When you first started your hair quest, did you believe you could reach your goal??

[vivEz daNs lamouR]

Hey ladies, newbie here with some anxieties. I've been lurking around for awhile trying to soak up as much information as I can and using it to my advantage. I started my regimen OFFICIALLY on September 1st, and its literally the exact opposite of what I'm usually used to doing. For example, low manipulation, low heat, I love(d) nothing more than blow drying and flat ironing my hair followed by brushing it out But now I'm on this journey and maybe its because its still a fresh start, but in the back of my mind while I stand in my bathroom and mix concoctions together and put in extra time, effort and not to mention $$$$ to achieve my goals, part of me wonders and hopes (and prays) that I'll reach my goals. Did you ladies feel this way? I'm sure you did, but what pushed you to keep going?

Literally, I stood in my bathroom today going "I'm seriously mixing vaginal juice (Monistat) with cayenne pepper and oils to put on my scalp... Hope this works..."

 

[wheezy807]

Re: When you first started your hair quest, did you believe you could reach your goal

Honestly, in the beginning i did feel like that. But as i begin to become more knowledgable, i begin to realize that i can too be able to obtain my goal. Not to mention, all the gorgeous ladies here and there fotkis. I knew i could do it when i seen other ladies with same hair type starting out with the same length or shorter exceeding great lengths.

 

[ajoyfuljoy]

Re: When you first started your hair quest, did you believe you could reach your goal

I was real frustrated at first too. When I read Cathy Howse book, I was like, "No heat? Are you kidding me?!?" Now it's really no problem. I can't imagine going back to the old way.

My hair feels so healthy. I'm at 5-6 weeks and usually by this time I used to be ready to shave ALL my hair off! My new growth is so soft now and my hair so manageable, I can literally run my fingers through my 4b new growth (freshly washed).

I combed my hair for a rollerset today and lost the smallest amount of hair I think I've ever lost.

You can do it. Just find the regime that works for you and at least at first , try to keep it as simple as possible. Also remember that they say it takes 26 days to form a habit. So keep that in mind!

 

[memee1978]

Re: When you first started your hair quest, did you believe you could reach your goal

i was curious to find out how long it would take to gain really healthy hair then length.over a 4 year period i went from dry,brittle,splitting,mid back hair to waistlength full healthy springy hair.it took time and patience.i always listen to others who are on the same journey as i am.my advice tou you would be to use common since what works for your hair,and get others imput on what their routiene is.remember its consistancy thats counts.good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Ladyhenri]

Re: When you first started your hair quest, did you believe you could reach your goal

No. I didnt believe i could reach my hair goals. I would look at fotkis and find some reason why the lady in question had long hair (ie she's mixed, She already had long hair, etc...)
I gave myself 3months on joining LHCF. I would follow all the advice on here and see if my hair grew at all. If it did, i would remain and start believeing that this hair growth thing works, if it didnt, Peace out...

Well its coming up to a year now and i just bought a two year fotki membership and will be renewing my LHCF membership.
I'm a Definite believer now

 

[curlcomplexity]

Re: When you first started your hair quest, did you believe you could reach your goal

ITA w/ Henrietta. I didn't think that I was going to achieve my current length ever. I would look @ Fotki's like Reniece's, Sistaslick's (HEY GIRL!!), Jennifer MD and Sylver2's and then look at my own hair and become sad. I remember being so frustrated sometimes there would be tears at times. I just celebrated my 2 year anniv. of healthy hair care. Looking back @ some of the Fotki's, I can now compare my length to others...I've even surpassed some of my "she-ro's". I have gained such an appreciation for this site and Fotki.com. Just be patient and take care of your hair and it will flourish! Happy growing lady!

 

[HoneyA]

Re: When you first started your hair quest, did you believe you could reach your goal

I seriously believed I could reach my hair goals. I started last year end of August with hair just above my shoulders. Decided at the beginning I was going to take the 365 day challenge (Cathy Howse). I started that on September 10, 2006. What kept me going? Found a regimen, bought lots of products I just had to use up and I took lots of pictures so I could see the progress. I was satisfied it was working and I just kept right on. I've got 4 more days of that challenge. Yeh!. Just chart your course. Start a challenge, set a goal and then move consistently toward it, take lots of photos. You learn as you go along and find new challenges to help you reach your goals. Good luck and happy hair growing!

 

[Energee]

Re: When you first started your hair quest, did you believe you could reach your goal

I've always believed I could reach my hair goals and will continue to. After years and I mean DECADES of wearing the short 'Halle 'Do' purposely I'm really very happy to be just below shoulder length now and quickly reaching APL (I'm thinking I will meet that second goal (first was to be shoulder length) by November or December). My final Goal of BSL WILL be sometime next year! I'm a believer.

I agree with HoneyA---take lots of photos of your progress. I would not have thought this mattered before but I do see the benefit now. You can REALLY SEE your progress with pictures. You may not 'see' the progress without photos. It's very inspirational and encouraging. Journaling is good. I write down everything about my hair in a journal--when I wash..what products I used. How my hair reacted to those products on that day...it really helps A LOT. It will help you become more familiar with your hair and narrow down your products and regimen.

 

[mscocoface]

Re: When you first started your hair quest, did you believe you could reach your goal

I started out with the Cathy Howse method also, and was scared beyond belief that I would not reach my goal in one year.

But then I thought about it and remembered what my mother always said, Nothing beats a failure but a Try!

So I said to myself what is the worst scenario that could happen, I know it will grow but maybe I will only get one inch and at least I know what would and would not work for my hair after a year.

That was better than what I had been doing for the past years as a natural and only being able to get to shoulder length.

In short, dive in with both feet, if the money is an issue, cut down on the products and go for it. Remember it is the journey getting to the goal that is the longest time, so enjoy it, learn about your hair and yourself and before you know it you will get to where you want.

 

[Crystalicequeen123]

Re: When you first started your hair quest, did you believe you could reach your goal

NO....trust me, when I first started out, I felt desperate and at wits end.
I was determined to try ANYTHING in order to get my hair in good shape, and to grow longer.

Never could I have imagined that within a year and a half, my hair could go from:


THIS:

To THIS:

To finally THIS:

Check the dates of those photos too! Of course, I have cut my hair since then, so my hair isn't as long as it was in that last picture, but that is the LONGEST my hair has ever been in my LIFE! That should tell you something!

So...keep up the good hard work. It can be done. It may not seem like it now, but your hair goals can be reached. Plus, you have the great examples of the ladies on this board. A lot of us probably never thought we could make our hair goals when we first started out. But we are proof that it can be done. Don't give up!

 

[vivEz daNs lamouR]

Re: When you first started your hair quest, did you believe you could reach your goal

Henrietta I've been going through what you first went through! Looking @ some of the Fotkis on here, and while they're ALL very inspiring, they're also a bit discouraging because I wonder "Could that be me one day?" And for me the problem with that is the fact that my hair regimen consisted of all the WRONG things to do (i.e. using heat, high manipulation, etc.)

I was talking about this last night with my mother and she actually made me remember back when I was 16 and I thought it would be great to just dye my hair a whole new color. A stylist I went to bleached my entire head and chemical dyed it. Then I got a perm a few weeks later. I didn't lose my hair, but boy was it thin! I look back on it now and go, "What was I thinking?!"

But since starting this journey of mine I've been keeping a journal tracking everyday's worth of progress, last night I did a pre-poo with some ORS Hair Mayo mixed with some EOs, which I will wash out today and since my Pibbs hasn't arrived I'm going to do some Bantu knots. I don't know, I guess its just pre-progress jitters! Lol but I'm glad to see I'm not the only one

 

[Brownie518]

Re: When you first started your hair quest, did you believe you could reach your goal

NO....trust me, when I first started out, I felt desperate and at wits end.
I was determined to try ANYTHING in order to get my hair in good shape, and to grow longer.

Never could I have imagined that within a year and a half, my hair could go from:


THIS:

To THIS:

To finally THIS:

Check the dates of those photos too! Of course, I have cut my hair since then, so my hair isn't as long as it was in that last picture, but that is the LONGEST my hair has ever been in my LIFE! That should tell you something!

So...keep up the good hard work. It can be done. It may not seem like it now, but your hair goals can be reached. Plus, you have the great examples of the ladies on this board. A lot of us probably never thought we could make our hair goals when we first started out. But we are proof that it can be done. Don't give up!

:wow::waytogo:Great progress! Those pics should be a nice inspiration. I still doubt my ability to reach my goals. I was able to reach one, by growing out my nape. That seemed to take forever but I finally did it. So, hopefully everything else will start to fall into place.

 

[WhipEffectz1]

Re: When you first started your hair quest, did you believe you could reach your goal

Hey ladies, newbie here with some anxieties. I've been lurking around for awhile trying to soak up as much information as I can and using it to my advantage. I started my regimen OFFICIALLY on September 1st, and its literally the exact opposite of what I'm usually used to doing. For example, low manipulation, low heat, I love(d) nothing more than blow drying and flat ironing my hair followed by brushing it out But now I'm on this journey and maybe its because its still a fresh start, but in the back of my mind while I stand in my bathroom and mix concoctions together and put in extra time, effort and not to mention $$$$ to achieve my goals, part of me wonders and hopes (and prays) that I'll reach my goals. Did you ladies feel this way? I'm sure you did, but what pushed you to keep going?

Literally, I stood in my bathroom today going "I'm seriously mixing vaginal juice (Monistat) with cayenne pepper and oils to put on my scalp... Hope this works..."

I thought about it and I believed that my hair could and would get better if I just put in a little time as I realized that my hair type required some TLC and a little work to get it on the track to success. I'm very proud from whence I've came and look forward to crossing many milestones with my hair. Always have perpetual optimism with your hair and everything in life!

*Password in Profile*

The beginning
http://public.fotki.com/WhipEffect/hair_journal/

In between
http://public.fotki.com/WhipEffect/protein-progress-pi/

Now
http://public.fotki.com/WhipEffect/pushing-it-for-the-/

 

[AwesomelyNappy]

Re: When you first started your hair quest, did you believe you could reach your goal

I'm too stubborn NOT to believe i would reach my goal!!!

I had my moments of doubt... but overall... i've always believed in my goals... sometimes to the point of overconfidence... (like me currently aiming for 3 inches in 4 months)...

I'm always visualizing myself with long waist length or tailbone length hair blowing in the wind in slow motion!!!

 

[senimoni]

Re: When you first started your hair quest, did you believe you could reach your goal

Yeah I probably went through 8 months of....this is never going to happen, then every milestone seemed so far away...apl , bsl...etc etc. I don't even stress over it anymore...if I grow no more I'll be happy but in the meantime, where is my moisturizer.

 

[essence5]

Re: When you first started your hair quest, did you believe you could reach your goal

Nooooo. I transitioned for about a month before I decided to bc. Needless to say my husband and sons had more hair than me (LOL)! how time

flies

jan 2006

feb 2007

 

[knottyaaverage]

Re: When you first started your hair quest, did you believe you could reach your goal

i too was at my wits end when i joined. there was nothing i could do but join. i saw all the sucess stories and fotkis and thought mabe this could me. my hair was always long and thick and when my hair fell out i just didn't know how to recooperate. i started looking at some of the methods. and they stopped the breakage and i figured i was on the right track. it's going to take a good regimen, time, patience and optimism if u want to succeed. i have come a good ways so it can definetly happen for u. this board will teach u so much about black hair. Anky's (i think thats her name) fotki, is just one of the truest testimony's black hair can grow, no matter what the setback. keep going with ur regimen girl and learn as much as u can

 

[chica_canella]

Re: When you first started your hair quest, did you believe you could reach your goal

Well, I never really thought my hair couldn't be long because my childhood pictures show otherwise.

What made me really inspired was taking my braids out after leaving them in for a few months and seeing that I was close to bsl. I was like, "Woo hoo!" As you can imagine, it just gave me the courage to sacrafice my old hair habits and it has been the best thing I've done for my hair.

 

[vivEz daNs lamouR]

Re: When you first started your hair quest, did you believe you could reach your goal

WhipEffectz your fotki truly is an inspiration! I'm too scared to even consider a BC, kudos to you for even doing that!

 

[WhipEffectz1]

Re: When you first started your hair quest, did you believe you could reach your goal

WhipEffectz your fotki truly is an inspiration! I'm too scared to even consider a BC, kudos to you for even doing that!

Thanks you honey! The one thing I've learned is that with time comes increased confidence in yourself. You will get to that point(if that's what you desire) eventually. Good luck in all your hair endeavors!

 

[Quest4healthyhair]

Re: When you first started your hair quest, did you believe you could reach your goal

I started my hair journey 3 weeks ago and honestly some days I think why am I even doing this. I was even considering do a big chop (chin length). But there are other days when I love my hair. I figure, I'll give it until December and see how my hair has progressed then.

 

[cutiebe2]

Re: When you first started your hair quest, did you believe you could reach your goal

I feel the same way.
When I started my journey a year ago my hair was right above SL length...then I cut it all off and it's back to right above SL.
Now I'm at that point where my hair should start to grow to SL and beyond, but since I have never seen my hair longer than what it is now, I am aprehensive!!!!
When I get to APL I can relax and say "yes, this does work!!"

 

[sareca]

Re: When you first started your hair quest, did you believe you could reach your goal

I believed it. My hair had been BSL before so I had proof that I could do it. You'll believe soon enough. Your own progress will inspire you.

 

[TLC1020]

Re: When you first started your hair quest, did you believe you could reach your goal

I believed that I could reach my goals I was just hoping it wouldn't take as long.. Once I started doing the bun I begin to see improvment in the overall health of my hair and the length so I knew I could reach my goals they just seemed so far away..
Last year this time I was a little past chin length and now I'm APL
Who knew.... Who knew...

 

[wheezy807]

Re: When you first started your hair quest, did you believe you could reach your goal

This is a great thread btw.

 

[scorpian]

Re: When you first started your hair quest, did you believe you could reach your goal

I believed it because when I read others posts and stalked fotkis I realized what I was doing wrong. Not moisturizing and using protein as needed. Using all the wrong stuff at the wrong times. My hair and my dd's hair was tore up before I found this site so It really couldn't get any worse only better.

 

[caribgirl]

Re: When you first started your hair quest, did you believe you could reach your goal

What an inspiring thread. Ladies keep adding to encourage ALL of us!!!!!!