Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 26

Thread: Long hair is not working out for me, please help!!!

  1. #1

    Default Long hair is not working out for me, please help!!!

    I'm a guy (22yo) and I have been growing my hair for about one and a half year now. It grew a lot, to the point now where I can bite my fringe with my lips. However, I am encoutering a lot of problems and am seriously thinking about cutting it short again.
    First, I have very very thin hair, which makes it very difficult to style, especially after washing it with shampoo. The hair is getting in front of my eyes the entire day which can be really really annoying. Also, every time I come out of shower and try to comb my hair it is always a pain in the ass, because it looks like my hair has knots in every single place, which hurt a lot and makes me lose a lot of hair when I comb it.
    Other negative aspect of my hair is that it is very greasy, which looks like a mess especially when I use some sort of styling product to make it so that it doesn't go into my eyes (I currently use American Crew Forming Cream). Using conditioner also has a downside on this, since it makes it look even greasier.
    Should I give it up and cut my hair (which is exactly what I am tempted to do right now) or is there anything I can do?

  2. #2
    Member Vanille_'s Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Louisiana
    Age
    37
    Posts
    2,971
    Length
    Pixie/SL/Waist
    Type
    1b/F/M/ii

    Default Re: Long hair is not working out for me, please help!!!

    Try different shampoo/conditioner combinations. Use a clarifying shampoo as needed - maybe once a week or two if you are using a lot of product. When you condition, try not to put it on the scalp. If you can avoid the very top of your head it might help. I eventually found a conditioner that doesn't make my scalp oily after a day but before I found it, I could only condition from the neck down. Try using a wide comb with no seam ridges and comb your hair in the shower after you have conditioned it. And make sure to brush it right before you shower.

    Pixie::Shoulder::APL

  3. #3
    Glitter fairy Chromis's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    British Columbia, Canada
    Posts
    11,096
    Length
    zip/calf/term
    Type
    1c/M/C/ii

    Default Re: Long hair is not working out for me, please help!!!

    If it doesn't work for you, it doesn't work for you! Some folks like short and some long.

    That said, the length you are describing is a pretty awkward one! When I was regrowing mine, that was about one of the worst stages. It gets better once it is long enough to be able to tie back or at least tuck behind your ears and have it stay. I had to resort to using bobby pins to clip mine back because I absolutely hated eating my hair hair all day. That can give a bit of damage itself though, especially for fine hair and it might not be the sort of look you are after. Depending what you do for a living, how about using a bandanna or better yet, a buff. The buffs come in a lot of patterns, some plain, some rugged, and plenty more and you can often find them at sporting good stores like REI. If you decide to keep growing, you will have many more options once it gets longer, but that will keep it out of your face.

    There are several threads with tips for folks with fine hair if you use the handy search tool or you can search the Mane Forum using Google. You might just need to wash more often while it is still short, especially when using "product". I'd recommend changing one thing at a time in your routine so you can get a good feel for what is actually helping or hindering.

    ALso, I have to wait until my hair is dry before I comb it. This is different from person to person, but mine does the same thing as yours if I comb it wet. Wet hair is fragile and all those knots are making a lot of breakage! You might need to adjust your schedule to account for this.

    From zero to hero

    All posts are made as a regular member unless they are in modbold.

  4. #4
    Member SnowWhite's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    chocolate factory
    Posts
    374
    Length
    Chin/APL/Waist
    Type
    1c/2a/M/C/iii

    Default Re: Long hair is not working out for me, please help!!!

    I think it's your routine. Perhaps you should try other products... I tried to wash CO and CWC for a while. My hair hates conditioner. It gets greasy, lumpy and flat...
    Now my routine consits of: less is more... Washing with regular shampoo, sometimes without SLS. My hair just doesn't mind SLS, so why should I cut it out of my routine?? And occasionally oiling.
    May I ask how you comb your hair? Do you start at your ends, (with strokes from your roots to ends ofcourse), then going a little bit higher everytime? Because formerly, I also combed directly from roots to ends = not a good idea, caused me some hair loss aswell because I was pushing too hard through the knots...

    Of course, if you really don't like long hair you should cut it! But if you do want long hair, I think there could be things in your routine you could adapt for a better hair condition. It's always a search for the best routine!
    *Chin length* --> *Shoulder length* --> *Arm pit length* --> *Bra strap length* -->*Waist length* and beyond...

  5. #5
    Member wendylai's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Beyond the Wall
    Posts
    108
    Length
    24.4/29,5/31
    Type
    1a/1b/F/M/ii

    Default Re: Long hair is not working out for me, please help!!!

    Wow.. haha.. It was so funny reading this You have my sympathies! I'm waist at the moment, and headinf to hip/tailbone, with not super texturized or thick hair and styling has turned into.. up dos..

    So I'm not sure, as I reach my goal if I shall cut it then or not. Long hair has good and bad points. Myself I think that as you are young you can grow to your goal lenght, learn how to untangle and what products work for you (sounds like very coney ones would be the ones..) and then as you have reached it enjoy it a bit and cut to the lenght where you feel most confident it. Cheers

  6. #6

    Default Re: Long hair is not working out for me, please help!!!

    I'll try changing my routine and using different products and see how it reacts.
    May I ask what is CO, CWC, and SLS?

  7. #7
    Member hippie girl's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    The Golden Road to Unlimited Devotion
    Posts
    252
    Length
    -/54"/-
    Type
    1a/F/ii

    Default Re: Long hair is not working out for me, please help!!!

    Quote Originally Posted by target View Post
    Also, every time I come out of shower and try to comb my hair it is always a pain in the ass, because it looks like my hair has knots in every single place, which hurt a lot and makes me lose a lot of hair when I comb it.
    Are you piling your hair on top of your head to wash? It could be that you are getting all tangled because of this, if you are.

    As it grows longer you should consider not washing the way you did when it was shorter. Just detangle before your shower and comb/arrange it all going back in one direction. Wet hair in shower so it is all going back and then wash by just massaging the shampoo with your fingertips into your scalp. Let the shampoo just sort of run down the length as you do this and as you rinse.

    This is how I wash my and I have very few problems with tangles after washing. Your hair will be just as clean this way, and might end up in better condition because it will help with breakage issues.

    My SO has about APL hair, yet insists on the top of head scrubbing method. It kills me to watch him comb afterwards. He just doesn't get it, but isn't trying to grow it either.

    The key for me is to always, ALWAYS, detangle before getting my hair wet. My hair is fine and I can't (well, won't) comb when wet. All that does is break my hair. Detangle carefully when dry is the trick for me.
    Still Growing! (or maybe not...) 54"+ 5 more inches of fairy tale ends... 1a, F, 2


  8. #8
    LHC FairyGodMum lapushka's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Belgium
    Posts
    68,488
    Length
    Chin/Class/Class
    Type
    2b/2c/F/iii

    Default Re: Long hair is not working out for me, please help!!!

    I'd make sure to only use conditioner on the ends of your hair, the shorter it is, the more difficult to apply, that's true, though it should work. Like others have said, don't pile your hair on top of your scalp when shampooing. Leave it down and let the suds fall over your scalp while rubbing them into your scalp. Then apply conditioner, and it should make it easier to detangle later. Detangle with a wide tooth comb or a Tangle Teezer (very handy tool). There's absolutely no need to cut your hair off, providing you take good care of it.
    WCC method (washing) --- Rinse-out oil (MO) --- LOC/LCO method (styling)

  9. #9

    Default Re: Long hair is not working out for me, please help!!!

    I'm not sure if others have mentioned this, but as a routine thing, try organic vs silicone product methods. I've probably used it all, from Aussie, Dove, V05, Pantene... But I've found that handmade, organic ones work best for me. No, I don't always use them, but I prefer them. My conditioner method is as organic as I can get, with EVOO and Grapeseed oil. But as others have said, try different methods. Grapeseed oil is very light and hasn't been greasy for me. I also don't dump a ton in my hair. For me it works best with damp hair, and I let it dry on its own.

    For detangling, I use a bohn comb, which doesn't cause static and avoids what plastic combs do in general. I found a great price on Ebay, and I made sure it was bohn resin, the alternative to animal bone. Horn works too, but some can be fine toothed or very pricy. Make sure you comb your ends first before going up your hair, and do so carefully. I combed my mom's hair a few times and she asked me if I was even doing anything. But it makes it much faster.

    My dad had long hair in his teens and early 20s, but he had found out that washing his hair in the morning worked better for him. I've seen photos... he had hair most women would kill for.

  10. #10
    Member SunlightShines's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Florida
    Age
    57
    Posts
    413
    Length
    12/20/30hip
    Type
    1c/2a/F/i

    Default Re: Long hair is not working out for me, please help!!!

    Quote Originally Posted by target View Post
    I'll try changing my routine and using different products and see how it reacts.
    May I ask what is CO, CWC, and SLS?
    CO is using conditioner only, CWC is using conditioner first, washing, then conditioning again, SLS is referring to sodium lauryl sulfate which is a surfactant in most shampoos.
    Growing... to see how far I can go!
    Lady Arinna of the Sunlit Skies in the Order of the Long Haired Knights!

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •