Length VS Play... Where do YOU Stand?

[pre_medicalrulz]

From Wanakee's "Practical Guide for Hair Care":

"Some women have asked us, "What is the point of having long hair if you have to wear it up?" The point of wearing it up is to have long hair. Once a young lady asked, "About how long would it take for me to grow my hair really long?" We told her it would take about 4 years with regular trimmings. She said, "Four years? I’ll be 34 years old in four years, that’s too much time!" We had to remind her that she was going to be 34 years old in four years anyway; might as well get there having fabulous hair."

And to put her results in perspective:

So having said that, I don't mind designating a certain amount of time for PSing so that I can play later. But best believe I will always be PSing even when I come out to play ...

The great thing is now I have found some wonderful lace fronts that allow me to have a little play...

Agreed!!

Sent from my LG-MS690 using LG-MS690

 

[candy626]

Great thread.

For a long time I'd rather "play"--wear my hair down and flat iron it all the time, even though I knew it would make it tough for me to break past BSL.

But recently, I realized I'd rather grow it out and wear it in protective styles (wigs, wash n' go's, rollersets, etc).

Now when I want to "play" I just wear one of my wigs.

 

[aviddiva77]

I can't do both? But I want to whip my hair back and forth and actually WHIP PEOPLE!

But I'd say about 70% play and 30% protect. I'd pony in a heartbeat if my bangs actually reached the elastic!

 

[Sheabutta13]

I am willing to ps for 6 months straight; if i dont get dramatic results from that i am back to rollersetting and wearing it down.

Also, I am willing to compromise also after this trail period...maybe only wearing it down on special occasions and weekends, wearing a silk scarf around my shoulders during the cold months...

but long hair is more important to me, and i think once hair gets to a certain length your protective styles start looking more elegant and you like wearing them

Protective styling is tough and I feel is only super beneficial at night...so I sleep on a satin pillow case but let my hair go free during the day. I am natural and my hair has grown past BSL...everyone IS different though :?

 

[LovelyNaps26]

i'm Team Protective Style

the thing is once you reach your goal length you can wear it out all the time if you want to. I know I'll even flat iron more often (go from once a year to 3xs max ). You will have to trim every two months (or at least i would have to due to knots at the end of my hair) but you'd be maintaining so it's all good.

my 1st year on LHCF i wore protective styles 90% of the time and retained 5 inches going from SL to BSB. This year I was 'smellin myself" and wearing braid outs mostly and only retained 2 inches b/c i had to trim away knots periodically. Guess who's baggying and ps-ing for the next year?

Honestly as your hair gets longer protective styles look flyer anyway. I know I get just as many if not more compliments on simple updos as i do braid outs/blow outs.

 

[winona]

other
On the weekdays I keep my hair in a PS
On the weekends I do whatever

 

[MrsJaiDiva]

What's that saying? Work hard, play hard? Well while I'm home, I work hard to keep my hair healthy, and growing long and thick. That way, when I go out, I can "play hard" and enjoy the fruits of my labor!

I'm trying to give em something to suck they teeth at....how am I supposed to do that if it's hidden away in a ps?

 

[RoseTintedCheeks]

Play isn't play if you do it everyday....

at least when it comes to my hair. PS 80% of the time, and I actually like my buns.

 

[Meritamen]

I did protective styles pretty much 100% of the time in the first year of my HHJ and plan to continue that all the way to BSL which should be in late 2012-early 2013. I feel like I do get to play with my hair when I do updos since that is something I was never able to do before. Plus, they become easier to do as my hair gets longer. I will show off my hair when I get to BSL and longer.

 

[regina07]

I don't wear wigs or weaves but I do wear buns 80% of the time...mainly because I'm lazy.

During the summer, I do wear it curly.

I can grow my hair to BSL/MBL with little effort but the exciting part for me is the challenge of growing it to TBL and keeping it healthy. I don't know if I'll wear it out any more when I get to TBL -- who knows I may decide to grow to Classic and wear it in 1 braid down my back. (don't know about all that .... that strikes me like crazy old woman )

 

[AmyRose92]

I'm always about length nowadays.
I've been PSing under wigs since April and I've only let my hair out on maybe four to five times since then. When I get to a comfortable length like APL-BSL, I'll probably "play" more. However, "play" just might be wearing twists in a banana clip or something

 

[HauteHippie]

I guess I'm about play nowadays, b/c this weave has GOT to come out! Waste of money...

Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using T-Mobile G2

 

[QUEENJAMES231]

I picked other because I'm kind of in the middle! I like protective styles cuz I am not good at styling my hair. So of me it's easy to put a wig on or do kinky twists but I am in my first year natural so I love wearing my hair out because it's still so new to me and I want to enjoy it at every stage, but I think everything in moderation! I think I PS about 60% and wear my hair out about 40% but like I said its mostly out of convenience.

 

[Geminigirl]

Hello all, I have yet another question I'd like to get some opinions on. And as I mentioned before, I am new to this forum so if a similar question has already been asked, please forgive the duplicate question!

Anyway, I have seen ladies, not only here but on other forums and on Youtube that are willing to live in wigs, weaves and other protective styles for the sake of preserving every inch of hair that grows out of their scalps. While I can respect and understand this to a certain degree, I don't understand at what point the protective styling ends and the person enjoys the fruit of their labors and actually wears the hair they have so meticulously protected and grown out.

Even though my hair has always been really short, and even though I REALLY want it to grow and become longer than it has ever been, I find myself unwilling to LIVE in protective styles in order to gain or retain any certain amount of length. I mean, I can see doing it for a month or two at a time, giving my hair a break, and then putting it away again into protective styling. This is something I will probably have to do in the winter because that is a very critical time for my hair. But I just would not want to have to do this for years at a time in order to have longer hair.

I guess the bottom line is that I'd rather have APL hair and be able to actually wear it out, 70% of the time than to have MBL hair, and have it hidden beneath a weave/wig or in some other protective style 80% of the time.

That's my stand!

Now what's yours?

My thing is do you. Its a sacrafice to me. Once you reach your goal then you can enjoy your hair. I keep telling myself its a sacrifice I have to make if I want to reach
A length i never have before.I look at LHDC and other youtubers and say they sacraficed because lord knowsi hate wearing fake hair now but no ones gone tell me nothing when my big hair is blocking the way.
excuse my typos i hate it as much as you.

 

[Geminigirl]

Well, one of my goals is to be an inspiration to other 4a/4ba girls that we CAN grow super long, healthy hair. So I've decided to PS in weaves and braids until I grow my hair to about shoulder length. At that point I'll start PSing using my own hair- buns, 2 strand twists, twist outs, braids, braid outs. If I get stuck, I'll go back to PSing in weaves until I get to APL or my ultimate goal MBL.

And when I reach my goal?? LORD......you really won't be able to tell me nothing LOL. I plan to wear the fiercest, biggest, longest afro 4b hair the world has ever seen every weekend, but I'll probably bun or wear twists during the week

Me too. I want to be an inspiration too. Also to other proletariat who hate my natural hair I want to show them the glory.

excuse my typos i hate it as much as you.



ETA-Goodness my phone gets on my nerves and it's too hard to proofread on my phone every post. I'm glad I will be getting internet soon. Anyways what I was trying to say was I want to be an inspiration too, especially to people who don't like my hair now because it's short and gets nappy looking sometimes. I want to outshine all the naysaysers and hair haters and be an inspiration to my daughter and others in my community. Please come to me for advice, I will help you.

 

[koolkittychick]

Don't know how this old thread popped up (I guess someone answered the poll), but I found the comment I made on it two years ago and I must say now that I am MBL it still holds true for me. I still tend to PS in buns and updos because I am mostly lazy and it's still easier for me to throw it up into a cute bun than to let it down and try to put some manageable style in it. One thing that I didn't realize with long hair is that it takes work to manage it when it's loose so that it doesn't get caught on Every. Single. Thing. Now I know the real reason updos were so popular in olden days. It wasn't because of modesty. It was just more practical to keep your hair out of your daily business. Still when I let it loose, it is a lot of fun.

 

[PinkSunshine77]

I want long hair. I will protective style until I get there. When my hair is at my goal, then I'll sit and enjoy my hair.

 

[jnel29]

Hello all, I have yet another question I'd like to get some opinions on. And as I mentioned before, I am new to this forum so if a similar question has already been asked, please forgive the duplicate question!

Anyway, I have seen ladies, not only here but on other forums and on Youtube that are willing to live in wigs, weaves and other protective styles for the sake of preserving every inch of hair that grows out of their scalps. While I can respect and understand this to a certain degree, I don't understand at what point the protective styling ends and the person enjoys the fruit of their labors and actually wears the hair they have so meticulously protected and grown out.

Even though my hair has always been really short, and even though I REALLY want it to grow and become longer than it has ever been, I find myself unwilling to LIVE in protective styles in order to gain or retain any certain amount of length. I mean, I can see doing it for a month or two at a time, giving my hair a break, and then putting it away again into protective styling. This is something I will probably have to do in the winter because that is a very critical time for my hair. But I just would not want to have to do this for years at a time in order to have longer hair.

I guess the bottom line is that I'd rather have APL hair and be able to actually wear it out, 70% of the time than to have MBL hair, and have it hidden beneath a weave/wig or in some other protective style 80% of the time.

That's my stand!

Now what's yours?

I used to have issues with PSing before. I mean for years I was just happy to wear it out in a style, but I used too much heat. Nearly 3 years ago I got into braids and this winter I am into wigs, and so far they havev made all the difference. I had no patience with my hair before. When I do get to my goal I will wear it out more, but I suspect by then my hair may be too much to handle and I will go back to PSing. I struggle with the "wiggy" look all the time but I now realise that wigs are the key for me to meet my goal- so much so that I can see my growth from month to month, whereas before I never thought my hair was growing. I cannot wait to go back to having my hair out- in spring/summmer.

 

[SimpleLiving]

I'm all over the place on this. I've lost count how many times I have BC'd after reaching below MBL. . So obviously length is not the end-all be-all for me. PS is so easy that I find myself doing it a lot when I am sporting length especially after starting to grow our farm. No need in me being all out on the land, wind and dirt in my hair, you feel me? My PT of choice was bunning. Can't go wrong with a stylish, classic bun.

 

[SimpleLiving]

Speaking of PSing . . . anybody up for changing their PS? I have a cute half wig for sale. PM and let me know. I've recently big chopped and have no need for her. She's gorgeous and I have worn it only twice.

 

[PinkSunshine77]

I want long hair and I also don't want to be in bondage to braids, weaves and protective styling.

 

[BFeathers]

Play.

I've never found hair longer than say BSB appealing. I wouldn't know what/how to deal with hair that long and IMO it stops looking healthy the longer it gets.

For me BSB length or maybe APL would be a total length look to have some good length and play with. I know my hair and it would be that odd looking "V" with me stretching very tiny and wispy pieces to claim a longer length.

Pass.

I just want hair long enough to be completely versatile but still manageable for me and to play with and enjoy my head and look. Like my avi picture. My ideal length and thickness.

 

[Blairx0]

Both.

Of course

 

[NaturallyATLPCH]

I protective style not for growth, but because I don't have time to spend on my hair everyday.

I have a big head and a lot of fine strands. That ish gets HOT.

I spend most of the time in braids or twists out of convenience.

So while protective styling may be good, it is absolutely not because I'm trying to grow my hair. If length comes as a result of it, that's great.

 

[flyygirlll2]

I protective style not for growth, but because I don't have time to spend on my hair everyday. I have a big head and a lot of fine strands. That ish gets HOT. I spend most of the time in braids or twists out of convenience. So while protective styling may be good, it is absolutely not because I'm trying to grow my hair. If length comes as a result of it, that's great.

This. I protective style all the time in terms of just wearing buns. Folks don't even realize I have have a lot of hair until those special occasions I chose to wear it out. I've never really done it for growth, I just prefer to keep it simple plus I'm a bit style challenged when it comes to my hair lol. I don't have the time or energy to do my hair everyday.

 

[Aviah]

I was all length until about bsl. Now I'm more play. No point having it long and doing anything with it to me.

 

[LuciaAbigail]

Option #2 totally describes me. Right now I'm protective styling 7 days a week to reach my hair goal.

Once I reach that goal, I'll continue all the good hair care practices I had before finding LHCF (steaming, low heat use, good products etc) as well as those I picked up at LHCF (protein, PSing). I'll likely reduce protective styling to 3ish days per week.

Before this HHJ, I wore my hair down all the time and got to APL. Hopefully it's the same at MBL.

And if that leads to some breakage and length loss, so be it. I would rather have APL hair I can wear down when I want than MBL I can only wear down a few times a year.

But mileage totally varies on this

 

[missyrayne19]

Right now, I'm all about length. I'm at APL but have a long term goal of MBL/possible WL. My hair's current length is the longest my hair has ever been my whole life. I tribute that to PS. I practiced healthy hair practices pre-HHJ; the only thing that was missing was PS.

Now, y'all best believe that I will be enjoying the fruits of my labor once I hit my goal. Ain't no use in growing out all this hair if I'm not gonna enjoy it later. 'Til then, however, I am going to continue to PS 24/7 like I've been doing since I started my HJ. I'll have plenty of time to play with my results once I get there. So until then.... buns, buns, and more buns!

 

[TeeBee]

Wrong damn thread laawwwwd.. Oops

 

[ajargon02]

I mean, I can see doing it for a month or two at a time, giving my hair a break, and then putting it away again into protective styling. This is something I will probably have to do in the winter because that is a very critical time for my hair. But I just would not want to have to do this for years at a time in order to have longer

Now what's yours?

This is exactly what I do (protective style for a month, hair out for a wk, them back into a protective style )and it's working to help in retaining my ends which helps me reach my hair goals.

Once I hit my target length, then I will wear my hair out and enjoy the fruits of my labor!