Looks like I will be starting over!

No rhyme or reason for this pic. She epitomizes natural beauty...imo.

Months? No, actually more than  a year! That is how long it has been since I have been to an ACTUAL hair dresser. Not a hair braider (there is a difference) but a licensed (or at least reputable) hair stylist. As a natural woman who possesses some talent  I find myself doing my own hair with ease a majority of the time. However lately I have been wondering why I have not maintained much length in the past year, especially since I follow most of the natural hair "rules". I do not use heat in my hair (except to deep condition), I wear protective hair styles the majority of the time, I deep condition weekly or bi-weekly, I use a thousand different "natural" hair products, and still I do not see much of a difference in the length of my hair. In addition to this I still find myself battling shed hair and breakage anytime I touch my hair. I figured it was time to call in the professionals and got a hair consultation. The good news? I have a hair appointment for next week Thursday. The bad news? I have SUPER POROUS and DRY hair. Hair porosity is a term that describes the condition of your hair cuticle. High porosity indicates that your hair cuticle is severely damaged leading to holes and spaces in the hair shaft. These gaps lead to hair that drinks up moisture which can lead to dry hair and breakage. My consultation included testing different  (Keracare) products on my strands, checking my scalp, and examining the ends of my hair. The hair stylist determined that I was in desperate need of a trim and would order some Keracare products that she thought I needed to add to my hair regimen.Although saddened I am prepared to sacrifice my hair length next week in exchange for healthy hair. I'll try not to cry. Ladies, learn from my mistake. You CAN NOT start a successful healthy hair regimen without first trimming off those damaged ends. Some damage is simply irreversible.