Oh, it's ON now!

[Lola Laughs]

I'd been "natural" for about 8 years but still flat ironing like there's no tomorrow. My baby sis decided to BC, had been lurking here and just wouldn't stop talking about hair this, hair that. I told her "Really, do you want your hair to be like this project that never ends?." She mentioned the site, I lurked and like many of you I was hooked. Hair is doing very well thanks to the wealth of info here!
**mouth full of humble pie**

 

[Chaosbutterfly]

I used to have long hair, then I lost it. I grew my hair back to my shoulders with continuous braiding, but when I stopped doing that, it began breaking off again.
So I googled "dry, crunchy ends, Help!" and LHCF popped up.
That was in December 2008. I started doing like...LHCF lite, which consisted of occasional baggying, moisturizing and sealing, consciously stretching my relaxers and DCing with every wash. My hair got healthier, but didn't really retain well, because I was wearing it out every day, not dusting my ends, and I was still hitting up the salon whenever I didn't feel like dealing with my hair.

Then one day in August, my sister saw me baggying and started lecturing me about how I'm actually ruining my hair. She told me, "That's why I have hair and you don't." (At the time it was true...now, it's not. )
Anyway, I turned around and looked at her like:

until she left.

As soon as she left the room, I came on here and finally shelled out the money for a subscription.
And it's been on like Donkey Kong ever since.

 

[MaintaintheSexy]

I wore weaves for need for the past six years since the initial one ripped out my almost APL hair. So many memories pop into my head as I write this because every negative hair experience that I've had (and I've had many, more bad than good) from now up until this point, that has pushed me down the road of hair improvement. I remember "friends" making slick comments about me and my hair including, "She always wearing a weave. Do she even have hair? Are you gonna wear a weave for the rest of your life? You hair looks nice, but it looks shiny and fake. I don't wear fake hair. I know how to take care of my hair, some people don't." I could go on and on. I BC'd my hair last month and I am on a mission to get my hair back to where it was before the madness. Im going all out this time. I want to prove all of these people wrong and I will.

 

[Sade']

Thinning Hair
Heat Damage
SL Hair for YEARS

My hair used to be APL back in HS then after college and getting my 1st relaxer freshman year my hair broke drastically and never recovered.

Needless to say I got tired of accepting SL as my terminal length. Months of research on the internet led me here. I lurked in disbelief and finally became a believer. My actual HHJ began when I started transitioning in 2007. I cut the relaxed end off in 2008 (my avatar pic). Mid 2009 I became even MORE focused by reducing my heat usage by 75%.

With your help I plan on getting past this SL road block.

CAN'T STOP WON'T STOP! Thx LHCF!

 

[Evo-ny]

My hair care journey came when I walked out of the salon with a bad relaxer and weave that set me back almost $250. I'd been going to the shop for years, and every time the price would go up and up and up. I hated the human hair that she would use, after one wash it would look like a freakin' tumbleweed. I'd comb it all out and then 5 minutes later it would mat up.

Every time she'd relax my hair, I'd end up with burns on my scalp. I'm surprised I actually have hair on my head! Of course, she'd always comb the relaxer through to the ends.

Anyways, I had just bought my first place and I realized I just couldn't afford to be throwing away money if I wanted to eat and keep my new roof over my head. But I always thought I looked ridiculous with short hair, so I took to the internet to try to find out alternatives to wearing weaves. Hello, LHCF!

 

[teacherjess]

I woke up one day in March, the last day of spring break. I suffered through food poisoining all through spring break and felt in general very "blah" about my appearance. I was looking at my hair in the mirror and noticed that over the last few months it had gotten really dry, shorter (without a cut/ trim), and I noticed that on the left side of my nape I had a little less than an inch of hair!! I didn't have very visible breakage. No one knew but me. It still was enough to bother me. I was one of those chicks in denial. I hadn't had a cut since Oct, and here it was March and I was telling my coworkers, "oh yeah, girl. I got it cut."

I said to myself, "why is it some black women have long, flowing pretty hair and here I go looking like some kind of HAM?" What are they doing that I'm not doing? I spent all day online reasearching and went out that day and bought a few products. My first was a moisturizer....I started simple. I had a hunger for knowledge and the next few weeks I was on LHCF and other black haircare sites ALL the time, even during work I hadn't looked back ever since. I actually enjoy caring for my hair now and it is flourishing.

 

[Aria-Selene]

"She always wearing a weave. Do she even have hair? Are you gonna wear a weave for the rest of your life? You hair looks nice, but it looks shiny and fake. I don't wear fake hair. I know how to take care of my hair, some people don't."

Who needs enemies??

 

[PaleoChick]

I had been natural since Memorial Day 2007, but I wasn't taking care of my hair. I was doing basic stuff like co washing, and maybe a deep conditioning treatment every once in a while, but wasn't truly invested in my hair recovery.

Then...I decided to get serious after finding the forum in late 2008, and I started protecting my hair with the wig, less shampoo, more conditioner, doing deep conditioning treatments when out of braids, etc...

What really pushed me to stay on this HHJ was the random meetup with an old classmate. I was wigging it up for about 8 months at this point, and I was having my doubts about staying on the HHJ or staying natural. I bumped into her at the hospital right as I was leaving the hospital.

I looked at her hair after we exchanged a hug and I realized her hair (relaxed, 4a) was the exact same length it was when I first met her...SIX years ago! I was like, "What the hell? Her hair should be down towards her butt by now (currently 1" below SL)!" I realize she and her mom do their own home perms, but this is ridiculous. So, I casually mentioned the site in passing, and went home completely determined to get it right. The pic of me in the bathrobe was a year after I started wigging it, and I refuse to go back to the way I was. I may end up with an inch of hair, or WL hair (aiming for the latter, can accept the former), but it will be the shiniest healthiest inch of hair or the swinging sable WL hair envied by all.

Once you come to LHCF, you can't look at your beauty (hair/skin/self) the same way. You see what can be done, either with tons of product or in some cases almost none. If you read stories about women who started with more hair on their legs than their heads, now with BSL, BSB, WL hair, do you really have an excuse?
Sorry. Had to vent. That is all. Peace.

 

[kvic]

I always had long healthy hair. Unlike many BW, my mother had always taken care of my MBL relaxed hair. In November of 2008 i cut it to SL because I just needed a change. My aunt is a pressed natural and I started talking to her about having natural hair. My hair was natural until about 10 years old when my mom gave me a perm. I decided that I wanted to see what my natural texture was like. So I started researching and it brought me to BHM and now I'm here.

 

[caribeandiva]

when I went to get my hair done and it got shorter yet again as my sister pointed out. I decided right then and there to stop depending on stylists and to learn how to grow my own hair out. I found shamboosie's book at my local library and the rest is history.

 

[angenoir]

I have never had long hair despite the fact that whenever I cut my hair it grew out to SL again quite fast. But then it always stopped there.
I moved to Europe and things became even more difficult as most sylists focused on styling and not really on hair care. In 2008 I took my hair care into my own hands and a random search brought me to LHCF.

The first year was a bit crazy because I jumped on every bandwagon and expected immediate results lol. So I didnt get much progress. Now I am more settled on a good routine and consistency.
The one good thing I did in May 2008 was cut off all the damaged hair I was hanging onto and start afresh.

I really want to be an example to my friends and sisters that black girls really can have long healthy hair.

 

[Sade']

I swear I got tired of looking at pics of myself onver a 5 year span with SL hair or shorter. My sister cut her hair 3 times and it passed my and so did my BFF. I was like DAG WTH am I doing wrong? But while they were laying off the heat I was constantly relaxing and flat ironing. Trying to impress people with my bone str8 hair. SHOWING OFF while my hair was BREAKING OFF. Big dummy. Then my mom said LOOK you hair was long all ur life and u have damaged it...people know what it is, u don't have to wear your hair down all the time trying to prove a point. BOY did it hit me. I have a prob with being consistent. I will drop a routine in a minute!
Which reminds me...I need to workout again, that's when I achieved the most growth!! UGH

 

[Caychica]

When I realized how horrible my hair was after an install take down. Then I realized I could end up wearing weaves for the rest of my life which I couldnt imagine doing. So i googled grow black hair long lol & got LHCF

 

[Sade']

When I realized how horrible my hair was after an install take down. Then I realized I could end up wearing weaves for the rest of my life which I couldnt imagine doing. So i googled grow black hair long lol & got LHCF

What happened Caychica? How did the install ruin your hair?

 

[mEmYSELFaNDj]

I was first inspired to start my hair journey after being turned on to the hairboards by a coworker. When I first visited BHM and seen Talia and Bronzeg's hair journeys I was blown away. Their journeys really encourgaed me and showed me that I can grow my hair long and it wouldnt take a lifetime to do. Both of their hair was short and damaged and within 1.5-2 years they were MBL and longer. Also, found Pamera on fotki and her hair journey is amazing using weaves for extended periods of time, which has taken her from CBL to nearly waistlength in barely two years(she is my main inspiration to use weaves for growth.) So my hair journey was basically inspired by the excitement of seeing other peoples hair journeys.

 

[Caychica]

What happened Caychica? How did the install ruin your hair?

Sorry I took so long, didnt see ur comment.

I never used to take care of my hair underneath when I had an install in. If it was too tight, I ignored it until it loosened up because all i cared about was how it looked. My stylist (at that time) didnt know anything about hair care, she just knew how to do a good install. So all of that over a few months=DISASTER. My hair was breaking constantly (July pic in my siggy) I didnt notice because I'd put the hair in back to back. Then I ended up switching stylists (current stylist) and the first thing she did was recommend a series of aphogee treatment... so I stuck with her & found LHCF

 

[Sade']

Sorry I took so long, didnt see ur comment.

I never used to take care of my hair underneath when I had an install in. If it was too tight, I ignored it until it loosened up because all i cared about was how it looked. My stylist (at that time) didnt know anything about hair care, she just knew how to do a good install. So all of that over a few months=DISASTER. My hair was breaking constantly (July pic in my siggy) I didnt notice because I'd put the hair in back to back. Then I ended up switching stylists (current stylist) and the first thing she did was recommend a series of aphogee treatment... so I stuck with her & found LHCF

Wow and you hair sure has come a long way in that small amount of time! Looks great

 

[beautyaddict1913]

When I went to college in 2003 (ughhh seems like ages ago) I lived in microbraids...I wasnt a good hair-wrapper and I went to school in a small town so I couldnt have the every Tuesday standing appointments at the salon that I was used to...my hair wasnt in the best of shape anyway....so after that I got a relaxer just once a year around christmas time, wore it for 2 or 3 weeks then back to braids...in 07 I discovered weaves and would perm and weave the same day and I had major breakage at my crown...again...i grew it out with no relaxers until 2008 when I got my last perm....I didnt know that was gonna be the last one, I just hated my hair not hanging 14 inches down my back like my installs did lol...so I went back to weave...2 weeks ago I got frustrated with my weavologist setting my appt at the last minute and decided it was time to wear my own hair since I'd been experimenting with bobs so having my real hair out wouldnt be such a shock...I chickened out when i got to the salon and decided not to get a perm, just a wash and flat iron ($50, special occassions only from here on out lol)...i was shocked to see my hair past my shoulders...i was hardly taking care of it while it was weaved, only washing, deep conditioning, and hot oil treating it when i took it down every 4 weeks...i realize that my hair hates chemicals and microbraids only hinder my progress...long story i know but that brought me to where I am today...it was a series of moments lol...i may weave when i go on vacation but im vowing to take care of my own hair, not Model Model's lol