Why Aren’t There As Many People Trying To Grow Their Hair Long?

Theresamonet

Well-Known Member
It's hard to imagine but interest in natural hair has passed the 10+ year mark. There are some young folks that truly don't understand the black hair care industry struggles pre-2002 or so.

Yeah, things have changed soooo much. Just today a Facebook friend of mine posted that she was thinking of relaxing her hair. The response was a resounding "Oh lord Jesus no!!! Just get a wiiiiigggg!!! :cry2:".

It made me chuckle, because when I went natural for the first time over 10 years ago, people were like...







:lachen: We've come a long way. And some will never really know that.
 

SAPNK

Well-Known Member
Yeah, things have changed soooo much. Just today a Facebook friend of mine posted that she was thinking of relaxing her hair. The response was a resounding "Oh lord Jesus no!!! Just get a wiiiiigggg!!! :cry2:".

It made me chuckle, because when I went natural for the first time over 10 years ago, people were like...







:lachen: We've come a long way. And some will never really know that.


Lol, I've read a lot of threads on this very site from around 2009, and if I was to read them as the 9th/10th grader I was at the time, I'd never have gone natural. WOW is all I can say :D.
 

Jade Feria

Well-Known Member
I've been around since 2005 (lurked before getting a membership in 2006).

For me, I was in college and doing my hair on my own for the first time AND trying to figure out a way to grow long, relaxed hair. Up to that point I didn't think it was possible for me, but I gave it a try. I remember some of the hair growth aids (Viviscal, MTG, Monistat, Nioxin, etc.) and trying some of them :)look:)
My story is the same! I lurked for a couple of years, between here and BHM while in college and beyond, learning about hair care, then joined here in 2006. Although the vibe is STARKLY different between these two forums, I learned so much from both. Thanks to BHM, I learned how to properly install a weave, make a wig, where to buy the best hair, etc. Here, I learned how to grow and care for my own hair, and the science behind it. My hair responded well to my newfound haircare methods and started to grow longer than it had ever been (never past shoulder length), which opened up so many possibilities for me. Since then, I had been natural, relaxed, texlaxed, now natural again.

I still aspire for long hair. I have already seen what it is capable of with consistent care. I've gone through months where I was just maintaining it and not really making an effort to retain my length, and it basically stayed the same length. Now I'm re-inspired to grow it longer, while maximizing health. Though the forum isn't the same as it used to be, it still provides the motivation and support to help keep me on track with my goals. It provides me with countless images of long hair that I can aspire to achieve. While I can (and do) go to YT for the same things, I like the sense of community that I get here, and the fact that I can always look through old threads for answers and inspiration.

I also rely on this board for product reviews, because these YT girls ain't loyal...to anyone but the brands who are paying them. :lol: At least I know I can come here and search or inquire about products and get *truly* honest opinions, instead of wasting my money on a hyped-up product that provides crap results, because some "brand ambassador" says she "uses it every day". Because I AM still a PJ (and I will always be, I've come to accept this as a fact of life).
 
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yaya24

♥Naija°Texan • Realtor • SPX Options #RichAunty●♡•
Sooo I'm back on the hair side for 2018.

I found out about the hair forums in late 06' when I 1st was introduced to Cathy Howse methods by my ex's sister. She had healthy relaxed BSL hair.

After the 1st 6-8 months of actually posting online my hair did a complete 180.

I agree all the info is already here. A quick search will get all the answers you need.

It would be nice to see some more progress picture threads in 2018.

I enjoy LHCF, and will continue to be a paid member. The community is great. YouTube / Facebook / blogs will not fill that for me.

2017 was NOT kind to my natural hair. Lol.
I got caught up backpedaling to things I already knew worked for my relaxed hair, but not for my natural hair.

I was more engaged on the hair side when I was stretching relaxers and working on moisture and protein balance.

Natural hair has been a test for me, but I will conquer it in 2018.

I'm re- inspired to grow my hair long.
 

BlueEra

Well-Known Member
My story is the same! I lurked for a couple of years, between here and BHM while in college and beyond, learning about hair care, then joined here in 2006. Although the vibe is STARKLY different between these two forums, I learned so much from both. Thanks to BHM, I learned how to properly install a weave, make a wig, where to buy the best hair, etc. Here, I learned how to grow and care for my own hair, and the science behind it. My hair responded well to my newfound haircare methods and started to grow longer than it had ever been (never past shoulder length), which opened up so many possibilities for me. Since then, I had been natural, relaxed, texlaxed, now natural again.

I still aspire for long hair. I have already seen what it is capable of with consistent care. I've gone through months where I was just maintaining it and not really making an effort to retain my length, and it basically stayed the same length. Now I'm re-inspired to grow it longer, while maximizing health. Though the forum isn't the same as it used to be, it still provides the motivation and support to help keep me on track with my goals. It provides me with countless images of long hair that I can aspire to achieve. While I can (and do) go to YT for the same things, I like the sense of community that I get here, and the fact that I can always look through old threads for answers and inspiration.

I also rely on this board for product reviews, because these YT girls ain't loyal...to anyone but the brands who are paying them. :lol: At least I know I can come here and search or inquire about products and get *truly* honest opinions, instead of wasting my money on a hyped-up product that provides crap results, because some "brand ambassador" says she "uses it every day". Because I AM still a PJ (and I will always be, I've come to accept this as a fact of life).

Oh yeah I was on BHM too! I found both forums around the same time, but I was very active on BHM for many years and seemed to feel a lot more comfortable posting on their than here when I first started out.

As you said, the vibes are incredibly different between the two. LHCF was like the cool, mature older sister who had her ish together and put up with no-nonsense from anyone and could be intimidating, while BHM was the fun one who would take you to the mall with your girlfriends on Friday night to walk around and giggle at boys as long as you didn't rat her out while she went to the movies with her boyfriend.

I haven't gone on that board in year, but I met a lot of cool people from there. As I got older, I started to feel more comfortable posting in certain sections on here and drifted away from hair care altogether. If I am looking into new things like wigs, protective styles, product reviews, etc., I do come to the forum first to gain knowledge and insight.
 

levette

Well-Known Member
Oh yeah I was on BHM too! I found both forums around the same time, but I was very active on BHM for many years and seemed to feel a lot more comfortable posting on their than here when I first started out.

As you said, the vibes are incredibly different between the two. LHCF was like the cool, mature older sister who had her ish together and put up with no-nonsense from anyone and could be intimidating, while BHM was the fun one who would take you to the mall with your girlfriends on Friday night to walk around and giggle at boys as long as you didn't rat her out while she went to the movies with her boyfriend.

I haven't gone on that board in year, but I met a lot of cool people from there. As I got older, I started to feel more comfortable posting in certain sections on here and drifted away from hair care altogether. If I am looking into new things like wigs, protective styles, product reviews, etc., I do come to the forum first to gain knowledge and insight.
I think the natural hair movement has overtaken the attention from having long hair in this board and in real life.
 

starchgirl

Well-Known Member
I too lurked, then joined a while ago. First I learned how to care for my hair as I transitioned, nourish my hair after I chopped off my ends after 20 months, then how to do it all again after what I call the unfortunate Dominican salon experience of 2012 where they heat damaged my BSL hair, grew it back out cutting an inch every two months. Back then I was just about the hair.

These days I am more into saving time and the health of my hair, not length. I can’t spend the hour every 3 days to wash and detangle like I did when I was focused on growth.

Recent hair highlights learned from the forum for me are are:
1) Yoda’s (aka @Chicoro) lessons on...anything! Shea Butter, Aphogee, you name it. She is the OG of the OG’s.
2) Drybar as an option for a blowout that came out fabulous in less than 60 min on washed and predetangled hair.
3) Vacation mini twists - best vacay hair ever! Loved it except for the takedown
4) Rocking my trusty dusty braid and curl using only 9 braids for my entire head when I used to do 15 or more.

As time went on, the forum has become for me more about the fellowship and sharing ideas and perspectives on a million different topics which occasionally dip into hair - travel, parenting, business, politics, fav tv shows, entertainment news - this is my go to for finding like minded women who are juggling families, careers, womanhood, sisterhood, life.

I can have a political discussion, explore figure skating, discuss travel plans, read up on investing, get inspired to work out, get recipes, rant about work, shed tears over an e-sister’s tragedy or joy, check for photos of Sienna Wilson, skip photos of any Kardashian/Jenner, scold the cast of Grey’s, get a book recommendation, and get tips to maintain my hair all in 15 min.

Best $6.50 I spend every year.
 

Evolving78

Well-Known Member
As a relatively new person (I feel like I've been on here/lurked here for like 3 yrs maybe), I actually joined not to grow my hair long but to grow back my right edges after taking my Moesha micro braids obsession too far smh. Once I grew back my edges and went fully natural, I didn't really come to the hair forum as often because my hair grew just fine by doing absolutely nothing to it but mudwashing (thank you naptural85- Terressentials is still GOAT) and throwing a wig on or putting it in a damp bun. I've always been more interested in thickening my hair to be honest. After going natural, I wasn't online searching "how to grow long hair" I was searching "how to do a twist out, Bantu knot out, braid out, etc." I'm also in my early/mid 20s and when I was in college and all my friend were natural like me, we were really only discussing styling our hair, not growing it. As a matter of fact I've had 4-5 haircuts since going natural and two of my friends wear brightly colored, tapered cuts exclusively. Short cuts were trendy. Maybe age factors in.

All that being said, my friend and I are on a healthy hair challenge this year and I just got my Goosefootprints hair analysis back that I was ANXIOUSLY awaiting because I wanted to start off at a healthy starting point and was psyching myself up for another big chop (only for her to tell me my hair is in great health and that I just need to use more protein on my ends because they're slightly porous :lachen:), so I'll probably be on the hair side of the forum more often now. I'm less interested in growing long hair and more interested in styling my natural hair, but length will just add more styling options for me so I'm interested in growing too.

ETA I joined in 2011 but became a regular 3 years ago
I have no friends to be on a healthy hair challenge with...that really sucks. Lol all of them don’t care about hair like me, wear it short, and go to the shop.
 

FadingDelilah

Well-Known Member
Because the Entertainment thread's magnetic field combined with the setback virus has wiped out 75% of this forum's numbers. Those infected with the virus will experience frustration, regret and the final symptom - complete loss of interest in their hair. After affects include adopting the health-not-length mantra to preserve the victim's sanity and slacking on one's regimen. But there is some hope left - recently, a shelter by the name of Shea Growth and Retention Regimen 2018 has been built to act as a safe place for the noninfected.

:lachen::lachen::lachen:
 

Evolving78

Well-Known Member
Because the Entertainment thread's magnetic field combined with the setback virus has wiped out 75% of this forum's numbers. Those infected with the virus will experience frustration, regret and the final symptom - complete loss of interest in their hair. After affects include adopting the health-not-length mantra to preserve the victim's sanity and slacking on one's regimen. But there is some hope left - recently, a shelter by the name of Shea Growth and Retention Regimen 2018 has been built to act as a safe place for the noninfected.

:lachen::lachen::lachen:
And there you have it! Lol
Welcome!
 

chassiecrane

Well-Known Member
I have no friends to be on a healthy hair challenge with...that really sucks. Lol all of them don’t care about hair like me, wear it short, and go to the shop.

I was that friend lol. I'm not sure when the shift happened. I think it's because I've gone back to puffing it instead of wigging or bunning and for the first time I'm really noticing how much hair I have on my head. Probably because I'm the only one who has the job of detangling it in the shower as payback for the laziness that led me to throwing it in a puff all unmoisturized and unsealed and exposed to the northeastern winter in the first place.
 

Aggie

Well-Known Member
Because the Entertainment thread's magnetic field combined with the setback virus has wiped out 75% of this forum's numbers. Those infected with the virus will experience frustration, regret and the final symptom - complete loss of interest in their hair. After affects include adopting the health-not-length mantra to preserve the victim's sanity and slacking on one's regimen. But there is some hope left - recently, a shelter by the name of Shea Growth and Retention Regimen 2018 has been built to act as a safe place for the noninfected.

:lachen::lachen::lachen:
Oooh we have a Newbie in the house. Welcome to LHCF @FadingDelilah :hiya:

Great post by the way :yep:.
 

Evolving78

Well-Known Member
I was that friend lol. I'm not sure when the shift happened. I think it's because I've gone back to puffing it instead of wigging or bunning and for the first time I'm really noticing how much hair I have on my head. Probably because I'm the only one who has the job of detangling it in the shower as payback for the laziness that led me to throwing it in a puff all unmoisturized and unsealed and exposed to the northeastern winter in the first place.
Glad you are back on board! Lol we gotta get this hair stuff in order!
 

yamilee21

Well-Known Member
revive! i still like hair and talking hair as much as we feel like we've rehashed every single topic, product reviews are still relevant, reinforcing certain practices is still relevant just because I know many things about hair doesnt mean I apply it :giggle:
I went natural many years before I learned about this forum - before the internet actually - but the one thing I struggled with was finding the right products. I would find somehing I loved that worked, and after a few months, or years if I was lucky, the formula would change or the product would be discontinued, and it was back to square one. This site is a great resource for keeping an updated list of "backup" products, but more importantly, I learned about ingredients, which has made it easier to find new products, and even got me into making my own.

We once had a fun thread about Flexi-8s (now known as Lilla Rose hair clips) and hairsticks; would be nice to see more talk about hair accessories. I have a whole collection of Flexi-8s because of this forum, :look:.

... I’ve moved on to learning about how to cut and style long hair, which isn’t really discussed on LHCF.
I would love to see more discussions focusing on styling; especially without added hair/weaves/wigs. Everything seems to be about fake hair these days; even kids' style on various Facebook pages seem to mostly be with added hair.

I just wonder why we aren't posting progress pictures like we used to. ... we are sharing less and less.
Too many people have gotten burned, with too much gossipy cross-posting about members to other sites. But at least there no longer seems to be as much of this type of drama.
 

Daina

Well-Known Member
I just wonder why we aren't posting progress pictures like we used to. Back in the day we had to ask our dh, children, friends, SOMEBODY to take the pics for us, and we STILL came through with the pics. This is what kept everything exciting and the end of the year was THE best time with everyone excited to post their results at the end of challenges.
You'd go over to the hyh challenge to oggle the results, run over to the crown and glory challenge to see everyone's progress, and there would STILL be other threads filled with end of year results. I don't understand why this has dwindled drastically.
Back then folks didnt want to show their faces in pics but we figured it out (microsoft paint :lol:), we still had numerous progress pics yet with technology today and all the capabilities (you can easily distort, crop, or even place stickers all over for anonymity), we are sharing less and less.

I'm a relative newbie from a posting and joining perspective as I only became a member at the end of 2015. I first found LHCF back in 2005 but mainly lurked. Lost track of the forum, couldn't remember the name and didn't think about it while I lived in CO. CO with no humidity made my transition a breeze, it wasn't until I moved back to the east coast and had to relearn how to deal with natural in this weather that I wanted to find this board. I remembered the rich and detailed conversation from 05 and all the beautiful pics. I will say in the 2+ years of my being back the technology platform here is not the best and the hoops one must go through to post pics is a deterrrent. Having to use 12 apps to post one pic is just too much so a lot of times I don't bother.
 

Platinum

Well-Known Member
I don't post on the hair side as much as I used to but I've noticed the difference as well. I miss seeing the "Pic-heavy", "I just BC'd", and "length check" threads. I would love to see the Hair Forum "popping" like it used to.

After having a HUGE setback with a relaxer from a stylist, I decide to transition back to natural for the 2nd time back in 2013. I loc'd my hair in 2014 and I haven't looked back since. I'm still interested in long, healthy hair. I just can't use a lot of the products and regimens that I used to since I've been on my loc'd journey.
 
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