Natural hair/Growth plateau

[FRO-EVER 21]

Hi All,

I am new too the board, (although, I have been stalking many of the public albums for weeks now).

A year and a half ago, I decided to go natural. After wearing braids for nearly 3 years, I'd finally grown out a "Halle Berry" and my hair was at the longest point it has ever been in my adult life (grazing the top of my shoulders). After the big chop, I texturized for twice (once every two months) before going completely natural. In the first year, I noticed considered growth, (5.5 inches which is a lot for my hair), but since then I haven't retained any length (I kid you not). My hair seems to be stuck in the same spot. I have tried changing my regime, washing more and when that didn't work washing less, but so far it is the same results. Coincidentally, this is the same length, I had when I was relaxing and abusing my hair with massive heat. The only thing that seems to work for me are braids, but after three years of wearing them, I really don't want to go down that road again. The other problem I have is that my hair is super thick and has a lot of shrinkage so I have a teeny tiny afro that I can pull into a puff, but my styling options are vitually non-existence. All I want is to be able to pull my hair back in a low ponytail...Has anyone else had this problem?

By the way my regime is:

Wash 2x week (CON,OR NEXXUS MOISTURIZING POO)
Deep con 1x week (HUMECTRESS)
Hot Oil 1x month
Dailly Vitamins - IRON, ZINC, BIOTIN
Moisturiz- Daily W/STA SO FRO and Oil scalp with Sulfur 8

Signed,
Black girl desperately seeking ponytail

 

[Lucia]

Hi welcome to the boards, I have a couple questions so we all can help you out. I hope you don't mind. Are you using any type of cond as a leave-in?
what do you do to protect your ends, moisterize etc..?
If your hair is not long enough to get a low pony, there is the baggie method with a phonytail, and or you could use the platic cond cap as a full head baggie @ night, of course always moisterize before putting your hair up in the baggie.
Are you trimming yourself or is someone else trimming/cutting your ends for you?
Do you let your hair air dry or are you using heat?
And you may wnat to cond wash 2x week and shampoo less often.
Do your shampoo's contain sodium laryl/laureth sulfates-sls? those tend to dry out naturals.

the baggie method :
http://www.picturetrail.com/adrienne0914

click on baggie with pony there's without also.

 

[jainygirl]

Hey there I'm not exactly sure how long your hair is but I have alot of shrinkage as well. I stretch out my hair by washing then applying a table spoon of shea butter and doing fat twist all over my head and letting it dry. I take apart the twists and lightly pick my hair out and I can add an ouchless headband and do a big puff,twists, cornrows, flat twists just whatever style I want. Try stretching out your hair to add more styling options if that's what you want.

For hair care I just shampoo and use VO5 or DDTA (Daily Defense Tender Apple) Conditioner after. My only other product that I use other than unrefined shea butter is water in a regular ole spray bottle. HTH -- jainygirl

 

[JaneBond]

hAVE YOU CONSIDRED CHANGING YOUR DIET. IT COULD BE WHAT YOU ARE CONSUMING.

 

[nurseN98]

I agree with Jainygirl....twistouts or braidouts would look nice as another styling option. You might be manipulating your hair too much as well. Do you comb or brush it daily? Do you tug on it during the day? I have one spot on my head where I'm always messing with it and I just noticed about a month ago that it is shorter than the rest. Try to do styles where you don't have to mess with too much and if you are like me and like to have your fingers in your hair all day, try to concentrate on not doing that anymore.

 

[FRO-EVER 21]

Hi all,

Thanks for your responses... Well, where do I begin?


Are you using any type of cond as a leave-in?
what do you do to protect your ends, moisterize etc..?
If your hair is not long enough to get a low pony, there is the baggie method with a phonytail, and or you could use the platic cond cap as a full head baggie @ night, of course always moisterize before putting your hair up in the baggie.
Are you trimming yourself or is someone else trimming/cutting your ends for you?
Do you let your hair air dry or are you using heat?

I don't use any leave in- conditions. I did to in my relaxer days, but it caused a lot of breakage. I'm not using anything specifically for my ends, I just moisturize with Sta- so- Fro (which I love), do you recommend anything else? What is the baggie method with the phonytail? I've never heard of this. In my haste, I forgot to mention two things--- my horrible experience with a trim-happy stylist and my press- n-curl nightmare. In the interest of saving time, I will just relate the trim story. Since, I've gone natural, I haven't had a regular stylist. So six months ago, I visted a stylist recommended by a co-worker. I told her I needed a "shape-up" and to just trim the ends. Apparently I used the wrong words, because she cut 2 inches of hair. Now, I know for the sisters with hair down to thier waists, 2 inches doesn't seem like much, but for me-- a person who was only working with about 6 or so inches in the first place, that cutting a third of my hair. I was so mad. It is from this that I've observed that I haven't retained any length. My hair is still the same lenght (about 4-5 inches) all over. So to answer your question: I haven't trimmed in months, but when I do, I will trim my own.

Jainygirl, your hair is beautiful, I usually wash and do a twist-out and let it air dry. But when I pull my twist apart, it is not as full as I like it so, I usually end up picking it out until I have an afro.


As for the diet question- I' m working on it- although I do have the occasional big mac attack.

 

[Lucia]

Hi all,

Thanks for your responses... Well, where do I begin?


Are you using any type of cond as a leave-in?
what do you do to protect your ends, moisterize etc..?
If your hair is not long enough to get a low pony, there is the baggie method with a phonytail, and or you could use the platic cond cap as a full head baggie @ night, of course always moisterize before putting your hair up in the baggie.
Are you trimming yourself or is someone else trimming/cutting your ends for you?
Do you let your hair air dry or are you using heat?

I don't use any leave in- conditions. I did to in my relaxer days, but it caused a lot of breakage. I'm not using anything specifically for my ends, I just moisturize with Sta- so- Fro (which I love), do you recommend anything else? What is the baggie method with the phonytail? I've never heard of this. In my haste, I forgot to mention two things--- my horrible experience with a trim-happy stylist and my press- n-curl nightmare. In the interest of saving time, I will just relate the trim story. Since, I've gone natural, I haven't had a regular stylist. So six months ago, I visted a stylist recommended by a co-worker. I told her I needed a "shape-up" and to just trim the ends. Apparently I used the wrong words, because she cut 2 inches of hair. Now, I know for the sisters with hair down to thier waists, 2 inches doesn't seem like much, but for me-- a person who was only working with about 6 or so inches in the first place, that cutting a third of my hair. I was so mad. It is from this that I've observed that I haven't retained any length. My hair is still the same lenght (about 4-5 inches) all over. So to answer your question: I haven't trimmed in months, but when I do, I will trim my own.

Jainygirl, your hair is beautiful, I usually wash and do a twist-out and let it air dry. But when I pull my twist apart, it is not as full as I like it so, I usually end up picking it out until I have an afro.


As for the diet question- I' m working on it- although I do have the occasional big mac attack.

OK this is long...
I posted a link to Adrienne's album where you can see a pic demo of the baggie method, it's basically you put your hair in a ponytail moisterize with sta sof fro or whatever you like the ends then cover them witha clean sanwhich baggie, cover and secure a fake pony tail=phonytail to cover it and that keeps the ends moist. If you put your ends up dry they will come down dry.
Now the moidified baggie, can be used if you can't do a ponytail, like length, braids, weaves, etc...
you just moisterize all your hair, including braid extensions or weave if your wearing it, then put it up in a plastic cap. Like the ones you get a t the beauty supply their disposable and cheap. I do this every night, I moisterize with s-curl no drip, then oil or lanolustre hair creme.
Definately do your own trimms unless your ready to loose 2-3 inches going to any professional even the great clips type cheap place. With the baggie method you won't have as many split ends. The baggie is a subsitute way of doing protective styling if you can't bun.
Stay away from heat as much as you can, and when you want to straighten learn how to do it yourself, and Maxiglide electric flat iron is very good it uses steam heat and cuts time down and it's easy to use.

BTW if you're taking vitamins the occasional Big mac won't hurt you too much, but it has zero nutritional value.
to help growth and maintain hair growth cycles some ladies and i take Fo-ti and spirulina=seaweed caps very good for pushing hair growth (both @ the health/whole food stores). I'm just suggesting things that have worked for me so they may or may not work for you but it usually takes 2-3 months to see a change.
hth

 

[OnceUponAtime]

Hi there.

The previous posts have great suggestions. I've have to agree with the leave-in conditioner and baggie method. They were my life savers, especially using the leave-in. You can use many regular conditioners as leave-ins, but be careful not to use strong protein conditioners to do so. They can cause breakage.

Since everything doesn't work for everyone, I'll list of some of the techniques/products that worked for me:
~Humectress as a leave-in
~Baggie method with phony ponytail or left in over night without ponytail
~Protective styles - shake & go, phony ponytail, braid outs
~Silk/satin scarves/satin hair bonnets to sleep in or dry hair with
~Honey/EV Olive Oil deep conditioning or Salerm Wheat Germ Oil Conditioning
~Surge Revitalizer on scalp followed by castor oil
~Strong protein treatments - Aphogee, DRC 28 - every 6-8 weeks (caution, not for everyone)
~Nexxus Emergencee or Nexxus Keraphix once or twice a month (not every month)
~Frequent conditioner washes, 4-7 days a week (limit poo washing to 2 a month, 3 times if using heavy products)
~Clarify once a month
~Baking soda rinse before every wash (conditioner or poo)
~Cool water rinse with splash of apple cider vinegar
~Satiny, silky scrunchies
~Minimize metal parts (barettes, hair pins) in hair

There are so many things I do, but not everything everytime. I pay attention to what my hair is "telling" me.

I transitioned and my hair grew from 3-4 inches (stretched) to armpit length (streched), although with an occasional setback just to fustrate me. I don't have recent pics (broken camera), but my album has some from April.
fotki and yahoo

 

[MeechUK]

Hi Fro-Ever21,
I would not worry too much about the hair cut, your hair will thank you for it. If your ends were unhealthy this would have contributed to your growth plateau. Spritzing daily with water (*distilled or shower filter) and moisturising your ends will contribute to longer, faster growing and healthier hair. I would however suggest that you always use a leave-in conditioner after washing, it strengthens the hair, or when you condition don't rinse all the conditioner from your hair.

Happy hair growing,
MeechUK