From Short to (almost!) Long!

[TinaDenali]

I posted just a few 'hair journey' pictures and wanted to share! :)

Here's where I started:
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=5276&pictureid=68958

August, 2008 - My hair was bleached and fried like no other. As you can totally tell..!! It was an angled bob - short in the back (about 1 inch).


Here's progress, almost one year later:
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=5276&pictureid=68959

July, 2009. I died it once after the bleachedness started rooting (in September, 2008 ) and it blended well enough that I didn't have to dye it again! :)


Here's recent:
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=5276&pictureid=68960

March, 2010. My ends are kinda cut off in this picture, so I'm losing about 1.5 inches from that. But from the back it's about .5 inches past BSL. Considering in the first picture it was about 1 inch long in the back!

Since Aug. 2008, I've self trimmed three times to get the angled bob out, but other than that I've not gotten it cut at all! :)

ETA ETA ETA!!!

Here's a current shot for today, August 11th, 2010 - waist length!!:
(And the left side got stuck to my shirt a little, it's not actually un-even :P)
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=5276&pictureid=79219

A bit fried... but gotta remember my ends were once that bleach blonde stuff from the first picture. **Also, I straightened it for this picture. I do that every couple months to see growth. :) I think a big chop is incoming... I can't decide!!

When I don't straighten, my hair looks like this (inside lighting - my hair gets really dark indoors):
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=5276&pictureid=76946

ETA ETA ETA!!

Here's a recent shot from September (2010) showing my new color and several inches chopped from self-trimming. Much better ends!!:
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=5276&pictureid=84978


YAY! I'm so happy to finally have long-ish hair again!!

[TinaDenali]

And a new length shot for October (2010):
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=5276&pictureid=85069

[julliams]

Your hair looks gorgeous and your growth rate is amazing.

[Heavenly Locks]

That's fantastic growth! :flower: And you are super pretty :)

[Sunny_side_up]

Thats very good growth, your hair looks healthy and shiny:)

[jaine]

That's fantastic progress and your natural color is so pretty!

[Nae]

Really wonderful growth!!! Yay, you give the other "shorties" hope.

[countryhopper]

Wait. You're telling me that in just a year and a half (roughly) you went from neck to BSL+???!!! THAT"S AMAZING!!!

I'm also growing out an angled bob (GROAN) and although the front layers are APL the back is still a couple inches away...

You've given me hope... Your hair looks gorgeous!!

[marikamt]

what a difference! Your hair looks beautiful- and I agree, amazing growth rate

[Kristin]

Your hair looks fantastic! Congrats!:D

[redneckprincess]

thats great progress!!

[TinaDenali]

Thank you all so much for your kind words!! :)

I've been "trying" to grow my hair out for years now, but always ended up cutting it. In 2006 my hair was at about waist length and I chopped it to a bob. Then I cried and wanted it long again and vowed to never cut it - but I kept dying it and treating it horrible and kept having to cut length off because it was so fried. In summer of 2008 I got married (August 8, 2008 ) and I really wanted blonde hair for the wedding, so I fried it out really badly. It was about two inches above BSL at that time. The day after the wedding is when I chopped it all off to the angled bob! LOL.

It was really hard to grow out the angled bob. I kept feeling like I was getting somewhere with my growth in the font, but the back was a good two inches shorter. It pained me so much to have to cut the front, but once it was past my shoulders it looked really silly to be so angled. I self trimmed the first time to create all one length, and then self trimmed two more times to create layers. I know very few people like layers on this forum (or so it seems!! :)), but I really think they are so pretty. I can't wait to have long hair with fairy tale ends! :)

I'm glad I can give hope to all the shorties out there. And hope to the people who feel they've completely fried their hair out - because you can see that I totally ruined my hair and came back from that.

In the years after I chopped it in 2006, I kept thinking I'd never have long hair again - and at the rate I was going I wouldn't have. I had to stop being so destructive to my hair and stop cutting it. :)

Thanks again, guys! :)

[Melisande]

Wow, your hair grows fast. The natural color is so much more flattering than the blonde! You are a very pretty girl and have a charming smile. And I can't believe how fast you pulled this change off! Amazing!

[Dani]

Your hair looks awesome and gorgeous, well done!

And sweet, you're in Seatown. :D That's where I'm from. Is that lake union in the most recent pic? :D

[TinaDenali]

Yep, that's Lake Union! I was getting on the Skansonia. :)

[Pumpkin]

You are so pretty. I love your hair. Amazing growth. You give all of us 'shorties' inspiration!! :)

[emmabovary]

Congrats on the nice and fast progress. Your natural hair color as well as the darker (hennaed?) really brings out the color of your eyes :)

[lilravendark]

thats amazing growth always makes me happy to see people achieve their hair goals in such a short amount of time :D

[NuclearMosquito]

What wonderful progress! It gives me hope that yes, my hair will grow, see, hers did!

[sneakybea]

Wow, your hair grows quickly! It looks really awesome now!
You also remind me of somebody I know. Wish I could remember who.
Happy growing!

[RecklessCharlie]

WOW! Your hair looks superb! A huge improvement, congratulations on your progress! :)

[TinaDenali]

Thank you all so much! I am grateful for the love and support this forum has. :)

[invisiblebabe]

You look so much younger and more natural with the richer, darker color! Here's to more happy hair growing :flower:

[Sweetbaby]

Yep I love your natural color too and your hair.. wow, you definately give me hope and encouragement showing the progression. Your hair is awesome looking long. It just seems to suit you so much and brings out a natural beauty , kwim?

Thanks for sharing with us, it means a lot to actually SEE someone else has achieved what we all want :-)

[toodramatik]

AWESOME growth and i agree with everyone- long + dark suits you so much better!

[Pixna]

How inspiring -- thanks so much for posting your progress!!! You look a million times better (fresher, more youthful, more beautiful) with your current color and longer length -- just gorgeous!!! :toast:

[Capybara]

Your hair looks much happier! Great growth!
You are very pretty too (:

[TinaDenali]

Thank you, thank you, thank you ... ;)

Yes, I do prefer the dark hair. Since it was blonde I've dyed it three times. Once was shortly after the first picture - when it was short. I had my husband go to the grocery store with me to help me buy box color to match my roots. I really wanted to not have to dye my hair again.

After that, I bought henna from LUSH. I got the medium brown and it only slightly darkened my hair. That was in early 2009.

Then, in either Dec. 2009 or Jan. 2010 I dyed it again with henna, but I left it on for only a short amount of time and it really made no difference in my hair color.

In the last picture my hair appears more red than it really is - I think because the sun was shining right on it.

I would really like to have it been a darker, cooler brown - but I really don't want to dye it anymore. It naturally gets a lot lighter in the summer (often to the point of having 'roots' later in the year!) when I don't dye it (and I've only been dying my hair for about 4 years - but it's been from blonde to black {see my profile - that was when it was long before} and back again several times) and darker in the winter.

Anyhow - thanks again for all your kind words! I hope to inspire short haired people here that you CAN have long hair - you just have to stop cutting it! That's my secret ;)

[spidermom]

What incredible improvement!

[smilinjenn71]

Congrats on your fast growth and healthy hair!!:cheese:

[Brenda714]

Hi Tina, I can't seem to view your pictures, won't let me. Do you know why? Is it because I'm new or something. I bet your hair looks so good, I would love to see it too, to give me hope for my choppy hair! (smile)

[pennyroyal]

wow, your hair looks great! it grew so fast too! i love your natural color.

[TinaDenali]

Hi Tina, I can't seem to view your pictures, won't let me. Do you know why? Is it because I'm new or something. I bet your hair looks so good, I would love to see it too, to give me hope for my choppy hair! (smile)

Brenda -

You need to have 25 posts before you can see member photos. I'm new, too :)
The first 25 posts go pretty fast, you'll be there before you know it!!

[Brenda714]

Thanks Tina!

[x0h_bother]

I am *super jealous*!!! I have been growing my hair longer than you have and it began longer than yours. It's not grown nearly as fast as yours. I'm glad others are saying you have an impressive growth rate..I feel slow. WOW!!

[JenniferNoel]

Looking great! :cool:

[TinaDenali]

Thanks!

I always thought my hair grew slowly, but by all you guy's responses, I'm guess that's not the case. I've never done a month-to-month measurement, so I don't know what my growth rate is. I do feel like it goes in spurts, though.

[MsBubbles]

Your natural color looks so lovely. Ok wait. Maybe I misunderstood. The second photo where you said you dyed it to match the roots. I love that color. What dye did you use over the bleach? I need to do something similar but am too chicken.

[TinaDenali]

Your natural color looks so lovely. Ok wait. Maybe I misunderstood. The second photo where you said you dyed it to match the roots. I love that color. What dye did you use over the bleach? I need to do something similar but am too chicken.

MsBubbles,

I don't remember what dye I used. It was some box dye from the grocery store. I just had my husband with me so I could hold all the boxes to my head and he chose the one closest to my roots! It was a permanent dye, but it matched really well. In the second picture you are referring to, it had been about 8 months since I had dyed it with the box color. That color is pretty true to my natural, and the third picture shows my hair to be quite a bit more red than it really is. When I look at myself in the mirror, it appears much more brown. I think because I was standing in the sun it appeared very red.

Hope that helps! :)

[TinaDenali]

Added a new, current shot to the original posting! :D

[Juneii]

Gorgeous! You look beautiful with darker hair :)

[Petite Simone]

*drool* wow! That's absolutely amazing!!! I'm growing out from a super super short pixie and this really gives some encouragement!!! Your hair is so pretty :)

[carloota]

My opinion is that your current hair color suits you much better than the blonde. You've made great progress both in health and length. :)

[abritta3]

You are just beautiful! And your hair too :D I am quite inspired by your hair growth progress! Did you trim at all?

[dropinthebucket]

aw, your natural colour is STELLAR on you! :D

[pepperminttea]

That's some amazing growth - congratulations! :)

[tinti]

I think both of us has the same growth rate, I also went from an angled bob in june 2008 to bsl now :) Congrats, and your hair looks great!

[TinaDenali]

Gorgeous! You look beautiful with darker hair :)

*drool* wow! That's absolutely amazing!!! I'm growing out from a super super short pixie and this really gives some encouragement!!! Your hair is so pretty :)

My opinion is that your current hair color suits you much better than the blonde. You've made great progress both in health and length. :)

aw, your natural colour is STELLAR on you! :D

That's some amazing growth - congratulations! :)
Thank you all SOOOOO much for your kind words!! :)


You are just beautiful! And your hair too :D I am quite inspired by your hair growth progress! Did you trim at all?
Yep - I did trim. I have self-trimmed four times now - but that all told probably equals out to about 2 or so inches of growth lost because those four trims were micro-trims. But, I only did it to 'un-angle' the angled bob I had - the length in front was about 1.5 inches longer than the back.


I think both of us has the same growth rate, I also went from an angled bob in june 2008 to bsl now :) Congrats, and your hair looks great!

I'm actually at waist!! :) And thank you!!

[Smile4Kiki]

I am currently growing out an angled bob and have been so frustrated with the fact that the front is so much longer than the back. I am planning to self-trim the difference out once the back hits shoulder length. This is definitely an inspiration for me.

[TinaDenali]

I am currently growing out an angled bob and have been so frustrated with the fact that the front is so much longer than the back. I am planning to self-trim the difference out once the back hits shoulder length. This is definitely an inspiration for me.

I'm glad to be an inspiration for you!! Oh, it was SOOOO hard for me to cut the length in the front. I seriously almost cried the first time I did it because it seemed so long from the front (back when it was APL!!), I couldn't bare to cut the longest part. So, that's why I've done four mini-trims to create the U-shape.

[Lavina]

Excellent progress!

[Henrietta]

At first my jaw dropped when I saw the first pic and the one with yellow scarf. And then, below "ETA..."... Yeah. My jaw dropped again.
Fantastic journey!! :)

[Joliebaby]

Your natural color is gorgeous and suits you so much better than bleach blonde!!
Awesome growth rate you have too, wow!!

[starlights]

Thats great progress, well done!

[TinaDenali]

Excellent progress!


At first my jaw dropped when I saw the first pic and the one with yellow scarf. And then, below "ETA..."... Yeah. My jaw dropped again.
Fantastic journey!! :)


Your natural color is gorgeous and suits you so much better than bleach blonde!!
Awesome growth rate you have too, wow!!


Thats great progress, well done!

Thank you all so much!! Yes, I do enjoy darker hair!

I never can make up my mind, though... just last month I wanted it black. Today I kinda want some mini-blonde highlights. UGH! And I never can get a picture that shows my actual color. It's such a mousey-brown - very ashy. Which, I like, I like cool tones. But, I wish it was lighter or darker than it is!!

[Arianwen]

I think you should avoid monkeying with your hair colour, but it's your hair and your decision. I don't think/want you to chop that pretty hair, maybe moisturize the poop out of it?

[Jenn of Pence]

I'm too chicken to dye my hair, hehe.
Tina your hair looks great! Keep up the good growth!

[SheaLynne]

Terrific job keeping your length and babying the poor, damaged ends! It really does look nice!

I would hate for you to chop now, since you've done so well at letting it grow...why don't you trim half your growth each month until the damage is all off? Since you've already been doing self-trims, that should be an option. I've been doing that since December, and I've gone from waist to nearly tb, while gradually taking off the old damaged ends. I have progress pics in my album.

Good luck making your decision!

[pennyroyal]

That is a lot of growth & it looks so great! Congrats! You are definitley an inspiration. :)

[triumphator!]

Wow what a difference from your first to last photos!

[RecklessCharlie]

Fabulous progress!! I love your natural colour :)

[BrightEyes]

Wow, your hair has improved so much! It's gorgeous.....great work!

[WyrdWay]

Wow! You have such amazing growth! I still have most of my bleached ends but now My natural color has just gotten long enough to make it to my ponytail :(

Keep these updates coming! I wasn't exspecting to to make waist length so fast :) If you chopped you ends you'd be back at waist length in no time

[TinaDenali]

I think you should avoid monkeying with your hair colour, but it's your hair and your decision. I don't think/want you to chop that pretty hair, maybe moisturize the poop out of it?

I know, I know :)

I keep telling myself I just need to get a blonde wig and a black wig and then I'll be okay. :)

[TinaDenali]

I'm too chicken to dye my hair, hehe.
Tina your hair looks great! Keep up the good growth!

Thank you! Yep, the past few months I've been too chicken, too. I think that comes with virgin hair... I mean the last 8 months of growth is virgin... I don't know if I have the guts to give that up!!


Terrific job keeping your length and babying the poor, damaged ends! It really does look nice!

I would hate for you to chop now, since you've done so well at letting it grow...why don't you trim half your growth each month until the damage is all off? Since you've already been doing self-trims, that should be an option. I've been doing that since December, and I've gone from waist to nearly tb, while gradually taking off the old damaged ends. I have progress pics in my album.

Good luck making your decision!

You're right... I just have a hard time deciding if I should chop for health sake or grow because I want it long... I've been thinking all this time I would grow, grow, grow until I was just a few inches past my goal length (tail bone) and then chop it back to goal and get rid of the nasty ends.


That is a lot of growth & it looks so great! Congrats! You are definitley an inspiration. :)

Thanks, Penny :)


Wow what a difference from your first to last photos!

I know, right?? And for the few years BEFORE that first picture I couldn't understand WHY my hair wouldn't grow long.... Hmmmm, maybe because I kept getting it cut??? :D

[TinaDenali]

Fabulous progress!! I love your natural colour :)

Thank you! I'm learning to love it, too.


Wow, your hair has improved so much! It's gorgeous.....great work!

Thank you!! :)


Wow! You have such amazing growth! I still have most of my bleached ends but now My natural color has just gotten long enough to make it to my ponytail :(

Keep these updates coming! I wasn't exspecting to to make waist length so fast :) If you chopped you ends you'd be back at waist length in no time

Yeah - I feel like I've made it to waist pretty quick like, too. Much quicker than I had expected I would. Yay!

[TinaDenali]

Ok, so maybe some of you have seen this post: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=54493

So, I'm going to try some of the remedies listed, but I fear a chop will soon be coming... or a box dye job. Anything to not have green hair...

[christine1989]

You are so pretty! It's amazing to see how your hair has gotten so much longer and healthier. Way to go fellow Seattleite! :)

[DarkChocolate]

Awesome growth:)
You look so different with long hair:)

[TinaDenali]

You are so pretty! It's amazing to see how your hair has gotten so much longer and healthier. Way to go fellow Seattleite! :)

Thank you!! Yay Seattle! How bought this lovely rain today?? What a relief after all the heat lately :)


Awesome growth:)
You look so different with long hair:)

Thanks! :)

[lapushka]

You look so much younger and more natural with the richer, darker color! Here's to more happy hair growing :flower:

Totally! I can't believe the difference a hair color makes! When I saw the first picture, with the cute short hairstyle, I thought "she's a young mom", then when I saw the second pic I thought, "OMG, she's much younger,... a student?" So odd! :)

You've made amazing progress!

All this time, you've kept the damaged ends, why not keep it that way and just gradually trim?

[TinaDenali]

Totally! I can't believe the difference a hair color makes! When I saw the first picture, with the cute short hairstyle, I thought "she's a young mom", then when I saw the second pic I thought, "OMG, she's much younger,... a student?" So odd! :)

You've made amazing progress!

All this time, you've kept the damaged ends, why not keep it that way and just gradually trim?

Thank you so much, Lapushka! :)

Yep, I really want to keep them. However, they've recently turned GREEN and I've currently got KETCHUP on them to hopefully reverse that... :cheese:

But, I just saw in another post how to cut your hair using this method:
http://elementalbynature.wordpress.com/2008/10/20/ponytail-haircut-a-how-to/

Which looks like it will help trim up layers without losing length. Which, I love my layers and I love my length, so that should work perfectly... I hope!!

[TinaDenali]

I added a couple more pictures to the initial posting :) :) :)

[spidermom]

The current, naturally wavy picture is SO pretty.

[TinaDenali]

The current, naturally wavy picture is SO pretty.

Thank you so much, Spidermom :blossom:

[lapushka]

Yes, the wavy picture is amazing! :thumbsup:

[growing2shine]

Congratulations! You look VERY beautiful with long hair, and your natural texture is amazing.:D

[TinaDenali]

Yes, the wavy picture is amazing! :thumbsup:


Congratulations! You look VERY beautiful with long hair, and your natural texture is amazing.:D

Thank you both so much!!

It's hard to learn to love one's natural texture... I've always loved straight hair. But, my hair is so thin that I really need that volume from curls, so I guess I'm glad I've got them :p

I'm hoping that as my hair gets longer that the curls get a big more relaxed :)

[BrightEyes]

Your curls are gorgeous! Your hair is very pretty straight too, but I just love the curls.

[TinaDenali]

Thanks so much, BrightEyes!

I'm learning to love my curls :)

[TinaDenali]

Ok, so I did indeed end up using that hair cutting method and I cut several INCHES off!! I added new pictures to the first and second posting!

[RecklessCharlie]

Fabulous progress TinaDenali! Your hair looks wonderful - I say that I much prefer it with its natural waves, so elegant!

[Fadedbluedreams]

I am thoroughly impressed!! Can I borrow some of your growth power? Mine seems to take forever.

[leslissocool]

Yay! Congrats! your hair looks amazing!

[TinaDenali]

Fabulous progress TinaDenali! Your hair looks wonderful - I say that I much prefer it with its natural waves, so elegant!


I am thoroughly impressed!! Can I borrow some of your growth power? Mine seems to take forever.


Yay! Congrats! your hair looks amazing!

Thank you all SOO much!! I'm very happy my hair has decided to grow quickly.

AND I just started taking a pre-natal vitamin!! We'll see what that does to my growth rate :pray:

[JuneBride]

Your hair and hair growth is AWESOME!!! What are you secrets and strategies?

[sarahbrownie]

Amazing hair growth. You have such a pretty smile, very joyful and loving. Congrats!

[HintOfMint]

Almost long? Darling, I'm pretty sure that qualifies as actually long. Great growth and a very pretty head of hair. :blossom:

[marisa]

Thanks so much for sharing!

Your hair looks amazing.
Very inspiring.

[christine1989]

Your hair looks amazing! I would definatly call that long :).

[Jenn of Pence]

And a new length shot for October (2010):
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=5276&pictureid=85069

Are you standing on the deck of your new house??? :D
Oh, and your hair is lovely, too!

[TinaDenali]

Are you standing on the deck of your new house??? :D
Oh, and your hair is lovely, too!

Yes, Jenn!! My new house!! You're so sweet for noticing :D

[TinaDenali]

Your hair and hair growth is AWESOME!!! What are you secrets and strategies?


Amazing hair growth. You have such a pretty smile, very joyful and loving. Congrats!


Almost long? Darling, I'm pretty sure that qualifies as actually long. Great growth and a very pretty head of hair. :blossom:


Thanks so much for sharing!

Your hair looks amazing.
Very inspiring.


Your hair looks amazing! I would definatly call that long :).

THANK YOU!! You're all too kind :D

Yes, I feel my hair is finally long - but when I first made this post back in April (2010), it was just about 1/2 inch past BSL - so not quite 'long' by LHC standards :D

I don't have anything special to recommend... I wash my hair either every day or every other day, depending. I use a LUSH shampoo bar and Nature's Gate conditioner. I blow fry it twice a month or so... I really like to straighten my ends... which is HORRIBLE, but I like the wurly look with stick straight ends. :D

Other than that, nothing spectacular. I leave it down almost exclusively. Up with hair sticks when I do wear it up. I even sleep with it down. I think I'm a pretty un-LHC LHC'er!! :D

I am looking forward to see if the pre-natal vitamin I just started taking will ramp up my growing even more!! That would be awesome!

I'm hoping to be TBL by spring...

[JulietCapulet]

Looking good! I can't wait till my hair is that long!

[Chrissy]

You look so much younger w/o the bleached hair. Your hair is so pretty. I love your curls.

[Rocket22]

Aww Im too new to see the photos :( maybe soon... I better get to posting!

[bunzfan]

All i can say is wow you've come so far from a bob that's where i sort of started to, your hair looks beautiful curly and straight and the color looks great on you....well done

[TinaDenali]

Looking good! I can't wait till my hair is that long!


You look so much younger w/o the bleached hair. Your hair is so pretty. I love your curls.

Thanks, girls! :blossom:


Aww Im too new to see the photos :( maybe soon... I better get to posting!

Just need 25 posts, I think. You'll be there in no time. :)


All i can say is wow you've come so far from a bob that's where i sort of started to, your hair looks beautiful curly and straight and the color looks great on you....well done

Thank you!! It seemed like an impossible task to me when I started, but I learned that if you don't cut your hair it gets longer!! Ha! Before that bob I'd been 'trying' to grow my hair out for two years! But, it never gets longer if you keep cutting it... lol! :D

[Rocket22]

Thank you!! It seemed like an impossible task to me when I started, but I learned that if you don't cut your hair it gets longer!! Ha! Before that bob I'd been 'trying' to grow my hair out for two years! But, it never gets longer if you keep cutting it... lol! :D[/quote]


OMG!! I just realized this too.. I've been growing my hair for years!! actually my whole life but I just just realized I was cutting off more than I was growing. I thought I was "cleaning up the ends" and there would go three inches every few months or so.... well no wonder I have never had long hair... I'm looking forward to seeing the photos.

I know the secret now :)

[Mike]

Great growth and your hair looks so much healthier but...my favorite picture was the 1st on. The look on your dogs face is classic. He did not like your shorter hair.

[TinaDenali]

Great growth and your hair looks so much healthier but...my favorite picture was the 1st on. The look on your dogs face is classic. He did not like your shorter hair.

Lol, thanks! Yep- that's why I chose that blonde picture from all the rest, because it was funny :D