The Benign Neglect Challenge (3/7/2018-9/7/2018)

[wannabe-rusalka]

Sorry if there is already a thread for this!

Would anyone be interested in joining this personal little challenge with me? The point of this challenge is to help us forget about our hair while still enjoying the process of growing it out using benign neglect. I have trouble just letting my hair grow without agonizing about the hemline or the thickness or just obsessing about it in general so I am starting this personal challenge. I think maybe it would benefit some of you guys as well so I thought I would invite you guys to join me! :blossom:

This is a 6 month challenge starting March 7th, 2018 and will be going until September 7th, 2018.

RULES
You may:
-Follow your normal routine, whatever that entails
-Do deep treatments whenever you feel you need to or whatever is part of your normal hair routine
-Wear your hair down if it doesn't distract you or if it is what you normally would do
-Post pictures to other threads as long as its not a length shot
-S&D if you feel you need to
-You essentially may do whatever is part of your regular daily/weekly/monthly routine
You may NOT:
-Measure your hair in anyway (length or ponytail circumference)
-Check your hemline
-Take length photos
-Obsess about your hair (this is the hardest one)

Optional: Added 3/11/2018
-Trimming and microtrimming, many of you have asked and so you shall receive. Rules about checking hemline are suspended while you trim your hair for obvious reasons.


*Feel free to suggest other rules that you think would be helpful, these are just the ones I could think of off the top of my head

Please post a picture of your hair when you join the challenge and one after 6 months is up! :o

[longmane]

Count me in!

[Sarahlabyrinth]

What a fun challenge! But - I don't think I could do it! :laugh:

[wannabe-rusalka]

Count me in! I can try my best to follow all the rules but the "don't obsess about your hair"... oh boy! Sometimes I even dream about my hair being very long :grin:

I know right- that is the hardest one! I have dreams about long hair too hehe. Welcome to the challenge :o

[wannabe-rusalka]

What a fun challenge! But - I don't think I could do it! :laugh:

Aww man! hehe :)

[C_Bookworm]

What an awesome challenge! I’m in :happydance:

[wannabe-rusalka]

What an awesome challenge! I’m in :happydance:

Yay welcome :)

[VersLaLumière]

I’ve been pretty much incidentally practicing benign neglect and can vouch for good results :D My hair seems to grow faster by just letting it be and not overthinking it.

Great idea for a challenge! I would join but this conflicts with my no trim 2018 - first half only challenge (I plan to trim 1/2 in. at the end of it).

[Dendra]

Cool idea wannabe-rusalka!

I think I'll have to do a microtrim or two soon so I can't join this one, but I would like to join a future one if you make it a regular thing :) It would be a real challenge for me to stop taking length pictures and more importantly to not even think about my hair....what a change that would be! It would be interesting to see what happened.

[Laura1986]

This sounds like a good idea, I think I want to be in.
Currently I'm sporting a quite fresh pixie cut and want to grow it out.
Since obsessing over hair is not going to make anything better, lets support each other here :)

[victorian girl]

That's kind of what I'm doing anyways, but I'd like to join in just to prevent any obsession that might occure (and I know it's very likely to, at some point!)

[amiraaah]

great challange,i'm in:cheer:

[Snowlily]

This sounds great - I'm in too!

[Lady Stardust]

Great idea for a challenge. For me personally though, I have scheduled trims which enable me to grow at a consistent rate without having to worry about the hemline. So, for me, benign neglect includes trims. No trimming would be actual neglect for my hair type :-)

[AutobotsAttack]

Ooooooooo I am totally in!

Starting picture at BCL.

https://i.imgflip.com/25z1io.jpg (https://imgflip.com/i/25z1io)via Imgflip Meme Generator (https://imgflip.com/memegenerator)

If I’m being biologically correct for my structure, tailbone is a few inches or so down some more. My bum crack starts a bit higher up for some reason.

I have definitely been obsessing over my hair. Last year I practically forgot it was still on my head, and was surprised by how much growth I retained. I take length shots after almost every wash, and then delete them. So enough of that.

Definitely excited for another round of benign neglect. Been babying the middle of my hair as it’s started thinning. This picture was taken while my hair was still very damp. It’s less noticeable when dry. That part is very sensitive as it’s always been. However i won’t start maintaining and microtrimming until classic.

[chomsky]

I don't know if I'll make it all the way to September without a micro trim (it's my graduation in July and I'll be heat styling, and it'll be in time for my first trim of the year), but count me in! I don't count a trim as a fuss anyway.

Too preoccupied with final year university things to care about my hair right now. :lol:

[Arctic]

I don't think microtrimming and such needs to be against the "rules". In fact my advice is to make the rules more like guidlines to communicate an exemplary idea, and let everyone define what benign neglect means for them. I know for me it means leasurely trimming and dusting. I know many people can obssess S&D as much if not more than trimming, so if one is forbidden, the other should be too - but like I said I would let everyone define it for themselves. Also note that not all of our members are at a state where they are actually growing their hair, so trimming should be definitely allowed also for this reason.

Other than that, I like the idea of this thread. Have fun everyone who's participating!

[longmane]

Should we post the "before" picture now and the "after" picture at the end of the challenge OR we post them together at the end of the challenge?

[nycelle]

I'm in. I think I'm kinda doing it anyway, but in a "benign" way these days thanks to tips from this forum.

Like Lady Stardust, I have to include regular trims in mine. I'm no longer obsessing about doing it every two months, but trimming regularly will keep my ends nice and thick - something I really want to maintain.

[circlers]

Oy, I could never do this!!
I'm preparing a set of hair growth videos for my channel, and that implies measuring my hair, to report the growth and I also think I would probably have to have amnesia in order to stop obsessing about my hair hahaha Good luck to all of you taking part in this though!!!

[Hairkay]

That's my hair MO already. I stick to low manipulation styling that can last a week. I also find measuring hair a hassle because it's difficult to get right when you have a lot of shrinkage. I'm not good at taking pictures either.

[omega]

I accept the challenge! Just in time because I was going to do a trim.
ETA
Trimmed 4" or so April '18.

[Laura1986]

Starting again from here:
http://i65.tinypic.com/a29441.jpg

[Snowlily]

Here is my starting pic - 24" and just shy of BSL :D

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=30691&d=1520547059

[AutobotsAttack]

Oy, I could never do this!!
I'm preparing a set of hair growth videos for my channel, and that implies measuring my hair, to report the growth and I also think I would probably have to have amnesia in order to stop obsessing about my hair hahaha Good luck to all of you taking part in this though!!!

Love your channel btw! New subscriber!

[Larki]

I'm in! I will just have to keep my hair up around my family, because my mom will come after my hair with scissors.

Starting pic:

http://www.imagecoast.com/images/Larki18/phpofxlqbam.jpg (http://www.imagecoast.com/)

[embee]

Oh, I'm in, that's been my Standard Routine now since maybe... 2005... but the pictures, those I cannot provide alas.

[nycelle]

ack, didn't realize we were posting pics.
ok, so as you can see, I've been neglecting for awhile now..lol..

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=30695&d=1520553870

[olivetime]

I am in for a bit. I'm about a month into my new routine which is "wash" every 7-10 days, once it's dry, put on a headband/bandana and ignore it. In the morning I give it a finger comb and cover it again. I am planning a trim mid-May. The fun of growing out a pixie!

[olivetime]

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=30714&d=1520683308

Starting hair!

I will have to come back later to post the back of my hair :rolleyes:

[Ophidian]

I'm waffling! I want to join, but I have a terrible track record of setting goals for myself and then rebelling because I feel restricted (by something that I wanted and chose in the first place mind you, no deep-seated issues here, no ma'am :p).

I'm not trimming anyway, so benign neglect to me would be to stick with a wash routine that I know works consistently for me (Indian herbs 1-2x week, dandruff shampoo scalp only 1x week, jojoba and coconut oils as post and pre wash treatments respectively). Indecision...

[Rebeccalaurenxx]

I don't think microtrimming and such needs to be against the "rules". In fact my advice is to make the rules more like guidlines to communicate an exemplary idea, and let everyone define what benign neglect means for them. I know for me it means leasurely trimming and dusting. I know many people can obssess S&D as much if not more than trimming, so if one is forbidden, the other should be too - but like I said I would let everyone define it for themselves. Also note that not all of our members are at a state where they are actually growing their hair, so trimming should be definitely allowed also for this reason.

Other than that, I like the idea of this thread. Have fun everyone who's participating!

This is what I was going to say... I dont exactly find the "no micro trims" rule fair.
Some of us have scheduled micro trims that are a part of our routines.
Dont get why it needs to be excluded.
Right now, im in the no trims for 6 months challenge, so I could be a apart of this forum too.
But unfortunately once thats up I wouldnt qualify for this one.. because I micro trim regularly. Shame shame.

[nycelle]

ooh.. I didn't realize I can't trim. That's a no for me. My hair doesn't do good for too long without the the split ends coming off. The damage does travel up, and at that point, and if I want too long, trims or micro-trims won't make a difference as the damage will be above the cut point.

Good luck guys, I'm out.

[Lanalavallama]

I am a bit late, can I still join?
I think it goes hand in hand with the no trimming challenge, which I am participating in.

[ravenheather]

I am in. I need to do this. I am already not trimming this year. I do obsess over my slow, slow growth. Here is where I'm starting from at 27 1/2" stretched.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4759/40513784932_da6331e2ef_n.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/24J4JMj)Curly girl routine (https://flic.kr/p/24J4JMj) by Heather Broder (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138653005@N02/), on Flickr

[AutobotsAttack]

So far I’ve been slipping with this challenge.

I’ve already flat ironed my hair a few times, and I experienced a bit of shedding and I typically do not have my hair down, but I did today, and my hair while straight and rather soft as it was, was still getting whipped around in the wind, and was snagging on everything. Quite a few hairs I snapped on accident, and it’s put me on paranoid mode.

So I need to back off. I tend to get excited when I straighten my hair and my hands are constantly in my hair all the time, but it leads to waaaay too much breakage. My length is fine, but still. Going to officially start forgetting my hair. I shampooed and conditioned when I got home from church to put some moisture back in my hair, and oiled my ends. I snapped waay too many photos thinking my length went away, but I freaked out for nothing. Gonna try again.

[*Wednesday*]

I guess I could do this because I'm in the no cutting challenge for the entire year 2018. So I'm locked into that. I do length checks yearly with my last one being October 2017 and the next not due until October 2018. I'm clear there. I'm in.

ETA: I will not be wearing it down. My routine is up.

[silkystrandz]

Wow i think this is just what i need "a watched hair never grows" so lets do this thing!;)

[wannabe-rusalka]

Hey everyone! Sorry for being MIA for a few days, I have been unexpectedly busy.

Welcome everyone who has joined the thread, thanks for joining me in this challenge :o

I feel as though I should explain myself when it comes to the trimming rules the I have laid out- I originally started this challenge on my own and therefore the rules are based on what I personally need to work on. I excluded any form of trimming because I personally have issues with putting down the scissors. S&D for some reason doesn't cause any obsessive issues for me so that is why I included it. I didn't realize so many of you have strong feelings about this and I definitely didn't mean to be "unfair" with the rules. If you guys would like I can make the trimming rule optional so more people can join the thread :) I hope you guys will find this more agreeable.

And to clarify, please post a pic of your hair now so we all can set a baseline (and I also maybe just wanna see all of your pretty hair) :) I kept forgetting to take a picture of my hair for this thread so I'll post a pic that's about a week old.
https://i.imgur.com/Rm11orU.jpg

Also I'm not sure if I want to make this a challenge where people get kicked out for getting excited and taking length shots or anything like that- I want it more so to help people get in the benign neglect mindset and if that means that you have to make a few 'mistakes' on the way then so be it!

Again thanks to everyone who's joined so far, I'm so happy to be doing this challenge with all of you! :blossom:

[Sarahlabyrinth]

Hey everyone! Sorry for being MIA for a few days, I have been unexpectedly busy.

Welcome everyone who has joined the thread, thanks for joining me in this challenge :o

I feel as though I should explain myself when it comes to the trimming rules the I have laid out- I originally started this challenge on my own and therefore the rules are based on what I personally need to work on. I excluded any form of trimming because I personally have issues with putting down the scissors. S&D for some reason doesn't cause any obsessive issues for me so that is why I included it. I didn't realize so many of you have strong feelings about this and I definitely didn't mean to be "unfair" with the rules. If you guys would like I can make the trimming rule optional so more people can join the thread :) I hope you guys will find this more agreeable.

And to clarify, please post a pic of your hair now so we all can set a baseline (and I also maybe just wanna see all of your pretty hair) :) I kept forgetting to take a picture of my hair for this thread so I'll post a pic that's about a week old.
https://i.imgur.com/Rm11orU.jpg

Also I'm not sure if I want to make this a challenge where people get kicked out for getting excited and taking length shots or anything like that- I want it more so to help people get in the benign neglect mindset and if that means that you have to make a few 'mistakes' on the way then so be it!

Again thanks to everyone who's joined so far, I'm so happy to be doing this challenge with all of you! :blossom:

Ooh, your hair is so pretty! :D

[EriPenguin]

I'd like to join, I've been a bit too obsessive about my hair after cutting it and would like to let it just grow. Here's a starting picture.
https://i.imgur.com/Qa6OC37.png

[Salwety]

I have a full time job, 2 young boys(5 years and 10 month) , and my husband is working out of town. So yeah benign neglect is the only way I can take care of my hair.
The only hard part will be not to fuzz about my hair. Shrinkage and frizziness drive me crazy at times.
So count me in :)

[Salwety]

I'd like to join, I've been a bit too obsessive about my hair after cutting it and would like to let it just grow. Here's a starting picture.
https://i.imgur.com/Qa6OC37.png

Your hair is beautiful EriPenguin .... happy growing

[amiraaah]

i forgot to post a picture,so here's mine taken now and looks frizzy because i brushed my curls to see the length better.excuse my thin ends it's previous heat damage:(
https://s17.postimg.org/ulmg0ed6n/IMG_0043.jpg (https://postimg.org/image/fcwimmji3/)

[littlestarface]

Hey everyone! Sorry for being MIA for a few days, I have been unexpectedly busy.

Welcome everyone who has joined the thread, thanks for joining me in this challenge :o

I feel as though I should explain myself when it comes to the trimming rules the I have laid out- I originally started this challenge on my own and therefore the rules are based on what I personally need to work on. I excluded any form of trimming because I personally have issues with putting down the scissors. S&D for some reason doesn't cause any obsessive issues for me so that is why I included it. I didn't realize so many of you have strong feelings about this and I definitely didn't mean to be "unfair" with the rules. If you guys would like I can make the trimming rule optional so more people can join the thread :) I hope you guys will find this more agreeable.

And to clarify, please post a pic of your hair now so we all can set a baseline (and I also maybe just wanna see all of your pretty hair) :) I kept forgetting to take a picture of my hair for this thread so I'll post a pic that's about a week old.
https://i.imgur.com/Rm11orU.jpg

Also I'm not sure if I want to make this a challenge where people get kicked out for getting excited and taking length shots or anything like that- I want it more so to help people get in the benign neglect mindset and if that means that you have to make a few 'mistakes' on the way then so be it!

Again thanks to everyone who's joined so far, I'm so happy to be doing this challenge with all of you! :blossom:

Honestly imo you shouldn't have to bend rules or change them, I mean isn't this why it's called a "challenge"? I don't know why some are complaining about your thread rules, every challenge has its own set of rules and if certain ones don't fit into someones life then don't go into that challenge, right?

[chomsky]

Count me in! I can try my best to follow all the rules but the "don't obsess about your hair"... Sometimes I even dream about my hair being very long :grin:

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=30719&d=1520736324

You give me hope that my curls will one day look longer than shoulder length. Lovely hair! :o

[wannabe-rusalka]

Sarahlabyrinth Thank you so much! You have such beautiful silver hair, its breathtaking really :o



Honestly imo you shouldn't have to bend rules or change them, I mean isn't this why it's called a "challenge"? I don't know why some are complaining about your thread rules, every challenge has its own set of rules and if certain ones don't fit into someones life then don't go into that challenge, right?

littlestarface I didn't think it was a big deal either lol but I think its fair for them to voice their opinion since I technically did ask for suggestions to the rules since this is my first challenge thread and I didn't know if those ones were good or not. I also had been debating making the trimming rule optional anyway because I know that a lot of people trim and microtrim as a regular part of their routine. Oh well, such is life I suppose :o Also, I love your hair. Its so so so gorgeous. Every time I see a picture of it my jaw drops :blossom:

Also welcome EriPenguin, amiraaah, and Salwety ! So much beautiful hair on here :heartbeat

[longmane]

chomsky Thank you :) Time flies you'll get there!

[Sarahlabyrinth]

[QUOTE=wannabe-rusalka;3521750]Sarahlabyrinth Thank you so much! You have such beautiful silver hair, its breathtaking really :o
/QUOTE]

Awww, thank you so much! :flowers:

[longmane]

I couldn't help I checked the length. I guess I'm out :(

[Cherriezzzzz]

I just wanted to encourage you ladies... I had forced benign neglect due to becoming pregnant. I became severely ill with the nauseated condition aka "morning sickness," which lasted all day! After it went away I was able to wake up out of my nausea coma. I was barely washing my hair let alone brushing it. So I am now finally taking care of my hair and it's much longer! I can't argue with the results! Benign neglect works!

[Dendra]

I'd like to join, I've been a bit too obsessive about my hair after cutting it and would like to let it just grow. Here's a starting picture.
https://i.imgur.com/Qa6OC37.png

:face::heart::heart::heart:

[wannabe-rusalka]

I couldn't help I checked the length. I guess I'm out :(

I don't want this thread to be like that. As long as you are trying then you can stay! Habits are hard to break :blossom:

[longmane]

I don't want this thread to be like that. As long as you are trying then you can stay! Habits are hard to break :blossom:

I haven't pulled it down since the new years (unintended benign neglect lol) I got overpowered by curiousity. Now I won't have an urge to check again I'm pretty sure I can make it to the end of the challenge. Thanks :o

[Aunty Miki]

Yes! Count me in😀

[wannabe-rusalka]

Yes! Count me in😀
Welcome welcome :)

[wannabe-rusalka]

Hey everyone! Just poppin in to ask everyone how they've been doing :o

[AutobotsAttack]

I haven't pulled it down since the new years (unintended benign neglect lol) I got overpowered by curiousity. Now I won't have an urge to check again I'm pretty sure I can make it to the end of the challenge. Thanks :o

I’m in the same boat. My new growth is coming in extra fierce, and I’m experiencing a good 5+ inches worth of shrinkage, and my curiosity is eating me up every 3-4 weeks or so it seems. And with every inch of new growth, I get half an inch to a full on inch of shrinkage

[ravenheather]

Confession: I may have snuck a peak at my length, but I didn't inhale, or obsess. I promise! Lol.

[wannabe-rusalka]

ravenheather I admit I have also peaked a little- I pulled down the length in the front when I had just gotten out of the shower. Whoopsies :eyebrows:

[ravenheather]

Yes I think I need to put my hair up more. It's just too tempting to look when it's down. Maybe if it's up i will do better at not obsessing.

[longmane]

Sorry guys :( I'm not able to do this challenge. Good luck everyone :hifive:

[wannabe-rusalka]

Sorry guys :( I'm not able to do this challenge. Good luck everyone :hifive:
Aww! Sad to see you go but good luck in your long hair journey :blossom:

[Tealpuffin]

Late to the party as always but I am in. I fluctuate between obsession and benign neglect so this is perfect. No trimming or S&D (I get super scissor happy) but I will be hennaing my hair when I feel like it needs to be done haha! I will post a pic when I can.

Tealpuffin x

[wannabe-rusalka]

Hi those of you who have been participating! If you have been here from the beginning- time is up! You can feel free to post your before and after photos here. I will be doing so later since in class right now- how naughty of me. :cool:

[wannabe-rusalka]

Before

https://i.imgur.com/hnZfZqp.jpg

After :)

https://i.imgur.com/o3HYEVT.jpg