APL or longer wear hair down frequently?? HELP! (Pic)

[FlawedBeauty]

Hi ladies!!


Ok, sooo my hair is finally at a length where I am just in love with it! I'm always playing with it and just really cant believe how much it has grown. I still want another 3 inches before I actually consider it long but thats another story. So here's the thing...i don't wanna do protective styles anymore!!! LOL! I have been wearing it out A LOT lately because its finally at a length where it will fall properly if i just air dry it out! So my question is this...am I gonna jack up my hair wearing it down leaving me doomed to stupid protective styles forever?!?!? Or am I at a safe length where wearing it out a few times a week is not gonna totally kill my hair. Any ladies out there where their hair down more times than not with no trouble?


Here's my today hair pic and I'm not puttin it up lol. Its just airdried.

 

[SoSweet08]

Sorry I can't help but, do you have a fotki because you came a long way!

 

[FlawedBeauty]

Thanks! No fotki. I tried to create one once but got too frustrated lol. I plan on trying to create one once I stop being so lazy

Sorry I can't help but, do you have a fotki because you came a long way!

 

[tapioca_pudding]

^^^ Agreed, your progress is super inspirational!

I'm nowhere near APL... But did you wear protective styles to get where you are now? If so, did you have any problems?

I personally think that if you take diligent, consistent care of your hair, you can get away w/ not wearing protective styles every single day. If you stay up on your DCs, your moisture game, your moisture/protein balance, etc, you will do just fine.

I know Ms. Kibbibi doesn't wear protective styles, and her hair is FABULOUS!

But this is just mho.

 

[Jas123]

I'm struggling with this as well... I'm full apl (need to update avatar) and I where protective styles all the time but I'm ready to break free of them... I'm planning on using a small amount of castor oil on the ends to protect the ends once I start wearing my hair down.

 

[simplycee]

I don't wear protective styles like I used to and I am still retaining length, not as much as I did when I was bunning it up everyday, but I am still making progress.

My advice would be to be sure to mositurize daily, especially your ends if you are going to wear your hair down more often. If you don't already, deep con weekly with heat and limit direct heat. If you begin to see more splits than normal trim or dust a little more often. I have been doing all of the above and I am making progress past bsl. Works for me.

 

[FlawedBeauty]

Thanks!

Yea I did the protective style thing for like a year straight. I didnt straighten very often.

It's this every single friggin day lol:

Maybe im just feelin frisky cuz its summer time. It will probably be easier to get me back in to the daily protective once fall comes

^^^ Agreed, your progress is super inspirational!

I'm nowhere near APL... But did you wear protective styles to get where you are now? If so, did you have any problems?

I personally think that if you take diligent, consistent care of your hair, you can get away w/ not wearing protective styles every single day. If you stay up on your DCs, your moisture game, your moisture/protein balance, etc, you will do just fine.

I know Ms. Kibbibi doesn't wear protective styles, and her hair is FABULOUS!

But this is just mho.

 

[FlawedBeauty]

Thanks for this!!

I don't wear protective styles like I used to and I am still retaining length, not as much as I did when I was bunning it up everyday, but I am still making progress.

My advice would be to be sure to mositurize daily, especially your ends if you are going to wear your hair down more often. If you don't already, deep con weekly with heat and limit direct heat. If you begin to see more splits than normal trim or dust a little more often. I have been doing all of the above and I am making progress past bsl. Works for me.

 

[FlawedBeauty]

 

[JustKiya]

I'd have to say that your hair will best let you know - you know what your 'normal' growth rate is, right? If that rate seems to drop/slow, then you might start to suspect a lack of retention from wearing your hair down - if it keeps on pushing on, then you know you are cool.

 

[FlawedBeauty]

thats great advice!! except i have no clue what my normal growth rate is lol

I'd have to say that your hair will best let you know - you know what your 'normal' growth rate is, right? If that rate seems to drop/slow, then you might start to suspect a lack of retention from wearing your hair down - if it keeps on pushing on, then you know you are cool.

 

[Highly Favored8]

WOW your hair looks really nice! I am APL Touching the top of my bra-strap. I am going to go back to bunning b/c it is just to HAWT in the summer here in Florida. I wear my down in the cooler months fall/winter.

 

[JustKiya]

thats great advice!! except i have no clue what my normal growth rate is lol

*lol* You have progress pics? YOu should be able to guesstimate it from them. Otherwise, just take pics of your length, and take them every other week or so - if you hair starts looking shorter, you know you've got a problem. If, after 2-3 months, it doesn't look any longer, you've most likely got a problem, too.

 

[Soliel185]

I would use caution and keep an eye on your hair. I know not everyone needs protective styles to retain their length, but people typically retain MORE when they where protective styles. So your preceived growth rate may take a beating. Also, keep an eye on your ends.

I understand how exciting it is to wear your hair down once you reach a certain length, but there is an opportunity cost involved.

 

[crazydaze911]

i dont wear my hair down cuz the ends are crazy and im transitioning so it looks horrible. i recently started a 'how do i know when to trim' thread. ur ends look a little similar to mine in ur siggy. whats ur trimming reggie?
*sorry, didnt mean to hijack ur thread.
to try to make up for this, i'll tell u about my sister - lol
she wears her hair down everyday (but wet/curly), not dry, and she has really gotten some length. is that a possibility for u? or you only want to wear it loose and straight?

 

[silkii_locks]

I wear my hair down quite often and the only time I see a problem is when I blow dry and hot curl too much. But when I do my weekly wash, deep condtion and roller set, my hair is perfectly fine wearing it down every day. I just wrap my hair every night or atleast put on satin bonnet every night and I still retain growth with no problem. So for me, the problem is not wearing the hair down, it's what I do or don't do that causes the problems. HTH!

 

[mnemosyne]

I'm wearing my hair down more but I co-wash every day and always moisturize my ends. I also don't use heat at all, so I'll normally wear a braid out if anything. I do this more often when I'm wearing a tank, halter or a button down shirt as I don't really fear my hair snagging on anything like that. =)


eta... excuse the stall picture, but this is what I mean... this shirt's not going to do anything to my hair for a day. =)

 

[FlawedBeauty]

no not straight. just air dried so its wavy like in my pic as my hair cant take too much heat before it starts breaking. i dont trim, i just go on search and destroy missions from time to time. i dont wanna trim until i reach my goal length. my ends look fine if i flat iron it. in my siggy pic thats just a pic of my hair blowdried straight.

i dont wear my hair down cuz the ends are crazy and im transitioning so it looks horrible. i recently started a 'how do i know when to trim' thread. ur ends look a little similar to mine in ur siggy. whats ur trimming reggie?
*sorry, didnt mean to hijack ur thread.
to try to make up for this, i'll tell u about my sister - lol
she wears her hair down everyday (but wet/curly), not dry, and she has really gotten some length. is that a possibility for u? or you only want to wear it loose and straight?

 

[FlawedBeauty]

thanks for this. this is how i feel about it too. like if i take care of it like i have been wearing it down wont be a problem. time will tell i suppose lol

I wear my hair down quite often and the only time I see a problem is when I blow dry and hot curl too much. But when I do my weekly wash, deep condtion and roller set, my hair is perfectly fine wearing it down every day. I just wrap my hair every night or atleast put on satin bonnet every night and I still retain growth with no problem. So for me, the problem is not wearing the hair down, it's what I do or don't do that causes the problems. HTH!

 

[HoneyA]

Great progress! I can understand how you would want to enjoy it out more! They are a lot of ladies on here who have retained length without protective styling so it is possible. My hair is thick and where I live it's really hot so I just prefer to keep my hair up. I'm a lot cooler this way. I think the key to retaining length w/o PS is to moisturise and dc as usual. A good leave in (Infusium maybe?) should protect your hair from the environment (smoke, pollution, etc) and keep it strong. Treat your hair as well as you were before or better and you'll retain I'm sure.

 

[lilsparkle825]

first things first...cant help you cause i'm only SL/CBL. lol

BUT....i feel the same way, once i get past APL it is ON. i plan to keep my hair up when i am not out though just cause i dont want to hurt my growth...i already have the DC thing down...i will be moisturizing my ends religiously...and of course little heat (although i have to have some cause i am natural). i got time to stalk fotkis though.

good luck to ya!

 

[hopeful]

Enjoy your hair, you deserve it! I think you will continue to make progress if you limit heat and keep it moisturized. And you will be more motivated if you wear it out because you will feel better and you will get tons of compliments IMO.

 

[nomoweavesfome]

yea girl - it is summa time feva!!!!!!

trust- you'll know when to start back with protective styles again. enjoy and keep an eye on it -

open that daggone fotki!!!!!!!!!