Making it from SL to APL. Its so hard!!!

[SpiritJunkie]

great thread and tips!!

I don't really stretch my relaxer. I do 8 weeks which isn't much of a stretch compared to the 12 i hear in here.

I will try to add 4 more weeks to my stretch and see if that helps with bunning as my protective style vs the 1/2 wigs i've been wearing. I will give this a shot and see what happens for the next 3 months.

thanks!

sg

 

[Sarahh.]

My hair isn't APL at the moment, but when it was that length I got there by doing a few things.
-I didn't trim, only dusted a TINY bit.
-Wore protective styles. I find it's easier if you keep your hair off you shoulders/clothes.
-Stuck to a routine that worked for me.

 

[Mrs.Green]

I just jumped this hurdle and all I can say is PROTECTIVE STYLING, PROTECTIVE STYLING. That is so the key to making it. Keep them ends moisturized and sealed. Now that it is winter this is perfect to hide them ends for 6 months and you should be there or very close by spring.

 

[SouthernTease]

I transitioned for a year and went from NL to barely grazing APL... but then I BC'ed
but I did it by:
no heat
buns, buns, buns, and pin-ups
no trimming
moisturize, moisturize, moisturize
low manipulation
daily co-washing

 

[MonPetite]

I'm doing this for the second time after my life coming back from the BC...in the winter I wear my hair up to prevent the wind from getting to it.

It so happens this winter season will cover that growth phase from SL to APL...so protective styling will help in this case....

Though I DID go from SL to APL WITHOUT protective styling before from Late Spring to Late Fall.

What your doing worked for me before and is what I too, am doing now.

You'll get there sweet heart!

 

[RedVelvet310]

I went from a TWA (ABOVE ear length stretched) to SL stretched in hm say..6-8 months...I'm planning on keeping my hair is cornrows and under a head wrap for the summer... (I've been doing this every winter for the past 3 years.. at first it wasn't a protective style at first.. but for style purposes so now I gets its working for me).. I'm also using Mega Tek now so I want to be APL (stretched) by the end of the Year.. can you imagine the looks on peoples faces when I take my scarf off and BAM... APL! woot!

 

[Black Hoya Chick]

many of the choices: transitioning, stopped using heat, stopped trimming, and protective styling (my hair)

 

[luckiestdestiny]

Just braid it up, grab some braid spray, and forget about it until it's time to redo. Then do the same thing again and again. It's the easiest way to retain, and actually stop thinking about your hair because you can't be all in it every day.

Let me add when I say forget about it, I don't mean don't wash, condition. I mean stop Thinking about it, and just wash condition, and spray away until you get to your goal!

 

[supermodelsonya]

I needed to see this thread and glad that it got bumped up. I'm currently at SL (the longest my hair has ever been) and I so desperately want to make it to APL.

I'm using a different thing to try and gain an inch a month. I am under the "theory" that you can use something and your hair really responds until it begins to slow down.

I've used Biotin last month and got 1.25 inches. I'm now using MN 2% to see if I can get another inch in 30 days (hopefully)

In Feb, I'll be either switching to MT or OCT to get at least another inch.

March, Either Biotin or another growth aide...all while increasing my protein intake as well.

What do you guys think of this method? Have any of you tried it? If so, what were your results?
TIA

 

[**SaSSy**]

I needed to see this thread and glad that it got bumped up. I'm currently at SL (the longest my hair has ever been) and I so desperately want to make it to APL.

I'm using a different thing to try and gain an inch a month. I am under the "theory" that you can use something and your hair really responds until it begins to slow down.

I've used Biotin last month and got 1.25 inches. I'm now using MN 2% to see if I can get another inch in 30 days (hopefully)

In Feb, I'll be either switching to MT or OCT to get at least another inch.

March, Either Biotin or another growth aide...all while increasing my protein intake as well.

What do you guys think of this method? Have any of you tried it? If so, what were your results?
TIA

I don't know about using using so many growth aids at one time. I only use BM 3 to 4 times a week, and my MT once a week as a DC, but just make sure you step it up on some garlic pills, and moisturizer.

 

[supermodelsonya]

I don't know about using using so many growth aids at one time. I only use BM 3 to 4 times a week, and my MT once a week as a DC, but just make sure you step it up on some garlic pills, and moisturizer.

I'm not going to use them all at once...I'm just going to use for 30 day increments and then switch to something else.

 

[TG2000]

Sounds like you are doing a great job. Have patience. You will get there.

 

[FemmeCreole]

I made SL (again) in October.... I plan on reaching APL this year but I'm not putting a timeframe so as not to have added stress..... I would like to get there by May in time for graduation....but no rush.....it will happen when it has to

 

[LisaLisa1908]

I SO needed to see this thread. I am between SL and APL and this is where I get stuck. I know it's because I wear my hair down 95% of the time and my ends are getting shredded by my clothes. So, I'm going to have to protective style with either buns or spare hair to get over this hump, plus Ovation (I need NO thickness, I want length).

For those of you in cold weather climates, how do you deal with co-washing on a daily/semi-daily basis? There is NO way I can go out with my head wet when it's below freezing outside! I guess I'm going to have to use spare hair, because I just can't be outside with my head wet (air drying takes DAYS for me).

 

[loulou82]

I need 4 more inches. I'm creeping along. I use Surge 14, protective styles, little heat, and consistency with my regimen.

 

[korean]

im a newbie so i know my opinion
probably doesnt count to much lol
but for me i just did a three month stretch
lots of moisturizing(sunsilk hydra leave in)
has petroleum but leaves new growth super moist.
I did braid outs, roller-sets and bunning.
Just keep doing what your doing i think SL to APL
is one of the hardest struggles because you have to
learn not only about how to grow the hair but how to
retain and maintain the ends at this point

 

[baddison]

im a newbie so i know my opinion
probably doesnt count to much lol
but for me i just did a three month stretch
lots of moisturizing(sunsilk hydra leave in)
has petroleum but leaves new growth super moist.
I did braid outs, roller-sets and bunning.
Just keep doing what your doing i think SL to APL
is one of the hardest struggles because you have to
learn not only about how to grow the hair but how to
retain and maintain the ends at this point

Good advice, korean. Welcome, and ......everybody's opinion counts!!

 

[MaryJane3000]

bumping....

 

[Nice Lady]

bumping....

 

[Avan207]

Well to me it's not necessarily 'difficult' to get from SL to APL.

I think ppl at SL are in a stage when they're more apt to be concerned with the overall health of the hair vs the length.

You want to be long but:
--have to grow out your layers.
--have to Grow out the nape.
--have to grow out your hairline.
--have to snip away ugly ends all the time.
Etc...
et cetera....
To me it just seems like it takes a while simply because BEFORE you grow to a desired length you have to take the time to get hair the way you want it first.
I dunno.

Personally I've always washed often and I don't have to do protective styling in order to maintain my ends. BUT I cannot heatstyle or I'll singe my ends off!
Heat kills my hair. I wish I could heatstyle every other day and not have an issue.
But I ain't got it like that.
You can look at my hair and tell when I've been heat-styling and when I haven't been. It's a clear difference.

So I have learn to be more flexible with my styling options.

SOOOOOO true, if my bangs were long, if my sides were even, blah blah blah! I just want EVEN all one length hair!! Arggggghhh! (ok rant over,lol)

 

[Chameleonchick]

I am still trying to get here, so I came in here looking for answers. I have had two setbacks this year one in March and one in July. I think I may make it by the end of the year but we will see. I just put kinky twists in about a week ago and I am trying to keep these in for 8 weeks this time. Before I put them in I was about 2 inches away(again) from APL.

 

[aegis]

it's soo hard
it's been a year and i am the same place but i have cut a lot. when i reach APL i am going to JUMP for JOY!

 

[beans4reezy]

When I last measured in September, I was an inch away. I am stretching until December hoping to make it by then. But yes, this is the toughest hurdle for me because if I can make it to APL, I can really grow my hair to any lengths- the sky is the limit for me.

 

[MrsHdrLe]

Thanks for bumping this one up. I am just at apl last I checked, but I'm worried that I may have to cut it back a few inches (I noticed some splits, and breakage plagues my routine.) Last night I did a search and destroy all over and a small dusting, then I put my hair up. I guess I won't be seeing it again, except for washings, until sometime in December.

 

[Miss AJ]

Frequent washing/co-washing and bunning got me from SL to grazing APL in 4 months and had I taken care of my ends I could've stayed there too.

 

[HairGurl]

I'm still not at apl......it is a struggle for me.

 

[jayjaycurlz]

I am still not APL too! I thought I would've been there but my scissors-happy stylist cut about an inch and a half off of my hair on my last touch up which was a 24 week stretch. I plan to NOT go back for a touch up until I'm well past APL (maybe by March/April) so if she does cut, it will bring me back to APL.

I'm going to BKT and hide my hair until then. I wish all ladies good luck reaching their APL goals!

 

[Truth]

Right now in it's natural state i'm somwhere between the 2...trying to make it to APL ...i'm keeping mine in braids until the end of Jan....takin HSN as a growth aid..and keeping these puppies moist... hopefully when I straighten in Feb..I'll have some sort of hope, but i'm guessing i'll be APL by my BDay in May... but i'ma push for feb.. we'll see

when I was relaxed... SL to APL was like 6months... I cowashed every other day and kept it in a phony pony majority of the time with my ends baggied..

 

[DMJ's Mom]

It took me 15 months to get from SL to APL including a couple of dustings and big trim in Nov. I'm tall so APL is about 6-7 inches of growth for me. All I really did was protective style (mostly because of work) nothing special

 

[Janet']