Short Hair as a Child, Long Hair Now

[CurliDiva]

I remember getting my hair washed at the kitchen sink with whatever was handy (including dish soap) once per month.

My hair was thick and I was tender-headed (as the old folks would say) so my mom would make 3 ponytails - 1 on the top with the end sticking straight up (like a horn ) if it was not pinned and 2 on each side in the back.

All ......and I mean ALL .......of my childhood photos (from toddler to the 6th grade) has this same hairstyle.

I only got my hair straighten on special occasions (like Easter) by my grandmother! It would be long, but full of grease. Brings back memories of the sound of the sizzle, holding your ear and hot grease dripping your scalp!

 

[CurliDiva]

I remember getting my hair washed at the kitchen sink with whatever was handy (including dish soap) once per month.

My hair was thick and I was tender-headed (as the old folks would say) so my mom would make 3 ponytails - 1 on the top with the end sticking straight up (like a horn ) if it was not pinned and 2 on each side in the back.

All ......and I mean ALL .......of my childhood photos (from toddler to the 6th grade) has this same hairstyle.

I only got my hair straighten on special occasions (like Easter) by my grandmother! It would be long, but full of grease. Brings back memories of the sound of the sizzle, holding your ear and hot grease dripping your scalp!

 

[Son26]

Me.

My hair was always damaged. It was necklength, very dry and I always had a lot of split ends. When I was 7 years old I started taking care of my own hair. I loved my mom but I have to be honest - she really didn't care about my hair. I would wash it as best as I could every month or two, only with shampoo - I would never use conditioner. I started using conditioner in high school (after one of my friends told me how important it was). I would grease my scalp with Dax every morning and put it in a ponytail. I got a relaxer every six weeks, and the person who applied it would put the relaxer on the entire length of my hair. I was known as the girl with "bad hair." People who knew me back then always stop and stare at my hair now.

 

[Son26]

double post

 

[Son26]

triple post

 

[Son26]

ugh...............

 

[sevetlana]

My was always dry and awful looking, I think I mentioned this already(somewhere) but when I was a baby I ate some stuff that made my hair fall out. So all thru my childhood my hair was super short, I am talkin like 2 to 3 inches if that much, I was often mistaken for a boy.

My hair was too short to canerow (corn row), my mother would twist it to my head like canerows and by the end of the day the twist would break apart and my hair would look awful... I was teased mercilessly *sigh* bad memories. It would look like goat droppings
I dont have long hair now, but I at least see that it is now achievable, I am hoping to be shoulder end of year. Shows what knowledge can do.

 

[Blessed_Angel]

Yeah, I was bald-headed when I was a child! But that was because I didn't know how to take care of my own hair; and I had no one to take care of it for me.

But when I was forced to learn to braid, I wasn't bald-headed anymore. In fact, my hair only flourished.

 

[leona2025]

--Our hair was washed maybe once a month, then pressed with petrolatum/mineral oil products. Pressed every morning or every other morning.
Pink lotion on the daily basis
--Our hair was basically brushed everyday with cheapie brushes. (major Cathy Howse "no-no")
--When I started getting relaxers, they wouldn't just do the new growth, but would apply the perm to all the hair (!) Started at 13
--Bad eating habits...

All these things can describe my childhood hair care. My mother kept my hair right at waist length. It was always thick and healthy althought my sister's hair didn't get as long it stayed around APL. My mother did the best she knew how and I would still have my long hair if I had never thought I was grown and needed a short bob. My mom was so disappointed. Since I had long hair for most of my life being short haired never bothered me. I was always able to go from shoulder length to below APL quickly. I really never cared about having long hair until recently.

 

[aribell]

Here's an old thread with a poll and other encouraging stories:

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=117934

 

[ladybug71]

__
--Our hair was washed maybe once a month, then pressed with petrolatum/mineral oil products.
--I don't recall moisturizers ever being used on our hair (unless it was to detangle after a wash), let alone on a daily basis .
--Our hair was basically brushed everyday with cheapie brushes. (major Cathy Howse "no-no")
--Bad eating habits...

P.S.--Bless our mothers' hearts, they did what they knew best.

All of these apply to me for sure. I would get shampooed, but hair washings for me were few and far between. I hated having my hair washed when I was younger! After that, I would get my whole head pressed. After it was pressed, she would curl bangs with the curling iron (more heat). I always confused grease/oil with moisture and thus my hair hardly ever grew. During the majority of my childhood, my hair was ear length.

We have so come a long way since then! At least I know I have, thank goodness!

 

[NYAmicas]

I dont have many pictures of me from when I was younger but at the longest my hair was maybe a bit over shoulder length. It only got worse when my mom got tired of doing it and I was left to my own devices..
Now my hair is BSL after learning how to manage it and other hair care practices.

 

[blazingthru]

Okay... wait... will you please explain HOW you combed your hair with a fork?!

I couldn't find a comb so I used a fork, it hurt. My only style was a ponytail on the top and go. so I know my hair was longer then.

 

[joib]

I guess I am kind of lucky, I guess. My twin sister and I had totally different hair textures. She was very close to my moms texture- 3c and soft but it wasn't as long as mines. I had bsl or longer at times, very course, thick, dry hair. Oh and I was tender-headed. My mom would wash my hair 2x's a month , grease my hair, and put it in 4 doo-doo braids that i would wear until the next washing. No moisturizing, no co-wash, no oil. I am surprised it stayed that length. My sister had cute little bowretts (is that how you spell it) and when I wanted some in my hair, my mom would laugh and say that the bowretts didn't have a chance in my hair. My hair would "eat them up". I was teased most of my life because of my hair. Not because it was short but because it was enough hair for 6 ppl.They called it nappy. Once I got older I permed it every three months, washed it on perm days, combed the heck out of it, and pretty much didn't take care of it.To my surprise, It stayed on my head at the same length at mb. Now there is a huge difference in my hair now. People actually ask what is my secret
It is shiny ,soft,and healthy. Oh, I forgot thick-a quality I did not appreciate back then. My twin sis's hair now is over-processed, constantly breaking, and won't grow pass ear length. I try to help but she calls my advise- "cher's two-cents".

 

[ACRawlins]

My hair only thrived when my grandma did it. I was natural and she would press it periodically when I was a child. It was all thick and long and pretty. The moment she handed my hair care over to my mom, my mom put a relaxer in it and it was all down hill from there. I remember in the 4th grade having ponytails about the width and length of my pinky finger! Once I got to like the 5th or 6th grade my granny took over my hair care again and my hair did a lot better. She's a good mom overall, but my mother really sucked at taking care of our hair. What's funny though is the way she takes pride in my hair now as if she had anything to do with it. Always playing in it and talking 'bout how she gave me a good grade of hair. I won't bust her bubble though..I love her too much...

 

[ellebelle88]

My hair was actually longer and fuller as a child. Getting a relaxer at 14 has done a lot of damage to it along with incorrect care and handling. However, over the last 3 years I have started taking care of my hair better and it's growing...albeit rather slowly. It's also really healthy. I just need to minimize breakage to retain length.

 

[BeautifulFlower]

Thats me all the way. Never had hair past shoulders and I have about 1.5 till BSL!

But my hair was alot thicker but dry...I dont remember alot of my natural hair. I got a relaxer at 7yr-old. The relaxer messed my ends up and my hair was always short.


Thank God for LHCF! I have thick and relaxed and long hair now.

 

[aribell]

Bumping because I'd love to hear more stories of unexpected lengths.

 

[Mane Event]

I love this thread. It's very inspirational and reminds me to be thankful for what I do have now, although I haven't quite reached my goal.

As a child I had neck length hair. I got to shoulder length when I went on a 3-year relaxer hiatus at the age of 12 or so. It was all down hill once I was able to do my own hair!