What are the most important things you’ve learned about hair since joining LHC?

[esmeralda80]

I’ve only been here for about a week and here are the most important things I’ve learned so far:

1) updos can be worn regularly - they are not just for bad hair days!

2) sometimes the best thing to do with your hair is nothing at all - leave well enough alone and have patience!

what are the key things that you’ve learned?

[akurah]

I think the most important thing I learned is that if my hair is driving me crazy for being too long (about knee length is when it dies that), just cut it back instead of letting it drive me nuts.

[sipnsun]

I've learned that protective hairstyles and giving up heat (hair dryer, steam curlers and flat iron) make a world of difference! I always had a lot of breakage but wore it down and flat ironed or hot rolled nearly everyday. Now I wear it up and no longer use heat and it has grown longer than it has ever been!

[Ylva]

- I don't need to avoid sulfates.

- Discovering the beauty of leave-ins and stacking them. It took off a lot of pressure of finding and always using the most ideal rinse-out products.

- Discovering new hairstyles, although I am really bad at executing anything even a little bit more complicated than a regular English braid. It's still nice to be aware of the options. :D

[HaMalka]

Hairstyles mostly. I found LHC looking for hairstyles that work on very long hair and found what I needed.

And the support that having very very long hair is not a bad thing.

[spidermom]

I've learned that what works for one person might not work for another person.

[MusicalSpoons]

- Hair past one's bottom doesn't require exceptional genes, you just need to look after it so it doesn't need to be cut off

- Hairties are the enemy

- Gentle with detangling

- The lengths don't need to get wet every time you wash the roots

- Scalp health (also taught me about general skin health)

- Sleep on satin or some equally smooth material

- Hair doesn't need to be cut every year if it doesn't get overly damaged

- Some damage is inevitable from just existing

- Thin ends don't automatically equal damage, especially at longer lengths

- How hair grows

- A routine involving more than just shampoo and conditioner doesn't have to be complicated

- Stringy hair is just clumping like almost all hair does

- Damage is irreversible

- It's okay to not brush or comb every day

- It's okay for some hairs to be 'out of place', and it's okay to just let them do their own thing

- Those coarse, wiry curly/kinky hairs are different from the rest of your hair and that's absolutely fine. In fact they give it a bit more life!

- Understanding ingredients (also useful for skin care)

- Protective styles with hair-friendly tools exist and are awesome


That's nowhere near everything I've learned, but those are the most important points that come to mind.

[Star_fish]

When I first joined I’d managed to completely fry my hair with heat (hair straighteners) & bleach. So I have learned so much from this site! Things that spring to mind:

1) No heat - I’ve learned to embrace my natural texture which is not the stick straight style I was always trying to achieve
2) never use bleach again! Ugh! Such a mistake.
3) no sulphates
4) overnight oiling & deep conditioning
5) protective hairstyles
6) I do not need to get my hair trimmed every 12 weeks

[ExpectoPatronum]

If you really want your hair to grow long - don't cut it! It's as simple as that.

Yeah, giving up heat and dye, wearing it in protective styles, and everything else helps to some degree, but all that effort is pointless if you're just going to trim all your growth off.

I've not trimmed my hair in over a year now, and it's longer than it's ever been.

[milosmomma]

I could echo alot of what others have said but the biggest thing for me was patience! Hair will grow at the rate its going to grow and no amount of products, wishing or hoping will hasten it.

[esmeralda80]

- The lengths don't need to get wet every time you wash the roots
.
Ok you got me on this one! How do you wash your hair without getting the ends wet?

[MusicalSpoons]

Ok you got me on this one! How do you wash your hair without getting the ends wet?

Length helps - I do it in a bun but a bit away from my scalp so the scalp hair is loose, wrap that tightly with plastic to keep water out as much as possible, and then top my head forward and direct the shower head so water runs down off my scalp and away from the bun. For a more full scalp wash, I do it in a braid starting a few inches down, tuck that under a belt (some people put it down their top or under a bra strap), and wash bent forwards over a bowl of water with a jug or with careful use of a shower head. It's usually referred to as a scalp wash, or scalp-only wash. (Many of us during a full wash do only shampoo the scalp, not the lengths, but when rinsing let it all run down the lengths - that's normal. Usually when people talk about scalp washes they specifically mean keeping the lengths dry.) :) It doesn't work for everyone though, and those for whom it does work each tend to have their own ever so slightly different techniques to make it work best for them.

[oldrocker]

And the support that having very very long hair is not a bad thing.

Or even just long hair if you are an (at least slightly older) guy....

[Bat]

LHC has helped me say no to bleach a habit I've been trying to break for years

It's ok to even leave your hair a week without a wash

Castor does infact help my hair grow I didn't know about it before joining here

It's helped me stay away from trimming my hair every 3 months

It is helping me practice paitence
And to get out of dying it every month
(A work in progress for sure)

The hair challenges are fun and help you take care of it better

The two week topic is a must to join before doing anything like cutting and coloring

That hair ******ists is a thing, I find that mind blowing, I love hair sure but sexual gratification? Wtf man lol

LHC has showed me as well that I have missed out this positive atmosphere for years with all its fabulous members, I wish I discovered this in my 20s so I could have long hair sooner!

[Entangled]

Mechanical damage is cumulative. Gentle detangling can prevent so much damage. By the same note, there are so many wonderful protective styles that keep hair out of the way and keep it from routine mechanical damage.

[illicitlizard]

Not fighting your natural texture/colour/wispies is often the best way to avoid unnecessary damage.

It's ok to want a blunt hemline and it looks great, despite what every hairdresser has told me in the past.

Usually when I want to trim I can push it a couple more months without actually suffering damage.

Conventional haircare or "natural" it doesn't matter, different things work for different people. If a method of haircare is working for you, don't change it just because you can.

[akurah]

Ok you got me on this one! How do you wash your hair without getting the ends wet?

So this required quite a bit of length (I think about hip for me, or just shy) but if your hair is long enough: Braid it, starting the braid about 3-4 inches from the scalp. Hook the tail of the braid into a clothes hanger and hang the clothes hanger on the shower curtain rod or top of the glass door. Only get your head under the showerhead and wash the scalp.

[Bri-Chan]

Well, I joined LHC for the first time in 2014, and again some months ago, but I'm involved in hair care pages/websites since 2012. So, what I've learned in this months it's not much about techniques or hairstyles, but about attitude.
- I appreciate my hair on an highest level now.
- I can grow my damaged hair, a big chop it's not the only way.
- The hair challenges keep me motivated and focused on what I want.
- I have some kind of wave.

[Feral_]

That I’m on the right track with gentle benign neglect.

Not all oils are the same.

Retentive styles help with growth and condition, despite the fact I am too inept to do anything fancy. I can live my elaborate hairstyles vicariously through others on here like Tatsu !

There is always someone knowledgable to answer a hair-related question.

[Belgrade Beauty]

It's ok to have thin fine hair.
It's ok not to do styles all the time.
Do not use heat. *very important*
Avoid dyes if you don't read the label.
Oils are good.
Pantene is good.(I avoided it forever, and only tried it on member advice)
Serums for split end suck.
Hair turbans don't have to be expensive.
Hair care doesn't have to be expensive.

[Mariekeeee14]

I’ve learned that experimenting is fun (and that I have the tendency to BUY ALL THE PRODUCTS) (no no, I’m okay)

[esmeralda80]

I have the tendency to BUY ALL THE PRODUCTS) (no no, I’m okay)

I do too, but that’s because they never seem to work for very long - is that my fault lol?

[esmeralda80]

Length helps - I do it in a bun but a bit away from my scalp so the scalp hair is loose, wrap that tightly with plastic to keep water out as much as possible, and then top my head forward and direct the shower head so water runs down off my scalp and away from the bun. For a more full scalp wash, I do it in a braid starting a few inches down, tuck that under a belt (some people put it down their top or under a bra strap), and wash bent forwards over a bowl of water with a jug or with careful use of a shower head. It's usually referred to as a scalp wash, or scalp-only wash. (Many of us during a full wash do only shampoo the scalp, not the lengths, but when rinsing let it all run down the lengths - that's normal. Usually when people talk about scalp washes they specifically mean keeping the lengths dry.) :) It doesn't work for everyone though, and those for whom it does work each tend to have their own ever so slightly different techniques to make it work best for them.

Thank you for all the details - maybe this would work on APL hair if I just held my ponytail to the side - or would I risk getting sudsy water on my lengths without realizing it ?

Anyway, also wanted to say that I love the bun holder (is that what you call it?) in your profile pic. Where can you get something like that?

[Lucy McLucyFace]

Tapered ends don't equal damage. This is easily the thing the vast majority of people outside the LHC don't understand

[Ylva]

Anyway, also wanted to say that I love the bun holder (is that what you call it?) in your profile pic. Where can you get something like that?

It is a flexi-8 by Lilla Rose (https://www.lillarose.biz/). :)

[esmeralda80]

It is a flexi-8 by Lilla Rose (https://www.lillarose.biz/). :)

Got it - thank you - I have been looking on their site but haven’t seen anything that pretty - maybe I just need to keep checking in for new styles!

[MusicalSpoons]

Got it - thank you - I have been looking on their site but haven’t seen anything that pretty - maybe I just need to keep checking in for new styles!

Thank you for the compliment before :D You can also order through individual stylists, who can track down different ones that are no longer on the website. The big thread is here https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=17757&page=1663 (I'd suggest starting at the end and working your way back because more recent flexis will be more readily found ;)).
You might also find our database useful (an LHC effort, completely unofficial and still under construction but I'd like to think it's a good start) https://sites.google.com/view/flexidatabase/

[GoddesJourney]

I've learned not to read the front of the bottle ("damage repair", "extra moisture") and instead read the back (dimethicone, sodium lauryl sulfate).

The front is marketing. The back is tells the truth.

[esmeralda80]

Thank you for the compliment before :D You can also order through individual stylists, who can track down different ones that are no longer on the website. The big thread is here https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=17757&page=1663 (I'd suggest starting at the end and working your way back because not recent flexis will be more readily found ;)).
You might also find our database useful (an LHC effort, completely unofficial and still under construction but I'd like to think it's a good start) https://sites.google.com/view/flexidatabase/

thank you so much for your help MusicalSpoons - do you know of a good stylist who can help me track down styles I like?

[Mdewlover02]

My goodness, I have found a world of accessories that are actually not cheap crap, learned why certain shampoos never worked and why others did, found a few new hairstyles that will work with my length (bra strap length and thick) that actually hold! And that is just off the tip of my tongue!!!

[Dark40]

When I first joined here I learned how to not trim my ends so often to retain length.
I've learned more about co-washing instead of always using shampoos with sulfates in them.
I've learned some different updo hair styles.
I've learned that to have extremely long hair it doesn't necessarily have to be genetics.
I've learned a lot about some excellent hair products.

[hennalonghair]

The most important thing I learned is that everyone’s hair is as unique as they are. Just because something works great for you doesn’t mean it will work great for everyone or anyone else.