Naturals who didn't retain THEN but are retaining Now...

[ChanelNo5]

what are you doing differently?

I have to admit this is one of my biggest hair fears. After all the work transitioning (physically and mentally), and singing the praises of my natchalness to anyone who will listen, at the 3 year mark my hair won't be....long .

I know that ALL hair whether relaxed or natural requires TLC but I have to admit I have a certain expectations of my natural hair. Not that I expect to magically get to MBL with no effort, but at least I don't feel like I'm constantly "treating" just to keep it on my head.

So if you've been natural for some time and you didn't reach the legnths you had hoped for initally, what did you do then and what are you doing now?

 

[mzteaze]

When I initially went natural, I wasn't caring for my hair. So it grew but I wound up cutting that growth off.

From last year, I started making sure my ends are moisturized, dusting the ends every 6 to 8 weeks and conditioning with protein weekly followed by a moisture DC. This approach has allowed me to retain my growth with minimal loss. Now I am a full SL and working towards APL. Also, low heat regi helps.

 

[TraciChanel]

Hi there...I've been "natural" since January '08 and to be honest, I didn't know what I was doing (this was before I discovered LHCF). I just knew that chemicals were breaking my hair off. Anyway, I actually wore protective styles which required the lowest manipulation - because my hair is so thick and I didn't feel like being bothered with it. From that, I am retaining a lot more length than I did when I had a relaxer. The only difference now is that I am moisturizing my hair as needed and that helps me to retain as well. I am doing protective styles until I get to my ideal length (MBL). I am APL currently. HTH!!

 

[Aviah]

Low manipulation, more moisture, less heat. Doing a lot better now after my second transition.

 

[Ronnieaj]

I wore my hair out too much initially. I also got caught up with co-washing and moisture only. Then I realized that my hair hates co-washing and needs healthy happy doses of protein on a very regular basis (read: every...single...wash). My hair needs to be highly balanced to thrive, and when I do that, it really does thrive.

I'm also starting to use heat less and less. I've never used more than 6 times in a year, but last year I did 4 and this year I'm aiming for 2. Next year will be 0-1. I protective style religiously, I've gotten over my fear of mineral oil (ends only, that stuff is heavenly ), and as my regimen has gotten more consistent my hair has retained infinitely better .

 

[mEmYSELFaNDj]

Although I got a relaxed 1 time at a young age, it grew out and I have bascially been natural the rest of my life. I never retained length it never got past CBL ever, until after I started my hair journey, I found the boards in March of 09 and started to apply the techniques I had learned and actually began my hair journey in June 09. At that time my hair was CBL now im WL or at least grazing WL.

Some things that I did differently that I can definitely attribute my retained length include:
Back to back weaves (So basically 99% protective styling)
Retired my blow dryer (I think I've used it twice in the last nearly 2 yrs, I air dry in braids)
Co-washing (at least 2-3x/wk)
Little to no heat on my real hair (the first year of my hair journey I probably flat ironed, 2-3x/yr and wore it straight for like a week or less in between weave installs)

I've done other things but have never been consistent so I cant say that these things (listed below)really made a difference or not(But I'd like to think they did, I definitely got the results I was looking for while using them, I like to keep things simple so I fall off bandwagons quickly):
Vitamins: Chlorella(growth) Spirullina(growth) Garlic tabs(eliminate shedding)
Growth aids: Megatek (growth) MN (growth) JBCO (growth thickness)
DC'ing (I only list this down here because I dont do it often, just whenever Im not being lazy)

 

[ChanelNo5]

Thank you for your replies. BUMP!

 

[DDTexlaxed]

I did retain in the past, but my lack of caring for my hair and styling it led me to multiple BCS and relaxer tug of wars. Even though I was discouraged, I found good you tube videos and product recommendations. Even my busted looking twists are helping me retain length and I am gaining more confidence to wear my natural hair out without hiding under a wrap cap.

 

[CurlsBazillion]

LHCF members really helped me out alot. I went natural the first time in 02' and all I used was hair grease and weekly shampooed and conditioned. Now although ain't nothing wrong with using grease I wasn't using a moisturizer or a leave in. I didn't DC and I ripped through my hair when detangling. Now that I have addressed those issues I'm past NL/SL and on my way to APL.

 

[nappystorm]

I've been natural since Feb 05. I was infatuated with the chunky fro. The only way to get my hair like that was to let it get dry and matted. I also thought that natural hair was maintenance free. HA! Then there were the SHS...

Anyhoo, doing my hair in sections and keeping it detangled went a looonnnggg way in the health and retention of my hair. I also started doing natural protective styles, self trims, putting my hair up at night, DC's and steam treatments (with a hot towel and plastic cap) every week.

 

[pookaloo83]

I'm retaining more now by being more gentle. I was really rough back then when I was natural than I am now.

 

[Katherina]

I've been natural all my life. I didn't retain a darn thing (consistent SL) because my hair was heat damaged and the ends broke off when I brushed out, blowdried, and pressed my dry shrunken hair every 2 weeks.

I went a year without using heat in 2009 and healthy hair started growing out. I did the same in 2010 (only straightened December 2009 and June 2010). My hair is strong and healthy now - before it was irreparably dry, porous, and breaking.

It took two years to grow out and trim off my damaged hair. Now I wash weekly and detangle wet with conditioner (HE HH), leave it in, and do mostly twistouts and braidouts.

My hair is almost BSL now. (I first reached APL in September of 2009 but have only gotten a couple of inches since then because spent the next year and a half trimming the damaged hair). It is much thicker, shinier, and happier than it was before.

 

[ilah]

I BC'd in July last year and didn't really know what to do with my hair. I knew I had to moisturize it, I knew I needed to co-wash etc...But I had no idea on how to style my hair. That is until I watched a YouTube vid on how to do a puff. (Life Saver). Now I had a style that was pretty cute, no fuss. It wasn't until I started using S-Curl that I actually realized I wasn't retaining before I started using it. That and a combination of some hair, skin and nail vitamins.

I co-wash once a week (that's all my hair needs) and DC once a month.
My hair is kept in a puff durring the day and left out but wrapped at night.
In the am I spray the scurl and leave in on and add a little bit of eco styler and that's it.
If I don't leave the house my hair remains covered.

I found what worked for me and I could visibly see loosing less and less hair every time I washed and styled. I would have very angry hair if it weren't for the ladies here on the forum...

My best advice is to find out what your hair likes and doesn't like and stick with the likes. It may take a while to get down to what works but once you find it your hair will respond beautifully.

 

[chebaby]

believe it or not i retain more when i co wash and wash and go daily. my hair holds on to moisture so i never have to worry about that and through the week i wear and w&g puff so my hair is off my neck. the weekend i wear my hair out and then sunday is when i really deep treat my hair with protein and moisture.

 

[princessnad]

I was bunning all the time. I have fine hair. So the ends were breaking because of the constant bun. I started straightening occasionally and wearing it in more lose styles and my ends are looking 100x better.

 

[RegaLady]

Low manipulation, more moisture, less heat. Doing a lot better now after my second transition.

This! I just did a second mini BC because of bad ends and breakage from a flat iron gone wrong. Set me back a little. So I realized these three steps are helping me retain because it is what worked when I BC'd the first time.

 

[charislibra]

The only difference between now and then is that now I actually have a real understanding of basic haircare and I'm using it to the fullest. I would just washed my hair with shampoo and would rarely condition. Blue Magic, Pink Lotion, 3 different color/kinds Softee greases in my hair at the same time, Do Gro, yellow and blue Sulfur8, DAX green pomade and the dreaded DAX Coconut/Tar oil disgusting smelling hair grease Kocatah was all I knew about "black haircare." My mom would do various cornrow braid "styles."

At 15, I had a perm for 6 months until it fell out (at 16). My little sis just got one. I saw the way her hair touched her neck and I wanted that. My mom's blowouts and straightens were never like that. I remember combing my hair with a plastic fork when I couldn't find my comb... *shudders* My hair was about 3 inches long when I cut the scraggly ends off. The next year after getting braid extensions, my hair was pretty much back...

I had to learn how to do my own hair. I had no patience to learn how to braid, so I straightened it. Never heard of heat protectant (or twist lol). Burnt hair washes that stunk to high heaven... But my hair managed to grow to shoulder length in '07. By the end of 2008 it "magically" disappeared to neck length... and stayed there lol until I found youtube hair videos and this website.

 

[keepithealthy]

bumpin thanks for sharing ladies.

 

[Rocky91]

regular trimming! this has made a big difference since I cut off my hair last year.
keeping my ends stretched, via rollersets, twistouts, etc.
gentle detangling.
washing in braids/twists.
more deep conditioning.
sounds weird, but retiring too much bunning. my edges look much better.

 

[bride91501]

Great thread OP. Please keep the stories coming ladies!

 

[B_Phlyy]

Using real moisturizing products. I had absolutely no idea the amount of protein I was using. I read ingredient lists and if it had both moisturizing and protein ingredients, I just figured the moisturizers would win out. Didn't happen. My hair was a dry crispy mess until I started using products with no protein.

Incorporating oils. I think in my hair not being properly moisturized, oils could not help my hair and I mistakenly believed they didn't work. Now me and castor oil are good ends.

Stretching my hair immediately after washing. I would let it shrink up and then try to comb it out. Now I pretty much roller set from the beginning.

 

[faithVA]

Using real moisturizing products. I had absolutely no idea the amount of protein I was using. I read ingredient lists and if it had both moisturizing and protein ingredients, I just figured the moisturizers would win out. Didn't happen. My hair was a dry crispy mess until I started using products with no protein.

Incorporating oils. I think in my hair not being properly moisturized, oils could not help my hair and I mistakenly believed they didn't work. Now me and castor oil are good ends.

Stretching my hair immediately after washing. I would let it shrink up and then try to comb it out. Now I pretty much roller set from the beginning.

This was helpful. I really need to write down what ingredients are protein. I am not really tracking well. I am not sure about the oils yet.

What moisturizers are u using that you have found helpful? tia

 

[southerncitygirl]

washing in plaits
pre-pooing with a mix of natural condish, aloe vera gel and evco (or other oil)
adding hardcore protein once a month
putting protein( mostly saa, milk or wheat proteins) and moisture in almost every step of my reggie
wigs or twistouts
getting a dusting every 6 months maximum
detangling with a shower comb or paddle brush on wet hair after its washed and condtioned
and of course lhcf

for those who are curious about what products i use here they are:
poo: aubrey's, mill creek, or the con with argan oil ( some one gave me some deva poo at a meetup and i'm trying to use it up, i don't really care for it)

condish: aubrey's gbp,hsr, j.a.y, or wc

to detangle / as a leave-in: komzaa care shea butter or coconut lotion

to style: fantansia ic gel with sparkle lites ( clear one)

protein treatment: komaza care protein strengthener

 

[southerncitygirl]

regular trimming! this has made a big difference since I cut off my hair last year.
keeping my ends stretched, via rollersets, twistouts, etc.
gentle detangling.
washing in braids/twists.
more deep conditioning.
sounds weird, but retiring too much bunning. my edges look much better.

i have fine edges even though my hair is very dense with med. density strands..... i once didn't see my stylist for 6 months and she tols me that she could tell i had been pulling my hair back too much.....i don't even comb or brush my hair back when i bun and she said my edges were thinning. she said that she has fine edges too and she can't do it either...you are not alone.

 

[Vashti]

I went natural about 16 years ago but it wasn't until 1 year ago that I knew how to take proper care of it. Before now, it would always grow but by the time it reached NL it would break and i was always cutting it off or shaving it or putting it up in braids.

What I learned and what's helping me to retain length now is keeping my hair moisturized. Deep conditioning every week and keeping my ends moisturized and sealed with an oil each day has made all the difference. I don't use any heat (at least not yet) on my hair and I wash my hair while it is in twists or braids which cuts down on detangling time. Also, keeping it in twists or pin up styles throughout the week has helped me cut down on knots which can hinder progress. I'm SL now. Haven't been SL since I was a teenager!

 

[ms-gg]

*Maybe I shouldn't be in here but I'm going to answer anyway*


Retention has never been an issue for me, because when I bc'd in 2006, I did my homework and knew right away that protective styles were the key to retaining length. Breakage and splits has never been an issue to me with my natural hair, however, incomplete splits were.

I could not figure out why I got them, and how in the heck to get rid of them. Then I started to pay closer attention to my hair and how it responded with certain products, and realized that all along, I was using too much protein on my hair. And for me, too much protein is any protein at all. My regimen now consists of all protein free products. I also stopped using this old, poorly made comb called "The Detangler" and bought the Magic Star Jumbo Rake comb that looked just like it but is seamless. I also do more finger detangling. I have been sticking to this regimen for 7 months now and so far, so good. No issues anymore. My hair is so healthy now, I haven't had a trim in seven months either. No split ends or incomplete splits . And as a result, I am retaining healthier hair, as opposed to just growing out hair that is badly damaged.

 

[glamazon386]

First year I cut several times. I believe I had some scab hair. I also experimented a lot. 2nd year I dyed it and it slowly broke off. 3rd and 4th year I simplified my regimen and left it alone. Keeping it simple and leaving it alone has worked for me.

 

[B_Phlyy]

This was helpful. I really need to write down what ingredients are protein. I am not really tracking well. I am not sure about the oils yet.

What moisturizers are u using that you have found helpful? tia

Right now I'm using the Shea Moisture conditioner (not the deep masque though) as my moisturizer. A lot of products labeled "moisturizer" have protein in them and even though it is lower on the ingredient list, it is enough to cause problems for me.

Also, if I just co wash with a cone and protein free conditioner and seal with oil, my hair stays pretty moisturized.

 

[kellistarr]

I've always retained length, but for the most part of my 8 years as a natural, my hair was quite tangled and I experienced sessions of detangling that could take up to 2 hours or more. Pure torture! Most of my tangles were due to dryness and going to bed with loose hair. I'd wear a satin bonnet most times, but my hair was just loose and I believe in very little manipulation, so shed hair would be embedded with the tangles and then I'd expect conditioner to just melt away those tangles.

Also, I used shampoo bars, not sure if this contributed to the tangles, but my technique in how I washed my hair (skewed on top of my head) certainly added to the mess.

I now take time and care when I wash my hair properly in a downward motion. Detangling is a breeze because I braid my hair every night, usually in 2 big braids, sometimes four. My hair is now well moisturized because the greatest thing that I now do for my hair is to leave the conditioner in! Or, a ton of leave-in. Usually, it's conditioner, though. The test is being able to braid my hair in the two braids, without my hair unravelling. In the past, my hair would be so huge and dry, so vast, that no way coud I gather it into two braids. I can even gather it into one. My hair barettes can now be seen. Also, I got rid of those brushes/detanglers with the balls on the tips- no good for my hair! I always wash weekly, condition, deep condition (when I feel it's necessary, but at least 1x monthly) and leave in the conditioner (usually different from what I detangled with) and braid my hair at night.

I am extremely happy with my hair now.

 

[AmyRose92]

For most of my life, I was relaxed. I think my earliest encounter with relaxer had to be when I was five years old. Since then, my hair always remained at NL-SL. At the beginning of high school I'd stretch my relaxers for long periods of time while braiding with extensions and my hair would flourish but after a while, something would happen and I'd lose my progress.

I've been natural for a year and seven months and it's only now that I realize that I've been retaining length for a few key reasons:

• Not letting others touch my hair (including my mom): I call my mom a "ripper" because she rips through my hair and her own hair. I had to stop her from manipulating my hair, even if she didn't like it. I stopped going to the salons or getting my hair braided because it was in those instances that I realized that I developed traction alopecia and hair that would never grow past SL.
• Protective styling, NOT low manipulation: During my first year of being natural, I experimented with different products and mostly leaving my hair in clips. Though I would make sure I moisturized almost daily, wash, DC, etc. my retention was less than stellar because my shrunken hair suffered. But 6-7 months ago I decided to give my hair a break by twisting them and leaving them under wigs while caring for them as usual. I've retained 3"-3.5" inches from that point because of this! Leaving hair in a stretched state for me was very crucial.
• Taking biotin: I'm still not sure what effect does biotin have on my hair, but I know it's providing my hair the nutrients it deserves from the inside so that it maintains its healthy state while it grows from my scalp. I don't see any growth increases per se but I won't fault it!