Ladies that are APL and Higher...

[*Muffin*]

Didn't take me long to get to APL at all. My hair seems to grow fast up until a certain point. But it's taking me FOREVER to get to BSL. I've been stuck at just above BSL for a while. Recently I trimmed back up to APL, but hopefully I've taken care of all of my setbacks (which were quite a few) and I can reach BSL without a hitch now .

 

[LovingMe87]

I agree, wrapping your hair in the wrong way can do damage

Yea I didn't know any better! So I just said forget wrapping at all! BTW I love your hair!

 

[Aireen]

Not stretching my relaxers and having a bad stylist.

 

[chasturner84]

I'm just grazing APL and it has taken me 15 months just to do that due to the distance between my shoulders and armpits which is about 5.5-6". I *think* BSL may be a little easier to reach as it is only 3-4 inches from APL.

 

[CherryCherryBoomBoom]

I don't know what you're talking about, didn't take me long!

This statement makes me feel slightly sad . It's taking me too long to get to APL . Unlucky me

 

[Janet']

For me, my terminal SL length came from a combination of errors: everyday heat, ends constantly being ravaged from clothes, bags, etc., no use of low manipulation styles...Once I corrected the errors, my hair took off!

 

[LadyRaider]

I'm just grazing APL and it has taken me 15 months just to do that due to the distance between my shoulders and armpits which is about 5.5-6". I *think* BSL may be a little easier to reach as it is only 3-4 inches from APL.

Yeah... like I said, my armpits are in Antarctica. I'm shorter from APL to MBL than I think I am from shoulder to APL.

 

[SLOGRO]

I would like to think that since your are still learning what to do and what not to do it will take your hair longer to grow, but by the time your reach BSL you have a regi and know all about your hair so getting to MBL will take nothing at all.

Also people are different heights and not hair grows at the same rate.

 

[NaturalBeauty<3]

So, I've definitely bn in the sl-apl for a few years.
Before, i was beyond, so naturally I was trying to get back.
This summer I've stopped heat, cowashed, and been bunning consistently. (Along with taking my vits)
*BAM*
Beyond APL. Bra-strap length an inch away.
HTH, Love.

 

[CurliDiva]

Just a theory but....MAYBE when shorter than APL all of your hair (strands and ends) are in constant risk of contact with your clothes, etc. (rubbing and potentially getting damaged) ........once your hair gets long enough and (more importantly) heavy weight-wise then only the bottom-most layer is at risk of rubbing.

Does this make any sense?

 

[jamaicalovely]

Well, I couldn't vote in the poll because I was doing everything "right"

Dc'ing two times a week, co washing every day, bunning every day, no heat, moisturizing daily, etc.

My hair just grows slow, I guess. And my stupid ol thyroid doesn't make things better Went through a period when my hair was incredibly dry and brittle, and broke horribly

So yeah, that's why it took me so long. Ladies, get your thyroid checked. Don't wanna lose progress and suffer from unconrollable breakage and super brittle hair like I did. It's no fun. An out of whack thyroid can do things to your body that you never imagined

you are so right about that thyroid

 

[lana]

This is what I did to get to APL and almost BSL at thi spoint.
I didn't see some of the things I did to get to APl posted, so here goes...

(By the way before LHCF I was ALWAYS shoulder length)

Joined LHCF (not lurked, joined!)
Take vitamins everyday
Drink more water!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Stop straightening natural hair with heat, just texlaxed and use LESS HEAT! - Instant length retention!
Switched from NO-LYE to LYE for TEXLAXING - I truly credit this to retaining length (Mizani)
Started using Mane & Tail conditioner as my moisturizer/prepoo/leave in
Trimmed when needed, search and destroy
LOW blow dry, LOW flat iron (I need heat to style my hair the way I like it, but I refuse to use high heat)
Use a heat protectant

I moisturize daily and just recently started using Softee Grease (the yellow kind) on my ends only to "seal" and wow - I'm retaining length like crazy. Those are my hair secrets. I guess it's working because I am HOVERING over bra-strap length for the first time in my life.

I wash, style and on day 3 of wash day, I bun until the next wash. That's it. Simple and it works.

Oh and because I have super thick 4a/b hair, I use Redken Smooth Down products to help me with straightening. I will update my signature soon.

 

[topnotch1010]

I'm just grazing APL and it has taken me 15 months just to do that due to the distance between my shoulders and armpits which is about 5.5-6". I *think* BSL may be a little easier to reach as it is only 3-4 inches from APL.

I think this is real reason it takes so long to get from SL to APL. The distance is longer than any other length. 5-6" is the average growth over a year. The rest of the goals are half that.

 

[bhndbrwneyes]

before my HHJ I hovered between SL-APL, more on the APL side but months later I'd realize I'd have so much breakage and I was back at SL. Looking back on it I really abused my hair. I'm talking flat ironed EVERY day (sometimes twice a day on going out nights) on the highest setting using absolutely NO heat protectant and going 3-4 passes over each section. I'm surprised that I ever even made it to SL.

I voted for "I don't know what you're talking about" simply because I'm surprise my hair grew AT ALL after doing all that I was doing to it (like I said it was before my HHJ so I wasn't co-washing, DCing, moisturizing and sealing and all that jazz that we all now know about). I'm sure if I started my HHJ at or above SL I would have gotten past it in no time. I also voted for that option because it didn't take noticeably longer to get to that milestone than any other milestone. The length of my hair fluctuated quickly from drastic 2-3 inch trims to growing all that back in 3-5 months.

I think what is hardest for people is when they don't protective style and your ends are constantly brushing against the tops of your shoulders. Being much past SL now, I still wear my hair out a lot but my ends aren't directly brushing against anything, its draped flat across my back.

 

[BostonMaria]

before my HHJ I hovered between SL-APL, more on the APL side but months later I'd realize I'd have so much breakage and I was back at SL. Looking back on it I really abused my hair. I'm talking flat ironed EVERY day (sometimes twice a day on going out nights) on the highest setting using absolutely NO heat protectant and going 3-4 passes over each section. I'm surprised that I ever even made it to SL.

I voted for "I don't know what you're talking about" simply because I'm surprise my hair grew AT ALL after doing all that I was doing to it (like I said it was before my HHJ so I wasn't co-washing, DCing, moisturizing and sealing and all that jazz that we all now know about). I'm sure if I started my HHJ at or above SL I would have gotten past it in no time. I also voted for that option because it didn't take noticeably longer to get to that milestone than any other milestone. The length of my hair fluctuated quickly from drastic 2-3 inch trims to growing all that back in 3-5 months.

I think what is hardest for people is when they don't protective style and your ends are constantly brushing against the tops of your shoulders. Being much past SL now, I still wear my hair out a lot but my ends aren't directly brushing against anything, its draped flat across my back.

Flatironing and blowdrying my hair too much is what kept me at shoulder length for like 26 years (I kid you not). Once I BC'd I went from nape length to APL in a year. I had a huge growth spurt. But going from APL to WL took forever and a day. I've been trying to reach tailbone and at this point it almost feels impossible (I keep grabbing the scissors so that's my down fall)

 

[BlackHairDiva]

SL to APL didnt take me long.

What took me FOREVER was APL to BSB. What slowed me down from get to BSB, not keep a good eye on my inventory. I would run out of products and wait like 2 weeks to get it (Im in canada) so during that 2 week wait my suffered Immensly due to dryness. oh and growth retention was acheived easily because of BKT...(for me )

Just at the end of march I realised my ultimate goal... The sides are APL and the back of my hair is at BSB. I'm loving it but I want my hair long... MBL to waist lenght. I cant beleive I'm actually saying this.

What got me from SL to APL in a heart beat was product that all old school members know of. Its called MTG, made you smell like bacon..despite putting essential lemon oil to knock off the smell. I had side effects, migraines and neck pains...So I let it go.

 

[NefertariBlu]

Why did l come into this thread. Reading how easy it is for some people to reach apl is disheartening for me. I have had a few set backs. I have been taking good care of my hair. I protective style 100% of the time. I don't wear my hair down, use heat etc. I'm doing all the right things. Moisturise regularly, deep condition and l clip my split ends. I have been at colar bone length for over 9 months.

I know my hair grows as l do get 1/2 an inch per month. I thought l was a slow grower but l am not. I had to cut of heat damage this year and my hair broke off while l was protective styling in braids. Went on holiday and the sea water ruined my hair. I am just frustrated right now. My hair is in a better condition and it is longer than its ever been so l suppose o should be grateful for that. Never had hair that reached pass my nose lol.

 

[naija24]

this thread is depressing. i just hope to hit shoulder length in the back by December.

 

[lamaria211]

i think i was trimming to frequently

 

[koolkittychick]

It was totally me not stretching my relaxers, not M&S correctly for my hair, not DCing at every wash and having a scissor-happy stylist. The last six months away from her (I couldn't afford her prices anymore!) have been very beneficial to my hair; it has grown about 3.5 inches, is much fuller looking and I have hardly any breakage, even when I detangle and wash it. Oh, and I am now past APL and may even reach BSL by the end of September if all continues to go well.

 

[Nonie]

I don't know why anyone's getting depressed. SL is a length that lasts a long time. So you could be at SL for a whole year, since it starts from the beginning of your neck (highest point of shoulders) to the collar bone (lowest point of shoulders);
then after you pass that, you still have to travel to pits.

Which is why it doesn't help to claim lengths as soon as one hair touches them if you're the sort to get impatient. Just wait till you're full SL aka as CBL and then claim it. Coz if you claim SL at the point you just left NL, then you have a couple of years or so to come close to APL unless you have that unicorn hair some members have that grows like weeds.

What's more, hair before SL is short and safe from friction from your clothes. Also ends are not as old as they are when they get to SL so by the time they get to SL they are already pretty much chewed up if you're not dusting. And if you are, they are getting a lot of abuse from rubbing on your clothes if you're not PSing so that also affects retention.

I do not PS and didn't along my journey so my ends are not protected. But I managed to get to APL and past because I dust regularly thus keeping my ends in pretty good shape to help with their retention. If I PSed, I might've gotten to those milestones faster and been farther ahead than I am.

 

[Hyacinthe]

I don't know why anyone's getting depressed. SL is a length that lasts a long time. So you could be at SL for a whole year, since it starts from the beginning of your neck (highest point of shoulders) to the collar bone (lowest point of shoulders);
then after you pass that, you still have to travel to pits.

Which is why it doesn't help to claim lengths as soon as one hair touches them if you're the sort to get impatient. Just wait till you're full SL aka as CBL and then claim it. Coz if you claim SL at the point you just left NL, then you have a couple of years or so to come close to APL unless you have that unicorn hair some members have that grows like weeds.

What's more, hair before SL is short and safe from friction from your clothes. Also ends are not as old as they are when they get to SL so by the time they get to SL they are already pretty much chewed up if you're not dusting. And if you are, they are getting a lot of abuse from rubbing on your clothes if you're not PSing so that also affects retention.

I do not PS and didn't along my journey so my ends are not protected. But I managed to get to APL and past because I dust regularly thus keeping my ends in pretty good shape to help with their retention. If I PSed, I might've gotten to those milestones faster and been farther ahead than I am.

Preach that truth!!!

Sent from my GT-I9100G using LHCF

 

[brittle_hair]

I've been relaxed natural and relaxed again and still haven't really made it to APL, SL I can do with my eyes closed, but APL is a struggle. Hopefully now that I have found a protein conditioner that stops breakage in it's tracks and melts away tangles, I should be on track, also doesn't help that my hair is currently in a u shape cos it means the sides have a long way to go.

 

[nemi95]

I've been apl several times, but never longer. I've been relaxed, relaxed and I'm now transitioning. I never moisturized and never got trims so I would have to cut from APL to NL every 2 to 2.5 years. Now that I do take care of my hair I'm looking forward to BSL by Nov 2013.

 

[felic1]

Let's get more suggestions..........

 

[Lilmama1011]

i always was able to get to apl very easily even when i would get it cut to my chin it especially grew back quickly. the problem was going passed apl and it was because i frequently trimmed my hair too much

 

[PeaceFlow]

I think my distance is around 4". Will be keeping it up and protected as usual and lo mani. Hopefully that will let my hair continue to retain.

 

[xu93texas]

I don't know why anyone's getting depressed. SL is a length that lasts a long time. So you could be at SL for a whole year, since it starts from the beginning of your neck (highest point of shoulders) to the collar bone (lowest point of shoulders); then after you pass that, you still have to travel to pits. Which is why it doesn't help to claim lengths as soon as one hair touches them if you're the sort to get impatient. Just wait till you're full SL aka as CBL and then claim it. Coz if you claim SL at the point you just left NL, then you have a couple of years or so to come close to APL unless you have that unicorn hair some members have that grows like weeds. What's more, hair before SL is short and safe from friction from your clothes. Also ends are not as old as they are when they get to SL so by the time they get to SL they are already pretty much chewed up if you're not dusting. And if you are, they are getting a lot of abuse from rubbing on your clothes if you're not PSing so that also affects retention. I do not PS and didn't along my journey so my ends are not protected. But I managed to get to APL and past because I dust regularly thus keeping my ends in pretty good shape to help with their retention. If I PSed, I might've gotten to those milestones faster and been farther ahead than I am.

This is the truth...

 

[angelhairtype4]

I would say what helped me was keeping my hair off my shoulders, and water.
I would wear a wash and go puff pulled back with a satin scarf. My hair grew fast cause it was always getting watered.
When my hair got too big I started bunning and doing twists.

Oh and exercise! I notice my hair goes in overdrive when I workout consistently. Probably because the increased blood flow. Because along with the exercise I sweat heavily which means more scalp stimulation because I have to wash my hair often.

 

[ojthomas]

I would have to say what helped me was weekly washes, steaming or bagging with conditioner, moisturizing with water and sealing w/ oil and cream. Sleeping with my silk scarf at night. I left my hair alone no manipulation except for wash days. Wore my hair in a bun. I use heat once or twice a year.