Wow! Oh thank you--I'm really flattered! I can't believe that I've gotten to the point where I could EVER be someone's inspiration. Especially since my starting pic is 6 months after I started this journey. And to think, since I' ve never had hair as long as it is now (and I have a LONG way to go), I used to think I had a defective hair gene or something.
My regimen is loosely based on Cathy Howse. I wash, either with shampoo or just co-wash, at least every 3 days. Although I do use shampoo (either Cream of Nature or generic Nexus Therppe) I will often go through bouts of daily co-washing with VO5 conditioners, especially if I'm getting a lot of shedding. I deep condition weekly with Lekair and used Aphrogee 2 min. Reconstructor every week until recently; now I use it once a month or so. I don't relax sooner than 8 weeks; I try to stretch to 12.
I use Profectiv Breakfree mostly and sometimes Pantene spray as my leave-in, and I use a mixture of S-curl or Sta-Sof-Fro, Surge, VO5 conditioner, EVOO, and water as a moisturiser, along with straight S-Curl, other Profectiv products, the serum of the month (I like NTM and Fantasia). I avoid using too much heat and was strictly wearing protective styles until my hair hit collarbone; now I'm rollersetting more and wearing it down more. I usually remember to take a multivitamin everyday.
The main thing is that I really focused my attention on hair retention, not growth. My hair grows 1/2 to 3/4 inch a month, so that would make at least 6 inches a year. I moisturize twice a day and really take care of my ends. Last year, I was trimming every two weeks to a month in order to let the broken part catch up (it was down to the new growth all across the crown, from one ear to the other). Now that it is mostly even, I'm really trying not to trim, although it is really hard to keep the scissors out of my head.
Sorry this is so long, but I hope this helps. You have really made my day.
WOW!!
you have made great progress. Keep up the good work.
