help me learn how to grow my hair!!

[sweetpea5000]

i'm new here and i am in desperate need of help!!! i have been wearing braids, weaves, etc., since i was 12...over 10 years...and i'm sick of it!!! my hair is only 3-4 inches long and is constantly breaking...i admit i haven't taken very good care of it, because i rely so much on extensions, but now i just want my hair to be healthy!! i think my hair is 4a/b... can anyone recommend where i should begin ?

 

[atlantatiffany]

i can try to help u.
1.first u should start washing your hair every week. i would recommend a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner. many ladies on this board like keracare products. also do a deep conditioner.

2. try to stay away from heat. heat can be really drying on relaxed hair.

3.u also need to do reconstructors every 6 weeks, make sure u follow it with a moisture conditioner. be careful because too much protein can be damaging.

hope i helped

 

[dorothy]

welcome!

Are you relaxed or natural? What products are you currently using?
Do you need a hair care regimen or just general facts about hair maintenance? Are you interested in taking vitamins? Sorry about all the questions. I just need to know more about what exactly you need to know.

 

[alibi]

[ QUOTE ]
dorothy said:
welcome!

Are you relaxed or natural? What products are you currently using?
Do you need a hair care regimen or just general facts about hair maintenance? Are you interested in taking vitamins? Sorry about all the questions. I just need to know more about what exactly you need to know.

[/ QUOTE ]

Welcome Sweetpea!!! Ditto, we need to know more about you and what you need!

 

[keylargo]

Welcome Sweetpea. I know how you feel because I once relied on weaves and extensions and never learned to properly care for my hair. You've made a great start by joining this board! Let us know what products you're using and also, you need to find a protective style that will protect your ends.

 

[sweetpea5000]

Thanks for the welcome! I guess I was too general in my question so let me try to specify...right now my hair is pretty much natural...i made the mistake of trying to relax it myself when I had it out a few months ago. I had some growth from wearing it in braids, but it all started breaking off once i relaxed it. I have since put it back in braids hoping that it might grow. I don't want to relax it again. One question I have is, how do you properly take care of your hair while it's in braids? My braids are usually small, but not microbraids. I don't really have a regimen,just washing and conditioning(not as often as i should!), and a little pink oil. I really don't know what products to use. I would like to find a product that really moisturizes, because i think that's a big part of the problem. Also, is pressing my hair a good option for when I take it out of braids? I just want to get on the right track!!

 

[SingingStar12]

Welcome to LHCF, sweetpea5000!

 

[keylargo]

do a search on the forum for the "crown and glory" method. I think lots of members use this method. Den1 is one of the members that come to mind. She was the feature of the month a couple of months back. I'm sure many other ladies can give you suggestions as well.

 

[loverofnaps71]

Welcome Sweetpea! Now that we have established the state of yourself, I would recommend that you first do a deep conditioning treatment, get your ends clipped, then begin a New Year's resolution to get healthier hair. At this point, I wouldn't worry about trying to grow longer hair as much as I would trying to achieve healthier hair. You can do it both internally, by drinking lots of water, incorporating a good diet (see South Beach Diet, not to lose weight, but for overall health--it's been fantastic for me), and getting some exercise. Externally, you'll need to find the products that work best for you. If your hair is excessively dry, avoid product where alcohol is the first or second ingredient listed. Avoid too much protein; it'll cause the hair to be hard. I use a spray bottle with distilled water, olive oil and essential oils (Rosemary, Basil, Sage, Coconut, etc.)...all of which help in the overall health and growth. As for supplements, everyone has suggested good ones. I love GNC's products...they pass the float test (dissolve in a glass of white vinegar after 20 minutes). Many people have also talked about Surge, which is a hair repair spray you can order online at www.walgreens.com or pick up at your local Walgreens. We are still trying to figure out where Surge is sold at other stores and locations. Keep glued to this website for VERY helpful information. My hair has never been more healthy before I joined this group. Be VERY careful...it's addictive!!!

In the meantime, here's some other sites to check out:

http://motowngrl.8m.net/hair.html (TERRIFIC FOR NATURAL HAIR CARE)
herspecialhair.com - natural hair care books for children
tytecurl.com
nappturality.com
hairfoodforthought.com
naturallycurly.com
afronappy.com
nappyhair.com
naturallynappy.com
nappyhair.com

 

[Faith]

Welcome sweetpea

I would suggest you get some scurl for moisture..spray it about 2-3x/week. That really helped to turn my hair around. I'm also mainly in braids, interlocks, etc. but somehow I managed to grow it out. And it really stopped splitting so much when I started using scurl. I personally don't like pink oil but if it works for you then go for it. Here is my very simple braid regimen:

Wash with diluted shampoo..1x/week or 2x/month
Spray with scurl..2x/week
Oil with mix of whatever (kemi oyl, keracare essential oil, hot six oil, jojoba oil, etc.)...2x/week
I going to add Surge to it which I'm going to spray 1-2x/day

 

[sweetpea5000]

Thanks for the tips ladies! I'm going to take out my braids tomorrow and head down to buy some new products(yay!)I feel excited about finding this board and about starting to take care of my hair!!Thank you!!!

 

[Nessa]

I just wanted to ask a simple question, I have a big bottle of Scurl, but I have to spray Scurl about more than 3 times every single day to keep my head mosturize, and the funniest thing is that my hair isn't even natural, it's relaxed, I have some thick thick hair, and it just sucks it up,do yall have any other suggestions for products




And loverofnaps71, could relaxed people go to those sites also?

 

[Spagirl]

Hi Sweatpea5000...Welcome to LHCF!