3's Poll: Hair Thickness for retention APL or Longer

[luckiestdestiny]

In the original poll that got everyone thinking about specific hairtypes (3's, 4's) there were a few arguments that strand type would help to determine easy retention. In a quest to find out if this is true, and what can be done to off set, so that we can all get to our goals...I think a poll is in order in two parts. If you are APL or longer please let us know whether you rstrands are fine, med, or thick. A suggestion in another thread was to take a two ply thread and pull it apart. If your strand is thicker than one ply then you're thick, if it's less than you're thin, and some where in between you're medium. I've found that I thought I had thick hair but I have fine hair with dense strands. I have tons of strands on my head which gives the appearance of thickness, but my strands are rather fine.

Please vote. Please also comment on how hard you believe it is for you to retain and grow longer (not to discourage) and how you overcame it (if it was hard). Otherwise just comment on your length and how long it took you to get there, and what you did to make that happen. There will be two parts to this. 3s and 4 (including 3c/4a)
HTH!
Here's the link to how the 4's are doing:
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=392678

 

[luckiestdestiny]

Interesting. Noticing a lot of medium textured 3's so far. I know it's early, however. Please feel free to comment on your length and what you did to make it happen, if it was hard to retain or not. Thanks.

 

[Nice & Wavy]

I'm actually 3b/3c fine hair with medium strands (you didn't have an option to check both)

I don't think its harder for me to retain, but as I am getting older, I see that its taking longer than it use to to grow. I'm now between APL and BSL, closer to BSL.

I did the BC in August 2006 and it has taken me 3 years to get where I am. I had to do a 2 inch cut back in the early Spring, but I think its growing back nicely. My goal is MBL, so hopefully by Spring of 2010 I will be there fully

Being natural helped me to retain most of my hair and keeping it clean and moisturized. Also, doing protein treatments help tremendously. I will never stop using MegaTek...that stuff is wonderful.

I don't wear my hair out much, curly or straight, but when I do, it's certainly protected, especially my ends.

 

[CurlyMoo]

I really don't know the difference between medium and thick hair. I think my hair is a mixture of medium and thick. Some strands look thin and light while others look dark and thick like pubic hair.

ETA: My hair is in that getting thicker and fuller stage. I'm still trying to find a balance between moisture and protein. I noticed that thick hair loves moisture.

I'm currently at BSB. It's growing however I do have layers.

 

[luckiestdestiny]

Hey 3's where are you? The 4's are participating. Please participate so we can have an accurate snapshot of the community at this point.

Bumping!

 

[luckiestdestiny]

I really don't know the difference between medium and thick hair. I think my hair is a mixture of medium and thick. Some strands look thin and light while others look dark and thick like pubic hair.

ETA: My hair is in that getting thicker and fuller stage. I'm still trying to find a balance between moisture and protein. I noticed that thick hair loves moisture.

I'm currently at BSB. It's growing however I do have layers.

CurlyMoo do you find it's easy or harder for you to retain in the past and in the present (now that you are on the board)?

 

[CurlyMoo]

CurlyMoo do you find it's easy or harder for you to retain in the past and in the present (now that you are on the board)?

Presently, I am retaining more length than I have in the past. Retention is still a challenge even with this board because there's so much information here it's like I want to always find the BEST products or best methods for length retention. Some products or practices have not been good for my hair and has led to setbacks or just a waste of money. I can't stress enough how important it is to stick with a simple routine that works.

I've been here a year now this August and my hair is healthier, I feel wiser and like I'm really going to achieve my goals. I've already achieved my hair health goal. WOW, my hair is so healthy it brings tears to my eyes. It's stronger and longer. I'm nowhere near my ultimate goal but I'm happy with it.

 

[dlewis]

I'm 3'c with 4a at the crown. My hair is medium strands just alot of them.

Now that I know what works for my hair and I'm not trying everything someone posts about, my hair has done wonderfully. When I first join the board I was trying everything and had to cut several inches off. My hairs a loner like me and prefers to be left alone. I have literally done nothing but bun all year, leaving conditioner on my ends and I have gone from APL to almost waist in 9 months.

I remember when Mermaid was here she said it would take about 18 months to get from APL to MBL. And I remeber thinking I could never do that.

Growing hair is easy but retaining it is harder. I found that learning my grow cycles has helped me. I know that the fall months are when I see an increase in growth so I maximize that and eat right. This year I have been losing weight, watching what I eat and exercising. I believe the exercising has contributed to my major growth this year.

 

[dlewis]

I'm actually 3b/3c fine hair with medium strands (you didn't have an option to check both)

I don't think its harder for me to retain, but as I am getting older, I see that its taking longer than it use to to grow. I'm now between APL and BSL, closer to BSL.

I did the BC in August 2006 and it has taken me 3 years to get where I am. I had to do a 2 inch cut back in the early Spring, but I think its growing back nicely. My goal is MBL, so hopefully by Spring of 2010 I will be there fully

Being natural helped me to retain most of my hair and keeping it clean and moisturized. Also, doing protein treatments help tremendously. I will never stop using MegaTek...that stuff is wonderful.

I don't wear my hair out much, curly or straight, but when I do, it's certainly protected, especially my ends.

Oowww that's some great hair.

 

[CarolinaGal]

Luckiestdestiny, I am hoping that you can clarify for me, please. I thought fine/coarse was the diameter of the hair strand and that thin/thick referred to density. My texture is mostly 3c, I think, and the strand diameter is on the lower end of the scale but I seem to have a lot of hair on my head. I actaully measured my hair with a micrometer...I know, I need to find something else to do with my time. Ha, ha! So, I voted for 3C medium...

 

[Nice & Wavy]

Oowww that's some great hair.

Thank you, D....you know I'm gonna follow you around the forum like this now because of all that hair you have on your head, right?

 

[Natural Glow]

I think my hair type is 3c/b. I'm not sure if my hair is thin or medium. I think it's thin but I'm not sure. I know it's not thick. I wish I had a piece of thread to compare to. I do know my hair is sparse/thin I don't have a lot of strands on my head.

I'll vote tomorrow when I find out how my hair compares to a piece of thread.

 

[luckiestdestiny]

Luckiestdestiny, I am hoping that you can clarify for me, please. I thought fine/coarse was the diameter of the hair strand and that thin/thick referred to density. My texture is mostly 3c, I think, and the strand diameter is on the lower end of the scale but I seem to have a lot of hair on my head. I actaully measured my hair with a micrometer...I know, I need to find something else to do with my time. Ha, ha! So, I voted for 3C medium...

Hey CarolinaGal! Someone may have to come along and correct me. In another thread someone used dense to describe tons of hair. That's the way I used it in the opening of the thread. Anyone? I have fine hair but I have tons of it so it gives the illusion of thickness. It's not thick. It's just tons of fine strands. I even thought I was thick until I did the two ply strand test and realized that I wasn't even CLOSE to being thick. All this time, I thought I had thick hair, but really I just had tons of fine hair. I've had relatives talk about my thickness, and my mom when I was little combing it, and others, so I just assumed that was so until I did the strand test.

If your diameter is on the lower side, you're probably fine strand but you have tons of fine strands like me.

Please feel free anyone to jump in and correct me or add to this whole fine, thick, and dense thing it'll be much appreciated. I'm just learning about thickness after all of this time thinking I was something I'm not.

 

[Ltown]

Where is the 3's at? I'm not APL but I am 3b/c and want to learn more.

 

[jupitermoon]

I'm a 3b/c mix with medium to coarse strands. For this poll I just voted for 3c medium.