Growing out a bob, Playing ice hockey...

[Isabobble]

Hey everyone, I'm new here (posted last night in the 'start here!' area) and am facing a bit of a hair dilemma! This might be a bit of a long post - sorry in advance :o ...

For about 3-4 years I've had my hair in a short, angled bob, blow-drying and straightening it every time I washed it (which was generally every other day), and brushing it thoroughly to promote volume (!!). I really enjoyed having it like that - when I was having a good hair day. Although it was getting damaged by everything I was doing to it, it was never really a problem because I would cut it short again every time I noticed it getting a bit ratty. However, I've come to the conclusion that short, straightened hair takes far too much maintenance to prevent bad hair days, and I'm really determined to grow it out to APL or BSL if I can manage, and look after it much better in the process!

I've had a bit of a trim to get as much damage off as possible, and done a few S&D missions to get rid of split ends. I've not touched any heat tools for about 2 weeks, and my hair's now looking fairly healthy. I've also started being much more careful with the products I use on my hair - Aussie 'heat damaged' poo and conditioner, along with 3MM and some 'repair and protect' serum. It seems to be fine with the 'cones as long as I use a cleansing shampoo to get rid of build up.

My problem is that at university, I play for the ice hockey team, meaning my hair gets squashed under a helmet several times a week - and also as training is very late at night (12-1.30am) I have to wash my hair the next morning before lectures, leaving little time for air drying. I just don't have time to treat my hair like old lace, and given that I don't want to grow to terminal, I don't feel tooo bad about that. However I have to wash frequently, and fairly thoroughly to get the hockey smell out of my hair. Does anyone have any suggestions for how I can be as kind as possible to my hair while still being able to play for my team?? Or just reassurance/tips/motivation? Thanks in advance :D.

http://s794.photobucket.com/albums/yy228/Isabobble/?action=view&current=IMAG0773-1.jpghttp://s794.photobucket.com/albums/yy228/Isabobble/?action=view&current=IMAG0776-1.jpghttp://s794.photobucket.com/albums/yy228/Isabobble/?action=view&current=IMAG0778-1.jpg

[GRU]

Can you wash your hair right after hockey practice instead of in the morning?

You can also sit in front of a fan blowing on low speed, or use a blow dryer on cool with a diffuser.

As for the frequent washing, CO-washing would be less damaging, if you're looking for something gentler.

[GRU]

Just FYI, the photos don't show because you used the "page URL" instead of the "image URL".

For example, going to this page: http://s794.photobucket.com/albums/yy228/Isabobble/?action=view&current=IMAG0773-1.jpg will show you the entire page on Photobucket, complete with all the buttons and background and links and stuff.

But going to this page: http://i794.photobucket.com/albums/yy228/Isabobble/IMAG0773-1.jpg takes you just to the photo and nothing else.


If you use the photo URL and the IMG tags here, your photo will show on your post, like this:

http://i794.photobucket.com/albums/yy228/Isabobble/IMAG0773-1.jpg




You can also use your settings on Photobucket to provide you with the IMG tag under your photos in your album -- hover over the pic you want to post, then click on the IMG tag and it will be copied into your clipboard. Then you just paste it right into your post, without having to use the "insert picture" button here.



Hope that helps!

[florenonite]

Maybe you can wear a bandana or something underneath your helmet. That would protect it from friction damage, and also keep the stale sweat smell of the helmet out of your hair so that you could just rinse with water or wash with conditioner after training.

[Isabobble]

Just FYI, the photos don't show because you used the "page URL" instead of the "image URL".

...


Thanks for the reply :D! The problem with washing hair that late at night is that I'll have a shared room this year and don't really want to disrupt my roomie's sleep too much with 2am shower usage, and I feel it's better for my health in general to get as much sleep as I can at night and just wake up earlier in the morning. I might well try out the cool setting on my hairdryer - it does go down to a low fan speed, I just have been used to always going 'hot and high' on it, so never really used it. I'd like to try CO, but I might try and build up to that slowly as I'm worried it'll take my 'quick to get greasy' hair a while to adjust! Is there any recommended way of trying out that method without just quitting shampoo straight away?

(Thanks as well for the picture help - I didn't realise they had actually attached at all as I don't have the privileges to see them yet, but I'll bear your advice in mind in future!)

[Isabobble]

Maybe you can wear a bandana or something underneath your helmet. That would protect it from friction damage, and also keep the stale sweat smell of the helmet out of your hair so that you could just rinse with water or wash with conditioner after training.

Thanks :) that's a great idea, I've actually got one of those 'buff' bandanas in my kit bag but never really used it because I always found the front of my hair would pop out anyway and it would end up sliding down my head. Perhaps now I'm growing my hair a bit longer everything will stay in there a bit better!

Also, forgive me for being a massive noob, but how exactly does CO washing work? I understand the concept of not using shampoo, I just don't quite understand the logistics of it, because I'm so used to the 'wet hair, shampoo, rinse, conditioner, repeat' routine. Is it suitable when using 'cone filled serums and leave-in conditioners, or would a regular clarifying wash be out of the question? I've had a search in the forum but only seem to be able to find threads about how useful and healthy it is :o ...

[GRU]

Thanks for the reply :D! The problem with washing hair that late at night is that I'll have a shared room this year and don't really want to disrupt my roomie's sleep too much with 2am shower usage, and I feel it's better for my health in general to get as much sleep as I can at night and just wake up earlier in the morning.

Can't you shower at the rink? All my kid's rinks have showers, and the university's rink has amazing facilities here....



I might well try out the cool setting on my hairdryer - it does go down to a low fan speed, I just have been used to always going 'hot and high' on it, so never really used it.

I have a dryer that has a "cool" heat setting instead of a button that you have to hold down for "cold shot" -- much easier on my thumb! And a diffuser will really cut down on the wind-damage from blow-drying.



I'd like to try CO, but I might try and build up to that slowly as I'm worried it'll take my 'quick to get greasy' hair a while to adjust! Is there any recommended way of trying out that method without just quitting shampoo straight away?

Believe it or not, your hair probably WON'T get greasy as quickly with CO-washing... at least that's what most "grease-heads" discover. But if you're not ready to plunge in, why not shampoo on Day One and CO-wash on Day Two and alternate that back and forth? Then shift to shampoo on day 1 and CO-wash on days 2 and 3 and alternate at that pattern for a while.

Another option is to CWC your hair -- cover the length with conditioner, shampoo just the scalp with diluted shampoo, rinse the whole thing, and then do another conditioner application.



(Thanks as well for the picture help - I didn't realise they had actually attached at all as I don't have the privileges to see them yet, but I'll bear your advice in mind in future!)

The picture-viewing privilege should only apply to LHC-hosted pictures, not pictures that are hosted on other sites. If you can see your picture I posted above, then you should be able to see all off-site pictures that are posted (exception: I cannot see pics that are linked from Facebook or Myspace directly -- I have to "quote/reply" to see the URL that is posted, then copy/paste that into a new browser -- I much prefer when people use Photobucket or Flickr!).

[GRU]

Also, forgive me for being a massive noob, but how exactly does CO washing work? I understand the concept of not using shampoo, I just don't quite understand the logistics of it, because I'm so used to the 'wet hair, shampoo, rinse, conditioner, repeat' routine. Is it suitable when using 'cone filled serums and leave-in conditioners, or would a regular clarifying wash be out of the question? I've had a search in the forum but only seem to be able to find threads about how useful and healthy it is :o ...


Have a gander at the CO-washing thread (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=2898). As with all massive threads, I advise noobs to read the first several pages and the last several pages -- usually everything you need to know has been written somewhere in that range.

You can clarify or shampoo as often or as seldom as you and your hair wish. I am completely 'cone-free because I only shampoo once per year. (yes, you read that correctly -- every twelve months) Other people like to use 'cones and so they shampoo once a week or once every two weeks or whatever, to remove the coney buildup.

There are no hard and fast rules for CO-washing ... experiment around and you'll figure out what your hair likes.

[Isabobble]

Can't you shower at the rink? All my kid's rinks have showers, and the university's rink has amazing facilities here....

Yeah we do have showers, and I'd happily use them if it wasn't for the fact that we often run over time (we have the last ice slot of the day at the city rink) and the staff are looking to close up as quickly as possible - I don't want to have to walk back across town to my college during winter with cold wet hair :(. It's a good point though, I will probably start doing this once it gets a bit warmer in spring/summer and it doesn't matter about going out without drying off completely.


I have a dryer that has a "cool" heat setting instead of a button that you have to hold down for "cold shot" -- much easier on my thumb! And a diffuser will really cut down on the wind-damage from blow-drying.

I've never used a diffuser before, I'll have to investigate! In the meantime though, I guess after using heat for so long then anything's an improvement, so I'll see how it goes with using the cold settings, and air drying as often as possible.


Believe it or not, your hair probably WON'T get greasy as quickly with CO-washing... at least that's what most "grease-heads" discover. But if you're not ready to plunge in, why not shampoo on Day One and CO-wash on Day Two and alternate that back and forth? Then shift to shampoo on day 1 and CO-wash on days 2 and 3 and alternate at that pattern for a while.

Another option is to CWC your hair -- cover the length with conditioner, shampoo just the scalp with diluted shampoo, rinse the whole thing, and then do another conditioner application.

Ah, that makes sense - I will probably try CWC to start with, as I don't feel ready to get rid of the shampoo just yet, and it seems like a good compromise. My ends really need the conditioning as well, so this would seem to protect them while still giving the roots a good wash! I'll probably try CO when I'm back for Christmas, as it will matter much less if I look ridiculous, and hopefully I'll have given myself a good build up to it :p.


The picture-viewing privilege should only apply to LHC-hosted pictures, not pictures that are hosted on other sites. If you can see your picture I posted above, then you should be able to see all off-site pictures that are posted (exception: I cannot see pics that are linked from Facebook or Myspace directly -- I have to "quote/reply" to see the URL that is posted, then copy/paste that into a new browser -- I much prefer when people use Photobucket or Flickr!).

I understand now! Sorry for my general incompetence, I've not quite figured out how this works yet - I know I can't edit my profile yet, but I'm not quite sure of everything else. I'll see if I can work out the picture thing in a different thread somewhere! Thanks a bunch for being so helpful :D

[GRU]

I understand now! Sorry for my general incompetence, I've not quite figured out how this works yet - I know I can't edit my profile yet, but I'm not quite sure of everything else. I'll see if I can work out the picture thing in a different thread somewhere! Thanks a bunch for being so helpful :D

You'll figure it out in time, no worries. And you can practice in the "Test Board (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/forumdisplay.php?f=17)" forum if you want -- just title it something like "just practicing" and play away! I also make use of the Preview Post function a lot -- if I've screwed up something in the code, I can fix it before it gets posted that way.


And you're very welcome! Enjoy your time here at LHC -- it's a very special corner of the internet here. :)