Hair Hacker:: Back to the Growing Board

[SimpleKomplexity]

My hair is now the same length it was when I first made it here. I let a stylist even me up a little, and this is what I'm left with. I'm soooo sad because this just proves all my friends right that hair cannot grow past shoulder length AND be healthy unless it runs in your family.....

Somebody help me take care of my ends better so hopfully I can grow/retain and inch by January and feel better.
*tear*

 

[Neith]

Now you know that isn't true!

All these long heads of hair here, you know that it's not impossible for you!

What have you been doing to your ends?

How often do you trim?

I think it'd be good for you to do a personal bunning/protective styling challenge and a no trim challenge.

 

[Christelyn]

Perhaps you should join us for the Bun for Growth Challenge? You'll hid your ends for a year and that should help you hold on to your growth. Keep your head up, though. I know how you feel. I'm in the same boat.

 

[SimpleKomplexity]

Now you know that isn't true!

All these long heads of hair here, you know that it's not impossible for you!

What have you been doing to your ends?
At first I was using Oilve oil in a jar and olive oil on them every morning and usign MN at night. When I got almsot to APL I quit doing that. And I uit the cowashes....Seems like I'ma be back to the daily cowashes and my hair lookin a HAM *sigh*

How often do you trim?
I trim like twice a year *sigh*
I think it'd be good for you to do a personal bunning/protective styling challenge and a no trim challenge.
Trust me I won't get ANY MORE trims until I am past APL....no joke...damaged or not

Perhaps you should join us for the Bun for Growth Challenge? You'll hid your ends for a year and that should help you hold on to your growth. Keep your head up, though. I know how you feel. I'm in the same boat.

I just might do this!

 

[joib]

I agree with Christelyn, try hiding your hair with buns or braids. I think buns helps with retaining ends, keeps your hands out of your hair, and you are not driving yourself crazy watching it grow.

 

[SimpleKomplexity]

ooh I just get madder and madder everytime i see this pic AHHH I'm DCing now....I'ma just roll it up so I don't have to see the length anymore

 

[Rapunzel*]

you shouldn't listen to people with negative energy smh. my mom thought my hair was gonna be 1 1/2 inches from doing my bc
they just dont want to see you with long hair. but that's not gonna happen right? i would get a wig and by dec. you can be swangin your apl hair
if you believe it you can achieve it

dont let those stylists "even" you out because that means cut/trim. when i seen your fotki you were about an inch from apl

 

[sexyeyes3616]

Ladies please stop letting these stylists trim your hair. Get a family member of friend to trim your ends.

 

[Rapunzel*]

try some forum of protective styling, moisturize your ends and try not to jump on every band wagon(not that you do) roller setting is ok but its not a forum of protective styling imo its just not using direct heat.
when your hair is wet your true length shows too. when its flat ironed its bumped at the ends

 

[Rapunzel*]

Ladies please stop letting these stylists trim your hair. Get a family member of friend to trim your ends.

some family dont know how to trim either. my mom use to trim me with regular scissors lol

 

[sunshinebeautiful]

You'll get that length back in no time.

 

[taj]

Ladies please stop letting these stylists trim your hair. Get a family member of friend to trim your ends.

Exactly, that's what I've decided to do-let my sister trim my hair. I've retained more length now than ever. Krazynkule0188 make sure your keep your ends moisturized. I use carrot oil by ORS and castor oil to seal. I :heart2:those products.

 

[foxieroxienyc]

Damned stylists

Don't worry about it, IT WILL GROW BACK. And this time better than before. As one of the other ladies suggested, just tuck those ends away until the end of the year. Baby your hair, keep your head up, and stay focused.

I know how you feel though. My stylist hacked me too back in May. I would have had at least an extra 2 inches or more on my ends at this point. But I stopped allowing myself to get angry about it and kept it moving. Just think about your goals, and you'll be back on track in no time at all.

 

[dalgal]

Maybe you are like me, it seems that whenever my hair grows out say three inches or more I either let some stylist do something to it, trim, color etc. (which I always swear I will never do again). And poof....there goes all of the acquired growth. I am telling you in the last 3 years it has been one thing after the other. erplexed First there was the stylist that put some sort of liquid protien in my hair that immeadiately caused my hair to begin to fall out & I mean fall ( where I could actullly see the little white bulbs) on al of the hairs that came out. It still continues to come out by leaps and bounds, I have lost all of my volume. So I decided to settle for length and then I kept letting these stylist do different things to my hair to break it off. Most recently I put in 1 small track of hair at the nape of my neck just to give myself volume while I begin the "Rogain" treatment the black dermotologist suggested I try. After much research I decided against the "Rogain" treatment and to take out the track which only gave me 1 1/2 inch of addtional length. Again....when the stylist took it out a month ago in her impatience she cut the threads out of the anchor corn row of my hair and of course cut my hair so now I have the bottom nape area missing like seven inches which makes me even thinner. I let her trim it because combing the added hair with my hair I got tons of split ends. I trusted her to trim it because the last time she did such a great job and did not take off too much (prior to this I only dusted myself). Well as soon as she started trimming her telephone rang and ..ooops 3 1/2 inches gone while she chatted with another customer. Our hair does grow!! we just have to protect it from everything and everyone! In the past three years my hair grew at least 6 inches a year and I always let something or someone damage it. Think about it this would have me at like waist length by now. All of those growth spirts were due to the wonderful ladies of the LHCF giving me the advice, technique and product information a girl could ever want. I love you all, and and thanks so very much from the bottom of my heart. Now I am going to do bunning for the winter, wish me luck! Please tell me more about the upcoming bunning challenge!

 

[dalgal]

Please tell me what the K.I.S.S. regime is?

 

[Foxglove]

You know your hair can grow, you made it to apl already. Work on retaining the growth and stop this silly my hair won't grow mess

 

[vestaluv1]

My hair is now the same length it was when I first made it here. I let a stylist even me up a little, and this is what I'm left with. I'm soooo sad because this just proves all my friends right that hair cannot grow past shoulder length AND be healthy unless it runs in your family.....

Somebody help me take care of my ends better so hopfully I can grow/retain and inch by January and feel better.
*tear*

Hey girl!
I understand how you must be feeling, but the GOOD NEWS is that you've done it before so you know you can do it again right!
Most of us have set backs, but our goals are most definately achievable.

I think, if you carry on with the protective styling, low manipulation and moisturising you'll be back at APL in no time.
Maybe next time you need a trim you can get a friend or family member to do it for ya.
If not, you might want to do what I did (may or may not work)... I basically watched my stylist like a hawk and made her show me how much she was cuttin' in the mirror before she cut anything... each time the scissors touched my hair ... I KNOW, ITS A BIT EXCESSIVE, but its my hair right!
Don't worry, just keep up what you've been doing and it will be fine.

Good luck!

 

[jerseygurl]

See that right there is the reason why I will no longer trust a stylist to trim my hair.

Please girl you made to APL just recently right? Guess what, you can do it again. Listen to the other ladies and please please DO NOT get any more trims from stylists who do not understand the difference between trims and cuts.

 

[Iluvsmuhgrass]

Baby girl your hair looks good! Like the other ladies have said, you've already done it once so you KNOW you can do it again. Keep doing what you were doing. When you go to stylists make sure they know you mean DUST and not TRIM because to some a TRIM=CUT.

I understand the frustration though. Can you believe I hit APL twice this year? I've had two setbacks... but now, my hair is healthier than it's ever been. It took me 3 years to get serious. I've had setback after setback some at my stylist's hands (cutting and cheap products) and some at my own (stretching too long causing lots of breakage, not using protein often enough, not moisturizing often enough, and not having my staple products in place.) Now I know what my hair likes and it's an awesome thing. You'll be BELOW APL before you know it.

 

[santwon]

OP - I'm sorry but your friends are NOT right this time. I know that if you keep up your care and diligence you will prove them wrong once and for all. A scissor happy stylist is not the same as your genetic make-up.

 

[shunta]

Yeah, don't listen to those negative comments made by your friends.

What is your regimen?? Maybe you can help us to see what the potential problem may be.

 

[sexyeyes3616]

some family dont know how to trim either. my mom use to trim me with regular scissors lol

Where there are self-trimming tips on the internet.

1. Purchase Scissors Designed to Cut Hair
There are many kinds of scissors that are appropriate for giving your ends a quick trim, including mustache scissors and hair cutting shears. Make sure your scissors are clean and sharp to get the cleanest cut possible. Scissors that are dull can actually give you worse split ends than the ones you are trying to remedy. Salon style tools will produce closer to salon style results with practice.

2. Dry your Hair before Trimming
Dry hair is considered easier to trim because you know exactly how it is going to hang, and are able to see every strand separated. Wet hair tends to clump together, and although great results can be achieved with a wet trim at the salon, you may not be able to trim your own hair fast enough to keep it even. If you have curly hair, consider straightening it with a flat iron or blow drying it straight for the best results.

3. If you are Trimming Wet Hair, Keep it Wet
If you have curly hair and prefer to cut it when it is wet and detangled, or if you have straight hair and prefer how your hair lies down when it is wet making it easier for you to cut, keep in mind that hair dries quickly when you are trimming it. Keep your hair wet during the whole trimming session by using a spray bottle on each section before trimming it.

4. Separate your Hair into Sections
Trim only one small section of hair at a time for the most even results. Hold the hair you are not cutting up on top of your head with a hair-tie or clip.

5. Use your Fingers as a Hair Guard
Pull the section of your hair ready to be trimmed down and hold the section at the bottom with 2 fingers. Trim the hair by cutting below the fingers.

6. Only Cut 1/8 Inch at a Time
One way to avoid giving yourself a whole new hair style is keeping your trim to a minimum. Trim only the very ends of your hair that contain the most damage from split ends. If you trim 1/8 inch each month, your hair will stay healthy and should look fresh.

7. Trim Bangs Starting from the Center
Start by brushing your bangs down straight and then begin cutting starting at the center and working your way to the sides.

8. Check your Progress with a Double Sided Mirror
It is advisable to keep a double sided mirror handy for checking the back of your hair and making sure your trim is even and thorough.

Here are some good tips I found. You can also google hair trimming tips or self hair trimming tips.
​

 

[SimpleKomplexity]

Right now this is my regimen.

Wash hair every week with Keracare Hydrating Poo
DC with Keracare Humecto
Rollerset with Red Rollers using diluted KeraCare Setting Lotion and Water
Apply MN whenever I feel like it
(Currently cowashing none)

Used to
Used to cowash 2 times a week with Humecto of Vo5 Con
Used to do protein treatment with ORS Hair Mayo
Used to moisturize and seal each morning with ORS Olive Oil in a Bottle and Olive Oil
Used to use MN each night
When my hair was this length I struggled with protective styles. Everytime I wore my hair up friends would be like why does your hair look like that and you JUST got a relaxer. I don't know any really cute protective styles for shoulder length hair, and phony ponies look fake to me. I'm going for a "THAT girl" approach.

I think I really need some help finding a protective style, because I would love for my hair to between shoulder length and APL by January without trims. My hair is easily prone to splits so I need some mroe help

::sadness:: I feel like a newbie again

 

[hopeful]

Listen, you are just going to have to:
1) Ignore your friends
2) Find some cute protective styles

If you are wearing your hair out often because of your friends, you are letting their negative energy dictate what you do with your hair. Who cares if they get or don't get what you are doing? It really doesn't matter and in a matter of a few months and definitely a year, everyone will see the difference.

I am still trying to figure out cute protective styles myself and I don't like fake hair either sooooo we just gotta search for cute looks and keep practicing and playing around, and in the meantime if the style is not off the chain, rock it anyway and put on some really cute earrings, make up, outfit, and keep it moving.

Think positive, keep away from scissor happy stylist and IGNORE your friends who really need to myob with all that negative mess.

 

[hopeful]

Maybe you are like me, it seems that whenever my hair grows out say three inches or more I either let some stylist do something to it, trim, color etc. (which I always swear I will never do again). And poof....there goes all of the acquired growth. I am telling you in the last 3 years it has been one thing after the other. erplexed First there was the stylist that put some sort of liquid protien in my hair that immeadiately caused my hair to begin to fall out & I mean fall ( where I could actullly see the little white bulbs) on al of the hairs that came out. It still continues to come out by leaps and bounds, I have lost all of my volume. So I decided to settle for length and then I kept letting these stylist do different things to my hair to break it off. Most recently I put in 1 small track of hair at the nape of my neck just to give myself volume while I begin the "Rogain" treatment the black dermotologist suggested I try. After much research I decided against the "Rogain" treatment and to take out the track which only gave me 1 1/2 inch of addtional length. Again....when the stylist took it out a month ago in her impatience she cut the threads out of the anchor corn row of my hair and of course cut my hair so now I have the bottom nape area missing like seven inches which makes me even thinner. I let her trim it because combing the added hair with my hair I got tons of split ends. I trusted her to trim it because the last time she did such a great job and did not take off too much (prior to this I only dusted myself). Well as soon as she started trimming her telephone rang and ..ooops 3 1/2 inches gone while she chatted with another customer. Our hair does grow!! we just have to protect it from everything and everyone! In the past three years my hair grew at least 6 inches a year and I always let something or someone damage it. Think about it this would have me at like waist length by now. All of those growth spirts were due to the wonderful ladies of the LHCF giving me the advice, technique and product information a girl could ever want. I love you all, and and thanks so very much from the bottom of my heart. Now I am going to do bunning for the winter, wish me luck! Please tell me more about the upcoming bunning challenge!

This is an excellent post! I've been on this board for almost 4 years now. After about 2 years I started to see a pattern. People usually suffered a setback of somekind after trying something new: someone they didn't know well cutting their hair; trying a new rinse; doing their own color when they always go to a professional; double processing, etc. We are always being set-back by ourselves or someone else. We really do have to protect our hair in more ways than one. Before I do anything to my hair, especially something new, I pray on it and really think long and hard before I do it. For instance, I have quite a bit of gray hair, but I am relaxed too now soooo I am just so scared to cover that gray and suffer a setback. I would prefer to have long hair with gray "highlights" than take the chance.

 

[Kneechay]

Sorry this happened to you, but since it's done, all you can do to keep from going insane about your length is to be positive about it. I know you want length too, but health isn't such a bad thing to work with also. I checked your fotki to see what your hair looked like before the trim,

good growth from your previous pictures, but I think she evened you up (like you asked) decently. It's great to be APL, but if it's not really neat looking, or maybe a couple of strands are what's reaching APL, I say what's the point. No offense. I personally think the cut you recently received looks nicer and you'll grow your hair more evenly and it'll look fuller.

Believe me, I know how you feel. I went from almost APL (or what I thought was) to upper SL in May 08:

I was mad, and put my hair away for the week after because I couldn't bear to see like 3 inches gone. The feeling soon subsides, believe me. Just keep taking care of your hair and limit heat because they dry your ends, and the ends are more susceptible to damage because they're older. Use castor oil on it when it's at rest. Put some on before you go to sleep. It grows back. In August, while working in NC for the summer, I just took care of it and it's grown back a bit:

(That damn V keeps coming back)

So don't worry. I saw what my hair looked like before and I'm happy I went ahead and trimmed. We all hate trimming, but it's part of this healthy hair journey we've chosen to take. Hope this helps.

 

[jndurieux]

I don't think that you should be discourage, I don't know how many times I have cut a couple of inches off my hair and regretted it only to find in a couple months it has grown back. As long as your hair is healthy it will grow and you will retain length, forget about your friends, rock that healthy hair girl...

 

[SimpleKomplexity]

I'm not too much worried about the length anymore. I've been shorter right? And it is a pretty cut. It looks fuller. Plus, I actually have way know what I'm doing now.

My problem is that I'm back to these protective styles. I need to find a style that suits me cuz I never figured it out. I just need to get that exitement I felt when I frist visited this board and try to make this hair as healthy as I can.

I'm finna deep con right now and think of a good regiment for me

I'm thinking until Thanksgiving I will cowash everyday
My hair will be in a bun until then.
Wash once a week/Deep condition once a week
Back to using leave in after washing and moisturizing and sealing every morning
I'ma start back with MN and I might take a GNC hair vitamin (nothing drastic like last time cuz those vitamins make me throw the heck up.)
Protein treatments every two weeks....
We'll see how this goes

 

[Kneechay]

try some twist outs, theyre a pretty good semi protective style for any length. They're cute and versatile. Banana clips are great too. Rollerset your hair and clip it up. Also, southerntease has a great bun on her blog you can do. it's easy and cute. Check her out, http://www.maneandchic.com

 

[glamazon386]

It might not have been your hair it could have been the stylist. Try some protective styles though.