Aireen
Well-Known Member
Forget BSL. BSB is your current marker. MBL is your next target.
Is My Hair BSL?
- Thread starter Poohbear
- Start date
Forget BSL. BSB is your current marker. MBL is your next target.
Poohbear
Fearfully Wonderfully Made
growinghealthyhair BSB=Below Shoulder Blade--which for some corresponds directly to BSL, but for people like me--because I am a member of the IBTC
I personally love these threads.
I get to see someone's progress, and cheer them on if they're on target.....and if they're delusional or have their bras up to their nape I get a good giggle.
@ wearing their bras up to their nape!!! I certainly did not hike my bra up in this picture. I wear 34DD and this bra has a thick brastrap to support my breasts. 
I do have some bras that sit lower on my back than others. I should take another hair length check picture wearing one of them.
Poohbear
Fearfully Wonderfully Made
Whimsy
Well-Known Member
Honestly I think the whole BSL thing is a crock, considering it's so different for everyone.
Go with BSB, you're CLEARLY BSB so claim it and feel goooooood!
nappystorm
Well-Known Member
Claim it!!! 
Poohbear
Fearfully Wonderfully Made
Thanks! How did I do it? Well, I kinda feel like my progress hasn't been all that great since doing my BC. However, my BC starting point was different than most. I started with less than 1/2 an inch of hair 6 years ago. Since then, I've had a few cuts and trims that have set me back. I'm hoping to really get over this APL/BSB length hump.
Poohbear
Fearfully Wonderfully Made
Yeah, now I gotta get BSL out of my head. Even though I visit the forum alot, I've been out of the loop of things when it comes to using certain measures to determine hair length now. I almost just gave up on myself and figured I would be APL forever. But I'm hoping to grow and retain some more hair now.
GIJane
New Member
GIJane
New Member
hair4romheaven
Well-Known Member
You're BSB. I always wonder if we straighten will it be the same length as hair that has been stretched like you did in op.
LovelyNaps26
Well-Known Member
BSB. on the bra you're wearing, if the straps are adjusted just as they are in the pic, you'll be BSL when the hair touches the bottom of it. 
Don't be like me. I got "fancy" at BSB (a year ago) and still haven't made MBL.
keep doing whatever it is that got you to BSB and you'll be MBL before the summer 
Don't be like me. I got "fancy" at BSB (a year ago) and still haven't made MBL.
keep doing whatever it is that got you to BSB and you'll be MBL before the summer 
naturalmanenyc
Well-Known Member
No, not just for IBTC. I wear mine too low too because it's more comfortable and feels like I have more support (in addition to buying under wire bras).
growinghealthyhair BSB=Below Shoulder Blade--which for some corresponds directly to BSL, but for people like me--because I am a member of the IBTC
BostonMaria
Well-Known Member
I was about to say the same thing. You would need to at least straighten the back to see if you're BSL yet. When I stretch my curls I'm BSL. When I straighten it I'm past WL.
Sent from my fancy iPhone using LHCF
hair4romheaven
Well-Known Member
OMgosh BostonMaria that is a huge difference. I made a thread about this a month ago. http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=571237
I guess it's safe to say when we stretch our hair we should subtract a few inches? *confused*
BostonMaria
Well-Known Member
Or the other way around. I always just say CURLY APL and STRAIGHT WL ha ha ha
If I don't comb it for two days I have a 20" afro so maybe I'm really nape length 
Poohbear
Fearfully Wonderfully Made
BostonMaria - Wow! That's an amazing difference! In the pictures I posted, my hair was styled in a twistout which falls at my shoulders. If I let my natural hair be curly and shrink up, it would be around my chin/ears.
When I straighten my hair, I always bump the ends with a curl. So it will still look shorter than it's true length. I haven't mastered getting nice looking ends with stick straight her yet. I'm trying to lay off the flat-iron for now. I will try to straighten it sometime next year without bumping the ends.
thaidreams
New Member
I agree, you look like you are grazing BSL! Congratulations!!!!
Sunshine_One
Well-Known Member
Congrat's Pooh!
wavezncurlz
LHCF addict
That was me too. And since I've cut it, it still seems to hang the same length curly but I know it's shorter because my buns are itty bitty and there are are layers falling out all over the place.
bb09
New Member
Poohbear -I meant how did you get over the APL hump?
I've read posts of yours in the past with you saying heat was better for you (less SSK's), then flat ironing with grease may have been causing you to stay at the same length (hot plates + grease), and you didn't like certain protective styles but they might end up being useful or something
.. so to finally get to BSB really is something after being stuck. It just means you solved that problem . So yeah, how did you do it?
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Poohbear
Fearfully Wonderfully Made
Poohbear -I meant how did you get over the APL hump?
I've read posts of yours in the past with you saying heat was better for you (less SSK's), then flat ironing with grease may have been causing you to stay at the same length (hot plates + grease), and you didn't like certain protective styles but they might end up being useful or something
bb09 - To be honest, I believe leaving the scissors alone is really what helped me get over my APL hump. I can also say adding Aphogee 2 Minute Keratin Treatment after every wash has help reduce breakage significantly. It's kinda hard to say that I'm truly over the APL hump because I sometimes feel like I'm still APL even though I'm BSB. I think this feeling is due to the amount of shrinkage I have.
Since September, I've been laying off the flat iron and just been styling my hair after it's been blowdried. The reason for laying off the flat iron is to gain more thickness. I felt like the flat iron was somewhat thinning my hair.
I still can't get down with protective styles or keeping my hair in one style indefinitely. I still switch up my hair styles because I get bored so easily. My main style is the flat-twist-out or bantu-knot-out. I just avoid rough manipulation when styling so my hair won't break off. Hope that helps.
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