Brand new and needing some tips!

[Benswife]

Hi all! I am brand new to the LHC forum. I stumbled upon it last week when I was searching for tips on growing out hair.

Here's my situation.... My hair is currently a short chin length very layered bob. I've had long hair only once in my life and that was back in 2006 and it was just past BSL. It's been getting shorter since then. I have low patience when it comes to my hair but I'm trying to get better. I had weight loss surgery this year in January so as a result of that my hair is thinning at an alarming rate. It's just a side affect, but it stinks. I ended up cutting my hair off from shoulder length to shorter than chin length in March in an attempt to combat the thinning. I recently discovered that I am pregnant so I'm hoping that my hair will thicken up a little bit and the growth will speed up a little.

Currently I am coloring my hair (just toning, not quite as harsh, but still not great) and I am using Garnier's length and strength. Can anyone suggest any other products that would help speed up the growth but still be gentle enough to use during pregnancy? Also, for any of you that are expecting or were recently pregnant, do you have any prenatal vitamin suggestions that would help out in the hair department? Thanks for all the tips and suggestions, I really appreciate it!

[Mina_Harker]

Hey,
I am pretty new here too. I take prenatal vitamins to help my hair growth. Since you are pregnant (congrats) it should be even better . I heard that pregnancy triggers hormones that cause your hair to grow faster.
Mina

[Jules2910]

I'm a newb too just wanted to say welcome! You have come to the right place, these boards are full of wise women with great hair who are generous enough to share their wealth of knowledge with us all!

[Kristamommyx3]

Welcome!
Congratulations on your pregnancy and weight loss! My advice to you is to decide which hair subgroup you belong in, and pose your question directly to people that are your "hair twins". I have lots of suggestions, but unfortunately, they might not work on your hair type as well as my own. What I can suggest is to try going sulfate free in your shampoo. Many people like to try CWC, which is condition, wash, condition. Also, have you tried skipping a day shampooing? Another thing that most people agree is beneficial, is only washing the scalp and not sudsing up the length most of the time. I hope these little ideas get you thinking, and then you can search the archives for more ideas for your hair type. :D

[Rapunzal2Be]

Welcome, and congrats! :)

I second giving sulfate free products a try, and suggest adding oils to your routine.

[Benswife]

Thanks ladies that does help! Any suggestions on what to do with my hair in the meantime? During the week I just let it air dry and put on a cap if I leave the house. On the weekend I blow dry and lightly flat iron so it looks styled. It sort of looks like a train wreck when I don't style it. I feel like because I'm a SAHM I can get by with minimal styling during the week. I also make cute hair flowers to try and distract from my growing out do'.

[gthlvrmx]

So far the only product i have heard to help growth is not in the shampoo/conditioner part :p
Length and strength has cone and this other ingredients that caused me major dryness and shedding for years, no length whatsoever.

Castor oil works for some people, though i don't know if it's safe for expecting mothers. I've heard rooibos tea on the scalp works for several people though :) It certainly has marked down the shedding amount. There's a nice thread here
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=71576

[Melanie Marie]

Welcome to the LHC! And congratulations on your pregnancy!!! :flower:

I really agree with Kristamommyx3's suggestions. Get rid of the Garnier and try out a sulfate-free shampoo! Try out a few different brands to see which works best for your hair type (I personally love Nature's Gate, and my sister speaks well of Giovanni). Here (http://www.longhaircommunity.com/archive/showthread.php?t=34009) is a link to the LHC's list of sulfate-free shampoos.

Good job on air-drying during the week!:cheese: And putting on a cap when you leave the house is a really good habit to keep (especially if you live in windy places!) I do the same thing when it's cold out. :D But if you blow-dry and flat-iron your hair every weekend...you are really doing some serious damage (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=79) to your hair. Please, please try to cut back if this is the case! :pray: You will really thank yourself when you have long, beautiful hair!

You mentioned that your hair looks messy if you don't style it. What sort of brush or comb do you use? Do you brush or comb when your hair is wet? I used to have (I kid you not) a two-inch halo of hell-sent frizz, and when I stopped brushing my wet hair and switched to a wide-toothed comb and BBB (Boar Bristle Brush) it all just went away! The little things really add up.

I'm a little biased because I'm half Indian, but coconut oil is the best stuff in the world!!!! I use almond and amla oil too (the former more than the latter), but coconut oil is really my favorite. Most hair types benefit substantially from using it. You can find it at almost any Indian store, and sometimes even in ordinary health food stores.

Good luck on your long hair journey, and once again welcome to LHC!! :)

[Benswife]

Thank you for the tips. I'm interested in trying out the rooibo tea rinse and treatment. This morning when I shampoo'd and conditioned I tried the Garnier pure clean. I really liked that. I'm thinking the conditioner is light enough to be a good CO wash. Because my hair is so thin volume is important, which usually require a great deal of products unfortunately. I was raised in a hair salon as my Mom is a cosmetologist and my hair was always kept short because it was "easier". My goal isn't even waist length hair but I think a nice BSL would be nice. I appreciate the tips, I knew I would be getting some good ideas here!

[Laurenji]

You mentioned that you recently had weight loss surgery, and your hair has been thin after that. Perhaps it's a nutritional issue? I know someone has suggested prenatal vitamins, but you might want to check into your diet as well. Vitamins won't do everything for you. Make sure you're eating a well balanced diet as well.

[Madora]

Alas, there is nothing that will speed up growth! Hair grows according to your genes and what you eat, how you exercise, and how gently you care for your hair.

I would invest in a pure boar bristle brush (no nylon!) to keep your hair in tip top condition. Not only does a pure bbb exercise your hair follicles, but it distributes the natural sebum down your strands, removes lint and stuff on your scalp, and over time, imparts a lovely shine and softness to your hair. HOW you brush makes all the difference when it comes to having beautiful hair!
Always detangle your hair with a wide tooth comb BEFORE brushing your hair, from the ends of the strands, little by little, up to your scalp. Do the detangling in small increments and do it slowly! Once all hair has been thoroughly detangled, then you can proceed to brush it gently. Follow each swipe of the brush with the palm of your other hand to cut the static.