I GAVE UP!!!!!

[Wildflower]

<font color="blue"> When I found this forum I was in relentless quest to get my hair to grow long. I searched this forum for tips and products that could make my hair longer and was trying to trim my hair as little as possible, so I could see some length. A few days ago I gave myself a mini trim, but who was I trying to fool? That trim didn't get rid of my split ends and breakage. I had told myself that I would only get rid of my layers when my hair reached bra strap, but the way my split ends were, that would never happen.I decided to stop worrying about growing my hair long, and instead I've started to worry about how healthy it is, regardless of the length. I cut my hair again, but this time it was no 1/4inch trim, but a 3 inch one, I'm getting rid of my layers little by little. I'm keeping my hair the same lenght it is now until I get my hair all one length and without split ends. I want to grow healthy full hair, and not have long but thin and damaged hair that reaches my bra strap. I know that I'll get to bra strap, but I want to get therethe right way, and not have horrible hair until then. I'm stopping to obsess about measuring my hair every week, but from now on, I'll just give my hair the care it needs and let it be.<font color="blue">

 

[Isis]

Congratulations Wildflower on your decision to focus just on growing healthy hair. It sounds like a wise choice rather than giving up! You have a beautiful head of hair and I know it will thrive! How you feel about your hair is most important.

 

[MindTwister]

sorry to hear about that wildflower but it's better to have healthy hair. So i wish u good luck on ur quest to healthy hair and hope the length will come along with the length...

 

[inthepink]

Definitely a good decision!

I never really "let" my hair grow either until I had gotten rid of all the damage and split ends. I started getting regular trims (with every touch up) and let them cut without freaking out for a while and sooner than later, I had really healthy long hair.

Good luck! I will happen. Only then is when I found out that I could really achieve really long hair.

 

[greAtness333]

I hope you're not giving up the board too? It's better to concentrate on growing healthy hair anyway- length will come with it.

 

[Wildflower]

Thanks for all the support. I love long hair, but I absolutely loooove long healthy hair, and that's what I'm trying to achieve.
greAtness333, there's no way I'm giving up the board!!!I'm too addicted to it, and I know that it'll be with all you guy's support that I'll get there. I have so many inspirations here that keep me going in my quest to healthy long hair. It's by looking at all your progress pictures that makes me know that with the right routine, I can get there too.

 

[adrienne0914]

wildflower, like you said, it will happen! and there's nothing worse than getting there with unhealthy hair that needs to be trimmed. so i definitely think you did the right thing.

you have a GREAT smile, by the way!

 

[Wildflower]

[ QUOTE ]
adrienne0914 said:
you have a GREAT smile, by the way!

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks, Adrienne

 

[Armyqt]

Congratulations on getting rid of the damage!! I know EXACTLY how you feel. At first I was hesitant about trimming for fear I wouldn't make it to my goal. Just recently I said the heck with all that and trimmed, trimmed, trimmed. Now I'm happy with healthy hair. The length will come. You made the right decision

 

[Poohbear]

Do your moisturize the ends of your hair? I have been putting a mixture of oils on my ends and it makes my hair look great! It protects my ends from breakage and split ends. I also put Silk Elements Glossing Polish which makes my hair silky and smooth! I havent trimmed since October 2003 and Ive been avoiding too much combing, cutting, and stopped using curling irons...HTH

 

[loverofnaps71]

Yes. Keep your head up girl. When it comes to hair, I'd rather have shoulder-length healthy and full hair than thin, lifeless long hair. I can't tell you how tickled I get when I see girls who fling and swing their long hair but it's so lifeless, dull and thin...what's the point?

The point is that we strive to have healthy hair, first and foremost. When the hair is healthy, sometimes it grows, albeit slowly. But it WILL grow if we continue to care for it property.

My hair is natural, but despite the shrinkage I can tell that it's growing...at a very SLOW pace. However, it's also VERY healthy and very thick. I'd rather have it this way than to have long, unhealthy nappy hair.

Good luck on your journey to achieve your hair goals. Stick with it...you'll eventually see results. Don't think about it too much. Just let the Lord to His thing...

 

[debyjay]

Good for you girl. I am beginning to feel the same way, My hair grew quite a bit in the braids, about 3 inches in 4 months but the ends were all thin so I cut an inch and at my next touch up I'll take off another inch and I'll have healthy shoulder length hair. I hate long thin hair which I see a lot of on my train rides to and from work.

 

[SherryLove]

It's going to be alright....I just did a post on this topic entitled "Dang!!!My Hair Is Not Growing Fast Enough" you have made a wise decision to focus on the health of your hair.....

 

[nolechik]

Don't feel bad...I totally agree with you. My hair is about 4 inches past my shoulders and I believe I'm gonna cut back to the shoulders cause I just feel it's unhealthy. I'm also planning to make the "transition" (no relaxer since January 04) so we'll see how it goes. More power to ya girl!!!

 

[Wildflower]

[ QUOTE ]
Poohbear said:
Do your moisturize the ends of your hair?

[/ QUOTE ]

I do mosturize and a lot, but there's no point in mosturizing already damaged hair. My hair was damaged by no lye relaxers and exessive heat in the past. I have to get all that damage out. Once the hair is damaged, there's no miracle product that will make it healthy again, it will just temporarily cover the damage and that's not what I want anymore

 

[Wildflower]

Even though my hair is now barely touching my shoulders, I love the way it feels. For the first time in a long time I my hair feels healthy and thick in the ends. I still have to grow my sides, and that'll probably take another 6 months ore more, but as soon as that's acomplished, I'll go back to letting my hair grow long

 

[Poohbear]

Are you thinking about going natural at all???

 

[Wildflower]

[ QUOTE ]
Poohbear said:
Are you thinking about going natural at all???

[/ QUOTE ]

No, Even though I respect and admire all of those that go natural, I don't think that's for me. I like relaxed hair and that's probably the way it will be for the rest of my life. I used to have natural hair when I was a kid, but it just takes too long to style and detangle.

 

[Poohbear]

[ QUOTE ]
Wildflower said:
[ QUOTE ]
Poohbear said:
Are you thinking about going natural at all???

[/ QUOTE ]

No, Even though I respect and admire all of those that go natural, I don't think that's for me. I like relaxed hair and that's probably the way it will be for the rest of my life. I used to have natural hair when I was a kid, but it just takes too long to style and detangle.

[/ QUOTE ]

I feel ya'

 

[Lindy]

[ QUOTE ]
Wildflower said:
I love the way it feels. For the first time in a long time I my hair feels healthy and thick in the ends.

[/ QUOTE ]

I know exactly what you mean, Wildflower!!

I get mad at my stylist when he trims my hair too much, but deep down i know that my ends have been thinner than the rest of my hair, and looking straggly, so I really did need the trims!! I'm just now getting to the point where my ends are nice and thick. From this point on I will try my best to keep my ends thick and healthy so that in the future, my stylist won't feel the need to trim as much!!

He set me back almost 2 whole inches from my brastrap length goal at my last touchup, but at least when I do get there, i'll be getting there with thick, healthy ends, and not thin, straggly ones!!