What's your hair grow "lifestyle" routine

[Arden]

So I'm doing research on hair growth and trying to put together a plan of action to make myself feel like I'm contributing to my hair growth jounry.

I was wondering about you guys. Do any of you growing your hair have any special lifestyle habbit's choices routines that you do that you feel especially helps with your hair growth? What about you guys who have achived your desired length. What was your jounry like?

I'm planning on trading all drinks for water... starting as soon as my diet cokes run out.. lol ...If I go ahead and start getting into the water drinking habbit maybe I can strech them out longer.... :)

I made a foods list.... according to this artical on WebMD I just read...

salmon, ground flax, spinach, broccoli, dark greens, kidney beans, almonds, chicken, eggs, oysters, beef, milk, yogurt and carrots are tops for hair growth....

I actually already eat pretty much all those things but I could probably be doing more... eating cleaner....

What about scalp massage? Do you think daily is too much? once a week?

Do you brush your hair daily? Do you skip days?

How often do you trim? Are you a mooncycler? Or a 6 monther? Or a 6 week-er... Or do you just never cut unless you get a split end?

What about accessories? hair toys, shower caps, sleep caps, silk pillow cases? How hair nuts are you, really? lol

I'm just curious. I think it would be so intresting to see what you guys do and dont do. What you think is worth doing or not worth doing.....


If you could when you respond, please give your hair type, you current length and desired leangth or terminal if you're where you wanna be. You know, just a general hair overview for you.. that way we can compair if simular types are doing simular things

[akuamoonmaui]

My suggestion would be to "type" your own hair so others with similar hair can offer their advice. A lot of hair success is trial and error, what works for some is disaster for others.

I like coconut oil on days I know I'm not going in the public or that my hair WILL be in a bun(does great stuff, but very greasy).
I use satin pillow cases.
I use poo every 2nd or third day and have started making my own olive & coconut oil shampoo bar 'cause "regular" shampoo just dries it out terribly!
Co-wash daily.
I finger comb every thing, but beat my bangs into submission with a curling iron.
I use henna to help with condition as well as color.
I micro trim about every three months but am trying very hard to make that every 6 months.
I put my hair up in hair sticks or use a non grabbing pony tail holder.

Welcome to LHC!

[leilasahhar]

I dont shampoo with regular shampoo anymore (too drying.) I now use different powdered herbs such as shikakai, and only wash once a week maybe. I also go out in the sun more which is making a HUGE difference. My hair/scalp LOVE the sun! I use a moisturizing mist for my scalp. I guess I dont produce that much sebum and my hair grows so slow because of that, especially in winter, so I find that the mist and sun etc.. really are helping with my hair growth! The mist is from redwood-roots.com . Hope this helps!!

[Kerrilynn]

My suggestion would be to "type" your own hair so others with similar hair can offer their advice. A lot of hair success is trial and error, what works for some is disaster for others.


I second what akuamoonmaui suggested. Figure out your hair type so that others will know what kind of hair you have and may be able to give better advice.

I started taking coq-10, B-100 Complex, and folic acid to help with my energy levels and noticed that my hair and nails were healthier. I also believe Biotin is really great for hair and nail growth.

I only was my hair about 1-2 times a week with an organic "shampoo" that is free of chemicals by Aubrey Organics, followed by their conditioner. I adore all their products and use their sensitive skin care products as well. Going mostly chemical free has really made an improvement. I try to eat cleanly as well and get in good proteins. As a veggie, I wasn't taking in enough protein so I started taking whey protein in smoothies and noticed my hair was getting healthier. Definitely having a balanced diet helps with the health of your hair!

[Arden]

Ok... my hair is probably about 1C/2A ...I would say probably M and about - ii ...although I'm really not certian about the F/M/C ...I just went with M because it falls in the middle and my hair kind of has an atribute of all 3 descriptions so it confused me.. lol

[Allychan]

Finger comb or wood comb
coconut oil and braids at night
satin pillow case
bunning during the day
alternate btw castor oil & monistat treatments
supplements
high protein foods
sulfate/cone free shampoo and conditioners

[jeanniet]

Oh, my. Not to burst your bubble, but thinking about all that is way too much work for me! But in a nutshell...

I try to eat a good diet with plenty of veggies and fruits, but I don't really care about diet in terms of hair. I think supplements are a crock for the most part (sorry, but I do, and since I don't ever get sick I guess I have good reason). I think diet is far more important than any pill. I don't like chicken, eggs, or oysters, and I don't care if it makes my hair grow a foot a month, I'm not gonna eat it if I don't like it! I don't do scalp massages. I don't brush daily. I do it when I feel like it and have time. I microtrim when the urge strikes me, which is sometimes once a month, sometimes every three weeks, sometimes every few months. I haven't done a real trim in three years. I wash when I think I need to.

I use silk beanies and a silk pillowcase at night. I like trying new products even though I end up disliking most of them. I love hair toys!

I don't think it's worth obsessing over anything, but limiting damage is always a good idea. My hair is currently hip length and growing pretty fast lately--I'd say at least an inch a month. 2c/3a, M, iii, and I started at chin a little less than three years ago.

ETA : My picture's a few months old, so my hair's several inches longer now. Hard to say how much because I don't measure and there's been a number of microtrims.

[Arden]

Oh, my. Not to burst your bubble, but thinking about all that is way too much work for me! But in a nutshell...

I try to eat a good diet with plenty of veggies and fruits, but I don't really care about diet in terms of hair. I think supplements are a crock for the most part (sorry, but I do, and since I don't ever get sick I guess I have good reason). I think diet is far more important than any pill. I don't like chicken, eggs, or oysters, and I don't care if it makes my hair grow a foot a month, I'm not gonna eat it if I don't like it! I don't do scalp massages. I don't brush daily. I do it when I feel like it and have time. I microtrim when the urge strikes me, which is sometimes once a month, sometimes every three weeks, sometimes every few months. I haven't done a real trim in three years. I wash when I think I need to.

I use silk beanies and a silk pillowcase at night. I like trying new products even though I end up disliking most of them. I love hair toys!

I don't think it's worth obsessing over anything, but limiting damage is always a good idea. My hair is currently hip length and growing pretty fast lately--I'd say at least an inch a month. 2c/3a, M, iii, and I started at chin a little less than three years ago.

ETA : My picture's a few months old, so my hair's several inches longer now. Hard to say how much because I don't measure and there's been a number of microtrims.


No No, that's cool... if someone is not overly "obsessive" about thier hair that's cool too.... I mean there was this one youtube chick who was all.. "people ask me all the time what I do to my hair... uh... I dont cut it" ....lol... it was too funny... she was basically saying how people think it needs to be somthing special and she just does whatever... and that's cool....

I acctually like your way of looking at it... I'm pretty laid back and get board easy... I dont think I could be all type "A" and super nuts about sticking to a strick regiment... I just figured it would be an intrestinig topic of conversation... not to mention a good thread for newbies (like myself) to read for ideas....

I am also a product junkie... since I went off commerical shampoo's I have the feeling hair toys may end up being my new obsession... lol.... I use to be one of these people who had like the protine shampoo, the moisture shampoo.. etc etc... I counted one time and I had somthing like 12 diffrent hair products in my shower... I think that was the point I desided enough was enough and started looking into "no poo" and "low poo' options...

[jeanniet]

I'm not really a product junkie in the sense of using a lot of product, but I like to experiment. :D I dunno, my hair grows about the same no matter what. ;)

[catamonica]

I use horse shampoo. It helped my hair grow. And I wear my hair down once in awhile. From November 2011 to March, my hair grew four inches. After not growing for two years. I think it helps to wear it up.

[Avital88]

i eat clean,vegetarian and mostly what you wrote down.
I trim by the moon:)
I brush my hair once a week,sometimes more but since im using cones its not necessary to brush plus i like the messy look,also brushed out wurls arent really working anyway:D
Enough daylight
Protein! vit B
Working out!! really important,this boosts my hairgrowth like nothing else.
Neglect it but dont abuse it.just leave it

[DarkCurls]

Answering your questions in order... more or less...
- Scalp massage, a few times a week -- whenever I remember to! Usually two to five times a week. I don't know if it works :p, but it's enjoyable and relaxing, and I figure it can't hurt so why not?
- I do not brush my hair, ever. Not only do I lose a ton of hair if I do, but it completely messes up my curl pattern. I wash my hair once-twice a week and fingercomb when hair is covered in conditioner, and that's it. I've found nothing is gentler than finger-combing, even my wide-tooth comb.
- I don't like trimming, but I have a ton of split ends. :p Every time I go to the hairdresser's I end up with . I'm a new convert to S&D (Search & Destroy), and one of my goals is no trims at all in 2012, which should answer that question. Last time I trimmed was October 2011.
- CO-wash once-twice a week with cone-free conditioner.
- I have about ten black, non-metal elastics, two scrunchies (one silver one gold), some bobby pins, and lots of crimped hairpins. I'm waiting until my hair gets long to buy more stuff.
- I sleep with my hair loose, it's most comfortable for me and gives me the most consistant results, curl-wise. No satin/silk pillowcase or bonnet for me.
- Hairtype on the left, waist-length at the moment, goal: between hip and classic when dry (=curly, not stretched), not too sure yet.
- Oh, and until now I always wore my hair down, but I'm trying to wear it up more often. I joined the "wear your hair up" challenge for 2 months. If I get results, I think I will end up wearing it 50/50 up/down, or maybe 75/25. I prefer my hair down, but if I need to wear it up for it to be in better shape, okay.

As for diet and stuff, I don't take any particular foods. I drink milk every day, but it's not a conscious effort. I probably don't eat very well, as I often end up taking only a salad + a dessert at school when I don't like the meal, and since I'm a boarder... :D That ends up being most of the time.

[SpinDance]

I've had long hair for years, but it's gotten longer and healthier since joining LHC and learning more things about caring for it. I try to eat healthy foods, lots of whole grains, veggies, etc. Moderation. Walk every day (knee issues preclude many other forms of exercise, unfortunately).

Scalp massage, nothing specific here. I usually fingercomb and preen the oils from my head down my hairs a bit most days, and use my fingertips to rub my scalp some scratch it a bit, whatever feels good. I only very rarely do an oil massage on my scalp. It makes plenty of oil on its own.

I almost never brush my hair. Mostly I finger comb, although I'll use a wide tooth wooden or bone/Bakelite comb once or twice a day sometimes, to help remove sheds. I tried bbb for a few weeks, but too many hairs broke off. I'm growing out dye, and much of the breakage was in that section, so I plan to try it again as the dye grows out. At this point I sometimes do a very short bbb session before washing every few weeks at most, to spread oils.

I trim frequently as well as frequent S&D sessions. I carry a pair of hair scissors in my bag as well as have a pair in my bathroom so if I run into a fairy knot or a hair that has split and is snagging neighbors I'll just cut it out right away. About 2 years ago I tried the self trim method and since then have been doing all my own trims. Before that I had it trimmed at a salon every 3-4 months or so. I'm growing out dye and old mechanical damage from nearly daily braids that were worn down. I have been taking off about 5 cm/.25 inch any time it seems to need it. For most of last year it was nearly every week or two, much of this past year it's been about every 2-4 weeks. I had originally thought that the frequent trims would have me maintaining at hip, but instead it has crept down until now it is past TB. When I got to TB I'd planned to maintain to thicken the hemline, but the ends kept popping out of my buns, so I'm let it get a bit longer to prevent that.

I use silk pillow cases and wear my hair up in some sort of bun most of the time. I sleep with it in a Nautilus bun held with a Flexi. I used to braid almost daily, but since finally learning to make buns (thank you LHC!) that is much faster and easier, plus I can take it out, finger comb to remove sheds, and put it up differently so that the anchor point isn't always the same. I enjoy using sticks, forks and Flexi's, so those are now my usual tools.

I tried CO and WO for a while, but have ended up back with CWC. I've always diluted my shampoo and conditioner, but I dilute my shampoo even more now. One of the great changes I made for my hair after finding LHC was to go from S&C to CWC, with CO between if I need to wash/clean it more frequently than twice a week.

It has been a long journey testing things and refining my routines, but so worth it.

The details of my hair are posted under my name there on the left <--. ;) For more excruciating detail see my blog.

Best of luck with your hair growth journey!

[Madora]

"Less is more" is my motto when it comes to hair care.

I'm not a product junkie because I found my ideal shampoo decades ago, the George Michael Pink Creme Shampoo, which I use once a month. My hair is airdried. Every once in a while I'll do an overnight EVOO treatment.

Bottom line, I believe that a healthy diet is more important that anything you could put on your head. Also, a healthy scalp is vital for good hair health, and I brush daily (100 strokes) with my Goody pure boar bristle brush.

Trimming is done as needed, which is every 4 to 5 months, but I S and D daily. My hair is always braided and worn up.

At present, my hair is just an inch or 2 past my fingertips, so I guess I'm in the Classic category.

I'm not into hairtoys that much. I believe the hair should be the focus of attention, not the adornment.

Personally, I've had long hair for many years and am working toward regaining my last really long length, which was 47 inches. The hardest part was trying to be patient when growing out several short cuts plus accepting the fact that my hair will never be as thick as it was 12 years ago.

Wishing you good luck in your hair growing journey!

[pink.sara]

I don't really have routine for hair either!

I weight-train several times a week. Eat lots of protein and healthy foods (organic pref). Take a multivitamin - currently using perfectil skin hair and nails. Having healthy skin and hair is diet and excercise more than products to me.

I coconut oil it most days after washing and about once every 2 weeks heavily before a wash. I use diluted shampoo and coney conditioners 3-4 times a week and sometimes ACV rinse if I feel like I have build up issues.

I wear it down most of the time. I brush with a Denman, detangle before washing and use a Mason & Pearson boar bristle brush to smooth updos sometimes.

If it starts stretching I use K-Pak Reconstructor by joico, if it starts breaking I use Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Moist.

Thats it :)

Good luck with your growing and I hope you find a routine that suits you :flower:

[RitaCeleste]

I kinda have a routine. Its simple though. After my hair got past bra strap, it needed more conditioning. I shampoo about once a week, and then condition it. Once or twice a week I oil it heavy and leave that on for two or three hours and then I put conditioner on it and leave that in it for 30 mins under a plastic cap. I rinse all this out and lightly condition it. Very occasionally I'll do a protein treatment then condition it by leaving the conditioner on for 30 mins. My hair has been colored to hell and gone so it loves conditioner. Oh, if its dry or frizzy I oil it a little bit while its dry. That and brushing is the only thing my hair is getting out of me.

[long&blonde]

My hair is 2c, fine, about ii. WL now after a May trim(last trim about 2 or 3 years ago prior. No S&D no microtrims either). I find Benign Neglect works best for me. I eat 95 percent vegetarian, just cause I like it. I love tofu & plain yogurt. My favorite drink is water, but I do love milk too. I just never liked soda pop. I do love green tea !nd teas,but as a wakep treat:regularly I drink water. Wash once or twice a week, with whatever shampoo & matching conditioner I have. My hair loves cones. Fructis leave in conditioner, and a dime sized dab of "Africas 6 oils" rubbed all thru when wet, then light spray protein leavein strengthener when wet.
Not taking them current, but remember being above waist:starting prenatal vitamins for hair growth(I was 54 or 55 at time) it seemed like no time my vitamins were exhausted,my hair had gone wl to low bcl,and I didn't restock vitamins at time,laughing "hold up,enough"! At the learning curve of dealing that comes after WL. Now back at WL? Ready to buy the prenatals again! The old school health food store super strong ones that smell really really bad. They did seem to give me impressive hair growth. Other than once or twice a week wash days:fingercomb,then braid or simple bun with spin pins or hairstick, and leave it be. My hair thrives on benign neglect. I do think it's much about hair texture that says what will work for you. :)

[long&blonde]

My hair is 2c, fine, about ii. WL now after a May trim(last trim about 2 or 3 years ago prior. No S&D no microtrims either). I find Benign Neglect works best for me. I eat 95 percent vegetarian, just cause I like it. I love tofu & plain yogurt. My favorite drink is water, but I do love milk too. I just never liked soda pop. I do love green tea !nd teas,but as a wakep treat:regularly I drink water. Wash once or twice a week, with whatever shampoo & matching conditioner I have. My hair loves cones. Fructis leave in conditioner, and a dime sized dab of "Africas 6 oils" rubbed all thru when wet, then light spray protein leavein strengthener when wet.
Not taking them current, but remember being above waist:starting prenatal vitamins for hair growth(I was 54 or 55 at time) it seemed like no time my vitamins were exhausted,my hair had gone wl to low bcl,and I didn't restock vitamins at time,laughing "hold up,enough"! At the learning curve of dealing that comes after WL. Now back at WL? Ready to buy the prenatals again! The old school health food store super strong ones that smell really really bad. They did seem to give me impressive hair growth. Other than once or twice a week wash days:fingercomb,then braid or simple bun with spin pins or hairstick, and leave it be. My hair thrives on benign neglect. I do think it's much about hair texture that says what will work for you. :)

[nobeltonya]

As far as food is concerned, we eat Indian food [husband is Indian]. I have for the past 5.5 years.. we rarely eat out. Before that, I could make some mean Chef Boyardee Ravioli.. :D

What about scalp massage? Do you think daily is too much? once a week? I massage daily [well, nightly] when I oil my hair..

Do you brush your hair daily? Do you skip days? I only comb in the morning [daily] after washing, conditioning and applying leave-in with a wide-tooth comb.

How often do you trim? Are you a mooncycler? Or a 6 monther? Or a 6 week-er... Or do you just never cut unless you get a split end? I don't follow a specific cycle or time frame.. usually every 2-3 weeks. My ends start getting uneven at about that point. At one point, I was able to go 8-9 weeks.. now I'm more obsessive about it.

What about accessories? hair toys, shower caps, sleep caps, silk pillow cases? How hair nuts are you, really? lol I have a few toys. Nothing fancy: upzing!, modern updo pin, spin pins, elastics, scrunchie [not really useful, though.. my hair slips right out of it], sticks [just plain ones at the moment]. Don't use shower caps b/c I wash every day, never tried a sleep cap [just bun or braid], regular old cotton blend pillow cases..

I'm just curious. I think it would be so intresting to see what you guys do and dont do. What you think is worth doing or not worth doing..... My routine is pretty basic.. nightly oil, daily shampoo [only SLES], condition and leave-in.. usually braid or bun wet for a while, then let down to dry.. only comb wet after washing.. that's it. If it were too much work, I'd probably have to cut it. And I try 9/10 to wear it down when going out.. unless it's too hot, too cold, or windy.


If you could when you respond, please give your hair type, you current length and desired leangth or terminal if you're where you wanna be. You know, just a general hair overview for you.. that way we can compair if simular types are doing simular things I classified my hair as 2a/2b because it is somewhat wavy, mainly on the ends. M/C because for the most part, it seems to be supremely coarse.. but there are some medium hairs mixed in there.. and I am at the upper end of ii in thickness [about 3.5"]. Currently at 40.25" or so. I'm trying to reach classic, which is about another 2.5", then I'll probably hover there.. :cheese:

[jacqueline101]

Use V05 hot oil treatment massage scalp with hair bean generic tangle teaser shampoo condition weekly mane n tail vinegar rinse monistat daily with my blend of ingredients comb daily wide tooth comb put hair in a bun don't measure or worry about it. Mist coconut oil blend of my own on my hair. Clarify once a month. Take multi vitamin and hair skin and nail vitamins.

[torrilin]

Ok... my hair is probably about 1C/2A ...I would say probably M and about - ii ...although I'm really not certian about the F/M/C ...I just went with M because it falls in the middle and my hair kind of has an atribute of all 3 descriptions so it confused me.. lol

If in doubt, that's the way to go. Your hair type pretty much always starts out as wrong anyway :D.

As far as fine, medium and coarse go... it would be really unusual for someone to have only one sort of hair on their head. Our bodies grow a wide variety of hair diameters all over, ranging from as fine as the peach fuzz hairs on your face, to as coarse as pubic hair. Our heads have longer hairs, but they're not gonna be uniform any more than the rest of our body is. So what you're looking for is the predominant type. In my case, I type as F because most of my hairs are see through against light, even when the color is quite dark. Most of my hairs are hard to detect unless they're in a bunch of 3-5, or if one very long hair is dragging against skin. I wouldn't describe 'em as "cat fine" or "baby fine" because in my experience both cats and babies tend to have coarser hair than me.

They are thicker than spider silk tho :P.

Even tho the majority of my hair fits the fine description, I do have hairs that have an obviously different thickness. Some are M, some are C. M is more common on my head, C is fairly rare.

[SongofLove]

Great idea for a thread...It's great to see the details of everyone's routines :D *stalk stalk*

I had a very short buzz cut (because I wanted to know what it was like) from about 2004-2005, grew out a bit, got a pixie cut, and then had 2" or 3" trims once or twice a year (was not consciously trying to grow my hair out). I wore my hair up with a claw clip most of the time while it was SL to BSL, but otherwise did not take great care of it. My hair type is 1a / C / ii/iii (pony circumference is right at 4") and I'm currently at "buttcrack length", (har har that always makes me larf) which on me is about 36" (I'm 5'7" with a short body).

When I somehow reached waist length (last year) I found the Long Hair Loom and this website and decided to take better care of my hair. My goal right now is fingertip length. This is my current routine:

Wash with Suave Naturals shampoo on scalp and conditioner on length once or twice a week (trying to stretch to only once a week consistently). Detangle with wide tooth comb before washing. Air dry until mostly dry, then detangle with comb or Tangle Teezer and braid or bun. (I'm trying to grow out my bangs still, and if my bangs look greasy I will wash them during the week.)

Hair in bun for most of the day (I only know how to do the Cinnabun, Nautilus, knot, and Madora's sectioned braided bun so far) secured with Ketylo hairsticks and/or amish pins and spin pins. I prefer buns positioned rather low because they're more comfy. I hate the feeling of hair pulling, so if I feel that, I will redo my bun. Braid hair loosely at night and either sleep on satin pillowcase or wear satin sleep cap. (Some days, though, my scalp cannot stand any sort of hairstyle--when I feel like that I just have to let my hair loose.)

Always wear a hat and/or scarf when going outdoors. When I know I'll be outside, I like to wear a single English braid so that I can easily tuck it into my jacket, both to restrain its movement and to protect it from the sun.

In the past, whenever I got a trim, I would trim at least 2" because I'd feel like cutting any less would not be "worth it". This has made my growth slow, but at least my hemline is fairly thick because of it. I haven't trimmed since last fall; I've just been doing Search and Destroy at least weekly. I think I'm going to try to learn to trim my own hair, because last time I got trimmed, the hairstylist tore through my length with a fine-tooth comb, which gave me a lot of split ends.

I just found out about scalp massage, scritching, and preening on here, and they feel very good, so I will work them into my routine. I'm still adjusting to stretching washes and my scalp feels itchy at times, and scritching with a seamless comb seems to relieve the urge to scratch. Although I am not sure either how often these should be done...

I'm not following any special diet, but I too am trying to drink more water. Also I need to eat more fruits, veggies and fiber...

[cherry blossom]

Lovely idea for a thread.
I am posting after almost a year - been busy with my baby (turning 10 months old now). I have fine type hair, and recently cut it from BSL to shoulder.
Right now, I am bracing myself up to fighting the postpartum hair fall. So far, I was sheddng and I kept blaming hormones, but now, shedding is so much that, blaming something will not bail me out. Instead, I have planned to get pro-actve, and my agenda is to increase growth and grow back hair at my bald patches. I apologise if any part of my routine sounds weird, I am not a weirdo by nature - but after trial and practice, I found that these things really help my hair..


TOPICAL
-->1-2 drops of mixture of pure coconut oil and pure olive oil - nightly scalp massage ( bending down during the massage really helps me).
-->Castor oil overnight treatment weekly once followed by herbal powder hair wash.
-->Onion juice treatment 3 times a week - followed by CO wash and black tea rinse, to mask the smell :)

DIET
-->Lacto-vegetarian diet (no meat, no eggs, milk ok).
-->Recently started making our own smoothies at home. So, 1 fresh fruit smoothie everyday (in the hope of better health, and hence better hair)
-->Also trying to bring in more protien through sprouts, tofu and cheese (yummy yummy)

SUPPLEMENTS
-->prenatal everyday.
->Homeopathic medicines for hair growth

Will look forward to hear from others too :)

[elbow chic]

Benign neglecter here. I experimented with some other stuff for awhile-- oiling, gone cone-free, etc. But really there were just a couple changes I made that stuck.

I wash it every couple of days, using whatever drugstore shampoo and conditioner is catching my eye. LOTS of conditioner, though. ;) Right now I'm using Suave Professionals, but I've used several other things.

Air dry, sometimes with a bit of gel scrunched through to define the wave/curl pattern. No heat. Keep it contained 95 percent of the time-- either up, or braided, waking or sleeping. Detangle mindfully, don't just rip through the tangles.

I don't trim that often, just a self-administered micro-trim at home, and a half-inch at the salon every year... or so. ;)

I think that unless you are seriously undernourished, your diet will not change your hair's growth rate or quality significantly. :shrug:

That got me from pixie to MBL! And I expect it will continue to keep me going til waist, at least. My hair inspiration is the local Pentecostal ladies. They don't "do" much to their hair, yet it grows to classic or beyond!... and that's actually their secret, that they don't "DO" much to it. :laugh:

[LadyHazel]

Ahh diet coke! I totally feel your pain I used to drink so much of that at one point like two 2 litre bottles a day, to myself. Then I made some sweeteners in the lab , learned about them and steered clear after that.

I will still have the drink from time to time, I don't cut it out completely.

Diet coke is pretty 'addictive' in my opinion though , so good luck , water is so much better for you and I'm sure you'll be fine hun x

[Bopoluchi]

i'm on a SO/NW routine and thats been fantastic for my hair. i massage my scalp throughout the day, and scritch and preen in th morning, but i've noticed my sebum production has slowed right down (maybe cos of winter?) so now i dont preen that often.

my diet is high in vegies (well, i try anyway), barely any grain, fish, dairy. i eat peanut butter, seaweed and miso which are meant to be good for hair growth (theres a fun thread here about foods for hair growth: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=61737 ) and i supplement my diet with cod liver oil and spirulina.

i normally have my hair in a braid tied with a satin ribbon, but i'd like to try more updos. i recently purchased 2 really pretty silk scarves so i'm keen to learn how to wear them nicely. time to check out youtube, methinks.

I seal the ends of my hair by soaking in water for a bit before squeezing out excess and applying olive or sesame oil. i got the idea from my fav hair blog: http://urbanbushbabes.com/?p=9584
My nape hair seems to break all the time so i've started misting my nape with distilled/rose water and applying oil.

i used to S&D regularly but i haven't in ages and i've noticed some spectacular splits, so i guess i should get back into that.

i sleep with braided hair on a silk pillow and i exercise pretty regularly. i think thats it. excellent thread, i'm going to enjoy lurking here :)

[MirrorOfErised]

It's interesting to hear people mention exercise helping hair growth - I never thought of a link before.

I take fish oil capsules and biotin, but I'm not sure if they're helping much. I have noticed if I take fish oil every day my skin starts to glow - not sure if it's doing anything for my hair though.

[starry]

I wo wash everyday nearly, do a lemon juice rinse and water rinse once every 2 weeks. BBB when I want to- which is really good, horn comb to detangle. No supplements. WO has made a HUGE diff to growth and condition!

[Bene]

No lifestyle changes for my hair. My routine now is what it was pre-LHC. I wash it when it needs washing, comb it when it needs combing, and I leave it alone. It's mostly in a bun, unless I remember to loose braid for sleep, but that's not often. I will, however, sit around and S&D when I've got some time.


The only things I've changed are my products and tools. Sticks and forks instead of elastics. Oils instead of serums. Shampoo bars and ACV instead of conventional shampoo and conditioners. No diet changes, no healthier habits. Aside from not cutting it, I can't say anything has really changed. I still get my half inch a month.

[RileyJane]

I do have a huge arsenal of hair care products, mainly b/c I AM obsessive over my hair, but to me that means health over length any day. I CWC, and do the occasional CO wash, mainky b/c my hair has a lot of natural oils in it, so I try to limit the amount of conditioner I pump into it at a time.
I do scalp massages in the shower, or right before bed if I'm bored. ( so like maybe 3 -4 times a week) I just started doing it,so i have no clue if it really helps or not, I guess we shall see
I dont take any extra vitamins besides my one a day pills from GNC, i work out about 5 maybe 6 times a week and the one a day pills do help my body, and I guess it does help strengthen my hair. I worry about some of the vitamins out there, mainly bc I have no clue what they do to your hair or body, and that risk is not worth my hair falling out or being hospitalized for me.

All in all, my only hair woes is that the ends have a bit of hair color left in them form 2010, and I just have to suck it up and chop off an in or 2, but still not a ordeal considering Im growing to hip length or longer.

[Zesty]

I'm at hip and want to get to tailbone or classic (I think this is the first time I've admitted to myself that classic might be tempting me :p).
I eat lots of veggies and eggs, fish when I can get it, and generally try to eat healthy and get enough protein.
I massage and scritch my scalp every day or every other day to remove shed hairs and skin, which has helped me stretch my washes to twice a week.
When I do wash, I S&C, and finish with a diluted white vinegar rinse.
I never brush, and I comb maybe every few weeks to every month -- I finger comb in the morning and before bed.
I trim when I feel like it, which works out to being every 4 months or so, but I've gone more than a year without trimming before. I S&D roughly every week.
I wear hair sticks mostly, and forks (not so much a fan of fancier things like Ficcares and Flexi-8s), and I use a silk pillowcase at night. I also do a folded braid on top of my head to keep my hair contained while I sleep.

Really there are about 10 million things you could do that might be good for your hair, you just have to experiment and figure out what works best for you. :flower:

[heidi w.]

My routine is to stick to my routine, which I have whittled down to bare bones. Shampoo, conditioner (using quality products which I like...) and oil the length, and that's it. OH, and I do sleep on a satin pillowcase.

I detangle once a day. And I am thinking getting back on the bandwagon of beautiful updos that I used to do daily. Lately I've been a bit of a slob about it, although I still wear my hair up daily. Almost nobody realizes how long my hair is, and when they do, they rarely ask about it.

Oh well.

heidi w.

[JellyBene]

I take prenatal vitamins for my hair, not sure if i have seen much increased growth, but hey they are good for me! I sleep in a satin sleep cap and on a silk pillowcase, I wash with sulfate free shampoo and use a very natural leave in conditioner (both from Toadstool Soaps). I oil with sweet almond oil and unrefined shea butter daily, I brush with a tangle teezer and a BBB and I want to try a horn comb. I also use henna to color and drastically conition/strengthen my hair.
ETA: I usually brush once in the morning and once before bed. As of right now I havent trimmed since December. Maybe I could use a half inch trim but I feel like I have been stuck at APL forever and I am not in a mood to add any more time to it! My hair is beginning to grow in a U shape but thats alright, I really don't want to trim it right now and I don't really need to because henna has strengthened my hair so much I have literally no split ends.

[catamonica]

Heidi w. Your hair is beautiful! How long is it exactly? And how long did it take to grow it that long?

[Silverfox]

One of the most important things I found shampoos without SLS/SLES (Sulfates).

There are many non-sulfate shampoos are the market. If you find some without parabens and formaldehyde, that's even better, because they're poisons. But the sulfates are what destroys the hair.

I felt an immediate improvement after shampooing with a natural shampoo without sulfates.

I use a baby brush on my hair. It does the job of brushing - without causing damage.

I wear it up most of the time, in buns that aren't too fancy and don't require a lot of pins and twisting and general damage-causing handling.

I do use a silicone based leave in conditioner. I mix a couple of drops of Aragan Oil into the condition.

I deep condition it once a month with conditioner, coconut oil and a few drops of lavender oil.

My hair looks like this:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/doreen_dotan/7437753206/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/doreen_dotan/7296251290/in/photostream

http://www.flickr.com/photos/doreen_dotan/7287725230/in/photostream/

[ohmygackt]

What about scalp massage? Do you think daily is too much? once a week? If I could remember everyday, I definitely would try to massage my scalp. I usually only remember when I am washing my hair ;p I brush my hair everyday though, because it will get tangled if I don't. Aaaand I usually trim about every 6 months, usually taking half an inch or more, depending. I use hair sticks most of the time, only because my hair fork broke T_T and I have a silk sided and lace sided Chinese pillow that I use. And I use jojoba oil...a lot o.o
I have 3b/M/iii hair though... I am currently 31" Waist.(though the last time I measured was like a month and a half ago so it could be longer) My goal is 40" Tailbone with all the layers grown out. AAAAaand If I achieve that and like it, then I might try for mid-butt (does that count as classic?)

[MintChocChip]

Diet:
I try to eat a fairly healthy diet, although I do have a sweet tooth which I occassionally like to indulge. :D I eat almonds, walnuts and sunflower seeds a lot. Plenty of water. And lots of chicken and fish.

Scalp Massages:
I don't do scalp massage at all I'm afraid. Well ok, occassionally...when I remember. I'm sure daily would be fine, or weekly. I'm pretty sure scalp massage is one of those things that will really help hair growth and health.

Brushing:
Yep I now brush daily (never used to) but only with my BBB and only after I've detangled well with a wooden wide toothed comb first. I brush in the morning, and last thing before I go to bed (before I put my hair in a plait for the night.)

Trimming:
I get my hair trimmed every 10 weeks. It's way too much if I want it to grow faster. I'm considering getting it trimmed every 12 or 14 weeks these days. I got my hair trimmed last week so I've got a while to think about it. I don't S & D, haven't plucked up the courage to start that just yet. But, I am considering it. :D

Accessories:
In terms of accessories I don't really do hair toys and hair sticks for the simple reason that I can't afford it at the moment. I do have a couple of flower hair grips I got from Greenwich market (like the one seen in my avatar). I do own a shower cap that I use purely for holding my SMTs and coconut milk soaks (so I don't stain my towels!)
I'd love a sleep cap and a silk pillow case but I haven't got round to buying one yet. If I had a silk scarf I would be tying my hair up in that every night, but unfortunately I don't. :D

Hair Type:
My current hair length is a tiny, tiny bit past APL. My desired length is waist (or beyond!)
I have fine to medium hair which is on the thin side. I'd describe it as 1b as although it is on the straight side of things, it's not very, very straight - it does have a very subtle wave.

I hope maybe some of that was helpful. :)

ETA: Wow, how much do I like this smiley?! :D Big grin overload I think.

[blaketob]

wash my hair only twice a week - one day with clarifying and one day with a deep conditioning treatment for hours before washing
I also comb my hair - never brush it
I use nexus leave it product which contains coconut oil, but I'm getting straight coconut oil soon :)
I never really put my hair up much until the 3rd day of not washing it - I get too many headaches
no heat products unless on a special occasion
I get a trim every 2-3 months.. more of a "dusting" though
no coloring

[Bunnysaur]

Here's how I treat my hair:

Diet: I'm in the "I try to eat healthy, but..." camp. I'm in college and living with DF and a friend, and even though I'm in charge of the grocery shopping, cheap stuff isn't exactly healthy. I've been trying to eat a more protein and such, mostly in the form of Greek yogurt and lean meats. I drink loads of water, and limit my soda intake carefully.

Washing: I wash daily with CV poo bars. I've found that my hair doesn't seem to like anything with soapnuts in it, but loves just about everything else. Like, everything else.

I used to scalp massage daily when I used oil shampoo, but the shampoo bars don't give my hair much "slip" in the shower, so I can't really do that. I massage for a couple minutes about 2x a week before I go swimming. I always oil my hair with a crazy concoction of avocado, neem, coconut and peppermint oil before swimming, so my scalp doesn't get all dry and itchy from the chlorine. Today I got some neelibhringadi oil that I'll probably add to that to use more often.

I've been spraying rooibos tea on my scalp daily as well, as part of a month-long "growth experiment," and I've gotten about an inch after 3 1/2 weeks. It might be more than that, but I haven't really checked in about a week.

I last trimmed a couple months ago after a bad bleaching adventure, but before that it had been 8 months. I don't trim unless I absolutely must.

As far as accessories go, I have a few pairs of sticks and a Grah-Toe fork, and another on the way.

I'm currently ~APL, 1c (hopefully 2a!) / M / ii/iii. I'm having a major summer shed right now and I've lost a bit of thickness :( but I'm usually a iii.

[Jing]

I use a satin pillow case and keep my hair up at all times. I haven't changed my diet for hair growth, but I take whey protein for it. I want to do scalp massages, but I never remember to. :rolleyes: I stopped brushing my hair last year, apart from the occasional BBB round. A year passed between my second-to-last trim and my last one, but I don't have any plans or rules for trimming. I only trimmed last time because I figured there had to be split ends in there somewhere, even though I can't find any. I've got a lot more toys than I need, and most of them I can't even use yet. Too fond of the pretty. :p

I also do yoga, exercise, eat well, make sure to get enough sleep etc., but not specifically for the sake of my hair.

[SurferB]

Nutrition, TLC, No dyes, No heat. I'm eating vegetarian, as always.
Diet: 2-3 organic free range pasture eggs/day
TONS of fruits&veggies
I only eat Whole Foods Market farmed raised salmon 2/wk,raw goats cheese,keifer
Extra virigin coconut oil
Wash 2-3wk
Whey shakes daily from grass fed-ethical
Multivitamin
Arteisian Well water which has lots of sulphur
Peppermint oils on scap Ylang Ylang III
Sulphate free shampooo/con
Filter to get all the chlorine out of my shower water-Chlorine dries out hair

[GoblinTart]

I try to eat healthy, take my vitamins, drink water, and baby my hair. I'm going to start trimming by the moon. I don't think the moon has any bearing on my hair...but, just in case :)

[Tootsie]

[QUOTE=akuamoonmaui;2171208]
I like coconut oil on days I know I'm not going in the public or that my hair WILL be in a bun(does great stuff, but very greasy).


Lol, wish I had read this line ysterday. I am new and was reading the coconut oil thread and thought it sounded great. I slathered my tattoo, arms, underarms, and hair as soon as I exited the shower. My hair feels great but was a bit embarrassing during my brief outing to the post office...can't wait until my hair is long enough to put in buns ;)