Newbie, Hair Questions...

[Sonnet]

I have extremely bad habits (I'm a male, of course I have bad habits huh? lol) and I need to change them!

My hair is neck lenght, and that's fine because I don't want it too much longer. What I need help with is hair care.

A year or two ago I was losing hair really fast (I didn't even think it was a big deal back then, and I used to take showers once per week.. ew?). I noticed this when I saw more hair than usual at the bottom of the shower. I decided to go see a specialist and I got some treatement to get rid of the oil in my hair and some treatement to stop hair from falling. The treatements did reduce my hair loss and oil, but I still see about 10 string of hair when I come out of the shower (that's normal right?) I'm taking viviscal wich is supposed to get my hair growth back to how it was.

---

So here are my questions.

I want to know wich kind of conditioner I need to get stronger hair (I feel they arent strong enough) and what else conditioner do? What else should I do with my hair?

Is washing your hair every two days ok?

Is there some kind of foods I should eat? I have VERY bad eating habits, the worst there is! Please name some names and not just say "veggies" or "fruits, I want some actual names.

I read some stuff about people taking some Silica, Biotin and other products. Do they give very good results? Wich would I need to get some new hair to grow?

Last question, the hair on both sides of my head doesn't seem like it wants to grow any further, and I've seen this on alot of men. How can it be cured? (if there's any?)

If there's any other advice you can give me, just tell me.



~Answer me soon! I'll check in tomorow every few hours.

 

[webby]

Hi Sonnet, I don't know if I will answer all of your questions to your satisfaction, but I'll try.

[ QUOTE ]

I want to know wich kind of conditioner I need to get stronger hair (I feel they arent strong enough) and what else conditioner do? What else should I do with my hair?


[/ QUOTE ]

It is critical that you know what type of hair you have and the current condition of it prior to selecting conditioners. Some conditioners are preventative, while some are used more as a treatment for severely damaged hair. Also, you don't want to buy a conditioner for oily hair if you have dry hair. Make sense.

I use an array of different conditions, many store bought and many homemade. I like products my Sebastion, Nexxus and Matrix. I had dry, relaxed, curly hair, so I buy products from each of the mentioned brands that supply my hair with moisture. I also use essential oils mixed with carrier oils as a pre-shampoo. Now, what you may need to do is find a stylist, someone who may charge a little more than the local barber, but they will be able to recommend the types of conditioners that your hair requires.

[ QUOTE ]

Is washing your hair every two days ok?

[/ QUOTE ]
Again, this is dependent on your hair type. Since my hair is dry, I limit my washings to once a week, using Creme of Nature with conditioner as my main shampoo. If you have straight hair (naturally straight) you may require more frequent washings.

[ QUOTE ]

Is there some kind of foods I should eat? I have VERY bad eating habits, the worst there is! Please name some names and not just say "veggies" or "fruits, I want some actual names.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ok, don't kill me for this, cuz I'm just as guilty, but there's a saying, "Garbage in, garbage out." In other words, we don't eat properly and expect to find a miracle fruit that no one ever discovered on that undiscovered island that will make our hair grow long, fast and healty.

You get my point. There are no miracle foods for healthy hair, just as there are none for losing weight.

We should ALWAYS eat well, because eating well over a period of time improves our overall health. The life of our hair, nails and skin will directly reflect how/what we consume.

[ QUOTE ]

I read some stuff about people taking some Silica, Biotin and other products. Do they give very good results? Wich would I need to get some new hair to grow?

[/ QUOTE ]

I've never used either, so can't make any recommendations.
[ QUOTE ]

Last question, the hair on both sides of my head doesn't seem like it wants to grow any further, and I've seen this on alot of men. How can it be cured? (if there's any?)

[/ QUOTE ]

I think, could be wrong, but I believe that we all have an area on our head that grows slower, shorter than the rest of our scalp. For you, and other men, it may be the sides. For me, my hair grows really quite long, but the hairline seems to thin a little. I am forced to do my own hair now, as I moved away from NYC and couldn't find anyone who could manage my hair. So, I cut it all off, think Halle Berry, and I learned how to care for my specific hair type. I learned that massaging the scalp is not only relaxing, but it promotes blood circulation, which is an important part of growing hair.

You will want to be careful with the areas of your hair that are shorter. The lack of length may be an indication that you are handling hair in thoses spots too roughly, which is causing some breakage.


Ok...don't know if any of that helped or made any sense, but I tried. I'd be happy to elaborate or help out any way I can...just post more questions.

GLuck

 

[Nyambura]

Hi Sonnet, welcome.

In addition to the good advice Webby gave, I thought you might be interested in which foods *specifically* (per your request) are good or bad for hair growth: Good and Bad Foods for Hair Growth

I'm sure that other members will also be able to give you advice. BTW, if you're only losing 10 strands a day, I wouldn't sweat it.

Good luck.

 

[soulchild]

hey,another male on the board! WELCOME. I'm sure the ladies here will have tons of advice for you. I have some myself. I was just wondering what type of hair you had first? Just try to descibe it,the texture you know. Just for a visual try and name somebody famous who has about the same hair texture as you so we can get a feel for what you're working with.And do you use any type of chemical on your hair?

 

[Sonnet]

[ QUOTE ]

It is critical that you know what type of hair you have and the current condition of it prior to selecting conditioners. Some conditioners are preventative, while some are used more as a treatment for severely damaged hair. Also, you don't want to buy a conditioner for oily hair if you have dry hair. Make sense.

I use an array of different conditions, many store bought and many homemade. I like products my Sebastion, Nexxus and Matrix. I had dry, relaxed, curly hair, so I buy products from each of the mentioned brands that supply my hair with moisture. I also use essential oils mixed with carrier oils as a pre-shampoo. Now, what you may need to do is find a stylist, someone who may charge a little more than the local barber, but they will be able to recommend the types of conditioners that your hair requires.

[ QUOTE ]

Is washing your hair every two days ok?

[/ QUOTE ]
Again, this is dependent on your hair type. Since my hair is dry, I limit my washings to once a week, using Creme of Nature with conditioner as my main shampoo. If you have straight hair (naturally straight) you may require more frequent washings.

[/ QUOTE ]

My hair is naturally straight, thin and oily. So I'll need a conditioner for oily hair, or is there something else I should look for? I'd like to know more about pre-shampoos, I never heard of them. I live in a small town away from big cities so it's hard to find a good specialist.

[ QUOTE ]


Ok, don't kill me for this, cuz I'm just as guilty, but there's a saying, "Garbage in, garbage out." In other words, we don't eat properly and expect to find a miracle fruit that no one ever discovered on that undiscovered island that will make our hair grow long, fast and healty.

You get my point. There are no miracle foods for healthy hair, just as there are none for losing weight.

We should ALWAYS eat well, because eating well over a period of time improves our overall health. The life of our hair, nails and skin will directly reflect how/what we consume.

[/ QUOTE ]

What I meant by what I said is I don't really have great knowledge about good foods. I can only name around 10 - 20 veggies and fruits. My hair, skin and nails are all in bad shape. (purple nails, blemished skin, thinning hair) I'm not even in my 20's so it's very hard for me, I didn't think it would happen this soon.

[ QUOTE ]
I think, could be wrong, but I believe that we all have an area on our head that grows slower, shorter than the rest of our scalp. For you, and other men, it may be the sides. For me, my hair grows really quite long, but the hairline seems to thin a little. I am forced to do my own hair now, as I moved away from NYC and couldn't find anyone who could manage my hair. So, I cut it all off, think Halle Berry, and I learned how to care for my specific hair type. I learned that massaging the scalp is not only relaxing, but it promotes blood circulation, which is an important part of growing hair.

You will want to be careful with the areas of your hair that are shorter. The lack of length may be an indication that you are handling hair in thoses spots too roughly, which is causing some breakage.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've been more careful about my hair since the beginning of the year. I used to be pretty rough on them, now I try to massage my scalp with the tip of my fingers.

[ QUOTE ]
Ok...don't know if any of that helped or made any sense, but I tried. I'd be happy to elaborate or help out any way I can...just post more questions.

GLuck

[/ QUOTE ]

Thank you for answering.

Soulchild: I really don't know wich actor has my type of hair. :x Here's a pic I took earlier this year.

Click here

and even older, before I got the hair cut.

Click here

Sorry I was a bit "angsty" in them. LOL

 

[webby]

Hi Sonnet,

Good to hear from you. I'm going to do a little research for you. Understanding your hair type a little better makes it easier for us to give you sound advice.

Please, don't come down on yourself for any comments I made about foods...I work on the computer all day and rarely have time to eat properly, so I'm just as guilty.

One thing I can tell you right off is that straight hair allows natural oils to fall down the hair shaft better than curly or kinky hair. So, people with curly, frizzy, coarse hair tend to have dry hair.

With regards to the <b>pre-shampoo</b>, I make an oil concoction that I leave on my hair for as long as I wish, before shampooing my hair. The extra oils are important for my wild, frizzes.

Give me a little time to do some background work for you and I'll get back to you.

BTW, I think that you are wise to take the time to exchange your not-so-good eating/hair habits now. You're still quite young and the benefits will be seen for years to come

Speak with you very soon!

 

[pebbles]

Welcome to the forum, Sonnet!

 

[DatJerseyDyme]

welcome

 

[Allandra]

Welcome to the LHCF.

 

[cybra]

Welcome Sonnet!

 

[Jade21]

Hi, Sonnet!

I wanted to give you a warm welcome like the others here. We are happy to see men who like to take care of their hair, too.

I really wanted to respond to something you wrote. You indicated that your nails were blue. What that can mean is that you may be iron-poor, namely iron-deficient anemic. If you can, go to your doc as soon as possible for a test for your iron levels....hematocrit is what it is called. Being iron-poor, whether you are male or female, can wreak havoc on your hair...the thinnning and extra shedding you have described can be a fairly typical symptom.

I checked out your pics and what I noticed was this. Your hair looks extremely fine...just like a baby's. Because of that, you need to use very gentle hair products. You should select a gentle shampoo which you can use either every day or every two days. I would select every 2 days and see whether you are getting extra sebum. If so, shampoo your hair every day. With your conditioner, choose something extremely light. Something in the Avalon Organics shampoo/conditioner line would be easy and good for your hair. Lemon verbena comes to mind for that extra sebum and the matching conditioner.

You might talk to your doc about some biotin, zinc as well as a form of silica. The zinc will help to moderate the sebum and the biotin will give added strength. A multi-vitamin alone might be sufficient

With your diet, make sure you are getting enough protein like some chicken, fish and turkey with some fruits and veggies like apples, broccoli, lettuce, carrots, etc. Whole grains like brown rice are also excellent, too.

Please continue to post and once again WELCOME!

~Jade~

 

[Sonnet]

Thanks webby, I appreciate the help you're giving me.

Jade: I guess I should go see the doctor, I NEVER went to get any tests.. I always was scared of needles. I'm guessing I lack alot of everything lol..

Would you know any names for a gentle shampoo?

 

[cybra]

Hi again, Sonnet.

I strongly agree with Jade21, you should see a doctor about the symptoms you reported. Also, something you want to keep in mind when eating your veggies, dark green veggies (e.g., broccoli, spinach, greens, etc.) are very high in iron. But, again, before you start doing anything regarding your hair, if I were you I'd see a doctor.

Again, welcome on "board"

Cybra

 

[pebbles]

Cybra, I just wanted to interupt this thread to say your pictures are beautiful, and I love your hair.

 

[cybra]

Thanks pebbles, you're sweet. Those pictures are actually a year or so old, but I hope to be able to post new ones in the near future. After joining LHCF, I think my hair is much healthier now.

Again, thanks for the compliment

Cybra

 

[pebbles]

You're welcome! You truly deserve the compliment!!