inquiring minds want to know...

[legs71]

As you all know I am trying to grow my hair long with the assistance of braids. I'm curious about those of you who believed you weren't destined to have long hair who now do.

How long did it take you to achieve your length?

Were you relaxed, texturized or natural during the growing out process?

Did you achieve your length with the help of braid or weaves?

/images/graemlins/weird.gif

 

[Leshia]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
legs71 said:
As you all know I am trying to grow my hair long with the assistance of braids. I'm curious about those of you who believed you weren't destined to have long hair who now do.

Hey legs,
I'm going to get this kicked off with a bit of my journey (even though it's just beginning). I never thought my hair would be shoulder length, if that helps any. I don't believe I could have done it without braids for several reasons. The first being that I always was tempting to chop so it never had a chance to grow. The second is because I'm always trying to look good so I'm "in" my hair a lot. I've learned to leave it alone. My new mindset is to act as though it's braided, i.e. without heat and my fingers! Also, styling it after it's washed and conditioned (and curl activated) and then leaving it for a few days. It's winter, I can slap on a hat and move on. Also, if my buns get a wee bit messy, I get more compliments--strange, but true..
How long did it take you to achieve your length?

Were you relaxed, texturized or natural during the growing out process?

Did you achieve your length with the help of braid or weaves?

/images/graemlins/weird.gif

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[hairfanatic]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
As you all know I am trying to grow my hair long with the assistance of braids. I'm curious about those of you who believed you weren't destined to have long hair who now do.

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The turning point that made me believe that I could achieve my hair goals was when I saw Wanakee...a lady that has hair down to her waist. I basically started following some of her advice when I was relaxed, then when I went natural, I started doing more washing.

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How long did it take you to achieve your length?

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It really didn't take me long at all, maybe about a year or so. I was doing a lot. Washing every three days, taking vitamins, exercising and eating plenty of fruits and vegetables. I think I have slacked off of my program and really need to get back in the swing of things. My hair could have been past bra strap plenty of times but, I keep cutting my hair. /images/graemlins/wink.gif

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Were you relaxed, texturized or natural during the growing out process?

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I'm Natural


</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
] Did you achieve your length with the help of braid or weaves?

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I achieved it by washing and consistently conditioning my hair and only combing once a week. Most of the time I would get out of the shower and use my hands. I would press my hair only to clip my ends. I then started wearing my hair pressed a lot and have gone back to washing every three days and my hair is thriving again.

 

[legs71]

Leshia,

Without braids and going natural I would still be at ear length murdering my overprocessed hair with a curling iron. 15 months later my hair is happily inching past shoulder length and it's about 3-4 inches past the base of my neck in the back. When I take out my braids in March I don't think I'll know how to act. This is the most hair I have had in my life. Since joining this board I am so commited to growing my hair long. Even though washing my hair every week, moisturizing, oiling and taking my extensive vitamin regimen can be a pain, the benefits of seeing my hair grow longer are so rewarding. If all continues to go as well as it has I should expect to be very close to my goal of midback. My boyfriend received a digital camera for christmas so hopefully I will be posting progress pics soon. /images/graemlins/grin.gif Who knows maybe I'll be the next Adrienne! /images/graemlins/weird.gif

 

[LondonDiva]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
legs71 said:
How long did it take you to achieve your length?

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My hair isn't at it's goal but it's the longest it has ever been right now, so I'll contribute. I am about 4-5 inches past the base of my neck and I have about 4-5 inches to go till bra strap which is my 1st goal.

Mmmmm let's see i cut my locs off in November 2000 to 1-2.5 inches of hair all over so it's been about 2 years from a teeny weeny afro to past shoulder length.

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Were you relaxed, texturized or natural during the growing out process?


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I was natural, then used the bodiphier, then relaxed with Motions and then affirm. No major cuts or trimmed during that time.
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Did you achieve your length with the help of braid or weaves?

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Yes, and although i achieved growth I didn't like the feel of my hair when I took them out. I'd never braid my hair with extension EVER again.

 

[CynamonKis]

Legs71:

I wore a hair weave for 2 stints in a 5 year period. The POSITIVE thing was that the weave gave my hair a rest and yes I achieved more growth than I had ever achieved in my life -- my hair grew past my shoulders &amp; started heading down my back. The only chemical I applied to my hair while wearing the weave was permanent color to the front/side hairline to COVER MY GRAY ONLY. No color on any other part of my hair, and NO OTHER CHEMICAL whatsoever. I did ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to the hair while it was in a weave (laziness??)

I had a sewn-in weave (never glued-in) &amp; felt that a lot of breakage occured when I went in to get the weave re-done once every 3 months (my stylist was constantly getting on my case for not coming in more frequently!)

Otherwise weave-wearing caused my hair GROW LIKE A WEED: I went from nearly bald (due to a bad JC Penneys hair salon experience 5 yrs ago) to having long hair way past my shoulders, going down my back in less than 2 years time!!

Still, after I removed the weave, my hair was damaged on TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS by over-processing. I FIRST removed the weave THREE YEARS AGO, and MY HAIR was long. But back then, I used a lye relaxer, and colored my gray. Combining this with frequent heat styling caused my hair to break off within one year of taking the weave out the 1st time!

SO I went BACK to the weave for 2 more years (I called it hibernation), and again my hair grew. I took the weave out this last time in May, 2002 &amp; used Bodiphier to tame my frizzy hair (it's main chemical is "alkaline water" w/a PH of 6.0). I used this from May-October, 2002. I did not experience the drying effects with Bodiphier that Londondiva did, but I could NOT get the back or ends of my hair straight with Bodiphier to save my life! (that area is more kinky than the front &amp; sides of my hair). Using heat w/Bodiphier helped a little with the straightening.

From May-Nov, 2002, along w/bi-monthly Bodiphier applications, I also used Creme of Nature, non-ammonia permanent color on THE GRAY ONLY (not on my entire head) and I never had any problems with overprocessing, hair still long, no breakage whatsoever.

In NOV-DEC, 2002, my hairdresser and I decided to use the Bodiphier with heat to get the back of my hair straighter, AND to even out my hair color with Wella Midway Color ALL OVER MY HEAD (this color is said to be demi-permanent/semi-permanent, whatever that means).

NOW THE BACK OF MY HAIR IS EXPERIENCING BREAKAGE due to overprocessing. (apparently using Bodiphier w/heat, PLUS the color ALL OVER was too much for my baby-fine hair to take!) The BACK of my hair is so damaged that I got strands of hair on my hands when I simply touched the back of my hair. The FRONT &amp; SIDES of my hair, however, are strong, in great condition (go figure)

The Aphogee Treatment for Damaged Hair that I applied last night seemed to stop the breakage, though (thanks Londondiva!) and I am "nursing" my hair back to health by leaving it alone (no heat, hair gelled w/pre-con gel &amp; worn in a bun DAILY). I will continue using the Aphogee for 6 weeks until my hair recovers.

My hair is still kinda long, but I LOST A LOT of hair as a result of the overprocessing (described above) done in Nov-Dec, 2002.

What have I learned? Lye, and traditional no-lye relaxers (those with guanidine carbonate, lithium hydroxide or calcium hydroxide) are NOT for me, due to my thin, baby-fine hair texture. And it seems my hair is so fine that it can't even take a "heated" Bodiphier WITH semi/demi permanent color!

Lesson learned: treat my hair with "kid" gloves...I may try the low-ph (ph OF 6.5-7) KMS Flat Out Relaxing Balm that the other ladies on this board are using, OR I may just do an occasional blow-dry &amp; curl A MAXIMUM OF ONCE PER WEEK (this, alone, will get my hair straight--my hair's so baby-fine that I don't have to press my hair, blowdry &amp; hot marcells will do the trick). For my hair, using heat more frequently than 1x/week is a prescription for disaster!

WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN FOR YOU?? Well I think that braids/weaves are fine for giving your hair a rest, and they can be "care-free" (yes!), BUT I would advise that you regularly condition/moisturize your real hair underneath.
(to speed up growth, you may find daily scalp applications of Ecrinal ANP 20, and scalp massages, useful, but you must be consistent).

When you must re-touch or remove the braids/weave, make sure it is done GENTLY. Then, when you return to wearing your own hair, make sure you have a PLAN AHEAD OF TIME for how you will nuture and care for your own hair once the braids/weave is removed. HAVE THIS THOUGHT OUT CAREFULLY BEFORE YOU REMOVE THE BRAIDS! Do not go back to the same overprocessing bad habits that damaged your hair prior to the braids/weave in the first place . For example, if you DO chose to relax, DO NOT over-process with heat (my experience is that the Caruso steam rollers are good when used with TRADITIIONALLY-RELAXED hair &amp; are less damaging to the hair than HEAT/Caruso steam rollers caused my non-traditionally-relaxed hair to frizz up, though)

Good luck and let us know how you make out with the braids!

Cyn


Legs71 asked :
As you all know I am trying to grow my hair long with the assistance of braids. I'm curious about those of you who believed you weren't destined to have long hair who now do.

How long did it take you to achieve your length?

Were you relaxed, texturized or natural during the growing out process?

Did you achieve your length with the help of braid or weaves?