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View Full Version : No growth for over two years :(



rambut panjang
November 22nd, 2010, 09:04 PM
My hair has been hovering at 21 inches for the last two years. I measure it wet because I have 3b curls. Up until about 5 years ago it was longer, wet about BSL (I didn't measure it back then but I'd estimate about 26 inches). It's like my hair has been steadily shrinking, which is why I started reading these forums.

I've tried everything: I bought a good comb, treat my hair very carefully, CO wash only, regular coconut oilings, protein treatments, take vitamins, small trims to clean up the ends, etc. I also hendigo every two months or so. There are a lot of short pieces that frizz up in an annoying way, but no split ends. My hair was never super thick, but it seems thinner now too. :(

I really can't figure out what I need to do, or if there is anything I can do. I've been to the doctor and they can't find anything wrong with my physically. Any suggestions?

Anje
November 22nd, 2010, 09:17 PM
How do you wear your hair on a day-to-day basis? Does it get caught under backpack or purse straps? Do you lean against it sitting in chairs? Try keeping it up in as protective and contained a style as you can manage (bun, french twist, failing those, at least a braid).

You also should definitely read up on the Curly Girl method (http://www.naturallycurly.com) (Lorraine Massey's book), and maybe Tightly Curly (http://www.tightlycurly.com/welcome). It's not necessarily one-size-fits-all curly haircare, but knowing how others have been able to grow long curly hair should help you out.

JulietCapulet
November 22nd, 2010, 09:25 PM
Aww..I'm sorry to hear that. I can imagine how frustrating that is. I'm sure it's beautiful anyway!

xoxophelia
November 22nd, 2010, 09:28 PM
I guess I would suggest a few things to add to protective updos:

-stop trimming your hair for awhile (like a year).
-always wear your hair up in a protective updo except for rare occasions
-only finger comb gently except rarely brushing (like once a week) since your hair is curly.

How do you feel outside of this? If you have physical symptoms you might try going back to the doctor but if you do all of these things you might see progress.

rambut panjang
November 22nd, 2010, 10:14 PM
Hmm, protective updos are one thing I haven't tried, mostly because I hate wearing my hair up. It gives me a headache. And with braids I really look exactly like Pippi Longstocking. My (red) hair is stiff so braids stick out to the side. My hair never gets caught in anything though. When dry, it curls up well above my shoulders. And the curls clump together so it doesn't really get blown around a lot the way I would imagine straight hair does. But maybe wearing it up would protect it anyway. The thing is, I don't really see a lot of breakage.

Not trimming would also be new for me, although I would need to get one more trim before I start. I was living in SE Asia and the cut I got there was not, shall we say, ideal since there is not a lot of curly hair there. It is in a very weird configuration right now, haha

I tried only finger combing before but the ends just tangle up so much that it seemed to cause more breakage in the long run.

Although I'm familiar with CG, the other link to Tightly Curly is new to me. Thanks!

Roseate
November 23rd, 2010, 12:04 AM
The thing is, I don't really see a lot of breakage.

Do you get visible roots in the 2 months between henndigo treatments? If so, your hair is growing, but something is holding you up at the other end, either breakage or too-frequent trims.

That's good news, because damage at the end of your hair is easier to deal with than hair that isn't growing from the root due to some medical issue. Protective styling and reducing your trims should help.

Another thing to try: a sleep cap. (plain (http://www.sallybeauty.com/Large-Sleep-Bonnet/SBS-480776,default,pd.html), fancy (http://www.tenderheaded.com/sislbo.html)) Using one of those has really improved my hair; it keeps it from getting tangled and frizzy overnight. Just one more way to cut down on potential threats to your ends.

redneckprincess
November 23rd, 2010, 04:19 AM
You could try skipping the trims!!

nytquill
November 23rd, 2010, 10:21 AM
How much are you trimming and how often? Hair only grows on average about 1/2" per month. So if you're getting 1/2" trimmed off every 4 weeks, or an inch every 8 weeks, then you're probably not going to see any growth. And lots of people grow slower than that (I do, for example) in which case at that rate you'd actually be taking length away faster than it's growing out. But if it needs trimmed it does, and there's nothing wrong with that either, it's just that might be the cause of your stall.

When you finger comb do you work from the "bottom up?" Which is not to say comb your hair backwards but detangle the ends first, then move up a few inches and detangle everything from there down, and then a few inches more until you've detangled the whole length? I don't have curly hair though so I don't know if your ends would tangle up even if you did it. But I know even with my straight hair if I jump in at the top and try to comb out the whole length in one stroke I get really bad knots at the ends. I have to do the ends first, then middle and ends, then top middle and ends.

Updos used to give me headaches too - in fact that was one of the first reasons I came to LHC, looking for ways I could put my hair back or up all day that wouldn't pull. It was pretty frustrating at first because there was no magic trick for it, just lots of experimentation and practice. What I've learned is that what you use to hold your hair up (and how you use it) is as much or more important than the actual style you put it in - at least for me it is. Hairsticks and braids for me are the most comfortable. I find that clips and ponies both don't distribute the weight well and tend to pull a lot more. Bobby pins poke my head and don't hold up well in my hair for some reason, but they can still be useful in some cases so I keep a few around. Pins and sticks both hurt more when they cross each other them if I put them in parallel or at least not crossing. I guess what I mean to say is, it seems to me it's normal for updos to hurt at first because that's a skill you learn, how to put your hair up comfortably and what is best for you - but don't get discouraged because you CAN learn it, it's not magic or genetics or something.

ktani
November 23rd, 2010, 11:26 AM
My hair has been hovering at 21 inches for the last two years. I measure it wet because I have 3b curls. Up until about 5 years ago it was longer, wet about BSL (I didn't measure it back then but I'd estimate about 26 inches). It's like my hair has been steadily shrinking, which is why I started reading these forums.

I've tried everything: I bought a good comb, treat my hair very carefully, CO wash only, regular coconut oilings, protein treatments, take vitamins, small trims to clean up the ends, etc. I also hendigo every two months or so. There are a lot of short pieces that frizz up in an annoying way, but no split ends. My hair was never super thick, but it seems thinner now too. :(

I really can't figure out what I need to do, or if there is anything I can do. I've been to the doctor and they can't find anything wrong with my physically. Any suggestions?


Hmm, protective updos are one thing I haven't tried, mostly because I hate wearing my hair up. It gives me a headache. And with braids I really look exactly like Pippi Longstocking. My (red) hair is stiff so braids stick out to the side. My hair never gets caught in anything though. When dry, it curls up well above my shoulders. And the curls clump together so it doesn't really get blown around a lot the way I would imagine straight hair does. But maybe wearing it up would protect it anyway. The thing is, I don't really see a lot of breakage.

Not trimming would also be new for me, although I would need to get one more trim before I start. I was living in SE Asia and the cut I got there was not, shall we say, ideal since there is not a lot of curly hair there. It is in a very weird configuration right now, haha

I tried only finger combing before but the ends just tangle up so much that it seemed to cause more breakage in the long run.

Although I'm familiar with CG, the other link to Tightly Curly is new to me. Thanks!

Welcome to LHC!

It sounds as if you may have build-up which is causing breakage, even though it is not that visible.

I suggest clarifying your hair and see how that works to soften it. I have had coatings on my hair that caused a lot of "shrinkage" and no real visible breakage except in one spot at the nape.

Your hair should not be "stiff". It may take more that one clarifying treatment to work. Try cutting down on any heavy conditioners if you use them.

The good news is that you are healthy. This can be fixed once you figure out what the problem is and resolve it.

hanne jensen
November 23rd, 2010, 11:40 AM
I agree with all the suggestions on this thread, and have one more for you. Check out the Monostat-dare we try this again thread.

rambut panjang
November 24th, 2010, 12:56 AM
Thanks for all the great replies!

I do see roots coming in, so thanks for pointing out that those annoying grays mean that it is actually growing. That is actually quite heartening :p

Clarifying was another thing I hadn't thought about. I do use apple cider vinegar, but only occasionally so maybe I will try stepping that up.

I thought it was normal for curly hair to be kind of stiff though?

skaempfer
November 24th, 2010, 02:34 AM
Post a picture if you can; a picture is worth a thousand words. Anyway, I won't add anything else because there have been some quite suggestions already. Good Luck! :)

hanne jensen
November 24th, 2010, 03:03 AM
I thought of something else: your hair might not like all that protein.

It's not normal for hair to feel stiff no matter how curly it is.

curlymarcia
November 24th, 2010, 11:23 AM
I agree with Nytquill, maybe you are trimming all the growth. By other hand, you can take supplements (but if you have a good diet I don't believe is necessary).

BellCat
November 24th, 2010, 11:34 AM
Biotin & MSM are supposed to work good together to promote growth