Classic Length 2010 Challenge Part I

[jupitermoon]

lol that's how i'm feeling too!

I wish I had that problem
I think you'll make CL this year too maybe by fall after the infamous summer growth spurt
I may have jumped ahead Of myself signing up for this challenge when I'm barely WL

I guess I shouldn't sound so ungrateful, lol. I'm very happy with what I have.

Mz. Momo and Lucia, don't give up. All of us will eventually reach CL. It may take us a while but it's possible. Lucia, you've made wonderful progress since your setback from the BKT. Your ends are much thicker and even.

 

[Candy828]

Candy.....you GOTTA show some kinda pics somewhere some how...i wanna see this mane in action!

Ok. SmilingElephant... this is for you. It is only a teaser....because I am not good at taking my own pictures. I was spraying and braiding my hair and this is one of the many sections of hair I was braiding. The shirt I am wearing reaches to Classic length so I could probably stretch the shirt out maybe another inch.... anyway this is where the bottom of the hair for this braid reaches...

 

[Candy828]

Don't let your scissors be the reason you have split ends....

Hair Shears & Scissors Care
From: http://www.kissakishears.com/cart/page.html?chapter=0&id=2



The hair shears you have purchased are one of the most important tools you own. Without a doubt they are probably one of the most expensive items that you work with, and with proper care, they will give you many years of use. Here are a few basic rules for proper hair cutting shears care and maintenance:

• Do not store your scissors in a bag or box. The tips can be damaged, nicks can occur, as well as other physical damage. Use a specially designed professional hair shears case, a fabric tool roll, a wallet, or an acrylic stand in which to store your shears.
  
• Clean and oil your hair scissors on a regular basis (around the screw head and between the blades once a day). Do not use just any oil. Select one provided by your shear manufacturer or your sharpening service. They will provide the correct type of oil and a needle-nosed oil bottle that will allow you to put the oil where needed.
  
• After cleaning your hair cutting scissors, allow them to dry in a rack or other device. This will allow air to circulate and dry the shears completely before placing them into your storage container.
  
• Always close your hair shears when not in use. This will prevent nicks or damage to the blade and possibly prevent serious personal injury from grabbing the razor sharp area of the open scissors blades. If your shears become damaged, have them sharpened immediately or stop using them until they can be sharpened. Continued use of damaged shears can and will likely cause extensive repair work before they are serviceable once again.

Never complete a cut if the section of hair offers resistance. This is one of the most important rules in caring for your shears, and it is also the most common reason for damage to hair scissors. Struggling through a cut means the shears being used are too light for the task, and forcing the blades to cut can severely damage edges. Cut smaller sections instead.

Replace missing or worn parts as soon as possible. Missing bumpers can cause finger cuts. Improper alignment can cause serious damage to your professional hairdressing shears. It can also lead to sore hands and other work related problems.

Check the tension of your shears periodically. If it's too tight, the blades will grind against each other as they cut, too loose and the blades will fold and bend hair instead of cutting. This may also cause nicks. To check the tension, with your left hand hold the shears by the ring without the finger rest, point facing up. With your right hand hold the ring with the finger rest, and open the shears so that it forms a cross. Release the ring in your right hand. It should drop only slightly, if it falls more than slightly, it's too loose; if it doesn't move at all, it's too tight. Adjust the tension accordingly with a tension adjuster or by turning the tension adjustment knob. Never adjust the tension on your scissors while the blades are open. This will eliminate the possibility of nicks to the blades.

Hair cutting shears lose their sharpness gradually. This will cause the need for additional pressure with your hands to make cuts. This is a condition that happens gradually and sometimes is not noticed immediately. Not only can this cause damage to the blades and edges, but it will also increase the probability of hand soreness and potential carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms.

Typically, hair scissors should be sharpened at a minimum of every 1000 hair cuttings; however, frequency of shear sharpening depends on types of hair, whether you cut wet hair or dry hair, clean or dirty hair, and the proper storing and cleaning of your shears. Proper sharpening will make your hair shears last longer and help to prevent hand injuries.

Another factor to consider is the corrosion of the blades. It is often misconstrued that because the blades are stainless steel, nothing can damage them. Some hair tint liquids, hair perm chemicals, and even harsh chlorine from swimming pool water can cause small pitting of the blades. If your scissors are wiped with a shears cleaning cloth when finished, your expensive equipment will stay in great condition much longer.

 

[SmilingElephant]

Ok. SmilingElephant... this is for you. It is only a teaser....because I am not good at taking my own pictures. I was spraying and braiding my hair and this is one of the many sections of hair I was braiding. The shirt I am wearing reaches to Classic length so I could probably stretch the shirt out maybe another inch.... anyway this is where the bottom of the hair for this braid reaches...

AWESOME! Thats some serious hair!...even that corner shot is awesome!

 

[Lucia]

I guess I shouldn't sound so ungrateful, lol. I'm very happy with what I have.

Mz. Momo and Lucia, don't give up. All of us will eventually reach CL. It may take us a while but it's possible. Lucia, you've made wonderful progress since your setback from the BKT. Your ends are much thicker and even.

Yeah that's always a good sign once my hair thickens the growth spurt comes.

Ok. SmilingElephant... this is for you. It is only a teaser....because I am not good at taking my own pictures. I was spraying and braiding my hair and this is one of the many sections of hair I was braiding. The shirt I am wearing reaches to Classic length so I could probably stretch the shirt out maybe another inch.... anyway this is where the bottom of the hair for this braid reaches...

Wow your hair is getting really long, you'll be CL really soon.

 

[jupitermoon]

Wow your hair is getting really long, you'll be CL really soon.

I agree.

I can't wait until everyone posts photos of their progress. I had some free time so I finally got around to taking pics yesterday. So I may use those as my progress pics at the end of this month.

 

[Mz.MoMo5235]

yay!!! pix!!!!

candy your hair is soooo freakin long!!! I CANT WAIT TIL I'M THERE TOO!!! *eeeehhh*

MO' PITCHAS PLEASE!!!!

 

[Lucia]

Who's CW daily now that it's summer?
Im going agressive this summer to max my growth spurt I'm back on track w the vits dc scalp massage I'm trying daily or every other day CW too.

 

[Mz.MoMo5235]

i cant co wash daily, my hair says no lol

 

[yamilee21]

Who's CW daily now that it's summer? ...

I need HOT weather to co-wash daily, 90F at least, . It's only been warm enough for me to wash every 2-3 days so far.

 

[Candy828]

Eight more days to pic day for me.... I am actually kind of excited! I haven't seen my hair straight since sometime in April. Of coarse I'll have to straighten it under the A/C because "Shaka Khan" will continually try to make an appearance I hope to get better at taking pic's with my camera.... Some of you make it look so easy. But when I do it I have a picture of the wall, then side of my face with no hair, or an extreme closeup shot of just hair that you can barely make out!

 

[jupitermoon]

Okay, here's my June update (taken June 14, 2010):

^^^^My hair now is close to touching the top of my pants pockets. I don't normally wear my shirt that high but raised it up just so all of you can see. I'll post again the end of next month with another length check.

I can't wait to see every elses pics.

 

[Lita]

Okay, here's my June update (taken June 14, 2010):

^^^^My hair now is close to touching the top of my pants pockets. I don't normally wear my shirt that high but raised it up just so all of you can see. I'll post again the end of next month with another length check.

I can't wait to see every elses pics.

Congrats & i love the thickness,color & curls....


Happy Hair Growing!

 

[Mz.MoMo5235]

celinastarr... your hair is crazy!!!! i'mma cut your head and hair off your pic and paste it to mine so i can dream lol

 

[jupitermoon]

Congrats & i love the thickness,color & curls....


Happy Hair Growing!

Thank you.

celinastarr... your hair is crazy!!!! i'mma cut your head and hair off your pic and paste it to mine so i can dream lol

Thank you. Lol! My hair seems to be growing at a slow steady pace now. It's all about retention for me at this point. I'm still co washing/water washing about once or twice a week and no more than 3 times a week max. My hair just takes too long to dry.

Hopefully by the end of next month my hair will touch my pants pockets.

Mz.MoMo5235, I'm so happy that your hair has recovered from your setback. I can't wait to see your pics.

 

[Candy828]

Okay, here's my June update (taken June 14, 2010):

^^^^My hair now is close to touching the top of my pants pockets. I don't normally wear my shirt that high but raised it up just so all of you can see. I'll post again the end of next month with another length check.

I can't wait to see every elses pics.

Now that's what I'm talking about! Your hair is sooooo B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L. Full and Thick.... So the only thing you need is time... and it will all come together! :sweet: You are definitely MY INSPIRATION! We are going to be pumping out Classic Length hair for the World to see!!!!!!!!!

 

[yamilee21]

Thanks for the update picture, CelinaStarr. Beautiful as always. I can't believe you were thinking your hair wasn't growing anymore, only a few weeks ago.

One thing I don't understand... I look at your hair, and my hair texture looks very similar to yours. Our stretched lengths are similar. So why does your hair hang down your back, and mine shrink up around my shoulders?

 

[SmilingElephant]

OMG Celina....all dat hair!!!....oh the places you will go...oh the people you will see...oh the things you will do!!(hops off the roof with an open umbrella)....you guys have magical hair!

 

[jupitermoon]

Thanks for the update picture, CelinaStarr. Beautiful as always. I can't believe you were thinking your hair wasn't growing anymore, only a few weeks ago.

One thing I don't understand... I look at your hair, and my hair texture looks very similar to yours. Our stretched lengths are similar. So why does your hair hang down your back, and mine shrink up around my shoulders?

Lol, I don't know. I wonder what causes some people's natural hair to hang more than others? I know having extremely tight coils can cause peoples' hair to shrink up more but I've also seen people with hair similar to mine with lots of shrinkage.

Here's my wash and go from August 2009:

^^^^It was about bra stap.

Here's my wash and go as of this month:

^^^^^It's waist to hip.

I wonder this too. Perhaps it has something to do with the "heaviness" of the hair? My hair seems heavy and my wet hair is especially heavy. Putting my wet hair up is sometimes painful and causes migraines and neck pain.

 

[Mz.MoMo5235]

my hair is only heavy when under running water... but my wng resembles yours from aug

 

[Candy828]

Here is my update pic. I am at Tailbone. The hair is actual a little pass tailbone, if I sit straight up. It is in the crack..ha..ha..ha.. It is too hot here to straighten my hair. I can't even wear my hair wash'n'go right now. The humidity is just too much! So I took out some of my braids to do an update pic and even with that it is shrinking up...erplexed I guess I'll have to wait until Fall to do a straight pic. I so wanted to do my update two ponytails. I'd like to see where they are now...

CelinaStar, I have graduated to the "pants measuring" method!

 

[Candy828]

One thing I have noticed from my March update and June update, is that the few braids I used in June look thicker than all the hair from March..

I am very curious to see my hair straightened to see the real progress..

 

[jupitermoon]

Here is my update pic. I am at Tailbone. The hair is actual a little pass tailbone, if I sit straight up. It is in the crack..ha..ha..ha.. It is too hot here to straighten my hair. I can't even wear my hair wash'n'go right now. The humidity is just too much! So I took out some of my braids to do an update pic and even with that it is shrinking up...erplexed I guess I'll have to wait until Fall to do a straight pic. I so wanted to do my update two ponytails. I'd like to see where they are now...

CelinaStar, I have graduated to the "pants measuring" method!

Congrats! Gorgeous hair. Looks like you are pants pocket length which is a little past butt crack. I bet your straight hair pics this fall are going to look amazing.

 

[Lita]

Here is my update pic. I am at Tailbone. The hair is actual a little pass tailbone, if I sit straight up. It is in the crack..ha..ha..ha.. It is too hot here to straighten my hair. I can't even wear my hair wash'n'go right now. The humidity is just too much! So I took out some of my braids to do an update pic and even with that it is shrinking up...erplexed I guess I'll have to wait until Fall to do a straight pic. I so wanted to do my update two ponytails. I'd like to see where they are now...

CelinaStar, I have graduated to the "pants measuring" method!

Congrats,Candy....Its growing nicely...CL in no time


Happy Hair Growing!

 

[yamilee21]

... pants pocket length which is a little past butt crack. ...

Love the technical terminology.

 

[Mz.MoMo5235]

wunderbar candy!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Candy828]

Video: Playing With New Hair Toys (Almost Classic Length)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzPzAutTKrs

Sprinkling some more EVERYWHERE!

 

[Candy828]

Worth the read....

Healthy Hair From The Inside Out - Part 1

From: http://www.hairboutique.com/tips/tip211301.htm
Posted with permission



Like skin, hair needs lubrication from the inside out. If your hair roots are deficient in adequate water levels your tresses will eventually become dry, brittle and may stop growing at your maximum genetic rate. Even worse, hair that is deprived of proper daily water supplies may stop growing completely.
The roots of the hair are the means by which water is transported. Roots soak up what water they can and provide hydration to the rest of the hair.
Human hair is an appendage of the skin. The actual hair that we can see flowing from the roots consists of keratin, which is a protein in the skin.
All hair grows directly from the roots, which is situated deep in a layer of skin known as the dermis. Hair roots may extend quite deeply into the skin. Hair, which has its base inside the skin, contains cells that are nourished by water and blood from inside the body. As a result these nutured cells divide and grow hair.

Benefits Of Water For Your Hair
Water is life. It is the natural regulator of all physiological functions. How does water regulate all physical functions?

By controlling the following body functions:
· Cellular Activity
Water is the key source of energy for every single cell of the body including the cells that drive hair growth and overall health.
· Generating electrical and magnetic energy.
Water provides the core power to sustain life through hydrolysis.
· Activates all the nerve endings & sensors in the scalp & skin.
The scalp and roots of the hair have many photosensitive and energy-sensitive nerve endings that receive and transmit signals. Water energizes the nerve endings so that they are more responsive, thus enhancing the natural vitality of the skin and hair roots.
· Flushes free radicals.
Water acts as an antioxidant by flushing free radicals out through the kidneys. This is the basic way the human brain cells get rid of the excess hydrogen ions produced by hydrolysis and maintain an alkaline environment.

Membranes That Cover All Cells
Lack of proper daily water supplies creates another problem with the membranes that cover all cells including skin cells, the cells that cover the scalp and impact the hair roots.
There are two very distinct membrane layers. In a well-hydrated membrane, water serves both as adhesive material and as a type of passageway between the layers for enzyme activity.
In a dehydrated membrane, cholesterol takes over to prevent further loss of water and thus obstructs the waterway and its potential to deliver chemical and nutrients. Potentially cholesterol takeover can negatively impact hair health and growth.

Preventing Dehydration For Healthy Hair
The best way to avoid dehydration of your body, skin and hair is to drink lots of water, especially on hot, dry and windy days. Water is always the very best option as compared to other liquids such as juice, tea, coffee or soft drinks.
Caffeine is a diuretic which makes you urinate more frequently and thus depleting your water sources. Experts believe that for every 8 ounces of coffee that you drink you should drink two 8 ounces of water.
The amount of water that is required is dependent on a number of factors ranging from how much water you get from your food and how much your are sweating from physical exertion.
Plan to add more water when you are ill, exercising or spending time in a hot climate.

How Much Water Do You Need Every Day?
Determining how much water everyone needs on a daily basis is not a simple matter. Depending on the person and their level of activity, the amount of water needed varies.
The Institute of Medicine evaluated national food surveys that analyzed people's average fluid intake. Based on their findings they recommended that men consumer an average of 3 liters or 13 cups of total beverages a day. Women were advised to consumer 2.2 liters or approximately 9 cups of total beverages a day.
It is generally believed that if you drink between 8 and 9 cups of water per day, produce a normal amount of urine that is colorless or slightly yellow and feel well, that you are probably meeting your daily water needs and thus contributing to the development of healthy roots and tresses.
Additional water should be consumed if you do regularly drink coffee, tea, alcohol or related water draining liquids. Exercise helps to redistribute water but the more you exercise, the more water you should drink to compensate for water loss through sweat.

Dehydration & Hair Problems
It is currently believed that as much as 60% of current diseases could be avoided by drinking enough water and balancing it with enough salt. It is also believed that drinking enough water can eliminate a lot of hair and scalpchallenges including dandruff and hair thinning.
It is believed that the list of potential diseases that are directly or indirectly related to lack of water in the body include (but are not limited to)
· angina
· morning sickness
· rheumatoid arthritis
· painful colitis
· diabetes
· Alzheimer's disease
· cancer
· multiple sclerosis
· allergies
· high sensitivity to pain

 

[Candy828]

Healthy Hair From The Inside Out - Part 2

From: http://www.hairboutique.com/tips/tip211301.htm

Posted with permission


Other Symptoms
Edma or body puffiness can appear where mild to severe dehydration is present. When water is not available to get into the cells freely, it is filtered from the salty supply outside the cells and injected into overworked cells which can result in water retention.
Other water intake and distribution regulators such as prostaglandins, kinins and PAF (another histamin-assocate agent) can cause pain whey they come across pain-sensing nerves in the body.
Ironically pain - other than that caused by injury - can also be a crisis signal of water shortage in the body.
How does the body determine priorities when its water supply is insufficient? The answer is a very sophisticated water distribution system which assures an adequate amount of water, along with the hormones, chemical messengers and nutrients that water carries - to the most vital organs such as the brain and heart first.
The skin is one of the major organs of the body and water is essential to the workings of its cells. But if the body's overall water supply falls short, the skin may have to wait until other organs receive their ration of water first. The same is true of hair roots. The brain, for example, is 85% water. While constituting only 1/50th the weight of our body, the brain gets 20% of all the blood that is pumped by the heart.
In fact, the brain is the final governor of water rationing to every cell and organ of our body. Each organ monitors its own supply and release, but only according to constantly changing quotas that are set by the brain.

Hair Dehydration
There are other factors in hair dehydration. The surface skin that composes the human scalp that houses hair roots is made up of a thicker tissue than the interior tissues of the body. Circulation comes to the base of the skin that covers the scalp and the hair roots, and the water has to seep upwards through all the layers of the skin to reach the outer layers.
It's not unlike a flowering plant that must receive adequate water through its roots or the supply will fall short of reaching the budding lowers.
Of course the exposed surface of the hair roots are also constantly losing water due to environmental factors such as sun, wind, hard water, and chemicals to name a few examples, creating a kind of double jeopardy.
When the body is dehydrated, circulation to the base of the outer skin, the scalp and hair roots, may be shut down as an emergency measure by the body's drought management system so that water is not lost through evaporation from the skin's surface. If circulation to the base of the skin is shut down, we develop gray skin.
Next the cells of the skin gradually lose structure and go from a plump state into a prune-like state. Chronic dehydration shows in the face with wrinkles, lines and furrows. It also manifests as
Proper water intake on a regular basis can prevent ore verse this process of dehydration. When the skin is fully hydrated the circulation to the skin also increase. The result is a rosy complexion.
Failure to recognize the body's many signals of dehydration may trick us into thinking there's no problem. Thirst of a dry mouth is not the only way to determine if we are hydrated.

Is Your Body Hydrated?
Failure to recognize the body's many signals of dehydration may trick us into thinking there is no problem.
Thirst or dry mouth is not the only way to determine if you are dehydrated. In fact, saliva will flow even if the body is approaching a state of dehydration because the system of rationing water is based on priorities, with certain areas shutting down and other areas allowed their rations. The body has no storage reservoir for water.
What you drink throughout the day is what you get. The body's emergency mechanisms simply shift the water from one place to another.
With stressful, fast-paced lifestyles, we may opt for beverages such as coffee, soft drinks, and alcohol instead of pure water. We may think that we are quenching our body's thirst. In reality caffeinated drinks make things worse by forcing water out of the body, creating an even greater need to compensate with more water.
Excess insulin that is released to respond to sugary drinks and snacks also dries out the body and robs it of needed water. Certain medications, especially diuretics, contribute to dehydration.
The body adapts to this continual shortage by rationing in survival mode. A little at a time, many of the body's organs and systems become used to being chronically dehydrated.
The brain may respond to the stress by producing endorphins, the body opiate-like substance, to make a person endure the hardships while the underlying problem goes unattended.

Symptoms Of Dehydration
Although a key symptom of dehydration is thirst being thirsty is not the first warning sign. By the time most people feel thirsty they may be already dehydrated. Other symptoms of dehydrations include the following:

· Dry or sticky mouth
· Feeling dizzy, lightheaded or off-balance
· Darker urine or urine with strong odor
· Less urge to urinate or producing very little urine
· General muscle weakness
· Overall fatigue
· Headache


As dehydration worsens, you may experience a worsening of the symptoms as the body's organs become more impacted.
Even mild dehydration which is as little as one to two percent loss of your body weight can sap energy, make you feel tired and cause skin, hair roots and strands to dry out.

Summary

Water is the key to healthy, happy hair growth and maintenance. So head for the nearest water fountain and drink up.

 

[Candy828]

Tips for Healthy Hair
From: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0846/is_3_25/ai_n15775891/
(Partial quote from the article)​

"Know your water. If your hair looks dull or is hard to style, the problem could be your tap water. According to Minneapolis-based Gordon Nelson, international creative director for Regis Salons, well water contains natural minerals (called "hard water") that can leave hair lusterless and hard to manage and can impart a brassy, orange hue. Soft water, on the other hand, has fewer damaging minerals. (Ask your local water department if your water is soft or hard, with strips to test your water.) To rid hair of mineral buildup, suds up every week with a clarifying shampoo."​

I was browsing the internet and these are a few freebies I found...

Free home water testing kits:
http://watertestingblog.com/2010/06/02/free-water-hardness-test-kit/
http://www.diamondcrystalsalt.com/Contact-Us.aspx​

Free Pool water testing kit:
http://swimming.about.com/gi/o.htm?...&tt=13&bt=1&bts=1&zu=http://healthypools.org/​

Water filtration and Softers (for the shower or sink)
http://www.lowes.com/pl__4294857204+4294893204_4294937087_
http://reviews.homedepot.com/1999/1...er-filter-with-showerhead-reviews/reviews.htm
http://reviews.homedepot.com/1999/100092139/shower-water-filter-reviews/reviews.htm​