How to 'baby' your hair?

[growingpains]

There's so much great info on this site about how to take care of your hair, but I'm wondering, for those of us who are struggling to grow because of breakage, what ALL can we do to baby our hair?

What's the best thing that helped you grow your hair and reduce damage?

I want to put every tool possible in my tool kit and kick start some growing! If history repeats itself I'll never be able to achieve hip without some changes.

I'll start:
-stretching washes from daily to every 3-4 days has helped me get past BSL, which I previously could not do.

[shikara]

Keep it secured as much as possible iin whatever way/style works for you. If you need to use a product so you can detangle very easily, find out what that is and use it (ie oils). Comb/brush ever so carefully, and don't do more than what is necesary. Know what your hair needs regarding moisture/protein. Once I decided I wanted to thicken up my last few inches, my 'babying' has become more of a pleasure. Also, it may work for many, that once you find a routine that is working for you to stop messing around with too many things becaue it might set you back - this is easier said than done though, isn't it because I often wonder - is there a better treatment/product that my hair will like more than what I'm using now?!:rolleyes:

[Siaraven]

Not using SLS shampoos has benefited my hair the most i think, because the SLS would dry out my ends which would then make them very brittle and straw like, which would then lead to them breaking off.

I only wish i knew about this years ago! My hair would be sooo long!

[sharicat]

Keeping heat styling to an absolute minimum has made the biggest difference to my hair. And keeping it out my baby's way, as he loves to grab it!

[Theobroma]

In my case:

Being gentle with comb or brush. If you comb, make sure your comb is seamless. Whether you use a comb or a brush, don't rip it through your length all in one stroke; start near the ends, gently comb out any tangles there, then move half an inch or an inch further up and gently comb from there to the end, rinse and repeat until you've gone all the way up.

Keeping hair secured as much as you can -- updos are my best friend. Make sure that whatever you use to secure your styles is hair-friendly -- no sharp edges on barrette mechanisms, no metal bits on hair ties, etc. (A year ago I had a weird tuft that would stick out of my braid which I'm sure is due to the hair being chewed off by a poorly-made barrette.)

Keeping hair well moisturised and nourished. I CO wash because shampoo dries it out, and I use coconut oil. I avoid cones to allow the coconut oil to penetrate the hair shaft.

Reducing artificial heat to an absolute minimum. I've never owned a flatiron, but I did use to blowdry extensively. I live in a cold climate so I can't give that up entirely or I'll get sick every time I wash my hair when it isn't high summer, but I've reduced it to the bare minimum of getting the back of my head mostly dry while allowing the rest to airdry in its own time.

I had about 17cm of growth in the past year and didn't need to trim any of it for damage, so the system seems to be working for me. :)

[skyblue]

Taking better care of my ends is whats helping me, I start combing from the bottom so there I'm very careful not to pull or stretch, if it looks dry I put a drop or two of olive oil on my hands and slide my palms just down the last few inches then brush in the oil, just at the bottom it makes my ends look smooth and moisturized
Also a weekly SMT or oil treatment is a great way to baby your hair

[Bene]

Put it up and leave it alone.

[caiti42]

Switching to salon s&c rather than using supermarket brands.

Changed my life!

[`l)rea]

I second everyone else's advice. I'd also add that it really helps to sleep with hair in a sleeping cap or braid. I used to be so lazy about putting my hair up at night and my ends really paid for it. I've also started trimming off individual split ends. It's time consuming, but once they are under control, it doesn't take much effort. I'm not sure of what kind of result this will render, as I've only been trimming like this for a couple of weeks, but I figure it has to be helpful.

[Heartwillfollow]

found out the hard way about breakage. :(... I would simple braid the back then tuck the ends under.. realized as my hair got longer that the tucked ends were right at the edge of my coat collar.. just rubbing all day long.. caused alot of breakage before I knew it.. and had to trim when I notice my hair wasn't getting longer, and the ends were so thin.. So now I wear my hair up higher .. My winter coat is just evil lol lol ...

[mrs_coffee]

Not washing every day & using conditioner were the two big changes I made when I was first here and learning about hair. I moved on to CWC and then alternating CWC with CO and my hair has never been in better condition. For the first time in my life I'm not compelled to hack it all off.

[torrilin]

Wash hair as little as possible. Some weeks, that means every day. Other weeks, that might mean once.

Use a vinegar and water rinse after, because our water is so hard I'll see white dots on my thickest strands if I skip even once. That doesn't mean my hair is damaged... it means it has mineral build up. (took a bit to figure that one out)

Maybe use leave-in conditioner to detangle. My hair doesn't always need either the conditioner *or* the detangling, so if it's not necessary, leave out the step.

Stuff hair in some kind of updo and ignore it. If hair does not need to be washed, change updo every day or two.

[Avital88]

Condition and oil and sls free shampoo to have less frizz :) also henna have helped me alot to make my ends stronger,else they would have breaked a long time ago.
Microtrimming your ends if its necesary, and no heat and chemicals(dye/hairspray).

Washing hair twice a week is my max, with this routine(well ofcourse with even more than just this) my hair grew alot the last year.
My hair has never been this long,this shiny and this strong :D i love it

[jojo]

For me oiling my ends daily and bunning it have really helped.

[Mrspuddinhead]

Condition and oil and sls free shampoo to have less frizz :) also henna have helped me alot to make my ends stronger,else they would have breaked a long time ago.
Microtrimming your ends if its necesary, and no heat and chemicals(dye/hairspray).

Washing hair twice a week is my max, with this routine(well ofcourse with even more than just this) my hair grew alot the last year.
My hair has never been this long,this shiny and this strong :D i love it
Avital I was just curious does your hair ever get oily from not washing more often?? I'm only asking because I cannot go more then two days without it getting oily. I would like to do what ever I can to make my hair more healthy. I've cut out the dyes and heating elements, changed my way of drying by scrunching instead of rubbing, etc, etc... Have you ever tried the vineger rinse?? Do you think it would help in my case?? Thanks. Sorry so long winded. ;)

[Lianna]

I just wanna comment that washing less isn't the best for everyone. If I wash less my hair grows less. It might help retention if you already have breakage, but if you are growing fungus in there, your hair won't grow to its full potencial.

Some things I know people do to "baby" their hair are avoiding heat, chemicals, SLS/SLES/cones, or shampoo altogether, ponytails, hair elastics, hair toys with metal, wet combing/brushing, just combing/brushing (just fingers in this option), they do braid or make updos, avoid sleeping with hair loose (updos/bonnets), control their protein and moisture balance, oilings, head massages, small dustings/trimming, deep treatments, some choose to style their hair using cold rollers/wrapping/rag rollers/damp braids and buns and such 'no heat' methods.

Some of these things are better the other way around for some though, like I said before, the frequent washing, using sulfates, cones, making ponytails (specially when you can't bun yet), braids can leave some people's hair dry, combing wet avoids bigger tangles and breakage from dry combing, head massages can leave hair quite oily and perhaps that person benefits from stretching washes...Some people can benefit from damp bunning while others can't (similar case with braids). And henna can really mess up some people's hair.

My point is we can advice all we want but let's include that it doesn't work for everyone, because some people end up doing things that aren't the best for them, and don't stop because they feel guilty they're mistreating their hair.

I'm sure my list isn't full, but together with other advice you (general you) can try new things and get to know your hair.

[alwayssmiling]

I guess its different for everyone but for me

sls free/CO washing (no more dryness and frizzies for me)
leave in conditioner (I never knew how much moisture my hair really needed)
Very light oiling whilst hair is damp
Not handling it much (loose braids stop me from twiddling)
Wooden wide tooth comb for detangle

Edit:Lianna I'm not stalking you, honestly... :D

[krissykins]

Switching to salon s&c rather than using supermarket brands.

Changed my life!

I just want to point out that this isn't necessarily better for your hair. It really depends on the brand and product. Biolage Conditioning Balm, for example, is a product that is highly recommended here because it works. A lot of salon brands are just like drugstore brands, but instead of paying for high quality ingredients, you are paying for the label on the bottle.

I use Suave and V05 because I have found that they work for the hair care methods I have chosen. Others have found perfectly acceptable drugstore brands as well.

So you don't necessarily have to switch to salon brands to baby your hair :flower: my $0.84 conditioner leaves my hair soft and silky.

I know it's been said before, but updos! Tuck those ends in to protect them. Updos help your hair not get caught in doors, chairs, seatbelts, etc. Also, knowing how to handle it gently when detangling and styling goes a long way!

[Mrspuddinhead]

Lianna;1588571 Very well said. I think I'm just going to have to take some of the suggestions, try them, keep the ones that work best for me and my hair, weed out the ones that don't. I'm sure with all the advice I find on the forums I will find a happy medium.

[Madora]

Here's my list for babying your hair:

1 Do not wash the daylights out of it! Wash only when it needs it

2 Do not use a "two in one" product (i.e. a shampoo that contains conditioner. A shampoo is meant to cleanse. A conditioner is a totally different animal

3 Use a 100 pure boar bristle brush. No synthetics, no nylon!
A pure bbb leaves your hair very soft, shinny, exercises the follicles, removes lint/dead cells, distributes the natural sebum down your strands.

Brush 100 strokes per day - when you get up in the morning. Don't brush the full 100 at once. Do a little at a time..say 10 stokes for a few days, then move up to 15, and so forth.

If you feel that 100 is too much, then settle for a lesser amount. The thing is brush every day and brush the same number of strokes.

How to brush:

Bend over at the waist, bring all your hair in front of you, like a curtain

Detangle all hair thoroughly with a wide tooth comb. Start at the ends of the strand and slowly work your way up until you reach the scalp.

When you are thoroughly detangled, then begin to brush as follows:

Brush from the nape down to the ends. Follow each motion of your brush with the palm of your other hand. This helps cut down the static electricity caused by the brushing

Continue until all the hair has been fully brushed

Grab the bottom of the hair, hold it in your hand. Stand erect and then gently place your hair behind your head. Do NOT toss/fling/throw it over your head. This only creates more tangles.

Part the hair from forehead to nape, and gently detangle again. Once your hair is tangle free, style as desired.

4 Wear updos to protect the fragile ends

5 Avoid ponytails, if possible

6 use only hair friendly elastics, clips or barrettes

7 Use a satin pillowcase

8 Eat a healthy, sensible diet, drink plenty of water, exercise in moderation, take supplements (don't overdo it!), protect your scalp and hair in hot or cold weather

9 Use a cone free shampoo

10 Avoid hot irons, hot curlers, BLOW FRYING, straightening,
chemicals, ironing

11 Air dry your hair! It doesn't take that long!

12 Never, ever brush hair when it is wet. Wet hair is weak hair!

13 Above all, be patient!

14 Learn new ways to style your hair so you won't run into the bugaboo of many long hairs .."my hair is so boring. I don't know what to do with it!" There are many simple styles -- depending on your thickness and length. Visit TORRIN PAIGE's site on YOU TUBE for an array of great styles.

15 Keep a long hair inspirational picture tacked to your fridge..or in your bedroom..to inspire you to work harder toward your goal

Long hair is determined by genetics. It won't grow thicker, longer, or anything else unless ordained by nature.

Handle it gently, like a piece of fine, antique lace. Benign neglect is a very good way of just letting it be! Less is more!

To tame frizz, try a small dab of coconut oil on the ends.

An Extra Virgin Olive Oil Treatment (EVOO) works wonders!

Keep your comb and brush clean!

Happy growing!

[Signe]

^^ what madora said!!!:D

[Kristamommyx3]

Everyone had lots of great advice, but one I missed seeing that's worth mentioning is...prevention. By that, I mean watch the ends and get a micro trim when it starts to look rough or not so healthy. A regular tiny trim at your discretion is worth growing a little slower for much healthier ends and therefore georgous every inch. I would suggest checking out the do it yourself info on here if you haven't already. When you can decide how much you trim off, it's very empowering.

[Madora]

@Kristamommyx3

Excellent suggestion! Minute trims help keep your hair in peak condish! Say every 3/4 months. Micro S and D are helpful too!

[growingpains]

Wow fantastic suggestions everyone! Thanks to all and thanks especially Madora for your very well thought out list :)

[growingpains]

Avital I was just curious does your hair ever get oily from not washing more often?? I'm only asking because I cannot go more then two days without it getting oily. I would like to do what ever I can to make my hair more healthy. I've cut out the dyes and heating elements, changed my way of drying by scrunching instead of rubbing, etc, etc... Have you ever tried the vineger rinse?? Do you think it would help in my case?? Thanks. Sorry so long winded. ;)

I do the same- stretch washes. While it's not for everyone it really helped me. I've ben doing it since 08 or so. At first it felt nasty and greasy after two days. Then I could go three days but it was seriously slick with grease. It took about a month for my scalp to adjust it's sebum production. Now 3 days is no big stretch, nor four and the biggest problem is the ends look dry in comparison to my happier scalp hair.

[growingpains]

I keep hearing people talk about SLS/SLES. I don't know what this is, how to recognize it or what it means!!!

How is your hair different without this?