Have you been at this for 2+ years and are still unsatisfied/disappointed

[lexi84]

I dont want this to be a sad thread, but I'm just curious. I see alot of you have been at this for a long time and still arent completely satisfied with the current state of your hair. I for one am unhappy. But I cant blame anyone but myself. I started this journey in 2005 with Neck length hair. I was able to get to APL in 12 months....and then I stopped with the TLC. I really thought I was hot stuff with my little old APL hair. I was getting stares, compliments, and a whole lotta attention from Men so I said, "to hell with all that bunning." I wanted to wear it down EVERY DAY and started blowdrying twice a week and pretty soon I ended up cutting alot of it off and starting over at shoulder length. Now my hair is back to where it was when I stopped before(APL), but had I never stopped in the first place I KNOW I'd be BSL+ by now. I could slap myself

So whats your reason for not being where you thought you would by now? What set backs or road bumps have you hit along the way?

 

[Blaque*Angel]

your hair looks great health over length is my moto...

 

[Likeyouneverseenme]

I have wanted to ask the same question for a while but I was too scared lol.
Great thread, I'll be lurking here.

 

[glamazon386]

Yep... And shrinkage is a b!tch...

 

[Neith]

I began about 5 years ago.



Years 1 & 2 - I started taking care of my hair SOME. At first I had a perm (not a relaxer) and I grew that out.

Then I would get relaxers. I went to the hairdresser (who was completely frying my hair) twice a month and that's when I would get shampoo and conditioners, but I started experimenting with leave ins, oils and other good products.

So it took a full two years to transition from perm to relaxed hair.



Year 3 - I stopped going to the stylist because I realized she was killing my poor hair. This is about the time I was doing A LOT of research and stalking hair boards

My hair was doing much better and actually grew to my chin straightened (with the stylist I was with before, my hair never reached my chin I went to her from the time I was in 7th grade)

Unfortunately, my whole nape and both of my sides fell out from a combination of an eczema flare up of the scalp and overprocessing.

Sooooo... it took about another year to grow back my nape and sides.

During that year I realized just why the hairstylist would leave my relaxers on for an hour. I have very resistant hair. I decided to only texlax my hair.



Year 4 - Went natural and my hair grew out very healthy.




Year 5 (this year) - Decided to texlax and my hair is FINALLY on the right track.

I had A LOT of obstacles to get passed... heat damage, curly perm, overprocessing, over coloring, eczema... and most of it was not directly my doing. From 8 years old to 18 years old.



Sometimes it takes a while to get hair that has been neglected and mistreated to flourish again. But, if you just keep at you'll get there!

I won't be sad about it.

 

[Pheonixx]

Minor setback.
During training I had some breakage on my right side. But it's just hair, it'll grow back.
>>shrug<<

But I'm fine. I'm well past SL....maybe 2 inches from APL.

But I'm transitioning right so I'm cutting anyway. I could really care less about length. So long as the hair is healthy and thick.
I'ma be in sew-ins for a good 6 months (with intermittent breaks in between).

 

[Paradox]

It's only been a year and I'm dissappointed because I'm not even at BSL yet.My hair is stagnant at APL.I'm hoping the Biotin and MSM helps.

 

[bluevalentine]

let's seee.....i signed up for this site late 2005 at neck/top of shoulder length and i'm just now getting to brastrap, so yes i'm stil unsatisfied/disappointed with my progress. 2006 was when i really started to use some of the tips and techniques that i found up here to grow my hair....

i know that i use heat too much and i don't protect my ends as much but sometimes i just want to enjoy my hair and abuse it a lil you know? i have to get back on track because i'm finding that i definitely don't retain length as much when i start abusing heat and not moisturizing like i should.

i'm gonna get there one day though (midback length that is)

 

[Lexib]

Great thread. I'm curious to hear about this as well. I only started in february of this year and I think these stories will help us keep us all on the right track...

 

[gorgeoushair]

Lexi, girl I know what you mean. I've been on the hairboards longer than you and I'm nowhere near my goal. I think my setbacks are overprocessing and airdrying. I also got slack im my hair regimen. Hopefully one day soon I'll get it right......being a PJ does not help.

 

[hopeful]

Lexi84, don't be so hard on yourself. I mean you made apl in 12 months!!! And who could blame you for wanting to look cute all of the time? I've been on here for 3 1/2 years and I am happy with my progress, not overjoyed and feeling like I've made it, but I'm pleased with my hair health and length, and especially with the knowledge I have gained.

 

[tenderheaded]

I've been on the boards 38 months. I was making good progress until I fell in deep love with my Solia flat iron My hair wasn't having that - so set back ONE.

I was crusing along and my hair starting clumping together on the ends, as if they were glued together. And, OMG detangling was terrible! I hated to wash. I couldn't figure out what was going on - until I looked at my vitamin bottle. It said vitamins w/ iron - but there were NO MINERALS at all! I had been using that vitamin for 4 months Set back TWO

As of 11/2007 I'm back on track. I lost 5 fistful of hair with the vitamin debaucle, I'm past bsl but I lack fullness, so next yr is my year

 

[CandacyEliz]

Great thread!

I've been at this a while and I know I'm not disciplined enough when it comes to style over hair health.

Right now I think I'm on the right track...I'm transitioning - its been almost 10 months and my hair is the longest and thickest it's been in long while. I'm almost full shoulder length - YEAH

I'm a slave to the heat and I know that the only way for me to continue to straighten and retain length is to remain natural and use heat moderately.

My only regret is that I wish I went natural 3 years ago

 

[Irresistible]

Ive made steady progress since joining , but when I joined I THOUGHT I had already arrived where I wanted to be, So it was all unexpected progress. My hair is thicker and longer than ever before, before it would be long but the ends would be wispy/thin. I had two major set backs since joining, a major cut to just above bra strap and protein overload so bad it almost took me out for the count. I believe its been time, better and better care(better products) and better and better nutrition changes I have steadily made, that has allowed for the unexpected progress -sticking to it

 

[grnidmonster]

I have been here for at least three years

1st - I was trying to get back to BSL after a bad haircut to my ears.
2nd I made it to BSL only to have it begin to fall out due to illness
3rd-recovering from loss of the sides, a spot on the top and most of the volume and a bad cut, but on the way to recovery.

I have learned alot in the last 3 years. My hair is growing back this time a round much quicker, perhpas once I get to BSL, I'll be able to keep it for a while this time.

 

[sareca]

I'm not at my original goals (BSL) but I'm absolutely thrilled with the health of my hair.

 

[LadyPaniolo]

Well, I'm satisfied with my progress overall since joining. I did the BC soon after signing up, and cut off my relaxed Sl hair down to 1 inch, a TWA. What a shock, not only for me, but for DH and even people in the neighborhood. My neighbor at the time was from St. Martin and he was ready to call the paddy wagon and have them haul me away! He could NOT understand.

I've tried different tips from this board and stuck with what worked. Sure, there are times when I've gotten lazy, had some damage, felt discouraged. But overall I think my progress has been pretty good.

In my avatar is a pic I took after I hacked off my relaxed hair. I still had the relaxed ends, you can barely see the natural hair in that photo (or any other, they were so short!). And in my sig is when I finally hit APL, several months ago. I've got about 2 inches since then.

My goal is classic length, and I really try to keep the faith and just believe that I will get there. Sometimes I get down in the dumps and feel like my hair will never be long. But I look at some of the women on here who are so inspirational, and I know that I can do it too.

 

[lexi84]

i know that i use heat too much and i don't protect my ends as much but sometimes i just want to enjoy my hair and abuse it a lil you know? i have to get back on track because i'm finding that i definitely don't retain length as much when i start abusing heat and not moisturizing like i should.

i'm gonna get there one day though (midback length that is)

Yes girl, I know! Sometimes when its abused it just flows much better...the swing I get is amazing. But we end up paying for it in the end

Lexi, girl I know what you mean. I've been on the hairboards longer than you and I'm nowhere near my goal. I think my setbacks are overprocessing and airdrying. I also got slack im my hair regimen. Hopefully one day soon I'll get it right......being a PJ does not help.

Hey girl, please tell me how airdrying hurt your progress....now you got me scared to airdry. I do it all the time!!erplexed

Lexi84, don't be so hard on yourself. I mean you made apl in 12 months!!! And who could blame you for wanting to look cute all of the time? I've been on here for 3 1/2 years and I am happy with my progress, not overjoyed and feeling like I've made it, but I'm pleased with my hair health and length, and especially with the knowledge I have gained.

Yea thats how I feel too. i know that if something severe were to ever happen to my hair I would be equipped with the knowlege to bounce right back. So this whole journey is not in vain. I can take all of this with me for the rest of my life and also pass this along to my daughters!!

 

[lexi84]

Well, I'm satisfied with my progress overall since joining. I did the BC soon after signing up, and cut off my relaxed Sl hair down to 1 inch, a TWA. What a shock, not only for me, but for DH and even people in the neighborhood. My neighbor at the time was from St. Martin and he was ready to call the paddy wagon and have them haul me away! He could NOT understand.

I guess he thought you went Britney Spears on us!! LOL!!

 

[Napp]

No, I'm not disappointed, but my hair could use some improvement

i thought i would be a thick MBL by now but im not but im not too hung up on it.

Theres always next year

 

[LadyPaniolo]

I guess he thought you went Britney Spears on us!! LOL!!

Yeah, I was ready to bash his car with an umbrella just like Britney's crazzy ***, too! He was downright RUDE about it. You would have thought I was walking around in my drawers with a bucket on my head.

 

[joib]

Lexi84, your hair is beautiful. I am not were I would like to be in length do to a much needed cut Dec 2007 but overall I am happy with the progress so far. My hair is thicker (I didn't really need that but happy to have it) and growing nicely. This is the longest my hair have ever been. I learned so many things on LHCF that if my hair never gets any longer than this, I will be quite pleased.

 

[lexi84]

Yeah, I was ready to bash his car with an umbrella just like Britney's crazzy ***, too! He was downright RUDE about it. You would have thought I was walking around in my drawers with a bucket on my head.

LOL!!! I just got a visual of my neighbor doing that!! lol! Too funny!

 

[locabouthair]

I've been here for three years. the first year i wasnt taking care of it at all.

here are my reasons for not being where I should be:

1. cut off 3 inches in 06

2. cut off at least 3 inches in 08 so far

3. still have to cut at least another 3 inches

4. i kept focusing on how short and thin my hair was. I was focusing on the bad and thats all I got. plus checking my length all the time didnt help

my reasons for cutting

1. my ends are very uneven. I went to a stylist who didnt wash out the relaxer properly at the nape. so the nape completely broke off ( its growing back though) but because it so much short than the rest of my hair i will need to cut some off until it can catch up because its making my hair look very thin

also my diet and water intake were horrible. I believe thats the reason I only get 1/4 inch a month. and with all the cutting i've been doing, im seeing zero length.

so yeah thats my story.

 

[wheezy807]

I wouldn't say my hair is perfect but i'm satisfied with my progress. I have had a really good hair journey thus far.

 

[ttlayli]

It's half and half for me.

On one end, my hair has not grown. My join date says 2006...but I "really" didn't join until like Nov. 2007. I want waist length hair and it seems like some ladies hair grows in like a couple of months from sl to butt, but oh well!


On the other end, I have learned soooo much!! My hair is honestly in the best condition it has ever been, and I would have nEVER found a way to control my natural curls (and actually wear them down and out) if it wasn't for this site...nor would I have learned how better rollersets were for my hair, sealing, etc.

 

[JustKiya]

I'm definitely unsatisfied - but, then, I didn't expect to be fully satisfied with my hair at this point on the journey - I'm not even 1/4 of the way through it!

I'm actually kind of surprised at how well my hair has done, and how much healthier it is. It's definitely been a learning process, these last two years, so my hair didn't progress as fast as it can, but for what I knew and did, we've done good.

 

[Iluvsmuhgrass]

I had a few epiphanies. I could have been at MBL if it weren't for the setbacks and me not understanding that I needed to LISTEN to my hair.

roar.

 

[BillsBackerz67]

Im not satisfied with the length progress which is my fault so I nipped the scissors in the bed. But as far as overall health Im very pleased

 

[claudia05]

Joined Aug06 at mid neck 4a/b fine relaxed
Aug-Dec06: learning phase...ok progress just very thankful to have found the site (blew my mind ) made full neck length
Jan-Dec07: learned that my growth rate is like 1/4 in. a month one side growing wayyy faster than the other... having to keep cutting... but still hopeful...made sl and cbl
This year I've been 1in from apl...had to cut...
I've realized that my hair will never get the thickness I crave
Extreme shedding from stress...splits galore (got them)
Overall "healthy"
Have 1.5 in. till full apl
16 weeks post with an inch of newgrowth and will probably never relax again

The End erplexed​