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Daydreamer.
July 25th, 2016, 02:11 AM
What are the top 5 LHC tips that got you to the length you are today?

Daydreamer.
July 25th, 2016, 02:18 AM
I haven't grown much hair yet, but the most helpful tips for me are: 1. Oiling damp hair
2. S&D instead of trims 3. Finger detangling 4. Keeping hair up (in buns/braids) 5. Henna/Henndigo

Johannah
July 25th, 2016, 02:42 AM
Pretty easy :):

1. Patience
2. Patience
3. Patience
4. Patience
5. Patience

But hey, I know what you mean by this, so I would like to add: cut the damage before growing it out; you need to cut it anyway so better start fresh, don't obsess over your hair and take breaks from tLHC if that's what you need, experiment enough but not too much; you need to know what your hair likes or dislikes, but doing too much will drive you crazy, find a proper routine you can benign neglect with for longer periods of time and wear. your. hair. up. It will help!

Decoy24601
July 25th, 2016, 03:43 AM
1: Genetics
2: Patience
3: No Cutting (besides S&D)
4: Patience
5: Patience

I think most of growing long hair is really patience and genetics. Keeping hair up, S&D, microtrims, and in general reducing mechanical damage can help prevent a false terminal where the hair breaks off before it can gain length, but I've been practicing benign neglect with my hair my whole life up until the past couple months and my hair got to TBL that way multiple times. I really think the biggest thing is patience and genetics.

lapushka
July 25th, 2016, 04:22 AM
1/ first a comb, then a brush to detangle and only detangle pre-wash (wavy texture)
2/ have a set wash routine in place and don't deviate from the method (products may vary)
3/ practice updos and have your set go-tos in place
4/ have your sleep method in place (whether that be a silk pillow case, silk scarf, braid, loose)
5/ oils are your friend, use in moderation at the right moments

HairPlease
July 25th, 2016, 07:53 AM
1. If it makes hair dry, brittle, or spider-webby, stop using/doing it.
2. It's OK to use a lot of silicones for my hair type.
3. Minimize hair touching.
4. Healthy diet!
5. Don't look at attractive short haircuts online. lol

AspenSong
July 25th, 2016, 08:17 AM
1. - Being Patient. Long hair is not a short journey!
2. - Just because it works for someone else, doesn't mean it'll work for you! (But that doesn't mean that thing is BAD! - Cones aren't my friend, but they aren't bad!)
3. - Gentle care/Silk pillowcase or sleepcap
4. - Embrace oils!
5. - Keep your hair up!

yogagirl
July 25th, 2016, 08:20 AM
Greta idea for a thread! Here are mine:

1. Clarify AND chelate.
2. Know your water. If it causes build up, use filtered water or miracle water to rinse.
3. Combs are your friend. Most people don't need a brush.
4. Be nice to your scalp! If it is itchy or otherwise unhappy, you need to change something. Unhealthy scalp cannot grow healthy hair.
5. Relax. Obsessing over something we have little control over is rarely helpful or pleasant.

vampyyri
July 25th, 2016, 08:22 AM
1. Patience
2. Up-dos are your friend
3. There is no "wrong way" to care for your hair. Different strokes for different folks!
4. PUT.THE.BRUSH.DOWN. Don't over-brush!!
5. S&D as needed

Oh, and a bonus one... don't go crazy with all of the new things you learned and try them all at once :lol: that's the "LHC Initiation"

Stepo_NiNha
July 25th, 2016, 09:42 AM
I didn't reach my goal yet, though I already figured what my hair seems to like and dislike and that helped me to gain length besides patience:

1. My hair is pretty fragile and breaks off easily so I reach false terminals easily along the way. Small trims have helped me so far to avoid that problem;
2. No chemical treatments (colouring, perms, etc) and no heat (only blowdrying in cool if I have to);
3. Braids (I don't like buns so I chose the second best suggestion to keep hair out of the way rubbing everything and also to avoid playing with my hair - that is addictive!!);
4. Deep conditioning once a week and sealing the ends everyday with cones (I like keep things simple but you may benefit with oils and SMT's, there are good threads here about these DT's :)
5. Clarifying and chelating (not only residue but also hard water chemicals because they can also damage the hair).

If you have good genes you can reach your goal without thinking too much about it, otherwise try to be as gentle as you can:)

andrea1982
July 25th, 2016, 10:19 AM
1.Don't cut it.
2.Keep it up. (especially, find a simple style that you like, that you can do wet or dry consistently in under a minute. This may require some practice. Nothing makes me want to cut like standing in front of the mirror getting frustrated with styles that aren't working)
3.Handling matters more than product. Be gentle with styling and combing, don't rip through tangles, aggressively towel dry, or otherwise break your hair.
4.Stretch washes as much as you can, but still wash at least once per week.
5.Add some oil to your ends. Even with brushing (which is friction, you are trying to avoid) scalp oils will never really make it down to the ends.

PixieP
July 25th, 2016, 10:42 AM
1. Blowdrying on cool
2. SMT!
3. Do a trim or a chop if you feel like you need too. If straggly ends are making you unhappy, it might be worth loosing a bit of length to love your hair more (it was for me at least).
4. Don't fret over every single thing that might cause damage. If you wanna wear dangly earrings and your hair loose, do it. If you want to heatstyle your hair for a special event, go for it. It's like everything else in life; do your very best to keep up a good habit, but allow yourself to break it every now and then too.
5. Throw out your fake Tangle Teeser and buy a proper one instead.

KittyBird
July 25th, 2016, 11:03 AM
Well, I've gone in the opposite direction (shorter, not longer), but I'll post some tips anyway ;)

1. Use the products and washing methods your hair and scalp actually likes, not the ones you *think* your hair and scalp should like. I wrecked my hair trying to use "natural" products, which left my hair dry, nasty and incredibly tangly.
2. Embrace your natural texture and hair type, and work with what you've got. I hoped my hair would become more wurly at a shorter length, and boy was I right! ;)
3. Do what you want to do, not what everyone else thinks you should do. Wanna grow to floor? Do it! Want a pixie? Go for it. Do what makes you happy.
4. Don't get stressed out trying to stretch washes as long as possible. Washing more frequently, 2-3 times a week, works much better for me.
5. Pretty hair accessories can help prevent hair boredom. ;)

Agnieszka
July 25th, 2016, 11:14 AM
My personal tips based on my experience.
1. Don't bleach
2.Don't use straightening iron
3.Keep it up protected
4.Detangle gently
5.Use conditioners

LongCurlyTress
July 25th, 2016, 12:19 PM
1. No heat at all.
2. No leave ins besides oils ... just a tiny drop of evoo, jojoba, or sweet almond oil, when hair is still damp - before datangling--on the ends only and also before a two strand side twist before sleeping.
3. Diluted shampoo... and fingercomb with gobs of conditioner when still in the shower
4. Eat protein... at every meal with lots of water.
5. Be patient when combing and detangling. Treat my hair like it is a precious cashmere sweater that cannot be replaced... because it is. ;)

6. LOL... no bleach/henna/dyes of any kind ever again!! NEVER! :guns:
7. Wear my hair up in a bun of sorts... ---even a braid gets nappy after a few hours... from rubbing on clothes...:(
sorry for 7 but I've got lots of these tips!! :joy:

Oh one more.... and probably the most important one for me... distract yourself and time passes and your hair will grow... if... you hide those scissors...;)

MsPharaohMoan
July 25th, 2016, 12:22 PM
1. patience
2. put it up and forget about it
3. s+d
4. finger detangling
5. clarify clarify clarify!

Seeshami
July 25th, 2016, 12:29 PM
Patience
Do what is best for you
Listen to no one and think for yourself
Patience
Don't feed it after midnight and don't get it wet

The Naughty Mess says, "....you do the last one all the time. More with the wet. I feel like I get baths twice a day"

Hair monsters don't understand the concept of a day so your input on the subject is invalid. Now eat your cookie and stop trying to get other hair monsters in this dimension. Not cool.

truepeacenik
July 25th, 2016, 01:07 PM
Do not compare. Not a competition.

Deliberate, but eventually decide.

Know when good enough is really good enough.

Two week cutting rule always applies.

Embrace the speed of trees.

lithostoic
July 25th, 2016, 01:24 PM
#1- If you baby your ends, there's almost no need to trim them. This means oiling, tucking in ends when bunning, keeping hair up at night, etc.

#2- Do what makes YOUR hair happy. Don't keep trying to make something work because you like the idea. On the flipside, others with your hair type may not like something for THEIR hair, but don't let that discourage you from trying it. YMMV.

#3- CLARIFY AND DEEP CONDITION. Cannot stress this enough. My hair is so shiny and manageable now. I'd literally never had shiny hair before joining this site.

#4- Ditch the heat. Seriously, just never use it. Ever again. Your hair will not need it if you treat it well enough for long enough. Looking at my fellow kinda-straighties on this one.

#5- The average monthly hair growth is .5 inches. The difference is very minimal from month to month in most people. Don't sweat it, it might take several months before you *notice* any growth.

hypersensitive
July 25th, 2016, 02:59 PM
1. Do not cut!
2. Put it up and forget about it
3. 2 week rule
4. Sleep braids
5. Finger detangling, and air dry

Arctic
July 25th, 2016, 03:51 PM
Embrace the speed of trees.

I love this! It would make a great siggy or member title!

lapushka
July 25th, 2016, 05:04 PM
#2- Do what makes YOUR hair happy. Don't keep trying to make something work because you like the idea. On the flipside, others with your hair type may not like something for THEIR hair, but don't let that discourage you from trying it. YMMV.

Yes! A very important rule: it's not about what you like for your hair, it's about what your hair likes. If it thrives on sulfates and silicones, feed it that. Not everyone can go sulfate-free or CO-wash or can use more natural products!

two_wheels
July 25th, 2016, 05:33 PM
Wait a bit
Put it up while you wait
What the beast wants will change every season, learn to be flexible and cater to its whims
Wait a bit more
Cheese
Oh wait my hair got long
Regularly spaced progress pics

Goatcraft
July 25th, 2016, 06:04 PM
1. Don't use chemicals on your hair. Irreversible damage.
2. Don't use direct heat. More irreversible damage.
3. Wide tooth comb instead of a brush.
4. Use hairsticks to decrease damage.
5. Always wear protective styles (sadly).

school of fish
July 25th, 2016, 07:25 PM
Do not compare. Not a competition.

Deliberate, but eventually decide.

Know when good enough is really good enough.

Two week cutting rule always applies.

Embrace the speed of trees.

These are good :)

The last one reminds me of a saying my husband uses - the patience of crocodiles...

Granger Mane
July 25th, 2016, 07:30 PM
1) Distract oneself with other things while waiting

2) Slippy conditioner's your best friend

3) Braid and bun

4) Stick to a prove wash/product routine with slight deviation at times. Experiment in moderation to find what works.

5) Oil is everything

LongCurlyTress
July 25th, 2016, 08:00 PM
Do not compare. Not a competition.

Deliberate, but eventually decide.

Know when good enough is really good enough.

Two week cutting rule always applies.

Embrace the speed of trees.

Excellent suggestions! Especially the last one... LOL.. Just read that one to Mr. LCT... He says hi, btw!:waving: :p

kidari
July 25th, 2016, 08:52 PM
1) don't bleach/perm/style with high heat/etc.
2) coconut oil or coconut milk as a pretreatment and SMT when in need of a deep treatment (don't forget to clarify once in a while)
3) cut/trim/S&D your own hair and never let anyone else touch it (CreaClip is one of the best things I ever discovered)
4) handle hair gently and wear in protective styles almost all the time
5) damp bunning for waves with Kimberlily's defrizz spray when I want waves or curls that are heat-free

Some things I've learned is to not go too extreme on anything; tread slowly with changes and experiments. Understand if something works miracles for someone else it might end up being a disaster for you. (Being extreme includes obsessing about length and growing.) I noticed that people with amazing hair at extreme lengths have really regular routines with minimum products involved. Also, it really is genetics/health and lifestyle/patience.

Thehollyhock
July 26th, 2016, 05:33 AM
What is S&D?^.^

Johannah
July 26th, 2016, 05:36 AM
What is S&D?^.^

Search & Destroy. Instead of cutting back, you search for individual split ends and cut them so you don't lose length.

truepeacenik
July 26th, 2016, 09:33 AM
Excellent suggestions! Especially the last one... LOL.. Just read that one to Mr. LCT... He says hi, btw!:waving: :p
Back at him. Making Angel Island? Or will I need to instigated a South Bay Longhair Incident?

Speed of trees is completely stolen from my friend Ellis Paul, who wrote a song with it, and he stole it from a companion at Big Sur. I'm assuming some fine Emerald Triangle produce was involved. And maybe some fine Sonoma red.

https://youtu.be/VKrP82OG68Y

LongCurlyTress
July 26th, 2016, 10:48 AM
Back at him. Making Angel Island? Or will I need to instigated a South Bay Longhair Incident?

Speed of trees is completely stolen from my friend Ellis Paul, who wrote a song with it, and he stole it from a companion at Big Sur. I'm assuming some fine Emerald Triangle produce was involved. And maybe some fine Sonoma red.

https://youtu.be/VKrP82OG68Y


Too funny!! Loved the song! Thanks so much for sharing!!
Probably we won't be making it to the meetup. :( We have had alot going on here and it's all been a bit overwhelming.... Emotional and physical exhaustion are calling the shots here! Hope everyone has a great time. ;) Thank you so much for thinking of us!!! :blossom::blossom:


:thud::thud: (Mr. LCT and me...:()

Hairkay
July 26th, 2016, 05:18 PM
Use a satin bonnet or pillow (knew about this pre LHC)
Wear your hair up a lot (started this with LHC)
s & d (started doing this regularly with LHC)
wash hair plaited/braided (did this sometimes pre LHC)
oil damp hair (grew up doing this)
I have a 6th, condition hair regularly (started this 6 month prior to LHC)

lunalocks
July 27th, 2016, 12:01 PM
Wear hair up and contain while sleeping, hair forks, wide seamless combs and learned about catnip tea and baby oil here and I will ever be grateful.

meteor
July 27th, 2016, 02:37 PM
I think the things that helped me the most were:


No chemical processing, no heat-styling - embracing it in its natural form
Protective styles (low-manipulation braids & buns) 24/7, silk bonnets, sun hats
Leaving it alone as much as possible, avoiding excessive grooming and styling
No brushing, fingers and WT comb only
Scalp-only washes to protect length between full washes

-Fern
July 27th, 2016, 06:54 PM
Embrace the speed of trees.

I love this, too! :cloud9:


Wait a bit
Put it up while you wait
What the beast wants will change every season, learn to be flexible and cater to its whims
Wait a bit more
Cheese
Oh wait my hair got long
Regularly spaced progress pics

The whole thing, but especially the bolded! :laugh:

My five:
1. Embrace your natural texture. I tried so hard for years to get my hair smooth and sleek, and the results were always disappointing. Healthy hair of any texture & color is beautiful. I love my cloud hair now!
2. Your hair's needs change with the seasons. Between keeping moisture in & humidity out, you're gonna have to shift tactics. And that's cool. Roll with the punches. Feed the hairbeast what it's craving.
3. Enjoy the journey. My pattern that I repeated for years was to growgrowgrow, get utterly sick of it, and cut it all off. So find a way to enjoy it at all lengths, whether it's new styles, braiding, or accessorizing.
4. Be gentle. I never really thought about how roughly I brushed my hair before. A ton always came out, but I always had a ton left on my head, so I didn't really care. But now I realize why I always had a halo of broken hairs!
5. :cheese: Actually, it's that taking pictures really does help. Otherwise, since you're looking at your hair just about everyday, it's really difficult to see the progress you're making. My hair feels about like it always has, but in reality it is longer now than it has ever been before. That's cool and motivates me to keep going!

Lauraes
July 27th, 2016, 11:52 PM
1.) No more hair dye!
2.) No more heat styling.
3.) Do what your hair wants, not what you want.
4.) Contain your hair, whether it be with buns, braid, sleep caps, etc.
5.) Have patience and don't worry too much.

Inga-Marjukka
July 28th, 2016, 07:37 PM
1. Put it up and forget about it. Be proud when you've realised you haven't given a single touch or thought to your hair in hours!
2. Embrace your virgin colour and pamper the bleached length to the best of your ability.
3. Hair changes by the season and by the way you've been treating it. Therefore, what once didn't work might be a great solution now and vice versa.
4. Detangle carefully, be gentle and protect the ends. The ends, the ends! :violin::lol:
5. Rejoice at mini-milestones and enjoy every step of the way. And stop worrying. Heat-styling once a year won't equal in absolute destruction.

Vanilla
July 28th, 2016, 07:46 PM
My tips are:

1. Patience
2. Embrace your hair's changing needs with the season and length changes. Each milestone for me meant different hair care.
3. Say no to a satin cap if your hair has a tendency to look greasy quickly.
4. Self microtrimming has saved me from trimming too much at the salon.
5. Quick protective styles with pretty hair toys has kept my interest in growing my hair long.

Kat-Rinnč Naido
September 13th, 2016, 12:55 AM
My tips:
1. Love your hair.
2. Be at peace
3. Embrace her ( meaning my hair)
4. Be happy
5. Be comfortable

When you love someone, you know what makes them happy and what hurts. Lover your hair and know your hair.
You are at peace when you know that which you shower upon your hair keeps your hair at peace too.
Embrace her (meaning hair). Embrace her laughter, her smile all her little nuances. Those reflect in her strands and makes her want to glow or curl.
Be happy. When your hair is happy be happy. Don't go and do something you gonna regret later just because you felt like it.
Be comfortable. Breathe, relax, enjoy your time together whatever style, length and decorations you choose. Just breathe

LadyCelestina
September 13th, 2016, 01:33 AM
This is not the standard LHC tips, I modified them a bit for myself :

1. Don't stress the wear hair up part. The longer it gets, the more annoying it is and you'll eventually learn to wear it up at least for some time.
2. Braid it at night.
3. If your hair feels dry and damaged, it might need either deep conditioning, clarifying, forgetting about it or, if all else fails, a trim.
4. Your haircare doesn't have to be all natural or anything like that, go on with that coney serum, and yes it's ok to mix 'natural' ingredients and 'chemicals' in your approach.
5. (This is not really LHC tip :lol:) one nice hairtoy you really like and wear = 10 hairtoys you just kinda find pretty but never wear

(6.) Damage is just a thing that happens, not a crime. If you feel better with bleached hair, don't like having cold damp hair in winter, love to wear it down or just like the feel of brushing you hair, don't worry about it too much. If you treat your hair well overall, it won't show much.

Sarahlabyrinth
September 13th, 2016, 01:51 AM
Tips from me:

Wear it up for protection.
Be gentle with it, ALWAYS.
Use a sleeping cap at night.
Be PATIENT.
Get busy with life.

animetor7
September 13th, 2016, 02:00 AM
1) Replace all tools and hair toys with seamless ones to prevent damage.
2) Learn what oil your hair likes, this will save your ends as you grow longer.
3) It's okay to use cones to help keep your hair protected and healthy, just remember to clarify.
4) Stretch washes if at all possible and use as gentle a cleanser as possible, this will save on dryness and damage, and make long hair less of a pain to take care of.
5) Remember to have FUN with your hair!

I guess a lot of my best hair care tips boil down to the old adage "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."