Give me some encouragement...

[Purtygurly]

Hi girls

I just need a little encouragement. I've been taking care of my hair fo a year and a few months. The first year I cut off almost all of my new growth to get rid of the very damaged hair. That was 5 or 6 inches of cutting! I only gained about 1 inch last year, but it's much healthier.

This year I got my first relaxer in the middle of January and I only gained about 1.5 inches of NOTICABLE lenghth. When my new growth comes in I don't get too mych shrinkage, and it lays down, so I don't see any incredible lenghth change when I relax. I did lose some of the many layers that I had though.

Now I'm here with healthy, but short hair. It's around 6 iches and around 4 inches all around the hairline.

My kitchen is really short because it got shaved off...repeatedly. But now it is growing in and thickening up slowly. My sides are also suffering because of the way that I used to sleep on the sides of my head. It made me break out and the whole area started breaking off too. It's about 2 inches there. It's a small area on both sides that the rest of my hair covers, but I won't be able to wear my hair up anytime soon. It's finally healing up, actually it'll be healed completly in about a week. Then I'm goin to startsurgeing there.

Even though people tell me that my hair has grown and that it's pretty, I have trouble believing them because I have soooo many problems with it. How can it be pretty when I have all of these problems? I feel like I will never get to have hair like so many of you have.

So could you leave some encouraging words to make me feel better about the predicament that I'm in?

 

[Aerie17]

Sounds like to me, you have been noticing improvement, so I say keep it up! What is your regimen?

 

[Erica78]

Hey Hair Buddy! I am sorry that you are having a set back right now. I am glad your hair is healthy again though! I just sent you a pm.

Your hair will start growing in again... especially since you took care of the damaged ends!

 

[HairFanatic01]

OK. This is the best time to start experimenting with new products. You can answer these questions and complete them with the info from this board:

-Do I have:
a set shampoo? a leave-in conditioner? a deep moisturizing conditioner? a good protein conditioner and reconstructor? essential oils? distilled water? vitamins/supplements?

Do I do all of the following:
-Daily/Weekly conditioner washes and/or rinse? exercising? drinking lots of water? Eating fruits and vegetables and consuming the correct amount of protein? scalp massages? treat my hair with care? use little to no heat? check the ingredient on products before buying them?

After you have answered most of these questions with a yes, then start magnifying on what you need to work on. Growing hair should be categorized as the following:
1)Strength/elasticity; 2) Growth 3) Moisture

Once you have all of these under control or going at a good rate, then you should start retaining some healthy length. It seems to me already that you do at least some of these. It is very important that you keep a positive mind set about this whole process. It might take you longer that what you expected, but when you reach that goal you're going to be thanking the Lord for it. With so many intelligent women on this board giving excellent advice plus the amazing support will surely lead you to that road to success. Keep that hair growing and treat it like a new born baby. Hair needs love too!!

 

[aqualung]

Congrats on matching the layers! At my last touchup, I told my stylist that I want to get my hair all the same length eventually. I'm not even close yet.

I don't know your routine, but it helps me to put my hair up in a bun all week between washes. I don't mess with it unless I'm surging the scalp. Even then I use an applicator bottle so that I don't have to take the bun down. The hair grows when I'm not looking.

Are you eating lots of protein? Don't forget. Every week I make a tuna salad with 24 oz of tuna, 12 eggs, 2 cans of kidney beans, olives, celery, etc. It's tastey, so the protein consumption is less of a chore.

DO track your progress with pictures. It helps you track better if you can look back at previous lengths.

 

[inthepink]

I definitely agree with megonw...if you take pictures every month and once in a while do a comparison, you will begin to see your progress! If other people are noticing a difference, that's really something! Typically, people don't notice small changes. So, if people are noticing, there must be a big change! Just keep doing what you're doing and I'm sure you'll be surprised a year from now at what you've achieved!

 

[Purtygurly]

Here's my regimen.

Wash twice a week. One conditioner wash with suave naturals aloe conditioner. The other wash is with elasta qp's shampoo for relaxed hair.

I deep condition after I wash my hair. When I'm doing a conditioner wash I deep condition with elasta qp intense, elasta qp dpr-11 or parneavu hair mayo. After I shampoo my hair I deep condition with humecto mixed with oil (hot six or one of the africa's best oils)

After I rinse out the deep conditioner, I put in thermasilk conditioner to detangle, and also for the heat protecting properties. I do an acv rinse.

I usually wet set my hair and air dry. I use razac's leave-in, a heat protectant, ors carrot oil, wgo and a little surge. I put surge an wgo on my scalp. In the very back and on the sides I put s-curl. If I don't wet set I do a twist out.

When I take out the rollers I flat iron my hair on the lowest setting. I just pass it over each setction once to get rid of any remaining wavyness. I spray my hair with the heat protectant before I do this too.

Then every morning I put surge on my scalp and ors carrot oil on my ends and finger comb.

Every night I spray my hair with diluted leave in and put carrot oil. Sometimes I put a few drops of hot six or wgo too.

Every two weeks I clarify with IC tea shampoo and use either ic reonstructor, motions silk protein conditioner, elasta qp breakage control serum and rarely nexxus emergencee.

 

[HairFanatic01]

WOW!! That is very impressive PurtyGurly. It seems you have mostly everything under control. I also use the ORS carrot oil and it does wonders for my hair. My hair is very thick and it sucks up the moisture. The carrot oil keeps my hair good for a while, stops shedding and it grows my hair very quickly. The surge is doing wonders for my hair also. It seems like you're on the right path PurtyGurly. All I can say is keep doing what you're doing and keep it growing.

 

[DatJerseyDyme]

Just wanted to stop by and give you a little encouragement! I agree that if people are noticing, then your hair must be progressing nicely...In any event, I think a healthy head of 6 inch hair beats a 1/2 damaged head of 12 inch hair any day!

 

[Purtygurly]

[ QUOTE ]
HairFanatic01 said:
OK. This is the best time to start experimenting with new products. You can answer these questions and complete them with the info from this board:

-Do I have:
a set shampoo? a leave-in conditioner? a deep moisturizing conditioner? a good protein conditioner and reconstructor? essential oils? distilled water? vitamins/supplements?

Do I do all of the following:
-Daily/Weekly conditioner washes and/or rinse? exercising? drinking lots of water? Eating fruits and vegetables and consuming the correct amount of protein? scalp massages? treat my hair with care? use little to no heat? check the ingredient on products before buying them?

After you have answered most of these questions with a yes, then start magnifying on what you need to work on. Growing hair should be categorized as the following:
1)Strength/elasticity; 2) Growth 3) Moisture

Once you have all of these under control or going at a good rate, then you should start retaining some healthy length. It seems to me already that you do at least some of these. It is very important that you keep a positive mind set about this whole process. It might take you longer that what you expected, but when you reach that goal you're going to be thanking the Lord for it. With so many intelligent women on this board giving excellent advice plus the amazing support will surely lead you to that road to success. Keep that hair growing and treat it like a new born baby. Hair needs love too!!

[/ QUOTE ]

I take very good care of my hair, but my diet and excersizing isn’t as good as it should be. Actually I’m in recovery from an ed, so I’ll be working on it.

 

[amy1234]

take before and after pics (progress pics)

 

[Tracy]

Purty - it took me 2-3 years to get to where I am. Your hair will respond to consistent care - patience is all you really need. I know that's easier said than done but before you know it you have the hair you want and it's worth all the trouble you took to get there.

Hang in...

 

[Angelicus]

Hi, i just joined in october and already i am reaping the benefits of everyones tips (and the 2 people that turned me into a PJ... but i aint sayin no names!

) Please keep your head up and givenyour hair the best TLC that you could give!!

 

[Purtygurly]

thanks for all of your replies everyone!

I'm going to start taking pictures soon, and I won't give up until I reach my goal

 

[Tracy]

Yay Purty!