2011 APL Challenge

faithVA · Aug 30, 2011

I keep vacilating between trimming my ends or just letting them go until I straighten in December. I think if I trim it on schedule in September then I won't make it to APL in December. But if I dont' trim it then I could really damage my ends and have to cut more. And I know that not trimming my ends will drive me crazy for the next 4 months. But I've just gotten to a point where I can put my twists into a small bun in the back. And if I trim it then I will have to wait another month or two to be able to do that.

Why do I make myself suffer so (whoa is me). :perplexed:

I'm just ranting. I know I will trim my ends in September because they are bugging me. And hopefully by the end of October I will be able to get my twists back into a bun.

I seriously doubt that I will make APL by December. But maybe at least by my April I will have twist that hang to the base of my neck. That would be nice :yep:

Imani · Aug 31, 2011

^^^We can be trim buddies! lol. I'm getting trimmed next month too. I'm going to someone I trust that always cuts off the right amount. So I know I'll still be able to make APL by year end. My last trim was Feb and I did a light dusting in April. So I'm well due for one.

faithVA · Aug 31, 2011

Imani said:
^^^We can be trim buddies! lol. I'm getting trimmed next month too. I'm going to someone I trust that always cuts off the right amount. So I know I'll still be able to make APL by year end. My last trim was Feb and I did a light dusting in April. So I'm well due for one.

^^^I will be dusting/trimming myself so I won't be cutting off too much. I am so ready to do it now. I plan on putting in henna this weekend so we will see. It may be time to just put in some flat twists. Decisions, decisions

erplexed

tasha5951 · Sep 2, 2011

Hi Ladies,

Sorry I haven't been in here in a while

My new business is finally open and it's going great. I haven't had nearly as much time to think about my hair which is probably a good thing because that means that I've basically just left it alone. I've still been DCing weekly and protective styling most of the time (mostly because I'm lazy LOL). I'm also a drama/dance/fitness teacher and school starts on Tuesday so I think I'm going to make an appointment to get my hair washed, trimmed, and blow dried straight on Saturday. I was going to do it myself but I really need a trim (haven't had one since March).

I can't believe we only have 3 months left in this year! Keep GROWING STRONG and sticking to what you know works!

Imani · Sep 3, 2011

So my hair loosens up and straightens out as it gets dirtier/oilier. So I unraveled a twist last night and my nape is grazing APL or at the very least like 1/4 in a way. Trying not to get too pumped tho bc I know I have to trim in a few weeks. But I should be there for sure by Thanksgiving. I literally kept looking like, naw thats not right, I'm looking at it wrong, my hair can't be this long, lol. I'm still in disbelief and wont' really believe it til its straightened out and I can see it all down.

faithVA · Sep 3, 2011

[USER=283704 said:
tasha5951[/USER];14145317]Hi Ladies,

Sorry I haven't been in here in a while My new business is finally open and it's going great. I haven't had nearly as much time to think about my hair which is probably a good thing because that means that I've basically just left it alone. I've still been DCing weekly and protective styling most of the time (mostly because I'm lazy LOL). I'm also a drama/dance/fitness teacher and school starts on Tuesday so I think I'm going to make an appointment to get my hair washed, trimmed, and blow dried straight on Saturday. I was going to do it myself but I really need a trim (haven't had one since March).

I can't believe we only have 3 months left in this year! Keep GROWING STRONG and sticking to what you know works!

Glad your business is going well. And it's great to have a distraction from the hair. It will be APL and beyond next time you check. Nice!

faithVA · Sep 3, 2011

[USER=13643 said:
Imani[/USER];14153599]So my hair loosens up and straightens out as it gets dirtier/oilier. So I unraveled a twist last night and my nape is grazing APL or at the very least like 1/4 in a way. Trying not to get too pumped tho bc I know I have to trim in a few weeks. But I should be there for sure by Thanksgiving. I literally kept looking like, naw thats not right, I'm looking at it wrong, my hair can't be this long, lol. I'm still in disbelief and wont' really believe it til its straightened out and I can see it all down.

Your APL, trim or no trim but I will let you stay in denial a little longer. Thanksgiving will be a great time to get an early xmas present. :yep:

sparklebh · Sep 3, 2011

Looking like cat in the hat right now at 12 post. Will try to get some pics up soon and see what am looking like in dec right before xmas.

faithVA · Sep 3, 2011

Gave myself a major trim today so don't think I will make APL in December. Thought about dropping out of the challenge but in 4 months I will have made some progress towards APL so I will keep going. Here's my length check from today. After the trim I pretty close to where I was in April. No progress but my ends now feel fabulous :lick:

Imani · Sep 4, 2011

faithVA said:
Gave myself a major trim today so don't think I will make APL in December. Thought about dropping out of the challenge but in 4 months I will have made some progress towards APL so I will keep going. Here's my length check from today. After the trim I pretty close to where I was in April. No progress but my ends now feel fabulous

View attachment 123601

Thats still a nice length of hair. I would think you could still make APL. How many inches do you need to make APL?

faithVA · Sep 4, 2011

[USER=13643 said:
Imani[/USER];14157069]Thats still a nice length of hair. I would think you could still make APL. How many inches do you need to make APL?

I have at least 3 inches to APL. My strategy will be to keep my hair up from now until December so I can keep my mind off of it. And even if I don't make APL by December I will see improvement.

But my ends feel so good with no ssks. It was worth it. :yep:

Imani · Sep 4, 2011

^^I've given up on trying get rid of SSK's. I just try to be careful and keep my hair as detangled as possible and just cut them out when I see one.

I haven't had a trim yet since the one that took off the last of my relaxed ends. maybe with time they'll go away as I trim more. Idk.

faithVA · Sep 4, 2011

[USER=13643 said:
Imani[/USER];14159587]^^I've given up on trying get rid of SSK's. I just try to be careful and keep my hair as detangled as possible and just cut them out when I see one.

With the color and the previous extensions I had when I took my tiwst out last year the bottom 3" of my hair was SSKs. There was no dusting or anything that was going to help. So for a year I've had 3" of SSKs just hanging out at the bottom. It was bad enough where I knew I wouldn't be ale to do a curl set. So this was major SSKs not just the annoying kind. :lol:

mzteaze · Sep 4, 2011

I think I am back in the race for APL. For a minute I thought I wasn't going to make it this year but I think I will now. Hoping and praying. LOL

ebsalita · Sep 5, 2011

Just like faithVA & Imani I have some SSK's. I think it is because my ends are so uneven.

There aren't hundreds, but as I'm always HIH, I can feel them and I would rather they were gone. Thing is I don't want to cut, as I want to ensure I make APL. I am on track (I am like 90% sure to hit APL) by year end - maybe even before, however

Does anyone think that leaving them there until I get to APL could cause a setback? Please some much needed advice!

Sianna · Sep 5, 2011

You know, I'm now starting to wonder if I should have joined this APL challenge. :ohwell:

I don't know if the sulfa I've been using this past week is doing something miraculous, or if it has anything to do with the more protective hairstyles I've been wearing as of late, but I undid one of the twists at my nape and was like :blush:

'That looks dangerously close to APL' I thought to myself as I pulled the hair taut against the upper portion of my back. Another couple inches or so... IDK. I think I'd at least be able to pull my nape hairs to the level of my under arm without leaning my head back.

Then again, maybe it's wishful thinking on my part. Perhaps I should take a pic and get some more opinions... :scratchch

ETA: I could still become an unofficial challenger right? :look:

Kamilla16 · Sep 5, 2011

I'd like to UN-Officially join!! I think I'm VERY close to APL, but want to definitely be there by December.

faithVA · Sep 5, 2011

[USER=190554 said:
ebsalita[/USER];14164355]Just like @faithVA & @Imani I have some SSK's. I think it is because my ends are so uneven.

There aren't hundreds, but as I'm always HIH, I can feel them and I would rather they were gone. Thing is I don't want to cut, as I want to ensure I make APL. I am on track (I am like 90% sure to hit APL) by year end - maybe even before, however

Does anyone think that leaving them there until I get to APL could cause a setback? Please some much needed advice!

If your ends aren't tangling then it's probably not a problem. Some people dust their ends on a regular basis to make sure their ends are healthy but not to eliminate every SSK. I trimmed not because I had SSKs but because my ends were damaged. So if you don't feel your ends are healthy then wait to trim. You can spend your every waking hour hunting down SSKs.

faithVA · Sep 5, 2011

[USER=233618 said:
Sianna[/USER];14164435]You know, I'm now starting to wonder if I should have joined this APL challenge.

I don't know if the sulfa I've been using this past week is doing something miraculous, or if it has anything to do with the more protective hairstyles I've been wearing as of late, but I undid one of the twists at my nape and was like 'That looks dangerously close to APL' I thought to myself as I pulled the hair taut against the upper portion of my back. Another couple inches or so... IDK. I think I'd at least be able to pull my nape hairs to the level of my under arm without leaning my head back.

Then again, maybe it's wishful thinking on my part. Perhaps I should take a pic and get some more opinions... :scratchch

ETA: I could still become an unofficial challenger right?

You should just join. It doesn't matter if you will make it or not. You will be moving towards that goal and you will be really close. And we can all support each other along the way.

bride91501 · Sep 5, 2011

I'm so intrigued by this talk of SSKs. It seems to be a common occurence the more highly textured your hair is.

Does anyone mind posting a pic, just so those of us who may be unfamiliar with them (or maybe just with this term) can get a visual?

ebsalita · Sep 5, 2011

Thank you -FaithVA they just feel odd, they aren't causing tangles, so I'll leave them a while, and if they do begin to tangle or get on my nerves, I will have to have a cut. If I could only stop running my hands through my hair to find them!

faithVA said:
If your ends aren't tangling then it's probably not a problem. Some people dust their ends on a regular basis to make sure their ends are healthy but not to eliminate every SSK. I trimmed not because I had SSKs but because my ends were damaged. So if you don't feel your ends are healthy then wait to trim. You can spend your every waking hour hunting down SSKs.

ebsalita · Sep 5, 2011

bride91501I managed to take a picture of one of mine - it's quite difficult to get a decent shot of a single hair so I blew it up quite a bit:

I have very fine strands and I can barely see them without my glasses however I can feel them with my fingertips when I run my hands through my hair. They just feel annoying as the rest of my hair shaft is very smooth, then you get this little bump :ohwell:

HTH

bride91501 said:
I'm so intrigued by this talk of SSKs. It seems to be a common occurence the more highly textured your hair is.

Does anyone mind posting a pic, just so those of us who may be unfamiliar with them (or maybe just with this term) can get a visual?

faithVA · Sep 5, 2011

[USER=250254 said:
bride91501[/USER];14167551]I'm so intrigued by this talk of SSKs. It seems to be a common occurence the more highly textured your hair is.

Does anyone mind posting a pic, just so those of us who may be unfamiliar with them (or maybe just with this term) can get a visual?

All that hair and you've never had an SSK? Girl you need to take us to school. :lol:

I've never taken a picture of the buggers. Never thought to. But I think Nonie has. She is the master photographer.

Even if you've never seen one, when you run your hair down a strand of your hair you know what it is.

Nonie · Sep 5, 2011

faithVA said:
All that hair and you've never had an SSK? Girl you need to take us to school. I've never taken a picture of the buggers. Never thought to. But I think @Nonie has. She is the master photographer.

Even if you've never seen one, when you run your hair down a strand of your hair you know what it is.

@faithVA and @bride91501 it wasn't I who took a pic but Mwedzi and she posted it in this thread: http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=461492

And here's an enlarged image of one:

Source

Sianna · Sep 5, 2011

faithVA said:
You should just join. It doesn't matter if you will make it or not. You will be moving towards that goal and you will be really close. And we can all support each other along the way.

Thanks so much faithVA! I love how positive and encouraging you always are!

I'm sure I won't get to full APL by the end of the year, but it seems that I might get pretty close! :yep:

I'll be checking in on this thread and will post a pic next month when I flat iron my hair. :wink2:

faithVA · Sep 5, 2011

Sianna said:
Thanks so much @faithVA! I love how positive and encouraging you always are!

I'm sure I won't get to full APL by the end of the year, but it seems that I might get pretty close! I'll be checking in on this thread and will post a pic next month when I flat iron my hair. :wink2:

We are actually starting pretty close. Your hair may be longer than mine since I trimmed this weekend. Let's represent the SL girls Sianna.

Here's where my nape lands.

bride91501 · Sep 5, 2011

Thanks ebsalita & Nonie

So they are exactly what their name implies...a knot on a single strand of hair. I'm sure I've gotten them before, but honestly not at a frequency where I can really remember having one. I've never noticed them in my DDs hair either.

Does wearing your hair in stretched styles help to avoid SSKs?

Nonie · Sep 5, 2011

@bride91501 I do think wearing hair stretched does minimize them or keep them at bay.

faithVA · Sep 5, 2011

[USER=250254 said:
bride91501[/USER];14168401]Thanks @ebsalita & @Nonie

So they are exactly what their name implies...a knot on a single strand of hair. I'm sure I've gotten them before, but honestly not at a frequency where I can really remember having one. I've never noticed them in my DDs hair either.

Does wearing your hair in stretched styles help to avoid SSKs?

That's amazing. I bow before you. [Would include the emoticon but too lazy to look for it.]

Wearing stretched styles helps some people but not others. I wear my hair in 2 strand twists/2 strand flat twists 95% of the time and I still get them. Oil rinsing helps reduce them for me.

bride91501 · Sep 5, 2011

faithVA girl you are funny lol. No bowing necessary (although here's the emoticon for future reference- :worship2:

).....I think I got lucky is all, especially since they seem to love us higly textured gals and it doesn't get much more highly textured than dis right here :lol:

Your ends look really good though since your trim :yep:

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