This is long....
I started taking care of my own hair at 11, when my older sis decided to relax it because it was SOOO unmanageable. It was about APL at that time and I always wore it down. I always curled it with super hot metal curlers (you know, the cheapie kind). Well, it started to damage more and more. Not only that, but my sister would relax the entire length of the hair, adding to more damage. I also used to have super-tight ponytails and braids that caused my hairline to recede (on my already big forehead,
).
This happened for 5 years when I went to High School and saw girls my age with beautiful, long relaxed hair. I would ask them all the time "How do you get it like that?" They would always say "My mom does it" or "I go to a salon every 2 weeks". I never got any answers. It got to the point where I had long hair on ONE SIDE and my ends were see-through. People were always like "you have long hair" but to me, I wasn't convinced.
So, I went to a salon on my own and got it cut in a bob - cut below my ear!!! I hated it so much, that I wanted to STOP EVERYTHING!!! Relaxers, Cuts, Braids, Weaves EVERYTHING! Instead, I came across this board, in need of lots of help, and decided to go natural; I had damaged my hair enough.
I got lots of cornrows done, trying to transition. It got to the point where the hairdresser needed me to press my hair before she could braid it. Thats when I did my own braid outs. That worked wonders! I also started conditioning my hair and keeping my hair up. My folks hated it though.
Finally, I BC'ed in June 2006 after HS graduation (on accident). It was already SL straightened in a year!! I guess it was the WGO!
Since then, I still hit roadblocks in college. I was wearing my curly hair out with curly hair gel, not realizing how damaging gels were to my ends. I washed all the time and that caused shedding and breakage. Also did the tight banded ponytails to make it look like I had some length. That caused me to go to the salon AGAIN to get a cut that Feb 2007, back to SL. The hairdresser was from Panamá and she did my hair in less than 30 minutes!!! she knew exactly what to do with my hair type. PANAMA ROCKS!
Since then, I've conditioner washed, bunned my hair. I used to comb/brush alot and use tons of gel, but I've just resorted to moisture and oils and buns now. I've manipulated my hair less since my hair cut and now, as of November 2007, I hit APL (straightened)!
Now, since baggying ends, washing weekly, using MTG, and co-washing 2-3 days/wk, I'm so close to APL unstretched!
Thats my story..
, before joining. I totally was destroying my hair with weave glue because I was just like "fudge it! It’s never gonna grow so who cares, just wear weaves and if my hair gets ripped out by the glue oh well it’s not gonna grow neways and its covered." terrible, i know. That’s not all, I would also iron my hair with an iron to get it straight, no heat protectant, no nothing! 
