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abritta3
June 13th, 2009, 03:32 PM
Hi! I thought it would be great and inspirational for those of us who are trying to grow out our hair to hear from those of you who have already reached your length goals.
What are the best tips/advice you can give or have recieved and applied?
Thanks!!

Speckla
June 13th, 2009, 03:33 PM
Don't cut unless it's necessary (getting rid of extreme layers or damage). That's the #1 rule for gaining length. :)

Aisha25
June 13th, 2009, 03:33 PM
Dont cut them,have patience,leave them alone,braid or updos.. all counts for growing long hair:)

fishwich
June 13th, 2009, 03:39 PM
Just wait. Don't do much else. That's all!

Magdalene
June 13th, 2009, 03:43 PM
don't use the blow fryer or flat iron (at least not daily)

hennaphile
June 13th, 2009, 04:03 PM
Before you cut, if you MUST trim a few inches of yuck off, try to treat your hair and salvage as much as you can. It's amazing what henna/cassia/oiling can do, and how much it can save you from scissors!

holomi
June 13th, 2009, 05:03 PM
Best advice I've received is do not cut.

slz
June 13th, 2009, 05:15 PM
Just wait. Don't do much else. That's all!

I agree ! Try to do the least possible. "benign neglect", they say.

may1em
June 13th, 2009, 05:37 PM
Benign neglect is good. Find a routine you like that isn't all-consuming, keep it up most of the time, and treat it gently.

Also try to keep in good health overall. Good health = good hair. The hair's the first to suffer if you're not taking care of yourself.

And stay away from scissors! In the three years I was looking to gain length, I had 3 professional trims and did one self-trim. If I felt I needed it, I did search-and-destroy missions. Over the past year, I've done four self-trims in the name of getting rid of old damage and layers. I'll probably stay in this holding pattern another year. I also haven't gained much length (maybe two or three inches, tops) over the past year. This is not a coincidence.

nowxisxforever
June 13th, 2009, 08:02 PM
Patience, not cutting, and... benign neglect! I leave my hair up in a bun periodically for months at a time (except for washing/detangling and sleeping with it tossed over my pillow) and notice a few more inches of growth each time :]

Blue Willow
June 13th, 2009, 08:17 PM
no heat, no bleach, condition, condition, condition, cut sparingly, minimize the stress in your life

Speckla
June 13th, 2009, 08:36 PM
Adequate protein intake. Plenty of water.

LisaJaney
June 13th, 2009, 09:44 PM
My top tips were:
No wadding it up while washing it
No brushing it while wet
Wash it LESS (What really works best for my length-moisture issues are to CO wash, and I only do it every 4th day)
Use a lot of protective updos.
When it's down, notice things that RUB on it.

ALL of these tips can be summed up with what someone else has probably already told you:
Treat your hair like it's antique lace. That means: clean it gently, be SUPER careful with it when it's wet; don't wash it a lot; protect it from "the elements" (sun, wind) and protect it from friction.

Hope this helps. Oh, and use good implements on it. Hairfriendly clips, combs, brushes, etc. Kent combs rock. So do Denman brushes, as well as MasonPearson BBBs.

That's my big list of big hints. :)

Chromis
June 13th, 2009, 09:50 PM
My top tip: Read the articles and browse the threads at LHC!

Natalia
June 13th, 2009, 10:03 PM
I havent reached my goal yet but from experiance dont measure. It will only drive you nuts and point out the damage you still have and urge you to cut. I do quite a bit to my hair so benign neglect doesnt really fit me but when it coems to length tuck your hair out of the way treat it well and enjoy the suprise when you finally look :).

Melisande
June 13th, 2009, 10:27 PM
Listen to your hair, don't listen to commercial promises, clueless friends and cut-crazy stylists. Listen to your hair, and it will tell you what it likes.

Avoid hair stress: chemical, mechanical and thermic stress will damage hair. Try to prevent damage before it happens.

Treat yourself well and with respect. This includes your hair. Don't see your hair (or the rest of you) as raw material for fashionable styling but see your hair (and the rest of you) as expression of your inner self that nature has given you to be enjoyed and cherished. So don't fight against nature.

Those who fight against the structure and color of their hair usually end up cutting. Or their hair breaks first.

bigdreamer
June 13th, 2009, 10:32 PM
I have a long way to go but I'm very excited about my big revelation that the only thing I really need to focus on is that simple advice to just leave it alone. That means I can let go of always trying to decipher all the magazine advice about current hairstyles and "techniques" and which products to get for this or that, or even what anyone thinks about how my hair looks as I work towards my goal of long beautiful healthy hair.

So my tip is try to lose the additional hair stress beyond gentle care and no cutting and just enjoy the journey toward your goal - it's really liberating.

LittleOrca
June 14th, 2009, 02:14 PM
Eat healthily! Make sure you take your vitamins. *Sounds like a Naggy Mother*

JamieLeigh
June 14th, 2009, 04:05 PM
Honestly? The best growth I've ever had has come from leaving it alone and not fussing with/over it. Patience and good health are really the keys to growing long. :)

janeytilllie
June 14th, 2009, 04:11 PM
For me eating healthly plenty of fish and vegetables and water helped.
I also noticed growth and hair improvement with:-

* Taking a multi vitamin
* Being very careful with my hair
* Oils
* Brushing less
* Good shampoos and conditioners
* Trimming split ends

HTH :flower:

patissegrietje
June 14th, 2009, 04:24 PM
I agree on all of the above and would like to add that sleeping on a silk pillowcase is also wonderful to your skin :)

littlemiss
June 14th, 2009, 04:58 PM
Stay away from hairdressers!!

C_Bookworm
June 14th, 2009, 05:00 PM
Massage your scalp. for me, added an extra 1/4 to 1/2 inch a year

xrosiex
June 14th, 2009, 05:43 PM
Honestly? The best growth I've ever had has come from leaving it alone and not fussing with/over it. Patience and good health are really the keys to growing long. :)

I agree with JamieLeigh. And I wanta add no cutting.

Brisen
June 15th, 2009, 08:33 AM
Seems like it's unanimous -- don't cut and be gentle.

I have a couple of questions, though. The last time I had my hair long, it ended up growing to about APL (unstretched), and I didn't trim or really do anything other than regular shampoo/condition (I never used a blow dryer, coloured it, used hairspray or gel, etc.) and mostly wore it down. I did brush it while wet, though. For 6 or 7 years, it stayed at APL. :( I'm pretty sure my ends were quite damaged, and now that I'm growing it out again, I can feel that the last inch or so is feeling dry and damaged. So, I was planning a cut, mostly to remove the damage, and to give it a bit of a lift (my curl gets pulled straight on the top part of my hair and there is a larger straightish section as it gets longer, and I thought layers might help with this). I also wanted to even stuff up, as my last few hair cuts were very short (not quite pixie, but close), and I did them myself, so they were far from perfect (curl hides a multitude of sins, but still...)

So, long story short -- should I skip the trim? I am worried that a stylist will take more than I wanted. I have thought about having dh do it, figuring that he would be less likely to take too much. If I can do something to repair the damage, I think I would like to let it grow longer before I do the trim to even it up -- I'm just starting to be able to do more than putting it up in a pony.

What are some tips for preventing damaged ends? I have been trying to keep the shampoo on my scalp and leave the conditioner on for as long as possible, and then I rub some coconut oil in to the ends after my shower. I don't have a detangler (though when I use Garnier Curl Relaxing Cream, it seems to help quite a bit), and I'm not sure what I should use.

Anje
June 15th, 2009, 08:50 AM
My advice (other than the usual "don't cut off what you've grown", which isn't much of an issue for a lazy person who avoids hairdressers like me):

1) Use conditioner. For me, protein-free and silicone-free seems best.
2) Wear it in a contained style. Protect those ends. That means buns and the like most days.
3) No ponytails. They break my hair where the tie goes, and they don't protect the ends.
4) When your ends feel nasty, try clarifying your hair before you reach for the scissors. Then deep condition.
5) Keep your scalp happy. Some scalps like to be clean, some like a bit of sebum buildup, some like an acidic rinse at every wash. Some get dry and like the moisture from conditioner, some hate conditioner. Find what works.
6) Problems and changes with new growth (heavy shedding, slow growth at the roots for months, etc.) is potentially an early indicator of health issues. If you're having problems, it's worth ensuring that sleep and stress levels are OK, that your nutrition is well balanced (hair needs protein, iron, zinc, and a generally balanced diet), and that you're not having dietary or hormonal problems (such as thyroid levels, fertility hormones, and problems absorbing specific nutrients).

kdaniels8811
June 15th, 2009, 09:58 AM
Brisen - in addition to coconut oil, check out SMT's. That stands for Snowy's Moisture treatment which works on my dry ends like a charm. If you MUST cut (don't unless you absolutely have to) then check out Feye's self trim method. I tried it and it works! And you do it yourself so you can control how much is being taken off. I was skeptical until I tried it - by the way, my hair has not been cut for almost a year. My ends are getting thin - but you really cannot tell from the photo and I do not plan to cut anything off. Fairtail ends are pretty!

Brisen
June 15th, 2009, 11:53 AM
Thanks for the info & advice.


No ponytails. They break my hair where the tie goes, and they don't protect the ends.

I've had my hair up in a pony tail probably 4 days a week since it has been long enough to put it up; I'll start putting it up without an elastic.


Problems and changes with new growth (heavy shedding, slow growth at the roots for months, etc.) is potentially an early indicator of health issues. If you're having problems, it's worth ensuring that sleep and stress levels are OK, that your nutrition is well balanced (hair needs protein, iron, zinc, and a generally balanced diet), and that you're not having dietary or hormonal problems (such as thyroid levels, fertility hormones, and problems absorbing specific nutrients).

I last cut my hair shortly before my youngest was born; I was low in progesterone before that pregnancy, and I think my progesterone dropped again after he was born, because I've been losing a LOT of hair since he was born. It started about a month after he was born and lasted a few months; it is tapering off now, but I still lose more than I did when I had long hair as a teenager. I'm taking a supplement now that is supposed to help boost progesterone. I have a halo of short hair all over (but mostly visible at the edge of my hair, like my forehead and nape) that is now maybe 3" long, which I'm guessing is the new growth that started after my hair loss. It was a relief to see that!


Wear it in a contained style. Protect those ends. That means buns and the like most days.

I like having my hair in an updo now that I have the length for it, but I tend to have my ends on the top of the do, sticking out, since despite the damage, the ends are still the part of my hair that I like the best & want to show. Is it important to have the ends actually tucked in under the rest of the hair, or is having it out of the way of things like purse straps and the back of the chair enough? If I dry my hair with it up and the ends tucked in, and then let them out once I style, is that an OK compromise?


check out SMT's. That stands for Snowy's Moisture treatment which works on my dry ends like a charm.

SMT looks good. I think I'll try that and the other tips here for at least a month before I decide if I'll trim.


If you MUST cut (don't unless you absolutely have to) then check out Feye's self trim method.

Since I do have sections that are noticeably shorter (well, noticeable to me), I think I'll end up doing a bit of a trim to fix that. I might modify the Feye's self-trim method just to find the bits that are uneven and take care of them.

Thanks again!

watermelon
June 15th, 2009, 12:59 PM
When you put your hair up in a bun, do you twist it first? Or do you just try to pile it into a bun? I usually wear ponytails but never thought that they were bad for my hair.

demitasse
June 15th, 2009, 02:13 PM
I havent reached my goal yet but from experiance dont measure.

Here, here. The biggest thing I learned from growing out the first time around (to my hip) was to stop measuring and spending too much time staring at it. A watched pot doesn't boil.

And not to sound too Pollyannaish but I try to find something I enjoy about each stage. When it was shoulder-length, I could finally pull it back again. When it hit APL, I could use my sticks again. Now that I'm approaching BSL, I'm wearing it in nice long, fat braids. Learning to embrace the process makes it easier.

Islandgrrl
June 15th, 2009, 02:18 PM
My favorite tip: Put it up, leave it alone and don't obsess over it.

Ravenmoon
June 16th, 2009, 06:44 AM
I couldn't agree more. When I was growing my hair out to waist length for the first time 7 years ago, I would just make it pretty for the day and the ignore it, and it seemed like it would always grow faster rather than if I left it down where I would constantly check to see how long it was.

Zindell
June 16th, 2009, 06:55 AM
Stay away from hairdressers!!

I second that!

My hair didn't start to grow long until I stopped going to the hairdressers.

Nowadays me and my DD trim each others hair. Not often, not much. :)

hetschepetsch
June 16th, 2009, 07:48 AM
I agree! all materials are damegded by one or several of these three stress types! reduce them where you can...
good luck with your project
ana

BajanGal
June 16th, 2009, 08:25 AM
There must be some other tips other than "just leave it alone!" . . . I drink plenty of water and give mini scalp massages which seems to be working. Along with using jajoba oil and coconut oil to minimise damage.

redneckprincess
June 16th, 2009, 09:39 AM
JOIN THE LHC!!!, throw the sissors away, and wait 3 years ♥

yogachic
June 16th, 2009, 09:43 AM
The top tip is not cutting it, and forgetting about it.

Maud
June 21st, 2009, 11:52 AM
i know my hair isn't that long but my tip is, just wash it, oil it, put it up and forget about it.

HairColoredHair
June 21st, 2009, 12:58 PM
Be patient. Be gentle. Forgive it its 'faults', exult in its greatness.

Bunnyhare
June 21st, 2009, 05:37 PM
Listen to your hair, don't listen to commercial promises, clueless friends and cut-crazy stylists. Listen to your hair, and it will tell you what it likes.

Avoid hair stress: chemical, mechanical and thermic stress will damage hair. Try to prevent damage before it happens.

Treat yourself well and with respect. This includes your hair. Don't see your hair (or the rest of you) as raw material for fashionable styling but see your hair (and the rest of you) as expression of your inner self that nature has given you to be enjoyed and cherished. So don't fight against nature.

Those who fight against the structure and color of their hair usually end up cutting. Or their hair breaks first.
WOW I wish I had that confidance all the time! The ladies I work with are always asking me how I get my hair so long...mind you it is short to me right now but they go get it cut every 4 weeks...so I finally said STOP GETTING IT CUT and they looked at me like, how will that help?:rolleyes::doh: SO I tried to explain it (yes, i used small words)and they insist it grows more with monthly trims..yet here i sit with BSL after shoulder length 8 months ago..AMAZING...

Nitika
June 21st, 2009, 08:09 PM
Thanks everyone for the advice on not cutting. My hairstylist talked me into getting my hair trimmed every six weeks. I've been doing this for a year, but my hair hasn't grown much. Now I'm going back to very few trims.