Dirty hair revisited: What my long haired friend just confirmed

[FAMUDva]

Ladies, I have a long haired friend who is not a LHCF member, but has 4a hair that is waist length. Her definition of waist length is not the natural waist as most LHCFers... She's basically at the top of her pants or belt (which is what I always thought was WL before LHCF).

Anyway, her def isn't the point , the point of the post is after talking to her last night she confirmed that ALL she does to grow and KEEP long hair is take her vitamin and no heat! That's IT! She doesn't shampoo her hair often at all... She shampoos once or twice a month and she wears a pony tail most days. She says she wears a pony tail for sheer ease because has ULTRA thick hair! If I have to use an example, her hair is as thick or thicker than Lauren450 (sorry for calling you out girl ).

I know the "dirty" hair thing has been mentioned here before, but after talking to her last night I'm convinced that you don't have to do a tremendous amount of work to have great, thick, long hair! Her motto is just leave it alone. She relaxes every 6 months, gets dominican blow outs or roller sets for special occasions, and trims only when necessary! I wasn't shocked at her regimine (or lack there of), but I told her that much of what she does "just because" have been things that I've only recently become enlightened about. I can't wait to have hair her length. She really proves that it's not magical or secret concotions to grow nice long 4a hair.

I'm so EXCITED! I can't wait!

ETA: Her shampooing isn't scheduled, it just is done when she feels it's time. She told me she know it sounds nasty, but she had long hair growing up and she said her mom only shampooed her once a month. She said her hair isn't "dirty" so she doesn't shampoo until she feels it is. She does wet her hair most days to pull it up in the pony and uses a diffuser to scrunch her ends to have a wash and go.

 

[navsegda]

When I was growing up, my mother and grandmother had waist length, thick hair and neither of them shampooed that often (maybe once every few months). The only thing they did regularly was grease their scalps and put some on the hair (I think my mother still has some Blue Magic lying around). They also rarely used heat and when they did, it was a straightening comb.

 

[Keen]

Ladies, I have a long haired friend who is not a LHCF member, but has 4a hair that is waist length. Her definition of waist length is not the natural waist as most LHCFers... She's basically at the top of her pants or belt (which is what I always thought was WL before LHCF).

Anyway, her def isn't the point , the point of the post is after talking to her last night she confirmed that ALL she does to grow and KEEP long hair is take her vitamin and no heat! That's IT! She doesn't shampoo her hair often at all... She shampoos once or twice a month and she wears a pony tail most days. She says she wears a pony tail for sheer ease because has ULTRA thick hair! If I have to use an example, her hair is as thick or thicker than Lauren450 (sorry for calling you out girl ).

I know the "dirty" hair thing has been mentioned here before, but after talking to her last night I'm convinced that you don't have to do a tremendous amount of work to have great, thick, long hair! Her motto is just leave it alone. She relaxes every 6 months, gets dominican blow outs or roller sets for special occasions, and trims only when necessary! I wasn't shocked at her regimine (or lack there of), but I told her that much of what she does "just because" have been things that I've only recently become enlightened about. I can't wait to have hair her length. She really proves that it's not magical or secret concotions to grow nice long 4a hair.

I'm so EXCITED! I can't wait!

ETA: Her shampooing isn't scheduled, it just is done when she feels it's time. She told me she know it sounds nasty, but she had long hair growing up and she said her mom only shampooed her once a month. She said her hair isn't "dirty" so she doesn't shampoo until she feels it is. She does wet her hair most days to pull it up in the pony and uses a diffuser to scrunch her ends to have a wash and go.

The benefit of frequent washes is not that the hair need to be clean to grow. Frequent washes = frequent moisture. Moist hair is less prone to breakeage. Since your friend wet her hair most days, she is getting the benefits of frequent moisture.

 

[LocksOfLuV]

The benefit of frequent washes is not that the hair need to be clean to grow. Frequent washes = frequent moisture. Moist hair is less prone to breakeage. Since your friend wet her hair most days, she is getting the benefits of frequent moisture.

Good point, I would have never picked that out!

 

[FAMUDva]

The benefit of frequent washes is not that the hair need to be clean to grow. Frequent washes = frequent moisture. Moist hair is less prone to breakeage. Since your friend wet her hair most days, she is getting the benefits of frequent moisture.

I completely understand that point, and so does she. My point was, she doesn't fool with CW, shampoo only when it's 4pm on Sun, Tues, Thurs.
I mean, there is nothing systematic about her approach to keeping her hair! She doesn't do harmful things and lets her hair be. Maybe I'm not stating my point exactly the way I mean to, but when I first joined LHCF I was overwhelmed by what people do or swear by as a must do to grown and keep hair... Baggies, CWs, frequent shampoos (WITH shampoo or liquid in addition to water), and the list goes on. For the first few months I felt like a slave to my hair as I was trying to do all that stuff. But after talking with her I was completely UNDERwhelmed by just how much you really have to do to grow and keep long hair. Of course I had started practicing the things she's said over the last 2-3 months due to shear laziness and have not had any problems.

Before I joing LHCF my hair itself was very health, it just wasn't long. But, when I joined and started doing all of the stuff that was mentioned, initially my hair looked WORSE! So, for me, I went back to what I knew which was no heat. I did pick up the low manipulation from LHCF and moisterizing, but other than that it's been a trial in pairing things down. The best thing that I have done since LHCF is not allowing my stylist to trim my hair. THat has been the biggest step in me finally seeing progress.

 

[Proudpiscean]

The benefit of frequent washes is not that the hair need to be clean to grow. Frequent washes = frequent moisture. Moist hair is less prone to breakeage. Since your friend wet her hair most days, she is getting the benefits of frequent moisture.

I agree with this! I also agree with FAMUDiva's friend in that less is best (she only relaxes her hair twice a year, little manipulation, and moisturizes her hair daily) that's key.

 

[FAMUDva]

I agree with this! I also agree with FAMUDiva's friend in that less is best (she only relaxes her hair twice a year, little manipulation, and moisturizes her hair daily) that's key.

Thanks for hitting the nail on the head. That's all I was trying to say. She doesn't pay attention to scheduling her hair care into her life. She doesn't spend much time thinking about her hair. And she is very successful.

 

[Precious_1]

I was just wondering, dont you guys think some of this is attributed to simply genes and heredity.

 

[rdm]

Your friend is very lucky. I understand the concept of just leaving your hair alone and it will grow.

If I even thought about going more than a week without washing, I would gross everyone out by scratching my head every 5 minutes. Also, my hair stinks after a week without washing. Even before coming to LHCF, I had to wash once a week.

 

[LocksOfLuV]

I was just wondering, dont you guys think some of this is attributed to simply genes and heredity.

This statement right here is the basis of what LHCF's existence is trying to dismiss. That all black women can have long hair despite genes and heredity.

But me personally, I still think there is something to the genes and heredity thing. I think ALL women can have long hair, given the right healthy hair practices, but some women may have to work harder based on genes and stuff. Famu's friend's long hair sucess may or may not be based on genes and stuff, we'll never know.

 

[dynamic1]

I agree with this! I also agree with FAMUDiva's friend in that less is best (she only relaxes her hair twice a year, little manipulation, and moisturizes her hair daily) that's key.

Very sound advice. I have one friend with WSL+ who has the stylist shampoo and rollersets her 2 x per month. She generally pins her hair up unless she is on a social outing. While another WSL+ friend frequently washes her hair and keeps it up 60% of the time. I have seen both go from bsl to wsl/almost tail bone. One thing they had in common was never having hair cut shorter than APL. Everyone has to find a routine that is best for them.

(The position of the waist has not changed, the pants just got lower!
The waist is the narrowest part of the trunk between the ribcage and hip bone. )

 

[dynamic1]

Your friend is very lucky. I understand the concept of just leaving your hair alone and it will grow.

If I even thought about going more than a week without washing, I would gross everyone out by scratching my head every 5 minutes. Also, my hair stinks after a week without washing. Even before coming to LHCF, I had to wash once a week.

I understand. You have to let your scalp dictate your wash schedule and everyone is different. Even before LHCF I could not go past the 5 day mark without being miserable.

 

[Cheleigh]

I think it is a bit about your unique hair properties. I stumbled across this old picture of myself this weekend. I think I had done a roller set that had fallen apart. My hair was actually a bit past armpit. I rarely washed my hair (yukkie), hardly moisturized it, hardly relaxed it, hardly did anything to it. I believe if I'd moisturized it more often (wet it), I'd probably have been at mid-back.

I think that other people could have done the same regimen (or lack thereof) and their hair would be lying in broken bits in the sink every morning. You have to figure out what works for YOUR hair, and that is an individual thing.

I now WR or CW almost daily, but my natural hair loves water (my relaxed hair did too, I just didn't know it, LOL) and it helps me style it better as a shake and go. I don't WR/CW to clean my scalp per se, and as my hair gets longer, maybe I'll WR/CW a little less frequently.

 

[FAMUDva]

I was just wondering, dont you guys think some of this is attributed to simply genes and heredity.

Yes genes play a role, but as a biologist, I know that genes do not account for it completely! Environment and adaptations play a major role in all aspects of human biology, so genes cannot answer all questions.

Let's say based on your genetic make up, your family has a long line of long haired women. But you on the other hand CHOOSE to use heating tools, harsh chemicals, etc everyday and YOU (the universal "you" not anyone specifically) have short hair that you can't seem to get to grow or maintain. Genes have NOTHING to do with that! Genes have alot to do with growing hair, but environment has EVERYTHING to do with RETAINING hair.

 

[FAMUDva]

This statement right here is the basis of what LHCF's existence is trying to dismiss. That all black women can have long hair despite genes and heredity.

But me personally, I still think there is something to the genes and heredity thing. I think ALL women can have long hair, given the right healthy hair practices, but some women may have to work harder based on genes and stuff. Famu's friend's long hair sucess may or may not be based on genes and stuff, we'll never know.

This was my friend's exact statement! And I agree with the bolded statement! Everyone can have long hair and retain it based on their practices (ie environment).

 

[Mystic]

Your friend, and other thick hair ladies are blessed to do almost anything and still grow long healthy hair. Unfortunately, many other ladies with fine - medium hair are not so lucky. Based on my experience, most thick hair ladies that I have seen (there are exceptions) can do almost anything (heat/no heat, minimal washing, no vitamins, etc) and still maintain long beautiful hair that grows very quickly. Fine to medium texture hair might not be so lucky, and so maintaining a haircare routine is beneficial to growing and maintaining long hair. I know for sure that if I incorporated your friend's routine, my hair would go right back to what it was before LHCF

 

[Precious_1]

Yes genes play a role, but as a biologist, I know that genes do not account for it completely! Environment and adaptations play a major role in all aspects of human biology, so genes cannot answer all questions.

Let's say based on your genetic make up, your family has a long line of long haired women. But you on the other hand CHOOSE to use heating tools, harsh chemicals, etc everyday and YOU (the universal "you" not anyone specifically) have short hair that you can't seem to get to grow or maintain. Genes have NOTHING to do with that! Genes have alot to do with growing hair, but environment has EVERYTHING to do with RETAINING hair.

Thanks Famu, for your reply to what i said, i think locks of luv took it totally the WRONG WAY, geez. I didn't say ALL of it is contributed to genetics, i said SOME. I think genetics play a large role, and yes i know proper hair care has everything to do with the condition of your hair. I was not trying to make an ignorant statement, just stating the fact that if you have good genes. It does help out and play a role. and I agree with what Mystic said because I am one of those fine haired ladies that she speaks of.

 

[Proudpiscean]

Yes genes play a role, but as a biologist, I know that genes do not account for it completely! Environment and adaptations play a major role in all aspects of human biology, so genes cannot answer all questions.

Let's say based on your genetic make up, your family has a long line of long haired women. But you on the other hand CHOOSE to use heating tools, harsh chemicals, etc everyday and YOU (the universal "you" not anyone specifically) have short hair that you can't seem to get to grow or maintain. Genes have NOTHING to do with that! Genes have alot to do with growing hair, but environment has EVERYTHING to do with RETAINING hair.

I totally agree with this statement! I think that lack of knowledge plays a major role in why we don't retain our length. Before finding LHCF I thought that water was the enemy, I had no idea that water=moisture
I was just putting oils on my hair (and using heat regularly) and thought that was sufficient, now my hair survived in spite of my ignorance, but since finding LHCF and discovering the proper way to care for my hair it is now thriving.

 

[LeNghtyDreAms]

well heres my take on it, I for one am a believing in infrequent washing and little heat = longer hair, however many extra things that ladies here do are just to help better Manage hair.

 

[FAMUDva]

Your friend, and other thick hair ladies are blessed to do almost anything and still grow long healthy hair. Unfortunately, many other ladies with fine - medium hair are not so lucky. Based on my experience, most thick hair ladies that I have seen (there are exceptions) can do almost anything (heat/no heat, minimal washing, no vitamins, etc) and still maintain long beautiful hair that grows very quickly. Fine to medium texture hair might not be so lucky, and so maintaining a haircare routine is beneficial to growing and maintaining long hair. I know for sure that if I incorporated your friend's routine, my hair would go right back to what it was before LHCF

If what you are saying is true, I should have hair down to my butt. I have naturally THICK hair and always have. My hair has never been longer than it is now. So, thicker hair doesn't = faster growth. And that's from my personal experience with my own head of thick hair.

My hair is growing and I'm retaining growth NOW because I've simplified how much I handle my hair. That seems to be the key for me. And BTW, I wasn't using direct heat 2 yrs before coming to LHCF and still wasn't retaining massive growth although my hair was healthy.

 

[FAMUDva]

well heres my take on it, I for one am a believing in infrequent washing and little heat = longer hair, however many extra things that ladies here do are just to help better Manage hair.

Well put! I agree!

 

[PaperClip]

I was just wondering, dont you guys think some of this is attributed to simply genes and heredity.

I was thinking the same thing as I browsed through this thread, esp. since it was said her hair was long when she was younger/childhood. But there's probably merit also in the frequent moisture, lack of heat and low manipulation.

 

[Miss*Tress]

Your friend's routine reassures me. In the winter, I wash my hair when I feel like it which could be 2x a week or 2x a month. Last winter my shedding had me so depressed that I went for 6 weeks without washing my hair and wore a bun everyday for 3 months straight. When spring came I'd gone from APL to BSL. So there's definitely something to be said for benign neglect.

 

[winterinatl]

I was just wondering, dont you guys think some of this is attributed to simply genes and heredity.

I do. I have a friend w/ thick, waist length hair that is natural. But her wave is like 2b, 3a. She washes once or twice a month, and wears her hair up most of the time. the point is she doesn't comb it every day.

But even if she did (she was once relaxed and WS) I don't think it would matter much. She would still have very long hair. Maybe less 3 inches at the most.

 

[GlamourGirl]

I understand what you are saying FamuDva. I agree because when I was younger, my mom would go weeks maybe months without washing my hair. And it was healthy, super thick, and I had braids almost down to my waist. Now if I took those practices right now it probably would not work out for me because I am trying to grow my hair out fast and the routine that I am doing now is helping me accelerate my growth as well as retain length. When I finally reach my goal and want to maintain at my goal length I will cut down on washes and things like that, but I guess since I've seen such drastic results this healthy hair care thing has become a way of life 4 me. But I totally understand and agree with what u are saying...less is sometimes more.

 

[LocksOfLuV]

Thanks Famu, for your reply to what i said, i think locks of luv took it totally the WRONG WAY, geez. I didn't say ALL of it is contributed to genetics, i said SOME. I think genetics play a large role, and yes i know proper hair care has everything to do with the condition of your hair. I was not trying to make an ignorant statement, just stating the fact that if you have good genes. It does help out and play a role. and I agree with what Mystic said because I am one of those fine haired ladies that she speaks of.

No no no, I apologize if my response came off kinda snooty. I was actually AGREEing with you. I wasn't trying to get smart i was just saying that although LHCF thinks that ALL can grow healthy hair, that I think (like you) that it may contribute to genetics too.

 

[Ms Lala]

I completely understand that point, and so does she. My point was, she doesn't fool with CW, shampoo only when it's 4pm on Sun, Tues, Thurs.

Before I joing LHCF my hair itself was very health, it just wasn't long. But, when I joined and started doing all of the stuff that was mentioned, initially my hair looked WORSE! So, for me, I went back to what I knew which was no heat. I did pick up the low manipulation from LHCF and moisterizing, but other than that it's been a trial in pairing things down. The best thing that I have done since LHCF is not allowing my stylist to trim my hair. THat has been the biggest step in me finally seeing progress.

This is exactly what happened to me. I have tried so many different prodcuts and my hair has actually been feeling worse then it did before. Now I'm going back to mysimple regimen of washing every two-three weeks. I'm going to add deep conditioning and limit my heat that's it. I think I'm going back to using cheapie products too. I have been less than impressed with most of the expensive stuff I've tried. And no more cowashing, my hair hates it. And there are so many no-no ingredients I won't be able to use anything but distilled water by the end of the year.

 

[xDestinedx]

This is exactly what happened to me. I have tried so many different prodcuts and my hair has actually been feeling worse then it did before. Now I'm going back to mysimple regimen of washing every two-three weeks. I'm going to add deep conditioning and limit my heat that's it. I think I'm going back to using cheapie products too. I have been less than impressed with most of the expensive stuff I've tried. And no more cowashing, my hair hates it. And there are so many no-no ingredients I won't be able to use anything but distilled water by the end of the year.

sometimes I feel that way...but I just try and stick to what I know best. There are so many raves about whats good and whats not that I get a little frustrated...but different things work for different people.

 

[Sweetest_Honey]

My hair was at its THICKEST when I was in Jr. Highschool and believe me...I did not wash it very often AT ALL!! My stylist commented on my hair growth back then and asked what I did. I simply answered "Nothing" and he said "Ya know, that is probably the best thing for you!" (RIP Chuckie )

I've noticed that since I've been relaxing and messing with it, has become much thinner. I'm trying to get back to my regimen of just greasing my scalp and rollersetting like I used to do back then although I will make sure I put in a few more washes here and there...too old to go greasy

 

[HoneyDew]

Your friend is very lucky. I understand the concept of just leaving your hair alone and it will grow.

If I even thought about going more than a week without washing, I would gross everyone out by scratching my head every 5 minutes. Also, my hair stinks after a week without washing. Even before coming to LHCF, I had to wash once a week.

Same here!! I could not do it simply because I prefer having clean, pretty smelling hair.