HAIR GROWTH

I just started a growth album in my fotki, which can be found at www.fotki.com/gilroygal. I would like to chronicle my efforts to retain length, since that has been a MAJOR hurdle for me my WHOLE life. The longest my hair has ever been was six inches relaxed and 5 1/2 inches natural. The reason for the difference in growth potential with relaxed vs natural is (I think) due to the mechanical handling of my hair. My hair is very fine and FRAGILE as I've mentioned before. When it is completely shrunken, it LOOKS thick because three-four inches of hair looks like 1/2 an inch, so everything is very compacted. My main goal is six inches of hair, ESPECIALLY in the front, which will be a MAJOR feat for me. I KNOW I have to be VERY gentle with the comb in order to do this. Wish me luck!

I DID THE UNTHINKABLE!!!

Yep, I straightened my hair. Though not permanent, the style WAS cute. I have to say that my hair grows out in layers that look very attractive when flipped. Anywhoo, I doubt I'll ever do that again. It took so much efort to do it, plus I HATED the smell of pressed hair. I used a blow dryer, then a flat iron, then a plug-in pressing comb and STILL my hair did not get straight. My strands REBELLED. I mean, I had a full, flipped, look, but it can be very damp and moist here in Washington, so my efforts didn't last long at ALL. So, needless to say, I'm back to my shrunken fro. My hair has grown SO MUCH, but I realized that I need to TRIM it more often. I think I will BAND my hair to get the desired stretched look for trimming. It just doesn't pay to do it since I don't have much length. I am at about four inches overall. I haven't been using combs until yesterday. My hair KNOTS so much that combing through it helps. I just have to REALLY be careful NOt to snap strands off. It's easy to do with my hair type. I personally would like to be ALL DONE with knots and I WISH that my hair would grow out full and long like so many others that I've seen, but I just have to be resolved with what I have for now. If I get SIX inxhes, I will be happy.

HAIR GROWTH

I updated my pic today. My hair has grown quite a bit since I started my new routine. I have about 4" of hair on the sides and my "test piece" is now 3 1/8" long. I have a goal of 6" for my "test piece" by the end of the year. I have never been able to get 6" of hair in the front, so this will be an incredible feat for me. I think that my hair MIGHT look to be 1 1/2" in length
(after shrinkage) by then. My overall goal for my hair is 8", yet another never before seen length on my hair.

Little update...

Hey y'all!! I've been CRAZY busy with life and my "hair experience has been limited to simply dampening my hair with water (or for a little while KBB hair milk) and then finger-cobing to shape. After that, I simply jet out the door to live life. Well, yesterday I decided to try to do some finger coils on my hair and they look OKAY, but they will probably get taken down because SOMEONE will say that they look like dreads, which are not authorized in the Navy while in uniform.

I rediscovered the Wild Growth 'lite" oil moisturizer and that stuff works like a charm for my hair as well as for my daughter's hair. Now, unlike the ORIGINAL version that STINKS to HIGH HEAVEN, the lite version has an earthier fragrnace, which I like. I am not using this to get and "wild growth", but it does lubricate and soften my strands so that I can manage them better. I still don't do many styles because most of my hair is only three inches long. There are places where it is longer, but overall, that's what I've got.

I haven't used a comb in months and I don't think I ever will again. Since I am resigned to wearing my hair at least SOMEWHAT shrunken, I don't really see the need for it.

My hair is best handled DRY. After all of the years that I have been reading and studying up on natural hair (as well as experimenting on my own)I have decided that I can best twist and handle my hair after it has dried. I also noticed that I am losing fewer strands these days. I have been keeping my hair care relatively simple. I HAVE TO use shampoo, the kind with ALS or SLS. It just works better for me. It might be the water here or whatever, but it is needed. I stopped and got a bottle of Suave Tropical coconut shampoo and three bottles of the conditioner, which I use to help free shed hairs. Now that I know the purpose of conditioner in my regimen, I no longer have to look for the "amazing formula" that is going to help soften or otherwise enhance my hair. That is what the oil is for. :)