Back to growing...help

[WaitingSoLong]

Questions are in bold.

OK, so I was totally devastated when I went in for a trim back in August and the lady cut my hair crooked, so I had to have it fixed and ended up loosing 4". It totally wrecked my year end 2009 goal of hip length. I am back to where I started originally, which is 32" or so. I was at 34 when I had it "trimmed". I quit reading LHC because I was so upset about my hair. I was used to bunning at 34" and could nto seem to do ANY buns right with 30" hair. Not to mention the blunt ends would not tuck. I am definitely only trimming split ends once a year and gong for fairytale ends once all the dyed hair is cut out (see below).

ANYway. In the last year I have been working hard on discovering the best hair care regime for me. I have tried about everything....condition only, water only, sulfate free, cone free, etc. I came full circle to how I used to do it before LHC for years and years, which is my favorite shampoo and conditioner (Pantene). I am not sure why I messed with it, I guess all the new info on LHC made me think my hair could be in better condition though my hair stylists always commented on how healthy my hair was, especially for it being long hair. It looks and feels so much better with Pantene. Oh well!

I did switch to satin pillowcases and oil my hair occasionally. Bunning helps a LOT because I am very active (horses, yardwork) and cannot wear my hair down, especially in winter when the static is crazy.

I only wash 2x a week, I wish I could go less but my hair gets nasty from dirt/horses.

So, I want to know if bunning causes stress damage, as well as braiding? I rely heavily on these two things to be able to function with long hair.

I also want to know what people are seeking and destroying with S&D cutting? Split ends?

Is it bad to bun if the hair is not completely dry?

And speaking of drying, I would really love to never heat dry my hair, but in the winter it takes forever to dry. I can go to bed with wet hair loose and wake up with it still wet. This morning I washed my hair and it is STILL wet about 5 hours later. I was freezing cold so I dried the hair by my scalp and bunned it damp. Anyone else's hair take an entire day to dry naturally? In the summer it is dry within an hour.

My long term hair goals are:

To trim out all the dyed hair from a few years back. I have not dyed it in forever but you can still see a line where I stopped dying it. I am about 6" away from having it all trimmed out but refuse to lose that much length at once. I am patient, I can wait 6 years worthof 1" trims to get it all out.

To obtain a TB length braid. I think my hair will need to be classic to reach this goal. Anyone with a TB braid that can tell me how long your hair is loose? I can reach TB by next year but figure on 2012 year end to reach it together with my first goal.

Thanks for reading!

[missjessiecakes]

From my studies as I am not able to buns yet

Buning may or may not cause damage depending on your hair same with braiding. But it is infinitely more helpful than hurtful for most people depending on tools used etc.

S&D is for split ends yes. Make sure you have a really nice pair of hair only scissors.

Naw there are threads about damp buning. Kimberlilys(sp?) defrizz spray is really nice for it apparently.

ETA: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=277

When I was long haired as a child it would take all day to dry.

Someone else will have to answer that last one.

[melikai]

I think any damage caused by buns or braids would be from repetitive twisting from wearing the same style every day or very often. If you vary the type of braid and bun, as well as the direction you twist it from (or do buns which don't require twisting but still hold well), then you should be okay.

As far as I know, it is okay to bun while your hair is damp, but be gentle and don't do an overly tight and twisted style, because your hair stretches more easily and is more delicate while wet/damp.

If you have a warm or cool setting on your hairdryer, you could use that without worry.

I also can't answer your last question! :p

[WaitingSoLong]

I have tried the warm/cool setting on my dryer and am there at least a half hour and still have damp hair. LOL. Argh! I am ADD and cannot sit for that long.

Very cool link to the spritz, thanks! I have everything but the glycerin already (well, I have solid glycerin but guessing this does not work).

I do tend to wear the same style over and over and actually find it difficult to bun if my hair is very damp. I at least have to wait until it is half dry to bun. By then I am wanting it out of the way and cannot wait any longer. I wonder if it is bad for the sticks? I am gentle when it is wet, I have a certain bun I do that is loose. I redo it later and tighten it a bit after the outer layers have dried.

Sometimes I braid when it is wet, but only if I am not going to bed. I cannot do a wet braid to bed. Somehow it ends up in knots.

Thanks.

[klcqtee]

I'm with you on the wet hair issue. I wash at night, go to bed with my hair loose, and wake up and my hair is still wet. Usually it's dry enough that I can put my hair up in a bun and it'll be fine all day and not be wet enough to bother me. I always wash my hair at night because it's easier to deal with.

If I wash my hair during the day it's wet for 6 hours or so if I leave it down (even during the summer it's 4 hours), and if I bun it, it's wet for the next...30 hours? Basically wet until I take it down or a while. Plus I'm only APL! I don't know what I'm going to do at waist length (with a 6+" circumference!).

I haven't found that damp bunning has caused any problems, if I'm very careful with my ends. If I'm not careful, my ends get all crinkley and crunchy. When in doubt, I oil the ends, then bun it. A modified sock bun helps me keep my ends soft.

[Coriander]

Glad to have you here! :) I'll answer these questions based on my own experience.

I want to know if bunning causes stress damage, as well as braiding?
I haven't noticed any damage, as I wear a cinnabun most days. The only damage I notice is if I wear a Ficcare in the exact same spot every time. I try to vary it up usings sticks, etc.

I also want to know what people are seeking and destroying with S&D cutting? Split ends?
I have little scissors that I keep with me. They're not professional hair shears, but I sneak them in with my parents stash when they have them sharpened. :D

Is it bad to bun if the hair is not completely dry?
I don't think so - in fact, I usually dampen my hair a bit just to keep the bun more secure.

Anyone else's hair take an entire day to dry naturally?
I haven't worn it down that long to be able to say. If I have it in a bun for more than a day, it's usually still damp when I take it down.

Anyone with a TB braid that can tell me how long your hair is loose?
Right now my hair is lower-TB and upper-TB when braided.

[pepperedmoth]

I want to know if bunning causes stress damage, as well as braiding?

I also want to know what people are seeking and destroying with S&D cutting? Split ends?

Is it bad to bun if the hair is not completely dry?


1.) It depends how you're bunning and braiding. If you're using elastics, and fastening your hair in the same place every day, it may well cause damage. If you're using tools that are gentler on the hair (ribbon, sticks, amish hair pins) you won't likely cause damage. Many people here SWEAR by bunning to PROTECT hair, in fact!

2.) Yep, split ends.

3.) While I once had a salon hairstylist swear to me that my hair would mildew if I damp bunned it, I've never experienced this. In fact, my hair seems to like it.

I wish I could answer the rest of your questions- my hair isn't long enough!

[WaitingSoLong]

Thanks for all your replies! I only use sticks to bun my hair. I have never been able to get it to stay any other way. I use elastics when I braid, the kind with no metal.

Never thought of mildewing hair!

I should become a hair stylist, except I could not stand to cut people's locks off! Or tease hair...that just makes me cringe. I have gotten so much bad advice from stylists. They tell me I HAVE to wash my hair every day, or that my shampoo is the worst thing for my hair (right after they complimented me on how healthy my hair is). I had one stylist say I needed 4" of dead ends cut off and another say I didn't need any at all. Hey, my hair is long enough I can look at the ends myself and see split or dead ends. At this moment, I cannot find any at all. I have had compliemnts about my hair and then they turn around and say what a bother long hair is, or that my hair is too tangly and I should cut it. I swore off stylists after my last botch job (I am not brave enough to S&D or trim myself) but I have one recommended to me by a trusted friend who has been going to the same stylist for years. SO, if I ever get to that point where I HAVE to have a trim, I will go to her!

[spidermom]

My hair takes forever to dry in cold weather, too. I use the blow-dryer on warm and cool settings. If I keep it up until my hair is dry, it takes an hour, but I'm usually bored before that time. But even if I just get it to the damp stage, it takes a lot less time to air-dry completely from that point.

My hair gets damage from twisting, so I've got a couple of nontwisted buns that I use.