Stuck at SL support thread

[prettypuff1]

So i though i would start this one. I am still stuck at SL( see siggy) I thought i would be APL, buy now. All the baggying in the world isnt helping me and I need an inch trimmed. It sure sucks being stuck at SL. You ladies know what its like. Hoping and stretchin ur hair to see if it is there. In the mirror hunting for NG just so u can see some change. While i have seen some length, i just wanna make it to APl. I This is one of the hardest Lengths to reach and I will shoot myself if i dont see apl by this year... Help ladies.. give me some support here..

 

[Proudpiscean]

What's your regimen?

 

[CAPlush]

So i though i would start this one. I am still stuck at SL( see siggy) I thought i would be APL, buy now. All the baggying in the world isnt helping me and I need an inch trimmed. It sure sucks being stuck at SL. You ladies know what its like. Hoping and stretchin ur hair to see if it is there. In the mirror hunting for NG just so u can see some change. While i have seen some length, i just wanna make it to APl. I This is one of the hardest Lengths to reach and I will shoot myself if i dont see apl by this year... Help ladies.. give me some support here..

Girl, don't do it!!!

In all seriousness though, my hair has almost reached full shoulder length and I am worried it will stop growing because that is the longest it has ever been. I plan on hiding my hair in a bun/twist until it reaches APL. Have you tried protective styling? How long have you been "stuck?"

 

[Radianthealth]

You and me both, I was contemplating a trim, but I don't think I will. I think my problem was I kept my braids in too long, baggied too much, and stretched too long. All of these things are supposed to be good but my hair needs to be nurtured and being in braids or a baggy did not allow me to keep tabs on the condition of my hair.

I will be wearing a UPA clip and occasional flexi rod sets to practice styling my hair and to try to get the broken off areas to catch up to the rest. I will be deep conditioning twice per week and I KNOW I will be at APL by the end of the year I will stretch for 10-14 weeks, I will relax when it is time.

 

[prettypuff1]

Right now i have been keeping it very simple. Weekly washing with DC, braid out/twistouts. I do rollerset and have been kjeeping the heat to a minimum but i did get a blow out yesterday. Protective styling and i arent friends... Buns and ponytails caused my sides to break something awful... I have always stretched relaxers, usually to 14-16 weeks... I tried MTG, it kinda worked but not really, Biotin made me look like leatherface... I am just dying a " nevergonnareach APL" death

 

[Proudpiscean]

Right now i have been keeping it very simple. Weekly washing with DC, braid out/twistouts. I do rollerset and have been kjeeping the heat to a minimum but i did get a blow out yesterday. Protective styling and i arent friends... Buns and ponytails caused my sides to break something awful... I have always stretched relaxers, usually to 14-16 weeks... I tried MTG, it kinda worked but not really, Biotin made me look like leatherface... I am just dying a " nevergonnareach APL" death

You will get there!
I feel like I'll never make it to APL too sometimes, but I know I can do it! To stay motivated I joined the LHCF bootcamp and it is really helping. How often do you moisturize and seal? Give protective styling another chance....with the buns you have to make sure not to pull the hair too tight into the bun/pony tail (I wear loose buns daily....I love the flexi8 clips). Braidouts and rollersets are great, but not very protective if the ends are out brushing against clothing. Otherwise, you're on the right track....it's just gonna take patience.

 

[InnerSoul]

Well atleast I know I am not the only one STUCK at SL !

I see my length is now at collarbone, but I still say I am SL b/c my hair all over is not even. There are shorter pieces in the top/crown area.. my hair is in layers(unintentionally!) but my length is longer at the back. My regimen is so far working and if I am just consistent with it.. my hair will creep from collarbone to APL!! I really don't want my hair full APL, for me I do like layers as it gives an illusion of volume/thickness for me!

 

[prospurr4]

Right now i have been keeping it very simple. Weekly washing with DC, braid out/twistouts. I do rollerset and have been kjeeping the heat to a minimum but i did get a blow out yesterday. Protective styling and i arent friends... Buns and ponytails caused my sides to break something awful... I have always stretched relaxers, usually to 14-16 weeks... I tried MTG, it kinda worked but not really, Biotin made me look like leatherface... I am just dying a " nevergonnareach APL" death

I am so sorry you are "stuck." Ummm, let's see...are you moisturizing your ends daily? Are you protecting your ends from your collars/clothing by pinning them up? Do you protect your hair at night by wearing a satin scarf or bonnet? Have you noticed more-than-normal breakage? If so, how's your moisture/protein balance?

Like you, I don't do buns or ponytails either. I do weekly rollersets to make spiral curls. Then I pin the back of my hair up so that my ends won't touch my clothing. I moisturize once/day (especially my ends) and sleep in a satin bonnet. I use protein only as needed. These simple changes have gotten me from SL to BSL in less than a year.

Hang in there.

ETA: I never comb my hair when it is dry; my ends suffer and break if I do. I comb once/week on washday. I never use a brush, and I haven't used direct heat since Dec. 2005.

 

[HERicane10]

You and me both, I was contemplating a trim, but I don't think I will. I think my problem was I kept my braids in too long, baggied too much, and stretched too long. All of these things are supposed to be good but my hair needs to be nurtured and being in braids or a baggy did not allow me to keep tabs on the condition of my hair.

I will be wearing a UPA clip and occasional flexi rod sets to practice styling my hair and to try to get the broken off areas to catch up to the rest. I will be deep conditioning twice per week and I KNOW I will be at APL by the end of the year I will stretch for 10-14 weeks, I will relax when it is time.

singing:..................
Where O where is my APL hair at?
Where O where can it be?
......Taking its slow @zz time to find me!

I am so feeling yall! I need to just put a sheet over my bathroom mirror, you know mama said a watch pot never boils! What we need to have is a "Forget About Your Hair" Challenge!
I agree totally about the "healthy" stuff. I just realized this AM, that I been shedding like a sheep dog from trying to baggy. I just threw it away this morning. My fine hair was revolting! So out came my fake Flexi-8 & little Cantu Shea Butter moisturizer. I AM SO OVER THE BAGGY! I think it must work best for thick, dry hair. And NO MORE 12 week stretches, I lost everything I grew I think! 8-9 weeks is my limit.
Come on yall! We can break this APL barrier together. I got about another 2-3inches to go.

 

[Proudpiscean]

singing:..................
Where O where is my APL hair at?
Where O where can it be?
......Taking its slow @zz time to find me!

I am so feeling yall! I need to just put a sheet over my bathroom mirror, you know mama said a watch pot never boils! What we need to have is a "Forget About Your Hair" Challenge!
I agree totally about the "healthy" stuff. I just realized this AM, that I been shedding like a sheep dog from trying to baggy. I just threw it away this morning. My fine hair was revolting! So out came my fake Flexi-8 & little Cantu Shea Butter moisturizer. I AM SO OVER THE BAGGY! I think it must work best for thick, dry hair. And NO MORE 12 week stretches, I lost everything I grew I think! 8-9 weeks is my limit.
Come on yall! We can break this APL barrier together. I got about another 2-3inches to go.

Sorry to hear that
My hair likes baggying, but not everyday. I do it every 2-3 nights and it helps keep up my moisture levels.
And you're right, we can break the barrier HHG!

 

[SouthernTease]

Do you comb/brush your hair often? DON'T
I just started my grow out challenge last month...
I'm hiding my hair so I can't show you my progress.
Before I joined LHCF my hair used to fall out
by the handfuls daily because I brushed/combed too much.
Now I co-wash daily
detangle with a wide tooth
comb in the shower ((VERY CAREFULLY))
pull it back (( NOT TIGHT))
and pin it up so my ends aren't showing.
I should be APL by October for sure.
Also... are you giving it time?
The average hair growth rate is .5 inches/month
I know its hard...
but you probably need to go
COLD TURKEY on brushes & heat
and adapt to protective styling if you
really want to see progress ASAP.

 

[locabouthair]

what you put inside your body is very important also. eating healthier can speed things along.

 

[Nature'sWay]

Don't trim it. I say this because you are trying to get longer hair and if you are going for length instead of neatness within your SL hair you should let it grow on out. If you see split ends though I guess you would have to do what you got to do. Question: Have you went from like ear length to SL and it won't grow past that or did you start here with SL?

 

[Bellavita6]

Prettypuff - i so feel your pain. im currently trying to get the sides of my hair to grow to full shoulder length. I have noticed some improvement since i started using BT. Have you tried growth aids? vitamins? I didnt see your regimen so wasnt sure...

 

[MzOptimistic]

Right now i have been keeping it very simple. Weekly washing with DC, braid out/twistouts. I do rollerset and have been kjeeping the heat to a minimum but i did get a blow out yesterday. Protective styling and i arent friends... Buns and ponytails caused my sides to break something awful... I have always stretched relaxers, usually to 14-16 weeks... I tried MTG, it kinda worked but not really, Biotin made me look like leatherface... I am just dying a " nevergonnareach APL" death

IMHO, I think that braid outs and twistouts is what's causing you to stall at SL. How long have you been at shoulder lenght? If it's been months. You need to change those hairstyles. What got me past SL was wearing my hair in a ponytail lightly pulled back with my ends baggied. Serenitybreeze (I think it's her fotki) has a tutorial on doing a pretty updo using the baggie method. I'm going to start baggying my hair the way she does for the summer. I'll find her fotki to see if she's the one with the tutorial. brb

Yep, it hers, http://public.fotki.com/SerenityBreeze/my_baggie_bun/

 

[Catina72]

I feel your pain, I am going to continue stretching my relaxers, limiting heat, deep conditioning as a pre-poo each wash, and moisturize/seal two times a day. WE WILL GET THERE!!

 

[IMFOCSD]

singing:..................
Where O where is my APL hair at?
Where O where can it be?
......Taking its slow @zz time to find me!

I am so feeling yall! I need to just put a sheet over my bathroom mirror, you know mama said a watch pot never boils! What we need to have is a "Forget About Your Hair" Challenge!
I agree totally about the "healthy" stuff. I just realized this AM, that I been shedding like a sheep dog from trying to baggy. I just threw it away this morning. My fine hair was revolting! So out came my fake Flexi-8 & little Cantu Shea Butter moisturizer. I AM SO OVER THE BAGGY! I think it must work best for thick, dry hair. And NO MORE 12 week stretches, I lost everything I grew I think! 8-9 weeks is my limit.
Come on yall! We can break this APL barrier together. I got about another 2-3inches to go.

You are silly for this...lol.....anyway, I am about 1-2 inches from shoulder length but I keeping reading comments about how getting past shoulder length is the hardest goal to acheive. I hope everyone who is stuck at SL passes shoulder length soon and as for me I can't wait to reach SL and when I do I'm guessing I might have to change regimen a little bit.

sweetcoco

 

[Ennyaa]

I'm with all of you APL strivers. I have about 2-3 inches to go. I would be discouraged if I hadn't see with my own eyes how I could go from neck length to past my shoulders in less than a year. (Thank God for photo journals!)

I also know that when I tried to get cute and start wearing puffs and blowouts, colored my hair and was doing wash n go's I started to lose ground. Looking back I see I did my best when I was in braids for months at a time, so that's what I'm going back to. I'm hoping that by doing that and maybe a weave when I'm tired of braids that I'll be APL by the end of the year. Then in 08 I can focus on BSL. WE CAN DO IT LADIES!! I just know we can!

 

[cheetarah1980]

I totally feel where you are coming from. My nape is actually about 1 inch from APL, however I won't consider myself APL until my crown gets there. Ahhh, there's the rub. This is the shortest section on my head. I've noticed that hair doesn't truly appear long until the crown and sides hit a certain length as well.
I'm still experiencing a bit of breakage (tiny pieces of hair here and there) and I know that a little bit of breakage can add up over time and keep hair stagnant. Because I have horrible HIH disease I've started covering my head when I'm around the house so I don't play in it too much (I work from home so that means I spend a lot of time covered). I also think that I have to give up dry styling. While it allows my twists and braids to show more length initially, I think all the parting and styling on dry hair (no matter how well moisturized) is causing breakage as well.
Lately since I've started baggying at night, I've noticed that those little bits of hair I find on my hands or on my clothes have decreased signficantly. If I can keep the breakage at bay, I know I will reach full APL this year.

 

[WhipEffectz1]

I plan to get over the shoulder length hurdle by doing protectives styles until I reach that mark! Maybe that will help you!

 

[Determined22]

singing:..................
Where O where is my APL hair at?
Where O where can it be?
......Taking its slow @zz time to find me!

I am so feeling yall! I need to just put a sheet over my bathroom mirror, you know mama said a watch pot never boils! What we need to have is a "Forget About Your Hair" Challenge!
I agree totally about the "healthy" stuff. I just realized this AM, that I been shedding like a sheep dog from trying to baggy. I just threw it away this morning. My fine hair was revolting! So out came my fake Flexi-8 & little Cantu Shea Butter moisturizer. I AM SO OVER THE BAGGY! I think it must work best for thick, dry hair. And NO MORE 12 week stretches, I lost everything I grew I think! 8-9 weeks is my limit.
Come on yall! We can break this APL barrier together. I got about another 2-3inches to go.

How come I was JUST saying that last week?

I've been feeling like I'll never get to APL either, until I rollerset on Saturday and saw my breakage problem disappear! I guess the combo of rollersetting (instead of airdrying), DC'ing w/Suave humectant, SE cholesterol and PM Supercharged, and then using PC has helped. So I'm going to continue that (as well as my baggying and protective styles) and hopefully that will get me over the hump.

 

[gymfreak336]

I sometimes think I am reached my terminal length. I float between neck length and slightly grazing shoulder length and nothing gives. Whats funny is that my hair grows relatively fast. I already regained the two inches hacked off in march and I have a good amount of newgrowth now. I plan on relaxing the first week of june and I bet I won't see any change. I keep seeing all the progress pics here and I just want to be able to do the same sooo bad.

 

[locabouthair]

I sometimes think I am reached my terminal length. I float between neck length and slightly grazing shoulder length and nothing gives. Whats funny is that my hair grows relatively fast. I already regained the two inches hacked off in march and I have a good amount of newgrowth now. I plan on relaxing the first week of june and I bet I won't see any change. I keep seeing all the progress pics here and I just want to be able to do the same sooo bad.

do you take pics? sometimes you cant tell the difference unless you see some pics of your hair. that's why i plan on buying a digital cam this weekend.

 

[gymfreak336]

​

do you take pics? sometimes you cant tell the difference unless you see some pics of your hair. that's why i plan on buying a digital cam this weekend.

I take pics so I do see changes but those changes just stop when I get close to shoulder length. I had two inches taken off in march and those inches are already back. I am just not going anywhere now. I hope my next two relaxers prove me wrong.

 

[VeryBecoming]

Protective styling was the key for me. I went from shoulder to about an inch or so from APL during the Hide Your Hair Til Aprils Fools challenge.

I cut it back to shoulder length again though for some crazy reason...

 

[sareca]

I don't feel 'stuck', but I'm definitely seriously ready for APL again. Seems like it's taking forever this time. I think my hair grows slower in the winter/spring.

I recently had an epiphany. All of the ladies who's hair makes me drool have been at it for 3-4 years. I'm convinced that's how long full healthy BSL or in some cases APL can take. Keep working at it. It'll come.

 

[Radianthealth]

singing:..................
Where O where is my APL hair at?
Where O where can it be?
......Taking its slow @zz time to find me!

I am so feeling yall! I need to just put a sheet over my bathroom mirror, you know mama said a watch pot never boils! What we need to have is a "Forget About Your Hair" Challenge!
I agree totally about the "healthy" stuff. I just realized this AM, that I been shedding like a sheep dog from trying to baggy. I just threw it away this morning. My fine hair was revolting! So out came my fake Flexi-8 & little Cantu Shea Butter moisturizer. I AM SO OVER THE BAGGY! I think it must work best for thick, dry hair. And NO MORE 12 week stretches, I lost everything I grew I think! 8-9 weeks is my limit.
Come on yall! We can break this APL barrier together. I got about another 2-3inches to go.

You are on to something, I really think this is the secret. Baggying is NOT FOR FINE HAIR!!!!!!!!

I need to go do a search on these flexi-8 clips I see them in a couple of siggys and they are toooooo cute

 

[BrickbyBrick]

SL reporting in. While I did get some growth, after my touch up it was scraggly and see through. I hacked those bad boys off and am now at neck length bob which is the shortest its ever been, but the ends look a little better. The siggy pic is what I had before the chop. I bumped up those little scragglemeisters so as not horrify anyone with my shame. Really happy this thread is here.

I think my issues are:

a) Protective styling damaged hair. What the heck am I protecting? I let the chickens outta the barn already.

b) Lack of patience.

c) Lack of understanding about my hair's needs. I think she has a special hate on for me right now.

 

[Serenity_Peace]

I sometimes think I am reached my terminal length. I float between neck length and slightly grazing shoulder length and nothing gives. Whats funny is that my hair grows relatively fast. I already regained the two inches hacked off in march and I have a good amount of newgrowth now. I plan on relaxing the first week of june and I bet I won't see any change. I keep seeing all the progress pics here and I just want to be able to do the same sooo bad.

My heart bleeds for you, GymFreak! I know it's so difficult to have faith when you're doing everything right and yet fail to see progress. Sometimes I feel that way, too. I hate that my hair is so fine that I struggle to get my buns looking halfway decent. I always have to use a foam donut, else my buns would be so anemic.

But we all have to try and hang in there. When I peruse the fotki's of women who started out with much less than you or I and now have hair down their backs, it gives me hope that we can get there, too. I've seen women with hair in the worse shape imaginable and yet they persevered and now have lovely, healthy hair.

Keep that head up, girl. You're doing all the right things. Stick with it. We WILL achieve our hair goals. I'm confident of that.

 

[Serenity_Peace]

You are on to something, I really think this is the secret. Baggying is NOT FOR FINE HAIR!!!!!!!!

I've been yelling this from the rooftops now for several weeks after Cayenne's post and other fine-haired ladies' troubles. I'm convinced that if we fine ladies baggy, we have to do so in moderation. I've reduced my baggying down to 3 times a week, every other day. I'm closely monitoring things. If I continue to experience problems, I'll reduce further or stop altogether.