You are trapped here, with all the rest, until December 2022.
What are the dates on these photos, please?
You don't see your incredible progress in these photos???????? I am so beside myself I'm talking and spitting like Daffy Duck!
View attachment 478933
Stop the harsh judgment and the criticism of your lovely hair, please. The ends do not look busted. You and your hair deserve to be commended.
Let's do an analysis and and assessment which in principal, is logic based and not emotion based.
Are you serious - I see PROGRESS and growth!!!!! I am assuming the hair on the Left is the before and the hair on the Right is the after.
My suggestion is to continue going with your hair processes because it looks like whatever you are doing is working. I do not see what you see. I do not see busted ends and breakage. I see hair that looks like it has gained 2 to 4 inches of healthy length and has begun to even up at this longer length. Lastly, overall, the hair on the right looks longer, healthier and silkier than the hair on the left. All of those things are the hallmarks of hair that is becoming healthier, longer and more beautiful. 'Tis all.
- First of all, these are phenomenal side by side before and after pictures. Great job! The clothing choice, placement in front of the background, position of your body and the light are so similar and make the comparison so very clear. That is extremely hard to do AND get it right. You have. Bravo!
- Photo on Left: You have hairs in the back that have dropped 2 to 4 inches longer than the bulk of your hair. Some would call that hair scraggly ends. I love to call those kinds of hair, "Lead Hairs". That's because I say they are the Soldier hairs leading the bulk of the hair to newer, longer lengths.
- In the [newer/latest] picture on the RIGHT, the bulk of your hair, the majority of your hair has dropped down to the length of those lead hairs. It looks like your hair has literally gained 2 to 3 inches in length, all around the perimeter and ends of the hair. What is the time frame of the photos? And what is your regimen?
- Yes, you could cut your hair to shoulder length. It is entirely your decision because it is entirely your hair. That would place you back to where you started and the hair would be all even at that length and about six (6) inches shorter. BUT, you will have lost ALL your length gains. Hair does not grow like a wig in that all hair drops to longer lengths at the same time resulting in the same thickness, at the newer length. Nope.
- Hair can look thin and the two main reasons in my book are: Because it is breaking or because it is gaining length. Your hair is gaining length [in my opinion].
- Your hair may be thin in the middle because perhaps of the way that you style it. If you consistently part your hair in the middle and separate the hair, you are creating wear and tear on the hair in that parted section. Or, if you wear a bun or single ponytail and sleep with the hair too tightly, that could also be stressing the hair, and breaking the hair in that section. It could also just mean that your hair grows that way. If it grows that way, there are other strategies that you can implement to try to even things out.
- You may want to examine what you are doing with your hair as it relates to styling, parting, tightening or etc. I would look at those areas first before [inferring] that the hair is somehow not growing or continuously breaking [on it own] in the middle/or same spot over and over.
- If your current hair is the photo on the left, then yes, you have a lot of breakage. If your current hair is the photo on the right, then you have a lot of growth.
- If you head to a salon, I can GUARANTEE you that your hair will most likely be cut up to your shoulders, if not even shorter. But if you don't identify the reason WHY your hair is breaking [your words not mine], or if you don't put yourself under the care of a stylist who can help you identify your issues and help you solve them with their great care and knowledge, the only thing you are going to come out with is freshly cut hair.
- Your challenge is to identify why your ends are breaking and to figure out why the hair in the middle is thinning. Cutting your hair will not give you the answer. Assume there is something you may or may not be doing to impact the hair. Assume there may be something you are using, such as a product or a styling tool, that could also be impacting your hair in a way that you do not want.
- If your goals seem unreachable to you, you are absolutely right. If your goals seem like a stretch, but do-able, you are absolutely right. In this situation, it seems to me to be about perception. I believe it is possible for you to reach your goals but your hair is not my hair.
Proceed as you see best, even if that means cutting your hair. You are lovingly supported in your decisions and choices in this thread.
But you just can't leave this thread, though.
Just keep checking back.I’m hanging in there and praying my hair feets hang even longer!
Your curls are really cute. Glad you are enjoying your curls
Thank you for that analysis! I think I will keep my length and work on curbing the breakage. I did give myself a tiny (1/8th of an inch) trim but I would like an all over trim. I don't want to throw my progress away. I think my hair is just naturally thinner in the middle when I think about it. I have always had this issue but it is less apparent as a natural. And I updated the pic to reflect the dates. My goal is to retain most of my growth this year.What are the dates on these photos, please?
You don't see your incredible progress in these photos???????? I am so beside myself I'm talking and spitting like Daffy Duck!
View attachment 478933
Stop the harsh judgment and the criticism of your lovely hair, please. The ends do not look busted. You and your hair deserve to be commended.
Let's do an analysis and and assessment which in principal, is logic based and not emotion based.
Are you serious - I see PROGRESS and growth!!!!! I am assuming the hair on the Left is the before and the hair on the Right is the after.
My suggestion is to continue going with your hair processes because it looks like whatever you are doing is working. I do not see what you see. I do not see busted ends and breakage. I see hair that looks like it has gained 2 to 4 inches of healthy length and has begun to even up at this longer length. Lastly, overall, the hair on the right looks longer, healthier and silkier than the hair on the left. All of those things are the hallmarks of hair that is becoming healthier, longer and more beautiful. 'Tis all.
- First of all, these are phenomenal side by side before and after pictures. Great job! The clothing choice, placement in front of the background, position of your body and the light are so similar and make the comparison so very clear. That is extremely hard to do AND get it right. You have. Bravo!
- Photo on Left: You have hairs in the back that have dropped 2 to 4 inches longer than the bulk of your hair. Some would call that hair scraggly ends. I love to call those kinds of hair, "Lead Hairs". That's because I say they are the Soldier hairs leading the bulk of the hair to newer, longer lengths.
- In the [newer/latest] picture on the RIGHT, the bulk of your hair, the majority of your hair has dropped down to the length of those lead hairs. It looks like your hair has literally gained 2 to 3 inches in length, all around the perimeter and ends of the hair. What is the time frame of the photos? And what is your regimen?
- Yes, you could cut your hair to shoulder length. It is entirely your decision because it is entirely your hair. That would place you back to where you started and the hair would be all even at that length and about six (6) inches shorter. BUT, you will have lost ALL your length gains. Hair does not grow like a wig in that all hair drops to longer lengths at the same time resulting in the same thickness, at the newer length. Nope.
- Hair can look thin and the two main reasons in my book are: Because it is breaking or because it is gaining length. Your hair is gaining length [in my opinion].
- Your hair may be thin in the middle because perhaps of the way that you style it. If you consistently part your hair in the middle and separate the hair, you are creating wear and tear on the hair in that parted section. Or, if you wear a bun or single ponytail and sleep with the hair too tightly, that could also be stressing the hair, and breaking the hair in that section. It could also just mean that your hair grows that way. If it grows that way, there are other strategies that you can implement to try to even things out.
- You may want to examine what you are doing with your hair as it relates to styling, parting, tightening or etc. I would look at those areas first before [inferring] that the hair is somehow not growing or continuously breaking [on it own] in the middle/or same spot over and over.
- If your current hair is the photo on the left, then yes, you have a lot of breakage. If your current hair is the photo on the right, then you have a lot of growth.
- If you head to a salon, I can GUARANTEE you that your hair will most likely be cut up to your shoulders, if not even shorter. But if you don't identify the reason WHY your hair is breaking [your words not mine], or if you don't put yourself under the care of a stylist who can help you identify your issues and help you solve them with their great care and knowledge, the only thing you are going to come out with is freshly cut hair.
- Your challenge is to identify why your ends are breaking and to figure out why the hair in the middle is thinning. Cutting your hair will not give you the answer. Assume there is something you may or may not be doing to impact the hair. Assume there may be something you are using, such as a product or a styling tool, that could also be impacting your hair in a way that you do not want.
- If your goals seem unreachable to you, you are absolutely right. If your goals seem like a stretch, but do-able, you are absolutely right. In this situation, it seems to me to be about perception. I believe it is possible for you to reach your goals but your hair is not my hair.
Proceed as you see best, even if that means cutting your hair. You are lovingly supported in your decisions and choices in this thread.
But you just can't leave this thread, though.
I love the tone [of voice] in this post. It reflects what I ALWAYS say about gaining length on Afro-Textured hair:
Nothing going on over here. Just resetting my hair twice a week and keeping it simple. Trying to be more patient with detangling. Just being boring
Agreed! Using more than 2-3 products from Olaplex gives you protein overload without the actual protein. I’m currently using Olaplex #3 as a weekly leave-in conditioner. I’m not using the shampoo or conditioner right now. I still have half a bottle of #0 left, that I’m currently not using. I don’t think it’s necessary at this time and it can also be time consuming to use. I may just be a little lazy though, lol.
Hi ladies, I'm still here! I had to transition to using my laptop instead of my phone so I can fully participate in the challenges I entered for 2022. I've been indulging in new habits (most are healthy 
) that are keeping me off of the internet and busy in my real life.
I've been keeping up with my weekly DCs using heat, and did my once per month DC using steam this past week. I DC on the weekend and moisturize and re-twist once during the week. I am rethinking that schedule and will probably add another moisturize-day during the week. That will probably just be a whole head spritz and baggy situation so that I'm not re-doing the twists and manipulating my TWA for a third time during the week.
I'm planning to do a one-step hendigo treatment soon, to keep the grays at bay.
I picked up 4 Soultanicals salon sized items recently and I'm trying to stick to one product so that I can judge it fairly, but that's hard to do. I'm a big fan of the Afrotastic Curl Elastic so I got it, the Marula Moisture, Chebe-Ginger and the Knot Sauce.
I think that's all.
Is he a shady boots? Does he feel a way?My ex who hasn't seen my hair in a long time as it's either just bunned or hidden, marvelled over my hair. He said it "looks artificial"
