Calling all BSL & Longer...

[wyldcurlz]

i'm bored with my regimen and wondering if its working because i'm not seeing any growth accumulation.

please share with me some of your favorite "tweaks" to your regimen. something you changed that really worked for you.

what i'm doing right now is okay, but i'm not seeing the type of progress that i'd like to see.

this is what i do now: conditioner wash twice a week (w/something like VO5 or Suave) i follow my conditioner washes with either a leave-in conditioner or i leave-in regular conditioner. then i put my hair into a quick and easy bun (cinnamon roll style bun secured with a nylon band.) once a week, i deep condition (usually with Elucence MBC, a small amount of Aloe Vera Gel & Honey, a little Jojoba Oil and another conditioner like Matrix Biolage Balm.)

Anywhere from 3 times a week to everyday, I rinse my hair during my am shower and apply conditioner (rinse out or leave-in) and then bun and go.

I'm STILL stuck at BSL (actually, post trimming disaster I'm about 1-inch above BSL) my goal is to have thick, healthy, flowing, shiny hair that's about 4 inches past BSL in the back and about 5 inches past APL in the front.

Please (please) help me!!! Some ideas, some products, some vitamins, some hypnotherapy! Whatever you got! I'd love to be close to goal by August and at goal no later than October.

 

[Divine Inspiration]

Hmmm...since you're giving it TLC on the outside, what are you doing for the inside?? Are you drinking plenty of water? Are you getting plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables? Are you getting enough sleep? Do you workout?

As far as vits are concerned, I saw the quickest growth when I was taking Biotin. That stuff will have your hair growing like a WEED!!! It appears that you're doing what's necessary to maintain the growth so it's a matter of getting it. I'd also recommend daily scalp massages with something stimulating like rosemary, ylang ylang or peppermint essential oil.

Could it be that you're doing too much? I've found that sometimes less is more. There was a time when doing regular CO washes was great for me, but for some reason, over the past 3 or 4 months, my hair has been thriving off of a once a week poo/DC. Not sure why, but I'm just listening to my hair and following its lead.

So those are my suggestions. Keep us updated on your progress.

HHG!

{DI}

 

[Eiano]

I think the best thing you can do it start simplifying it or leaving it alone.
Have you ever thought of braids?

 

[wyldcurlz]

Hmmm...since you're giving it TLC on the outside, what are you doing for the inside?? Are you drinking plenty of water? Are you getting plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables? Are you getting enough sleep? Do you workout?
As far as vits are concerned, I saw the quickest growth when I was taking Biotin. That stuff will have your hair growing like a WEED!!! It appears that you're doing what's necessary to maintain the growth so it's a matter of getting it. I'd also recommend daily scalp massages with something stimulating like rosemary, ylang ylang or peppermint essential oil.

Could it be that you're doing too much? I've found that sometimes less is more. There was a time when doing regular CO washes was great for me, but for some reason, over the past 3 or 4 months, my hair has been thriving off of a once a week poo/DC. Not sure why, but I'm just listening to my hair and following its lead.

So those are my suggestions. Keep us updated on your progress.

HHG!

{DI}

Thanks Divine! To answer your questions in order...
Water - not enuf. Fruits & Veggies - not enuf. Sleep - not enuf. Workout - too much. do you notice a difference in your hair when you get all those things? i KNOW i should be getting more water, fruits, veggies and sleep. i just don't always fit those in with my crazy schedule. i'll take note, though. thanks again.

Where are the rest of y'all...c'mon ladies, i need help!! and ideas! where's the rest of my LHCF idols? I need y'all!

 

[Isis]

i'm bored with my regimen and wondering if its working because i'm not seeing any growth accumulation.

please share with me some of your favorite "tweaks" to your regimen. something you changed that really worked for you.

what i'm doing right now is okay, but i'm not seeing the type of progress that i'd like to see.

this is what i do now: conditioner wash twice a week (w/something like VO5 or Suave) i follow my conditioner washes with either a leave-in conditioner or i leave-in regular conditioner. then i put my hair into a quick and easy bun (cinnamon roll style bun secured with a nylon band.) once a week, i deep condition (usually with Elucence MBC, a small amount of Aloe Vera Gel & Honey, a little Jojoba Oil and another conditioner like Matrix Biolage Balm.)

Anywhere from 3 times a week to everyday, I rinse my hair during my am shower and apply conditioner (rinse out or leave-in) and then bun and go.

I'm STILL stuck at BSL (actually, post trimming disaster I'm about 1-inch above BSL) my goal is to have thick, healthy, flowing, shiny hair that's about 4 inches past BSL in the back and about 5 inches past APL in the front.

Please (please) help me!!! Some ideas, some products, some vitamins, some hypnotherapy! Whatever you got! I'd love to be close to goal by August and at goal no later than October.

Speaking of hypnotherapy, although not exactly the same, visualizing your hair at your goal is an effective way to get there. If you can easily "see" yourself with "thick, healthy, flowing, shiny hair that's about 4 inches past BSL in the back and about 5 inches past APL in the front", and maintain that image, then you will have it.

I also totally agree with Divine Inspiration about drinking your water (at least 1/2 your weight in ounces daily), exercise (increases that blood flow to your scalp) and eating a healthy diet with lots of fruits and veggies. Increasing your daily protein intake will give your growth a boost also.

 

[Lucia]

Speaking of hypnotherapy, although not exactly the same, visualizing your hair at your goal is an effective way to get there. If you can easily "see" yourself with "thick, healthy, flowing, shiny hair that's about 4 inches past BSL in the back and about 5 inches past APL in the front", and maintain that image, then you will have it.

I also totally agree with Divine Inspiration about drinking your water (at least 1/2 your weight in ounces daily), exercise (increases that blood flow to your scalp) and eating a healthy diet with lots of fruits and veggies. Increasing your daily protein intake will give your growth a boost also.

Great tip Isis, power of the mind and willing something to pass. I'm going to start visualizing right now.
ITA w/ what the ladies have said you have to cover all your bases, nutrition, vitamins, excercise, rest, and minimal hair abuse.

 

[Candy_C]

i tweaked how much i combed my hair, and since not combing until every 5 days i maintained lots of length.

also, minimizing the days that i add moisturizers, i moisturize only during wash day and thats it for 5 days. it may not work for everybody but for me less is more

 

[Isis]

Great tip Isis, power of the mind and willing something to pass. I'm going to start visualizing right now.
ITA w/ what the ladies have said you have to cover all your bases, nutrition, vitamins, excercise, rest, and minimal hair abuse.

Thanks Lucia. I've mentioned before in another thread that visualizing by looking at hair inspiration pics work in exactly the same way, if we set the intention of having hair like (or better) than our inspirations. I love yours of Sonia Braga, her hair is gorgeous!

 

[Sistaslick]

Thanks Lucia. I've mentioned before in another thread that visualizing by looking at hair inspiration pics work in exactly the same way, if we set the intention of having hair like (or better) than our inspirations. I love yours of Sonia Braga, her hair is gorgeous!

takes notes . . . .*must start visualizing*

 

[wyldcurlz]

how often are you using heat? currently, i'm rarely using heat at all. suffering in buns for sake of hair length and health. but i know that's going to have to change. i can't walk around looking crazy in my tight buns forever.

and what do you do with your hair at night? are you wrapping and tying with a silk scarf or just pulling into a ponytail? who uses silk pillowcases?

c'mon!!! where are the rest of you? i KNOW there are lots of long heads of hair on this board!!! get in here ladies. i need some help.

 

[Lucia]

Right now no heat, just times I'm taking official length measurements. later I'll alternate wearing my hair natural 80% then straight 20%

 

[Lovelylocs]

Don't trim and make sure that you seal your hair cuticle after every wash.

 

[MonaRae]

Don't trim and make sure that you seal your hair cuticle after every wash.

How do you seal your cuticle?

I am a wanna-be BSL. These are some really great tips!

MonaRae

 

[Divine Inspiration]

Thanks Divine! To answer your questions in order...
Water - not enuf. Fruits & Veggies - not enuf. Sleep - not enuf. Workout - too much. do you notice a difference in your hair when you get all those things? i KNOW i should be getting more water, fruits, veggies and sleep. i just don't always fit those in with my crazy schedule. i'll take note, though. thanks again.

Ok, well, I would start with your intake of fruits & veggies, and I'd increase water intake, and I'd starting getting sufficient rest. Those things are SOOO important to overall health...and our hair reflects how healthy we are on the inside as well as the things we do on the outside. I'd bet those things are why you're not seeing the growth you're looking for.

how often are you using heat? currently, i'm rarely using heat at all. suffering in buns for sake of hair length and health. but i know that's going to have to change. i can't walk around looking crazy in my tight buns forever.

and what do you do with your hair at night? are you wrapping and tying with a silk scarf or just pulling into a ponytail? who uses silk pillowcases?

c'mon!!! where are the rest of you? i KNOW there are lots of long heads of hair on this board!!! get in here ladies. i need some help.

I rarely use heat. The past month or so I've had special events so I've used heat twice, but on average, I may use heat once every 6 months or so. Too much direct heat wreaks havoc on my hair.

At night, my hair is tied up some kind of way...there's always a scarf or bonnet of some sort on my hair. I also sleep on satin pillowcases.

I would definitely recommend little to no manipulation. Washing my hair once a week and leaving it alone has worked wonders.

HTH

{DI}

 

[Divine Inspiration]

How do you seal your cuticle?

I am a wanna-be BSL. These are some really great tips!

MonaRae

I've heard of cold water rinses doing this (tried & true for me) and a good serum can do it too.

 

[brownhaired_bonanza]

Don't trim and make sure that you seal your hair cuticle after every wash.

I'm going to have to agree to disagree wit'cha. In order for me to retain length I get my ends trimmed every 8-10 weeks. If I don't more ends up being chopped off later because it will end up looking ratty (and yes, I wear protective styles. No, I don't use heat). My hair is VERY intolerant of trim stretching.

Just my two cent$.

 

[brownhaired_bonanza]

Piggyback post, sorry.

Get plenty of exercise and take an iron supplement.

 

[MonaRae]

Thanks Divine! I think I will try the cold water rinses.

Question - I am trying to get into the "no manipulation" thing but I find this hard. Do you just style your hair and do not remove until wash day? If so, how do you moisturize your hair?

Sorry about the hyjack!
MonaRae

 

[CarLiTa]

I'm about 2" below BSL right now, but my ends are BAD! and I need to trim about 1" AGAIN. It gets a little depressing sometimes, honestly.

I think some of the stuff i've been doing wrong is that I haven't been trimming/dusting like I used to before, and I used the wrong scissors. I also haven't been moisturizing everyday... So i'm going back to what I used to do before: dust every 8 weeks for peace of mind, shampoo with moisturizing shampoo twice a week, deep condition once a week, moisturize once to twice a day, no heat (whenever I use heat, even just once, I HATE the outcome, I shed ALL THIS HAIR and it's horrible!)

So, like the other ladies say, take your vitamins, and I'd add to remove split ends every 8 weeks and doing a very light dust, like 1/8" or 1/4" inch, just so the ends dont thin out too much and you have to worry about them later when it gets bad.

 

[Vshanell]

The only thing I tweaked in my regimine was using less heat. I get a lot more length when I don't use heat. I would have to agree w/ brownhaired on the trimming thing. Keeping my hair trimmed helped it to grow a lot.....well, I should say "retain length" because it did not make it grow, lol. I used to never trim my hair and it never grew past a certain point. When I started trimming/dusting regularly it really took off from there, even with all the heat I was using. Also, moisturizing daily has helped a lot also, and really babying those ends. I use castor oil on the ends and it really seems to be helping a lot w/ splits.