hi everyone!!

[abqbelly]

My name is Jenny and i have been watching this forum for forever, admiring all of you and your fabulous hair, so i decided to finally post my first message!

My hair has been abused for about 15 years now, and it used to be beautiful. the longest strands go a few inches past my bra strap, and i do s&d CONSTANTLY, but it seems like i can never get all of them. do any of you have this problem?

so i decided that my goal is to not use any heat or chemicals on my hair until jan 1, and try to get those strands to reach my waist. i'm so frusterated because my hair hasn't grown a single inch in length in over two years. i guess its the breakage... does anyone have any advice or guidance? it seems like no matter how much i cut off, it just splits and breaks again. so maybe its been the straightening with the blow dryer and stuff.... i'm using henna and washing about once every two weeks with nature's gate shampoo, brushing very rarely with a bb brush and mostly finger combing. and i have started sleeping with it up....

i hope i can get some length this year. it grows like mad at the top.

thanks for taking the time to read my post.... :)

[Kirin]

Hi, and welcome. I'm not sure how to tame the broken split ends, you seem to be doing quite a lot. Have you tried oiling the ends? maybe they need some extra moisture luv :)

[abqbelly]

wow! thanks for the quick response!!
I do put oil on it, but i just now started doing all of this stuff..... maybe about a month ago. up until then, i was straightening with a blow dryer every week and using cones and protien on it.

[longhairedfairy]

How are you drying it whenever you don't use a dryer? As long as you don't rub your hair with a towel I don't know what would be breaking it, considering all the possible causes you named and eliminated. Maybe the moisture is the thing, as Kirin said. Do you have any olive oil on hand?

[abqbelly]

i actualy have some olive oil in it right now

[ChloeDharma]

Hi there, welcome to LCH :)

Your plan sounds good, i'd add oiling in too though and some DT's for moisture.

The thing i'm thinking though is that if you manage to get your hair in better condition so it can grow, then start the straightening again in jan, then you'll take yourself back to the problems you have been having and may well have to chop your growth gains off again because of it.

As for splits....yes they can just keep coming and coming on damaged hair......i don't know what your old routine was, if you used chemical colours or how often you heat styled but even with good treatment that damage is still there until it grows out.....hair can't be fixed i'm affraid. I gave up chemical colouring in the summer 2004 but the damage is still in the last 4 or 5 inches now despite hennas, oilings DT's etc.....though these things do help an awful lot of course.

What you are doing now sounds great though :)

[Pat]

Well, I have to agree with ChloeDharma. I had a bunch of highlights and I colored my hair dark brown a few months ago and even though you don´t see the bleached hair, the damage is still there. I guess patience is the key ... and lots of TLC.

[Teacherbear]

If you aren't trimming length, but your hair isn't growing, then I'd think it is breaking off. You might look at this article (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=8) to see if it helps any. Hope that helps!