I am new & frustrated with my hair can anyone help?

**Jamie Lynn 40** · August 16th, 2008, 04:35 PM

Hello Justgreen-
I was just wondering how often you SMT your hair? Do you just mix it all up in a regular conditioner bottle?
Also, My hair was almost bra strap level, but I just had my hair foiled last Monday & she said I had breakage & needed it trimmed so now it is about 1/2 inch shorter.

I love your hair color. I am thinking about getting mine done like yours next time but that will be at least 2 months. I bought some jojoba oil & almond oil to mix in purified water & spritz on my hair daily after I cwc or just condition. I also bought some suave & VO5 products along with a clarifying shampoo. Can you believe every one of my conditioners except 2 of them had some kind of cone in them? Anyway, thanks again for all of your help. Have a nice evening.
Jamie

**Jamie Lynn 40** · August 16th, 2008, 04:41 PM

Hello Renarok-
I know exactly what you mean.I think that is what has happened to me for about 3 or 4 years now ( maybe even longer). My husband thinks my hair just doesn't grow & gets shorter & shorter. It can be really frustrating at times for me. So I am so glad I found this website because I have learned so much in just a couple of days. Thanks so much for all the help & have a great evening.
Jamie

**mira-chan** · August 16th, 2008, 06:10 PM

Originally Posted by Jamie Lynn 40

Mira-Chan-
Thank you so much for telling me this. I didn't realize it. Do you use indian hair oils by any chance?

You're welcome.

Yes I do use Indian oils. I generally make my own mixes though. I also use Indian herbs to wash hair.

**ChatoyantLocks** · August 16th, 2008, 10:41 PM

I just wanted to recommend not worrying too much about trying to make your hair grow faster. My hair grows really slowly (only a little over two inches a year), and it is now a few inches from my knees. I just had to be really patient and stay away from scissors for many years. Just read a lot of the threads on this site and learn how to take care of your hair so it is as healthy as possible, and the length will come with time.

**Jamie Lynn 40** · August 17th, 2008, 07:22 AM

ChatoyantLocks-

Thank you so much for the information. I think my hair grows really slowly too. If you don't mind me asking, how long was your hair to begin with before it got to knee length & how many years did it take you? Also, do you color your hair? Did you just not worry about split ends? I am assuming you didn't take vitamins for it, right? I have heard that hair vitamins or prenatal vitamins make hair grow faster, but now I am starting to wonder if that is really true. Have a good day.
Jamie

**Jamie Lynn 40** · August 17th, 2008, 07:24 AM

Mira-chan-
I have some indian hair oils, but I am afraid they might fade my hair color.What do you think?

**ChatoyantLocks** · August 17th, 2008, 11:49 AM

Originally Posted by Jamie Lynn 40

ChatoyantLocks-

Thank you so much for the information. I think my hair grows really slowly too. If you don't mind me asking, how long was your hair to begin with before it got to knee length & how many years did it take you? Also, do you color your hair? Did you just not worry about split ends? I am assuming you didn't take vitamins for it, right? I have heard that hair vitamins or prenatal vitamins make hair grow faster, but now I am starting to wonder if that is really true. Have a good day.
Jamie

My hair was above my shoulders when I started growing it out in 1993, about 15 years ago. Someone evened out the bottom for me when it became lopsided a couple of years later, but other than that all I have done is cut off some split ends one by one if my hair was starting to tangle due to them, but otherwise I just ignore them. I avoid coloring my hair, permanents, blow driers, and curling irons. I take prenatal vitamins because I feel healthier when I take them, and I haven't really noticed any noticeable difference in the growth rate since I started taking them.

**mira-chan** · August 17th, 2008, 11:53 AM

Originally Posted by Jamie Lynn 40

Mira-chan-
I have some indian hair oils, but I am afraid they might fade my hair color.What do you think?

If you color your hair, not just lighten but add a color, any oil can potentially leach that color out over time. Indian oils are no exception. In addition some Indian oils can darken hair, most don't. It depends on the herb composition.

I can also answer one of th vitamin questions above. The reason for some it makes the hair grow faster is because a deficiency in something, be it vitamin or mineral, can cause hair growth to slow down. If you are not deficient in anything and your hair is already growing at it's optimal speed as dictated by your genetics, the vitamins won't have any effect on growth. If you are deficient then the vitamins can boost growth.

**girlcat36** · August 17th, 2008, 12:17 PM

Welcome!
Just adding my two cents worth.
Cones made my hair break off on the ends. I was trying to grow it for 16 years!! Never even got near BSL. I didn't color, heat style, or otherwise mistreat my hair, and I couldn't figure it out. I was taking megadoses of vitamins and lots of protein shakes. It never occurred to me that my shampoo aand conditioner were causing my hair to break.
I gave up cones and no longer have breakage.

**Jamie Lynn 40** · August 17th, 2008, 12:29 PM

ChatoyantLocks-
Thanks for the info. So when you trimmed the split ends you did it yourself, right? I have tried doing that but mine always ends up getting uneven. Over the 15 years that you grew it out, would you say you just dusted the ends to get the splits? I bet right now if I went to the hair salon, they would say I have about 3 inches of breakage even though I just had 1/2 inch cut last Monday. Yesterday I bought Suave & VO5 hair products to start using because all but 2 of my conditioners including leave-ins have some kind of cone in them.
Jamie