For the ladies who don't wear wigs, weaves or braided extensions....

[LoveisYou]

I have a couple of questions for you.



1. How long is your hair?



2. How do you normally wear your hair? What style?


3. Do you have any problems retaining length?


4. How often do you go to the salon?


5. Do you find it hard to protective style without the aid of wigs, weave and braids?

 

[NowIAmNappy]

1. Currently BSL.. the longest before I cut it was almost Waist length
2. I normally wear my hair in twists, updos, or my puff bun.
3. I have no problems retaining length as Im usually wearing protective styles
4. I never go to the salon.
5. I protective style all the time, I prefer wearing my own hair.

 

[Aireen]

How long is your hair?
BSB. The longest my hair has been was MBL/WL.

How do you normally wear your hair? What style?
I wear my hair down all the time. It's only up before bed or if my hair is dirty and I've been too lazy to wash it.

Do you have any problems retaining length?
Nope, it's just a waiting game for hair growth at this point.

How often do you go to the salon?
3-4x/year for relaxer touch-ups and possible trims.

Do you find it hard to protective style without the aid of wigs, weave and braids?
Never wore any of those in my life so... no?

 

[freckledface]

Current length apl (bout an inche or 2 from bsl)
My current styles buns buns buns and a few braidouts
Do I retain length I have cut a lot from previous damage (before my hhj) but am its still grown a lot and am now retaing very well. My hemline looks awesome (very excited cause it was busted!)
I don't go to salons
Nope I've turned my hair around with out hiding it in weaves.

 

[LoveisYou]

Thanks for your responses ladies, keep them coming!

 

[toyas08]

1. How long is your hair?
Between sl and apl stretched

2. How do you normally wear your hair? What style?
I wear my hair everyday, it usually in wash n go, bun, mini braids, or in a puff

3. Do you have any problems retaining length?
No, my hair is almost never on my shoulders and it always moisturized well when it's in a puff.

4. How often do you go to the salon?
I haven't been in a salon in 2 years

5. Do you find it hard to protective style without the aid of wigs, weave and braids?
Not at all, I don't wear weave. Buns got me to grazing mbl before I BC'd

 

[Lucie]

1. How long is your hair? Getting close to BSL.

2. How do you normally wear your hair? What style? Out, braided, buns, whatever.

3. Do you have any problems retaining length? No.

4. How often do you go to the salon? When I need a relaxer.

5. Do you find it hard to protective style without the aid of wigs, weave and braids? No.

 

[Fhrizzball]

I have a couple of questions for you.



1. How long is your hair?
Between BSB/BSL


2. How do you normally wear your hair? What style?
Twistout and Braidout Buns/small twists/braidouts and twist outs

3. Do you have any problems retaining length?
A bit as it seems I've been trying to reach BSL forever

4. How often do you go to the salon?
once or twice a year for a press but I'm going to stop that as they do a horrible job and it puffs up as soon as I leave.

5. Do you find it hard to protective style without the aid of wigs, weave and braids?

Nope. Those mess up my edges so going without them will help get them back to optimal level

 

[alove15]

I have a couple of questions for you.

1. How long is your hair?
Nape is bsl, the rest is catching up. So apl.

2. How do you normally wear your hair? What style?
Twist out. Twist out Buns.

3. Do you have any problems retaining length?
No. I still get ssk's but less than I did when I would protective style for longer periods. Less shed hair gets trapped, tangly, or matted. I also find it easier to unravel ssk's with cowashing 1-2x a week. Restricting my heat use and following the cg method has helped me a lot.

4. How often do you go to the salon?
I haven't been to one in two years.

5. Do you find it hard to protective style without the aid of wigs, weave and braids?
Nope, I usually bun and once in a blue moon I wear twists on my own hair.

Hope this helps

 

[MrsJaiDiva]

1. How long is your hair? Full APL

2. How do you normally wear your hair? What style? My hair is always in a WnG state.

3. Do you have any problems retaining length? Nope. I'm almost at BSB I think, and I just made APL in August.

4. How often do you go to the salon? Nevaaaah!!

5. Do you find it hard to protective style without the aid of wigs, weave and braids? I don't bother with protective styles. I feel my hair grows just fine being out in the wind. I usually keep it off my face with a headband, and at night I pineapple with a Buff headgear, or LocSoc.

 

[CarefreeinChicago]

Neck length(was BS Btk left me bald)
Curl formers/ pin curls
Yes after a disaster with BKT it's finally growing back, wash steam air dry maxi glide curl formers last about 2 weeks
I haven't been to a salon maybe well over a year
Yes

 

[PJaye]

1. How long is your hair? MBL?

2. How do you normally wear your hair? In ponytails, buns & updos.

3. Do you have any problems retaining length? No.

4. How often do you go to the salon? Never.

5. Do you find it hard to protective style without the aid of wigs, weave and braids? No, since I've never utilized any of those hair choices during my adulthood (I wore ol' school cornrowed styles a few times as a child).

 

[Nonie]

OMG @LoveisYou I just realized that I totally misunderstood your question and answered it like a dumbass. I'm so sorry for this so redundant post. I'm so embarrased. *Nonie hurriedly hits the backspace key and deletes the wrong answers to try again*

Ahem, @Americka, @beanie44, @Fyne, why didn't y'all pull a girl aside and tell her that her slip was showing? What sort of friends are you? LOL

@freckledface I now see why you were so confused. I'm terribly sorry. I am literally blushing purple.


1. How long is your hair?

BSB

2. How do you normally wear your hair? What style?

I live in twists and usually redo them one at a time. I treat them as hair and will put them up, leave them down, or do a single braid and wear a hat.

3. Do you have any problems retaining length?

Not that I've noticed. If I am not retaining length as well as I should it is probably because I don't moisturize or PS or seal my ends. But I'm not unhappy with my progress. BSB is the longest my hair has ever been in my life and this is with me doing very little to my hair.

4. How often do you go to the salon?

Before Feb 2007, the last time I had been at a salon was to get a touch up in 2001 (maybe May?). Then in Feb 2007, when I was at CBL, I made the mistake of trusting a stylist with my hair (I wanted to learn hands on how to shingle since I now had a good length I wanted to show off) and she chopped it off and left me with under 3 inches of hair. Needless to say, that was the end of me and salons. The braid extensions were all my own doing.

5. Do you find it hard to protective style without the aid of wigs, weave and braids?

Hmm...how to answer this? It's not hard because I live in twists so PSing would just be a matter of styling them in a way that ensures the ends are tucked away:

The truth is, I'm lazy. I just find it easier to not do anything. I am one of those people who doesn't like to spend time doing hair. So once I put in twists/braids--which I usually do while distracted by something like a DVD movie, I don't take them out and because my hair is safe from tangling, I am very happy not to do anything at all. I just redo my braids/twists one at a time when I feel like it--usually while chilling watching TV. I can go for years w/o my hair being loose. Low manipulation really works well for lazy ol' me.​

 

[koolkittychick]

1. How long is your hair?
I am just about full APL, grown out from the shoulder length in my avatar taken in Dec. of last year.

2. How do you normally wear your hair? What style?
Mosty buns or just hanging straight; found out the hard way that ponytail holders and my hair do not get along.

3. Do you have any problems retaining length?
Not anymore; once I got on a moisturizing/hairstyling/stretching regimen that works for me, my hair has experienced steady if slow growth.

4. How often do you go to the salon?
Now about 4 times a year (every 3 months) for a relaxer touch up.

5. Do you find it hard to protective style without the aid of wigs, weave and braids?
Nope. My hair and scalp like the breathing room of being free, and as long as I baby my ends and edges with the right products and keeping them clean, I experience very little breakage and shedding now, even if I have fits of hand-in-hair syndrome--sometimes I will undo and redo my bun several times a day just to play in my hair, to no ill effect because it's nice and moisturized.

 

[fancypants007]

1. How long is your hair? the longest layer is waist length



2. How do you normally wear your hair? What style? this is my first year of wearing my own hair w/o braids/wigs etc. I will be wearing a scarf most of the time. On Wed. i will be styling my hair with banana clip in ponytail or french braid, and on Sun. I will be wearing caruso rollers or braidout.

3. Do you have any problems retaining length? Yes, oh yes. My hair is growing, but my strands are fine and I had problem retaining length. I started in May fingercombing instead of combing my hair and I stretched my relaxer for 7 months instead of 4. I could tell when I relaxed in September I had considerable length.

4. How often do you go to the salon? Never


5. Do you find it hard to protective style without the aid of wigs, weave and braids? I will see. I'm going to be doing a head bun scarf on the days I'm not styling my hair. Winter is coming and I still want to protect my hair even though I won't be wearing braids or wigs.

 

[StarScream35]

1. How long is your hair? I am natural with the very ends relaxed. When stretched my hair is shoulder length.



2. How do you normally wear your hair? What style? Loose and down. My hair doesn't fro out (be nice) so I let it fall where ever it wants.


3. Do you have any problems retaining length? No


4. How often do you go to the salon? Never


5. Do you find it hard to protective style without the aid of wigs, weave and braids? I have no concept of protective styling. It may sound arrogant, but all the time I spend doing my hair, and making sure it's moisturized...........it's gone be seen and heard by everyone! It has a right to be free and loose! Let me add, I do sleep on a satin pillow and that's about all. Sometimes if it's really hot and I don't want my hair all in my face, I'll put a satin bonnet on but this is rare! When I get up in the morning, I spritz it with water, pat it down and I'm ready to go!! I wash every other day btw.

That was fun!

 

[JoyBelle]

1. How long is your hair?
MBL stretched; NL naked, dried, no product.

2. How do you normally wear your hair? What style?
Twists, flat ironed, twist out, buns, roller-sets.

3. Do you have any problems retaining length?
Not anymore - if I don't keep my hair well moisturized, then yes.

4. How often do you go to the salon?
Once a year, max.

5. Do you find it hard to protective style without the aid of wigs, weave and braids?
No. At the beginning of my HHJ I found it time consuming/tedious. I now try to look at it as a way to pamper myself.

 

[Jazzlyric]

1. How long is your hair?
MBL


2. How do you normally wear your hair? What style?
Braidout, Wash and Go, Buns, flatironed, however, I feel like wearing it .

3. Do you have any problems retaining length?
No


4. How often do you go to the salon?
Whenever I need a trim or when I just dont feel like doing my hair . Around 4 o 6 months


5. Do you find it hard to protective style without the aid of wigs, weave and braids?
No

 

[CarefreeinChicago]

I like the curl formers because it keeps my hair off my shoulders

 

[YaniraNaturally]

1. How long is your hair? Apl on the front sides, CBL on my bang and BSB in the back. I try to be thorough

2. How do you normally wear your hair? What style? Braidout for the first three-four days and bun for the last two.

3. Do you have any problems retaining length? I don't think so. My hair was CBL/APL when I BC'ed at the end of May and now I'm APL/BSB. I hope to be back at BSL for christmas.

4. How often do you go to the salon? Never. I've been about three times in my life and the last time (4 years ago) I promised myself I would never go back.

5. Do you find it hard to protective style without the aid of wigs, weave and braids? Nope. Even though I wore braids for half of my transition, I hated every minute of it . But I didn't want to deal with finishing my degree, writing my thesis and half kinky-half straight hair. So in short, no because I don't like them.

 

[freckledface]

Nonie I'm kinda new round here and have never seen pics of your hair IT IS AWESOME!! so beautiful!

 

[*CherryPie*]

I BC'ed In 2011 down to about 1/2 inch. Today I'm well past shoulder....with lots of trims.....because I was obsessed with perfect ends in the beginning.

I don't go to salons and I don't protective style. I just braid my hair in a few chunky braids at night and unbraid in the morning.

 

[chelleyrock]

1. How long is your hair? b/w APL and BSL

2. How do you normally wear your hair? What style? High/low buns, braidouts, twistouts, updos

3. Do you have any problems retaining length? Not really, although the front of my head grows extremely slower than the back so it may appear that it's not retaining length.

4. How often do you go to the salon? Haven't been to a salon since '07.

5. Do you find it hard to protective style without the aid of wigs, weave and braids? No.

 

[NaturalJael]

I have a couple of questions for you.

1. How long is your hair?

Middle Back Length

2. How do you normally wear your hair? What style?

Twists in an up do of some type

3. Do you have any problems retaining length?

No. Not unless my hair is dry and I comb roughly.

4. How often do you go to the salon?

Ummm, never. I haven't been since 2009.

5. Do you find it hard to protective style without the aid of wigs, weave and braids?

No and it's probably because U don't know how to do it successfully. Now, I have wigs but U hardly wear them. I won't pay some to braid because they will charge to much.

 

[Nonie]

@Nonie I'm kinda new round here and have never seen pics of your hair IT IS AWESOME!! so beautiful!

@freckledface thank you. I hope you do know most of those images were extension braids (not just my hair). Only the first two links and the last two images in my post showed my hair w/o extensions.

 

[aicramphoto]

1. How long is your hair?
Collarbone

2. How do you normally wear your hair? What style?
Just out, with a headband, like in my picture.

3. Do you have any problems retaining length?
Yes, I try not to manipulate it, I have braided it in the past and there was barely any retention at all. I'll use braided extensions for a change of pace and some "length" once in a while.

4. How often do you go to the salon?
Only to get it braided if it's cornrows (once a year).

5. Do you find it hard to protective style without the aid of wigs, weave and braids?
Due to medical issues, I do not bun, because my hairline receded a bit, not due to any hair styles. Very loose braids do no further damage, very little manipulation. That's the only protective style I can do.

 

[freckledface]

@freckledface thank you. I hope you do know most of those images were extension braids (not just my hair). Only the first two links and the last two images in my post showed my hair w/o extensions.

Oh wow lol did you know what red heads and blondes are closely related I guess I should read before I drool over pictures but I looked back and you do still have great hair and ill continue taking your advice. I always read your post and have recently started regular dusting thanks to your advice.

 

[Ltown]

I have a couple of questions for you.



1. How long is your hair? sl



2. How do you normally wear your hair? What style? Buns, braids, braidout


3. Do you have any problems retaining length? I have been natural since 08, i was Apl last year but loss hair due to allergic reaction to indigo. My edges and hir is growing without weavers, extenion or wigs.


4. How often do you go to the salon? Never


5. Do you find it hard to protective style without the aid of wigs, weave and braids? imo everyone can use their own hair and wore protective styles and grew and retain hair. With wigs,weaves, and extentions if gives people a break from doing their hair, it doesn't make it grow any fast, you still have to clean, and mositurize hair and scalp.

 

[discodumpling]

I'm not a faux hair kinda chick unless i use it to stuff my french roll and even then i prefer a plain ol sock!

Been naptural for 5 yrs this time

Hair is approaching apl again after serious post partum thinning and shedding.

Had a hard time retaining during pp but I've got it under control now.

I never go to the salon.

 

[RocStar]

I don't like wigs and weaves for me, so I have never worn them.


1. How long is your hair?
BSL

2. How do you normally wear your hair? What style?
There is not a normal. But I do wear mostly straight styles. I will flat iron, use steam rollers, ponytails, buns, updo's, etc.


3. Do you have any problems retaining length?
No, not really



4. How often do you go to the salon?
Twice a year for a hair cut.


5. Do you find it hard to protective style without the aid of wigs, weave and braids?

No, but sometimes it does get boring.