I've Come to the Conclusion: It's the Manipulation.

[Christelyn]

I was looking through some old photos of myself when my hair was almost twice as long as it was now, and I tried to remember what I was doing that gave me such great results. Did I wash more? No. A lot less, in fact: 2-3 weeks would go by before I washed it because I had to travel 2 hours to see my favorite beautician and it was an all-day affair. Did I use less heat? Nope. I was pressing and curling.

You know what it was? I left my hair the heck alone. I would curl my hair in the style my hairdresser gave me, and that lasted a week. I would comb my hair gently with a wide tooth comb when I rolled, and finger styled the next day. Then the next week in a half or so I just put my hair up in a pony tail and just gently brushed the sides.

I remember my hairdressers said I was gross for not combing my hair for a week, but I just ignored her, as my hair grew longer, and longer and longer.

I'm beginning to think that all the washing, co-washing and twists and such just don't work for me. For me, it's just about leaving my hair alone and keeping my hands out of my hair, which, I'm going to do. I'm headed out to Ross right now to look for cute hair accessories to wear so I won't get bored.

Anyone else feel me?

 

[Almaz]

Hey that is great the thing is you have to do what works for you.

 

[Ivypearl08]

YES!!!!...I think the hair products and techniques supported on this forum are great but at the end of the day the best gift we can give our hair is to leave it the heck alone so it will grow. I...like you...would go to the hairdresser and not wash or comb my hair for at least 2 weeks and it would still grow...and my hair has grown past my shoulders because I did nothing to it outside of the basics for haircare...I'm super glad I found this site and love the products and techniques mentioned but I totally agree with you the best hair growth aid is low manipulation..AND PATIENCE!!!

 

[HoneyA]

Best thing I ever did for my hair was practise low manipulation. It's still one of my staples!

 

[tdwillis]

You're right Christelyn. I just thought about this as well. I spent hours (and a ton of products) yesterday doing my hair just for it to revert right as I was flatironing it. This never used to happen when I just kept it simple.

 

[caramelkisses1107]

I agree I see more growth the less I fuss with my hair. I however cannot go more than two weeks with no shampoo (after 1 I am itchin like I got critters up there).

 

[IDareT'sHair]

Yes, Unnecessary Manipulation can alot of times interfere with Growth & Retention.

I may have a Zillion/Billion Products, but I KIS with a Weekly Co-Wash, DC w/Heat. During the week, I just Moisturize, Seal, Baggy, Oil whatever.

But if people are having Fantastic Results with frequent 3-5 day a week Co-Washing, Setting, Flat-Ironing, Twisting, then they should continue with that. It's Working for them.

You have to definitely "listen" to your hair (just like you do your body). My hair had been fried/died and massacred weekly at the hands of a crazy stylist.

Now I know it was the Worse possible Hair Care practices immaginable on a Weekly Basis and my hair finally rebelled.

But at the time, I didn't know any better and Compromised Style for Hair Health.

And what my hair was saying to me was: Just Let Me Rest. And that's what I've been doing and it is starting to recover.

We all have to do what's best for us in this Journey. And keep in mind, what works for some, may not work for you. Whether it's manipulation, product, or technique.

DO YOU

 

[Akemi]

Hmmm.....I just might try this no manipulation thing....

 

[baddison]

I've been on this board entirely too long to be asking such a question.....but:

WHAT IS LOW MANIPULATION????

I mean, seriously.....is there some kind of "textbook" definition? I wash and DC with heat 2x's per week. Is this 'low manipulaton'?
Another only washes once a month. Is this 'low manipulation'.
Some of us detangle daily, others weekly, still others monthly.
Some baggy nightly, some only a few times a month.

My daughter is 18 and has recently become "involved" in her own healthy hair journey because of my membership at this site. How do I define "low manipulation" to her.

Or is it simply one of those ideas that is quite subjective, depending on the individual? Does low manipulation for me equal low manipulation for you??erplexed

 

[1Aleeesha]

I agree with this 100%. I don't do much else to my hair after I shampoo & deep condition and all that stuff... I flat iron once a week and I put it in a loose bun that I can take out and wear down or put back up as I please. Every once in awhile I wrap or cross wrap but even then I don't do that more than twice per wash cycle and I always go back to the loose bun that I can wear out or in.

I realized I don't comb my hair much after I flat ironed that once it's finger styling and I believe this is why I don't get breakage and I flat iron once a week...

 

[loveable37]

I totally agree with u its manipulation tha stop growth when i was doin the BAGGY METHOD NO COMBING every 2 weeks cuse i was workin no spare time.Since no working for me everything i use to do its stopped.
example i dint use heat once month, now its every week
no more BAGGY METHOD
comb almost everyday to prance outside blowing in wind.
relax faithfully 8-10 weeks

i gotta get back to my old habits since i reached my goal everything stopped

 

[IDareT'sHair]

I've been on this board entirely too long to be asking such a question.....but:

WHAT IS LOW MANIPULATION????

I mean, seriously.....is there some kind of "textbook" definition? I wash and DC with heat 2x's per week. Is this 'low manipulaton'?
Another only washes once a month. Is this 'low manipulation'.
Some of us detangle daily, others weekly, still others monthly.
Some baggy nightly, some only a few times a month.

My daughter is 18 and has recently become "involved" in her own healthy hair journey because of my membership at this site. How do I define "low manipulation" to her.

Or is it simply one of those ideas that is quite subjective, depending on the individual? Does low manipulation for me equal low manipulation for you??erplexed

I feel, a Whole lot of "handling" of the Hair in my opinion is "Manipulation." A whole lot of combing, brushing, you know, unnecessary handling. A lot of Manipulating of the Hair. Styling, Heating, roughing it up etc...... All of that causes "stress" on the Hair.

For me Low Manipulation would mean, not doing so much to it as often.

 

[SlantedEyezMiss2003]

Girl I feel you, IMO, I think I do too much to my hair....like doing co-washing everyday, etc, and I wonder why I have set backs, I was thinking today how I was going to stretch my washes and leave my hair alone and just put it in a pony tail....I just moved and I haven't found and probably won't find a good stylist.....I'm picky when it comes to my hair getting professional done.....I think I'm going to wash every other week and just ponytail and see how that goes......thanks for your story!

 

[tinkat]

I also agree. I came to that conclusion recently also. I use to frequently co-wash my hair and air dry it. During the winter time with that cold air my hair was not acting right with airdrying. My routine is washing my hair every two weeks and blow dry on low heat. During the two week period I use no heat...just twist outs, puffs, and other simple styles. I am not losing as much hair anymore.

 

[prospurr4]

Low manipulation definately works for me. I have been able to reduce breakage and retain length by just leaving my hair alone.

 

[Christelyn]

Thanks for all the responses. It makes such common sense, but sometimes the temptation to try new products and techniques overcomes reason for me. Last week I wet set with NO heat at all, and got so much breakage it was ridiculous. That's when I realized it wasn't about WHAT I was doing, it was about HOW FREQUENTLY I was doing it. My fragile fibers were just wearing out. It's going to take a lot of self control, but it's APL by September or bust!

 

[LushLox]

Once I began to reduce combing to wash days only (twice weekly) there was a noticeable improvement in my hair - I've not had any breakage at all this year. I'd like to go down to just one wash a week and be able to maintain a hairstyle right through the week, I haven't quite got the skills (or the hair) for that yet though...

 

[CHECKMATE!]

Great thread I agree,low manipulation definitely has helped with my length and retention ...I cowash in the middle of the week,and wash/dc on the weekend...I do NOT comb my hair until wash day,while CON is in it,under the running water.

 

[loveable37]

I was tryin to strengh my relaxer to 6 months soon as i reach 3 month peoples start sayin u need a relaxer even my husband said it.He said i like ya hair when its down so that one reason why i fell off the bandwagon i really dont know wha to do cause i want waist lengh hair and all this manuplation aint gonna do it.i am finna get some braids(micro )soon as i get a chance since he like my hair down.when i wear a bun he hate it too.

 

[baddison]

Once I began to reduce combing to wash days only (twice weekly) there was a noticeable improvement in my hair - I've not had any breakage at all this year. I'd like to go down to just one wash a week and be able to maintain a hairstyle right through the week, I haven't quite got the skills (or the hair) for that yet though...

Great thread I agree,low manipulation definitely has helped with my length and retention ...I cowash in the middle of the week,and wash/dc on the weekend...I do NOT comb my hair until wash day,while CON is in it,under the running water.

Can you ladies tell me what kind of hairstyle you wear weekly that allows you to only comb your hair on wash days? I also wash and DC 2x's per week, but I would love to not comb my hair too. What daily styles do you wear, and how do you maintain it each day until wash day??

 

[LushLox]

Can you ladies tell me what kind of hairstyle you wear weekly that allows you to only comb your hair on wash days? I also wash and DC 2x's per week, but I would love to not comb my hair too. What daily styles do you wear, and how do you maintain it each day until wash day??

I wear rollersets; the curl stays in place quite well, so I just finger comb them to loosen slightly. When the curls start to drop I just pin them up into a loose bun. However I've just bought some steam rollers so in between my wash days I'll use these rollers ocassionally to maintain the curl. I can do this without combing the hair at all.

I know it sounds strange, and I thought that I would never be able to do it, but it's amazing how easy it is.

 

[Christelyn]

Can you ladies tell me what kind of hairstyle you wear weekly that allows you to only comb your hair on wash days? I also wash and DC 2x's per week, but I would love to not comb my hair too. What daily styles do you wear, and how do you maintain it each day until wash day??

Well, if you wear you hair flat ironed and curled, you can maintain the style at least a week if you roll it (get the black satin rollers at WalGreens). You can finger comb just to get rid of any tangles and smooth your hair with your fingers. The key is to wear your hair curly, so as to not have to smooth down a straight style like a wrap with a comb. Try to use very light moisturizers to preserve the bounce as long as possible. By the second week, but your hair in the pony or a bun, moisturize and tie it up in a scarf. You'll have smooth hair the next day and you can lightly smooth the ponytail hair with your fingers. Here's two curly style suggestions that I'm wearing right now. One is flipped up, the other curled down:

 

[CHECKMATE!]

Can you ladies tell me what kind of hairstyle you wear weekly that allows you to only comb your hair on wash days? I also wash and DC 2x's per week, but I would love to not comb my hair too. What daily styles do you wear, and how do you maintain it each day until wash day??

I normally wear my hair in a clip (loose messy bun) during the week

 

[ShiShiPooPoo]

My hair is doing much better since I stopped doing so much stuff to it.

 

[Rei]

I'm trying to but I have serious HiH syndrome. I think its easier to wash once a week or once every two weeks if you have a good leave-in for moisture. I haven't really found one that I absolutely love (for more than 2 weeks) yet, so I usually DC twice a week just to keep my hair from becoming the sahara. I think its a bit too much manipulation, but its sort of like I choose between manipulation and dryness. bah

 

[ladytea]

OP - Amen! This forum is a great resource for research and information. But since I've had long hair in the past, I always go back to what I did "back in the day" that worked for me. This was the light bulb in my current hair journey.

So how did you spend your time when you weren't playing in your hair? Have fun!

 

[remnant]

Lw manip works for me, i'm wigging it (cornrows underneath) and just moiturize it with sealing as needed.
I can go two weeks sans co wash

 

[Starronda]

I'm wiggin it..All I do is cowash 2-3 times a week, DC once a week alternating between protein and moisturizing DC. I baggy 5 times a week. So I only really manipulate my hair on the weekends, but it's growing really fast from me leaving it alone and keeping it wet most of the time. I'm lovin it

 

[Christelyn]

I'm trying to but I have serious HiH syndrome. I think its easier to wash once a week or once every two weeks if you have a good leave-in for moisture. I haven't really found one that I absolutely love (for more than 2 weeks) yet, so I usually DC twice a week just to keep my hair from becoming the sahara. I think its a bit too much manipulation, but its sort of like I choose between manipulation and dryness. bah

I also suffer from this affliction. I do have a suggestion for a good leave in moisturizer: L'occitane Shea Butter Mask. You can use it two ways: as a deep conditioner or use a little on your hair daily. Great stuff.

 

[msa]

Even though the definition of low-manipulation is really subjective, I do agree with you. I think it's more about gentle handling and for some people being gentle means doing a style and leaving it all week.

This brings to mind something JustKiya always says. In order for her to have the length she wants, her strands are going to have to survive for several years. That's why she treats her hair gently now (ex: using seamless combs) so that she can retain as much of the cuticle and integrity of the hair as possible.

I'm all about gentle handling and not overdoing it. For me overdoing it is trying to comb through my hair constantly but that differs from person to person. Some of the things other people call low-manipulation seems like a whole bunch of manipulation to me.