Best Methods/Products for Growth Retention?

[NYLegalNewbie]

Okay, so as I said in my earlier post, my main problem is growth retention. My hair grows like crazy all over, but I have issues with shedding and breakage.

What are some of your favorite/best methods or products for promoting growth retention?

 

[Extremus]

bump bump bump

 

[darkempress]

WHILE RELAXED I WOULD USE THE BAGGY METHOD TO RETAIN LENGTH AND MOSITURE IN MY HAIR. IT WORKED OUT WELL FOR ME. BUT THE KEY IS TO NOT PUT TOO MUCH PRODUCT WHEN MOISTURIZING AND SEALING B/C YOUR HAIR CAN BECOME VERY WEIGHED DOWN..LEAVING YOU WITH NOT SO GOOD RESULTS.

 

[SouthernTease]

Here's how I am doing it
1. Keep hair moisturized.
2. Keep hair clean.
3. Do not comb unnecessarily.
4. Do not brush EVER.
5. Only detangle under running water with lots of conditioner.
6. Wear a scarf at night or baggy
7. No towel drying.
8. No heat on ends.
9. Stay away from scissor happy stylists
10. Deep condition once a week.

 

[FlawedBeauty]

keeping hair in one braid or two braids/twists. direct heat maybe once a month. no combing/brushing. deep condish 2-3 times/wk. air drying.

 

[blueabyss333]

buns, deep conditioning, less trims, moisturizing

 

[Barbara]

Read and apply the methods at www.hairoil.com

 

[Empress Yahudah]

THis is what I do :
wash 1wk
deep conditioning 1 wk w/ moisture protein balance
Mega Tek Rebuilder
Moisturize hair every day
dry hair on rollers and do silk wrap for straight look
when i flat iron roots i use heat protectant and very low heat

I havent had a trim in over 5 months and i dont need to
My ends r healthy and I just did a search and destroy and after 5 months I only had 5 or 6 tiny splits. I dont have breakage either

 

[NYLegalNewbie]

Bumping for more responses

 

[Vshanell]

IMO the best methods are low manipulation and very little, preferably no direct heat, moisturize and seal daily.

 

[Anancy]

Moisterise those ends, i think that has helped me a lot, depending on what hairstyle im wearing i moisterise my hair twice a day.

Wear protective styles - buns, twists, braids, cornrows, ponytails/phonytails etc.

Deep condition every week, and protein treatments.

 

[TLC1020]

What has helped me in growth retention is moisturizing my ends and bunning... I also deep condition once a week and stretch my relaxers..

 

[star]

Moisture and stretching relaxers.

 

[hothair]

STICK TO A REGIMEN
although its fun an extremely tempting to jump on every bandwagon try to restrain yourself once you have a set regimen, you can start introducing new products to replace something that's run out or just for a change plus it makes it easier to determine what works for your hair I've seen more consistent progress since I just stick to my routine.
:endworld: Wow! Can't believe that came out my mind, as a recovered PJ I guess I'm finally maturing in the hair game-being on a budget would do that to you! :angeldevi

 

[natwell11]

I have retained a lot of length by doing the following:

-Wearing hair up so it does not touch my clothes.
-Stretching my relaxers to 12 weeks.
-Every other day moisturizing my hair with 911 emergency for extra dry hair & sealing in the moisture with vatika oil.

I can get away with only getting my ends trimmed every 6 months since I started doing this. The 911 is fabulous, I am surprised more people don't use it. It can't stop shedding, but for me it has stopped breakage.

 

[tatje]

I would say for me it would be the following in retaining lenght:

-I always baggy/scarf on
-I always deep condition
-I always have my hair up (unless I am treating my self or on special occasion)

My # 1 that has helped me recently was since I wash once a week (Sats), during the week a take a really small amount of regular conditioner that I may use as an instant conditioner or even to deep condition and use it as a moisturizer on my dry hair. This has helped a lot. Whenever dry I put on a conditioner and it acts as a deep conditioner since I do not rince it. I don't worry about build up since I clarify once a month. This has worked for me. My hair just seems to like to stay dry but now I know how to beat it and I mean hardly ever, ever see breakage.

 

[SpiritJunkie]

my hair has done a big turn around since joining the boards. it's been a year & i started out in a bad state.

here's what i do that works for me:

• baggy every day, unless i'm in a weave
• i wear a phony-ponytail every single day
• i moisturize twice a day
• co-wash once a week or more if i feel the need too
• deep condition weekly
• heavy protein treatment every 6 weeks

as someone else mentioned do not put too much product in the bag...

 

[Soliel185]

My major cause of breakage was dryness - and the very very far second was strength. I used to go a buy every shampoo and conditioner that promised "strength" - until I finally figured out that all the extra protein was drying my hair out, making it MORE prone to breakage. I experimented until I found the right moisturizer and method, and I stick to light protein. My products are:

a spray I make -
2/4 100% Aloe Vera Jelly
1/4 vegetable glycerine
1/4 filtered water

and about 10 drops of grapefruit essential oil for scent. I will spray this on first to dampen, then use a creamy moisturizer like Lacio Lacio or NTM.

I seal with an oil mixture ( also in a spray bottle) I don't know the parts, it's Jojoba, Peanut, olive and ginseng wonder oil all together - the ginseng oil smells really good so I use a little of that and alot of the others. I will sometimes ( like at night ) seal with castor oil instead. I notice that when I use this I don't need to remoisturize every day. Make sure you hit you new growth AND your ends. The difference in texture causes breakage high, the dryness at the ends causes breakage low.

1 more thing -- try mixing glycerine and honey into your deep con. They are great for helping hair retain moisture. Wear your hair up with ends tucked, comb VERY gently. Get a baby soft brush -- if it hurts to brush your hand don't use it on your head -- and airdry whenever possible.

 

[FeelinIt]

Here's how I am doing it
1. Keep hair moisturized.
2. Keep hair clean.
3. Do not comb unnecessarily.
4. Do not brush EVER.
5. Only detangle under running water with lots of conditioner.
6. Wear a scarf at night or baggy
7. No towel drying.
8. No heat on ends.
9. Stay away from scissor happy stylists
10. Deep condition once a week.

I like this plan. Sounds close to what I'm doing now with my NH. Real simple and to the point.

 

[FeelinIt]

My major cause of breakage was dryness - and the very very far second was strength. I used to go a buy every shampoo and conditioner that promised "strength" - until I finally figured out that all the extra protein was drying my hair out, making it MORE prone to breakage. I experimented until I found the right moisturizer and method, and I stick to light protein. My products are:

a spray I make -
2/4 100% Aloe Vera Jelly
1/4 vegetable glycerine
1/4 filtered water

and about 10 drops of grapefruit essential oil for scent. I will spray this on first to dampen, then use a creamy moisturizer like Lacio Lacio or NTM.

I seal with an oil mixture ( also in a spray bottle) I don't know the parts, it's Jojoba, Peanut, olive and ginseng wonder oil all together - the ginseng oil smells really good so I use a little of that and alot of the others. I will sometimes ( like at night ) seal with castor oil instead. I notice that when I use this I don't need to remoisturize every day. Make sure you hit you new growth AND your ends. The difference in texture causes breakage high, the dryness at the ends causes breakage low.

1 more thing -- try mixing glycerine and honey into your deep con. They are great for helping hair retain moisture. Wear your hair up with ends tucked, comb VERY gently. Get a baby soft brush -- if it hurts to brush your hand don't use it on your head -- and airdry whenever possible.

Girl your natural is fierce!!! I had forgotten all about the glycerin. I'm having a serious dryness issues as we speak. I need a good moisture routine in order to keep my hair from breaking. thanks for the tips.

 

[sareca]

Lately I've been using aveda dr, doing oil rinses, and keeping manipulation low. It's working for me.

 

[gymfreak336]

Staying consistent with deep conditioning and roller/wet sets has been working well for me.

I deep condition atleast twice a week and I only style my hair by wet wrapping or rollersets. I have started doing pin curls at night to preserve my curls.

Stay away from too much heat and don't use a fine tooth comb for combing. I only use mine when I rollerset now and it has made a big difference in my ends.

Protect your hair throughly when relaxing too. I didn't and I am having to slowly trim off that damage over the remainder of the year.

 

[locabouthair]

Staying consistent with deep conditioning and roller/wet sets has been working well for me.

I deep condition atleast twice a week and I only style my hair by wet wrapping or rollersets. I have started doing pin curls at night to preserve my curls.

Stay away from too much heat and don't use a fine tooth comb for combing. I only use mine when I rollerset now and it has made a big difference in my ends.

Protect your hair throughly when relaxing too. I didn't and I am having to slowly trim off that damage over the remainder of the year.

I am going through the same thing. My ends are THIN. I am going to be cutting off at least 1/4 inch a month just to get rid of the thin ends.

moisturizing the ends are VERY important for you to retain what you grow but if you are constantly overlapping your relaxers your ends will suffer despite how much moisture you give it.

 

[SouthernTease]