What Are Your "Best Practices" for Growing Healthy Hair?

[GrowingGlory]

After a recent cut, I am planning to maintain for a while, then grow my hair to shoulder or longer (maybe back to term). What "best practices" do you employ to keep your hair healthy?

[Vanille_]

I think the best for me is benign neglect. I put it up everyday and don't think about it. I mean sometimes I'm so neglectful that I don't wash it for four-five days (if I'm not leaving the house). The bonus for benign neglect is that you don't really notice it growing so you just look in the mirror sometimes and go, "Damn it's getting long! When did that happen?"

ETA: I'm sure that can be annoying to hear when your hair is much shorter, but it's all I can really say. I honestly am skeptical about anything that claims to make your hair grow faster. I don't oil or do anything special at all and my hair seems to grow fast enough. I went from BSL to hip in about a year and a half and that was fast enough for me.

[lydiajo]

I'm interested to see what others post. For me the most important thing is to not cause physical abuse to my hair. I'm at waist moving on to classic.

[starlamelissa]

Use products that work, not ones that sound like they should work. I am a cone head all the way!

[GrowingGlory]

Benign neglect sounds great. I don't have any trouble avoiding mechanical damage, but want to avoid breakage and splits. Which products do you recommend?

[Vanille_]

Benign neglect sounds great. I don't have any trouble avoiding mechanical damage, but want to avoid breakage and splits. Which products do you recommend?

A lot of people have good luck with putting coconut oil on the ends of their hair or even brushing the length of you hair with coconut oil. Just put a very little bit in and blend it with a boar bristle brush.

[longNred]

For me, my best practice, is to keep it as tangle free as possible. Primarily at night. Braiding or bunning works well for me, keeps it from becoming a rats nest overnight and saves me from having to wash it daily to look presentable. Cutting down greatly on that mechanical damage. No ripping through knots, no drying out due to excessive washing or use of product. This has made the most difference for me, definitely.

I also agree with using products that really work for your hair. This takes time to figure out, and may vary greatly from what works for others. Mostly a trial and error thing, but worth it when you figure it out.

[Long_hair_bear]

A lot of people have good luck with putting coconut oil on the ends of their hair or even brushing the length of you hair with coconut oil. Just put a very little bit in and blend it with a boar bristle brush.

Vanille is right! Coconut oil as a prewash has saved me from many a trim. I apply it 8-12 hours before shampooing, then braid it. The tangle teezer and wearing your hair up help save the ends too.

[kelly20364]

stretching shampoos, only trimming every 6months, oiling my ends, no heat, wearing hair up, and SMTs---it's what works for me :)

[GrowingGlory]

Thanks! I can't wear hair up or in a braid because my head hurts too much, but I don't use heat and have been oiling my scalp and hair. I'm planning to have my hair cut every six months or as needed. What else can you suggest?

[Naiadryade]

For me...

- Keep it moisturized at all times! So far this looks like olive and rice bran oils on my length and ends, castor and sweet almond oils with a dash of jojoba on my scalp and ends, Shea Moisture Deep Treatment Masque as a leave-in, and I'm experimenting with different deep treatments. A heavy coconut oiling 24 hours before my last wash seemed to help a lot.
- Put it up or braid it if I'm sleeping or doing anything active or friction/tangle-increasing. I regret it if I don't! My hair damages real easy.
- Do a little S&D every day. Otherwise the splits really take over my hair within a week or two, and make me gain length a lot slower!
- Use very gentle washing methods, infrequently. I wash once a week. Lately I've been really enjoying Shea Moisture's Moisture Retention Shampoo, but egg and egg/clay washes have worked very well for me. Pure clay washes and Terresentials have both been nice, though I needed to moisturize more with these.

Ta-da!

[kidari]

For me it's not really what you do to your hair but more importantly what you DON'T do. The biggest things for me was stopping damaging things to my hair including heat styling, teasing, use of hairsprays, anything involving bleach, etc. I wish I could stop dying it also but I'm too young to let my hair go salt and pepper, so I only do my roots when it's bad. It's fun to grow out healthy long hair and I love the therm "hair growth journey." As it grows longer, you find new styles, discover new and better methods of care, and discover effective products and/or natural remedies along the way. Don't go too crazy and get too obsessed though, it should be easy and fun.

[GrowingGlory]

Thanks! I've heard a lot of good things about Shea Mousture lately, and it is inexpensive, too.

[starlamelissa]

I recommend suave sleek shampoo, condish and leave in cream. And a travel size bottle of baby oil to seal in the moisture on damp hair, only a few droplets.

I don't think frequent shampooers need to fuss with clarifying. I wash every other day with my full strength shampoo and I don't get build up. And remember more money spent does not equal happier/ longer hair! Hair clips and claws can be bought at the dollar store, a good comb and brush are pretty inexpensive, I've found decent brushes at the grocery store!

Try to stay away from hair tools that use heat, if it can burn skin....it isn't doing your hair favors!

[CaityBear]

For me, when I had long hair before, it was slightly benign neglect. I used conditioner (I CO) that worked, oiled the ends so they didn't dry out and sometimes used a homemade leave in conditioner. I always wore my hair up because it tangled so easily while down. Hmm, I don't think I did much else. Basically just made sure my hair wasn't dry which meant sometimes using more oil or heavily saturating my hair with hair cream for a little treatment before I showered.

I cut it all off last April and now I'm almost at shoulder length so my habits are a bit differently. My worst habit is always having it in a ponytail with a headband every single day for work (I'm not used to my hair being down and tickling my neck...) though I do try to keep it free from the ponytail every chance I get so it doesn't wear my hair. I still CO but I've started to do rinses EVERY time. I've gone back from and forth between tea and ACV. I used ACV for a while and it made my hair super silky soft but then I ran out and started using tea and it made my hair super soft. I've just gone back to ACV though and it doesn't seem to feel as silky soft......but anyway. I also like to use a leave in conditioner sometimes just because......not necessarily because my hair needs it. I also have this body aloe spray stuff that I sometimes use on my hair.

[KAggs]

When I first started to seriously grow out my hair, I stopped using heating tools. I think that's what greatly improved the health of my hair overall. Sure I switch shampoos and conditioners and even introduced my hair to coconut oil. Losing the heat was the kicker to healthier hair for me!

[ravenreed]

Listening to my hair works for me. If it has splits, I trim it. If it is dry, I moisturize it. If it grabby and tangly, I clarify.

[ghost]

*Massaging my scalp each night
*Lots of moisture -I use a moisturizing conditioner, deep condition once a week, use a little oil on the length every day for manageability and do a deep oiling whenever I think I need it.
*My hair seems to like being rinsed with beer
*Braiding at night, and bunning for work (so 4-5 days out of the week) and dance classes
*Sleeping on a satin pillowcase
*Microtrimming (no more than 1/2 inch!) every 2-3 months. It will probably be every 4-6 months as I straighten out my U-shaped hemline and get rid of some of the splits that are higher up my length.
*arc691, who has super long hair, recommends eating a spoonful of peanut butter every day, and I love peanut butter...so who am I to turn down her good advice? :p
*On a similar note, eating and drinking things that grow to encourage my hair to grow! Lots of vegetables and fruit, and water or tea. And I take supplements.

[lmfbs]

Be healthy on the inside, S&D. Give your hair what it needs. If it likes protein, or moisture or oils, give it that. Put it up, protect it, don't add additional damage by being rough, heat etc.

[Suze2012]

I grew my hair a long time before i found LHC.

I used the benign neglect method - I quit getting trims as each time i did go for a trim they would cut off any growth.

[LadyCelestina]

Eat a good and balanced diet and wear your hair up as much as you can and find enjoyable.Also,cutting down on heat and chemical processing helps.I blow dry my hair on low most of the times,it's less damaging than sleeping/going out with sopping wet hair,but I make sure I give it a break from that once in a while and air dry it.

Treating it gently goes without saying :).

[LadyCelestina]

Double post

[GrowingGlory]

Thank you for your collective wisdom. Please keep it coming!

[WaitingSoLong]

The ones I actually employ and cannot see myself abandoning:

Silk pillowcases/sleep caps and anything to reduce friction on hair.

Keeping hair up most the time...this keeps washing down to a minimum and tangles out. Detangling is a huge cause of hair abuse for me!

Never EVER use a curling iron or flat iron or whatever iron. Never.

Don't dye/bleach/highlight.

Detangling as carefully as possible.

Not using ponytail holders. (stress breakage)

Avoiding mechanical damage from sitting on it, snagging on things, etc. I am very clothes conscious since my hair has gotten longer. I won't wear certain fabrics and zippers are NOT my friend, even buttons, especially if hair is braided. Braided hair + zippers = breakage every time.

I think hair can take some abuse but heat styling and chemicals are probably the most tabboo. They permanently alter the hair shaft.

[lydiajo]

Benign neglect sounds great. I don't have any trouble avoiding mechanical damage, but want to avoid breakage and splits. Which products do you recommend?

Catnip tea has cut down on my splits. Actually I didn't see any last time I was able to get a good look. I use it as a soak the day before and of washing as it seems to coat my hair and build up. Also a coconut user.

[Long_hair_bear]

If you can't easily braid it or wear it up, make sure you cover it when going outside, especially if its windy. This helps prevent alot of tangles. You may think this is "no duh" type advice, but I can't tell you how many gals I've seen with their long hair out in the cold, biting wind.

Try not to brush or comb your hair while wet. If you must, be EXTREMELY gentle.

If you're like me and are terrified of trimming your own hair, find a GREAT hair dresser. Not a good one, a great one! Your hair deserves the best. Don't get one that tries to push you to cut it.

You don't necessarily HAVE to go cone free. I know some peeps here frown upon them, but some peoples hair just needs them. Trust me, I tried to go cone free for a few months. My hair hated it!

[Vintagecoilylocks]

I'm interested to see what others post. For me the most important thing is to not cause physical abuse to my hair. I'm at waist moving on to classic.

This was thre greatest factor for me. Very fine delicate hair that was being defeated all my life with combs, brushes, chemicals and heat.

[lazuliblue]

Eat Eat Eat! Having been very ill with anorexia, nothing has done my hair more good than being at a healthy weight and eating a balanced diet. Getting enough protein is essential for healthy hair (and I'm a vegetarian trying to be as vegan as possible, so you don't need to eat meat ;))

The other thing I would say is stay away from heat styling as much as possible. I use straighteners twice a week at the most on just a few difficult bits of hair, and try to refrain from blow drying.

[GrowingGlory]

Thank you. I just wanted to clarify that since I don't heat style, brush, braid, ponytail, etc. that most sources of mechanical damage are absent. But not all! There is still finger-combing, combing, massaging my scalp and finger-combing while shampooing, rubbing against clothing and bedding, friction from the inside of my Winter hat, etc. I try not to cause breakage or splitting but I suppose that some is inevitable.

I've been taking organic coconut oil by mouth and it really helps. I'm drinking three cups of Miruvor tea each day, and two cups of green tea with matcha. I eat a balanced diet in accordance with My Healthy Plate and drink plenty of spring water. It's challenging to do, and I don't do it perfectly, but I think that there is enough protein and silica to build healthy hair.

[nobeltonya]

Frequent micro-trims to maintain the ends, regular oiling/scalp massage every other night. I don't like to wear it up, but if it's super windy, cold or hot I put it up or braid it. I sleep with it in a nautilus bun to keep my husband and sons [we co-sleep] from laying on it.. otherwise, I wash every morning [I've been using Indian shampoos for years now..], use lots of conditioner, and a leave-in, comb wet [from bottom up with a wide-tooth comb.. no more ripping through with brushes!], wet bun [or braid.. wet is the only way I can braid my hair]. Also, eating a healthy diet [as opposed to McD's from years ago..]. :disco:

[Tristania]

Zero heat, minimal handling while wet, occasional deep-treatments with your oil of choice (I prefer coconut or olive).

[Firefly]

What's your hair type?

[melusine963]

- Braids and updos
- No more heat styling
- Gentle treatment
- Coconut oil

[Anje]

For me:
-Put hair up/in a braid most of the time by day. Sleep bonnet by night.
-Keep hair moisturized. In my case, that means lots of conditioner, no protein, and just a drop or two of oil distributed through the length after washing.
-Comb S L O W L Y and start at the ends. Do not detangle hair when upset.
-Trim just enough to keep the ends from getting thinned out. I've got sprinter hairs....

That's pretty much all I do with my hair. Most of growing healthy hair is on the Don't List.

[rowie]

What works for me:

-Coconut oiling my ends whenever it feels dry
-No heat styling, not even a blow dryer set on cool
-wear hair up or wear braids most of the time
-coconut oiling and braiding my hair before going to bed, if not then a top knot
-use fingers to detangle and collect loose shed hairs first before using my wooden comb then tangle teezer
-use fingers instead of a comb to distribute conditioners evenly
-air drip dry hair all day
-wash hair once a week
-flip hair to the front before I sit on a chair or sofa, only when my hair is in an English braid
-I practice all of these consitently, and then I ignore my hair

[Naiadryade]

Do not detangle hair when upset.

:laugh: I love this! I teach kids to carve wood, and one of our knife safety rules is don't handle a knife when you're upset. Definitely don't combine the two if you're upset either!! :hatchet:

[jacqueline101]

Monistat it's helped mine to grow a lot and boar Bristol brush is great and oils are cool.

[GrowingGlory]

Thanks, everybody! I think that my hair type is 1C, C, iii.

[Shepherdess]

Pretty much what many others have said already. I try to be very gentle with my hair and keep it up most of the time. I avoid all heat (this time of year I do use a blow drier on the lowest setting after applying oil to my hair, so it dries quicker and won't freeze when I go places; I can hold the blow drier on this setting against my hand without it being too hot). I have been experimenting for quite some time now, so I have found that different oils affect my hair in different ways. I would suggest trying different oils over a period of time for each and see which works best for your hair. Grapeseed oil makes my hair look thinner (I think because it clumps my hair together more), and coconut oil almost makes my hair feel a bit drier (I'm guessing because it is wintertime and the temperature makes the oil turn solid, even in the house). So olive oil mixed with castor has seemed to be the best mix for my hair (I usually apply it while my hair is wet). I also apply a aloe vera mixture to my hair each day. I only wash my hair about once a week to keep from damaging it too frequently (I clean my scalp more frequently to keep it clean, but I avoid washing the length too much).

Basic rules I would say should be:

-Gentleness while caring for it (detangling gently, and being careful while it is wet since hair is most brittle wet).
-Protecting it (by giving moister and putting it in updos and braids each day).
-Eat healthy and exercise some.
-Lots and lots of patience.

[Miss Maisie]

Throwing away my flat iron and buying a tangle teezer were the two things that helped most. My hair is super floaty and tangly, so finger combing and detangling was a total nightmare. I'd get one section done, and all the sections I'd already done would be tangled again. The tangle teezer is amazing!

[GrowingGlory]

I've heard lots of good things about the Tangle Teezer but since I already have a wide-toothed horn comb, I just use that.

[mleung]

mostly what i do has already been said. i think a lot of it depends on your hair & lifestyle in addition to the basics of being gentle & avoiding heat.

i swim most days, so i've found that soaking my length in coconut oil in addition to the swim cap really helps protect my hair from the chlorine. i know some people who only dry their hair with an old T-shirt since it's smoother & won't snag your hair as much. i also try & vary my hairstyles so that i reduce the amount of stress breakage & hair pulling out of my hairline.

best of luck with your growing process!

[GrowingGlory]

Thank you so much!

[Iolanthe13]

Best practices? Catnip rinses, sulfate-free shampoo, mineral oil leave-ins, stretching washes (how long depends on the season), and frequent S&Ding with the sharpest shears possible. Hair worn up at all times with smooth hair toys, ribbons and/or paranda (no bobby pins or elastics).

Most of that is horrendously impractical for me at the moment, so I use sulfates, cones, and benign neglect, along with microtrims about once a month. I do keep my hair up nearly all of the time, but I switch between hair toys, pins and the occasional elastic. I have more splits this way, but I'm still gaining length, and the hair feels smooth and soft.

[Lalital]

Putting your hair up when out most times is very important to protect the ends. I practically have no breakage on my ends any more.

[GrowingGlory]

I'd like to do that when my hair becomes longer. I just haven't found a style and hair tools that allow me to wear my hair up comfortably yet.

[SunlightShines]

After reading thru all the posts, I noticed that mleung mentioned to use something other than regular towels. Is a regular towel damaging if you wrap it around your head while dressing and such? I've seen microfiber towels in the dollar stores and wonder if they would be a better choice?

[lydiajo]

I've started using the T shirt method instead of a towel. This video explains it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnSkraTN5W0

[leilasahhar]

Nourish your roots! I use Redwood Roots mist, it moisturizes my scalp, helps my hair grow faster (especially during the cold) and makes my hair feel strong.

[GrowingGlory]

I used to use a microfiber towel but now air dry exclusively to avoid damage.

[rainfortheend]

I've been dealing with Accutane-related hair loss (which has lessened a lot!) and here are the things that have worked for me:

All of the sulfate free shampoos I've tried have left residue on my hair: I use Brilliant Brunette Moisturizing Shampoo, diluted heavily with water and in a foaming pump bottle so I don't have to use a lot of it.
Green tea rinses with honey and lemon to balance pH. The caffeine stimulates the scalp.
Nioxin Hair Booster and Scalp Treatment (use this sporadically)
I only use a wide tooth comb when it's wet (and I put pressure on the root of the hair so it doesn't tug at it, just combing the ends.) And when it's dry I finger comb.
I used to wash every day, but now I try to stretch it to every 2-3 days (I have oily hair)
My hair is low porosity so oils just sit on top of it... I wish they worked for me!

Hope this helps!

[GrowingGlory]

Thanks! I've found that some oils penetrate and seem to do some good while others just sit on the surface. Oiling my ends while my hair is damp makes them drier. Go figure. I have quixotic hair.

[earthnut]

The usual no heat, no dye, to teasing, no bleach.
Try to treat it like "antique lace". Comb/brush only when covered or conditioner or bone dry. Finger comb when possible, comb or brush only if necessary. Use a gentle comb/brush. My favorites are a wide tooth wood comb and a tangle teezer brush. Keep the hair out from under straps, etc. Updos help a lot for protecting your ends from most daytime damage. Wear loose hats like berets rather than tight ones like winter beanies.

To avoid breakage and split ends, oils the ends and keep your hair in updos that hide the ends. Treat your hair gently.
To reduce dryness, frizz, and split ends, use a lot less shampoo (or none) and a lot more conditioner. Go for longer between shampoos. Oil your hair.

I also rarely cut, I sleep on a satin pillowcase, and I never rub my hair dry or use a hairdryer. (I wrap it for a while then air dry, click "plop" in my sig for details)
And I stay off hair care forums for periods of time. When I'm on here too much, I start obsessing about my hair and do to much with it. When I go away, my hair grows without me noticing it because I'm not thinking about it as much. :)

[earthnut]

Oiling when wet doesn't do as much to my hair as oiling when dry either. :) I made a spreadsheet of different oils that might interest you. Oils with more saturated fats penetrate the hair more. Mono unsaturated fats penetrate the hair somewhat and polyunsaturated fats don't penetrate the hair much. Jojoba oil is a liquid wax and mineral oil is not natural, and both don't penetrate hardly at all.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AojS7E2gXDbndDhPNWZ3NXRkbjFpNjY5ZlZyUzVUR Xc&usp=sharing

[earthnut]

I find microfiber is worse than a regular towel. I like using smooth cotton for drying my hair (like a tshirt or pillowcase) but a regular towel will work fine too, as long as I don't *rub* my hair with it. Patting, squeezing, and wrapping hair with a regular towel is fine. The key is to make less friction on your hair. I don't rub my hair with the smooth cotton either for that matter.

[GrowingGlory]

Thank you so much, Earthnut! You are a treasure trove.

[domisimone]

Cones, benign neglect, and oil rinsing with coconut and olive oil!

[GrowingGlory]

Once I used a product containing cones and I could actually taste chemicals in my mouth. It was disgusting and I returned the product.

[cathair]

Oiling when wet doesn't do as much to my hair as oiling when dry either. :) I made a spreadsheet of different oils that might interest you. Oils with more saturated fats penetrate the hair more. Mono unsaturated fats penetrate the hair somewhat and polyunsaturated fats don't penetrate the hair much. Jojoba oil is a liquid wax and mineral oil is not natural, and both don't penetrate hardly at all.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AojS7E2gXDbndDhPNWZ3NXRkbjFpNjY5ZlZyUzVUR Xc&usp=sharing

I thought I heard somewhere that coconut oil was the only oil that could penetrate hair, have I got that wrong? Does that mean that something like palm oil is actually more penetrating than coconut oil, because it has more saturated fat? I would love to learn more about how this works but not really sure where to start.

[RavenBaby]

stretching shampoos, only trimming every 6months, oiling my ends, no heat, wearing hair up, and SMTs---it's what works for me :)

Is stretching shampoos/hair washing really good for hair? I really want to know for sure because I am trying this at the moment and my hair is very dry in general.

[earthnut]

Is stretching shampoos/hair washing really good for hair? I really want to know for sure because I am trying this at the moment and my hair is very dry in general.

Yes. Wet hair is fragile and more prone to breakage. Shampoo and to a lesser extent hot water strips oils from your hair and causes hair to be dry. The less you handle your hair, particularly in its wet fragile state, the less breakage you'll have.

[ladylowtide]

The DON'TS
1. If it aint split don't cut it! (1.75 years without a single snip has gotten me from shoulder to mid back.)
2. No heat. EVER.
3. No chemical processing. OF ANY KIND (especially bleach!). (preferably, but if you hate your virgin color, why bother growing out, so dye away!)
4. Do not Roughly detangle your hair.
5. Don't use sulfates (except if you still use cones or other products that build up).

THE DOs
1. Moisture: the shea moisture deep treatment masque is the best thing I've found for my hair on all of LHC. Bar none.
2. Put up and away!
3. Learn to love it the way it is! This keeps you from doing bad things to your hair more than anything else.
4. Take good care of your health and body. The hair will follow.

[GrowingGlory]

Ladylowtide, I wish that I had heard of Shea Moisture masque several years ago.

[earthnut]

Coconut oil isn't the only penetrating oil, but it's by far the most studied of the saturated oils. Most oils penetrate the hair to some extent. The only one I know of that doesn't penetrate at all is mineral oil, which isn't a natural oil with normal fatty acids.

As well as the amount of saturation, the size of the fatty acids helps determine penetration ability too. Smaller saturated fats like lauric acid, prevalent in coconut and palm kernel oil, penetrate better than larger saturated fats like stearic acid, prevalent in shea butter.

Coconut oil, palm kernel oil, and babassu oil all have very similar fatty acid profile and should have very similar penetration ability.
babassu oil has 50% lauric acid (saturated), 20% myristic acid (saturated), 11% palmitic acid (saturated), 4% stearic acid (saturated), 10% oleic acid (monounsaturated).
coconut oil (virgin & refined) has 7% caprylic acid (saturated), 7% capric acid (saturated), 48% lauric acid (saturated), 19% myristic acid (saturated), 9% palmitic acid (saturated), 3% stearic acid (saturated), 7% oleic acid (monounsaturated)
palm kernel oil has 4% capric acid (saturated), 48% lauric acid (saturated), 16% myristic acid (saturated), 8% palmitic acid (saturated), 3% stearic acid (saturated), 15% oleic acid (monounsaturated)
Based on those numbers, coconut oil should be the most penetrating, but the difference is so minor, I doubt it makes any difference in real use.

FYI, palm oil has a very different fatty acid profile than palm kernel oil. It should be a lot less penetrating, though still moderately penetrating.
palm oil has 45% palmitic acid (saturated), 4% stearic acid (saturated), 40% oleic acid (monounsaturated), 10% linoleic acid (polyunsaturated)

[ladylowtide]

Ladylowtide, I wish that I had heard of Shea Moisture masque several years ago.

I know right! All the messing around with oils... none of them worked as good as the shea moisture masque. Never had something make such a huge difference in my hair without being heavy and making it look dirty. I wish I could tell the whole world about how great it is!

[Naiadryade]

I know right! All the messing around with oils... none of them worked as good as the shea moisture masque. Never had something make such a huge difference in my hair without being heavy and making it look dirty. I wish I could tell the whole world about how great it is!

Goddess, me too! I'm singing on cloud 9 now, and I've only been using it a couple weeks. Weeee!

Edited to add, with gusto: My hair is so moisturized now that it's actually acting like it wants protein--it's stretchy. I'm like, "hair, do I know you?" but I'm not complaining!!

[GrowingGlory]

Maybe I'll look for it online. I've never seen it in a store.

[Naiadryade]

Maybe I'll look for it online. I've never seen it in a store.

I got mine at Target.

From their website:

Our products continue to be available online at Target.com, CVS.com, Walgreens.com, and Harmondiscount.com.

They can also be found at all Walgreens stores and select Target, CVS, Bed Bath & Beyond, Buy Buy Baby, Christmas Tree Shops, Harmon Face Values, Duane Reade and Meijer stores.

[SunlightShines]

I just looked online and found Shea Moisture - Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment Masque listed at Target in store. :)

Growing Glory: Did you stop using microfiber towels because of damage they were causing or just for damage control overall?

[chen bao jun]

I agree with everyone else about the no heat and the updoes and satin/silk pillowcase or scarf at night.

Other than that:
the most important thing anyone ever told me was when my sister said to make sure I was conditioning ALL my hair, not just the canopy. I thought that I had a different texture underneath, but no products ever penetrated there. I've learned to part my hair and moisturize or condition from underneath up.

the next most important thing was learning my porosity. I'm low porosity and had to learn to use heat and pre-poo to get moisture into my hair. I had very dry hair with products sitting uselessly on top before I learned this.

I only finger detangle now and only do that when I wash. That's helped amazingly. No comb, no brush.

I drink rooibos tea and moisturize my dry scalp with a mixture of jamaican black castor oil, burdock root oil and peppermint essential oil, too.
I spritz with aloe vera juice to control frizz and always SMT before each wash. I think aloe vera is a miracle product.
My favorite oil is extra virgin olive but I also like avocado a lot. Coconut can make my hair crunchy.
Oh--almost forgot to add--I have very damaged ends and am finding protein treatments a life saver (I'm not ready to cut). I use Joico K-pak every other wash. (I wash once a week).

[TheMechaGinger]

Get a tangle teezer! It's a much more gentle way to detangle hair and has massively increased the amount of time I can go between trims. I'm also a cone lover, they provide great slip so tangles are hardly a problem either. I use a serum called silk drops by fx but I also use coconut oil in my ends as well

[Mesmerise]

I guess the thing is... everyone's hair is different! I never saw a split end until after I started dyeing my hair and stuff back in school (before that I would hear classmates talk about them and think "what on earth is a split end??"). I guess this means I'm not too fussed about mechanical damage (from regular handling/brushing etc.) as it never caused me damage back when I had virgin hair as a kid (although I didn't wash frequently in those pre-puberty days either).

Right now I am just practicing benign neglect. Which means... I'm pretty much doing nothing! I have been washing with Dr. Bronner's and rinsing with diluted ACV every couple of days. I wear my hair up. Sometimes I put some stuff in my hair (just cause I have stuff around the house I want to use up... sometimes leave in conditioner, sometimes coconut oil...sometimes I don't bother with anything). My goal is to trim my hair 1cm in May, and then trim off 1cm every two months after that until January when I will cut back to waist (as I presume my hair will be past waist by then). I WOULD be trimming less, except I have pathetic, tapered ends so I'm not bothering with growth so much now... I just want to get it to waist so I can maintain it there. (That will happen in the next few months).

Back in the past, growing my hair always involved pretty much leaving it alone for several months at a time and then getting the occasional trim (although I did more damaging stuff then).

Now, I'm growing out my virgin hair and I'm not heat styling at all (although I suffered through a few days of crimping earlier in the year for a play... and I've definitely got damage now that I didn't have before).

[McFearless]

A very clean scalp is absolutely necessary for my hair to grow its best. A diet that isn't lacking in sufficient protein and vegetables. Delicate handling of the hair I have, including a gentle washing method and protective hair styles. Taking care of my mental health is also very important.

[McFearless]

Is stretching shampoos/hair washing really good for hair? I really want to know for sure because I am trying this at the moment and my hair is very dry in general.If your hair is dry it needs moisture, so I wouldn't shy away from getting it wet with either a spray bottle or a shower rinse and it would be a good idea to seal in the moisture with a few drops of oil. You could look into conditioner-only washes also.

[Angel Barchild]

I think the most important thing is to experiment and find what works for your hair. For me stretch washing was a nightmare. I did it for a year and a half and all I got was hair that looked horrible every other day. :( I love sulfates in my shampoo, I tried sulfate free and was very greasy. Vinegar made my hair feel like straw but I love coconut oil. Some people can go with benign neglect, some people have high maintenance hair. Play around until you find the best thing for you. Oh and the most important thing, try to find something to love about your hair every step of the way. Enjoy the short, medium and long, they each have their own charm.

[GrowingGlory]

SunlightShines: I wasn't sure whether or not it was ruffling up my cuticle so I just skip it and air dry.

Chen Bao Jun: What are you using pre-poo?

[GrowingGlory]

I don't really have tangles. I comb dry hair only with a wide-toothed comb. Stretching washes only works for me if my hair is saturated with sebum. Otherwise it just gets drier and drier. It will be in excellent health overall next week after my haircut.

[EndlessSunshine]

Eat lots of healthy fats, drink lots of water, eat fruit and vegetables, don't skimp on protien. Keep y9urscalp clean by wasuing, scritching, or whatever you prefer. Oil your length lightly as needed,wear hair up mostly. I currently am stretching washes so I smp everyday. :)

[LadyCelestina]

Is stretching shampoos/hair washing really good for hair? I really want to know for sure because I am trying this at the moment and my hair is very dry in general.
Well I have the feeling it's actually supposed to help you not dry your hair out by washing it too much...

[cathair]

Coconut oil isn't the only penetrating oil, but it's by far the most studied of the saturated oils. Most oils penetrate the hair to some extent. The only one I know of that doesn't penetrate at all is mineral oil, which isn't a natural oil with normal fatty acids.

As well as the amount of saturation, the size of the fatty acids helps determine penetration ability too. Smaller saturated fats like lauric acid, prevalent in coconut and palm kernel oil, penetrate better than larger saturated fats like stearic acid, prevalent in shea butter.

Coconut oil, palm kernel oil, and babassu oil all have very similar fatty acid profile and should have very similar penetration ability.
babassu oil has 50% lauric acid (saturated), 20% myristic acid (saturated), 11% palmitic acid (saturated), 4% stearic acid (saturated), 10% oleic acid (monounsaturated).
coconut oil (virgin & refined) has 7% caprylic acid (saturated), 7% capric acid (saturated), 48% lauric acid (saturated), 19% myristic acid (saturated), 9% palmitic acid (saturated), 3% stearic acid (saturated), 7% oleic acid (monounsaturated)
palm kernel oil has 4% capric acid (saturated), 48% lauric acid (saturated), 16% myristic acid (saturated), 8% palmitic acid (saturated), 3% stearic acid (saturated), 15% oleic acid (monounsaturated)
Based on those numbers, coconut oil should be the most penetrating, but the difference is so minor, I doubt it makes any difference in real use.

FYI, palm oil has a very different fatty acid profile than palm kernel oil. It should be a lot less penetrating, though still moderately penetrating.
palm oil has 45% palmitic acid (saturated), 4% stearic acid (saturated), 40% oleic acid (monounsaturated), 10% linoleic acid (polyunsaturated)

Thank you so much for this detailed explanation. I had to do a little more research and ask my brother how has been studying biology a few things in an attempt to understand properly :) Which took me a couple of days, so sorry for my delayed response.

I am going attempt to summarize what I have learnt and see if I can fit it in with what you have told me please correct me if I have gone wrong somewhere. I was ok at science at school, but this is stretching a bit now :)

Saturated fats are straight carbon chains with the available bonds around chain taken up with hydrogen. Unsaturated fats have one or more double bond between carbons in the chain causing a kink at the point of double bond. This makes them less uniform in shape so they don't pack together as densely, resulting in lower melting point (which I guess is why coconut oil is solid?).

Is this what you mean by saturated fats being smaller? Because they are more uniform in shape?

So this means that the oil with the greatest total percentage of saturated fats (lauric + myristic + palmitic + stearic acids) should be the most penetrating?

So now I am wondering, if the smaller fatty acids penetrate better, is that because the uniformly shaped saturated fats acids are small enough to reach the inner cortex for the hair through the cuticles? Or something else?

I am very curious about this, since I have been using Ojon products, which my hair loves and I would like to be able to replicate this effect more cheaply. I realise coconut oil is probably the best bet, but I can't stand the smell of the cheap coconut oil, cold pressed is nearly as expensive as Ojon anyway, so looking for alternatives. Ojon stuff ha a huge amount of oils in it, but main one they talk about is 'Ojon Oil', which is supposed to be some rare rainforest plant, so they say in their marketing stuff (ick, like I want to help destroy the rainforest!). When I look up Ojon Oil, I find this:


Ojon oil extracted from the nut of the American palm (Elaeis oleifera). Oil extracted from both the nut and husk is also used as an edible oil in Central and South America. Commercialized by a Canadian businessman in the 1990s.

One of the ingredients in the shampoo is Palm Kernal Oil, so between this quote and the ingredients list I am going to guess that's what Ojon oil is. I have been trying to learn about it's properties, so I could attempt to blend a shampoo and conditioner that are similar.

It looks from your list are probably the only three, Coconut oil, palm kernel oil, and babassu oil, that contain enough saturated fats to have the effect I want?

[GrowingGlory]

Don't postpone a cut or trim to remove damage. Pay now or pay later.

[earthnut]

Saturated fats are straight carbon chains with the available bonds around chain taken up with hydrogen. Unsaturated fats have one or more double bond between carbons in the chain causing a kink at the point of double bond. This makes them less uniform in shape so they don't pack together as densely, resulting in lower melting point (which I guess is why coconut oil is solid?).

Is this what you mean by saturated fats being smaller? Because they are more uniform in shape?
No. The size (length) of the fatty acid is separate from the shape of the fatty acid. Saturated and unsaturated fats have different shapes because, as you say, unsaturated fats have kinks. The straighter the molecule, the better it should be able to penetrate the hair shaft. Straight saturated fats penetrate more easily than kinky unsaturated fats, and the more kinky (the less saturated) the fats, the harder they are able to penetrate. Arrows (saturated fats) can pierce things better than a bent stick (polyunsaturated fats).

You can see how the shapes are different:
http://e004777c130eade00234-5ddb36df15af65ab8482e83373c53fe5.r41.cf1.rackcdn.c om/images/30.jpg

The length of the fatty acid is separate. There are many lengths of fatty acids, within each category of saturation. For instance, here is a list of the saturated fats, from shortest to longest (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_saturated_fatty_acids). The short fatty acids should penetrate the hair (and stay in the hair) more easily than the long ones will.

Here there are 3 straight saturated fats, palmitic, stearic, and arachidic. The palmitic acid is shorter than the arachidic acid and should penetrate better.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/19/Rasyslami.jpg/300px-Rasyslami.jpg


So this means that the oil with the greatest total percentage of saturated fats (lauric + myristic + palmitic + stearic acids) should be the most penetrating?Not only the greatest percentage of saturated fats, but the greatest percentage of SMALL saturated fats.


It looks from your list are probably the only three, Coconut oil, palm kernel oil, and babassu oil, that contain enough saturated fats to have the effect I want?
"Ojon" palms (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elaeis_oleifera) are the american relative to the african oil palm, which is usually where palm oil and palm kernel oil come from. They are closely related and the fatty acid profile is probably very similar.

I don't know what your hair wants, but if more penetrating is better, than yes, those are three of the most penetrating oils I know of. They not only have saturated fats but they have small saturated fats. The MOST penetrating oil should be fractionated coconut oil, which has had all the longer saturated fats removed, and only has 10% caproic acid and 90% caprylic acid. But not everyone's hair loves penetrating oils. BTW, refined coconut oil has no scent, unlike virgin coconut oil.

[SerinaDaith]

I am just piggy backing this since so far everyone has had great advice and covered anything I would have said anyways. I really need to work on benign neglect.

[GrowingGlory]

Isn't that an oxymoron?

[SerinaDaith]

I need to stop obsessing over every little thing, so yes it is a bit of an oxymoron but sometimes learning to let go is the hardest thing to achieve.

[GrowingGlory]

I understand and agree. I was only joking. It's like trying to have fun or trying to relax.

[SerinaDaith]

Lol true on both counts!

[SleepyTangles]

Mmm, probably the best "practice" for me was gentle handling, and patience to do so. No tearing, no brushing your way out. Using oil to detangle if necessary. No heath because heath is never gentle. After this:
-Moisture, expecially in the ends
-Trim the splits.
-Protective styles
If we talk about actual methods/tricks, I'd say oiling the ends, ACV rinse, periodical clarify/deep-condition routine, no sulphates are my favourites.

[Mayflower]

All of it I'm sure has been mentioned before on this thread, but these are the things I do to grow long healthy hair:

- I trim away every split I can see/find! Every two months or so I hold an S&D-session and once every... 6 months? I like to go to my awesome hairdresser to even up my hemline. I know by the amount of tangles and breakage when it's time to S&D again.
- Moisturised hair: this is to make the detangling easier (thus loose less hairs), to make it more smooth and shiny, and to lessen the amount of split ends. Dry hair is prone to breakage, splits and white dots.
- Use a Tangle Teezer. 'Nough said.
- Putting my hair up in a high bun at night to protect the length and to create massive volume and waves
- Stretching washes (mainly because I hate washing my hair from the bottom of my heart). I accomplished this by getting out of puberty, wearing it up whenever I can, and using sulphate free shampoo.
- This brings me to my next point: using gentle products. I use sulphate free, uber gentle shampoo, a thick conditioner and a nourishing leave-in conditioner.
- Eating healthy! The usual: less meat, more fruits and veggies, tons of water and green tea, lots of healthy fats. Also working out because it gets the blood flowing. I honestly saw such an improvement in the growth speed of my hair when I first started a healthy lifestyle

Other than that it's about having luck. I have good hair growing genes and a strong texture. I can blow dry my hair and neglect it for a few months and it would still be happy. Back in the days it would split when looking at it wrong. But yeah, the things listed above do help.

[johnnystiletto]

For me, it took a WHILE to find that "perfect combination" to get my ideal hair, and I STILL fight the urge to futz with it!

BUT, for my hair, the following things have worked best:

Knowing my hair type & porosity! We all have totally different hair!
Bunning/braiding/keeping my hair 'up' as much as possible - ESPECIALLY when I sleep! Obviously I use damage-free elastics/sticks/pins!
Ditching the heat - I never did use curling/flat irons, but I gave up blow-drying YEARS ago, and my hair has never been happier! When towel-drying, don't wad the hair up and 'scrub' it in the towel!
I also don't bleach/color/chemically-process my hair.
Being SUPER careful when combing/brushing. Oddly, my hair HATES boar bristle brushes, so I don't brush often. I swear by my wide-toothed comb!
Oiling. I use coconut oil when my hair is ALMOST totally dry (like 90% dry), though lately I've been oiling it dry with the little sheen of argan oil left on my hands after I moisturize my face at night.
Regular trimming. When I was growing for length, I HATED getting trims and losing the length. But I hate gnarly, knotty ends more. Plus, at my current length, freshly trimmed ends look MUCH better. I also keep my hair-only scissors handy at all times for S&D since I'm prone to weirdo fairy knots.
The right shampoo/conditioner. I've tried EVERYTHING from shampoo bars to CO to no-poo. It turns out my hair PREFERS regular ol' S&C - loves a little bit of 'cone, LOATHES proteins.
Some people shampoo less frequently; I can only go every other day to every 3 days, mainly because I run 5 days a week and HAVE to wash. Any more than 3 days between washes and my scalp revolts! I also had to give up the super-hot showers - too drying on the hair and skin.
Scalp massages! Supposedly this can stimulate growth by increasing blood flow to the scalp. I do it because, plain and simple, it feels AWESOME :)

Last but not least: Eating healthy & staying hydrated! No topical treatment can beat a healthy diet. When I was in college and ate junk, my hair showed it!
ACV rinses every other week or so - helps keep my scalp happy and hair shiny!

[Rumpel]

I have been taking care of my hair for the past 16 months, and I have seen a HUGE difference since I simply started paying attention to my hair. I listened when my brush snapped my hair and threw it out in favor of a wide-tooth comb. When my growth slowed dramatically, I started taking 5000 mg biotin daily (which is fantastic for my skin-- bonus!) I S&D when I notice split ends and I trim when my ends get very uneven. I clarify when my hair gets buildup, deep condition and/or coconut oil when it's dry, braid before bed, and sleep on a satin pillowcase to avoid damage. Also, just hanging around the LHC will do wonders for your hair habits. Over the past year, I've really noticed a difference just by being around people who treat their hair well. Good luck, and happy growing! :D

[Naiadryade]

Wow, earthnut. You are awesomely hardcore. And knowledgeable. Thank you.

[Nae]

Hmm, let's see here. These are the things I do/use.

I keep my hair pretty well oiled at any given time. Coconut, jojoba and olive oil and Nightblooming's Panacea are my weapons of choice. I use a tangle teezer. I keep my hair up as much as possible. I treat it gently. I henna about once a month. Usually I use regular old shampoo and conditioner and I change that out all the time, but sometimes I go on a shampoo bar jag and use those strictly. I don't use heat at all. I trim a couple of times a year.

I think the main thing is that I just treat it gently.