Discouraged 4a/4bs... this thread's for you!!!

Re: Discouraged 4a/4bs... this thread\'s for you!!!

Oh my!! I'm so glad I finally ran across this thread! Form your pics, I can say with a certainty that we're hair twins!! LOL

I am so glad that your hair is growing so well. Hopefully a year from now I'll be saying the same. /images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Re: Discouraged 4a/4bs... this thread\'s for you!!!

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lovechic said:
WE LUV YOU DIVA! SO INSPIRING!

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Awww /images/graemlins/cry3.gif... I love ya'll too!!! /images/graemlins/kiss.gif <insert group hug here!>
 
Re: Discouraged 4a/4bs... this thread\'s for you!!!

I LOVE this thread. It is one of my favorites! /images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Updating to add that I've discovered that I'm a lil' past brastrap. See pics in my sig or check LHCF gallery. MERRY CHRISTMAS, Everybody!!!! :kiss:
 
Wow I have been feeling a lil discouraged lately about my hair growth rate this was just the thing to pick me up and put me back on the wagon again to beautiful long healthy hair.

Thanks Just beautiful:eek:
 
Okay, I'm discouraged again. So discouraged that I've taken my album down. I feel like taking my pic out of my siggy. I've been natural since May 04 and I feel like my hair has gone nowhere. It looks exactly the same as when I first BC'd. (I had a growth spurt, then it stopped. Then I couldn't retain it) I look at everyone's hair and see phenomenal growth and look at my hair and see absolutely nothing. Heck, I colored my hair almost 2 months ago and barely (I mean barely) have black roots!!!! I feel like I'm going to have a lil' fro for the rest of my natural born life!

Aw screw it!!! :crying3::crying3::cry3:

*sighs and goes back to read beginning of thread*


 
Tigerlily,

you may be just going through a "resting" stage in your hair growt. I know I felt exactly the same, I BC'd about 6 years ago and for a long time I never got the spurt I had once had (I retained about 6 inches one year - sadly not yet repeated!).

your hair is beautiful, try not to worry and keep taking care of yourself and your hair
 
AJamericanDiva - your hair journey is very inspiring! I needed this as my hair hasn't been showing a great deal of progress lately.

Have a great Xmas!
 
Hooray! You've served as a true inspiration to me!!! Congrats! You're right about calling on God re: our hair. I've said to Him, "Lord, u gave me this hair, and I know it's a gift. Thank u for telling me what to do with it. After all, U created it!" God bless!
 
This thread has been really inspiring. I have just recently begun my hair journey and I am would love any advice that all of you type 4s were to give about how I can retain length. Right now I am trying to stretch out my relaxer -- I am past 11 weeks. This is the longest I have gone without a relaxer. I would normally relax every 6-8 weeks. I am really worried about breakage, but I have been trying to combat it by not combing my hair to often and by keeping it up in a baggie.
 
Daughter said:
Tigerlily,

you may be just going through a "resting" stage in your hair growt. I know I felt exactly the same, I BC'd about 6 years ago and for a long time I never got the spurt I had once had (I retained about 6 inches one year - sadly not yet repeated!).

your hair is beautiful, try not to worry and keep taking care of yourself and your hair

Thanks, Daughter. :kiss:
 
All I can say is WOW! I've been through your gallery and I'm going to read every post you've ever written on this board! I'm a type 4 a/b and I've been relaxer resistant since March of last year. I've had to wear my hair up in braids because of my gym training, just to ease maintenance. Well, I've not relaxed my hair but when I take it down....oh lawd it's unbearable!

You my dear have given me GREAT HOPE of having a nice looking head of hair as a 4 a/b'er. Thank you for taking time to share!
 
AJamericanDiva, I'm so happy I saw your post. Your hair looks so great! Congratulations on all that you have achieved. You have inspired me to have faith in the hair growth process...come to think of it, I remember experiencing fast growth when I wore braids a couple of years ago, and I went natural...hmmm, I might venture into braid world again, after seeing your results. I have a relaxer now, and I'm just worried that if I prolong the touch ups for too long, my hair will break something fierce! But I love your results: your hair looks beautiful. Thanks for being an inspiration!

Tosca
 
WHOA! Thats great! I am going to stick with my routine and meet you at that length this time next year :) (although you'll be almost at waist by then :lol: )
 
Nappyme said:
Wow I have been feeling a lil discouraged lately about my hair growth rate this was just the thing to pick me up and put me back on the wagon again to beautiful long healthy hair.

Thanks Just beautiful:eek:

Nappyme, especially Tigerlily!!! Don't feel discouraged. You really must think positive. Don't give up. Just keep giving your hair TLC. Stop watching your hair so much... a watched pot never boils.... Do what you have to do to your hair and then forget about it. Do remember that the hair in its natural state undergoes a lot of shrinkage.
 
AJD,

First, let me say that I am still loving this thread. You are my idol and inspriation!! Second, I know that you have posted Miss K's hair regimen before, but I can't seem to find it. You would mind pointing it out to me again???
 
Hey Kitty18!!!
I am so glad that this thread continues to inspire you! Miss K and I basically have the same regimen, except that I don't do braids with her, no suppliments. She also uses the Affirm Lye regular strength. I'll cut and paste my regimen below. I used to have this thread as a favorite until we switched over to this new forum format, so I was unaware people were still posting. It's taking a little time to catch up as I'm tending to baby and trying to do braids as well. Please bear with me, Everyone! :kiss:

AJamericanDiva’s Regimen

As per your request, here's my regimen:

Hairtype~ 4a/4b Relaxer~ Affirm Lye Regular strength Touchup Frequency~ 4+ months

Shampoo 1/wk with one of the following:
Pantene Relaxed and Naturals
Keracare Hydrating Detangling Shampoo

Condition 2-3/wk with one of the following:
Pantene Relaxed and Naturals
Keracare Humecto
Miss Key 10 en 1 Super Conditioner

Protein treatment every 6 weeks or so:
Nexxus’ Emergencee followed by one of above conditioners

Leave-ins, varies:
Salerm 21
Neutrogena Triple Moisture Serum
50/50 Mixture of Infusium for Dry hair and Infusium for Relaxed and Damaged hair

Moisturizer, dependant on how much I need at the time:
S-Curl
World of Curls gel

Oil to seal in the moisture:
Wondergro Shea butter mega moisture Protein complex fine mist hair and body oil
Or any other light oil

To detangle massive new growth and take down braids:
Better Braids UnBraid Spray

Relax every 4+ months. There was 7 months between the last relaxer and this one that was done in April due to the fact that 1) I was pregnant and wanted to limit chemical exposure as much as possible and 2) my hairdresser went to Dominican Republic for a good while. I am now 4 months post relaxer. I'll wait until the end of my year long braid-a-thon to relax. I use Affirm Regular strength, but will request Affirm Mild as I don't want bone straight hair. When my hairdresser hits it with the heat, it'll be straight enough. Whenever I get a touch up, that's the only time I get heat on my hair (you know relax, set and blow). It's not like I wear it down anyway and my hair is healthier with a little kink. I think Mild relaxers take longer to work, but I won't allow the hairdresser to go past the recommended time listed on the side of the tub.

Supplements, per day:
Designer Whey Protein shake Chocolate flavor 1 (2 scoop) shake made a day
GNC Women's Ultra Mega- 2 caplets
GNC Evening Primrose- 1300mg
Flaxseed oil- 1000mg
Freeda Super Dec 100 B-Complex-1 caplet
Freeda Biotin- 10,000mcg = 10mg
Drink at least 2+ liters of water a day

Hope this helps and I didn't leave off anything.
 
Oh yeah!!! Lest I forget, I'm happy to announce that I've reached my goal of brastrap length! I've now raised the bar and am going for waistlength. Anything longer than that is all gravy!!! :lick: I'm representin' for my 4a/4b crew!!! Queen of the Shaka Zulu hairtype, I am!!!! :weird:
 

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AJD..all I can do is :notworthy and take notes :bookworm: . Thanks for sharing :) . By the way, are you currently using a mild relaxer?
 
All I can say is that you are growing in style girl.

Forget the hair. How about more of the makeup tutorials. I am learning somethings from you.
 
Nice said:
AJD..all I can do is :notworthy and take notes :bookworm: . Thanks for sharing :) . By the way, are you currently using a mild relaxer?

Still doing the regular. As kinky as my hair texture is, I don't think it would process enough. As it is already, by the time I put braid spray in, people don't think I have a relaxer... "...no, my hair is relaxed." Their response, "Which part?" :rofl:
 
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rosie said:
All I can say is that you are growing in style girl.

Forget the hair. How about more of the makeup tutorials. I am learning somethings from you.

Hey, Rosie!

Did you check "Makeup Looks" in my album? I added another step by step just last week. Step by step #2, it might be labelled.
 
AJamericanDiva said:
Still doing the regular. As kinky as my hair texture is, I don't think it would process enough. By the time I put braid spray in, people don't think I have a relaxer... "...no, my hair is relaxed." Their response, "Which part?" :rofl:
hahaaaaaaaa :grin:
 
AJamericanDiva said:
Oh yeah!!! Lest I forget, I'm happy to announce that I've reached my goal of brastrap length! I've now raised the bar and am going for waistlength. Anything longer than that is all gravy!!! :lick: I'm representin' for my 4a/4b crew!!! Queen of the Shaka Zulu hairtype, I am!!!! :weird:

Thanks so much for all the tips! By the way, do you do your braids yourself or where did you go to get them done? I am so scurred or getting braids done, because in the past, my hair has been broken off -- esp. my edges -- by braids. Also, what protective styles, if any, do you use and do you airdry or set your hair to maintain it. Finally, how are you able to stretch out your relaxers for so long? I will be rolling up on 14 weeks soon and I am really, really worried about shedding and breakage.
 
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