What "bad" things do you do and still get length/health?

[Glib Gurl]

This question is especially for the ladies who are SL or longer . . . or anyone really who has experienced significant growth since starting an LHCF-approved regimen

So, what "bad" things do you do to your hair (e.g., direct heat, no protein, no protective styling, etc.)? Does this impede your hair growth or length retention?

Please encourage a sista who is looking to grow longer hair but also have some style . . . .

 

[momi]

I have been looking for someplace to post my thoughts on this topic:

When I first went natural I did not monitor the length of my hair, only the health. It was so dry, so I mainly deep conditioned every other week and twisted it every week. After about 7 months I decided to straighten it and really fell in love with it. At that time it was layered with the bottom layer right at my neck. I trimmed it about every 7 weeks and flat ironed/blow dried weekly... next thing I know it was grazing APL and I decided I was tired of it and cut it. Now that I have cut it, I miss it and am applying major effort at re-growing it... but I was thinking the other day that it grew pretty fast last time with minimal effort on my part. Nothing special, just DC once a month. I would pin curl it at night, would never add any moisture in between salon visits, and it still grew.

This time around, I am DC weekly, taking vitamins and whatever else I can get my hands on. Thank you for this post, I may just cut out the extra and let it grow on its own.

 

[ichephren]

Hmmm, well my hair still grew to BSL even though I never do protective styles unless I'm in the mood to wear one. I also flat ironed my hair a few too many times this year and stopped being vigilant about my regimen...which leads me to my sob story. I hardly ever used protein, which my hair loves. I used henna which dried out my hair and turned it orange. Despite the fact that I got to BSL length, my hair was not happy. I had split ends on my split ends and my hair seemed rough feeling or something. All this heat usage began after I went to the domincan and decided that I like stick straight hair. So, next year, I'm going back to no heat after a small trim, and my hair should go back to being happy.
All this really leads me to the conclusion that it's not what you do to the hair, it's what you don't do, which is perhaps why people with low maintenance regimens grow their hair long. Although I did use heat (once a month almost every month) and quit some key aspects of my regimen, I didn't go so far as to abuse the hair, which let me retain my ends.

 

[bluevalentine]

i have been using heat on my bangs wayyyyyyyyyyy too much since i initially cut them, but they still manage to grow. now i'm on a personal challenge to grow them back so i can treat them like the rest of my hair, because although i am currently not seeing any ill effects, to be sure that if i keep doing this i will have no hair in the front at all . that would not be a good look!

i would also like to add that i do not suggest doing this at all , i really do believe that the excessive use of heat is the debil.

 

[nappity]

I DYE my hair.
'nuff said.

 

[malibu4590]

I brush wet/damp hair (how else will I get my hair into a bun smoothly) and haven't seen any ill effects from it.

 

[*Happily Me*]

i hardly ever DC :/

Much too lazy!

 

[glamazon386]

I use a small comb on my hair.

 

[Whimsy]

i follow no regimen and don't moisturize it often.

 

[shtow]

I use a small comb on my hair.

Me too. I use one for my rollersets. Its the only way they come out super smooth like I flat ironed. I make sure I saturate my hair first and use a shower comb before using the small tooth tho.

 

[aloof one]

I think the reason I had good looking hair before I destroyed it jumping on bandwagons at LHCF was because I cared more about what my hair looked like than how healthy it was. Of course, if your hair looks good a lot of times it is healthy, so when my hair was looking jacked up, that is the only way I knew I needed to change something.

I would always have my hair straightened, washed only when it looked bad, relaxed when I saw too much NG on my edges, and trimmed every 2 months. I never DC'd, prepooed, oil rinsed, or anything of the sort. Some people go on and on about how all of this is bad, but my hair was APL up until I joined this site and I had done all of this.

 

[Amarech]

Well, I'm not SL (any more) but that's because I did really bad stuff to my hair!

I'm encouraged by what a lot of ladies have posted. Many have obtained BSL with out a regimen, DC, staying away from heat, etc.....

not that these things arent' good, but I think "bad" needs to be put in perspective.

I use heat no more than twice a week. Half of that comes from the blow dryer and the other half comes from the flat iron. That's probably the baddest thing I do now because I DC, stick to a regimen and keep my hair up as much as possible.

I'm not even concerned about growth because I know it will grow back and longer, but right now my hair is thick, all one length and no longer breaking off like it was 3 months ago. So much for badderplexed

 

[tricie]

I feel you, Bmorefly & Shtow; I use the rat tail for roller sets too or else it won't be smooth! erplexed

 

[freshlikemoi]

Everything...but it manages to still love me.

 

[glamazon386]

Me too. I use one for my rollersets. Its the only way they come out super smooth like I flat ironed. I make sure I saturate my hair first and use a shower comb before using the small tooth tho.

Yeah but I'm natural. That's supposed to be an even bigger nono.

 

[Extremus]

Hmmm.....

Don't tie my hair up that much at night
Don't follow a regimen
Don't focus on my ends a lot of the time
Use heat 2-3x a month
Comb (w/ a rattail comb) and brush (soft boar bristle brush) my edges while they're wet (no breakage & I get flat and smooth roots/edges after they're tied down with a scarf )
Probably overlap everytime I get a relaxer

 

[thegirltolove]

I'm addicted to my flatiron.... Maybe 3-4 times a month.

 

[hothair]

I DYE my hair.
'nuff said.

what she said on 20% texlaxed hair, 2ce in 3 weeks (didn't like the initial shade) -Oh did I mention I flat-ironed 2ce in a week with gel on this same hair crossed fingers I've seen no ill effects but not taking ANY chances 'been dc-ing madly with Aveda DR intensive and Lustrasilk Shea Butter Cholesterol so far so good but I will NOT be trying this again anytime soon.

 

[Extremus]

what she said on 20% texlaxed hair, 2ce in 3 weeks (didn't like the initial shade) -Oh did I mention I flat-ironed 2ce in a week with gel on this same hair crossed fingers I've seen no ill effects but not taking ANY chances 'been dc-ing madly with Aveda DR intensive and Lustrasilk Shea Butter Cholesterol so far so good but I will NOT be trying this again anytime soon.

 

[FlowerHair]

I don't deep condition very often and I usually wear a pony tail, so my ends aren't protected.
I can get away with it because I don't use a comb or brush anymore