Why is APL so hard to achieve??? *rant*

[locabouthair]

If it's any consolation, some of us wish we were where you are in length. be vigilant and keep the faith!

I was thinking that but I didnt wanna say it

Shoot, I need to start a thread baout why it's so hard to get to SL.

 

[PuffyBrown]

But your hair is growing. You don't see it because your stylist keeps cutting it off. Otherwise, you would be bald by now with all of those un-necessary trims if your hair was not growing. Just wait and see what happens when you stop trimming.

See that's the ish that makes me so jealous. But um MizzBrown your year growth isn't anything to look see as 'slow' progress. If i had had that type of growth from last April to now, I would surely be at APL already You and I are basically the same length right now and you started AFTER me and with short hair. Just NOT fair I tell you. But I am happy for all you long hair growing ladies....sort of....

 

[MyAngelEyez~C~U]

I was thinking that but I didnt wanna say it

Shoot, I need to start a thread baout why it's so hard to get to SL.

fo real fo real!!!erplexed I'm with ya!

 

[jerseygurl]

OP I'm sorry it's taking a while to get to APL. Like the ladies have already said NO MORE TRIMS.

What helped me go from NL january this year to APL was washing and DC'ing twice a week and clarifying every four weeks. I used ORS moisturizer (in the bottle) and always sealed with either coconut, castor or jojoba oil depending on which I grab first. And stretching too is a must for me

No hair stylist for me except for relaxers. I trim my hair myself and S&D regularly.

Good luck though.

 

[br0wney3z]

so....i'm confused. did she have your permission or not? and why would trimming = no more breakage?

keep bunning/clipping, and get you some sabino mb + giovanni direct so your rollersets don't fall.

No I didn't give her permission. But once she had started I figured I might as well make the best out of it and look for a silver lining which I thought would be that it would stop my breakage from my split ends etc. The ends are the most abused/oldest part of the hair so it makes sense that they hold the most damage which can lead to breakage.

I've decided I'll be ordering the sabino today actually and see what that does for my hair.

 

[br0wney3z]

I quit my stylist in April and started doing my own hair 100%.
My stylist was doing the same thing.

I self relaxed for the 1st time in July and my growth was really good. I did not trim and did not need to. I attempted a search and destroy and guess what. No split ends! Just to think that my stylist was triming my hair every 8 - 10 weeks. Now I am going 15 to 20 weeks before trimming. I can SEE my hair growing. Literally.
I just wish I would have done this a year ago. However, our journey is a long journey and that is why we are here. Helping each other.

Good luck on your hair and I know you can do it!

I tried self-relaxing when I first started the journey and it turned out to be close to disatarous so I decided I would let a stylist handle that aspect of my hair care. I was hoping Macherie would come out with a self-relaxing DVD (I could have sworn she had said she was), but since she hasn't and I still don't trust myself, plus my stylist does a good job of doing my relaxers I'm not really in any rush. Thanks though...I think I just need to be more diligent and patient

 

[br0wney3z]

If it's any consolation, some of us wish we were where you are in length. be vigilant and keep the faith!

I hear you! That's how I was when I first got here in '07 and I have seen my hair's health and length change drastically since then so I guess I should be happy with that. But I can't help but want some SWANG and body and length .

 

[Tamrin]

First off its your hair. You need to learn to say no. 5 weeks after a trim you get another trim. Thats ridiculous. She is chopping off your progress. I dust my hair now. If I have listened to stylists my hair would be chin lenght still. When I took control and did my hair myself, I started to see results. Im now APL. Everytime I would go to a stylist and thats about 4 times this year. Their first words were you need a trim. I always say no now. Last time I had a "trim" it was 3 inches of my hair chopped off"

 

[Napp]

yes i didnt realize how difficult it can be. i like full apl hair. it feels long to me.

 

[Highly Favored8]

I know how you feel. In Sept. 2008. I thought like a good girl that going from Full APL to SL will even my hair (which it did) however, I did not have to get it cut like I did. So, I see her 12-2-08, for my last relaxer of 2008 and will tell her NO TRIMS EVER AGAIN! I am also in the 2009 No Trim Hair Challenge =)

 

[LivingDoll]

See that's why I a DIYer. With the exception of a dominican blow out from time to time, I haven't been to a stylist in over a year. I dust my ends as needed and that's it. If I would've stayed with my old stylist my hair woulda still been the length in my first siggy pic. SHORT! They don't feel like they're doing something unless they're chopping your hair off.

 

[gymfreak336]

See that's why I a DIYer. With the exception of a dominican blow out from time to time, I haven't been to a stylist in over a year. I dust my ends as needed and that's it. If I would've stayed with my old stylist my hair woulda still been the length in my first siggy pic. SHORT! They don't feel like they're doing something unless they're chopping your hair off.

Ain't that the truth. I am a DIYer too. I actually bought some new shears last night to trim my hair. My ends were starting to tangle more so I went ahead and did it myself. I actually went to supercuts eariler but the line was really long so I said forget it. I can cut off just what needs to be cut without going overboard.

 

[locabouthair]

See that's why I a DIYer. With the exception of a dominican blow out from time to time, I haven't been to a stylist in over a year. I dust my ends as needed and that's it. If I would've stayed with my old stylist my hair woulda still been the length in my first siggy pic. SHORT! They don't feel like they're doing something unless they're chopping your hair off.

And your hair is growing very nicely After finding a bald spot (from the relaxer not being washed out) I'm done. I'll got to the salon for rollersets but I'm going to do my own relaxer. I keep getting bald spots from them not washing it out properly I feel as long as I have someone doing my relaxers, my hair will forever be damaged and thin.

 

[gymfreak336]

And your hair is growing very nicely After finding a bald spot (from the relaxer not being washed out) I'm done. I'll got to the salon for rollersets but I'm going to do my own relaxer. I keep getting bald spots from them not washing it out properly I feel as long as I have someone doing my relaxers, my hair will forever be damaged and thin.

They are not rinsing you well I would be heated!!!

 

[br0wney3z]

And your hair is growing very nicely After finding a bald spot (from the relaxer not being washed out) I'm done. I'll got to the salon for rollersets but I'm going to do my own relaxer. I keep getting bald spots from them not washing it out properly I feel as long as I have someone doing my relaxers, my hair will forever be damaged and thin.

See my problem isn't with when she does my relaxer's b/c as soon as I go in I let her know that I won't be doing a trim. But I just wasn't expecting another one when I went in for a simple wash and style. Ugh, I need to go get a good pair of shears and start learning how to dust these ends myself so that I won't have to rely on her at all for trims EVER

 

[ladybug71]

Thanks for starting this thread. I'm finding getting past SL is HARD! I've been stuck at SL since forever and am always open to suggestions as I don't see any progress w/length either! Boo!

 

[JustKiya]

I also have to ask - are you doing any protective styles?
If you need a touch-up, then your hair is growing, and it's taking longer than expected to get to APL because you aren't retaining your ends - whether due to lack of moisture, over-exposure, over-use of protein and/or heat, or mechanical damage........ once you figure out where, how, and why your ends are breaking off (which might be different everytime, and for every woman), you'll be able to move forward much quicker.

 

[br0wney3z]

I also have to ask - are you doing any protective styles?
If you need a touch-up, then your hair is growing, and it's taking longer than expected to get to APL because you aren't retaining your ends - whether due to lack of moisture, over-exposure, over-use of protein and/or heat, or mechanical damage........ once you figure out where, how, and why your ends are breaking off (which might be different everytime, and for every woman), you'll be able to move forward much quicker.

Yes, I stay in protective styles. My daily M-F is up in a banana clip with the ends tucked under in a good day pin. When I get home I take it down, maybe moisturize and slap on a hair clip or tie it up in my satin wrap. I swear I am doing everything I'm suppose to. I was so happy with my progress up to June (see siggy), and now I am barely below my 2007 pic it feels like

 

[locabouthair]

See my problem isn't with when she does my relaxer's b/c as soon as I go in I let her know that I won't be doing a trim. But I just wasn't expecting another one when I went in for a simple wash and style. Ugh, I need to go get a good pair of shears and start learning how to dust these ends myself so that I won't have to rely on her at all for trims EVER

Does she pressure you for a trim or is it when she does she takes off too much?

 

[br0wney3z]

Does she pressure you for a trim or is it when she does she takes off too much?

Not at all. usually i just let her know that I won't be needing a trim this time and she says ok. The last relaxer I told her I wanted a slight trim, no more than 1/2 in and she did just that. This time she didn't even ask, just went on her merry way. She took off about another 1/2 to 1 in in some places

 

[Reinventing21]

And your hair is growing very nicely After finding a bald spot (from the relaxer not being washed out) I'm done. I'll got to the salon for rollersets but I'm going to do my own relaxer. I keep getting bald spots from them not washing it out properly I feel as long as I have someone doing my relaxers, my hair will forever be damaged and thin.

[/QUOTE]

Yea. I am a DIY now BUT...I got this to stop happening by exaggerating & lying about the burn factor. If I felt there was a section that wasn't washed or rinsed well enough I would complain that I was still burning. When I was younger I had a lot of hair & the standard 'suds suds swish swish done' was not enough. I would have the stylist spending much more time neutralizing & rinsing to accomodate the needs of my hair. If I didn't I would get the bald spots.

 

[EleganceUnleashed]

Yes, getting to APL is verry hard. I am close but still not there. And I don't consider a group of hairs together juzzz touching it APL. Thats just me though.

If I don't reach a significant length by this time next year, I'll just figure I reached terminal length, get a nice cut and call it a day.

 

[LivingDoll]

And your hair is growing very nicely After finding a bald spot (from the relaxer not being washed out) I'm done. I'll got to the salon for rollersets but I'm going to do my own relaxer. I keep getting bald spots from them not washing it out properly I feel as long as I have someone doing my relaxers, my hair will forever be damaged and thin.

Thanks! I stopped letting stylists relax my hair years ago (before joining LHCF...) they would relax it bone straight and lifeless and I would aways have scabs. I would have those weepy, oozy spots the day after a relaxer and my hair would be all stuck together. The last time that happened I was like "oh hellz naw!"...been a DIYer since then. I don't even go to a pro stylist for a rollerset...I go to the hair school where it costs $8.

See my problem isn't with when she does my relaxer's b/c as soon as I go in I let her know that I won't be doing a trim. But I just wasn't expecting another one when I went in for a simple wash and style. Ugh, I need to go get a good pair of shears and start learning how to dust these ends myself so that I won't have to rely on her at all for trims EVER

It was the best thing I ever did. It's still kinda hard to dust the back but I manage.



Yea. I am a DIY now BUT...I got this to stop happening by exaggerating & lying about the burn factor. If I felt there was a section that wasn't washed or rinsed well enough I would complain that I was still burning. When I was younger I had a lot of hair & the standard 'suds suds swish swish done' was not enough. I would have the stylist spending much more time neutralizing & rinsing to accomodate the needs of my hair. If I didn't I would get the bald spots.[/quote]

Yep...stylists never wanted to rinse me when I started burning either...."oh just try to wait a minute or two more"....then I would have scabs the next day from relaxer residue and overprocessing. Not cool...

 

[br0wney3z]

Thanks! I stopped letting stylists relax my hair years ago (before joining LHCF...) they would relax it bone straight and lifeless and I would aways have scabs. I would have those weepy, oozy spots the day after a relaxer and my hair would be all stuck together. The last time that happened I was like "oh hellz naw!"...been a DIYer since then. I don't even go to a pro stylist for a rollerset...I go to the hair school where it costs $8.


It was the best thing I ever did. It's still kinda hard to dust the back but I manage.

That's exactly what happened to me that led me to LHCF. Hair was all matted together and scabbing. I looked like a wet chicken. She left the relaxer in for like 40 minutes while she did someone else's hair. I cried so hard that day before she finally washed it out....it was like someone was torturing me. I will NEVER lay foot in that woman's salon again, she asks for me all the time, and I told my mum to tell her that i've gone natural and won't be going back to her!

 

[LivingDoll]

That's exactly what happened to me that led me to LHCF. Hair was all matted together and scabbing. I looked like a wet chicken. She left the relaxer in for like 40 minutes while she did someone else's hair. I cried so hard that day before she finally washed it out....it was like someone was torturing me. I will NEVER lay foot in that woman's salon again, she asks for me all the time, and I told my mum to tell her that i've gone natural and won't be going back to her!

OMG!!! 40 minutes? It's a wonder you had ANY hair left! I would get sores after only having the relaxer in 5 minutes! I can't imagne 40 minutes!!! That's crazy...

 

[FASHION STAR]

I feel like I've been SL FOREVER and a day and going nowhere fast! Just when I thought I was about 2 inches shy of at least touching APL, I go in for a wash and flat iron last week and freaking A, she trims me back to a full SL, this is just 5 weeks AFTER she trimmed my hair when I got my relaxer Now granted, my hair may have needed a trim, and it does look better...but I never wear my hair down so darnit it shouldn't matter. She was just so quick with the scissors. I mean one minute we are sitting there chatting about boys and stuff and then bam like an inch of my hair is falling and internally I'm screaming in slow motion NOOOOOOOO!

And another thing, why can't I do any cute styles? It's so frustrating to know that I am constantly in banana clips with my ends tucked under and my hair and ends are going nowhere it feels like. I've tried rollersets and when I can actually get the hair to do what it's suppose to, it NEVER lasts an entire day. The curls fall either from the weather, or after coming back from the gym. Braidouts always end up looking like a frizzy mess that just sits on my head like a mop....arghhhh. So I end up not wanting to spend thousands of hours styling just to see it all fall before the day is even over.

I'm just really through with my hair right now. It's so fickle. Breaks at the slightest hint of being styled. It's breaking all over the place right now no matter how much I've tried to pamper it and give it protein and moisture. It just laughs at me and keeps on doing what it does. I just needed to rant and rave and now I will return to oblivion.

This is exactly why I have been weaving and braiding for the past 19 months. These stylists are just way to scissor happy. Every time my hair grows out and I can see it after the perm I'm like YESSSS!!!! Then I go from the bottom of my neck to my ear in 30 seconds flat.
No one is trimming my hair at all this year.

 

[melodies815]

I quit my stylist in April and started doing my own hair 100%.
My stylist was doing the same thing.

I self relaxed for the 1st time in July and my growth was really good. I did not trim and did not need to. I attempted a search and destroy and guess what. No split ends! Just to think that my stylist was triming my hair every 8 - 10 weeks. Now I am going 15 to 20 weeks before trimming. I can SEE my hair growing. Literally.
I just wish I would have done this a year ago. However, our journey is a long journey and that is why we are here. Helping each other.

Good luck on your hair and I know you can do it!

Just wanted to let you know I have been watching your hair growth since I started here this past August. You are an inspiration to me. I hope to be able to show some real growth by the time I take my hair down in April. I want APL by July if that is reasonable with braids from October until then.

Beautiful growth!

Browney3z I relax my own hair because of burns in the past. I have not relaxed since sometime in August I think (can't recall), and I kind of think I am transitioning. Not sure yet. Your hair is lovely, even with the scissor-happy beautician.
cj