All Growth Ain't Good Growth: Why I Stopped Doing The Mane Choice Manetabolism Challenge
As seen on Black Girl with Long Hair!
In the beginning of 2014, I was a little length obsessed.
No, I was totally length obsessed.
Fresh off my
Yes, the growth I experienced was awesome, but doing length checks drove me crazy. Having to repeatedly try to capture my hair from the same angles and areas proved to be quite a chore. Even after I caved in and created a length check t-shirt. I became length obsessed -- tugging and pulling at areas of hair to measure on an almost weekly basis, checking for any discernable growth (even though I knew better). I also became overly invested in checking up on other challenge participants' growth, and stacking it against mine (even though I knew better). I prioritized the length of my hair over the health of my hair.
Even though I knew better.
Since chopping in December, I had been battling against dry ends. Although normal healthy hair logic dictates that I cut or gradually trim them, I did everything but -- for the sake of retaining length. My refusal to trim ended up making things worse -- my detangling sessions became hellish, the ends were beginning to snap off more, and I really began to dread wash day because my hair was so much more prone to tangles and knotting. I knew the ends needed to go, but I pushed the truth aside in favor of being able to say, "look how much my hair grew!"
As I mentioned earlier, I never made it to the 6 month culminating period of the challenge. Not for any intriguing or piquant reasons, though. Honestly, the reason I stopped is actually pretty simple/boring. The Mane Choice stopped sending me vitamins. The real reason? I don't know. Their shipping during my months 3 and 4 got a little patchy due to some backorder issues. I didn't sweat it too much, because I feel like customers paying money should always take precedence over bloggers receiving goods for free.99. Months 5 and 6 never happened. I sent an email (only 1, I didn't bother sending follow up correspondences) inquiring about the rest of my bottles for the duration of the challenge, but I never got a response. I didn't sweat it too much at the time, and looking back at it now, it was a blessing in disguise.
This is not an indictment of The Mane Choice or Manetabolism vitamins. While on the challenge, I experienced more growth than typical for my hair. I really do believe the vitamins worked --you can follow all my results here. I just know now that these growth challenges -- whether it be vitamins, castor oil, inversion (are people really still doing that?), or otherwise -- are not for me. At the end of the day, they had me worried 'bout the wrong thangs.
![]() |
You woried 'bout the wrong things...the wrong things (in my Kanye 808's voice) |
Since ending my growth challenge in late May/early June, I've trimmed my hair three times -- to the tune of about 2.5 inches of dead, cripy, tangly, dry ends gone. My hair is healthier, I'm happier, detangling isn't a chore or nightmare, and my hair even looks a little thicker. I've got a little more left to trim, and I will do so diligently and in due time. Right now, I'm just really focused on being good to my hair. Taking care of it the way I know I should, taking my vitamins and supplements for overall health, and taking my behind to the gym.
And no, I haven't touched my length check shirt since.
Have you found yourself caught up in the hair growth challenge craze?
Did it help or harm your healthy hair goals?
5 Comments
No, but i think it is so disapointing when people do Their big chop or a big cut in general, that they start to hide Their hair. It is like short or medium lengths dont count and they only feel Their hair is good enough to show when it is long. I ve been so disapointed after bloggers doing big chops and instead of showing readers that they still are Proud of the hair and show ways to pimp shorter hair as well, they put on a wig or extentions.
ReplyDeleteI found myself caught up a little bit! Mainly because I wanted to gain as much length as I could before it was time for me to trim so it wouldn't seem like I cut off a lot. Now that I have cut it, I want to chop off a whole lot more because now I'm over the length, lol!
ReplyDeleteLOL! I feel you. Some days I want to cut it to my chop length, other days I want it to grow more. I'm just going to focus on health and let it do what it's gon do. Lol
ReplyDeleteSame here, but I might cut a good amount off next year.
ReplyDelete에볼루션접속 먹튀검증 안전노리터 go
ReplyDelete