How did you feel when you found out you could grow your hair long?

[caribeandiva]

i felt like a lightbulb went off in my head. *slaps forehead*: duh. so simple why couldn't i see it? who knew using conditioners regularly could make such a huge difference?!! oh and then i felt delirious with happiness cause i've always wanted long hair but hated weaves.

 

[natasha]

i felt like a lightbulb went off in my head. *slaps forehead*: duh. so simple why couldn't i see it? who knew using conditioners regularly could make such a huge difference?!! oh and then i felt delirious with happiness cause i've always wanted long hair but hated weaves.

I totally agree! Its like a lightbulb! Seeing the ladies on this board totally inspires me to keep going because its really quite attainable to have midback/waist length hair (if you want it that long).

 

[determined_to_grow]

I honestly felt like a fool because I never thought my hair could have grown past APL (as a child it was really long but I thought - "my hair can't grow like that because it's relaxed and I reached it's my max growth at APL" - I was such a fool)... I wish I learned this years ago I probably would have been sitting on my hair right about now.

 

[Psi77]

I felt excited and enlightened! I did a lot of research on this - where as before I accepted my static hair length and didn't think much about it. This information also secretly gave me 'power' to control the destiny and health of my hair - no matter what nay sayers said. I knew I could cut it all off and start again... Some thing I had dreaded in the past. This is a good topic!

 

[CityGirl]

I felt like I had hit the lottery!! Who knew? But now that I do know, wooo hooo!!! look out.

This board and what I have learned from it has helped me in ways that I cannot begin to tell you all. I am truly, truly grateful.

 

[Dannygirl]

I'm mad HYED! plus is helping me with my weigth control issue (they go hand and hand) I LOVE weaves but i want my real ahir to be JUST as long as the weave that I WEAR on my head (i want to keep it protected)and I just pray i get midback by 2008? lol i got an inch of hair? think i can do it!

 

[Jas123]

I never thought I couldn't grow my hair long...I just had a cycle of letting my hair grow to beyond shoulder length for the winter and then getting it cut short in the summer..always in a bob haircut-my favorite...so I knew my hair could grow long, I just had to stop getting it cut... summer of 07 will be my very 1st summer of not getting my hair cut in about 10 years....let's hope I make it

 

[Kimberly]

I had been baggying under a phonypony, almost daily CWs. Then I went into the military where I had to wear my hair in a bun. I still did almost daily CWs. One night after showers, the girl that had been telling me that I "washed my hair like a white girl" commented on how long my hair was and that was kind of when it donned on me....it is and it can. (Just for the record, it really wasn't but it was, at that time, longer than it had ever been and it was longer than hers. Alot of people think hair longer than theirs is long, I'm kinda the same way).

I had been on the board before I left and I saw the pics and the albums but I never felt like I could have it too. I've always known women with long hair but that didn't mean mine could or would grow. I went from nape-length to almost APL in about 7 months. Then I knew. I could look at the back of my head and picture my hair down my back.

 

[chocolatesis]

When I first realized I could grow my hair long was when I saw a picture of Wanakee in Essence magazine. I was so sure she was wearing a weave until I actually read the advertisement. I thought if she could get hers to waistlength, then I should be able to achieve brastrap. But then I hit a road block(really dry and coarse hair in the back) and couldn't seem to get my hair much past APL. Whenever it grew a little past APL it would break off in the back and I would have to cut it all to even it up. Then I found this board and I've just about made it to brastrap.

 

[HoneyDew]

I don't think my thought focus on growth as much as other things. Just the fact that I can do my own hair and it can be soft and shiny and NOT BREAK has been a thrill for me. I never was able to embrace my hair like that.

 

[amy1234]

I remember feeling so ignorant because I really didn't think that it was possible before. Right after that realization I went straight to work and managed to grow out my hair!

 

[B_Phlyy]

At first I was scared because of all the work that I though was involved, but once I started doing it and realized how easy it was, I felt like an idiot for not starting sooner.

 

[amina kamal]

I had long hair as a child so I knew it could be long again, I just didn't understand why I couldn't get the length I had as a child. I am soooo excited now so many years later to be re-education on having healthy hair .

 

[blazingthru]

When I found out how easy it was I felt so stupid too. I heard about moisturizer, I thought it meant keep greasing your hair. then I heard don't put grease on your scalp and I thought they were nuts I been putting it on my scalp for 40 years, never thinking that ah duh thats why my hair wasn't growing. October 2005 I accidently found a website that encourage Black woman to grow out their hair or six inches a year and then someone on there referred me to here. I decided right then there no perms and really condition and moisturize my hair it grow like crazy then I cut it all off in April and now its almost the same length I had in October of last year and its only been five months since I BC. My hair never grew so fast. I tried to help people but they never want to listen. They think its to much work to moisturize and wash their hair more. I use to think that too. Glad I met you guys. Woke me the heck up. The back of my hair is not rubbing my collars I have to start pinning it up. I am so excited. So excited.

 

[Denim And Leather]

I feel the same way as you ladies, i.e. "Duh!" The information on here makes so much sense, and it's nothing but common sense in how to care for our hair. When I saw all the beautiful heads of long hair on here, I felt so encouraged!

I wished I had this information when I was younger, then I wouldn't have wasted 16 years of my life hiding under a weave because I thought my hair couldn't grow long. I often wonder how long and healthy my hair would be today had I not been so ignorant.

But I guess it's better late than never, as the saying goes!

 

[KiniKakes]

Initially stunned..... then elated...excited.... proud.... powerful.... thrilled to finally have found something that i could control in my life!

 

[KiniKakes]

I wished I had this information when I was younger, then I wouldn't have wasted 16 years of my life hiding under a weave because I thought my hair couldn't grow long. I often wonder how long and healthy my hair would be today had I not been so ignorant.

Me too, girl! Me too!!!!!

 

[chayil0427]

When I found LHCF I finally felt like I wasn't crazy. I felt so wonderful finding other people who believed in the ability to grow hair that way that I do. It was wonderful. I love you all soooooo much and each and everyone of you is so beautiful and inspiring. Knowing I can grow my hair opens up possibilities to other things that I can do like weight loss and ect. It's nice to know you can take control of your body and appearance.

Chayil

 

[Hair Iam]

Thankful to God , who I felt lead me here. I have since helped my self and others to healthier hair care regiments. I only see a bright future for all our hair. I believe we will all teach others to like, if not love their beautiful, curly, kink, course, permed, texture, what ever hair.

Thank you ladies

 

[Denim And Leather]

Me too, girl! Me too!!!!!

I hear ya, chicka! I feel very blessed to know what I know now, because now that infomation can be passed along to other black women. I saw a black lady in the bank yesterday and to put it bluntly, she had some tore up hair. I was thinking that it would be great to let her know that this board exists, so she can see that she too, can grow her hair long and healthy, but there's no way I could tell her without coming off like I'm insulting her. It's nice to know that we can try to spare others the heartache that many of us have gone through from not knowing how to properly care for our hair.

 

[JustKiya]

I felt - validated somehow. I ALWAYS believed that there was no good reason WHY I couldn't grow my hair long - I just had no clue of what I needed to do to help it along.....heck, I BARELY knew how to take care of my natural hair period.
If anything, I regret having not found NP.com, LHCF, and TLHC 5 years ago - maybe I wouldn't have been so frustrated with my hair, I would have left it unlocked, and I would have waistlength hair NOW.

 

[plove]

When I found LHCF I finally felt like I wasn't crazy. I felt so wonderful finding other people who believed in the ability to grow hair that way that I do. It was wonderful. I love you all soooooo much and each and everyone of you is so beautiful and inspiring. Knowing I can grow my hair opens up possibilities to other things that I can do like weight loss and ect. It's nice to know you can take control of your body and appearance.

Chayil

what she said. esp in the bold. I feel if I'm going to have long nice looking hair I might as well have the body skin and teeth to mach. so now I'm working on everything about me and mt hair is what got me started.

 

[sareca]

I remember reading Cathy Howse's book and thinking "Ok, that makes sense," sort of hesitantly. It wasn't until 2006 (6 months after getting the book) that I really started to "believe."

 

[Trini"T"]

I was elated. It was something I always wanted as a little girl but it was just a mere dream at the time. Finding out that it could come true made it so real to me...something to forward to. I was also a little upset though that I didn't come to that conclusion sooner. "I mean duuuh you go for touch ups every 2 months so how come a year later your hair is not down your back"

 

[remnant]

Thankful to God , who I felt lead me here. I have since helped my self and others to healthier hair care regiments. I only see a bright future for all our hair. I believe we will all teach others to like, if not love their beautiful, curly, kink, course, permed, texture, what ever hair.

Thank you ladies

Same here!

 

[Dannygirl]

what she said. esp in the bold. I feel if I'm going to have long nice looking hair I might as well have the body skin and teeth to mach. so now I'm working on everything about me and mt hair is what got me started.

same here! have u tryied using the bakiing soda for brighter teeth? i heared its works wonders and i can already see a lil differince in how my teeth are looking

 

[MzOptimistic]

I felt excited and anxious at the same time. I know my hair can atleast get to apl but then it fell out because I wasn't washing, deep condtioning, or moisturizing it but I will flat-ironing up a storm. My hair grew twice APL without me trying to by wearing crotchet braids but it fell out in the back because of proper care. Now I know how to grow and I know that my hair can grow long and I will be able to keep it this time. I am EXCITED and my new hobby now is taking care of my hair. I use to go and buy DVD's and CD's all the time now I'm heading straight to the internet or the BSS. I have calmed down alot now.

 

[KeraKrazy]

I'm still waiting for the realisation to hit me, I guess its because I'm still kinda new to this hair thing so my hair hasn't yet grown any longer than its been at any other point in my life so whilst I am able to believe that black people can have long hair I'm still not entirely convinced that this applies to me..... I'm excited though I can't wait to be proved wrong.

 

[caribeandiva]

I'm still waiting for the realisation to hit me, I guess its because I'm still kinda new to this hair thing so my hair hasn't yet grown any longer than its been at any other point in my life so whilst I am able to believe that black people can have long hair I'm still not entirely convinced that this applies to me..... I'm excited though I can't wait to be proved wrong.

you will be. just wait till your next relaxer. i checked out your fotki and you've made a lot of progress hair health-wise

 

[motherx2esq]

I honestly felt like a fool because I never thought my hair could have grown past APL (as a child it was really long but I thought - "my hair can't grow like that because it's relaxed and I reached it's my max growth at APL" - I was such a fool)... I wish I learned this years ago I probably would have been sitting on my hair right about now.

You took the thought out of my head!