Getting ready to relax...

[Nella]

Alright,

Ladies I've stretched again and am getting ready to relax my hair again this time with Silk Elements. I'm not certain how much growth I have obtained but, I must admit it is much softer and manageable.

After a fresh relaxer I usually choose to wear my hair in a wrap. I was wondering how a silk wrap can be done and what is required? I'm wanting to try something different as my appears to be very full looking.

In the one year that I have been on LHCF it seems more than anything that my hair is much thicker. I think I'm moving in the right direction as it doesn't appear to be dry and has lots of mositure.

How long does it usually take to see results as far as maintaining length? What should I do? Is vitamins neccessary? If, so I have a really hard time swallowing capsules and would prefer a tablet.

I haven't found a solid line or regimine yet that will help me achieve the length I'd like so I'm curious how much trial and error did you go through before you finally noticed some great results?

I would like to know what was the first challenge you started in on your journey to healthy hair care and how well did it work for you?

Which one of the challenges brought you the most legth?

Please help and give me some tips to help me along my way. Since I've hit the one year mark and going into year two I'd like to start seeing the length.

Thanks

 

[Nella]

bumping for some responses...

 

[SvelteVelvet]

Congrats on your progress!

I believe the Silk Wrap is done after the hair has been set in rollers, dried, then wrapped and applying something like Silk Chi something or another and then wrapping a saran wrap around your head and sitting under a dryer for a few. Not completely sure, but that sounds like some variation.

The first challenge I did, or rather changes, because I wasn't reading LHCF then, was omitting direct heat, and regular deep conditioning & treatments. This was after a long overdue trim. I'd do absolutely nothing in between but wrap my hair and apply sheen daily in between my salon visits. Some nights, I'd pin curl. Stretching my relaxer to at least 10 weeks help as well, and wet sets like twist-outs stop me from using heat during the 'thick of it'. These changes alone made a world of difference in the feel & thickness of my hair, and breakage and splitting was nearly non-existant so I saw progression in growth in that little period as well.

As far as vits go, I started taking the vits in my siggy in March and I've been pretty consistent. That along with some BT usage off and on I believe is why I seemed to experience growth spurts in the recent 2 months. I'm planning on sticking with these aides till I make BSL and I'm hoping that happens 12/07 but I'll stick with the things above for life because they are small changes that I believe make a world of difference in retaining what grows and keeping it healthy.

HTH!

 

[Galleta]

To obtain length I stopped using heat appliances on my hair, and began stretching my relaxers for at least 12 weeks. I don't see any newgrowth until about week four post relaxer. Roller sets and braid outs have really helped with keeping my length also. My first challenge I started when I joined the forum was to not use heat ever. I take a multi vitamin and biotin (when I remember to do so).

I don't know much about silk wraps. sorry.

 

[Nella]

For the most part I've done pretty well over the last three months as I haven't used any heat. Over the last few months I haven't used any heat and this is truly a good thing. I'm not losing much hair but, it just seems that it is very slow in progression.

It could be that I'm just wrong as every since I move on April 30th I haven't plugged up my other computer which , has every picture of my hair since the beginning of my hair care journey. I hadn't updated my fotki as I should so I think I'm going to plug it up and update my fotki. This would help me to see how much has changed as the one thing I can truly account for is the ultra thickness in my hair.

So, over the weekend I'll update it and post some pictures of my freshly relaxed hair.

Thank you both!

 

[bablou00]

Congrats on getting to a year. My year is approaching around the time I relax and I am anxious for the results. I have changed my regimen around so many times. Even the one I think I am using now may change on Sunday when I wash. What has helped me most along the way is little to no heat, dusting only no big trims except 2 this whole year, wearing my hair up all the time at work so that is 3-4 days out of the week. When I cant do much w/ my hair on the weekend its in a up do as well. NO COMBING in the shower, out or when dry. I only comb when rollersetting and I just started that about 2mos ago and that once a week. Water, water water. Drinking and watering my hair (like its a plant).
Also looking at others progress and being on here reading threads and retaining information from everyone no matter what their hair looks like.
Vitamins are tough from me to judge because I take them really good for awhile then dont take them at all. So I dont know if they contribute to growth rate or not.
Silk wrap is the next thing on my last after I relax so let me know how it goes

 

[Serenity_Peace]

Hey, there and welcome to the land of healthy hair growing!

Basically my regimen is quite simple and consists of:

1. Wearing my hair in buns or french rolls using Flexi-8 hair clips, 5 or 6 days a week.

2. Deep condition once a week (with pre-poo, shampoo, condition...ALL Aveda )

3. Clarify once a month to avoid build up

4. Condition wash once a week

5. Stretch relaxer for as long as I can...

6. Find a good moisturizing leave-in, seal with oil of choice (jojoba, coconut)

7. Cut down on heat. I only use heat to rollerset and very seldom use direct heat appliances like blowdryers, flat irons or curling irons.

My hair is most definitely growing and has never been as long as it is now. My biggest challenge is thickening up my fine strands, particularly my ends. That's a work in progress...

Good luck to you. I know that you will reach all of your hair goals in no time!

 

[Nella]

I have finally relaxed my hair and it looks good. I guess in the one year of LHCF it has done quite a bit. I guess the hardest part for me is getting rid of the layers and I think this is going to take some time.

This is a picture from the beginning of my journey 6/24/06:

At seven months it grew but, the ends weren't as full 12/9/06:

This picture is a one year update with my ends curled under 6/30/07:

Through this journey my hair seems to have gained some length and fullness. It has filled in quite a bit and I wished I wouldn't have tucked my ends for this picture but, overall I think it looks good.

How long will it take me to grow these layers out?
Is that what may be taking me so long to see some drastic changes in length?
How long do you all think it may take me to get to armpit lenght?

I'm going to buy some nioxin tablets and see if that helps and really start using my BT. Please let me know ladies, thanks.

 

[neonbright]

You hair and growth is great, I love your progress.