Hey ladies, I'm a new poster,though I've been checking out the site for a long time. I can't tell you how extremely helpful the board has been - especially in helping me to select hair care products. However, I must confess, I see all of the beautiful hair on this board and I get the sense that most of you are ladies that have always had long hair, but who have been able to maximize hair length by promoting healthy hair growth. I know it comes across as slightly cynical, but I'm keeping hope alive. Are there any 4B girls out there who have for all of your life had barely shoulder length hair who have been able to experience exceptional growth with healthy hair techniques? I just need a couple of testimonies to get me through. Thanks ladies.
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I Need a Testimony....
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bauderlady
Active Member
I can say that I never had a problem getting to shoulder length, I did, however.... have a problem getting the side of my hair to touch my shoulders. I never had a problem with the back, just the sides. So I guess you can say, I had a problem getting to FULL shoulder length.
Since finally taking advice on this board (ex.) minimal heat, low manipulation, stretching longer than every 4 months, deep conditioning at every wash, etc. has allowed me to not only get to FULL shoulder length.....but to also get 3 inches past that to Shoulder blade....which I could never achieve on my own.
I am currently 2 inches to APL. Now that'a a testimony! Praise God!
Since finally taking advice on this board (ex.) minimal heat, low manipulation, stretching longer than every 4 months, deep conditioning at every wash, etc. has allowed me to not only get to FULL shoulder length.....but to also get 3 inches past that to Shoulder blade....which I could never achieve on my own.
I am currently 2 inches to APL. Now that'a a testimony! Praise God!
AMEN! Thanks bauderlady, that was really encouraging. My hair is so dry, and while it grows I've never been able to achieve substantial length. I've worn my hair just about every possible way - natural, braids, perm, sew in. I can always grow it to the base of my neck, but that's it 
. Your pictures are beautiful. Congrats on the growth and thanks again for the testimony - it gives me hope.
And thank you Mestiza for the warm welcome:blush3:
. Your pictures are beautiful. Congrats on the growth and thanks again for the testimony - it gives me hope. And thank you Mestiza for the warm welcome:blush3:
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mscocoface
Well-Known Member
Ahhh, that would apply to me. 
The only time I had long hair and that was shoulder length was when I was pregnant, but within a year that was not to be.
I don't know the stats of your hair, I am natural as you can see from my siggy but I did not know even how to get length until Dec. 05. I decided to get serious about this and started looking for anything on the internet that equated to Long Black Hair.
I found first another hair board years ago, but just could not mentally get my arms around natural hair and length were possible.
Had to do a mind shift, some reading, research and in two years I am now at BSL STRETCHED (shrinkage is a beast!). I have never been at that length before in my life with my own hair!
So yes, you do wonder when you see all of these ladies, chemical or no chemical, if they were able to have long hair all of their lives.
I was like you thinking there is no way, so I started looking for women who were natural with 4B type and had short hair a year or so ago and now had some length. Those are the one's I consider my mentors and began to study their regimens and products.
I also kept my own hair diary and put anything and everything in it to keep me uplifted when I would get depressed or frustrated about my hair.
Remember the main battle is the mind and time. They can be your friend or your enemy. I would suggest you not compare yourself critically against what you see and just start your journey and remember you will be on the journey 99.9% of the time. When you reach a goal it is fleeting because trust me usually you will probably have another goal.
I started in phases.
1. Figuring out what shape my hair was in - split ends, dry, damaged, etc.
2. Finding those who may have had similar issues.
3. Creating a regimen to battle whatever my issue was
4. Trial and error - because there is always trial and error.
5. established when that goal was completed and started the next goal which was and still it LENGTH!
6. Looked again for mentors with like type hair and researched their routine
7. Created a regimen and trial and error.
8. Time, time and more time. I want healthy, strong, waist length hair.
I figure at the rate of my hair growth and battling tangles of my ends which are the most precious part of the hair I should make it sometime end of 08 or no later than March 09.
Remember moisture is your friend and your ends are the laziest, most stubborn, and precious part of the hair. If you keep losing the ends of your hair you will never get length.
For me being a 4B and natural maintaining length is my biggest opponent at times. I am heavy handed so I have to realize I can't be that way when dealing with my ends.
Hope this helps. Welcome to the journey and remember that is where you will be most of the time on the journey so enjoy it!
The only time I had long hair and that was shoulder length was when I was pregnant, but within a year that was not to be.
I don't know the stats of your hair, I am natural as you can see from my siggy but I did not know even how to get length until Dec. 05. I decided to get serious about this and started looking for anything on the internet that equated to Long Black Hair.
I found first another hair board years ago, but just could not mentally get my arms around natural hair and length were possible.
Had to do a mind shift, some reading, research and in two years I am now at BSL STRETCHED (shrinkage is a beast!). I have never been at that length before in my life with my own hair!
So yes, you do wonder when you see all of these ladies, chemical or no chemical, if they were able to have long hair all of their lives.
I was like you thinking there is no way, so I started looking for women who were natural with 4B type and had short hair a year or so ago and now had some length. Those are the one's I consider my mentors and began to study their regimens and products.
I also kept my own hair diary and put anything and everything in it to keep me uplifted when I would get depressed or frustrated about my hair.
Remember the main battle is the mind and time. They can be your friend or your enemy. I would suggest you not compare yourself critically against what you see and just start your journey and remember you will be on the journey 99.9% of the time. When you reach a goal it is fleeting because trust me usually you will probably have another goal.
I started in phases.
1. Figuring out what shape my hair was in - split ends, dry, damaged, etc.
2. Finding those who may have had similar issues.
3. Creating a regimen to battle whatever my issue was
4. Trial and error - because there is always trial and error.
5. established when that goal was completed and started the next goal which was and still it LENGTH!
6. Looked again for mentors with like type hair and researched their routine
7. Created a regimen and trial and error.
8. Time, time and more time. I want healthy, strong, waist length hair.
I figure at the rate of my hair growth and battling tangles of my ends which are the most precious part of the hair I should make it sometime end of 08 or no later than March 09.
Remember moisture is your friend and your ends are the laziest, most stubborn, and precious part of the hair. If you keep losing the ends of your hair you will never get length.
For me being a 4B and natural maintaining length is my biggest opponent at times. I am heavy handed so I have to realize I can't be that way when dealing with my ends.
Hope this helps. Welcome to the journey and remember that is where you will be most of the time on the journey so enjoy it!
WOW mscocoface. I'm looking at your early natural pictures and it reminds me of the exact length my hair used to be when I was natural and wore it in twists. When I first went natural back in 1999, I was excited becaue I remembered my hair being the healthiest when I was a little girl, before I permed my hair. But I was dissappointed when after 5 years, my hair seemed healthy, but I couldn't get it to grow past my shoulders. The limited length likewise limited my stlying options and exercising with my natural hair became extremely difficult. So after 5 years of being natural I went back to a perm so that I could rock a short cut for a while. After about 6 months, I decided to grow my hair back (yes after I had cut off a good 10-12 inches of length). So now I'm wearing a sew-in to be able to make it through the medium length phases. I'm thinking that I have at least another 6 months until it will be ready to wear without the weave but I'm really looking forward to being able to guage my growth. So, thanks again for the encouragement mscocoface. I truly appreciate it.
mscocoface
Well-Known Member
You are very welcome. Contact me anytime.
SleepyJean
Well-Known Member
Here I am! I'm barely shoulder length now, but I'm so afraid I might have thin ends. I've never had shoulder length hair, but I'm proud of where I've came from. I hope I can continue to grow my hair. I like this thread. I need some inspiration, too.
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Evolving78
Well-Known Member
I'm 4a, but I never had long hair until about a few years ago. Before I had cut my hair short, I grew it out to armpit length. I didn't really use heat, I got a lot of wraps and roller sets. I changed up the products that I was using to salon quality and I was going to the salon every week. I decided to cut my hair back into a pixie cut, because I just wanted something different. Now I just BC'd my hair back in Feb and I'm growing it natural. I want to see how long I can get it in its natural state. Now that I know how to take care of my hair to get it healthy and grow, I know I will be able to make my hair goal with being natural. Some people thought that I would never be able to grow my hair. But I just had to learn what worked for my hair texture. I believe anyone can grow their hair if they are healthy and have healthy hair practices.
Enchantmt
Progress...not perfection
tryingto
Well-Known Member
Enchatmnt's post says it all 
, however, I have always been able to grow to shouldler length , but my ends and hair overall health was horriable, my hair always stayed tried, this is the 1st time since coming to the boards that I can say, I have healthy hair, and a wealth of hair knowledge, welcome to the boards, 
, however, I have always been able to grow to shouldler length , but my ends and hair overall health was horriable, my hair always stayed tried, this is the 1st time since coming to the boards that I can say, I have healthy hair, and a wealth of hair knowledge, welcome to the boards, 
bigblueviolet
Member
Hi City_girl ,
I'm a newbie too, and have the same issues/questions. (Sounds like we may be hair twins.) Thanks for starting this thread.
,I'm a newbie too, and have the same issues/questions. (Sounds like we may be hair twins.) Thanks for starting this thread.
Evolving78
Well-Known Member
BC'd means Big Chop! I really didn't transition from relaxed hair to natural. I cut all of mine off into a fade. Now it is a twa (tweeny weeny afro). I wanted to go straight to dealing with my natural hair right away instead of dealing with two different hair textures. My hair would really be straight when it was relaxed and now it is very coily/curly in its natural state. That would have been too much for me, and I really don't care for extentions and weaves. Don't get me wrong, I have worn them, but when I was growing my hair out, I didn't brother with any of that. Those things cut into my hair and causes damage and I wasn't used to keep a hair style too long with those things. I would want to change my hair very quickly. Also I wanted to be abe to grow it without using those methods, It seems like black women feel in order to grow hair, they have to get fake hair so they won't have to deal with it. I didn't mind going through the different stages of length.
SleepyJean
Well-Known Member
Hi City_girl
I'm a newbie too, and have the same issues/questions. (Sounds like we may be hair twins.) Thanks for starting this thread.
Y'all aren't the only ones. There are many people here who have never grew their hair SL. I try to add people with similar hair problems, so we can support each other through the bad times, and watch each other's progress to get inspiration. With APL's and BSL's, I become sad, sometimes. I don't knock their success. I only wish I had similar experiences.
We just have to keep our goals, and keep faith. If you get an inch, appreciate it, and know you will also reach your goal. Maybe not as quick, but eventually. Remember, there is also many people who finally grew their hair APL for the first time with this site. 
