POLL: getting beyond Shoulder Length

[IMFOCSD]

give up the heat and keep it pinned/bunned and you will get there

thanks SweetCaramel1, I see you are still getting your grow on.

 

[newflowers]

I voted protectve styles, but I believe it is a combination of the options you have listed.

If you are having trouble staying away from heat, you may have to go drastic - get rid of the heat appliances; throw them away; give them away; remove them from where you are, so you do not have access. Maybe box and tape and take to a friend or family member for three months. It's hard not to use them because they are right there. If you had no heating appliances readily available, it would not be so hard. Keep the dryer (hard top/bonnet/heatcap) for deep conditioning - all others must go.

You'll get used to it really quickly; your hair will thank you, you will thank your BSL hair in a few months. It's all win-win.

 

[toniy]

Co washing every day, knowing when to moisturize or add protein and protective styling.

Internally- MSM, proteins and vitamins...

 

[mscocoface]

When I was at that length I did the following.

Protected my ends like a JEALOUS LOVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A Lion protecting her lion cubs!!!!!!!!

I did my best not to lose length if I could. So I did almost everything you have there I never showed my ends during this time. I knew that my necklaces, clothing, scarves around my shoulders, coats, EVERYTHING was out to get my ends and take them off.

I sleep in head wraps of some sort, baggyed, twists and braids, deep conditioned, cowashes, low to no manipulation. At shoulder length is when I went 365 days without using any heat with the exception of heating caps or hair dryers for deep conditioning. I also did wigs and 3/4 wigs to protect my ends also, that required some type of cap around my hair so that the wig did not rub up against my hair.

I started a hair journal which is now almost 400 pages long. I read and researched everything I could get my hands on. I visited fotkis like crazy and folks that would let me get copies of pictures of their length I would put up around me and place in my journal.

When my hair was in twists or braids I would make sure to moisturize or spritz my hair every single day even if it was with glycerine and water. Something moist was and is in my head every day. You really get the benefits of this when you take your hair down. For me it was easier to remove the twists and braids. Hair did not have the snap, crackle and pop sound (all you naturals understand this sound all too well!)

Find products and a routine for you and stick with it. Remember the ends are the laziest, and weakest part of the hair so you have to treat it like the high maintenance princess it is. Truly, no joke.

Now truth be told, I am still doing the protecting because if I lose my ends I lose my length. The longer my hair gets the OLDER my ends are, when you learn this for gaining length at your shoulders it will be this way from now on if you want to maintain length.

I have cut down on some of the other routines, such as baggying and I don't deep condition twice a week like I use to, but those ends.....I don't play. They are forever under my watchful eyes and treated like a HMP (high maintenance princess.

You have some very sound advice given to you about this. I hope that all the ladies who are now at shoulder length take heed and can use some of the advice give here. It is very valuable and produces positive results.

Happy growing.

 

[shynessqueen]

I think most thing we do to our hair is a personal choice. We all know what might work for one may not work or the other. That's why I chose PS and no heat. Both works for every one no matter what type of hair you have. If you also know what to use in your hair.

 

[Empress Yahudah]

I voted deep conditioning ... also wearing my hair up except on weekends ,moisturizing daily, and protein treatments helped me retain my ends so I didnt have to dust/trim hardly

 

[gabulldawg]

I think protective styling is very important in getting over the hump. I'm not that far past shoulder length, but I was shoulder length with thinning ends when I joined LHCF. The first thing I did was eliminate heat completely from my hair regimen, which caused me to get serious about protective styling. For me, protective styling wasn't just about buns. I did other styles that let me wear my hair down, but kept my hair up off of my shoulders. Styles like bantu knot sets, braidouts, twistouts, etc. "shrink" your hair to keep it away from the dangerous clothing, jewelry, etc. that can break off your ends. To me, eliminating heat was the catalyst for my hair growth. A lot of people on the board often complain about not making it over the hump, but their regimen still includes weekly (or regular) heat use. To me there is no way that you can justify using heat regularly on your hair. If you want to use it you have to deal with the consequences of its use. I was in denial about heat for years. At first I didn't see the damage that heat did to my hair. I was like many on this board who say they don't notice any problems and think that heat is actually helping my hair. But when it started thinning I realized that the heat was the cause. Sorry for rambling, but I really am an advocate for no heat use! I have been converted!! There are SOOOOOOOOOO many styles you can do without using heat that look so much better than using a curling iron or flat iron! You can still look cute without heat! You don't have to be a slave to the iron!!

 

[SouthernTease]

1. NO HEAT
2. LITTLE MANIPULATION
3. PROTECTIVE STYLING
4. MAINTAINING PROPER MOISTURE LEVERL

 

[blueabyss333]

I second protective styling and eliminating heat. This is what's prevented me from getting over the hump for years. This time around, I'm not playing. I'm babying my ends like the "princess" they are.

 

[dontspeakdefeat]

Protective styling, low manipulation, deep conditioning and keeping those ends moisturized.

 

[starfish79]

I agree that it's a combination of things however, I found that I HAD to use protective styles otherwise my hair was just not getting past my shoulders.

 

[TLC1020]

A combination of these def helped in getting beyond shoulder length..

1. Protective styling
2. Deep Conditioning
3. Moisturizing daily
4. baggying(sometimes)

Great thread

 

[*Muffin*]

It was hard to pick just one, but the key thing for me is to keep hair moisturized. Second place would be protective styles. I know that if I don't properly moisturize my hair, even when I do protective styles my hair seems brittle at the ends and is going to break anyway. So I think moisturization and protective styles go hand-in-hand.

 

[lovelymissyoli]

I went ahead and chose protective styling. As long as my hair isn't rubbing against my clothing, getting snagged in my necklace, and my scalp can breathe freely, I think these factors all help to get past that length.

Also, I think for naturals, shrinkage helps a lot too. It's like a built-in protective style.

 

[Amour]

I would say protective styling I never see as much growth/ retaintion with i'm out of braids/ sew in weave.

I had a weave in for about 6 weeks and i noticed a HUGE difference in my hair length, I plan on weaving up for a good while.

After protective styling or equally important to me, is the use of a protein treatment (right after I remove my weave or when I'm out of weaves every week). I have VERY soft hair and I think this is the primal reason I never ever usually retain much length.

 

[DayStar]

i went from a big chop ( no hair) after cutting off my locs to past soulder length in about a year and some months..protecting styles helped, but no combing is even BETTER!!

 

[Te'TahHead]

I am definitely going with no heat/protective styling. I used to always DC but never retained length until I gave up heat and started PS'ing.

 

[nymane]

1) Everything Moisture (weekly DC's, M&S daily, co-washing 2x a week)
2) Heavy Protein every 6-8 weeks
3) Low Mani/Protective Styling

ETA: No direct heat

 

[Aireen]

I chose the protein treatments option but trimming and stretching relaxers also helped me.

 

[Nonie]

Dusting regularly, sealing ends and protective styling. I'm slowly going past SL even w/o those last two, but I can tell you it will take me twice as long as it did to get to SL and I'm pretty sure it's because I won't seal and protect my ends. Sheer laziness is my excuse.

 

[theLovelyStyle]

I picked moisturizing because this includes DCing and cowashings. My second choice wouldve been PS, but if you hair is dry and brittle PSing isnt really gonna stop breakae due to dry hair.

 

[FlowerHair]

For me it was definately protective styling. When the hair rubs agains the shoulders and bunches up. That's not good

Keep your ends away from your shoulders..

 

[Tif392002]

i hadnt reaches sl yet, but when i do i will protective style til i get past it... my second thing will to keep ends in check with lite trimming ( 1/4) every 6 months, 3rd moisturize and seal ends deep cindtion and 4 protien and moisture balance on point.

 

[sithembile]

I am definitely going with no heat/protective styling. I used to always DC but never retained length until I gave up heat and started PS'ing.

ITA. My hair always broke off at this length due to the use of heat and leaving my hair out all the time.

 

[beans4reezy]

I was at (or a little longer than) SL for YEARS! I reached APL and beyond when I started protective styling, weekly deep conditioning and daily moisturizing/sealing.

I completely agree. This is exactly what I did to get past SL. I voted for protectives styling because I think this was key for me; I never wore my hair out/loose.

 

[lapyramid]

Moisturizing definitely helped me. My hair was always so dry and brittle before I started taking the advice on this board. Since january my hair has grown 3.5 inches and the only major differences that I've made is moisturizing daily, deep conditioning weekly, and no heat.

 

[blackpearl81]

PROTECTIVE STYLING!!! and regular protein treatments really helped me wit that

 

[Janice]

Were you deep conditoning under a hooded dryer? If so, what is your opinion about indirect heat used to deep condition with on a weekly basis.

Moisturizing definitely helped me. My hair was always so dry and brittle before I started taking the advice on this board. Since january my hair has grown 3.5 inches and the only major differences that I've made is moisturizing daily, deep conditioning weekly, and no heat.

 

[Vintageglam]

1. NO HEAT
2. LITTLE MANIPULATION
3. PROTECTIVE STYLING
4. MAINTAINING PROPER MOISTURE LEVERL

1) Everything Moisture (weekly DC's, M&S daily, co-washing 2x a week)
2) Heavy Protein every 6-8 weeks
3) Low Mani/Protective Styling

ETA: No direct heat

Really like the two posts above !

 

[havilland]

i voted protective styles. i used to roller set, used no direct heat, deep conditioned, and took great care of my hair, but never made it past shoulder/collarbone until i started protective styling.

once i started hiding my ends i made it to apl for the first time in my life. now im going for my bra.

for me, my hair is fine and fragile. i think what works for someone has alot to do with their hair type and strength. my hair hates baggying and extra moisture. so moisturizing, except for my edges, actually caused me to have a setback from breakage.