What is the one thing (or more) that you think

[pinkchocolatedaisy]

prevented you from retaining growth in the past?

Well for me, I think it was mostly cutting my hair like every month! I actually thought I was doing something good.

I have others, but what about you ladies?

 

[feelfree]

Good question.

I would never have a problem growing my hair until almost BSL, but then it would break off because i was not moisturizing properly down the length of my hair. Sometimes i would be using the wrong products (Pink Oil moisturLIEzer, smh), and/or not moisturizing often enough.

When you know better, you do better, right?

 

[JustKiya]

Coloring my hair with chemical coloring. Made my hair very dry and very unhappy.

 

[MizAvalon]

Getting trims too often.

 

[Toy]

I think it was everything iwas doing such as,relaxing to soon not using the right products not washing properly using sodium laurel sulfate .just was not a good time for me . but its all good now

 

[BrooklynSouth]

Permanent dyes, combing from root to tip then being angry with my hair and dragging combs/brushes through it, not shampooing often enough, not knowing I needed to deep condition, moisturize and seal, letting my hair be blown by the wind!

 

[Latomian]

Getting trims too often.

Ditto. That and allowing my stylist to "fool me" by telling me that it was okay to overlap previously relaxed hair.

Then telling me to stop baggying my ends b/c "she didn't like having to take longer to wash out my hair.

Also, letting someone style my hair who said, "You have that coarse hair. Girl, how do you get a comb through this hair? See, if you had good, fine hair like mine then we wouldn't have to be using this extra strong relaxer..."

Btw, I have 3c/4a hair (except for a small patch in my crown that's like 4-z-squared. Never call your hair kinky/coarse until you have witnessed this patch.)

 

[longhairdreamzz]

For me, I used to use a small toothed comb and rake it thru my very dry hair every single day...then I'd follow up w/ very hot flat iron every single day. Gosh, when I think back to those days I can almost cry.

 

[gymfreak336]

Over processing my relaxer overlap and run off
Using the wrong combs
Inconsistent conditioning

 

[doll-baby]

For me it was focusing more on the style of my hair than its health. For example, using glue for weaves, using gel, heat styling every day, and not trimming my ends when they needed it.
Oh and definitely not mosturizing my hair... If only I had known then what I know now

 

[Ronda123]

Strong relaxers (all I needed to use was a mild relaxer). Misuse of heat and too many trims. I went to a stylist for years but now I am a DIY and keeping it simple has worked for me.

 

[pinkchocolatedaisy]

That's a good one- I used to use super- b/c that's what my mom declared I needed for my thick mass of hair! I had never even heard of a mild one until I came here. I used regular when I really did my hair.

Strong relaxers (all I needed to use was a mild relaxer). Misuse of heat and too many trims. I went to a stylist for years but now I am a DIY and keeping it simple has worked for me.

 

[pinayprincess]

My dirty ol' cotton pillow, car seatbelts, jackets, purse straps, bra straps, metal-containing scrunchies, and not moisturizing or deep conditioning.

Now I have a satin pillowcase and i clip my hair when in the car, putting on my jackets and I now carry my purse in the hook of my arm instead of on my shoulder. I also leave a bit of my conditioner in my hair throughout the day and try and get in the salon to sit under the dryer once a week.


ETA: I also only trim a 3 times a year Christmas, my birthday, and as-needed in between!

 

[seashell]

For me, it was not keeping my ends moisturised.

 

[sevetlana]

Good question.

I would never have a problem growing my hair until almost BSL, but then it would break off because i was not moisturizing properly down the length of my hair. Sometimes i would be using the wrong products (Pink Oil moisturLIEzer, smh), and/or not moisturizing often enough.

When you know better, you do better, right?

at the bolded.
My hair aint that long yet but I:
Never moisturized
Never deep conditioned
Frequent cuts to make it grow faster
Dragging a small teeth comb thru my 6 weeks post hair, the poor hair were snapping and bawling for mercy.

 

[FluffyRed]

One thing - letting other people do my hair.

Once I took the power out of their hands, I was able to realize what my hair needs - very little product, wash and condition when it starts to feel dry (approx. every three days) detangle with conditioner and/or detangling spray, avoidance of friction - pillowcases, etc. and mostly to be left alone.

I've paid hairdressers thousands over the years to chemical burn me, process my hair to mush, heat burn me and do whatever trendy/experimental haircut they pleased.

Now that i am in control, I only see a professional for the cut. I texlax, with a mild relaxer. I haven't combed or brushed my hair when dry in years. I only use a styling pick with teeth far apart. When my hair is dry, I cannot slap on any product. I need to gently wash and deep condition.

I have not yet met a traditional hairdresser who could safely handle baby-fine, supernappy hair as well as I can handle my own.

 

[Neith]

Letting the relaxer process TOO LONG (chemically straightened hair is just not attainable for me without damage )

Trimming TOO MUCH!

 

[Blkprincess]

constant breakage and excessive shedding and health issues

 

[Ebony Majesty]

flat ironing on the regular and combing through air dried hair with a fine tooth comb and no moisturiser :|

 

[anon123]

Definitely breakage from combing, which it turn is caused my knotting/tangling. This continues to be my issue.

 

[SunnyDelight]

Combing with the wrong combs
Combing/brushing/raking too often
Not keeping my ends moisturized.

 

[LaLa85]

too much heat. my hair would look nice for a while but would start breaking off later... and because of that i had to trim often

 

[MrsWatson]

1. flat ironingon the highest setting, twice a day
2. using oil to 'moisturize'
3. pulling relaxer through to my ends

I am surprised I had hair...

 

[FlawedBeauty]

wayyyyyyyy to much heat and bad weaves.

 

[GodsPromises]

For me self-relaxing.

No matter how much I try I just can't do it. I cause more damage than going to get it done.

 

[Vshanell]

Direct Heat (flat iron)

 

[Ganjababy]

cutting 1/2" every 6 weeks. Overprcessing, not maintaining correct moisture balance

 

[fivetimestwo]

trimming in a schedule as opposed to on an as-needed basis; washing with shampoos with sulfates in them; combing my hair in the shower (I honestly think my fine hair is just too fragile to be combed while soaking wet).

When I was natural I thought that I never needed protein because I very rarely used heat. That was a mistake. I know now that I probably didn't need it as much a a relaxed head, but I should've been doing it from time to time.

 

[redd]

Too many trims, permanent color, combing through dry hair, and never moisturizing.

 

[cottoncoily]

Neglect. When I first found the board I was really taking care of my hair but then my real life got hectic so I stopped moisturizing my hair and started sleeping on cotton pillows w/o tying my hair up. And I also think I stretched relaxers too long w/o moisturizing my new growth properly so come touch up time my hair was the same length.