Today marks 1 yr since my last relaxer...

[glamazon386]

I thought I would be in braids for this update but I had to take those things out. Ahh well... I can't believe it's been a whole year since my mother bribed me (by paying for me to get my hair relaxed. I had been doing 6 month stretches only bc I didn't have the $ to relax my hair regularly) for Easter last year. And surprisingly I have about as much hair now as I did then. Of course it's healthier now.

For the first time in a long time I honestly feel like I'm content with my hair (now if we could just get past that shrinkage and thin hair thing ) and I don't feel obligated to keep it covered up anymore. Now I have the option to do so just like I have the option to wear my own hair proudly. It's been a long time coming but it was worth it.

I don't think I'll ever go back to the relaxer (should I decide to wear my hair straight I know it can be acheived pretty easily without being damaged). And I'll be damned if I chopped all my hair off for nothing. I just wanted to say thanks to all the ladies here for their inspiration and support. If it wasn't for this board, I'd probably still be sitting here with thin limp shoulder grazing relaxed hair that's still the same length it was about this time last year. Thanks ladies!

Oh yeah here's some pics...

Relaxed hair 1 yr ago

Natural hair 1 yr later - wet hair no product

There's more pics in my progress folder on fotki...

 

[nicki6]

Congrats!

I really like the texture and thickness of your hair

 

[bravenewgirl87]

Aw... you look precious... with your kunte kinte hair. I'm proud of you, and it looks nice!!! Its very thick, I must say.

 

[glamazon386]

Aw... you look precious... with your kunte kinte hair. I'm proud of you, and it looks nice!!! Its very thick, I must say.

Thanks ladies!! But looks can be decieving. My hair is by no means thick. My hair is fine/thin That's the other thing that bugs me about it. I thought it would be thicker after going natural but it's not. Still fine strands... At least it's not tangly though.

 

[LocksOfLuV]

Woah Mamaaa! I can't believe it's been a year already. And the thickness! I love it. Congrats.

 

[frostydoll]

Congrats! I have fine hair as well so it looks thick for a shake and go but umm twists and braids yeah not a good look for me.

 

[Anancy]

Congratulations, your hair looks lovely. Happy healthy hair growing.

 

[StLucianSweetie]

Congrats! Looking good.

 

[Ms_Twana]

Thanks ladies!! But looks can be decieving. My hair is by no means thick. My hair is fine/thin That's the other thing that bugs me about it. I thought it would be thicker after going natural but it's not. Still fine strands... At least it's not tangly though.

Congrats! I have fine hair as well so it looks thick for a shake and go but umm twists and braids yeah not a good look for me.

See, both of you could have fooled me. I thought both of you had thick hair. UMBlessed, you're hair does look really thick in your wash n go.

ETA: Oh and congrats Bmore!!!! : )

 

[glamazon386]

See, both of you could have fooled me. I thought both of you had thick hair. UMBlessed, you're hair does look really thick in your wash n go.

ETA: Oh and congrats Bmore!!!! : )

Thanks Ms Twana... pssh you should see one of my shed hairs. They're really thin. Thinner than a piece of thread. I think the shrinkage makes it look thick like that. I guess that makes sense. All my hair is compacted together. I don't like twists on my hair either. They look spacey. UMBlessedBeauty your hair looks great. I can't wait til I have that much hair.

 

[Ms_Twana]

Thanks Ms Twana... pssh you should see one of my shed hairs. They're really thin. Thinner than a piece of thread. I think the shrinkage makes it look thick like that. I guess that makes sense. All my hair is compacted together. I don't like twists on my hair either. They look spacey. UMBlessedBeauty your hair looks great. I can't wait til I have that much hair.

Oh okay. Or maybe there are so many fine strands that it makes your hair thick. Does that make sense?!?!

 

[Ms Red]

Great progress girl

 

[Cheleigh]

Congratulations! Your hair looks great. Shrinkage will always be a factor (I wore my hair in a shake-and-go on Thursday, and my intern thought I'd cut my hair), but as the hair grows longer, I do get a "little" more length. Banding is my friend.

Add me to the thin hair strand club. I do have medium strands too, but my hair is not thick.

 

[glamazon386]

Congratulations! Your hair looks great. Shrinkage will always be a factor (I wore my hair in a shake-and-go on Thursday, and my intern thought I'd cut my hair), but as the hair grows longer, I do get a "little" more length. Banding is my friend.

Add me to the thin hair strand club. I do have medium strands too, but my hair is not thick.

Thanks Cheleigh. How do you band your hair? Do you do it on wet hair until it dries? Do you add product? And how many sections do you put it into?

 

[~*~ShopAholic~*~]

Your hair looks good, and it has grown alot. Congrats!!

My mother hair is the same way very fine and thin weather she's natural or relaxed, some of us are just meant to have thin hair (me included). But, as long as it's healthy is what matters.

 

[FemmeCreole]

hopefully I'll be able to say that in November this year.

 

[mahoganee]

Congratulations! You sound just like me when I reached my one year mark.

 

[blazingthru]

Congrats! great growth, Its wonderful being natural.

 

[naturaline]

im propa happy 4ya!!! keep up the good work!

xxx

 

[EMJazzy]

Congratulations on reaching the one year mark!!

 

[caligirl2385]

YOUR HAIR LOOKS PRETTY. I LIKE THE TEXTURE.

 

[Ayeshia]

wow look at all of that hair How pretty! Congrats on making it one year!

 

[Cheleigh]

Thanks Cheleigh. How do you band your hair? Do you do it on wet hair until it dries? Do you add product? And how many sections do you put it into?

I do it on wet or dry hair. I make four twists on each side of my hair. I gather all the twists together (each side) and then I take two of those goody ouchless headbands and I wind the headbands from the start of the gathered twists to the ends, stretching the twists as I wind the bands downward. I end up with two mini-pocahantas looking ponytails. Doing it on wet hair straightens my hair more. The dry banding is for maintenance.

I do lose some curl definition when I band, but that's life.

 

[glamazon386]

Thanks ladies!

Cheleigh - Thanks for the how to. I'm going to try it and see what happens. I really wanna put my hair in a mohawk (I saw this girl in a video with a really cute one) one night when I go out but I can't get the middle to hang right. I tried drying it in twists once but it didn't really work. I'll try banding it.

 

[angie10]

Congratultions, your hair looks good.

 

[healthyhairin07]

Congratulations bmoreflyygirl! Your hair really does look healthy and thick, and that's a lot of growth in one year. How have you been nurturing your hair this year?

I also have thin natural hair, but when I wear it in certain styles, it looks thicker. The first time my hairstylist did my hair, she said it was thick when she looked at it in its natural state, but after she pressed it, she said it was thin.

However, recently my mom rollerset my hair and she commented, "You have a lot of hair." I was so thrilled because I've never had "a lot of hair." Plus, at the time she was doing it, my hair was wet, so it usually seems thinner when it's wet. Biotin may be working for me! Or maybe it's the daily cowashes?

Anyway, I think as long as your hair appears to be thick, then go with it. No one has to know the truth.

 

[SSBD]

Congradulations ...

I will be saying the same thing some time in august....im hoping to be shoulder length by than...i have thin hair also and i was wondering is there anyway to change that. I've been trying castor oil for the past week so hopefully i see results, but really what can we do...

Anyway congrats and continue growing....

 

[nubiangoddess3]

Congrats Your hair looks greats. cant wait to see it a year from now

 

[Forbidden]

Congrats!! I think you may be my hair twin. Type, length and all!

 

[isobell]

Congrats on your one year mark Bmore! Your hair looks very healthy and thick. I have the same kind of hair, and it retains its "thick look" best in a shake and go, rollerset, or when banded from wet to dry. I think it doesn't like too much heat or chemicals because that compresses it, making it look thinner. I can't wait to see what it looks like this time next year! HHG!