My hair has been the same length for 2 years :(

[Maneylovee]

In 2010 I experienced a really bad kitchen beautician, I got a simple press and curl and the lady FRIED my hair! After that it started breaking off, it was dead. In that time I had pretty long hair it was below BSL and this was before I knew about going natural and about LHCF, I have always been natural my whole life so I did not have to deal with any relaxers or chemicals and I did get my hair flat ironed about every 4 months.

So anyways after this incident where my hair was fried(in 2010) I just kind of left my hair alone, back then I use to use A LOT of grease and that was pretty much it, I also washed my hair very infrequently. So by 2012 my hair had long since stopped shedding and it actually was pretty healthy, I still had straight ends from the dead hair but I did not cut them, it was time for senior portaraits so I wanted length. My hair seemed pretty healthy I got it flat ironed for my pictures and it was a good shoulder length but my thickness was back like it was before I started having all of that breakage.

Now fast forward to 2013 the behinning of college I got Senegalese twists because I was in a new climate and did not know how to deal eith my hair, I kept those in for about 3 months when I took them out my thickness was great my hair seemed pretty healthy I was still pretty much at the same SL and I still have some straight ends. I get my hair flat ironed and I keep it for about 2 weeks I also do a little dusting of my ends begore I wash my hair. After this I get loc extensions which I keep for about 2 months, I take these out and get my hair flat ironed, again pretty much the same length and straight ends, i keep my press for 2 weeks and then wash and comdition my hair, this time I deep confition and blow out my hair and get Senegalese twists again which I keep for a month and a half. When I took them out I wash condition my hair. This is the present I have been conscious of LHCF for years but now I'm really health conscious of my hair, my goal is WL hair. Since I have not flat ironed my hair I can't get the most accurate length check but it does not seem like it has grown that much.

I'm just wondering after about 6 months of protective styling why my hwir is not retaing a good amount of length especially since it was such low manipulation. I now do the LOC method, cowash 1-2x a week and deep condition weekly. Why am I not retwining length? Before that incident in 2010 my hair would just grow with just grease. What's going on? If I would not have had that incident I would have waistlength hair with ease but now I can't get my hair padt SL.

 

[ezina]

Leave that flat iron alone, girl. Try a one year no-heat challenge and see what happens. After the year is up and you still want to use heat, gradually reincorporate it.

 

[NaturallyATLPCH]

If grease worked, why not go back to it? Don't believe these naysayers that say grease is bad, blah, blah, blah. If you know what works to retain your length, go back to that.

Key words from your post, "I pretty much left my hair alone."

Sounds like you need to go back to that and stop flat ironing it so much as the previous poster said.

 

[overtherainbow]

^This.
Protective styling is not for everyone. I'm one of those people who cannot stay in one for more than 2 weeks without something going wrong (i.e scalp build up). Same for the LOC method. A lot of people are successful with it, while others choose LCO instead.
Also if grease worked for you, then go back to it. I LOVE grease in the winter. I do not use it often because I like to change my sealants around, but grease is one of my favorites. However, like all heavy sealants, I only use them after a co-cleanse/shampoo. You might find that co-washing won't cut it when using grease.
HTH and Good luck!

 

[PinkSunshine77]

cut off the damaged ends
stay away from the heat. Some ladies can do the monthly heat thing..and some can't. I don't think your hair can. Don't worry, my hair can't either. It only takes one straightening with a flat iron to get damaged hair.