Give yourself the piece of (hair) advice you wish you had taken long ago...

[halee_J]

1. Take pictures, you make more progress than you realize.

2. Put down the scissors, hair will go through an awkward phase when its growing out, no matter how much you trim.

3. Itchy scalp = increased shedding.

4. Be patient, hair problems do not fix themselves in one or two treatments, its a gradual process.

 

[bibirockz]

1. Your hair is NOT the enemy; usually it's you, the products you use, and how you use them! Neither is water, if used in moderation to what your hair likes.

2. If you're in a rush to get you hair braided/done please dont wash the night before if you don't have time/patience to detangle properly in the morning. (happened to me yesterday my friend kept wanting to use the stupid rattail comb luckily I brought my wide tooth comb with me)

3. Baggying is NOT for everyone, especially when you're transitioning. Your natural hair might love it, and the relaxed hair not so much or vice versa.

4. Moisturizing and sealing doesn't mean extremely greasing/oiling your hair (I just realized this last night).

 

[Nik_Nak]

This is the advice my hair dresser gave me last year (if only I had known this for the other 20-something years beforehand):

(1) Moisturize your hair - seriously
(2) Wear protective styles, i.e. braids, weaves, etc.
(3) Stretch your relaxer - your hair can't handle a relaxer every 6 weeks
(4) Put the flat iron down!

 

[rririla]

Never ever try to go honey blond....no matter how good it looks on Beyonce!!!!!....*sidenote: It dawned on me that, hers is all weave...AFTER I bleached and relaxed and all my hair broke off*...ahhhhh well live and learn!!!!!!...

 

[blksndrlla]

A good sew-in can be your best friend!!! You have nothing to prove...

you are not "lying to the world."

 

[darlingdiva]

THIS! and I will add never let your hair have shrink and tangle on itself I've been keeping mine and my DD's hair stretched as much as possible for the past two months and life has been grand.

I've recently found out just how instrumental keeping the hair stretched really is to minimizing breakage and maximizing retention for my hair.

moisturize and seal

if you have fragile hair, protective styling rules. you can always bun under a half wig and still "wear your hair down"

put the flat iron away

natural based products with primarily natural based ingredients are better for long term
results

stay away from direct heat as a the rule. make flat ironing, etc. the exception

deep condition with heat at least every two weeks if not EVERY week

use gentle shampoos or non at all. SLS and it's ugly cousins are not your friend

take pictures....sometimes your progress goes unnoticed by everyone but the camera

relaxed hair doesn't need to be bone straight. if you like your hair to be long and strong, keep your curls (even if you only keep some of them, ie. texlax)

before you jump all into someone's regimen, LEARN YOUR OWN HAIR. then IF YOU WISH, try things ONE AT A TIME from people who have HAIR TYPE SIMILAR TO YOURS! i tried the regi of someone whose hair likes moisture....my hair likes protein....that misstep ruined a YEAR of growth and retention.

if it ain't broke don't fix it.

Protective styling really does rule for fragile hair. Constant manipulation on fragile hair often results in shorter & less healthy hair.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it; but if it is broke, definitely fix it.

1) You have to address this dry hair thing if you want retention, it's not gonna just up and go away.

2) Detangling is key! Take your time and be gentle.

Sent from my MY TOUCH 4G using Long Hair Care Forum App

Thumbs up to this entire post.

My addition to myself:

-Your hair is not invincible just because it's natural. You NEED protein.

 

[sensi sweetie]

When I was 12 and my cousin was 8 she said something about being able to wash hair with conditioner. But my smarta** bossy lil self told her she was wrong and that she had to use shampoo

That little thing was on to something! I could have saven myself years of heartache if i had taken that piece of advice.

 

[MysteryMermaid]

Keep a natural head of hair that only I touch!

 

[abcd09]

1) Dont pull your hair too tight.
2) Question your hair dresser's motives if she tells you that you need to relax every 4 weeks.
3) You CAN wash your own hair. You need moisture more than anything
4) Moisturize and seal twice a day
5) Keep taking your vitamins and applying the sulfur! Dont get lazy!

 

[Janet']

Cute thread...

 

[gharp001]

-Your hair is not invincible just because it's natural. You NEED protein.[/QUOTE]


I couldn't agree more! It's taking me way too long to realize that although I do not need protein in a styling product, I HAVE to use it in a shampoo &/or conditioners/deep treatments.

 

[sungtongs]

Please, PLEASE, please cut off your relaxer. Your hair isn't nappy, you have beautiful 3c curls. Don't listen to people who've never even seen your natural hair before.

And stop flat ironing with baby oil! Yes, it smells good. But you're cooking your hair.

 

[TrueToHair]

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[AlliCat]

Use halfwigs to protective style. Cute style AND your hair is protected. Plus u can take it off whenever. can't go wrong!!!

 

[AlliCat]

Its okay to get hair lazy sometimes. A watched pot never boils...

 

[AlliCat]

Keep your regimen and products simple. Don't go out and buy everything mentioned all at once (you'll just be broke AND confused)

 

[AlliCat]

Don't comb or brush when tired or frustrated!! be gentle and patient

 

[Lita]

When they say 2inch trim its really 5inch,keep ends moisturize,you can wash your hair once a week,dont braid tight,you can have a bang & the rest of your hair will still grow...





Happy Hair Growing!