Frustrated

[kisz4tj]

I joined this board over a year ago. I had hoped to reach bra strap with all of hair care tips I've picked up by Dec. 2003. Of course it didn't happen. So here I am 6 mths from Dec. 2004 and I haven't retained any growth. I know that it's not growing at a snails pace because the color from last summer covers the bottom half of my hair. I'm feeling like a loser telling my friends and such my hair goals. I'm trying not to let the green eyed monster creep up while looking at everyone else's photos but I'm getting tired of trying. I know that I shouldn't be crying over this crap but I'm post menstrual and emotional!

 

[MrsQueeny]

I am so sorry for you. I know it can be frustrating at times. Have you examined your regime to see why you have not been able to retain any length. Your hair is obviously growing. You might just need to tweek your regime a little. I am sending prayers and a cyber hug your way. Queneesha

 

[Boadicea]

What are your styling habits (the tools you use and the styles you wear and how often you wear them)? Do you trim more than what is necessary? What mishaps, if any, have you had since coming here?

 

[aqualung]

[ QUOTE ]
kisz4tj said:
So here I am 6 mths from Dec. 2004 and I haven't retained any growth. I know that it's not growing at a snails pace because the color from last summer covers the bottom half of my hair.

[/ QUOTE ]

Don't cry!

1. What'd you do differently over the past year?

2. WHY aren't you retaining length? You know your own routine best. (Is your stylist trimming every time you visit the salon? Do you get breakage going too long between touchups? Did you have a period of excessive shedding? Are you skipping the protective styles?)

I was pressured into too many salon trims/dustings, and it was slowing down my progress. I told my stylist that I'm going 6 months without trims (March to September) so that I can retain length. I don't freak out over my ends when they airdry crazy looking. I just bun them up and let them be.

 

[Sequoiaji]

I know how that feels too. I started lurking in December 2003 and here it is 6 months later, and I haven't retained much length at all. I was blowdrying and flatironing once a week, so that's probably the reason. Now I've stopped using heat, but sometimes I get frusturated because my hair could be 3 inches longer

 

[KinksnCurlz]

don't feel bad kisz, it took me a while 2 b4 i saw any progress. My questions basically mimics the above but i also what to stress what ur eating habits r. R u eating enuf proteins? Are u getting enuf leafy veggies in ur diet? R u drowing urself with water (very important)? R u relying too much on ur stylist for those 'trims'? I never really realized how much healther (albeit longer) my hair is now, as opposed to then when i went to the salon every 2 weeks and got my ends trimmed like every 3 months. No length was retained so i always felt 'stumped' at that length and believed my hair could grow no longer. How wrong was I...

 

[jla]

I understand the way your feeling. I just recently joined this board, but I was a lurker for over a year. My hair is now shorter than in actually was when I started lurking, and I've also gone through some frustrating, disappointing times. However, don't give up. Good hair care is a journey, and if you focus only on the destination, you'll miss out. What have you learned from your experience? Maybe your hair isn't longer, but has it improved, even just a little bit? Hold on to that and focus on what you've gained instead of what you've lost. Be honest with yourself in areas you've failed, and vow to improve, but don't get discouraged. About a month ago I was exactly where you are. I was ashamed for having frequented this board but being unable to maintain hair length. But I've learned a lot, and with time, the application of the knowledge I've gained will pay off, and I had to celebrate the fact that my hair is thicker than it was 2 years ago. Here is my strategy for recovering. It might help you
- Protein treatment each week without fail.
- Stick to my regimen consistenly until Dec 2005. My downfall was that I tried too many different things in a short period of time.
- Improve my diet.
- Start surging.
- DON'T GIVE UP

 

[Wolftrap]

Don't get discouraged. You know even with the amount of growth I got with surge that I showed people in my album the other day, I still think I have short hair. If your color has grown out then your hair is growing. Are you sure it is not all in your mind that it hasn't grown? Because I know some of us tend to think our hair is shorter than it actually is and it sounds to me like your hair has grown. I sometimes feel the same way though especially because it seems that no matter what I do my hair still seems like its shoulder length. The pictures show me that it has grown but I see no difference when styling it. Maybe taking a look at some of your progress pictures will give you some encouragement

 

[kisz4tj]

Thanks for your cyberhug I needed it.

 

[kisz4tj]

[ QUOTE ]
Boadicea said:
What are your styling habits (the tools you use and the styles you wear and how often you wear them)? Do you trim more than what is necessary? What mishaps, if any, have you had since coming here?

[/ QUOTE ] I try to get a rollerset once a week, I only let them blow my roots. After about 3 days I wear it up. When I can't make it there I wash my hair 1x a week with Mizani or CON and alternate between IC reconstructor conditioner and Lekair cholesterol conditioner. Than I make a flimsy attempt at a rollerset or I do a braidout, or I airdry in a bun.

My morning routine is slapping on some sort of moisturizer on my ends like mango butter and keep it moving, recently I've been using CD's hair milk, which I like very much. I use satin pillowcases at night.

 

[kisz4tj]

[ QUOTE ]
megonw said:
[ QUOTE ]
kisz4tj said:
So here I am 6 mths from Dec. 2004 and I haven't retained any growth. I know that it's not growing at a snails pace because the color from last summer covers the bottom half of my hair.

[/ QUOTE ]

Don't cry!

1. What'd you do differently over the past year?

2. WHY aren't you retaining length? You know your own routine best. (Is your stylist trimming every time you visit the salon? Do you get breakage going too long between touchups? Did you have a period of excessive shedding? Are you skipping the protective styles?)

I was pressured into too many salon trims/dustings, and it was slowing down my progress. I told my stylist that I'm going 6 months without trims (March to September) so that I can retain length. I don't freak out over my ends when they airdry crazy looking. I just bun them up and let them be.

[/ QUOTE ] I did go through alot of shedding awhile back, but the garlic shampoo took care of it quickly. I've managed to stay away from SHS. The last time I got a trim was like 2-3 mths ago.

 

[kisz4tj]

[ QUOTE ]
CaramelHonee said:
don't feel bad kisz, it took me a while 2 b4 i saw any progress. My questions basically mimics the above but i also what to stress what ur eating habits r. R u eating enuf proteins? Are u getting enuf leafy veggies in ur diet? R u drowing urself with water (very important)? R u relying too much on ur stylist for those 'trims'? I never really realized how much healther (albeit longer) my hair is now, as opposed to then when i went to the salon every 2 weeks and got my ends trimmed like every 3 months. No length was retained so i always felt 'stumped' at that length and believed my hair could grow no longer. How wrong was I...

[/ QUOTE ]
I'm pretty good at eating vegetables, I think I eat enough protein. I drink abt 4 cups of water at work and when I get home I usually drink juice. The only thing that I can pinpoint is that I've slacked on my vits, but should that be enough to keep me from achieving length?

 

[kisz4tj]

Thanks Jla

 

[sengschick]

It sounds like the color is causing the breakage. Maybe Tracy can give you tips on keeping colored hair well conditioned, so that you can retain your length. The front of my hair never seemed to grow, but it was always some shade of honey blonde too! Now that it's finally grown out I'm finally seeing gains there too.

Keep the Faith! The road to long healthy hair can certainly be bumpy.

 

[kisz4tj]

[ QUOTE ]
Wolftrap said:
Don't get discouraged. Are you sure it is not all in your mind that it hasn't grown? Because I know some of us tend to think our hair is shorter than it actually is and it sounds to me like your hair has grown. I sometimes feel the same way though especially because it seems that no matter what I do my hair still seems like its shoulder length. The pictures show me that it has grown but I see no difference when styling it. Maybe taking a look at some of your progress pictures will give you some encouragement

[/ QUOTE ]You might be right, but I guess my definition of growth is closer to the bottom of my shoulder blade rather than in the middle.

 

[kisz4tj]

It doesn't seem like it's breakage, it feels like stunted growth.

 

[sengschick]

[ QUOTE ]
kisz4tj said:
It doesn't seem like it's breakage, it feels like stunted growth.

[/ QUOTE ]
It seems to me that if the color has grown out to your ends, it's been growing and not stunted at all.

 

[kisz4tj]

Yeah I guess it is breakage, just not breakage in the terms that I normally think of it.

 

[NubianAngel]

When you get your hair done, do they give you deep conditioning treatments?

 

[Enchantmt]

Awww...feel better...!