4 year growth update! So proud of the progress!

[Reynaa]

Okay, so for starters, it's been a while (again). I started in 2019 with a pixie cut, and last update was at collarbone length in 2020. Now let's get into the fun part: the progress.

I've had one trim since I started, cut about 2-3 inches last Christmas season to try and level out the wispy ends caused from my starting haircut shape. Currently the longest part just reached the top of my tailbone! I'm beyond thrilled with how long it's gotten and I'm making great progress towards the end goal of fingertip length.

In the last update, I was struggling with how thin my hair was, and I'm happy to say it has gotten much better (at the root) so I can no longer see straight to my scalp which is fantastic. I still have thin ends, but I think that's more due to the regrowth from all the stress fallout I had at the time combined with the uneven starting point.

My hair routine currently consists of washing 1-2 times a week with gentle sulfate/paraben free shampoo and conditioner, a long with a leave in conditioner for the ends and weekly/bi-weekly coconut oil treatments. I use a detangling brush when my hair is dry and try not to brush when wet to avoid potential breakage. I use all natural henna once every 2-6 months (although It's been almost a year since my last one). I also never use heat or chemical products in my hair at all.

Okay so now on to two questions I have for the more experienced people here.

1.) Anyone have any tips for minimizing dry/splitting ends? I've never really had hair long enough to have this problem. Also I find it strange that I find split ends from about shoulder length down, and I obviously am not going to cut to that point to remove all the splits so I'm not sure what to do.

2.) What are the best ways I can keep the ends of my hair moisturized without making my hair oily? I have an oily scalp, but dry mids/ends and most things I've tried either leave my hair heavy and limp, or make my hair greasy very quickly.


Starting pixie cut: 2019
https://imgur.com/a/vRMFfcM

Long enough for stick buns: 2021
https://imgur.com/a/bxXewfT

Current length: 2023
https://imgur.com/a/lY20ddy

[Reynaa]

Hmm.... I seem to be unable to link the images? I'm confused. �� If someone knows how to get it to work, please let me know.

[ETJ CURLS]

Okay, so for starters, it's been a while (again). I started in 2019 with a pixie cut, and last update was at collarbone length in 2020. Now let's get into the fun part: the progress.

I've had one trim since I started, cut about 2-3 inches last Christmas season to try and level out the wispy ends caused from my starting haircut shape. Currently the longest part just reached the top of my tailbone! I'm beyond thrilled with how long it's gotten and I'm making great progress towards the end goal of fingertip length.

In the last update, I was struggling with how thin my hair was, and I'm happy to say it has gotten much better (at the root) so I can no longer see straight to my scalp which is fantastic. I still have thin ends, but I think that's more due to the regrowth from all the stress fallout I had at the time combined with the uneven starting point.

My hair routine currently consists of washing 1-2 times a week with gentle sulfate/paraben free shampoo and conditioner, a long with a leave in conditioner for the ends and weekly/bi-weekly coconut oil treatments. I use a detangling brush when my hair is dry and try not to brush when wet to avoid potential breakage. I use all natural henna once every 2-6 months (although It's been almost a year since my last one). I also never use heat or chemical products in my hair at all.

Okay so now on to two questions I have for the more experienced people here.

1.) Anyone have any tips for minimizing dry/splitting ends? I've never really had hair long enough to have this problem. Also I find it strange that I find split ends from about shoulder length down, and I obviously am not going to cut to that point to remove all the splits so I'm not sure what to do.

2.) What are the best ways I can keep the ends of my hair moisturized without making my hair oily? I have an oily scalp, but dry mids/ends and most things I've tried either leave my hair heavy and limp, or make my hair greasy very quickly.


Starting pixie cut: 2019
https://i.imgur.com/a281Ujfm.jpeg


Long enough for stick buns: 2021
https://i.imgur.com/H6fS0vAm.jpeg

Current length: 2023
https://i.imgur.com/cxHUjUIm.jpeg

I think you've got to link the actual .jpeg. I went ahead and clicked through to your links (by quote posting I was able to see them) and then>right click>Open image in new tab. I copy and pasted that in, and used the hack of using s/m/l before the .jpeg to resize the thumbnails. Give that a go and see if it works!

Your progress is just amazing by the way! Your curls really suit you!

[Reynaa]

Thank you so much! The curls are done with a scarf lol, but I love the bounce it gives. And I think I figured out the picture thing, problem was I couldn't get the image to open in new tab on my phone with imgur for some reason lol.

https://i.postimg.cc/tgV9CsVJ/Grid-Art-20231215-120649683-2.jpg

[fairy_hair]

I have found the best way to keep my ends from being dry or splitting, is to keep it all in a protective bun 90% of the time. I also put a bunch of olive or almond oil in my hair and let it sit for a few hours (if I have time) before washing with shampoo and using lots of conditioner. This prevents the washing process from strippng the hair too much and causing extra damage. I also only air dry but apparently you can use a hairdryer on a low setting if preferred. Also, for split ends that will happen sometimes, I search for them and cut them indivually with hair scissors every week or so.

[maborosi]

Wow, great progress! Your hair is looking great!

A couple of suggestions about splits:

- As your hair gets longer, it's gonna obviously be older, so more prone to splitting. I'm getting to the length now where new splits show up more quickly. Think about it- those long hairs are now several years old! So you're really gonna want to baby your hair more now :) which, in my experience, means the following:

-More protective updos, more often. Braided buns are the best. Sleeping caps and silk pillowcases are great, and no time like the present to start! It will help cut down on friction while you sleep.
-More regular S&D to make sure that any splits that do form are taken care of quick before they travel up the hair shaft.
-Making sure to do deep conditioning treatments any time I wash the length of my hair.

You may find that switching to scalp-only washing when you shampoo can help keep the length of your hair in better condition. I know it helps me. I can't skip scalp washes or else I get major acne, but keeping the length of my hair dry while I do a daily scalp wash is helpful in cutting down on dryness.

And same, too, with what products you use in your hair. I like heavy conditioners for the length of my hair, but I wouldn't put them on my scalp. It's okay to use a lighter leave-in on areas of your hair that are more prone to oiliness. I usually use my leave-in all over my hair, then oil only the length, for example.

I hope that helps! Happy growing!

[fairy_hair]

*also forgot, only washing hair every 5-7 days has helped keep the lengths healthy too!

[fairy_hair]

Wow, great progress! Your hair is looking great!

A couple of suggestions about splits:

- As your hair gets longer, it's gonna obviously be older, so more prone to splitting. I'm getting to the length now where new splits show up more quickly. Think about it- those long hairs are now several years old! So you're really gonna want to baby your hair more now :) which, in my experience, means the following:

-More protective updos, more often. Braided buns are the best. Sleeping caps and silk pillowcases are great, and no time like the present to start! It will help cut down on friction while you sleep.
-More regular S&D to make sure that any splits that do form are taken care of quick before they travel up the hair shaft.
-Making sure to do deep conditioning treatments any time I wash the length of my hair.

You may find that switching to scalp-only washing when you shampoo can help keep the length of your hair in better condition. I know it helps me. I can't skip scalp washes or else I get major acne, but keeping the length of my hair dry while I do a daily scalp wash is helpful in cutting down on dryness.

And same, too, with what products you use in your hair. I like heavy conditioners for the length of my hair, but I wouldn't put them on my scalp. It's okay to use a lighter leave-in on areas of your hair that are more prone to oiliness. I usually use my leave-in all over my hair, then oil only the length, for example.

I hope that helps! Happy growing!

Awh cute we're both trying to grow back to classic and beyond and my hair looks similar to yours but a bit more blonde! How is it going? Nice to be on the same journey and with similar hair habits!

[Reynaa]

Wow, great progress! Your hair is looking great!

A couple of suggestions about splits:

- As your hair gets longer, it's gonna obviously be older, so more prone to splitting. I'm getting to the length now where new splits show up more quickly. Think about it- those long hairs are now several years old! So you're really gonna want to baby your hair more now :) which, in my experience, means the following:

-More protective updos, more often. Braided buns are the best. Sleeping caps and silk pillowcases are great, and no time like the present to start! It will help cut down on friction while you sleep.
-More regular S&D to make sure that any splits that do form are taken care of quick before they travel up the hair shaft.
-Making sure to do deep conditioning treatments any time I wash the length of my hair.

You may find that switching to scalp-only washing when you shampoo can help keep the length of your hair in better condition. I know it helps me. I can't skip scalp washes or else I get major acne, but keeping the length of my hair dry while I do a daily scalp wash is helpful in cutting down on dryness.

And same, too, with what products you use in your hair. I like heavy conditioners for the length of my hair, but I wouldn't put them on my scalp. It's okay to use a lighter leave-in on areas of your hair that are more prone to oiliness. I usually use my leave-in all over my hair, then oil only the length, for example.

I hope that helps! Happy growing!

Thank you so much for the great advice! I do tend to keep my hair in buns or braids most days, but haven't ever thought to do both at once! I'll add that into my regular rotation! I'm definitely on the look for a silk pillowcase case, but most days I sleep in braids or with my hair in a scarf for the same reason.

I keep seeing S&D as advice but I'm not sure what that entails exactly, apologies if that's silly or common knowledge. I've really only done one trim at all for splits since I started growing, so I'm not sure how to go about cutting splits without a trim ��

I'd be very curious to know how you manage to keep your length dry while washing your scalp. That sounds like tangle city to my uneducated ears :)

[Reynaa]

Awh cute we're both trying to grow back to classic and beyond and my hair looks similar to yours but a bit more blonde! How is it going? Nice to be on the same journey and with similar hair habits!

Hi there! Nice to meet you too! Funny thing is my natural color is probably quite similar to yours. I'm a dirty blonde, I just use henna to get the red! I've been having a blast so far, especially for the last year or two, ever since I could start doing braids and buns it's been lovely. And to see the progress in only 4 years, it's actually shocking.

[constancev18]

Congrats on your growth!