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However, when I took out my braids, my hair seemed a little shorter and I do not know what I am doing wrong.
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Is this just a case of perception? In other words it "appears" shorter only because it isn't pressed, or are you saying it is indeed shorter than you remember because even when you stretch it up it doesn't get to the length it was before the braids? In which case I would chorus with everyone that it's the Infusium.
Another thing, hair may not grow at the rate we expect it to and we can be a little more critical of it and impatient than we realize. Incidentally, before you had the hairline braids redone, did they feel loose at the bases? Sometimes (especially with human hair extensions and soft straight hair) the piece may slide up your hair away from the base and make it look like your hair grew lots when it didn't make such leaps but just kinda crawled. However, majority of the time, loosening at the base means your hair is really growing as new hair is born at the roots and thus pushes the starting point of your braid away from your scalp. So if you're seeing (or can touch and feel) that extra hair below your braid, then your hair IS indeed growing. But it may be breaking at the same rate it's growing. In that case, as has been said, the protein in Infusium, may be making it hard and hence brittle (think of uncooked spaghetti). You do need protein for strengthening but you also need a moisturizer that softens and makes your hair supple and flexible (think of cooked spaghetti). It's a balance that sorta takes trial and error to nail. By trying a few of the things people on here do, and not necessarily giving up Infusium altogether but using it less frequently, you should be able to find the best program for your hair. Once you learn how to preserve the hair you currently have, you will start to see the length you so dearly seek.
Best wishes...
