Spinoff from the Quick and Dirty Poll: Tell me more!

[winterinatl]

Okay. So according to my survey, out of 183 members, 41 were brastrap or beyond. I am calling out brastrap because that seems to be a "magic" length that I've seen other ladies refer to as "long" or the marker of "long" hair.

For you ladies that are not yet to BS and are ACTIVELY trying to pursue that as a goal (and/or beyond) would you mind telling me:

1. How long you have been ACTIVELY trying to grow your hair, or time it took you to reach your goal once you began.

This includes any actions you have taken that one might find on a hair board like LHCF (or others). Do not include stops/setbacks/cuts. I want to see about how long it takes most of us from point A to point B.

For example, Mindy (fictional) never had money to regularly perm her SL hair when she began college. She managed about 3 times a year. Her second year in college, she found an article by Wanakee that said she should always wear her hair in updos.

So here, Mindy would include the year she found Wanakee, but not the time before, b/c she wasn't trying for it, even though she was stretching. I hope this isn't to complicated...

2. Your hair type. Doesn't have to be exact of course; I just want an idea. You can even cite another person who has hair like yours.

3. Natural or Relaxed

4. Actions taken you feel have hindered growth. Be specific if you can (ie "flatironing twice a week for three years" vs. "flatironing")

5. Actions taken you feel have helped increase your growth. Again, specific numbers are helpful.

I'm going to make a second post that's easier for you all to quote and respond with.

Thanks a lot for taking the time to play !!

 

[winterinatl]

1. How long you have been ACTIVELY trying to grow your hair, or time it took you to reach your goal once you began.
2001; shoulder/almost armpit. Am BS, would like Midback.

2. Your hair type. 3b/4a?

3. Natural or Relaxed

4. Actions taken you feel have hindered growth/retention
- playing in my hair
- tight ponytails
- wearing wash and wear curls too much
- use of fine tooth comb on wet crown hair

5. Actions taken you feel have helped increase your growth/retention
- protective styling
- rare direct heat : less than 10 times a year
- relax 4x a year
- deep conditioners: Keracare, Miss Key 10en1, Elasta QP DPR-11, Aphogee Keratin 2 min reconstructor
- use of natural hair oils (olive, coconut, jojoba) to seal and hair dress
- use of leave in conditioners as hairdresses : Humectress, Keracare, salerm-21
- weekly washing
- on non wash days: moisten, apply leave in, seal w/oil.
- large tooth comb for general combing/detangling
- hair scarf at night

 

[winterinatl]

Oopsy, here's the form:

1. How long you have been ACTIVELY trying to grow your hair, or time it took you to reach your goal once you began. Length began, length @ present, and goal.


2. Your hair type.

3. Natural or Relaxed

4. Actions taken you feel have hindered growth/retention

5. Actions taken you feel have helped increase your growth/retention

 

[wheezy807]

1. How long you have been ACTIVELY trying to grow your hair, or time it took you to reach your goal once you began. Length began, length @ present, and goal.

Since 2006; SL, APL, WL
2. Your hair type.
4a
3. Natural or Relaxed

4. Actions taken you feel have hindered growth/retention
Honestly i have been blessed thorough this journey except for a few scissor happy occasions. But only my own laziness and inconsistencies in my haircare can hinder my growth.
5. Actions taken you feel have helped increase your growth/retention
* stretching relaxer 12-16weeks
* protective styles
* moisturizing daily, weekly shampoos and dc
* scarf at night
* limited direct heat (relaxer time only)

 

[JustKiya]

Ooooh, fun thread!


1. How long you have been ACTIVELY trying to grow your hair, or time it took you to reach your goal once you began. Length began, length @ present, and goal. I've been trying since June 2006, and I started from 'bald' (I bleached my hair blond, and I might as well have shaved it off, because I cut ALL that hair off as it grew out). I'm about chin length, just brushing shoulder in the back. My goal is tailbone - I'm shooting for 11 years.


2. Your hair type. 3c/4a/4b

3. Natural or Relaxed

4. Actions taken you feel have hindered growth/retention: Bleaching my danngone hair!! If I would have left it well enough alone, I would most likely be at LEAST full shoulder by now, and well on my way to APL.

5. Actions taken you feel have helped increase your growth/retention: Virtually everything I've done since I found the hair boards - no chemicals, no heat, low-mani, protective styles, henna, scalp massages, co-washing, DC's, henna, ayurvedics, etc, etc, etc!

 

[BklynHeart]

1. How long you have been ACTIVELY trying to grow your hair, or time it took you to reach your goal once you began. Length began, length @ present, and goal. The first time I reached past armpit length was in 1997. Then for some reason, my hair starting thinning. I couldn't use any type of moisturizing products because they would thin my hair out. Cut it short to shoulder length in 1998. Grew back to same length in 1999 up to 2005, when my hairdresser moved. Since then, it has been thinning due to relaxing techniques from other hair stylists.

2. Your hair type. 4b

3. Natural or Relaxed Transitioning.

4. Actions taken you feel have hindered growth/retention: Right now, I think putting braids in it last summer. I tried washing my hair after taking the braids out via the Crown n Glory method, but my hair had stuck together and I soaked it with conditioner to take it apart. Globs of hair came out. By October, it was past bra-strap length but thin as heyall. had it cut to shoulder length.

5. Actions taken you feel have helped increase your growth/retention: Even though I'm still transitioning, I wearing wigs. It has grown to past SL, yet the relaxed ends are still kind of thin. If I decide to relax I would most likely cut all the old relaxed hair off up to about neck length so it would be full and start over.

 

[turnergirl]

1. How long you have been ACTIVELY trying to grow your hair, or time it took you to reach your goal once you began. Length began, length @ present, and goal.

January 2007. Just above APL, Just Above BSL, BSL

2. Your hair type. 4b

3. Natural or Relaxed Texlaxed for last 2 months was natural for all of 2007.

4. Actions taken you feel have hindered growth/retention
Excessive knotting on the ends of my hair.
Continuous trimming of knots and whatever I else. I trim my hair very very often.

5. Actions taken you feel have helped increase your growth/retention
I texlaxed even though not enough (still getting knots)
I have tried (for the 1000th time) to put my self on a restricted trimming schedule. I said I would only do 4 a year Once a quater but we will see how that goes.

 

[silvergirl]

1. How long you have been ACTIVELY trying to grow your hair, or time it took you to reach your goal once you began. Length began, length @ present, and goal.

2003. 3 inches all around . it grew to MidBack Length in 2006. after 19 month transition cut off all remaining relaxed end. my hair was armpit length feb 2007/ after several cuts last year im currently BSL/ 1st goal waist length


2. Your hair type.

mostly 3c

3. Natural or Relaxed

natural

4. Actions taken you feel have hindered growth/retention

scissors are evil! put them down/i cant have weaves as a protective style its what killed my hair in the first place

5. Actions taken you feel have helped increase your growth/retention

co-washing daily is heaven sent/ minimal products/simple routine, just wash an go = less manipulation = better growth retention

 

[bbdgirl]

Oopsy, here's the form:

1. How long you have been ACTIVELY trying to grow your hair, or time it took you to reach your goal once you began. Length began, length @ present, and goal.
I am not BSL yet. I have been active pursuing my hair goals for 5 months. I began at past should length, I am 2 inches from BSL and my goal is MBL.

2. Your hair type.
I would describe my hair type as 3c/4a at the crown
3. Natural or Relaxed
I am relzxed transitioning to texlaxed
4. Actions taken you feel have hindered growth/retention
I have had no set back since starting my hair journey, but I know what has hindered retention in the past is not moisturizing my hair, esp. the ends, not sleeping with a scarf and my hands constantly being in my hair.

5. Actions taken you feel have helped increase your growth/retention
Actions that I have taken that I know have helped increased growth is working out and exercise in general and healthy food choices, and co-washing 2x week.
Growth retention has increased by moisturizing my ends 2x daily, protective styling and bunning, baggying, sleeping with a scarf, light proteins weekly, stretching relaxers and NO COMBING EVER!!

 

[Cichelle]

1. How long you have been ACTIVELY trying to grow your hair, or time it took you to reach your goal once you began. Length began, length @ present, and goal.

July 2005, began at big chop after transition (maybe around shoulder length in back when stretched, shorter elsewhere), currently almost hip length when stretched, with an open goal from here.

I started out with a goal of waist length, but kept growing after that. i'm having fun so I'm continuing.

2. Your hair type.

I don't know. Curly, wavy, fluffy, a mix of fine/medium strands, medium thickness....maybe 3b.

3. Natural or Relaxed

Natural

4. Actions taken you feel have hindered growth/retention

Any time I went "low manipulation", meaning not detangling my hair regularly.

5. Actions taken you feel have helped increase your growth/retention

Keeping it up/protective styling
no heat
cowashing/regular moisture
no trimming/cutting
seamless combs and gentle handling
keeping it SIMPLE

 

[beautifulisaunderstatment]

Oopsy, here's the form:

1. How long you have been ACTIVELY trying to grow your hair, or time it took you to reach your goal once you began. Length began, length @ present, and goal.

Actively since 2005. Started out at BSL hoping to do a long transition to BSL natural. Im BSL natural now and hoping to get to MBL or waist length.


2. Your hair type.

3b/4a

3. Natural or Relaxed

Natural

4. Actions taken you feel have hindered growth/retention

Biweekly Dominican blow outs, or bi-weekly flat ironings from me, blow dryer with comb attachment at random intervals and bad products.

5. Actions taken you feel have helped increase your growth/retention

More protective styling, taking vitamins and trying out new products

Its not hard growing hair, Im just impatient.

 

[MariposaSexyGirl]

1. How long you have been ACTIVELY trying to grow your hair, or time it took you to reach your goal once you began.
2006. My hair was APL. Before that it was in between SL and Apl. I'm currently a little past Bsl going for Midback.

2. Your hair type. 3c/4a

3. Natural or Relaxed

4. Actions taken you feel have hindered growth/retention
- Brushing and Combing hair alot
- tight ponytails
- Flat ironing all the time
- Styling everyday

5. Actions taken you feel have helped increase your growth/retention

- Low manipulation
-protecting and moisturizing ends
-very little use of direct heat. Mostly I use indirect heat(Dryer)
-Went to rehab for my scissor addiction
-Deep Conditioning
- 4 relaxers a year

 

[Endlesslegs]

Okay. So according to my survey, out of 183 members, 41 were brastrap or beyond. I am calling out brastrap because that seems to be a "magic" length that I've seen other ladies refer to as "long" or the marker of "long" hair.

For you ladies that are not yet to BS and are ACTIVELY trying to pursue that as a goal (and/or beyond) would you mind telling me:

1. How long you have been ACTIVELY trying to grow your hair, or time it took you to reach your goal once you began.

This includes any actions you have taken that one might find on a hair board like LHCF (or others). Do not include stops/setbacks/cuts. I want to see about how long it takes most of us from point A to point B.

For example, Mindy (fictional) never had money to regularly perm her SL hair when she began college. She managed about 3 times a year. Her second year in college, she found an article by Wanakee that said she should always wear her hair in updos.

So here, Mindy would include the year she found Wanakee, but not the time before, b/c she wasn't trying for it, even though she was stretching. I hope this isn't to complicated...

2. Your hair type. Doesn't have to be exact of course; I just want an idea. You can even cite another person who has hair like yours.

3. Natural or Relaxed

4. Actions taken you feel have hindered growth. Be specific if you can (ie "flatironing twice a week for three years" vs. "flatironing")

5. Actions taken you feel have helped increase your growth. Again, specific numbers are helpful.

I'm going to make a second post that's easier for you all to quote and respond with.

Thanks a lot for taking the time to play !!

not applicable to me cuz I have a TWA, I just wanted to say this is a great thread. Ive always wondered the questions you've asked

 

[Evazhair]

1. How long you have been ACTIVELY trying to grow your hair, or time it took you to reach your goal once you began.
June 07 when I lost the scissor happy stylist and found LHCF.

Length began, length @ present, and goal.
begnning length: about 2 inches from brastrap, or so
now : near middle of my brastrap
goal:I just want to grow my hair past bsl to mbl at the least wl at most.

2. Your hair type. 3a, 3b, 3c- a whole lot of fine strands

3. Natural or Relaxed Relaxed

4. Actions taken you feel have hindered growth/retention
sucky gold and hot dryer
combs with seams
shampooing twice, using too much applied from root to tip
not chelating
using exclusively Keracare (silicone, mineral oil, petroleum laden) products-hair looks good but feels dry.
using keracare setting lotion/foam-very drying
trying to gradually cut out no lye relaxer (before I learned about ceramide)
blunting trims
impatience when detangling

5. Actions taken you feel have helped increase your growth/retention[/quote]
growth: Most likely a combo of the following:
supplements for health that can also benefit hair
lenzi's request
vatika and other ayurvedic herbal oils do increase my growth rate-not on ayurvedic regimen though
Some of my favorite foods are said to be good for hair growth: i.e. fish, veggies, fruit, brown rice,etc
really just trying to treat myself right and let nature take its course and not "watching the boiling pot"

retention:

only combing when I detangle once a week to wash, detangling manually as needed in between
sleeping in 2-4 loose braids/pincurls/bantu knots under silk scarf and on silk pillowcase
Pibbs 514 bought in Sept 07-- no more dry,fried crown/tangled no lye ends from unevenly dried hair
SEAMLESS COMBS-major decline in amount of trimming needed
trimming as needed and don't hang onto bad ends
Ceramide and collagen treatments 1-2 times in each relaxer cycle.
being satisfied with my God given color
no direct heat on relaxed hair--I relax straight, so it's just not necessary for me
being gentle and taking my time
prepoo -swings the pendulum enough so that my hair never feels stripped
chelating weekly, occasionally biweekly with a diluted chelating poo that is not too harsh-Major difference
finding products that really work consistently for me
moisturizing and oiling as needed
keeping ends protected in fall/winter, but switch up the ways
flexi 8 clip-no pulling, snagging, etc.

 

[audacity.]

1. How long you have been ACTIVELY trying to grow your hair, or time it took you to reach your goal once you began. Length began, length @ present, and goal. I have been actively growing my hair for 1 year. I began at SL and am now full APL. My goal length is MBL (an inch or 2 past my BS)


2. Your hair type. 4a

3. Natural or Relaxed Transitioning

4. Actions taken you feel have hindered growth/retention I've always been able to grow my hair to APL, but never beyond. The key hinderances for me were stylists who overlapped and/or over-processed my hair, too frequent trims (I love the look of a blunt cut), no knowledge about moisture.

5. Actions taken you feel have helped increase your growth/retention For growth, vitamins and growth aids have definitely heled. And retention, moisture, moisture MOISTURE! Also, protective styling, keeping my ends moist (there's that moisture again ) and gentle as possible handling.

 

[winterinatl]

Thanks for all the replies, ladies, this has been really informative .

 

[gymfreak336]

1. How long you have been ACTIVELY trying to grow your hair, or time it took you to reach your goal once you began.

I took a little over a year just to grow out damage. It took 1.5 years from then for me to get to shoulder length
2. Your hair type. 3cish in the crown, 4a and 4b everywhere else
3. Natural or Relaxed- Relaxed

4. Actions taken you feel have hindered growth.
Not understanding hair care fundamentals ex. protein/moisture balance
Improper use of heat
Porosity issues
Overprocessing and Poor relaxer application...letting stylist use strong relaxers in my head
Being scissor happy


5. Actions taken you feel have helped increase your growth.
Using better products
Researching and gaining more knowledge on hair care
Vitamins and improving my overall diet
Finally fixing my scalp issue, I thought it was dandruff but it wasn't
Being patient and not over reacting to problems.\

 

[winterinatl]

*taps the microphone*

Is this thing on?

YOU ALL STILL THERE?! oke:

Bump

 

[lisajames96]

1. How long you have been ACTIVELY trying to grow your hair, or time it took you to reach your goal once you began.

I have been trying since 2003. I was about 4 inches away in 2005 when I decided to transition to natural. So now in 2008, I am back to where I was in 2005 about 4 inches from BSL in the back and about 4 inches from APL in the front/sides. I haven't done a good job in caring for my hair. It has pretty much grew on it's own and with my use of coconut oil, castor oil and S curl every now and then.

2. Your hair type. 3C in very back, 4a,b everywhere else

3. Natural or Relaxed

4. Actions taken you feel have hindered growth. Be specific if you can (ie "flatironing twice a week for three years" vs. "flatironing")
Not keeping hair mosturized. sleeping with no covering alot.

 

[LayneJ]

1. How long you have been ACTIVELY trying to grow your hair, or time it took you to reach your goal once you began. Length began, length @ present, and goal.

- Actively? Since I big chopped; March '07. Right after I BC'ed, I was at a lost, so I did some searching, and stumbled upon Fotki. I was inspired after seeing all the beautiful, long-haired naturals, who started out where I was.

- I was neck length stretched after my BC, and I'm neck length stretched again after a Jan. cut, and my goal is to be waist length stretched.

2. Your hair type.
4a

3. Natural or Relaxed
Natural

4. Actions taken you feel have hindered growth/retention
Cutting too much hair, too often.

5. Actions taken you feel have helped increase your growth/retention
* baggy method
* low manipulation
* co-washing often
* deep conditioning/moisturizing reguarly