How long did it take?

[CharyAlm0nd]

I've always been natural (I bounced between wigs, weaves and my curls from 2005-earlier this year) but I never truly knew how to take care of my hair. As strange as it is I found that my hair grew like wild fire when I wore weaves & frontals (etc.), but I got tired of spending all that time and money in the salon as well as watching my hair going from APL to SL to NL every time I stop wearing weaves.

I know everyone and every experience is different, but how long did it take for you to figure out what exactly it was that your hair needed?

 

[greenandchic]

It took me quite a while to know how to take care of natural hair. I've always been natural, but I spent my teens and early 20s pressing and ironing my hair. When I decided to "go natural" and grow out my heat damaged hair, I didn't really care for it the way my hair should be cared for.

I did daily WnG, didn't detangle properly, didn't do any type of treatments, used any ole products I got my hands on without a second thought, slept on cotton, never protective styled, used demi and permant hair color, etc and my hair didn't get past my shoulders until late last year when I finally got serious about my healthy hair journey. It took 8 years to really get it.

 

[CharyAlm0nd]

wow 8 years? That's a journey, but I'm sure you've learned a lot along the way and by the looks of your signature picture you've been doing something right through those 8 years. Hopefully my hair and I can work together instead of fighting like we normally do.

 

[truequeen06]

I've always been natural too, but kept my hair flat ironed and pressed. When I started college I didn't know what to do with my hair and it suffered. It took me a good 2 years to figure it out.

 

[greenandchic]

wow 8 years? That's a journey, but I'm sure you've learned a lot along the way and by the looks of your signature picture you've been doing something right through those 8 years. Hopefully my hair and I can work together instead of fighting like we normally do.

I had been away from internet hair forums for quite a while; I think that payed a role. I have learned quite a bit over the past year and a half and regret all the (hair) time I wasted.

 

[Trini_Chutney]

For me it is still a work in progress. I had been relaxed for 16 years before I decided to transition. When I was natural my mom took care of my hair brading it up and pressing it every so often. I felt like I was starting from scratch!

Once I bc'd I had issues with moisture retention, when I finally got that under control I had ssks, when I figured out how to decrease those I got some breakage. Now I'm dealing with how to get good 2nd and 3rd day hair as my hair has gotten longer. Something always seems to come up, but in general my hair and I get along. When I show her love she gives it back

 

[SEMO]

I decided to go natural not long after joining LHCF (I lurked for a bit). I can't remember exactly how long it took me, but I would say maybe 1-1.5 years before I really got it and taking good care of my hair came more naturally.

I still get lazy every now and then, but a lot of what I learned on here has now become autopilot.

 

[B_Phlyy]

4 and a half years. I actually probably knew what worked a while before, but I think I just lacked the discipline to do what I know needed to be done. I was always trying to experiment or listening to somebody who did not have my hairs health at heart. Now I have a super simple routine and my hair is thanking me for it. My hair improved more in the last 3 months than it did in the entire 8 months at the beginning of the year.

 

[Triniwegian]

About 3 years, I finally found what works the best.

 

[Pompous Blue]

It took me about 1.5 yrs to get it right. First I joined LHCF to learn how to take care of my relaxed hair. Then the more I read about natural hair care and saw so many resources to refer to, I made the decision to go natural.

I had wanted to stop relaxing my hair so many years before! I transitioned for six months and then BC'd. It took me about another 12 months to nail down my reggie and I've been on auto-pilot ever since.

Good luck on your journey!

 

[faithVA]

Once I stopped with the hair extensions it took me a year to get my product and technique regimen down. By hiding my hair I realized I a wasn't spending enough time with my hair to really see what it liked and what it didn't. Then I really started paying attention to ingredients and I started systematically removing ingredients that just didn't work for me.

I don't wear out styles often. Once I decide to, it will probably take me another 3 to 6 months to figure out the best way for my hair.

The thing that worked best for me was to not bounce around so much from thing to thing and to just change 1 thing at time.

 

[Nonie]

I know what you mean OP coz I grew my hair in braids too and didn't use ANY products on it, so imagine the horror when I had to wear it out...or worse when a SHS chopped it off and left me with a TWA that couldn't really be groomed w/o some type of moisture.

I think it took me maybe a couple of weeks. I was lucky to have a friend who sent me samples of products she believed in and recommended some that I ordered. Actually, this experiment started when I took my braids out and found I had SL hair and wanted to enjoy it. She had 4A hair so she had me trying a WNG. It didn't quite turn out like she expected but it gave me a chance to try some of the products she'd recommended among which was S Curl Gel and activator. Hair felt very soft, the strands looked nice individually, but the WNG on my hair IMO looked like HAM. I looked like I hadn't combed my hair--or like they don't know about combs where I come from.

Anyway, it was this trial and error that led me to S Curl, and to the realization that I do not have to mix products to get good results. I discovered that it worked very well on its own and I've never looked back. I'm telling you if you have 4B hair, you should really give my suggestions in this thread a try.

 

[Prudent1]

About a year and a half. I lurked for a few months before joining so I knew this was a long term committment based on the stories of my hair idols. I resolved to try things and give myself at least 3 years to reach my ultimate goal of 100% natural MBL hair (when straightened). Next year barring any set backs, I should reach my goal. You can reach yours too.

 

[CharyAlm0nd]

Thanks guys. I just hope I don't get so frustrated that I divorce my hair lol

 

[regina07]

I've been natural for years, at least 10 this go round. But I didn't take good care of my hair until early 2010 and even that wasn't "good"! I did daily WnG and used Aussie Moist as a leave-in.

It was the beginning of this year that I learned what "good" care of my hair is and finally know what my hair feels like healthy.

2 years for me.

 

[destine2grow]

@OP I am newly natural and I am still learing. The hardes thing for me is to get over my laziness and keep my hands out of my hair. I think I am going to go back to WNG's and just make it a habit to spray my hair with water day and night. I am going to try and perfect 2nd and 3rd day hair.

I am also working on finding my staple products. I have started keep a journey so that I know what works and what does not. I am also going to give a product about 2 months to see if it works for me. I am going to attempt to use the product in different ways before I rule it out.

I also plan on taking pictures so I can see my progress. I don't canre if it is .5 in. I wish you all the best.