One year hair growth anniversary!

[FuzzyBlackWaves]

Hey there lovely ladies and gracious gentleman!

On February the 14th 2013 I decided to make a conscious effort to grow out my hair. This involved giving up heat styling and blow drying, reducing washing to only when necessary (usually once a month as my hair doesn't get oily), using coconut oil as a pre-wash and pre-dye treatment, swapping to SLS free shampoo (and eventually just using apple cider vinegar instead), using a deep conditioner below my ears every time I washed, swapping my brush for a wide tooth comb, wearing a side braid on a day to day basis and every night when I sleep, using jojoba oil to seal in moisture at the ends, dying only my roots and not all my hair, using a BBB only for styling, taking multivitamins, eating better, exercising more, drinking peppermint and nettle tea twice a day (it seems to help for whatever reason), scalp massages and scritching and making sure not to let my hair rub against anything like seat belts or chairs.

I had to trim 1/4 of an inch of damage out every month in the beginning. My hair would probably be a lot longer if I hadn't but in much worse condition. I've reduced in to once a year now that I get very few split ends. I have an S and Ding session every week. Overall my hair feels a lot less dry, has much more bounce and has grown past the length plateau I hit a while ago. I have less issues with dandruff (testosterone dominance) and scalp crystals. I feel any shine it has now is natural and not from products. The ends are thinner than the rest of the body but this is mostly due to my refusal to cut off more during my pre-growth chop from BSL to APL a couple of months before staring my regimen properly.

Here's my growth for 2013, from February to December:

http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u605/NikkiBik/2013_zpse60f7246.jpg (http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/NikkiBik/media/2013_zpse60f7246.jpg.html)

And here's February 2013 compared to today (March 2014, lost February 2014 due to computer troubles):

http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u605/NikkiBik/February2013_zpsc90d6790.jpg (http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/NikkiBik/media/February2013_zpsc90d6790.jpg.html)http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u605/NikkiBik/March2014_zpsd1a9fd98.jpg (http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/NikkiBik/media/March2014_zpsd1a9fd98.jpg.html)

http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u605/NikkiBik/february2013front_zpsb0b3c2bb.jpg (http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/NikkiBik/media/february2013front_zpsb0b3c2bb.jpg.html)http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u605/NikkiBik/march2013front_zps75e4c4b9.jpg (http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/NikkiBik/media/march2013front_zps75e4c4b9.jpg.html)
Pants and skirt are at goal length.

I also did some 'just for fun' photos:

http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u605/NikkiBik/MArchflip_zpsf26dcbd7.jpg (http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/NikkiBik/media/MArchflip_zpsf26dcbd7.jpg.html)
http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u605/NikkiBik/march2014braid_zpsc409f07f.jpg (http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/NikkiBik/media/march2014braid_zpsc409f07f.jpg.html)
http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u605/NikkiBik/march2014bun_zps559597a5.jpg (http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/NikkiBik/media/march2014bun_zps559597a5.jpg.html)
http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u605/NikkiBik/March2014ponytail_zpsa0e57e1a.jpg (http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/NikkiBik/media/March2014ponytail_zpsa0e57e1a.jpg.html)
http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u605/NikkiBik/MArch2014hands_zps701c7a86.jpg (http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/NikkiBik/media/MArch2014hands_zps701c7a86.jpg.html)

[PixxieStix]

Congratulations on your growth, and the overall improvement in the condition of your hair. I would have done the same with trimming at the beginning, because the condition of my hair is slightly more important than the length. Absolutely beautiful, and the fun pictures are great! :)

[jacqueline101]

Your hair is beautiful and has made great progress through out the year.

[blue_eyes]

Love your photos! They are so inspirational :) your hair looks beautiful.

[FallingDarkness]

Wow. I hope that my hair gets that long someday. :) Your hair is absolutely gorgeous! *jealous* Lovely growth too. :P

[FuzzyBlackWaves]

Thankyou for the warm words PixxieStix :) I agree with you there. I'll probably be maintaining at waist to get the ends looking sharper. That's one of the benefits of having a better camera now, taking action shots is so much fun!

Thankyou Jacqueline, it's great to hear from you. I love seeing photos of your hair around the boards.

Wow blue_eyes, thankyou! A lot can be done in a year, and I imagine virgin hair would get even further.

You'll get there FallingDarkness! It's good that you're starting out so young. Our hair always looks the shortest through our own eyes. Mine was stuck at BSL for many years before finding this forum. Thankyou so much for the lovely compliments! Keep me updated on your progress. :o

[Steffid87]

Gorgeous!! I love hearing stories about how people can get past what they think is their terminal length! For a long time I was stuck at BSL, it wouldn't grow any further so I got frustrated and had it all chopped off! Now I'm back to BSL, and seeing you get just that much further gives me hope! I have a plan similar to yours, that once (IF it happens!) I get to waist, is when I'll stop and be willing to chop to maintain to get a bit of healthier hair.

[FuzzyBlackWaves]

Thankyou! I was very relieved to realize that my hair could grow past BSL. You were very brave to undergo a big chop like that and I'm sure that the renewed health with help in your goal. My hair did seem to be at a stand still at first and I think it just takes time to really get going - as you can see in my pictures, it took until May before any substantial growth happened. I hope you manage to get the length that you want! Your hair appears to be quite wavy/curly so it may be that it's already growing but the texture is eating up some of the length. Good plan, although I may be a little bias! ;) Here's to us reaching waist!

[joflakes]

Your hair is lovely! Well done on your growth :) I'm jealous!

[Tini'sNewHair]

Your hair looks amazing, you have come a long way - congrats and keep on growing :)

[SleepyTangles]

Your hair looks really soft and pretty! Nice growth!

[FuzzyBlackWaves]

Thankyou joflakes! I'm really happy with how it's grown, I remember worrying that it wasn't doing anything at the start. Your hair looks gorgeous in that picture, so healthy!

Thanks Tini :) It's so nice to hear that. I love the glossy texture of your hair. To waist length and beyond!

Your hair is such a pretty colour SleepyTangles, doesn't look tangly at all. Thankyou so much for the lovely compliment. :)

[jacqueline101]

Thankyou for the warm words PixxieStix :) I agree with you there. I'll probably be maintaining at waist to get the ends looking sharper. That's one of the benefits of having a better camera now, taking action shots is so much fun!

Thankyou Jacqueline, it's great to hear from you. I love seeing photos of your hair around the boards.

Wow blue_eyes, thankyou! A lot can be done in a year, and I imagine virgin hair would get even further.

You'll get there FallingDarkness! It's good that you're starting out so young. Our hair always looks the shortest through our own eyes. Mine was stuck at BSL for many years before finding this forum. Thankyou so much for the lovely compliments! Keep me updated on your progress. :o

Thank you. That's very kind of you to say that.

[lapushka]

You got some good growth there. :)

[FuzzyBlackWaves]

Thanks, glad you think so. :) I might even make it to waist length this year - that'd be something!

[hafattack]

Whoa, nice growth!

[nakima]

nice growth and very pretty color. Good job!

[hime_daruma_88]

Your hair looks great! It really is growing fast considering you have been trimming it too :)

[AcornMystic]

Wow, that's awesome progress. Seeing this thread really gives me hope that with no trims I may very well make it to waist by Christmas with no trims. I am at your starting length there and my goal is to reach waist by Christmas of 2014 and I have joined the no trims in 2014 to attempt to hold me accountable so I don't trim and may actually reach the goal. I am so excited!! No cutting for me. Wee! Again, your hair is amazing. You've come a ways. Best wishes to meet your final goal. ^.^

[FuzzyBlackWaves]

Thanks hafattack! Hopefully this time next year I'll have hit solid waist.

Thanks so much Nakima. I really love this colour, both my parents have it.

Cheers hime_daruma_88 :) It's starting to get a bit quicker with the warmer seasons moving back in too.

Thanks AcornMystic, love your colour and thickness! With some good nutrition, exercise and the right supplements most people can grow their hair quite quickly. Good luck to you with reaching waist! I'm in the no trims thread too so see you over there.

[Night_Kitten]

Happy Hairniversary! :D
You have beautiful hair, and that's some nice growth for one year :)