Slow growers unite 2014

faithVA

Well-Known Member
My growth rate truly makes me sad :( I have changed my diet, taken supplements, done massages, inversions and even applied topical growth aids... I still have only grown 2 inches this year. And after my 2 trims I am the same length that I was in January :(

On the bright side most of my thin damaged ends are gone.
At least you are almost BSL.

Have you tried taking any probiotics. Perhaps your body just needs a boost.
 

Prettymetty

Natural/4b/medium-coarse
@faithVA I have thought about probiotics. First I need a cleanse/detox. After my cleanse I will start probiotics. Do you have any suggestions as far as the brands?
 

faithVA

Well-Known Member
@faithVA I have thought about probiotics. First I need a cleanse/detox. After my cleanse I will start probiotics. Do you have any suggestions as far as the brands?
You don't need to do a cleanse or detox first. Start now and do them during your cleanse/detox.

I don't have a brand but you want to get as many strains as possible with as many cultures as possible. I am using one that is a minimum of 10 strains with 30 billion cultures. You may not need that much. I'm older and also have some health issues. I'm currently using Ultima Flora. I just started though so I haven't used it long enough to say if it works better than other brands.
 

Cattypus1

All loced up...
@Cattypus1
Horrible, horrible, horrible breakouts on my face in the form of cystic acne. Its good for my hair but horrible for my skin. I stuck it out hoping that my body would get used to it but it never happened. I drank a gallon of water per day so that wasn't it...
Thanks for the information. Do you know if you were allergic to it or was that some commonly know side effect?
 

Prettymetty

Natural/4b/medium-coarse
I've been using liquid gold oil for almost a month. The smell is pretty strong, but it goes away after a few hours. My roots are so soft so it's hard to tell if I have any new growth. I will do a pull test when I wash my hair again.
 

faithVA

Well-Known Member
Just slowly growing over here. I'm at least retaining and will end the year at a good point.

I was hoping to have a good portion of my hair be SL by December but I think it will only be my name. I think I have at least 6 more months of the New Year before I'm close to that goal.

Just doing the same ol thing: Keeping my scalp hydrated, oiling my scalp and keeping my hair tucked away.
 

HelpMe12

Well-Known Member
Hi Ladies,

I am a slow grower also.

Hair type: 4b

Long hair as a child: No, SL, APL with a curl lol

Some issues : wearing too tight braids, & weaves, over processed relaxers. All styling was done by licensed stylists

I have been on my journey since 2012 when I had my relaxed ends cut off. However, notice that I had a lot of breaking and shedding from braids and weaves. Did not have a good or consistent regimen

Hair damaged at beginning of journey: Yes

How will I turn it around: I am starting a new HHJ with Breon of Reniece and Co. She trimmed my hair this month and will braid it next month. I plan to exercise regularly, take a multivitamin and drink more water. I will be using Njoy's hair oil. I am currently NL, hoping to graze APL by the end of 2016.
 

HelpMe12

Well-Known Member
My hair reach just below cbl at year 2.5 and pretty much stopped there , haven't even reached full apl yet :(
I feel the same way. I have been stuck at the same length and I wasn't have a lot of hair shedding or anything like that. My hair is only an inch longer than it was last year at this time. I'm hoping this new journey makes some kind of difference. I can't say it's like watching paint dry because paint dries faster than my hair grows lol.
 

IronButterfly

Well-Known Member
Hello Ladies,
Have any of you taken Viviscal? I started last month and decided to go ahead and do an Amazon subscription for them for a few months. I also started moisturizing my hair every day with distilled water and aloe vera juice + whatever moisturizing product I'm using at the time and have noticed a HUGE difference in the appearance of my hair. My twists are actually plump and shiny. I'm hoping this will curb breakage and up retention. Working out speeds up my metabloism so I'm going to do my best to keep it up. Like many of you, I'm lucky if I retain an inch or two a year. However, I have noticed my hair getting fuller, so maybe that's a plus.
 

Froreal3

haulin hard in the paint
I'm thinking about doing sulfur again. I saw a lot of growth/retention then. I just hate the smell, even with the "scented" stuff like NJoy's oil. I've been increasing my protein intake. Currently its at about 80 grams a day. I hope to find a way to get in at least 20 more grams per day. Might look into those Quest bars again. Last time I had them I got them from Amazon and they were stale. :nono: Maybe I should just get them from Vitamin Shoppe or GNC. I hope to retain 3 to four inches next year.
 

HelpMe12

Well-Known Member
Hello Ladies,
Have any of you taken Viviscal? I started last month and decided to go ahead and do an Amazon subscription for them for a few months. I also started moisturizing my hair every day with distilled water and aloe vera juice + whatever moisturizing product I'm using at the time and have noticed a HUGE difference in the appearance of my hair. My twists are actually plump and shiny. I'm hoping this will curb breakage and up retention. Working out speeds up my metabloism so I'm going to do my best to keep it up. Like many of you, I'm lucky if I retain an inch or two a year. However, I have noticed my hair getting fuller, so maybe that's a plus.
I'm taking Viviscal now , they said give it 6 mos to see thickness. Only on my first month so I can't really give any feedback. Hopefully, I can keep it up, I'm not good at taking pills.
 

Cattypus1

All loced up...
I have discovered that I'm not really a slow grower, I have been a slow retainer. In the last year and a half as a natural, I've jumped on more than a couple of bandwagons and spent a small fortune on my hair doing this and that. I think the long and short of it is for me is doing something good to my hair all the time. I don't particularly benefit from " protective" styling nor am I suffering from over manipulation. I don't see bits of hair in the sink or on the floor and I'm good with that. Sorry for the long-winded book but I just had to share that. I'll bet there are others who are not really slow growers either. Is there a slow retainers thread?
 

HelpMe12

Well-Known Member
I have discovered that I'm not really a slow grower, I have been a slow retainer. In the last year and a half as a natural, I've jumped on more than a couple of bandwagons and spent a small fortune on my hair doing this and that. I think the long and short of it is for me is doing something good to my hair all the time. I don't particularly benefit from " protective" styling nor am I suffering from over manipulation. I don't see bits of hair in the sink or on the floor and I'm good with that. Sorry for the long-winded book but I just had to share that. I'll bet there are others who are not really slow growers either. Is there a slow retainers thread?
You do have a point. Like you, I don't see a lot of hair shedding (except from extensions). I don't stick to regimens, growth aids or anything long enough to see any results. But I still don't think I grow anywhere near a half inch month so I slow grower and retainer? Confused.
 

Cattypus1

All loced up...
You do have a point. Like you, I don't see a lot of hair shedding (except from extensions). I don't stick to regimens, growth aids or anything long enough to see any results. But I still don't think I grow anywhere near a half inch month so I slow grower and retainer? Confused.
Half an inch is tiny, you may not be able to tell until several months have passed especially if you don't have a clear demarcation line. It was easier to see the actual growth when I was relaxed. I've been taking pictures to chart my growth since before I bc-ed. Are you relaxed or natural?
 

HelpMe12

Well-Known Member
Half an inch is tiny, you may not be able to tell until several months have passed especially if you don't have a clear demarcation line. It was easier to see the actual growth when I was relaxed. I've been taking pictures to chart my growth since before I bc-ed. Are you relaxed or natural?
I'm natural but I have tracked it from last year and haven't see much of a difference. However, my ends were split and hadn't been trimmed. Now that they have been trimmed, I should be able to see the growth better.
 

greenandchic

Well-Known Member
I'm thinking about doing sulfur again. I saw a lot of growth/retention then. I just hate the smell, even with the "scented" stuff like NJoy's oil. I've been increasing my protein intake. Currently its at about 80 grams a day. I hope to find a way to get in at least 20 more grams per day. Might look into those Quest bars again. Last time I had them I got them from Amazon and they were stale. :nono: Maybe I should just get them from Vitamin Shoppe or GNC. I hope to retain 3 to four inches next year.

Trader Joe's now have Quest Bars. They have a limited flavor selection but they started carrying three types a few months ago.
 

DarkJoy

Bent. Not Broken.
Both slow grower and poor retention. My demarcation line is my henna color and I have more than a few grey hairs :rolleyes: so its easy to tell. It takes just around 2.5 month to see half an inch of roots unless I take 5011 vitamins. i try but am not really about that pill popping life.
 

Prettymetty

Natural/4b/medium-coarse
So I finally measured my roots last night. On Sept 30 when I started using liquid gold I had only grown around 2 inches for the year. I measured last night and I have 3.5 inches for the year! We still have another month and a half. With liquid gold there is a chance that I will grow another inch this year. I'm so excited :rocker:

I guess I'll just have to deal with the smell and keep using it. I started washing once a week and that helps keep my hair from being super oily.
 

HelpMe12

Well-Known Member
So I finally measured my roots last night. On Sept 30 when I started using liquid gold I had only grown around 2 inches for the year. I measured last night and I have 3.5 inches for the year! We still have another month and a half. With liquid gold there is a chance that I will grow another inch this year. I'm so excited :rocker:

I guess I'll just have to deal with the smell and keep using it. I started washing once a week and that helps keep my hair from being super oily.
That's great news! Are you using it daily?
 
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