hair updates

GROWTH EXAMS

My life being busy the last couple months, I unfortunately discontinued the growth exams, sorry guys... plus, I kinda already had a bad start with it. I’m also going to take a break, and won’t be doing a season 3 right away. I might still use growth aids or practices now and then, but it probably won't be with proper recording.

STRONGER ENDS REGIMEN

I've been keeping up with my protein layering and stronger ends regimen, but adjusted it slightly to be more on the safe side. Instead of using protein every other week, like the protein laying pic shown above, I was doing it more every two washes. sometimes three. I feel my hair has benefited with it and will continue to use this regimen for more even strength throughout the hair strand. To protect and baby my transitioning relaxed ends, I had also incorporated other things in my regimen, which can be find listed at the bottom of this post. Despite my hair laziness the past couple months, I successfully added most of these practices, all but the ghe method, leave-in steaming, and continuing to test growth aids. My ends still need tlc as they grow out, but my efforts so far are showing.

TOUCH UP AT HAIR IB 

Two weeks ago, June 18, I went to Hair IB Club to get a touch-up. This was my second time going to this salon. This time, instead of getting the japanese brazilian straightening , I got the normal japanese straightening. I decided not to do the JBS because I didn't feel like the extra cash was worth it. And though I had no noticeable adverse effects, I'm also still not perfectly sure how I feel about the absence of neutralizer lotion in the process. It seems like a good idea, but I like to fully understand the science behind what's happening on my head, and there's holes in my understanding of JBS.

With my second Hair IB experience, I have updated pros and cons about the salon. One, is that the salon apparently does not use protection cream. The first time I interviewed them and asked they said they did, but apparently we had a misunderstanding. The protection cream they were talking about was an extra solution they mix into the Japanese straightener for $10-20 more. This caught me off guard when I was at the salon for my touch-up, as I've been very cautious of my ends. Was all the tlc I was giving them going to be ruined in one day? I asked them if they could put conditioner on my already treated hair to create a barrier, and if they could lift it up my hair and wash the roots out exclusively first to keep the JHS from rinsing into my ends. They did, but my ends still took a toll. nothing significant like disintegrating, but noticeable damage I would have to trim (I would have to trim off my thin ends anyway) and work back to health. This makes the salon lose a few points, next time I'm going to see if I can bring in my jar of protection cream.

On another note, in addition to adding their 'protection cream' into the Japanese straightener, they used a weaker JHS formula on my roots. I'm not sure whether to consider this a positive or negative however, since this made my processing time double. The stylist said this was fine, but unless I'm given a good explanation to back things up, I'm hesitant to wholeheartedly believe. The last thing that was different this second visit, was that my hair didn't end up stick- pin- dead straight like last time, and actually had some volume. This was likely from only doing a Japanese straightening touch-up, and not getting the JBS. I liked how my hair tuned out more this time. If I'm recalling properly, my hair also didn't feel as dry as last time.

LENGTH MEASUREMENT

Above is a picture of my hair, right after my touch-up and before I trimmed at home. As you can see the ends are stringy, but the hair that's growing out is thickening nicely. At first I self-trimmed an inch off by banding, but wasn't satisfied, and trimmed another inch and a half in the shower. I only recommend trimming in the shower if your hair is straight or has just been straightened. I haven't taken an after trim picture yet, but I measured after, and if memory is right I'm currently 25 inches. Remember, I'm currently not growing my hair out, and plan to keep my ends in the same area until my relaxer fully grows out.

growth aid exam (2nd session) update

EXAM UPDATE

I meant to update on this a month ago, sorry for the wait.

And not only am I late, but I didn't do all the things I should have this round. For example, I didn't take pictures along with my measurement recordings this time, so I have no real evidence for my skeptical audience. When I realized I've been forgetting to take pictures, in the back of my mind I thought "Well, it's okay, since I'm not going to trim my hair until exam season is over."

 ... ...I also broke my promise and trimmed my hair. I've been a bad girl. Bad Yahya.

I trimmed because I measured badly and panicked. Usually when I measure, I measure about 3 times for accuracy. Having new growth and uneven ends can make measuring tricky. Well, I measured once and I was getting a result saying I lost two inch. I panicked, wasn't thinking measuring again more carefully to confirm, and did a nice thorough trim. I measured again... and it was an inch longer then what I had just measured...

Yeah, I messed up. But I'm kinda glad that I trimmed because my ends feel a lot thicker.

4/12/14, New growth after scarf method. Varies from 2-4 inches,
which implies that the growth methods I've used don't affect my entire scalp.

GRADINGS

 january 15 to 21 - Did the inversion method for 1 week, this time doing the hot oil and washing parts to see if there would be a difference in growth. Last time I measured, which was around the end of December, my hair was measuring 24 inches. After trying the inversion method with the hot oil and washing parts, I was measuring 25 inches. Excluding my normal growth rate, that's an extra 1-2 cm of growth. So I didn't see any dramatic change compared to doing the inversion alone.
january 22 to 28 - Did the inversion method again for 1 week, this time without the hot oil and washing parts. There are girls out there who can do the inversion method without experiencing degrading results. I was testing to see if I was one of these lucky girls. Sadly, I'm not. I saw no growth.
january 31 to february 28 - Applied a sulfur mix to my scalp and did the green house effect method every other day. I measured 27 inches, 2 inches in 5 weeks (4 weeks of application). The growth also appeared to come out thicker.
march 1 to 7 - Did the inversion method, ghe method, and sulfur mix for 1 week. I didn't see the results of this because this is when I measured badly and trimmed my hair. I mis-measured to 25 inches, trimmed, and then measured 26 inches.

I didn't do anything after, because I was entering mid term period. Currently, I just started applying sulfur mixes alone. My recipe and results will be continued another time.

growth aid exams (2nd session)

Wow, a short post!

January fifteenth Longnheathy's 6 inches in 6 challenge started and I began testing growth aids once again. I started doing the inversion method, along with the hot olive oil and scalp cleansing part. Instead of shampooing I'm planning on cowashing and using amla powder on my scalp. I want to accurately see if doing all the parts of the inversion method creates better results. Last time I tried to test this, I ended up incorporating the GHE method with it so it didn't count. Next week I plan to continue doing the inversion method to see if my head gets use to it and the results degrade. It's recommended that you only do the inversion method for a week once a month because many find the increased growth rate stops. Some lucky girls, however, find that their results don't decrease or stop.

Like I said in my last post, I don't plan on trimming my ends but am going to see if growing it out and protective styling makes a difference. I hate stringy ends. When I see a picture of another girl with really long hair, but stringy ends, I think it's okay, yet I can't stand it on myself. But since I'm going to keep my hair tied up, it shouldn't bother me as much.

growth aid exams (end of 1st session)

EXAM UPDATE 2

With the end of 2013 was also the end of the Hairlista challenge I was participating in, the 6 inches in 6 months challenge. I chose to follow the challenge because I would be testing my growth aids during a similar time frame. I did actually make the six inches, about 6 1/2 inches, but my goal wasn't exactly length and I would trim my hair after testing each growth practice. To see the first half of my documented growth, visit this post. So how did I continue after September?   

september 3 - Almost measured 29 inches, but the ends grew out straggly again. I trimmed more thoroughly this time and accidentally trimmed to 25 inches 1 cm, but I didn't really mind it. I started testing bamboo tea in conjunction with the ghe method. I drank the tea once a day, sometimes twice.
october 1 - I strangely saw no growth. Like how your head can get use to the inversion, did my head get use to the ghe? I decided to stop doing the ghe method after one more week, to see if I'd get the results it usually gave me after a break. I also considered that I might not have given the bamboo tea enough time to kick in.
october 3 - I started doing the inversion method, this time keeping it closer to the book by doing hot oil treatments and cleansing my scalp. Last time I only inverted my head everyday for about 5 minutes.
october 10 - I measured about an extra 1 1/2 to 2 inches of growth, now I was a stringy 27 inches again. The next day I decided to try taking bamboo tea alone for a month, but I discontinued a week and a half in and saw no results.

When I did the inversion last time and only inverted my head, ignoring the washing and hot oil part, I only got 1-2 cm of growth. I'm not sure if doing the extra parts gave me the better results though, as I did the ghe method twice during the week. Did the ghe suddenly start working again? 

SCALP ONLY CLEANSING

I said before it's not good for girls with afro textured hair to wash their hair with shampoo everyday, it's too drying, and our scalps tend to not get oily quick anyway. This is why we often skip this part of the inversion method. This might be one of the reasons girls with straighter hair textures tend to see better results. So how did I incorporate the scalp washing part of this method? Well, I actually tried a variety of things that didn't work until I finally found one that did.

The significance of the wash step in the inversion method is that your scalp gets cleaned, cleaning your hair has nothing to do with it. How can I clean my scalp and not my hair? First I tried to make a homemade dry shampoo with only natural ingredients like lemon juice, aloe vera, and apple cider vinegar. It might have worked if it only had to clean my natural sebum and not the olive oil from the hot oil step of the inversion. I tried to change the recipe around, but sometimes it seemed to only be making the scalp situation oilier. Now I know why oily scalp girls can't help but wash their hair often, it really did not feel good. I'd rinse my hair after every failed attempt. Eventually I decided to just make a shikakai and amla tea and only apply it on my scalp with my roots-only applicator bottle. After at least a half hour I'd hit the shower and semi-wash my hair like a cowash. This method worked much better, and is something I'll continue to practice.

BAMBOO TEA EXPERIENCES

 I tested bamboo tea for about 5 weeks and sadly saw no results. It's suppose to be one of the greatest sources of silica. I'm a tea person, so a growth aid in tea form would have been a perfect match for me. Some girls who took it noted a faster growth rate, healthier new growth, and a looser curl pattern. People also like it because it actually has an okay taste compared to other hair growth sustenance, With sugar added, it tasted kinda like diluted green tea with a little bamboo flavor. Sadly, I didn't get any of those results but it is possible I didn't stay with it long enough to enter my system. I'm done with it for now but may test it again in the future. Also a note for those who plan to try it, it's very potent. You can use one bag twice. but don't be stupid like me, I ordered 30 tea bags and after using one I stored it in a container in the fridge. Instead of using it again the next day, I used and stored all of them in the container, planning to reuse them all again after I ran out of new bags. It would have made more sense to use one bag for two days. bamboo tea is expensive and that's a good way of extending it's life. The way I did it could have worked, but storing tea bags is tricky. If the container you keep them in isn't sealed properly the tea bags absorb the smells of the food in the fridge. This was why I was not able to reuse them like I planned and discontinued testing them in October.

END OF FIRST SESSION

I've been taking a break from my growth aid exams, but don't fret. I'll be testing again mid-January with the start of 6 inches in 6 months round 2. My goal during this growth aid testing was to gain thicker, fuller ends. Did I reach my goal? Not really... yes, I said not really, and I'll be explaining why soon.  

the inversion method (1 inch in 1 week)

BIRTHPLACE

The inversion is the newest hair growth method that's been circulating the hair care world. Its internet origin started on this video by youtuber LillianaLovesMakeup. And from here, the method began to spread through youtube.

I don't know who eventually named it the inversion method, but I'm 95 percent sure it was when it started circulating in the black hair care community. the method was then introduced to a couple hair care forums by user Barbara, who created challenges aiming for 1 inch in 1 week doing the inversion. This is when I first learned about the method. as explained in the video, the original method follows these steps: apply heated extra virgin olive oil on your scalp, let sit for about 2 hours, do the inversion for about 5 minutes, and wash hair; repeat for 7 days and start again in a month. The problem is, for girls with kinkier hair texture, washing your hair everyday is drying. so many girls in the afro hair care community skip this step or just rinse the oil out. Also, most girls don't use olive oil but other oils.

MY EXPERIENCE, SO FAR

In my growth aid exams update, I mentioned that when I did the inversion alone I only got 1-2 centimeters in a week, but then got 2 inches in one week when I did the inversion method along with the GHE method. I posted the before & after pictures there, too. how did I do the inversion method? All I did was lay on my back on a bed or couch and dangle my head for 4 to 5 minutes while watching TV. Just to be safe, after the time was up, I would slide my head back on the bed and lay on my back for another minute before getting up completely. it's almost too simple. I didn't even do a hot oil treatment on my scalp or wash my hair after, I washed once a week like usual. Being able to get so much growth with such easy practices like this and the GHE method, growth just seems so easy to get now.

(...did this cat notice extra fur on his/her scalp?)

SORTA SCIENCE

For some reason, girls of European descent tend to get more than just an inch using this method. they commonly get 2 to 4 inches of growth. (No far!) I'm the only kinky haired person I know that got 2 inches using the method, but that was in combination with the GHE method. This brings out my curiosity. Why do they get better growth? Is it because they are thoroughly cleansing their scalps after? Does it have something to do with sticking to olive oil? Is it because girls of european descent tend to have oilier scalps? When I did this along with the ghe method I got 2 inches of growth, did doing the GHE method imitate an oily scalp? There has to be some missing factor kinkier haired girls don't or do have that changes the outcome. or does it have to do with some physical difference between kinky and straight haired scalps, like our follicles, that can't be changed?

During my growth aid exams, I'll be trying to do the inversion methods in different ways to see if I get an improvement. Sadly I can only do it once a month. You're only suppose to do this once a month because, apparently, your body gets use to the increased blood circulation from the inversion. It isn't a shock anymore and your growth rate no longer increases. So be patient with me.

CAUTION!

• Be careful coming out of the inversion position, especially if you're older. I've noticed that it's the older adults that sometimes comment about getting dizzy. If you feel light headed, slowly come out of the position.  
• Do not attempt the inversion if you're pregnant.
• Do not attempt inversion if you have high blood pressure, heart problems, or any kind of blood related conditions.

For those of you who have a problem doing the inversion position, there's an alternative position you can try. One girl on hairlista's inversion challenge did this and saw some extra growth. Whether this works as good as the real inversion method position, I'm not sure. The alternate position: lay on your back with your legs elevated like in the picture. This position also increases the head's blood circulation. 

growth aid exams update ( I octupled my growth! )

EXAM UPDATE

It's the end of summer (noo! I start classes tomorrow!) and I have growth updates to share! If you didn't read my first growth aid exams post talking about how I'll be testing growth aids, click here. Here's a little recap, too:  for the past years I've been getting random hair growth spurts and didn't know what to contribute it to. After doing a crazy growth overload challenge and getting 3 inches in 3 months without knowing what to credit, I had decided to test my growth aids and practices and make proper recordings. Hence beginning this growth aid exams sequence.

 I've finally discovered what was increasing my hair growth during the crazy growth overload challenge: the green house effect method. I'm so happy I finally unlocked the secret to my random growth spurts! And it's something as easy as the GHE method.

I have not been paying attention to my planned testing schedule made in the previous post at all, and have completely been doing my own thing. This is also just an update and not the end of growth aid exams, I'm extending it beyond summer.  My goal right now is to thicken my ends rather than grow it out right now, so I've been trimming my straggly ends after each recording.

I TRIPLED MY GROWTH ...AND THEN I OCTUPLED IT!

Here is a list of dates recording when I started what growth aid, the results, and my length after a trimmed.

june 2 - after Japanese straightening I trimmed hair to 25 inches
june 20 - started cayenne pepper oil
july 18 - sadly I saw no extra growth at all with cayenne pepper oil, it seems to work for other girls though
july 19 - started inversion method with about 25 1/2 inches
july 25 - finished inversion method with a thin 26 inches (gained 1-2 cm of growth)
july 26 - started ghe method
august 7 - measured about an extra 1-2 cm of growth, 26 inches 1 cm.
august 26 - measured 27 1/2 to 28 inches, but it grew out very thin so I just clipped off the straggly ends to 27 inches. started ghe & inversion method.
september 3, today - almost measured 29 inches, but the ends grew out straggly again. I trimmed more thoroughly this time and accidentally trimmed to 25 inches 1 cm, but I don't really mind it. especially now that I know the key to growing my hair faster! I'll be starting bamboo tea in conjunction with the ghe method today.

Here are some pictures, sorry that I didn't take a picture for everything.

I'm pretty sure I've said it before, going to say it again, my ends have been growing out thin after being handicapped by a protein overload about a year ago now. It is also possible that these growth practices are only affecting parts of my scalp, but I'm 70 percent sure it's the former reason.

✂

So what exactly is the ghe and inversion method? Learn more here and here:
the green house effect method
the inversion method