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Lakisha’s Hair Journal

Grow.....Hair.....Grow!!!!!!!!!!

12/3/04

Well, I am starting this journal in order to keep up with my hair routine. I’ve been growing my hair out for about a year this month and it has grew from 2-5 inches in various places. As you probably could imagine, I am excited about my hair’s progress and clearly can’t wait until this time next year.

Just to tell you a little about my hair, for the past 5 to 6 years, I’ve worn weave in myriad styles and never thinking twice about the health of my hair. Well, when I turned twenty-five, I decided that I had grown tired of ducking guy’s hands when they would try to touch my head. So I decided that I would embark on a quest to get the type of hair that people would look and marvel at while envying it at the same time. Yep, I decided to grow this disgusting short crop style out into something longer and more luxurious. I decided that never again would I forsake my hair. From now on my hair would be given great care and so now the saga begins.

As I write this beginning entry in my journal, I have micro-braids. They’ve been in my hair for about a week and I am totally disgusted with them. The Nigerian who put them in blended my colors all wrong and forgot to braid the front of my hair down towards the temple instead of braiding back so that my sides, which has a shortage of hair, is showing. What a freaking moron! I should have gone to the other Nigerian who braids with such finesse although it would cost eighty dollars more. I am seriously debating taking these braids out because my hair feels so dirty! I must confess that I am so eager to wash my hair and try the bagging routine that I found online. I also want to get it trimmed a bit. I am not sure if I should get my hair braided every week or just get a weave done every two weeks. Either way, my hair is going to grow, even if it kills me. I am so tired of having short, unmanageable hair. Its time for me to get that soft, bouncy, long hair that I so much deserve. So I am confident that if I drink my water, take my vitamins, and treat my hair well then by this time next year, I will have bottom of my neck hair. God, I can’t wait. I am trying to be so patient but only time will tell. Below is the current condition of my hair:

Hair length:
Short bob covering ears, bangs slightly covering eyebrows, and 2-3 inches in the back(I am so amazed by this).

Hair Texture:
Dry, shedding, course, but thick on the crown.

Last Perm:
October 18, 2004

I will probably get an Aphogee protein treatment and then get it braided up into a ponytail or perhaps a sewn in weave. I am looking to repeat this procedure for the coming months as I will be awfully busy trying to write a thesis and working. I want my hair to get busy making its way towards my shoulder so that when it does, I can sing that song by BG “don’t talk to me” and really mean it. I want my hair dyed honey blonde for the summer but only time will tell because when I go to the salon next week, I will probably get a temp dye. I also need to look into getting me a permanent stylist who will be able to care for my hair but since I will be getting it braided so often, that might pose a problem. I think I might go to Panache and get a Master stylist to do my hair from now on. Later.

12/14/04

I am finally through with finals. Yayyyyyyyy! Anyway, after reading hundreds of posts on the black hair care forums on the internet, I went out and brought the following products:

Neutrogena Triple Moisture Daily Conditioner
(I will use this to condition wash my hair daily. Its suppose to provide the hair with the extra moisture that your hair so much needs. I’ve been using it for about two days and it makes the hair soft. )

I took the micros out my hair about 4-5 days ago. I’ve never been so excited to get braids out of my hair. I feel vindicated. Anyways, I read somewhere on a forum that you in the quest for longer, healthier hair you have to develop a simple routine. Mine is as follows:

Morning:
*Condition Wash 2-3 times a week (while in shower)
*Distribute conditioner leave in with olive oil
*Comb wet hair into ponytail
*Apply Baggie Method
*Apply hair accessory
*Hit the Road Jack!!!!!

Night:
*Apply leave in conditioner and cover with shower cap (I always do this as a prelude whenever I do the condition wash)
*Apply scarf

Note: Throughout the day I will use the baggie method if I am lurking around the house or running rudimentary errands. I also oil my hair with olive oil from time to time.

At the status quo, I have a realistic picture of what I want my hair to look like in the coming months. First of all, I am going to try to extend my perm for nine months, two of which I have down. So, that would put me in line for a touchup in July. I am worried that I won’t be able to make it that long but my hair is cooperating at 8 weeks so I will try hard to keep my new growth moisturized and in protective styles. I am also trying hard to imagine how my hair will look when it finally is touched up. Geez, everything I do is for that one moment when the perm has been washed out and the hair has been blown out and roller set. Nine months of hard work and I will look in the mirror and beam like a light bulb. Of course, I suppose that six months would be an accomplishment too if I can’t make it to nine months. As for the protective hairstyles, I intend to wear cornrows under instant weaves and sewn in weaves when my pocket book permits. I am confident that I won’t have to comb my hair as much and because I won’t be able to check my length. I just have to agree on a weekly of biweekly routine that I will abide by. Initially, I wanted to braid my hair on a weekly basis, then take them out to shampoo and deep condition and then rebraid. I am skeptical whether I will be able to do this routine. I am thinking I could do the two week one. I will have to see but first I have to get some trim dusting did on my ends. Well, that’s all for now. Below is the length to which I am aspiring.

Inches that I am hopeful for by July:
*4-6 inches (Shoulder length at the back and the middle of the next in the front)

Things to help the process:
*Vitamins, protein shakes, protective styles, exercise, and Divine intervention.


12/19/04

Today I condition washed my hair. Before, I washed the Organic Root Stimulator leave in conditioner out of my hair. For some reason, I feel like my roots respond to this product by becoming softer. I truly hope that my hair will be able to last until I feel I am ready for a touchup. So many people on the hair board have went 4, 6, and even 12 months without a relaxer. I just hope that I can go that long because I want to reap the benefits and see how strong and healthy my hair will be. All I do is think about my hair and as a result, I am going to get my hair braided. I just can’t bear to look at my hair and try to measure it day after day. Plus, my hair routine is getting to be a hassle and I don’t want to be manipulating my hair. So, probably I will be getting braids Tuesday. I rarely comb my hair while dry. However, I comb it under the shower stream and the manageability becomes better. However, I can feel the new growth, particularly in the back when I comb it. My hair seems to be growing a lot in the back and this seems to be a good thing because that particular part of my hair has been so resistant to growing. I really thank the Lord for this. I have hope that maybe, just maybe my hair is on its way to growing and becoming healthy which I also want. Right now, my goal is healthy shoulder length hair somewhere in July or August. Because long hair doesn’t seem to run in my mother’s side of the family, I’ve stopped short of shoulder length. If I somehow make it to shoulder length then I will think about bra strap length later. So, I am being realistic and I think that will help me in my quest for long hair. I’ve never had long hair and would like to experience what I’ve been missing for so long. True, long hair will probably just make me even more vain but its something I want. Oh well, we will just have to wait and see what happens. My problem in the coming months will be retaining my growth and stretching my relaxer.

I also cut my hair according to the new moon so I will see what happens according to that notion.

12/30/04

Well, now I have sew in weave. I got the cornrows redone and put some tracks in my head. Its looks alright but I would like to photograph it but I faile to get a digital camera and the pictures I did take with my disposable camera fell short. Then on top of that Wal-mart has run out of all the reasonably priced cameras and the only thing they have are the pricey ones. Hmm, it looks like people were trying to keep some money in their pockets for christmas. I seem to have everything but a digital camera but I will get one real soon even if I have to order one from offline.

I started back with juicing carrots today. It helps a lot that carrots have a naturally sweet taste to them. My only problem is the protein shakes. I try to drink them with water and everytime I feel totally grossed out. I am thinking of mixing it with something fruity. I am also thinking of reducing my vitamins for I take a host of them. While I am thinkig of it, I am gonna document my daily vitamin intake.

Vitamin E
Coral Calcium
Beta Carotene
Silica (hair)
Horsetail (hair)
Centrum Performance
Iron
Zinc
Ultrahairnourisher (hair)
Flaxseed and Fish Oil (hair)
Evening Primose Oil (hair among other things)
Calcum and Magnesium
MSM (hair)
Biotin (hair)

Everything else not labeled hair that I take is for my health as I tend to workout a bit and I need a bunch of things when I don't have time to consume them. I am about to drop beta carotene though because I drink an 8oz. of carrot juice a day. Most people would look at my list and gawk but I am one of those people who are trying to become an overall healthy person because as I get other, I am coming to realize that how you take care of your outside is the same way that you're suppose to take care of the insides because long when the beauty has faded I hope to reap the benefits of taking care of both the exterior and interior of the body. Well, I guess I will oil my hair under the tracks and put ti up for the night. Aww, it feels so good not to have to comb my hair as much.

January 6, 2005

Well,I haven't had to do that much to my hair except for moisturizing it and cleaning the scalp from time to time with witch hazel or sea breeze. As a result, my hassle free hairstyle has given me time to do other resourceful things. I am finally into the habit of juicing carrots. I've think I set a record of 10 minutes fot juicing the carrots. Most people don't know that there's a bit of a mess to clean up when one committs to such a thing. Below is what takes most people 20-25 minutes to do but I do it in 10 minutes.

1. Cut off stems and scrub carrots (approx 3-4 big ones for 8 oz cup?
2. Cut carrots into appropriate size for juicer
3. Deposit carrots into juicer
4. Gather carrot juice and put into freezer to chill
5. Clean juicer
6. Enjoy!

Vitamins:

I've also downgraded my vitamins from the orginal number. I cut down a portion of the biotin because my skin was breaking out so I only take one of them @1500mg. So basically I take one of everything except for silica, which I take two of. I've been taking every one of them consistently.

Water:

I am trying to drink a half gallon of distilled water daily but I slipped a little today. i am confident that I will get back on track today though. Water is tastign better nowadays but I am still having trouble consuming my vitamins with them.

Exercise:

I have been holding strong to the exercise routine too though today I opted to give myself a rest. Between the running and tennis, I was seriously tired. However, I will be at it tomorrow because I am adamant about getting some Serena Williams legs... and oh some tighter abs wouldn't hurt either.

Well, thats all today. I think I am starting out by doing the right thing. I just have to be able to maintain once school starts and the ball gets rolling.

January 7, 2005

Well,I am still doing it big. I took my vitamins, juiced carrots, took a 1k walk/jog, and moisturized my hair. yep, I think I a finally getting into the hang of things. I also notice that I am getting some growth with my cornrows. My hair doesn't seem to be the only thing benefiting from my regimen. My eyelashes are quite long and my eyebrows are growing back thicker than they already was. Now only if I could get rid of sodas but I think I am on my way to doing that because distilled water tastes better than spring water in my opinion so I've beed drinking it up. Tomorrow I think I will hit the tennis court up as well as get good workout because summer will be here before you know it. Also, I am trying not to sleep on my face because sometimes i think that remnants of iol will get on my face and thus contribute to blemishes. Plus, there's scientific evidence to prove that it also contributes to wrinkles so go figure!

January 1, 2008
********Day 1*********(morning)
Okay, so I'm doing the Master Cleanse for the New Year. I will use this journal to provide detailed updated and to reflect on the whole period.

Well, the time is 5:25am and the last time I ate was about 11:30 last night. My last supper consisted of a Big Mac, fries, and a nice cold Coca Cola Classic...lol! I also drunk my Smooth Move surprisingly quick and now I can feel my stomach rocking and rolling. I want to go to sleep but I'm afraid that I will have to wake up and go which is something that I hate doing even to urinate.

I'm proud to say that I'm embarking on the cleanse this time to de-gunk all of that stuff out of my body and to give myself piece of mind to think about more important things including developing a closer walk with the man above. Any weight loss would be a plus but I;m looking for other benefits because I think half is suppose to come back anyway so I'm not going to worry myself about losing anything.

Well, I don't have to go to work today so I will probably wake up doing the early evening which kinda sucks because I'm an evening/night eater and this is when the cravings start to pound on me. Oh well, I guess I will read some scriptures to calm my nerves around that time tomorrow.

*******Evening*******