Where have you seen improvements

[gymfreak336]

I know many of us have many micro goals besides length that we work on. In the past couple of months, where have you seen improvements? Was it a chronic issue you have been dealing with for a while, was it perfecting a particular technique, was it something that was always okay but became amazing in the past couple of months? Where have your improvements been, what helped, and what are you focusing on now for the remaining Winter-Early Spring?


I'll go...

I have seen improvements in my strength. I was working on increasing the strength of my hair for a while now but I just figured out what really worked for me in the past 6 months or so. Now that I have it down pat, I am working on getting better at different kinds of wet sets. I want to rock a more flexi-rod style for the spring.

 

[Rocky91]

ummmm....maybe this doesn't count cause it's not my hair-but i learned how to do my own sew-ins. i'm pretty proud of that.

 

[MrsHdrLe]

I've noticed that my hair confidence has done a 180. I used to be a total slave to extensions and weave. I am coming up on my first year w/o them and am uber proud of my progress and education. I've said it before and I'll continue to say, "Thanks LHCF!"

 

[locabouthair]

I've seen improvements in my sides. My sides used to look so bad people would keep asking me about it. one side got burnt off with the pressing comb when I was natural and the other part broke off when the relaxer wasnt rinsed off properly. My sides were broken off for years.

I babied it, applied more conditioner and moisturizer and they have grown. One side broke off to less than an inch and is now 4 inches.


BUT

I had to deal with crazy knots these past few days. My mom had to help me with them tonight. I lost a WHOLE LOT OF HAIR I hope my hair didnt thin out too much.

 

[Nayeli]

My thickness! I've been working on it since last June/July and I really am seeing a major improvement. I chalk it up to FINALLY FINALLY FINALLY having a small group of irreplaceable products. The experimentation is officially over.

I have also seen greater strength - I think it's because I'm using Aphogee pro-vitamin a lot more regularly.

 

[halee_J]

I've been working on regaining some thickness. I learned that my hair never gets straight from relaxer so all correctives did was make the hair thinner. My hair has thickened up nicely. I was also working on my moisture- protein balance. I thought for a long time that my hair didn't like protein, but I figured out that it does, but its picky.

 

[ryanshope]

I have seen improvements in hair tensile strength and overall texture---the longer my natural hair gets, the better the coils look. Now if I could just get my sides to fill in more, so I can graduate from eraser head :-(

 

[hothair]

My patience - I think that was my greatest problem. I would do the right things for my hair but get soooooo bored and out came the scissors *snip snip*

Now I have FINALLY got my perfect colour (and I know how to maintain it), my hair's healthy even with my hand-in-hair-disease and I love all the zillions of ways I can rock my hair and its all soo great

 

[discodumpling]

I've finally gotten my "bounce" back. Just when I was going to give up on the pursuit of elasticity for my hair a nice lady on another forum gave a me suggestion regarding ascorbic acid about a month ago and I ran with it.


Since I now do a final rinse with AA my bounce has slowly been returning.

 

[LongHairNWaiting]

I have a 360 degree improvement going natural! I love the flexibility of my hair now.
HHG....

 

[Toy]

I have seen Improvements in the Thickness of my hair.

 

[brownbean96]

Good thread. I've been feeling so good about my strides and improvements with my hair. Here are something’s that I've struggled with that are improving.

Shedding - (techniques & products that helped); adding protein to my regimen and adding Roux Porosity Control (BIGGIE). Washing my hair in sections. Sometimes pre-pooing depending on condition of my hair. Only detangling with massive condition in my hair/usually after deep condition.

Strength - adding protein, maybe JBCO

Growth on Left Side - (techniques & products that helped) - not sure could be a combination of things mentioned above and. Also use Joyce Williams Hair Food with every wash.

I've just introduced Joico KPAK Line to my regimen and I am in love . Just with one use, I'm confident that continued use of JOICO along with the other mentioned products will keep my hair strong and growing.

Other honorable mentions - I also take Fish Oil and a multiviatmin.

Thinking of trying Moe's Grow Oil

 

[NJoy]

I haven't been at this long but, I think my biggest improvement is my attitude towards the care of my hair. I'll admit that I've just never really put any efforts into the health of my hair. I'd just want it to look good and would allow someone else to make it look good (not necessarily take care of it).

I've always complained regularly that I'd want a "new look". I'd want my color changed or my hair cut into a cute style. I truly took my hair for granted and treated it like an accessory.

I think now that I'm trying to grow my hair longer (again, it was mainly only to achieve a new "look") I'm gaining a new understanding and respect for my hair. A relationship.

When I'd stress my hair and have tons of shedding, it never crossed my mind that there was anything wrong. I'd keep enough hair to still look good so. But now I'm learning how to maintain healthy hair and my hair is in perfect condition. It's strong, balanced and pampered. There's no shedding and I feel great.

 

[taz007]

I have seen an improvement in the thickness and strength of my hair. I no longer see little broken hairs everywhere.

 

[LaToya28]

Great thread! The biggest improvement for me is that I have become so good at styling my hair. I used to rely heavily on stylists, but now I can do my own hair and have it look just as good. I can style my hair and have it look just as healthy, moisturized, and shiny as any stylist can. I also have a new perspective about my hair. Yes, it is just hair and yes it will grow back, but that doesn't mean that I shouldn't treat it with care and patience.

 

[ceebee3]

My biggest improvement was in my hair's moisture retention.

I know how to keep my hair off of the floor and I've learned to use protein to help keep my hair strong and keep it soft and moisturized.

This time last year, I was just starting out and I was experiencing major breakage.

I'm happy that I learned to deep condition and use leave ins so that my hair is never dry.

 

[*CherryPie*]

My edges gets thin for some reason. But I've been trying JBCO, and my edges are finally thickening up!

In November I had to cut at about 3 or so inches off because I was using the 3 barrel hair waver (something like a crimping iron). It didn't seem like it, but the heat was too much for my hair. So I had it cut and evened out. It looks and feels so much better now!

I'm going to start air drying more, learn to rollerset, and start massaging my scalp. I'm trying to get to MBL this year ( I was almost there when I had to cut).

 

[Oasis]

My breakage is no longer severe. But I am in box braids and manipulating very little so that probably has something to do with it.

 

[manegoal]

my biggest improvement is the overall health of my hair although my hair isn't perfect. I receive complements on its health all the time and it's always in a protective style when the complement is given. When I was relaxed I never received complements in p.styles only when it was flat ironed did I receive complements. I went natural because of this board. I havent flat ironed/press in over 5 years.

 

[SunnyDelight]

I have seen improved thickness. Been doing roller sets (every other week), massaging scalp (few nights a week) and rubbing castor oil in scalp once a week.

 

[grow]

great thread! thanks for strating it!

sooooo many things have and are changing, but the thing that STILL HAS ME IN AWE is the fact that for the FIRST TIME EVER, when i self relaxed last thursday, NOT ONLY DID THE USUAL KNOT AFTER NEUT POO NOT HAPPEN, BUT EVEN THE FINAL COMB OUT RESULTED IN NOT ONE SINGLE HAIR COMING OUT!!!

i NEVER had that happen in my entire life and i owe it all to the lovely ladies here on this board who have shared sooo many pearls of wisdom with me!
(for anyone who would like a detailed account of which steps i followed, just message me here...one day i'll do a fotki once i figure out how that works, lol)
A HUGE THANK YOU TO YOU ALL!!!!!!!!

 

[CurliDiva]

My dense but fine-strand hair THICKEN UP even more by keep ing my braids in the one month (4 weeks) at a time versus re-doing the braids every week while ps'ing with my wig!

NO (not just low) Manipulation is my new best friend for 2010!

ALSO: Standing in front the mirror and taking my time to detangle makes me slow down and focus on what I'm doing! I lose no extra hair during my last detangling session after removing these month-old braids!

 

[sharifeh]

I had an interesting/bad salon experience(wash and set) and I finally had my salon "moment" when I was like no more, a couple of months ago. So that motivated me to learn how to roller set. I never thought that would happen. I'm still quite bad at sets. I'm ok at pony tail sets. I'm pretty bad at mohawk sets, but at least I'm doing them.
Once I decided to let go of air drying and roller set, my moisture levels are a lot higher.

Incorporating heat into my DC regimen was a great choice for me too. My DCs work so much better now and my hair is more moisturized.

I've definitely seen improvements with detangling and less hair loss. I think it's because I'm finally using products the way they are supposed to be used and focusing more on technique.


There's so many other basic things I need to find out though, like why my hair is so stiff, no swang. I only got major swang with my first roller set.
I need to figure out when it is appropriate to trim....etc....
Moisture-protein balance is still on my back....and I have minimal breakage that I'm trying to figure out as well.

After months of product fun, now I'm finally concentrating.

 

[Caychica]

I've noticed that my hair confidence has done a 180. I used to be a total slave to extensions and weave. I am coming up on my first year w/o them and am uber proud of my progress and education. I've said it before and I'll continue to say, "Thanks LHCF!"

congrats!
I cant wait until I'm at that point

 

[temfash]

I have just realised after 9+ years being natural that its more the techniques not the products that count for healthy hair (FOR ME). I just need to use up all these extra products and stick to my staples

 

[julzinha]

my edges look great and my hair experiences very little breakage and feels strong. I can tug on two strands without it breaking!!!

 

[grow]

i stopped using any and all heat appliances in nov. '09!

only wraps at night and if i want lift and movement, roller sets.

so far so good, much less hair in the sink and more growth retention.

oh, and i wash usually twice a week to keep my scalp clean.

 

[lovenharmony]

Increase in thckness and decrease in tangles!

 

[BillsBackerz67]

The middle of my hair isnt as dry and is finally catching up length wise with the rest of my hair. Luckily my stylist cut my hair in a way where I didnt have to get a big cut to make the middle not look so obvious from the rest of my hair. Now it gradually blends in.

 

[jahzyira]

Ive seen an improvement in moisture, strength, and patience.