Enlighten me please!I have some dummy questions...

[White tea]

Hello girls!


Well, okay, here's the thing. The more I search and read in hair care things, articles, forums, the more I get really confused, and I have to admit, I'm so tired of it. Maybe these will be the dummiest questions of all times here in LHC, but I would really appreciate if you could inform me. :) The reason why I ask here, because the advices came from this forum was the best for me so far, so I have some trust in you girls, who know how to take care of your hair well :) If these too much or something just delete it, but I hope you wouldn't :/


( Some background info: my hair is little bit longer than bra-strap lenght, It took me months to finally chop off the most damaged part of my hair, now it's in a kinda good condition, the ends are ok now, but I have thin, fine hair and it dries out real quick, so the purpose of this to have some information, how to preserve this condition, how to take care of my hair to reach the final destination: tailbone length and have a healthy hair in general. )



-What's the thing about silicones? I don't have it in my shampoo but I think I have in my conditioner. I heard that Silicone makes a layer on your hair and it looks nice but in fact it keeps out the good stuff from your hair by not let it entering or something. ( sorry if it sounds weird, I still learn english, I'm from Europe :) )


-How about keratin?


- Okay, I have a bit shame on this but: how to apply the conditioner? When I wash my hair, I use shampoo, rinse it, then I apply some conditioner only to the ends than rinse it carefully, towel around my hair, then let it air dry. But do I have to use it on all of my hair? Not just the ends? I don't know, sorry, I read sooo much confusing things that it's bad for all of your hair and stuff.


-How about extra moisture? I have Aloe vera gel and coconut oil, I use them as a hair mask, but I know some of you use it on dry hair too. Every day? every night? Once a week?


-It just for curiosity : what's yout opinion about that brasil cacau treatment thing ?


-Am I the only one who does NOT beleive in, that hair may have reach a terminal and not grow any longer? Someone told me this and I think it's not true for me, I'm young, and I had MUCH LONGER hair when I didn't give a thing about hair care and it was in a reaalllyy terrible condition, soo when my hair is finally healthy and getting stronger, why would it stop growing? Why would the work in your follicles just stop?


-Extra tips for growing hair? :3


Sorry If it was too long, or the questions are makes you cry/ laugh :D Thank you for any help!

[RainbowBowser]

First off: these aren't dumb questions :)
1. On silicones, some of us are total cone-heads, so don't worry if you love em :P
Why we might hate them is they smooth down split ends and make it difficult to let anything into the hair as you just said.
The real issue is it usually requires sulfates to get rid of the cones, it really depends on your hair type.

2. Keratin is protein, which your hair and nails are made of.
Shampoos and conditioners with this stuff is very good for filling gaps on hairs (such as bleached hair)
/||\
/|| <---when one of these things is broken off, keratin tends to fill the gap
/||\
/||\ (this is my attempt at showing you what a strand looks like)

Not everyone's hair likes protein, so if your ends feel very crunchy, it may be protein overload.

3. My opinion with conditioner is to apply it to the ends up to the ears, no higher.

4. To really moisturize hair, you need to look for humectants (they draw in moisture).
Aloe gel is one! so good job for that :) An option for moisture is an SMT (4 parts conditioner, 1 part honey 1 part clear aloe gel)
How often is up to you though, its your hair so you have to use your best judgement and understand it's needs.

5. never heard of this treatment, but maybe someone else has.
6. I'm iffy about terminal lengths, they seem real, but i wouldnt know if i've reached it

[Eastbound&Down]

First, welcome!

Ok let's do this:
1. Silicones. Personally, I don't use them because I don't like how it makes my hair feel too soft and I use leave in treatments so I don't want my hair coated. However, many people use them and they aren't necessarily bad. Because you have thin hair, you could probably try to go silicone free but it a personal choice. Just experiment for a couple weeks and see what you like. I will say to stay clear of sulfates though, they can be damaging and dry out your ends.

2. I won't lie, I don't know anything about keratin. Hopefully another long hair can swoop in and save the day.

3. I would avoid putting conditioner directly on the scalp unless you are conditioner only washing, and then make sure you rinse really really well. I apply it from the ears down to avoid build up on my scalp.

4. The mask you mentioned is actually very good, if that is working for you keep it up :) I wouldn't do it more than once a week.

5. Again, I can't help you on this one, sorry.

6.Hair does have a terminal length that varies based on genetics, damage, etc. For many people, terminal length is very long but a rare few seem to have rather short terminal lengths, around BSL. Hair grows in cycles, and once the cycle ends, the hair is shed and new growth begins. Also, not every hair on your head has the same growth cycle and terminal length.

7. You can do a search and find some experiments to do for your hair, just make sure you do each experiment for 4-6 weeks to see if there is an impact or not. Don't do too much at once! You can over/under moisturize your hair or end up causing major damage leading to hair loss or needing to lose a lot of length because of damage. Try one thing at a time and go from there. Patience is the key.

[Entangled]

Here's an article on silicones:
http://web.archive.org/web/20120307002937/http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=13

As for terminal length, that is real. However,there are many misconceptions about it. It's really a terminal age for your hairs. Each hair has a growing cycle, and when it reaches a certain phase, it stops growing and falls out. Thus, there is a limit to how much your hair can grow. However, terminal is generally longer than people think. How long your hair is ultimately capable of growing is a matter of genetics, but how long it actually gets has many other factors. Diet, amount of damage, and how fragile your hair is all affect how your hair grows. If you wear your hair down a lot, it gets much more wear and tear, and will acquire much more damage than if it is with up and protected in an updo secured with hair friendly tools. Dye can damage hair and make it more prone to breakage. Another very important factor is diet; hair is dead, and so if it isn't grown strong, you can't really repair it. Stress can also affect how your hair grows in. I think damage is generally the reason people think that they've reached terminal, when really their hair is just breaking at the same rate it's growing.
Here's a good article on hair health with some good tips for beginners.
http://igorsbelltower.blogspot.com/p/beginners-guide-to-healthier-hair.html?m=1
Here's an article on diagnosing what's going on with your hair:http://web.archive.org/web/20111224043306/http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=44
And here's a VERY useful article on damage.
http://web.archive.org/web/20120125071723/http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=79
So, no, I don't think you need to worry about terminal anytime soon. If your wondering how to know when you get there, your hair will fairytale(taper) but not because of split ends or damage.

[kdaniels8811]

To protect the length try catnip tea soaks. The same catnip sold in pet supplies at department stores. Search for more information, it is used instead of conditioner and helped my obtain my length - I am heading for tail bone length. Good luck and no, those are not stupid questions.

[Laurenji]

A point about humectants - Don't use them if you live in a desert or dry conditions. They work best either when applied to soaking wet hair, or if you life in a very humid area. They try to pull water from what's around them, so if there isn't any water around them, they can make your hair frizzy & weird.

On applying conditioner: experiment, try out what works for you. I apply it almost all the way up, stopping an inch or two from my scalp. Others do only the length below the ears. Most avoid getting conditioner on their scalp unless they're washing their hair with conditioner only. BUT the biggest thing that will help with your conditioner routine is to "squish" the conditioner into your hair. Really press and squeeze the conditioner in - gently, but make sure your hair has conditioner through and through. It's amazing what a difference it can make!

Extra tips: really pay attention to what type of people hair have when they recommend things. What works for straight hair doesn't usually work for curly, what works for coarse doesn't work for fine, what works for thick doesn't work for thin (a lot of the time). Also, just keep experimenting, and realize that growing your hair is the ultimate test of patience!

[GetMeToWaist]

1. Silicone builds up on hair, coats it (hard to get off) and if not clarified can make hair brittle and prevent ANY moisture from entering.

2. Keratin's protein. Some like it, some don't. It's usually a love-hate thing with hair. Too much can make your hair gummy, stretchy and dry.

3. I would use conditioner on all of your hair, from the ears down. Not the scalp.

4. Oiling once/twice a week should be sufficient. I don't oil anymore because coconut oil does have the potential to dry out hair/ act as protein and give hair a protein overdose.

5. No idea what that is, sorry.

6. Terminal length... Well when hair is damaged, the ends break off so although it grows, you never see growth. So terminal's when your hair stops growing because the life cycle runs out. It's biological.

7. Extra tips: be good to it. No heat, i would suggest no sulfates/cones, gentle detangling, lots of conditioner, leave in conditioner, protective hairstyles, a sleep braid, look after the ends, no dye, no bleach, no chemical treatments, no hair texture altering treatments. Basically just be patient, don't cut it a lot and it'll grow. It takes time.

[gustavonut]

I would suggest trying this deep conditioner if you want to: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005GQ6JC6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And yes, as everyone else is saying. CONDITONER. And try to stick with organic if you can. And find a good organic shampoo. The shampoo I use is called silk elements (or essence I forgot) and it has silk and olive oil in it. It makes my hair very very soft and feels really silky.

My tips for helping with growing hair: wash once a week if your hair can take it slowly work your way up to one day if you have to, oil your hair before washing it(as in, apply oil to all of your hair the day before washing it or let it sit for an hour or longer.), another tip is drink lots and lots of water if you can (5-8 cups a day is what I do), another is scalp massages(I massage my scalp every day), and the last thing I can think of is eat healthy haha. I know it's all hard to do/remember but it helped me a lot. I grew 3 inches of hair in 2 and a half months from doing this.
Remember that all of these tips are not for everyone but they did help me a lot. I wish you luck!

[truepeacenik]

On humectants, if you are in a desert area (low humidity), you can use them IF you are in an artificially moist environment.
I would use mine while my sweetie showered, while hanging out in the bathroom through his shower, the wait until hot water was caught up, and my own shower or bath.
A steam sauna would do the same.

Humectants draw moisture from the moist material to the dry. So they will take moisture from hair to air if the air is dry enough.

[gustavonut]

To protect the length try catnip tea soaks. The same catnip sold in pet supplies at department stores. Search for more information, it is used instead of conditioner and helped my obtain my length - I am heading for tail bone length. Good luck and no, those are not stupid questions.

How do you use catnip tea? Like before a shower or..?

[truepeacenik]

This is what I could get on Brasil Cacau. It's s variant of the other heat applied keratin treatments. Not something I'd consider, starting with heat application. I don't do heat.
How about cancer causing ingredients?

http://center4research.org/i-saw-it-on-the-internet/whats-the-deal-with-keratin-treatments/

[White tea]

Yaaay, I have never thought that I will have so many replies :o Thank you all!!

Yeah, I thought about a dry area, well, it's fall in europe so it's raining a lot here, but winter can be really cold and dry, so I definitely watch out with the aloe vera.
truepeacenik : So you apply the aloe while that few minutes in the bathroom if I get it right? :)

Brasil cacau treatment is just a thing here which drives crazy girls around, because on the pictures all the girls have ridiculously pretty, mirror-shine thing hair, and I would just been curious, but never mind :))

Thank you for all the advices and answers, really :))

[lapushka]

There's nothing wrong with silicones, I just don't prefer them in my shampoo (seborrheic dermatitis and my hair is oily). A lot of people prefer silicone-free, a lot silicones, it all just depends on what you prefer. There's nothing wrong with silicones, if you're prepared to clarify once in a while.

My conditioner is applied from ears down. That's the normal way to apply it, I believe.

You might want to try all sorts of different washing methods (CWC, CO, WCC). I have a few links in my signature to one of the methods along with the styling method (designed to keep moisture in the hair).

No extra tips for growing hair, except: patience. ;)

[Panth]

1) Silicones
Silicones are conditioning agents found in many (but not all) conditioners and several shampoos too (usually the pearlescent ones and especially the ones advertised as for 'damaged' hair). Basically, what they do is coat the hair although NOT, as many people think, in a solid, impermeable seal. The idea that they absolutley prevent moisture entering the hair is a complete myth - yes, they can reduce this, but so can almost all conditioning agents, including the "natural" ones like oils and shea butter. The reason people use 'cones is because they provide shine, slip, anti-static and anti-tangling properties by helping the hair cuticle (the little scales on the outside) to lie flat. They can hide damage (and prevent damage from causing more damage, e.g. prevent damaged ends causing tangles that would cause more damage), but if you keep piling on the damage it'll eventually surpass the abilities of the 'cones to hide it. So, that aspect can be good or bad - bad, if e.g. it makes you think your flat ironing habit is perfectly harmless but good if, e.g. you are growing super-long hair or have damage-prone hair (e.g. fine hair) that needs some extra help even though you're babying it all the way.

The reason some people hate them is because of the "aaah, they prevent moisture!!11111!!" myths, because of some people's anti-synthetic chemical beliefs and because (like any product) silicones, and especially every silicone, doesn't work for everyone. Another reason is that most (but not all) silicones build up, especially when used in high levels (as they are with some hair routines, e.g. that required to maintain the bleach, dye, daily wash, daily hair dryer, daily flat iron sort of routine). To remove regular silicones, you need to use sulphate-containing shampoos and you need to clarify (use a specially formulated, stronger sulphate shampoo) occasionally too. If you don't, you'll get build-up which generally manifests as dullness, unmanageability and tangles (especially tangles at the tips). Some people don't like this as sulphates are fairly harsh and can cause dandruff and eczema in susceptible people. So, to avoid using sulphates, they must also avoid 'cones.

However, even that is somewhat of a myth as there are modern 'cones that are formulated to build-up very slowly even without sulphate washing. These are the amino-'cones (anti-build-up) and the PEG-'cones (water-soluble, so wash out over time even with just water). Also, there are now non-harsh, sulphate-free cleansers that can remove even regular cones, namely cocoamidopropyl betaine. So, it is quite possible to do a sulphate-free, 'cone-using routine without coming to grief simply by choosing good, well-matched products and by doing an occasional clarify (e.g. once a month or less - for some people even as infrequently as once a year). Sadly, because that's all a bit complicated and requires knowledge, there are a lot of people who latch onto the simpler idea that 'cones are simply "bad".

2) Keratin
Keratin is a type of protein that is found in hair and skin. In haircare, it is found in two ways: 1) chopped up (hydrolysed) and in conditioners, deep-treatments and leave-ins, where it acts to temporarily patch the hair's cuticle and also (depending on protein size) penetrate the hair shaft, making the hair a bit stronger (though, if over-used, more brittle and tangly). 2) In treatments such as the "Brazilian blow-out", which are salon treatments that use chemicals (namely formaldehyde or formaldehyde-releasing chemicals) and high heat and are claimed to strengthen hair. In reality, though they briefly provide a straight, shiny look they are incredibly damaging (due to the heat and chemicals) and a very, very bad idea if you are planning to grow out your hair.

In general, protein in conditioners and the like is very good for easily damaged or already damaged hair, e.g. fine hair, very long hair, bleached hair, dyed hair. You can tell it's in your products from words like "for damaged hair" or "silk" or "soy" or "keratin" on the label and things like "hydrolysed [something]" in the ingredients list, the "something" usually being keratin/soy/silk/etc. The problem with protein is that it needs to be used in balance with moisture - too much of either is damaging to hair, although it's easier to overdose on protein generally. Protein overdose results in unmanageably, brittle, tangly hair but is easily treated by stopping all protein treatments for a while and doing several heavy moisturising treatments. To test if your hair needs protein or moisture, take a shed hair and stretch it a little between your fingers. Healthy hair should stretch a little and bounce back, but if stretched a lot will break. Hair with protein overdose is brittle and will break without stretching hardly at all. Hair with moisture overdose will stretch and stretch without breaking, but won't return to its original length.

3) Moisture
As I said, moisture is necessary for healthy hair but it must be in balance with protein. Too much moisture will cause hair to loose its strength. Humectants (like aloe vera gel) can encourage moisture to remain in the hair as they draw moisture from moist to dry environments. Generally, your hair is the dry environment, especially if you (as many people do) apply the humectant to wet/damp hair. Humectants do need to be used with caution as if the air is drier than the hair is, they will draw moisture OUT of your hair. This happens in dry climates, but also can happen in the winter due to either the moisture being sapped out of the air by snow, or the indoor air becoming dry due to the use of central heating. So, use with caution.

Oils do not technically provide moisture to the hair. However, they do act as emollients, which is what most beauty products mean by "moisturising". Some oils can penetrate the hair shaft, given a sufficiently long treatment time (coconut oil being the major one) but most sit on the surface of hair, rather like 'cones. Penetrating oils can help make the hair stronger and more supple and can help prevent protein loss from the hair. Coating oils act to provide a humidity barrier, discouraging water loss from the hair (as oil and water do not mix) but also can add shine and (if not overused) can have anti-tangle and anti-static properties.

4) Brasil cacau treatment
Sorry, never heard of it. A quick Google implies it's just yet another iteration of the "Brazilian blow out" / "Brazilian straightening" / "keratin straightening" sort of thing I mentioned earlier. Not. Recommended. At. All.

5) Terminal length
Sorry, but terminal length is a very real thing. If you disbelieve me, consider other hairs - e.g. your eyebrows and eyelashes or the hair on a horse/dog/cat. Obviously, a horse has longer hair on its mane/tail than its body, but its body hair never grows more than an inch or so long. Likewise, your eyebrows never grow down to brush your chin. All hair has a terminal length. Or, rather, each individual hair has its own terminal length which is not really a terminal length but a set amount of time that it will grow hair for before it sheds and starts growing a new one. Human head hair growing times vary massively between individuals (and, indeed, are not the same across your entire head). The amount of hair that you grow (or, rather the rate at which it grows) is also very variable but is influenced by the environment, particularly your health and nutrition. If your body is under stress, it will prioritise nutrients to important parts of your body, like your brain, not to hair.

That said, most humans seem to have a fairly long terminal length (at an absolute guess... maybe an average of classic for Caucasians, longer for Asians and shorter for Africans?). The vast majority of people do not see their terminal length - either because they always cut their hair, or because they damage it enough that sooner or later the ends wear off as fast as the top grows in. You can guess if you're approaching terminal as your ends will "fairytale" (i.e. get tapered) because not every hair has the same terminal. However, fairytaling is can also be caused by damage, so it's not an absolute predictor. If you've previously grown your hair longer than it is now, then (barring any new medical complaints or worse nutrition since then) you can definitely grow it at least that long again.

[Panth]

6) Extra tips
Cut out as many damaging things from your haircare as possible, as quickly as possible. This includes: dye (except deposit-only), bleach, perms, chemical straightening, flat irons, curling irons, hair dryers used on hot, damaging styling practices (e.g. back-combing, hairspray, gel if combed not washed out, ponytails (especially the bands with metal or glue joins, especially if you pull your ponytail to re-tighten it)), violent or incorrect detangling (the best detangler is a wide-toothed comb with no seams - you should not detangle with a brush and especially not with a boar bristle brush - those are for sebum distribution or smoothing the hair prior to updos ONLY), incorrect washing (e.g. putting shampoo on the length (unnecessary - just let the suds run through it), putting conditioner on the scalp (unless doing CO wash method), piling hair on the head when washing it, scrubbing at hair).

Consider protective updos done with hair-friendly tools (sticks, forks, ficcares, flexi-8s, scruchies, spinpins, etc.) to reduce damage via tangling and rubbing on clothing/chairs/etc. If you don't like updos, at least consider them when it's very windy or wet weather.

When adding things, don't add lots of new stuff at once. It's very tempting, but that way you'll have no idea what works, what does nothing and what is actively harmful. You'll also have no recourse if your new routine starts acting up. Instead, follow the two week rule - try ONE new thing for AT LEAST two weeks, analyse its effectiveness, keep or discard it, THEN try the next thing.

Other than that, the main thing you need is: PATIENCE!

Good luck!

(Oh, P.S. This is a great blog for hair tips (http://www.thenaturalhavenbloom.com/), and even though it's aimed at curly hair there's a wealth of knowledge about ingredients and treatments that are useful for any hairtype. In particular, you might find this post (http://www.thenaturalhavenbloom.com/2013/03/does-conditioner-or-oil-really-need-to.html) useful.)

(And, aw, crap. I wrote an essay again. Sorry, guys...)

[Entangled]

Panth, that was fantastic!

[Madora]

More tips (based on 40 years of experimenting with my long hair):
Be patient.
Less is more. Don't overload your hair with products!
Not everything works for everybody!
Use gentle shampoos
Stay far away from: blow fryers/straighteners/hot curlers/bleach/backcombing/teasing/Brazilian blowouts

Eat sensibly! Exercise moderately. Drink water.

The best thing you can do for your hair:

wear it up to protect it
detangle it gently with a wide tooth comb (every day)
brush it daily with a pure boar bristle brush (no nylon or rubber!)

learn new hairstyles to keep from being bored

ponytails are not hair friendly. Avoid them!

Weekly S and Ding are beneficial for keeping white dots and split ends in check. Use SHARP shears!

Don't obsess on how fast (or not) your hair is growing! That'll drive you bonkers.

Mineral oil (baby oil), used sparingly (2 drops) is great for detangling, taming frizzies, and helping with moisture. You place the drops in your palms, rub it all over the hands, then draw your hands through your hair until the oil sheen has just about vanished from your palms. It is very lightweight, leaves no after scent, washes out in the next shampoo, and is dead cheap.

Always detangle with a WIDE TOOTH COMB! Never detangle with a brush!
Detangle from the ends of the hair, then up the strands, little by little, until you reach the roots.
Daily gentle scalp massage in the bent at the waist position is a great way to stimulate your follicles for a boost in hair growth.

A silk pillowcase cover - or sleeping cap - is a great way to protect your hair while sleeping.

Of course there are a lot more pointers! Check out threads on The Mane Forum

[White tea]

Panth i'm glad about that essay, that was VERY helpful, thank you to all! :)
I'm not regretting my questions here, I learned a lot, thank you! ( For ex. : I put shampoo on all of my hair, I live in a big, crowded city, air pollution etc so I figured it needs some extra cleaning )

Most of the advices are a habit of mine already, I was in bit of confusion about which shampoo or conditioner should I buy to maintain the good cond. of my hair, so thank you all :3

[spidermom]

I'm only going to touch on a couple of points.

It is true that silicones can prevent your hair from taking in the good things you apply to it, but at the same time it will prevent the good things that are already a part of your hair structure from evaporating out. I used to think that oil was best for protecting and moisturizing my hair when I was doing things like swimming and otherwise hanging out in the sun, but I was wrong. Silicones are MUCH more protective. So if you like the result of using a coney product (like I do), use them without fear. You will have to clarify with a clarifying shampoo from time to time (maybe once every month or two), but you will probably have to do that anyway. All kinds of products leave residues on your hair - oils, conditioners, styling products, pollution - it's not just silicone products that have to be clarified out.

Terminal length is a real thing. It is determined by how long your hair will grow per month multiplied by the number of months that it will grow. So if you have hair that grows 1/2 inch per month for 6 years (for example), then the potential length will be 36 inches from scalp to tip when it sheds out. Thing is, every single follicle on your head will have it's own cycle. One hair may grow 2 inches, then shed out, while the hair right next to it will grow 70 inches, then shed out. Of course potential terminal length will be shortened by damaging the hair so that it breaks off at the ends or trimming it, getting haircuts, etc. When the old hair sheds out, a new one will start growing in. This is limited, too. One follicle on your head may grow 40 new hairs during your lifetime while another one will only grow 15 new hairs. This is why a lot of older people get thinner hair. Some of their follicles have become inactive.

[White tea]

That terminal lenght thing is kinda terrifying, I do not want to think about it, lol :D But thanks for the extra tips :))

[Panth]

Panth, that was fantastic!


Panth i'm glad about that essay, that was VERY helpful, thank you to all! :)

*phew* Glad the essays are helpful, not annoying. They kinda come by accident. I am a bit of a sponge for knowledge...