can get healthy BSL then I will be able to obtain my ultimate goal.

 

[jayjaycurlz]

I have to say APL. It seems like my hair is timid and afraid to reach this goal. I wanted to reach APL last year but had to extend my deadline to 2012. Why is this sooo hard?

 

[summerof1990]

APL is hard because im having a hard time determining am i really armpit..and if i am i it took a long time because i got my hair cut in march this year collarbone/shoulder legnth and now its decemeber and im still trying to figure out am i APL..in the back its really close to APL but i pull it to the front and its about shoulders. smh i want my front and back to be APL

 

[summerof1990]

majority of us can agree than SL is a piece of cake and always a given

 

[theNaturalWonders]

for me right now its APL i have always had SL hair even when relaxed but i have never had hair beyond that~sad to say even when i was younger growing up so now i have really stepped my game up and will be wigging it 100% of the time during the winter months. i may even wig it for a year or two. we will see how it goes

 

[lamaria211]

i voted apl cause im sl right now and have been for months

 

[Jozze]

I've never been able to grow my beyond mid-back length to my ultimate goal of WL...which is why I was inspired to go natural in the first place. Every time I would get close to WL breakage setbacks would cause me to have to trim back to MBL.
I've been fully natural for almost 2.5 years (I BC'd to 3" not bald) and have retained 15" stretched- I don't use heat so I have no idea what my true length is. My hair is healthier than it's ever been, so I'm very hopeful to make my WL goal this time.

 

[dannie]

I have been BSL since about 2005-present. I admit my heart wasn't in it anymore circa 2006, but now I'm rejuvenated...lol.

I always take good care of my hair, and just thought it was terminal length, but I found a long hair board for yt people this year, and found a thread where they said your hair will start to form a V shape you cant get rid of once it hits terminal. My hair doesn't have a sharp V yet, so I figured I'm just lazy and need to step my game up.

I been weaving it up off and on since June this year, and I'm due to take this sew in down in two weeks so I'm hoping I'm at least halfway to MBL! **crosses fingers**

I also realized since having this "invisible part" in that my hair only grows 1/4in give or take a month :-( In the past few yrs I've been chopping off 1/2in every few months for trims. My hair doesnt grow fast enough to trim that frequently so I'm sure that played a huge part in why it hasnt really budged.

But to answer the question, MBL from BSL has been a BEAST!!

ETA: It seems I went from SL to APL in no time, but I was leaving my hair alone and wasnt paying attention. I think the golden rule to get over a hump at any stage is to just leave your hair ALONE.

Weave session was fantastic! I'm right at MBL now. Going to weave it up again and hopefully be at WL by spring at which time I will post pics to celebrate my LONG awaited victory..lol. I'm winning like Charlie Sheen right now

 

[Guinee]

I have been on this journey since winter 2009 and I can't honestly say that I am even at full neck length yet... I have to step it up for next year and hope it comes out of hiding.

 

[JessieLeleB]

I have been on this journey since winter 2009 and I can't honestly say that I am even at full neck length yet... I have to step it up for next year and hope it comes out of hiding.

SL for me. I'm will you, but I started to trans in Sept 09 then BC in Feb 10 and I'm still working on SL with one major set back of heat damage I'm trying to battle and cutting off about 3in of hair in the past 3 months alone, I'm really sad, but working Hard on a Reggie that fits my natural hair. Will only use heat 3 times next yr for length check every 4mos.


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[aviddiva77]

It's been APL for about 9 years. Right before I entered junior high my hair was APL and since slowly crept its way up to SL until I BCed in May.

SL no problem but after that it's a battle of retention!

But I'm in it to win it this time!

 

[SmilingElephant]

Waist length was my hardest goal to reach when i was relaxed. Every other goal before that came quickly...it took me about 6 months between each goal but for some reason...once i hit MBL i had a weird stallerplexed...it started growing very slowly.

 

[sheanu]

Eugggghhhh....if you put full edges on here, I'd be voting lol

 

[Ozma]

It took me one year to go from SL to APL, and I thought I'd never get there. I cut it back to blunt SL in December. Now that I know the key to my retention, I should be back to APL by August (fingers crossed)