Stability before symmetry

Mina didn’t chase height. She grew hours into days inside a stability window, using tiny raises and clean logs. These visuals show the method; the stitched cards explain why it works.

Stability ladder

Progress starts with hours, not instant symmetry. Work inside a stability window where the crease can learn to hold longer: a few hours, most of a day, nine to twelve hours with a faint morning imprint, two separate days at twelve to sixteen hours, then full-day holds with a light touchup. Staying in the window stacks wins; height-chasing resets the fold.

Re-anchor the same day

If a hold softens after shower or rubbing, do not move the line. Restore it: a tiny bit of lotion to relax the surface, trace the upper crease line twenty times, hold gentle pressure for two to three minutes, then keep your gaze slightly above eye level. No rubbing that night. Disturbance becomes training, not a reset.

Matched photos = clean data

Use the same camera, distance, lighting, and a neutral face. Do not tilt or change angles. When conditions match, we can see whether a change came from your experiment, not the photo setup. Two clean proof days under matched conditions beat one glossy selfie in different light.

Myth: shower = glue failure

Reality: early holds collapse from heat and rubbing — mechanical stress, not residue. Keep the same height, run the re-anchor routine, avoid rubbing that evening, and log hours. Two separate days at nine to twelve hours confirm you are in the right zone.

Myth: move higher if it isn’t all-day

Reality: stability builds in hours first. Track start and finish times. Stay at the same height while hours climb from three to eight to twelve. Adjust only after several trials plateau — then raise by just 0.5 to 1.0 mm.

One variable per 24 hours

Changing height, angle, and trim together erases your data. Adjust one variable at a time. Aim for two proof days at the current height. If stable, raise by 0.5–1.0 mm. If a test collapses, return to the last stable setup for two calm days, then retest.

One clean experiment, six-line log

Rapid-fire questions create loops. Clean experiments move you forward. Weekdays are for review; weekends for one test. Log six fields: height (mm), bias (inner or outer), start time, removal time, hours held after removal, and lift point (inner, center, outer, or none). Two repeat days earn a tiny raise. If it collapses, return to the last stable setup for two calm days.

Tiny raises keep you in the window

Only raise height after two proof days at the current placement. The safe step is 0.5–1.0 mm. Bigger jumps push you out of the stability window and trigger collapses. If a raise fails, drop back to the last stable height, hold for two days, then try again later.

How to start today

Pick a target line that likely sits inside your stability window. Wear and remove, then write a six-line log for that single test. If the fold is disturbed, run the re-anchor routine the same day. Collect two proof days at nine to twelve hours with the same camera, the same distance, the same light, and a neutral face. Only after those two days do you raise by 0.5–1.0 mm. If the new test collapses, step back to the last stable height for two quiet days and try again later. This rhythm prevents resets and builds repeatable days.

Why this works

This method mirrors how tissue learns. Repetition at the same settings builds predictable folding. Hours rise before days, so we measure hours first. Matched photos remove guesswork and make tiny changes readable. Small raises made only after proof days keep you inside the stability window, so wins stack instead of resetting. It feels slower than chasing height, yet it produces results you can repeat.