FINE & THIN hair! Tips for moisture and to grow it longer!

[Elina]

Hey!

I apologise if there's already a topic about this, but I didn't find it when I searched.


According to the "Hair Type Classifier" my hair belongs to 1a/F/i
It's very fine/thin with very dry ends. Here's a picture to give you an idea:

http://i47.tinypic.com/296c3fr.jpg


As you can see, the ends look dry and horrible. And I want to grow long hair! If I'm able to.
I have not been to a professional hairdresser just because I'm broke, so I cut it myself.



My cutting procedure : (I only use sharp hair cutting scissors)



Every other week, I cut up to half an inch of the ends if they look bad.
Now and then I go through my hair and only cut of the split ends and damaged strands of the hair. It takes time, but doing it this way prevents me from cutting too much.


Washing procedure:



Since my hair is fine and flat with no volume, I have to wash it everyday, because the oils will make it even flatter and kinda stringy. Horrible looking.
I shampoo with Nature's Gate shampoo that I have dilutet with water a little bit ( I have the hemp and the jojoba one).
I condition with Tresemme Naturals (The one that is moisturizing)
Once a week I put some baking soda in my shampoo for extra cleaning and ph balance.

Now and then I use ACV-rinse after my shower


Deep moisturizing procedure:



I've used virgin coconut oil as a deep moist. for months. Mainly in the ends, unfortunately my scalp gets too oily if I apply it on my roots.
The other day I tried to put extra vigin olive oil mixed with my conditioner as a deep moist. in my hair. Only on my ends!
Sometimes I use honey.


I'm gonna try to start washing my hair every other day and wear it up more often. Right now my hair is up in a pony tail, and i smoothed out the dry ends with a little bit of olive oil.

It would be interesting to hear from someone else with fine hair, about your hair care routines, and how you suceeded to grow out your hair!

Take care!

[ravenheather]

I have fine thin hair also. I am an ii but just barely. First off you are cutting off all your growth and then some. Most hair grows 1/2 inch a month. Also baking soda is very drying and way too high in ph (that's why most people rinse with vinegar after using baking soda to clarify). You are on the right track to start stretching washes. I use coconut oil on my ends as well as all over the night before I wash. I shampoo with a shampoo bar twice a week. Then a dilute vinegar rinse. Once a week I soak my hair in a catnip tea to condition and prevent split ends for an hour then rinse. I don't even use conditioner, just the catnip and vinegar rinses. I haven't trimmed in a year and 4 months. I have very few split ends and am getting 1/2 an inch per month growth. Happy growing!

[akilina]

It sounds like you are doing fine! :o
Just try to enjoy it as much as you can (geez I need to listen to myself).
Your diluted washing sounds good. I noticed that going Sulfate free/diluted made my hair not fall out which was awesome. It worked great for my fine hair.

The cutting routine sounds a bit much not going to lie. Most people only grow a half inch a month...so cutting that every other week will get you nowhere.

Trying to wear it up as much as you can helps too. It helps to forget about it and also to protect it.

I am probably a F/M myself. When you measured for your density did you bring as much hair as you possibly could to the top of your head in a pony tail? I know that sounds stupid but before I was measuring the ponytail at the base of my nape thinking my hair was absurdly thin but sure enough it was not. Measuring at the top adds a whole inch of thickness back.

I like doing deep treatments with conditioner and aloe gel in them. <3 so nice!

Coconut oil is so awesome to me! My hair loves it/soaks it up. I actually eat a small spoon of it in the mornings before coffee. You can use coconut oil (or any oil) as a pre-wash. Soak your hair in it for a half hour or an hour before washing.
I do oil my scalp with castor oil (for growth) but I am boycotting scalp oiling for a week so I can pick it back up again and see if it makes me shed more or not.
I also use a BBB )boar bristle brush( and many say that people with fine hair should not use them but I beg to differ!! I love that thing. It really does such a nice job and feels good on the scalp.

The way to get the best thickness is by having no layers.. Im working on growing mine out but its a slow process. I think I see layers in your hair.

Dont get too frustrated..it makes things easier if you don't stress about hair. Growing hair happens from the inside out, so make sure you get a well balanced diet, plenty of water and some activity.

I found that I have to wash every single day, and I really do not mind. I have accepted it. I get jealous hearing some here can stretch their washes even one day...or a whole week.
Have you ever tried CO washing?? (just washing with conditioner) It works for me. I actually just did it today for the first time in months!

Anyway, Welcome!! :D The site just went under a big upgrade that is still in progress, so keep that in mind if some things are a little confusing or not working.

[Elina]

I have fine thin hair also. I am an ii but just barely. First off you are cutting off all your growth and then some. Most hair grows 1/2 inch a month. Also baking soda is very drying and way too high in ph (that's why most people rinse with vinegar after using baking soda to clarify). You are on the right track to start stretching washes. I use coconut oil on my ends as well as all over the night before I wash. I shampoo with a shampoo bar twice a week. Then a dilute vinegar rinse. Once a week I soak my hair in a catnip tea to condition and prevent split ends for an hour then rinse. I don't even use conditioner, just the catnip and vinegar rinses. I haven't trimmed in a year and 4 months. I have very few split ends and am getting 1/2 an inch per month growth. Happy growing!

Thank you for your reply!
Oh, so I need to cut of all the ends that look dry or splitted! That's a shame, cause my hair is just beneath my shoulders. So, how much would be reasonable to cut off, if I'm cutting off 1/2 inch right now? Just everything that looks dead and split and dry? I really don't want to cut too much, since I don't think I look good in too short hair, haha. And I wanna do it myself, no hairdresser. :p

What is a shampoo bar? Are they more gentle to use? I don't think I've ever heard of them before!

[Amygirl8]

My hair is quite thin and fine too.
I think my success in growing it out long was complete benign neglect, I never really noticed the condition of my hair until about a year ago.
I don't suggest cutting it off- saying it looks dry and damaged does not mean it is dry and damaged, it could be some sort of build-up. If you've been following your current cutting routine for a long time and have noticed no improvement in the condition, it's not exactly damaged, but you may be loading it with too much protein.

Grow your hair out without trimming for a while, and I strongly recommend stretching washes. My hair always looks dry the day I wash it unless I do ACV, the next few days it looks great. See how long it gets and see if what you think is damage really is damage.
For the most part try to avoid ponytails since they can cause damage where the hairband is placed, and if not try to play around with the placement.

If you blowdry with low heat (under 50 degrees C) and flip your hair upside down while blowdrying you can add some extra volume. When I'm letting my hair dry I clip my front bangs back for a little bit, and when I take that out there's a little bit more volume right at the front.
Also- mineral oil is a life-saver for tangly, thin-fine hair. Just a small drop spread throughout all your hair when it's damp.

[Thinthondiel]

Thank you for your reply!
Oh, so I need to cut of all the ends that look dry or splitted! That's a shame, cause my hair is just beneath my shoulders. So, how much would be reasonable to cut off, if I'm cutting off 1/2 inch right now? Just everything that looks dead and split and dry? I really don't want to cut too much, since I don't think I look good in too short hair, haha. And I wanna do it myself, no hairdresser. :p

What is a shampoo bar? Are they more gentle to use? I don't think I've ever heard of them before!

To me it seemed like ravenheather was trying to say that you're cutting off too much hair if you want it to get longer (your hair won't be able to grow fast enough to "keep up" with all your trimming). It's really not necessary to trim every two weeks, nor is it necessary to trim off all the hair that looks dry. It's smart to do a s&d (search and destroy, i.e. look for the split hairs and cut them, like I see you've been doing) every once in a while, but the hair that is dry (and not split) isn't necessarily damaged. If I were you I'd drastically cut back on the baking soda, which is very drying, and if you do use it to clarify you should follow it up with an acidic rinse, such as diluted vinegar. Also, I don't know anything about the Nature's Gate shampoo, but if it contains sulphates it could be worth a shot to try a sulphate-free shampoo, which wouldn't be as drying. My hair used to be insanely dry, but it's not anymore now that I don't use sulphates.

Unfortunately, on the road to less dry hair, one sometimes has to go through a phase where the hair seems to look a bit greasy. Part of that is because your (general you) scalp is used to producing a lot of oil to try to compensate for the dryness, and part of that is (I'm guessing) that you're so used to seeing your hair look dry that as soon as it's not as dry anymore, it looks greasy to you because it's flatter and may seem "limp" in comparison.

ETA: a shampoo bar is what it sounds like; a bar of shampoo, almost like a bar of soap. I've never tried them myself because I somehow imagine that they'd leave build-up on my hair (not sure if that's true, though).

ETA2: If you try to stretch washes/cut out baking soda and/or sulphates and your hair does get a bit greasy and stringy/clumpy in the transition phase, you could try using a boar bristle brush to brush out the clumps and spread the sebum evenly throughout your hair.

[ravenheather]

Thinthondiel: thanks for clarifying. That is what I was trying to say. I don't get buildup from my 'poo bars. They don't work for everyone though, particularly if you have hard water. I get mine from chagrinvalleysoapandsalve.com. You can also try a really good water only rinse to help stretch washes.

[chen bao jun]

I don't have fine and thin hair with dry ends but when I joined this forum I had coarse and thick hair with dry ends. I was sure they were terribly damaged, but I didn't cut them off and they have improved a lot. so I suggest that, like the others above, that the first thing you do is resist the urge to cut or trim ANYTHING off for maybe three months, that would help you to see where you actually are. I also second the advice to forget the baking soda. Read the advice in the articles on how to wash--you may not be washing correctly. I wasn't. I was rubbing my hair on top of my head with water that was too hot. And I was using way too much shampoo. Now I do CWC and hardly use shampoo at all. Try different methods of washing your hair, such as conditioner only, condition-wash-condition, maybe even water only and see what leaves your hair with the most moisture. Try the suggestions like drying your hair only with a cotton t-shirt, not a towel and sleeping on a satin pillowcase. Doing both these things really helped me retain moisture. Try different oils (you are right to start with coconut, but it can be a culprit, it can give some people crunchy ends, olive may be a better choice for you). And most of all, don't try all these things at once. Only try one at a time (well, you can start with the cotton t-shirt and satin pillow case at once) and keep a record of what works and what doesn't. And try the same thing for several weeks, not just one time. Gradually your hair will get better and you will see what did it. You will also see how bad the condition of your ends really is--it may not be as bad as you think. You may be able to dust them slowly and retain some length. Your hair is short not because of your ends but because you are overcutting!
HTH

[SlightlySoprano]

You may find this thread useful! :)

The Thin/Fine Hair Thread
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=17115

[Allychan]

I second the coconut oil recommendations. I have fine hair so I put coconut oil on my ends every night, I can't wear it or any other oil during the day as it makes my hair feel crunchy and look oily. I conditioner only every time I get in the shower. I wash with a mix of coconut & shampoo every second day otherwise my hair goes too greasy. I do find my hair looks thicker after a shampoo because it is more 'airy' around each strand :) and they (strands) don't cling together as much. My hair always feels silky smooth too

[raingirl]

I have ultra thin ultra fine hair (F/i) as well, just 2b wavy.

What worked for me is CO (Conditioner Only). It does weight down the hair a little bit more, but it's more moisturized. I have to wash daily though still, as I don't think stretching washes can work on our type of hair well. I get super oily/greasy after 24 hours and it just needs a wash.

Also, our hair is quite prone to breakage. You need to start wearing it up day and night if you can in protective styles. Pony tail holders will break our hair and cause split ends and make it harder to grow. During the day I bun or clip it up and at night I braid mine with a little coconut oil on the length daily.

That being said, pony tails were a hard habit for me to break so I recently broke down and bought some old school scrunchies. At least that way if I want a pony tail, it's less damaging.

What I did last September was get 1/2 inch off at the hair dresser to even it out, and I've been doing S&D since then. So far it's been working.

[jojo]

I am also a fine haired girl but my hair is pretty thickish, your routine sounds perfect to me. I am sure if you continue with this, you will reap the benefits very soon. I dont actually think your hair looks too bad to be totally honest!

My fine hair likes moisture too, with the occassional protein treatment thrown in, baby oil also is very good for keeping the moisture in the hair!

[DarkCurls]

When people tell you, "I like your hair best when it's down" and look at you funny when you say you do, too. Because they almost never see you when it's down.
When you tilt in weird positions in the shower to avoid feeling the cold, wet hair at the bottom of your back in winter -- but in summer, you love it.
When your friend, who thinks your hair is beautiful, also thinks you're way too obsessed about it.
----
EDIT : Oh, so sorry, I have several windows opened and accidentally posted in the wrong one. Was planning on saying something anyway, so here it is:

I don't think your hair looks bad. I love the color! It looks like it must be versatile (in sunlight or in dark, maybe it looks different colors?).
Your routine sounds fine, as does your plan to only wash every other day. You may even want to lay off a little on the baking soda -- it can be drying, and difficult to get the mixture right, though it can work for others. YMMV. I suggest you experiment a bit -- stick with this for a few weeks/months, and then look around if it's not working.
I don't think it's necessary to cut that much off, though! I really do think the dryness problem can be worked around, if it's not damage and only dryness.

[Babyfine]

My hair is very fine, very thin. 2A wavy, tends to look peic-y and stringy down at times.
I'm still tweaking my routine. I was washing every 4 days with sulfate- free shampoo but I developed scalp issues.(cradle cap!!)
I now alternate between Nioxin step 3(expensive I know) and a good sulfate free shampoo,(I like Giovanni) I shampoo every 3 days. The other days I either do second day hair(usually an updo) or CO (I like V05 Kiwi-lime).
My hair also gets damaged very easily, I just purchased some coconut oil which will be coming which I can't wait to try.
I'm hoping that it will give my ends some strength. I also like the original Mane and Tail conditioner(only use from the ears down) I do try to deep-condition every once in awhile (I also color so it needs it)

[IndigoOptimist]

I also have thin-fine hair. I wash every 3 days and although I get oily at the roots it looks no different to how it would if I were to wash everyday. I do use baking soda, but only once every month as it really dries out my ends. I do a ACV rinse every wash if I remember and I really like that. Makes my hair feel soft and smooth ^.^
I S&D, every week if I get time and I'll micro trim every 3 months or so. I don't think you need to be trimming that much every week.

[Elina]

Thank you everyone for your tips!! It's been very helpful to hear your thoughts!
So I guess I'll stop cutting my hair from now! It's just so confusing, because I read about it everywhere, how important it is to cut your hair to be able to grow it out. And I'll probably stop using the baking soda as well. Is it ok though to do a ACV rinse now and then?

What do you think about the shampoo and conditioner I'm using? (Nature's gate & Tresemme). Are they ok?

Last night I slept with a braid, and I put olive oil in the ends. I use hair ties without the metal thingie. I thought they were ok. But I also use hair clips.

[erialc]

My hair is thin and quite fine and I prefer SLS free shampoos and no silicones (no conditioner needed). The less I wash it, the happier it is (twice a week is what I normally do). If I don't need to look presentable (I study a lot from home) I just skip washing it no matter how greasy it is, and tbh, I really have no problem going out and about with somewhat greasy hair... really, who cares about what my hair looks like? I've also been sleeping with a french braid for a very long time but for some reason I think it might cause damage to the hair on the back of my skull, so I'm wearing it lose when I sleep now, to see if that might make a difference in the breakage I've noticed. I trim every 2-3 month. Micro trim. As in not even 5mm (0.2 inches). Might seem like I "care" a lot about my hair, but benign neglect really works the best. I don't like fussing about it, I'm just happy I've somewhat found what works for me :)

Also, I can't use too much coconut oil, it makes my ends crispy.

SLS shampoos are already very strong, so I honestly don't think you need baking soda as well.

Another thing that has seriously improved my previously enormous shedding is iron supplement. If you do shed quite a lot, go get a blood test done. It's very common for young girls/women to have an iron deficiency and it will affect your hair a lot. It's amaxing to see how much regrowth I have now after 6 months!

[renia22]

What do you think about the shampoo and conditioner I'm using? (Nature's gate & Tresemme). Are they ok?



Hi Elina,
My hair is fine and thin too. I think if you like the above shampoo & conditioner, keep on using it! There are a lot of conflicting opinions regarding products & hair practices, even among people with the same hair type, so if you find something you like, by all means, use it!

My likes and dislikes are as follows:

Likes:
daily washing
sulfates
coconut oil
henna/ cassia glosses
lemon
light protein conditioners
silicone free conditioners
trimming every 4-6 weeks
aloe vera
rosemary

Dislikes:
sulfate free
silicones
stretching washes
scalp oilings
baking soda
vinegar rinses/ products with vinegar in them
heavy conditioners
conditioner washing (unless to remove henna or coconut oil)
hair styling products
shampoo bars

[swearnsue]

I have fine thin hair also and what I do is when I wash my hair I put the conditioner on the length and ends and leave it in while I finish my shower. Then I add a little to the top/scalp for just a second and then rinse out. By keeping the conditioner off my scalp it reduces the greasies. Also I don't brush my hair until right before I wash it because brushing makes my hair greasy immediately!

[Immera]

I also recommend stepping back on all of that trimming. Don't obsess about the splits. I trim maybe a centimeter (if that) every two months. Just the tips, using Feye's self trim method.

Big fan of benign neglect. I wash daily with a diluted shampoo, use a super coney conditioner for slip, another coney hair serum and bun it. For me the real battle is tangles. The fewer tangles I get the less hair I tug out and the better condition for my ends. Consider getting a tangle teezer. They are great.
Check out parandas. braid one of those in and it makes your braid fuller and protects those ends. Plus you can use neat colors of yarn.

Stay away from the hairstylist chair. Save your money for neat accessories and protect yourself from an overzealous whacker. Take control. When you have long hair, there isn't anything you can't do for yourself.

When I came to the LHC I thought I was at terminal length at about 32 inches and waist length. Now I am at 37 inches and tailbone length, although really for me that's not all that much more hair, because my ends are really thin. Also stop measuring. That's a bad habit to fall into. It will grow when it grows.

Good luck.

[catamonica]

I read on line that dehydrated chopped onion & dehydrated mince onion makes your hair thicker. I have fine thick hair. I used both. I added two capfuls to my conditioner. My hair felt thicker. Original Mane & Tail Horse shampoo helped my hair grow.
41/2 days I wear my hair up. It went from waist to hip in March 2012. So it helps to wear your hair up. I have no split ends, on the end of my hair. Hope this helps

[jeanniet]

There's nothing wrong with trimming if your hair needs it, and trimming can prevent more damage--BUT you're trimming too much, too often. Your hair will just get shorter and shorter. Hair grows an average of 1/2" a month, so if you trim off 1/2" twice a month, you can see that you're ending up with a deficit of 1/2" every month! What you can do instead is to just dust the ends monthly if you feel they need it, just trimming off a tiny bit (1/8-1/4"). Or do it every other month. S & D in between. Since your hair is so fine, the best thing you can probably do for it is get it in protective hairstyles. If you don't use a sleep cap, get a silk pillowcase. I was getting a lot of damage just overnight because my hair would knot up so much. Handle it as carefully as you can. In six months, you may be surprised to see how much growth you've gotten.

[TooShort]

I really wish I had a current photo as my signature so that you could see my progress which I am very, very pleased with. My recommendation is probably one in the same as many others on the board. 1.) I recommend that you do not wash everyday even though it starts to appear oily on the next day after washing. I know this is hard to do. I have that problem too. But I have found that if I pinned it back with some cute barrettes or bobby pins into a cute style I could deal with it. I now can do a messy bun with a cute headband. This helps me go in between washes. I am lucky my bf understands the mess when I do let it down..lol. I probably wash 2 or 3 times a week. 2.) Try not trimming so often and make a day out of conditioning with the coconut oil. Let me just say I love coconut oil in a very special way. I warm up the coconut oil with by setting it in some hot water or microwave some slowly till warm. Put it on my hair, cover with plastic and a favorite scarf and least four hours or as long as I can stand it. Wash and condition as normal. I do blow dry my hair every once in awhile and when I do sometimes I will take just a tiny drop of olive oil and run it trough my hair but I would Not do it on this day. Some people like Argon oil, but I am not a big fan. 3.) Just like others on here, I do not believe in purchasing expensive shampoos or conditioners. I use Dove Intensive Repair ONLY because I could get it in the handy pump bottles. Next time, I might purchase something else a little cheaper. 4.) I also cut my own hair. Salons are to expensive. I trim my bangs/fringe maybe every 2 weeks. The back of my hair maybe 6 months and my bf does it. 5.) And probably should have been number one. But a healthy diet, exercise, and drink lots of water.

I wanted to give my opinion because when I started this journey I tended to try something off the board by the amount of like wise opinions. Good Luck.

[Elina]

Thanks for all your tips!

My hair already feels so much softer and healthier after I started to sleep with a braid (a short braid, haha) and use olive oil more frequently! I know, it's only been a couple of days but this feels promising :)

[Angelica]

I think your hair is nice already :) I am the same hair type as you, also poker straight. I trim my hair myself, about twice a year if I remember! :) It doesn't seem to grow much though, unfortunately. The shampoo I am using at the moment is NISIM FAST. I don't know if it will make my hair grow faster or not, but it seems that my hair likes it. I used to wash every day, but have changed that also. I now use dry shampoo in it during the days I don't wash. I have been using a serum in my hair at the end and on the scalp and giving it a good massage. The only reason why my hair is long, is because I don't cut it often and never visit the hairdressers now as I can trim it myself. I do wear it up though. Be cautious putting it up though, as I do believe that can cause breakages as well, so choose a nice comfortable updo that is not harsh on your hair. I don't S & D much, as I find it too obsessive and time consuming.

I hope this has been some help to you.

[Elina]

I now use dry shampoo in it during the days I don't wash.


What kind of dry shampoo are you using? I'd like to find one that doesn't contain too much crazy stuff. :)

[akilina]

If you wan't a dry shampoo that is really basic...Try baby powder. I hate baby powder smell usually so I got vanilla jasmine baby powder..It smells good and lasts forever.

[10000days]

I had coarse and thick hair with dry ends. I was sure they were terribly damaged, but I didn't cut them off and they have improved a lot.

I second this- I had the same experience (yes, I know, to all the rational thinkers it just doesn't sound right!). If you want long hair, baby it rather than cutting it.

[maborosi]

I have F/M ii hair, but I've found a couple of things that give my hair mega-smoothness and moisture-

-A good oil (I love Nightblooming's Triple Moon Oil- it's very light and soaks into my hair easily and doesn't weigh it down.)
-A good deep treatment for ends (I use Panacea Winter Salve on the bottom inch or so of my hair. It helps keep my hair from tangling and breaking)
At the end of my shower, I take a pea-sized amount of conditioner and leave it in my hair for added softness.

I apply my oil to my hair when it is damp, not totally dry, but not completely wet, either. I sleep with my hair in a silk sleeping cap- you would be amazed at how smooth and soft this can make your hair!!

Coconut oil is a great deep treatment oil!

Best of luck to you! Happy growing! :flower:

~maborosi~

[Angelica]

What kind of dry shampoo are you using? I'd like to find one that doesn't contain too much crazy stuff. :)

I've tried any sort of dry shampoo. I found just using baby powder or talc as we call it here, made the hair too static. I find that dry shampoo doesn't do this. It enables me to stretch out washes. I just use any dry shampoo really. Bumble and Bumble do a rather nice one, but it is very expensive so I buy the cheaper products for now until I can get around searching the market. Batiste is a popular brand.

[Agnes Hannah]

I've tried any sort of dry shampoo. I found just using baby powder or talc as we call it here, made the hair too static. I find that dry shampoo doesn't do this. It enables me to stretch out washes. I just use any dry shampoo really. Bumble and Bumble do a rather nice one, but it is very expensive so I buy the cheaper products for now until I can get around searching the market. Batiste is a popular brand.

ooh hair twin!!!
how long is your hair?:)

[lapushka]

Hey!

I apologise if there's already a topic about this, but I didn't find it when I searched.

You might want to try this thread. ;)
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=17115&highlight=fine+thin

[goldenlady]

Do you use a BB brush? My baby-fine hair has doubled in the amount since switching from a plastic brush.. I love it because you can put a smidge of oil on the brush (I use olive) and it distributes it evenly making it look conditioned but not greasy.

[jrmviola]

Ive always gotten great results from Fructis Gardiner 3 Minute Undo conditioner and also their Nutrient Spray. For years I shampooed with a clarifying 'poo and those three things have worked just fine for me. I recently switched brands/to oils, but my hair is now 45" and needs more than that brand gives me...

[Tattersail]

@Elina, i use tresemme naturals as co-wash, its great, my hair loves it. i try to do as little else to it as possible; the only other things i do are -use diluted tresemme naturals as leave in conditioner, -do an acv rinse maybe every week and a half and maybe if i feel like it do a very light oiling with olive oil on my ends. thats it. from reading your first post, to me, it sounds like you're doing a lot. washing with normal shampoo will dry your hair out big time; have a look at the co washing thread http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=2898&page=746 if you decide to try it make sure you clarify first; use a conditioner thats silicone free; use no more silicones on your hair at all; enjoy the results

[Panth]

Just to add another thing that no one seems to have spotted - at least going by the photo you posted and by your sig pic, you are not a 1a. 1a ia poker-straight. In both photos, there is noticeable "volume" in your hair and a very slight wave - so 1b/c at the least. It is possible that you are actually wavier than that, but that the damage and your styling methods are hiding it. You could find this out by trying the Curly Girl method for a little while. If your hair is actually wavy, you'll get much better growth and nicer, happier hair if you come to terms with that and treat it with a more wavey-specific routine.



Also - I agree with the others. As people have said, you are most likely trimming more hair off that you are growing as the average growth is 0.5" per month. It is a myth of conventional haircare that hair needs constant trims to be able to grow. You only need constant trims if you are trying to maintain a style or length - however, hairdressers need you to have constant trims no matter what, otherwise they don't have an income. Actually, you only need to trim if a) you have splits or fairy knots, b) if you have tangling that won't go away with clarifying or chelating (i.e. is not due to build-up) or c) if you are trying to keep a blunt hemline. Even then, you only need to trim just enough to do any of these things. Many people here don't trim at all, or just S&D (search and destroy - just cutting off splits or fairy knots from individual hairs if you see them). Others trim maybe 1/2" or so every 3 months, or microtrim (1/4" or less) more regularly.

I also agree about the baking soda - it is VERY harsh. Some people use it to clarify (i.e. remove product build-up) but IMO it is as harsh or even worse than SLS-containing shampoos marketed as clarifying shampoos. Also, unless you are using serious quantities of product you shouldn't need to clarify more than monthly (and if you do, a better solution would be to cut back on the product usage or switch products to reduce the build-up). Baking soda is alkaline and skin and scalp likes an acidic pH, so if you do still want to use baking soda you should ALWAYS follow it up with a vinegar rinse (1 teaspoon vinegar to 1 medium glass of water is good - use at the end of your washing, you don't need to rinse it out, the smell will go as your hair dries). However, acidic rinses are good for hair anyway (provided they are not too strong) as they return the scalp to its optimum pH but also smooth down the cuticle of the hair, promoting shine and reducing tangling and damage. So, by all means keep up the acid rinses.

Finally, I suspect that your flat, stringy, greasy problem may be due to overwashing and that stretching washes might help. It sounds counter-intuitive, but on many people the "constant greasy hair" problem is actually due to constant use of harsh shampoos (or baking soda!) which strips off natural oils/sebum, resulting in the scalp going into over-drive to replace it, resulting in greasy hair. Stretching washes and using gentler shampoos can reduce this problem, though you will have to do it slowly and you will probably go through a transition phase where the hair looks worse for a few weeks.
(Note: on a few people, stretching washes doesn't work - so although it is a very good idea to try it, don't feel too awful if after a good, well-informed try it just doesn't work.)

[cranberrymoonz]

If you are serious about growing, practise some benign neglect. Because your hair is very fine, it is readily overloaded and probably builds up easily. Try to find a conditioner without cones or protein that is moisturising but not oveloading and a shampoo that is just strong enough to cleanse the hair but not dry it out. (I don't know about american brands). Wash&condition your hair every other day, put it up in between. Lightly oil before washing. Don't do anything else. Don't fiddle with your hair. Put your scissors away and forget about them for a few months.

I do reccommend looking into catnip rinses, cassia treatments and henna glosses. They can help to strengthen and slightly thicken up the hair.

[dic00000]

Great tips thank you everyone!

[snolol]

I have fine thin hair also. I am an ii but just barely. First off you are cutting off all your growth and then some. Most hair grows 1/2 inch a month. Also baking soda is very drying and way too high in ph (that's why most people rinse with vinegar after using baking soda to clarify). You are on the right track to start stretching washes. I use coconut oil on my ends as well as all over the night before I wash. I shampoo with a shampoo bar twice a week. Then a dilute vinegar rinse. Once a week I soak my hair in a catnip tea to condition and prevent split ends for an hour then rinse. I don't even use conditioner, just the catnip and vinegar rinses. I haven't trimmed in a year and 4 months. I have very few split ends and am getting 1/2 an inch per month growth. Happy growing!

Posts like this give me hope! Your hair typing is exactly like mine.
Mine seems to be growing about a quarter of an inch each month, though I have quite a few splits / scraggly bits so I'm probably just not noticing more growth.
I'll try out some of the techniques in your routine!
Ill be