Growing my fine hair!

[M0423]

I'm new to this community. Throughout the past several months, I've learned more and more about proper hair care (2 years back, I was washing my hair every day and it looked awful!)

I have fine hair, and right now, it's BSL. I have it highlighted blonde (natural color is light brown) at a salon every 8 weeks. I also get regular trims every 8 weeks, but I always tell my stylist to trim as little as possible - she knows I want to grow it to at least TBL.

I only have my stylist touch up the roots, never the ends of my hair. I'm just looking for general suggestions on how to grow my hair to at least TBL. I take biotin and prenatal viatmins right now to help it grow. Any thoughts or ideas would be much appreciated! ;)

[BabyRay33]

Welcome! I wish you good luck you your journey. I think supplements are a good idea, but don't forget to eat a healthy diet, since that is much better for your body!

Also, since you use chemical color, be very careful and make sure your stylist doesn't overlap the root application on the already dyed parts of your hair. You don't want to double up on the damage.

Also consider using coconut oil to protect your hair prior to coloring. COlored hair usually needs moisture, so using a SMT or coney-conditioners can help hold some moisture in. Some people don't like cones, but for my fine hair, I need them to protect it.

Its all about finding what works for you!

[Lilli]

Well, don't trim! If you cut it off, it won't get longer. I have not trimmed in over a year and it has grown a ton. Since I don't heatstyle it, the ends are still in pretty good shape.

[alliekat]

Some people don't like cones, but for my fine hair, I need them to protect it.

Its all about finding what works for you!


This. So, so this.

I haven't been here long myself and I have fine hair as well. The first change I made was doing CWC and stretching my washes to every 2-3 days (depending on if I was going somewhere or stand to let it be oily!).

Since that worked so well I thought, hey I'll try no cones. That resulted in my hair being a tangley, un-shiny mess, which caused more damage. So I'm definitely all for cones; they seem to protect my fine hair, keep it from tangling and breaking so easy.

I also tried CO only and experienced major shedding. My theory, which is mine alone and probably wrong cuz what do I know! is that my scalp is too oily for CO only and really needs a shampoo to unclog the pores.

I can't say I've joined the coconut oil fan club yet, but I think I'm getting there. I've done some heavy oiling before bed on nights I know I'm going to wash the next day, and I've been doing a light oiling post-wash as well. I think it may be contributing to some softness, so I think I'll keep doing it!

Tonight I'm going to try my first SMT. :cheese:

It's all trial and error and what works for you! Find what works and keeps your hair from breaking and makes it soft and manageable. :D Just try not to try more than one new thing at a time, because if you make a bunch of changes and something doesn't work for you, you won't know which change gave your hair the ickies.

Another suggestion I've heard a lot is that it really helps to keep your hair contained, like in a bun or braid. That way it's not subjected to damage rubbing against your shirt or chair backs, getting tangled, or caught in doors, cats, and small children... ;) So it might help for you to put it up in a bun or pony tail with LHC approved (metal free!) elastics. This can be a great time to enjoy expanding (or creating) a lovely hair toy collection. ;) And to learn how to make lovely updo's.

If you want to try to avoid trims, maybe try some S&D to kill any splits.

Good luck and most of all, have fun!

[ZeppHead]

Have you thought of stopping the coloring treatments, if you did over time your hair would be healthier and you would be able to go an extra 8 weeks or so before you need a trim. I know that helped my hair grow and become healthy. I have very fine hair and it looks a lot better after I dropped the straightening iron and color treatments.

[Madora]

If at all possible, avoid artificial drying methods (blow fryers, curling irons, hot curlers).

Wear your hair up to protect the delicate ends.

Trim those ends every 3 months to cut off damage. If the hair has split ends, those ends will split further, damaging the hair even more. It isn't productive to grow hair long, only to have to cut off that long hair because the ends look damaged and thin. You need only trim a little.

Also do search and destroy for those damaged ends.

Scalp massages are another thing you might investigate.

I believe in brushing your hair with a pure bbb..gently..every day and keeping your comb and brush squeaky clean at all times.

[Chiara]

You might need to think about minimising the colour- eg just lighten around your face.

I found cassia treatments make an enormous difference to the condition and strength of my fine hair. However, cassia will give your highlights a gold tint, so keep that in mind. The colour is not permanent, but you'd want to do a strand test first...

[M0423]

Thanks so much for all the replies!! :D

Just one quick question - what is a coney conditioner? LOL... Just so I will know!

[alliekat]

Thanks so much for all the replies!! :D

Just one quick question - what is a coney conditioner? LOL... Just so I will know!

There's a good article explaining what cones are here (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=13). :cheese:

Some people say they are evil incarnate, others are "coneheads". I'm a conehead! :D