stuck at SL for 1 year and 5 months

[Spongebob]

Why is it that it took me only 1 year to go from bald to SL, And now, another 1 year and 5 months later I still just look SL? just a more ticker/fuller and more convincing SL. I feel like I'm going to be stuck at this length forever. if I pull on the longest layer in the back it grazes APL. how do you pass this stage? Should I start measuring my length physically with a measuring tape to see if my growth is slow?

 

[PersuasiveBeauty]

Are you experiencing breakage? Shedding? Do you protective style? If so...What is your most commonly used protective style... How long do you leave your protective styles in for? Are you moisturizing and sealing? Considering the fact that I don't have much information to go on...My first piece of advice is to buckle down and protective style. But we need more information before we can give accurate advice.

 

[Kn0ttyByNatur3]

I know how you feel. It "felt" like I was stuck at the SL-APL stage for a long time. I am sure ya hair is growing, sis.

 

[Spongebob]

the strands that i lose are always full length, so I shed hair rather then break most of the time. When I comb vigorously which is not often I will have some breakage. But overall I am careful, so I don't tend to have breakage. I do have shedding, whether i comb or not. i seemed to have a lot of shedding when I braid my hair, which I haven't done now for 3 months, and its done a lot of good. my protective style is a bun, my hair is in a bun 90% of the time, maybe 10 percent its out. i will usually wash my hair on sunday, condition it after washing, let it air dry for maybe 30 minutes, and whilst it still moist i apply frizz ease night serum and put it in a bun. i leave that over night and it makes my hair more managable. the next day i check if its all absorbed, if it's still a bit damp, i let it air dry, the only time i can air dry without it turning into a big afro. then i seal it with jojoba oil. i trimmed my hair roughly 3 months ago as I felt they were dry and i saw some split ends. and that's the only time I have ever cut since big chop.

i do feel like my hair growing, but i'm frustrated that i reached SL a year and half ago, and I'm still at that. i claim APL, but reallly, well it doesn't look it.

 

[Lilmama1011]

the strands that i lose are always full length, so I shed hair rather then break most of the time. When I comb vigorously which is not often I will have some breakage. But overall I am careful, so I don't tend to have breakage. I do have shedding, whether i comb or not. i seemed to have a lot of shedding when I braid my hair, which I haven't done now for 3 months, and its done a lot of good. my protective style is a bun, my hair is in a bun 90% of the time, maybe 10 percent its out. i will usually wash my hair on sunday, condition it after washing, let it air dry for maybe 30 minutes, and whilst it still moist i apply frizz ease night serum and put it in a bun. i leave that over night and it makes my hair more managable. the next day i check if its all absorbed, if it's still a bit damp, i let it air dry, the only time i can air dry without it turning into a big afro. then i seal it with jojoba oil. i trimmed my hair roughly 3 months ago as I felt they were dry and i saw some split ends. and that's the only time I have ever cut since big chop.

i do feel like my hair growing, but i'm frustrated that i reached SL a year and half ago, and I'm still at that. i claim APL, but reallly, well it doesn't look it.

It's sounds like the braids aren't good for your hair, for some reason if the style I can't moisturize daily and moisturize my whole head I tend to shed a lot, so I can't real wear braids for like more than three days or flat twist because my braids will be dry and flat twist and itchy, so I just wear my hair out or curls, that's it and I have lest shedding but I don't see what that got to do with length, I could see if you said it was thin, but you got me stumped

 

[faithVA]

I think you should both measure and take pictures. Sometimes when we just look at our hair we don't think we are retaining. But pictures can show the real progress.

Without measurements and pictures, we really don't know the distance between the SL you hit a year and a half ago and the APL length you may be at now. If the distance between the two is 6 inches you may be on point.

Take some pictures and measure your hair and see where you are in the next 60 to 90 days. Things may be better than you think.

 

[FlawedBeauty]

Spongebob it sounds like you are definitely dealing with a breakage issue. You may not notice it, but it is probably there. I remember when I suffered a set back because my hair got to a point where I wanted to wear it out all the time and it gradually became shorter and more uneven. I didn't notice until the damage was done. Do you have any pictures?

Eta: going back reading do you thing bunning can be the issue? I know buns are hell on my ends. I usualy make one or two twists and clip it up. I added a pic. This style has helped me retain tremendous length.

 

[RayRayFurious]

I don't see anything about moisturizing. What products do you use? How often do you shampoo? Condition? DC? Moisturize?

Honestly, I believe not all protective styles are created equal...I'm not long enough to bun, but I think bunning can really weaken the ends if you're not careful.

 

[Danewshe]

You are not alone. Check this thread out and you will see a lot of people say APL was the hardest goal to reach.
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=573533&highlight=hardest+goal

 

[mamaore]

I don't see anything about moisturizing. What products do you use? How often do you shampoo? Condition? DC? Moisturize?

Honestly, I believe not all protective styles are created equal...I'm not long enough to bun, but I think bunning can really weaken the ends if you're not careful.

I have been having serious breakage as well for as long as I can rememebr and I have tried to find the cause to no avail, but I am not giving up.

Anyway, I agree that bunning could be an issue...thanks for pointing that out.

 

[mamaore]

@Spongebob it sounds like you are definitely dealing with a breakage issue. You may not notice it, but it is probably there. I remember when I suffered a set back because my hair got to a point where I wanted to wear it out all the time and it gradually became shorter and more uneven. I didn't notice until the damage was done. Do you have any pictures?

Eta: going back reading do you thing bunning can be the issue? I know buns are hell on my ends. I usualy make one or two twists and clip it up. I added a pic. This style has helped me retain tremendous length.

I'm going to practice this style as an alternative to bunning.

 

[Spongebob]

Lilmama1011 , i've stopped braids completely about 3 months ago, because I was getting alot of shedding/breaking with braids. so that was a set back before, but not at the moment.

faithVA, the distance between my SL and APL is 6 inches. The longest layer does actually reach APL- when I strech. but like i said it's only the longest layer. i suppose the longest layer will always be '1 length ahead' of the rest. my shortest layer is chin length so I suppose there will always these different lengths as that's how hair grows out of your skull. maybe by target length is full APL?

FlawedBeauty. correct me if i'm wrong but breakage is where you see incomplete hair strands right? i don't see these a lot. I do shed a bit for some strange reason, not massively, but i would say moderate. but I read somewhere that shedding is part of normal physiology and that you can shed 100-150 strands per day/week?

that's a very beautiful protective style, only I absolutely hate styling (lazyness). I like to do the miniminal, wash/condition/moisterise/seal-done. and prevent it from tangling by combing it maybe 2/3 times a week, or if I can afford it even less.

is bunning damaging to hair? if so, what is the next simplest protective style?

RayRayFurious , I shampoo and condition every sunday, I moisterise whilst the hair is still a bit moist with frizz ease night serum. This really moisterises my hair, i leave that over night, and then the next day I seal with jojoba oil. i don't know if there is a problem with me moisterizing my hair whilst it's still a bit moist? i.e not dry. could this be a problem? I only do this cause my hair is more managable when it's still a bit moist, rather then combing it when it's dry-thats causes alot of combing damage for me.

how does bunning cause damage? I may need to find another protective style thats really really simple! any ideas would be greatly apreciated.

shesheshe22 , i can not believe that the largest number of ppl voted APL. that puts things in perspective now. thank you, I can calm down now lol. And I think my target length is no longer WL anymore, but full APL.

a final question. when I bun, I don't do a fancy bun, all i literally do is take all the hair make one big twist and bun it up. Is the fact that the hair is not exposed that can cause damage? a very long time ago, an old hair dresser once told my older sister to wear her hair out when she's at home as this is better for the hair. dunno if it's true?

 

[FlawedBeauty]

Spongebob yes breakage is when you see broken smaller hairs, but they can go without notice. thats what happened to me when i suffered a set back. as far as lazy goes, im lazy as well. that style lasts me about three days before i redo it. i just wrap it in my satin scarf before bed time, wake up, take it off and im out. bunning can be damaging, it all depends on the hair. my hair cant handle it, but buns are the protective style for many ladies on the board.

 

[RayRayFurious]

@RayRayFurious , I shampoo and condition every sunday, I moisterise whilst the hair is still a bit moist with frizz ease night serum. This really moisterises my hair, i leave that over night, and then the next day I seal with jojoba oil. i don't know if there is a problem with me moisterizing my hair whilst it's still a bit moist? i.e not dry. could this be a problem? I only do this cause my hair is more managable when it's still a bit moist, rather then combing it when it's dry-thats causes alot of combing damage for me.

how does bunning cause damage? I may need to find another protective style thats really really simple! any ideas would be greatly apreciated.

...

a final question. when I bun, I don't do a fancy bun, all i literally do is take all the hair make one big twist and bun it up. Is the fact that the hair is not exposed that can cause damage? a very long time ago, an old hair dresser once told my older sister to wear her hair out when she's at home as this is better for the hair. dunno if it's true?

I'm just saying that you may need a more moisturizing item than the Frizz Ease serum. It's good for smoothing, but I'm not sure if it is actually penetrating your strands and providing moisture (in the way that a water-based moisturizer) might do. Serums are usually full of cones, which don't tend to be moisturizing. Maybe, more sealing.

I think your hairdresser meant keeping your hair in the ponytail/bun can cause a lot of tension in that one place in your hair. So taking it out of the holder when possible (such as before bed) helps to ease some of that tension.

Also, it depends on if you are using bobby pins or other items that could possibly cause breakage.

I just think that bunning -- pulling your hair back into one tension point can be bad for the hair, but it depends on the person and the implement used.

It could be a matter of "little" things, that you are not even noticing that cause breakage - hair getting snagged on your clothes or scarf, sleeping on a cotton pillowcase, not being gentle enough while combing, etc.

 

[Spongebob]

I'm just saying that you may need a more moisturizing item than the Frizz Ease serum. It's good for smoothing, but I'm not sure if it is actually penetrating your strands and providing moisture (in the way that a water-based moisturizer) might do. Serums are usually full of cones, which don't tend to be moisturizing. Maybe, more sealing.

I think your hairdresser meant keeping your hair in the ponytail/bun can cause a lot of tension in that one place in your hair. So taking it out of the holder when possible (such as before bed) helps to ease some of that tension.

Also, it depends on if you are using bobby pins or other items that could possibly cause breakage.

I just think that bunning -- pulling your hair back into one tension point can be bad for the hair, but it depends on the person and the implement used.

It could be a matter of "little" things, that you are not even noticing that cause breakage - hair getting snagged on your clothes or scarf, sleeping on a cotton pillowcase, not being gentle enough while combing, etc.

I've been using this product for a while now, and all this time I thought it was a moisterizer and that's how I have been using it, as a moisterizer. This is what it reads on the package:

Infused with Damage-Mending Technology and calming chamomile extract, this luxurious formula envelops each hair strand to stimulate deep transformational mending while you sleep. This midnight mender visibly repairs breakage & split ends and deeply nourishes to add back much needed moisture. In the morning hair texture is dramatically improved and feels silky-soft.

 

[addaboutmyhair]

But what are the ingredients? My frizz ease is all silicones. even if it says moisturizing, it might not be.

 

[Foxglove]

I've been using this product for a while now, and all this time I thought it was a moisterizer and that's how I have been using it, as a moisterizer. This is what it reads on the package:

Infused with Damage-Mending Technology and calming chamomile extract, this luxurious formula envelops each hair strand to stimulate deep transformational mending while you sleep. This midnight mender visibly repairs breakage & split ends and deeply nourishes to add back much needed moisture. In the morning hair texture is dramatically improved and feels silky-soft.

It's not a moisturizer and obviously using it that way isn't working for you. There are tons of threads on good moisturizers. I would revamp your products and techniques. Are you relaxed? Natural? If you're natural what is your hair type? I would go look through regimens of people with similar hair types and try to incorporate some of what is working for others into your regimen

 

[Spongebob]

Damn it, I just realized why the hell I'm SL for so bloody long. I have the longest neck in the damn world! Flippin heck, I was just brushing my teeth and just noticed it. For more then a year and half I look SL. No friggin wonder

I rest my case

 

[Nonie]

@Spongebob, I'll tell you what I've told other people with this problem:

• http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showpost.php?p=14638191&postcount=2
• The slant of the shoulders means you'll be at SL for quite a while:
  

If it's any consolation, for over 30 years, I thought SL was my terminal length. It wasn't until I introduced regular dusting into my regimen that I saw my hair break that barrier. Consider it.