the generic 'HOW DO I MAKE MY HAIR NICE?' question.

[beeshair]

hello!

i'm relatively new to caring for my hair, so i'd really appreciate any advice you ladies (and gentlemen) have to offer!

i used to have gloriously thick and lovely hair before abusing it for three years straight (a year of dyeing, followed by a year of bleaching, followed by a year of semi-permanents), and decided to let it grow out around four months ago. i also started taking a hair supplement called 'figaro hair food plus' at the same time, and noticed a little growth, but no increase in thickness.

now i desperately want to get it thicker and longer, but i really have no idea how to go about it. i'll start taking the figaro supplement again, and experimenting with cone free shampoos / conditioners, but are there any secrets / routine tips you aficionados care to share with me?

anything would be appreciated!

bee

[Ishje]

first of all, cones are not necessarily bad, you should read into them, because they can do some good as well if you use them with care.
there are some nice articles on them here :)

do you still abuse your hair like you described?

it will take a while for your hair to thicken up :) all the damage has to grow out and that will take a while.
I suggest you pamper your hair at least until you are happy with it :)

[Mesmerise]

Unfortunately, when hair has been damaged there's not much that can be done to fix it. You can use things that mask the damage...but it's kind of like putting a bandaid on it... it doesn't actually fix what's underneath!

The best thing you can do is to be patient with the hair you've got, treat it well, and eventually new,healthy hair will grow in and your hair will eventually become the way it was before you started damaging it!

Of course, moisturising your hair can help... and for some protein treatments can help. But ultimately hair often doesn't improve too much until all the damage has grown out.

[beeshair]

to ishje:

no i don't abuse my hair like i used to - i haven't done anything to it in the last four months :)
i don't know a whole lot about silicone, but i was told by a hairdresser to stick to cone free, natural products, so i kind of assumed it was bad haha.
do you have any tips for said pampering? i've resolved to do honey and olive oil treatments at least three times a week from now on, but i'm sure there must be other things i can do... any particular drying or brushing or general care methods?

to mesmerise:

ahh, so true! almost half of it is completely wrecked though, so it's probably going to take years to grow out, and that's if i trim it regularly (which i really don't want to).

you say that hair doesn't improve until all the damage grows out - do you think it'd be more beneficial in the long run to cut it all off now (i'd probably end up with a pixie-ish cut / mullet), so it can start anew?

thank you to both of you!

[Siiri]

to ishje:

no i don't abuse my hair like i used to - i haven't done anything to it in the last four months :)
i don't know a whole lot about silicone, but i was told by a hairdresser to stick to cone free, natural products, so i kind of assumed it was bad haha.
do you have any tips for said pampering? i've resolved to do honey and olive oil treatments at least three times a week from now on, but i'm sure there must be other things i can do... any particular drying or brushing or general care methods?

to mesmerise:

ahh, so true! almost half of it is completely wrecked though, so it's probably going to take years to grow out, and that's if i trim it regularly (which i really don't want to).

you say that hair doesn't improve until all the damage grows out - do you think it'd be more beneficial in the long run to cut it all off now (i'd probably end up with a pixie-ish cut / mullet), so it can start anew?

thank you to both of you!

I recommend air drying, avoiding all heat styling if you don't already, detangling your hair with a seamless wide tooth comb (for example wooden combs are seamless) and maybe trying CWC or CO-washing. Sulfate free shampoos work for some people, they are less drying than normal shampoos. If your hair is long enough you can try cutting split ends regularly with a sharp pair of hair scissors. If your hair is really damaged, you probably need regular small trims too. Whether you need to chop it all off really depends on how bad it is, and how much patience you have in pampering it. Also try oil or conditioner as a leave-in.

[Ishje]

wearing your hair up makes a great difference as well, not sure how long your hair is though.
my hair is quite damaged as well, coconut oil and SMT's did great things for my hair.
I use cones from time to time (not every wash), and they help, but I also do ACV rinses, to remove build up.
that way the oils have a chance to get into the hair again, and the cones afterwards seal it off to keep the moisture inside.

I agree with Siiri small trims can really improve the hair.
never tried CO washing myself, but I heard good things about it.

in the end it is best to try out what your hair likes, once you know that I am sure your hair will grow wonderful!

[Mesmerise]

to mesmerise:

ahh, so true! almost half of it is completely wrecked though, so it's probably going to take years to grow out, and that's if i trim it regularly (which i really don't want to).

you say that hair doesn't improve until all the damage grows out - do you think it'd be more beneficial in the long run to cut it all off now (i'd probably end up with a pixie-ish cut / mullet), so it can start anew?

thank you to both of you!

Well, it's really up to you whether you cut it all off to start with a clean slate, or you gradually cut out damage. There are some who have managed to grow their hair really long, just doing regular microtrims, and have very gradually cut off their damage. Then there are others who prefer just to chop and grow!

I was originally on the side of growing out gradually (although I've chopped in the past), but now I'm a bit in the middle. I have about 6 inches that really needs to be cut off (it's more that it's very thin and tapered than it is damaged, but it does have damage too) and I've decided to cut off 1" or so a month for the next few months, which will ultimately make it shorter than it is now (as I grow less than 1") a month, but I'm not cutting it all off at once. So, by the end of that time I'll have grown maybe 3" and cut off 6" so it will be 3" shorter... but that's not as bad as 6" at once, if you know what I mean!

I'll probably continue growing after that (I do also have some damage from dyeing and straightening) but I'll monitor the health of my hair, and will cut off more if it needs it. I'm just not ready to go short haired, but I don't think I can handle growing my hair long in the condition it's in either.

Really, the choice is yours! If you're happy cutting it to a pixie, then go for it, but if you really don't want to lose the length you've got, then maybe consider just gradually going a bit shorter without cutting it all off in one fell swoop. Maybe start by cutting off 1 or 2" and see how you feel??

[Avital88]

Let it be.... thats actually the only thing that works best. no heat, no dye, a lot of tender handling and conditioner.. and then ofcourse: Patience..

[Avital88]

oh and i forgot to say try to eat as healthy as possible, flaxseed oil mixed with yoghurt is a growthspurt trigger:)

[Madora]

@beeshair...

If at all possible, avoid hotcurlers, hot irons, straightening, chemicals, and blow fryers.

A healthy diet is vital in your hair care regime, plus plenty of water and moderate exercise. You also might want to check out hair supplements.

Wearing updos can help in protecting the fragile, delicate ends. Many members use silk pillowcases, or use silk caps to protect hair at night.

Trimming off the damage is highly recommended because if damaged hair isn't removed, the splits/damage will continue to harm the rest of the damaged strand(s). If your hair is moderately long, you might want to try Feye's Self Trim (instructions in the Articles menu)

Hair does not need to be shampooed daily unless you have an oily scalp or live where it is dusty..or you exercise vigorously every day.

Use gentle shampoos and conditioners. Avoid the two in one product (shampoo & conditioner product). A shampoo is meant to cleanse the scalp and hair. A conditioner is an entirely different animal.

Always detangle with a wide tooth comb BEFORE brushing!!

How you detangle makes all the difference in the quality of your hair.

How to detangle:

1) Bend at the waist and bring all hair in front of you (like a curtain)
2) Take a small, THIN section of hair, and starting at the ends, gently comb out a few inches. Move the comb up the same strands and comb out a few more inches..and so forth and so on until you reach the scalp.
3) If you encounter a snarl, use your FINGERS to undo the knot.
if the knot is tight, use water or a dab of oil to loosen it.
4) Continue to detangle slowly until all hair has been detangled.

Brushing (with a pure boar bristle brush):

Because your hair is damaged you may wish to avoid brushing..or do as little as possible. However, brushing is important to good hair care and the benefits of brushing correctly are as follows:

1) distributes the natural sebum down your strands
2) exercises the hair follicles
3) cleans the scalp of dirt and flakes
4) imparts incredible shine/softness over time

A pure boar bristle brush is the gentlest brush to use on your hair because the bristles closely resemble the natural structure of your hair.

How to brush:

After your hair has been detangled (as described above), bend at the waist and taking your bbb, slowly brush from the nape down to the ends.

Follow each swipe of the brush with the palm of your other hand. This cuts down on static made by the brushing.

Number of strokes: A matter of preference. Personally, I do 100 a day. What's important is that you are consistent. If you do 50 a day, do it every day! Also, if you haven't brushed in a while, then it would be gentler on your hair to just brush 20 strokes, and then gradually build up to your target goal. If you brushed a LOT - right away - your hair follicles might hurt.

When you have finished brushing, part your hair from nape to forehead so that it is in two sections.

Grab the ends of the hair on the right hand side with your right hand. Repeat with the hair on the left hand side.

Stand erect. Take the hair in your right hand and gently place over your right shoulder and let it fall down your back. Repeat with the left hand side. Style as desired.

Special note: All boar bristle brushes are not created equal. Some bristles are longer, some shorter, some thicker, some thinner.

A good bbb should have FLAT bottom (not rounded because a rounded brush is meant for short hair).

Your bbb should have at least 6 rows of bristles.

The stiffness of your bbb determines how well (or not) it interacts with your hair. Some brushes are very stiff, others just barely. The stiffness will lessen with age.

Your bbb should feel comfortable to hold.

Boar bristles can be white/blonde/brown/black.

And lastly, a boar bristle brush need not cost a mint! You can buy them at Target, Walgreen's, Walmart and at Sally's Beauty Supply outlets.

Wishing you good luck on your hair journey!

[chopandchange]

Only one big secret: TIME!

Just stop doing bad things to it, and start doing good things to it. Then wait. It will get better with time.

[ZeppHead]

If I were you I would just cut off all damage, get it over with and start growing in healthy hair and take care of it the best you can. I have tried to make damaged hair look better and in the long run just ended up hacking it off anyway and I ended up wasting a year trying, when that year could have been used to grow in new healthy hair. I know it is hard for some people to do but that's just what I would prefer to do with my own hair. Yes, you will miss the length but it will be so worth it when you see the new growth that is so much more manageable. Just once you cut, make sure to keep up with keeping your hair in the best shape possible.

[spidermom]

At least get regular small trims. When your natural growth is long enough to tolerate, cut the rest of the damage off.

I thought that my BBB (I had a few different types) was relatively damaging. Now I have a paddle brush with flexible bristles, and it glides through my hair much better.

I think a healthy diet is the most important part of growing out healthy hair.

[Dorothy]

There's an excellent article about how to take care of your hair in the articles section. Most important is to stop damaging it, and treating it delicately. There is a lot of good info in the article.

[SwordWomanRiona]

In addition to what all the others have suggested, Cassia treatments could also help to strengthen and thicken your hair.
And I agree with the former posters about careful and gentle detangling and brushing. I think that's one of the main keys to get healthy hair.
And microtrims/trims from time to time. I think you really don't need to cut all the damaged length off (it's the quickest way, there's no denying, but it's a big change). You could maybe maintain and take care of all your hair and do a trim every few months...That's what I intend to do with my few damaged inches near the ends.

[AlexiaBlue]

I'm a former hair abuser too. :o There is a lot of good advice on this thread, and I'd 2nd all of it and add that CO washing definitely was one of the most beneficial things for my dried-out hair. My hair completely changed once I eliminated shampoos from my hair diet. :)

Good luck on your hair journey!

[Cassie 123]

If you think you'd enjoy chopping it off and starting from scratch, then go for it! But if you're interested in wearing updos, whether for looks or for protective reasons, leave some of the damaged ends in place (and do regular microtrims to keep the damage from traveling upwards). It's a heck of a lot easier to get your hair in a bun when you have a little length to work with.

[Cassie 123]

Here's the link to one of the excellent articles that others have mentioned: Damaged Hair (http://www.longhaircommunity.com/forums/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=79).

Also, since no one has mentioned it yet, you might want to try to avoid regular ponytails. They can cause quite a bit of breakage.

[Arya]

I'd counsel against getting a pixie cut, unless your damaged hair is REALLY bugging you. Just because you'll end up cutting perfectly good virgin hair trying to avoid a mullet/even it out as it grows, which would have otherwise gone towards your total length. This will also give you a chance to learn how to deal with your long hair very gently/get used to gentle methods. The learning curve damage will be taken out on your damaged hair instead of the virgin stuff.

As for making it grow faster/thicker, there are some experiments on the board with castor oil, miconazole nitrate, and rooibos tea.

But mostly, just start being gentle to it! Find a way of detangling/keeping it untangled that works for you, be it a wide toothed comb or a tangle teezer in the shower or a BBB. Try learning some updos/ways to reduce mechanical damage, and figure out what ingredients your hair likes and hates.

But there are ladies who know WAY more than I do, I'm still a noob and I've never dyed my hair. Listen the them! XD