Spinoff-Is Our Knowledge Making it Seem Harder

[dicapr]

The thread about how hard it is for us to grow and maintain our hair got me thinking about the first time I grew my hair out after loosing it to a highlight mishap. I decided that I had lost my hair trying to be cute and overstyling and abusing it. I went back to simple hairstyles and backed off that brown gel. I simply began using a liquid daily conditioner to pull my hair back into a ponytail and tuck the ends under daily. Weekly I would wash and let it condition while watching t.v. I was never a big fan of blowdrying, so I would wrap my hair wet, let it dry, and then put it in a ponytail the next morning. My hair grew in a short period of time to APL. All that time my hair wasn't a bother and was fairly quick and easy to do-no more than 5 min in the morning. My mom said I was lazy about my hair. After coming to LHCF I would have to say that I had a protective styling, daily moisturizing, low heat, weekly deep conditioning regimine. That seems overwhelming! It got me to think that how we define what we do may make things seem more overwhelming and more difficult than they really are. What do you ladies think?

 

[Hidden_Angel]

The thread about how hard it is for us to grow and maintain our hair got me thinking about the first time I grew my hair out after loosing it to a highlight mishap. I decided that I had lost my hair trying to be cute and overstyling and abusing it. I went back to simple hairstyles and backed off that brown gel. I simply began using a liquid daily conditioner to pull my hair back into a ponytail and tuck the ends under daily. Weekly I would wash and let it condition while watching t.v. I was never a big fan of blowdrying, so I would wrap my hair wet, let it dry, and then put it in a ponytail the next morning. My hair grew in a short period of time to APL. All that time my hair wasn't a bother and was fairly quick and easy to do-no more than 5 min in the morning. My mom said I was lazy about my hair. After coming to LHCF I would have to say that I had a protective styling, daily moisturizing, low heat, weekly deep conditioning regimine. That seems overwhelming! It got me to think that how we define what we do may make things seem more overwhelming and more difficult than they really are. What do you ladies think?

Very vailed points! I agree.. I think because its such an overwhelming amount of knowledge and options it seems to be way to much work to do!

but in the grand scems of things it really isn't that hard. Think about it other races they have to WASH and BLOW dry their hair /cut(or trimmed)style it and so forth.. so whats a little deep condtioning /washing and procetive styling?

 

[Radianthealth]

sometimes I think so, I see my friends doing all the wrong things and their hair seems to be doing well, but I am not willing to slack off and find out what it will do to my hair. Plus I enjoy all the extra stuff that I do with my hair.

 

[Isis]

I feel that knowledge is power and the more knowledge I've gained regarding hair care, the easier it became for me.

I went from a non-existent, unhealthy regimen (I guess that's easy) to a healthy regimen in which my hair thrives. I keep it as simple as possible, always on the lookout for simplifying things even more.

The key for me is keeping my intention of having healthy, beautiful hair and not getting caught up in all of the many, many products and techniques--choosing only what serves me and my hair. Most importantly, is keeping my regimen fun.

 

[Country gal]

A Simple TLC routine works best for me. My hair grew to almost APL just from protective styles and low heat.

 

[Lavendar]

After coming to LHCF I would have to say that I had a protective styling, daily moisturizing, low heat, weekly deep conditioning regimine. That seems overwhelming! It got me to think that how we define what we do may make things seem more overwhelming and more difficult than they really are. What do you ladies think?

You are absolutely right, and in the beginning it may seem overwhelming when you are trying to find what works for you. That's to be expected, not to mention the setbacks along the way. But when you do find the way that works for you, it's just smooth sailing. You may do five treatments a week, but when you know it's working it just ceases to be hard work. Well that's I how feel anyway. When you do find the right products and technique, you can also pare down to the very essential things that keep your hair on track. I decided to do everything at a certain time, i.e., henna every 4 weeks, relax 8-10 weeks, trim 12 weeks, deep condition every week, etc. I write everything down for the month in advance in my little calender book and just follow it. Now all treatments feel like relaxation or spa treatments. They are actually a nice diversion to what's going on in my everyday life.

 

[LocksOfLuV]

I think on the hair boards hair is such a big deal-so it may seem as though it is magnitized, but in reality it is that way because it is the actual focus of the board.

There is so much information here, that it can be overwhelming, but I think it is best for people to try to remember that everything being posted here (by hundreds of different people btw) is not meant for you to take literally. Kinda ot, but people seem to be complaining about how much info is here and how it is 'overwhelming,' but in actual reality it is ourselves that is making it that way. No one is making you do these things (not you Dicapr, in general) but you. When I came here, I thought the suggestions were endless, then I learned real quick that I need to narrow down these suggestions/options by first and foremost using my common sense.

Anyways, to answer your question I do think we (using the general term 'we' again) make it entirely too deep. All the way down to the hating yourself because you are relaxed debates, to the hair-typing wars, sometimes it's just too much. Recently I just went back to the "it's just hair" mode and I see things in a whole new light. I hope I answered your question and I think this is a good topic. I am glad to see more focus lately on hair discussion rather than products.

 

[kally]

Good point. I have went through a lot of trail and error to try to get the perfect routine down pact. It got costly and frustrating. However I still have to change a few thing. With me knowing what pretty much works now, it is just a matter of avoiding things (old habits) to keep it that way.

 

[Hidden_Angel]

Right now i'm trying grow it out once its reached my goall.. girl I'm gonna just henna/protain/relax(maybe) deep condtion/wash weekly and proctive styles ... thats it.. after that im done.. hahaha..

 

[CAPlush]

I've realized that I have a "filter" and while I'm interested in a lot of things that women on this board discuss, if it is clearly a bandwagon thing I don't worry too much about it.

 

[B_Phlyy]

I don't think it's so much the knowledge itself or the amount of it, but the way it's applied. If a person comes in and tries every technique everyday, of course it may seem hard. But if you pick and choose what will probably be most benefitial, apply the knowledge will not be hard.

 

[Sweet_Ambrosia]

I don't think it's so much the knowledge itself or the amount of it, but the way it's applied. If a person comes in and tries every technique everyday, of course it may seem hard. But if you pick and choose what will probably be most benefitial, apply the knowledge will not be hard.

Amen to that!

 

[PinkPeony]

I feel that knowledge is power and the more knowledge I've gained regarding hair care, the easier it became for me.

I went from a non-existent, unhealthy regimen (I guess that's easy) to a healthy regimen in which my hair thrives. I keep it as simple as possible, always on the lookout for simplifying things even more.

The key for me is keeping my intention of having healthy, beautiful hair and not getting caught up in all of the many, many products and techniques--choosing only what serves me and my hair. Most importantly, is keeping my regimen fun.

Excactly!
B4 LHCF my hair was a mess and EVERY day was a bad hair day,back then I was more frustrated cuz I was always on the lookout for the magic potion,weave,stylist that would turn my hair arund.
Like CAPlush i have this *filter* that keeps me from jumping on bandwagons,if it doesn't simplify my routine or is more then my set hair budget allows... I don't need it

Also I think it's important to stick to an set regimen for a couple of months(unless of course you got breakage) to let it *set* and do it's magic rather then changing regimens bi-weekly cause someone used xy and it worked wonders for them

 

[JustKiya]

Also I think it's important to stick to an set regimen for a couple of months(unless of course you got breakage) to let it *set* and do it's magic rather then changing regimens bi-weekly cause someone used xy and it worked wonders for them

Hello!!! It blows my mind when I see sistas who have tired something for three days, and decide it doesn't work, and move on to the next thing, and wonders why it doesn't work miracles. There really ARE no miracles in hair growth.... it's a slow moving mass.
I ALWAYS compare growing hair to losing weight - it takes time, patience, dedication and CONSISTENCY.

I don't think that the additional knowledge makes it harder. Trying to apply the knowledge, without understanding WHY makes it harder. Trying to apply the knowledge without ever taking the time to determine what YOUR hair needs, makes it hard.