Waist length and longer naturals that stayed natural

[mili]

Hi Ladies

I did a mini search and did not come up with anything, so forgive me if the question has been asked before.

I was wondering how many ladies out there have bsl or longer lengths that were natural when then they started their hair journey and remained natural and achieved bsl or longer without relaxing or texlaxing to straighten out the coilys?

It appears that all of the ladies hair that I have admired so far that are currently natural with bsl or longer hair, started out being relaxed until their hair grew to a certain length, and then the relaxer was grown out and the existing length continued to be maintained while continuing to grow to longer lengths.

I am currently natural, have been for a number of years (5yrs approx), after having been texlaxed for many years since the late 80’s, I really miss it; I truly enjoy being natural as well even with the shrinkage.

Currently I am very bored with my options as a natural, I cannot wear braids or twists to work, though I would love to, I have toyed with the idea of texlaxing again, but really have misgivings about it due to my hair being very thin, and the horrible experiences that I have had in the past with relaxers and other straightening chemicals, It has taken me a very long time to nurse my very badly damaged hair to the healthy state it is in now. I really do not want to ruin the health of my hair just to be able to show more of its length (currently a little below apl) and to rid myself of the daily buns because I have no real clue how to style my hair.

I have begun to wonder if it is even possible to get to these lengths in a timely fashion, in less than 10 yrs without using straightening chemicals.

Any and all thoughts are welcome, THANKS IN ADVANCE

 

[davisbr88]

I see what you're saying. A lot of the long-haired naturals I have seen (WL+) transitioned for like 2 years. There are multiple women on the board who have gotten to long lengths in WAAAAAY less than 10 years and are natural, so you already know that's possible. I would just like to know who didn't transition very long and has WL+ hair now and has stayed natural, particularly because I want to get to a really long length, and didn't start at a long length. And how many stay natural and how they maintain.
I hope you get some responses.

 

[Chocolatelove2010]

I think it's possible.

10 years???????

Gurll, if after being on this board for a year..I don't see some great length. I'm out of here, and I will be convinced all these ladies photoshop.. and this is some sick fantasy land! Because I'm working my butt over here... henna'ing every week, braiding my hair errr'night. Kmt. So this better be real.

 

[LaFemmeNaturelle]

Well I know there are naturals who are bsl and longer but they transitioned for a year before chopping but a year of growth is not very long. Is a year ok or you just want someone who began as a natural? I honestly don't see what diff it would make but it's not my thread.


Just wondering though, why does it matter if someone transitioned long term? They still had to deal with their natural hair and was able to retain all of it.

OH DUH! Kimmaytube started at twa (or bald i forgot) and Sera2544 started bald.

ETA: AND longhairdontcare2011. All youtubers.

 

[classychic1908]

What about wearing twistouts, braidouts, creative updos, or straightening your hair for a change of pace? Treat yourself to some hair jewelry and enjoy it! As for WL and longer ladies, I think a significant percentage, on this board are natural.

Could it be that there are some areas of your reggie that should be tweaked to increase your retention rate? Even with a slow growth rate, 10 years is a long time to take to get to WL if you have proper knowledge of how to care for your hair.


I long-term transitioned from relaxed to natural with no big chop and I hope to be knocking on MBL by the years end. I started my transition with CBL hair, and was APL when I found hair boards. I have no desire to ever go back to relaxers or any other straightening chemical. HTH
y
side note: I've edited this post a bajillion times trying to make sure I'm answering the question correctly. lol

 

[anon123]

There are a lot. Like someone said, Kimmaytube may be waist length soon and she big chopped. The lovely Sera big chopped, too. I'm not waist length yet, I'm mbl. But I didn't grow my hair long with a relaxer. I haven't had a relaxer for, I don't know, like 15, 16 years? I cut my hair every so often and didn't really start trying to grow it until I got on the hair boards.

 

[bludaydreamr]

I cut my relaxed hair off a few inches at a time in 16 1/2 months I was natural. I wear twist on wet hair mainly, but now that I've retained more length; I have to find styling options that will stretch and still protect my hair. Now my hair is just about BSB(I'm 5'10 if that matters), and it has almost been 4 years since I lasted relaxed.
The start of my HHJ

I cut the last of the relaxer out

6 months after bc

ETA: I am also style challenged (I can't cornrow or flat twist that well, but I practice). There are a lot of options to play around with including Brazilian Keratin Treatment, Heat training, wigs/lacefronts or sew-ins as styling options. LadyPanialo has a regimen that helped her go from a TWA to WL in 4 years by keeping her hair moisutrized and under a wig.

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/hair-care-tips-product-review-discussion/497088-i-am-adopting-ladypanialos-reggie-deep-moisture-method-wig-all-12-months.html

HTH!

 

[Dee Raven]

Hey Mili,
It is definitely possible to grow your hair out to long lengths as a short haired natural. I cut all my hair off 4 years ago after only 3 months of transitioning, so I had about an inch of hair to start with and now four years later I'm wsl. And in fact, had I not had a disastrous hair cut earlier this year, I would be hl right now. So it is definitely possible, and it can happen in a lot shorter time than you are thinking. I do prefer to wear my hair in twists, especially as the hair gets longer simply styles prevent a lot of tangling. I would try to find a signature natural lo mani style that you like or can live with because growing out hair is about the looooooong haul not the short. I have definitely had times where I didn't like my hair and wanted a change, and you can either hide it away with braids, weave, wig or you can just suck it up until you start to like it again. The thing I would always think about is that a year is going to pass regardless, do I want to be closer to my goal or have to start all over because I made some rash decision. Good luck on your journey.

 

[curlyninjagirl]

I'm the same length as you and am on a pretty hard core styling regimen. I'll admit that if one ran into me IRL, you'd never know I was into hair. I feel that to reach my hair goal most efficiently, I have to preserve the hair strands by touching them as little as possible, so I try to preserve my styles. I feel like a straight UGGO sometimes, but I really REALLY want long hair asap LOL.

I've had to wrestle with myself for months asking "Do I wanna look cute? Or do I want long hair as soon as I can get it?" I'm sure there's happy mediums, but.....when I want something I go hard.

Err, I guess all this is to say, if buns are getting you to your goal most efficiently, why change it? And you definitely can reach your goal in a timely fashion, cuz hair isn't inherently weak, it's what we do to it that makes it so.

 

[davisbr88]

Just wondering though, why does it matter if someone transitioned long term? They still had to deal with their natural hair and was able to retain all of it.

I was just asking because I didn't know of many on the board that had grown to WL and beyond that didn't do a super long transition. And yes, you still had to deal with the natural hair, but there's the theory that the relaxed ends protect your natural ends so possibly less chance of splits reaching your natural hair if you catch them in time (I don't know if it's true or not, but just something I've heard that a few people believe), and I didn't get SSKs while I was transitioning so I was just wondering about those who grew very long with their hair being fully natural for a "longer" time, if that makes sense. Like, someone who transitioned for a year vs someone who transitioned for two - the former would be fully natural longer and possibly subject to more SSKs or whatever. But you've provided the YT names so that answers my question.

 

[empressri]

I think I'm misreading some stuff but I chopped off some heat damaged ends and was bsl and that was two years ago. I'm just about back at wl. And prior to that I transitioned for a year or two I think.

 

[Curlykale]

Relaxed ends do protect the virgin hair, but at the same time I started to get SSK (before managing how to avoid them) at shoulder length. I reached shoulder length in 2 years. So probably a person should transition for at least 3 years in order to take an advantage of the protection from SSK, but maybe it really depends on each person's texture, as my texlaxed part started to behave like my natural part when my hair was 80% natural. I could recognize it only because it was less smooth to the touch...

Edit: (sorry I forgot to add that I'm not waist length at all: I'm APL, so I'm curious as well)

 

[Whimsy]

I wasn't a short haired natural before I started my journey to WL, but you can definitely do it.
I'm just past WL now and am staying natural for ever.

You will reach BSL/MBL/WL in WAY under 10 years. For me it took 3 years to go from "bald" to WL, but I'm including my 2 year transition. My girlfriend is just past APL now and we started our journey together, she just wore her hair out more often, and clipped her ends more often.

So the path is different for everyone, but you will definitely be at your goal in under 10 years, my guess would be 4 max if you're taking great care of your hair.

IMO you do not need to texlax or relax your hair in order to "deal with tangles" and get to long lengths.

 

[LunadeMiel]

I'm currently MBL and I only transitioned for about 6 months (I Bced on 2/8/2008). My hair was very short after my BC.

 

[Janet']

I have been natural for 5 going on 6 years and I just re-started my healthy hair journey in January and I was at full SL, as I had been for the past 5/6 years...Even when I transitioned(and it took me 2.3 years and I never BC'ed) , I was full SL...I knew that wasn't my terminal length but it wasn't until I took my HHJ seriously that I was able to reach APL and beyond. I have not been on my HHJ a full year yet (Jan 2011 will be a year) but I went from full SL to BSL (currently) and I'm hoping to reach MBL by Dec 31, 2010! It's definitely do-able and it won't take anywhere near 10 years!

 

[MsLizziA]

I think it's possible.

10 years???????

Gurll, if after being on this board for a year..I don't see some great length. I'm out of here, and I will be convinced all these ladies photoshop.. and this is some sick fantasy land! Because I'm working my butt over here... henna'ing every week, braiding my hair errr'night. Kmt. So this better be real.

LMAO@ sick fantasy land!
Sent from my MB200 using Tapatalk

 

[Lynnerie]

I'm currently MBL and I only transitioned for about 6 months (I Bced on 2/8/2008). My hair was very short after my BC.

MBL is my goal. What's your reggie and how did you wear your hair? What would you say helped you get to MBL?

 

[LunadeMiel]

MBL is my goal. What's your reggie and how did you wear your hair? What would you say helped you get to MBL?

Currently I wash/deep codition once per week. I wear my hair straight for one week and curly for the next three weeks (either in a braid out, wash and go or buns).

For the first two years after my BC I wore wash and go 99% of the time. I think having a simple regimen and not getting on bandwagons really helped me retain most of what I've grown.

 

[LadyPaniolo]

Ugh, whatever you do, don't texlax again I regret it each and every day. I think about chopping off that thin, scraggly texlaxed hair like errrry day. But then I don't want to lose my progress and end up with some short hair... well if I cut off the texlaxed portion my natural hair would be about BSL. That's short compared to HL though.

 

[Nasdaq_Diva]

Hi Ladies

I did a mini search and did not come up with anything, so forgive me if the question has been asked before.

I was wondering how many ladies out there have bsl or longer lengths that were natural when then they started their hair journey and remained natural and achieved bsl or longer without relaxing or texlaxing to straighten out the coilys?

It appears that all of the ladies hair that I have admired so far that are currently natural with bsl or longer hair, started out being relaxed until their hair grew to a certain length, and then the relaxer was grown out and the existing length continued to be maintained while continuing to grow to longer lengths.

I am currently natural, have been for a number of years (5yrs approx), after having been texlaxed for many years since the late 80’s, I really miss it; I truly enjoy being natural as well even with the shrinkage.

Currently I am very bored with my options as a natural, I cannot wear braids or twists to work, though I would love to, I have toyed with the idea of texlaxing again, but really have misgivings about it due to my hair being very thin, and the horrible experiences that I have had in the past with relaxers and other straightening chemicals, It has taken me a very long time to nurse my very badly damaged hair to the healthy state it is in now. I really do not want to ruin the health of my hair just to be able to show more of its length (currently a little below apl) and to rid myself of the daily buns because I have no real clue how to style my hair.

I have begun to wonder if it is even possible to get to these lengths in a timely fashion, in less than 10 yrs without using straightening chemicals.

Any and all thoughts are welcome, THANKS IN ADVANCE

I've been natural for almost 7yrs (next month) and I just began my HHJ journey less than 1.5yrs ago. I started with about neck length hair. I'm currently APL (had some setbacks this year) and the goal is to grow my hair out to WL. My new goal is MBL by June 2011.

I know exactly what you're saying. I see alot of the transistioners on here who go through a transistion for 1-2+ years. When I decided to stop having relaxers, I didn't know what a BC or a 'transistion' was. I also didn't have forums or Youtube, or even pictures to track my growth progress. Just..never occurred to me. I stopped getting relaxers. My last relaxer was (my bday) Feb 2003. I cut the relaxed ends off Nov. 2003. My entire time on my hair journey has been as fully natural.

Besides the bun, how do you normally wear your hair? I love, flat twist outs and braid outs. Do you ever wear your hair like that? Unlike you, I have the luxury of wearing my hair braided up. Makes it alot easier on me. Do you ever check out styling vids on Youtube? There are alot of inspirational ladies on there.

It is DEF. possible to retain these longer lengths in less than 10yrs! Retention is key to gaining length. continue on with your hair journey and don't give up. Everyone's hair journey is unique and their own personal experience. HHJ

 

[mEmYSELFaNDj]

Its definitely possible. I've been natural basically my whole life (I got one relaxer when I was really young). I started my hair journey last year in June after finding the hair boards. I was CBL June 2009, now my hair is nearly WSL (I think I have a 1-2 inches to go). I was able to retain length by wearing weaves back to back for nearly the whole year, no trims. Maybe you can try weave installs, you protect your hair and you're able to style it however you want.

 

[mili]

Thank you all for your words of encouragement and information 

I think I will tweak my regimen, change up my technique, and try braiding my hair and wearing a wig for a different look for a few months. I think this will stop me from doing something that I will regret later.

 

[HappilyLiberal]

Relaxed ends do protect the virgin hair, but at the same time I started to get SSK (before managing how to avoid them) at shoulder length. I reached shoulder length in 2 years. So probably a person should transition for at least 3 years in order to take an advantage of the protection from SSK, but maybe it really depends on each person's texture, as my texlaxed part started to behave like my natural part when my hair was 80% natural. I could recognize it only because it was less smooth to the touch...

Edit: (sorry I forgot to add that I'm not waist length at all: I'm APL, so I'm curious as well)

The bolded is what I am attempting to do. I actually want to transition for 2.5 years which will give me a December 2012 BC date. I am transitioning for as long as I can to try to keep my natural hair as healthy as possible for as long as possible. At the 6 month point in my transition (December 2010) I am probably going to start using the KimmayTube leave-in to take even better care of my new growth.

 

[kmn1980]

150% Natural for a decade. WL. I think I've been fortunate because although I'm 3c/4a coarse with thick strands, I have never had a problem with SSKs. I use very very very low manipulation. I twist it and leave it alone.

In 10 years I have cut to TWA and grown back to at least BSL three times. Like I said, I think my tendency to do only what's necessary to my hair is what aided me (and probably a little genetics too).

ETA: oh yeah, I transitioned for about 2 weeks.

 

[BostonMaria]

I transitioned for 10 months and did the BC 3 years ago. My hair was barely neck length. I couldn't even put it in a ponytail it was so short. I am now WL and natural. I go back and forth between curly and straight, but I retain the most length by protective styling and leaving my hair alone. Lately I've been bunning like crazy mostly due to laziness LOL

 

[Lucky's Mom]

I have been natural 12 years. I transitioned in Braids from 1998 to 2000 - then we chopped off about 6 inches of the remaining relaxer.....

while my hair is a challenge at times - I am used to the fact that detangling is 3 hours - and I don't wear loose styles -unless my hair is straightened with a flat iron.

My hair is braided or twisted 99% of the time.

 

[Ms Lala]

I am in the waist length range. It took me about 5 1/2 years. I have been natural f0r 10. I did not really transition. I was already natural before getting involved in hair boards. I did transition from color damage for the past 5 years or so though.

 

[thaidreams]

When my hair fell out from a bad perm it took me 3.5 years total to reach WL as a natural. I achieved that by wearing weaves and wigs the whole time and have not seen my hair at that length since getting a layered cut three years ago. However, had I not continued to cut my hair I'm sure I'd be back at WL by now. I don't ever plan on relaxing my hair again, so don't loose hope!