wannabelong
Well-Known Member
I usually don't answer because someone else has already answered the question.
I only enter the hair forum for drama (e.g Shima and Ateeya threads )
ITA and was just about to say that. just because the info is old does not mean it still wont work. that why we have to do research to find what is relavant to our own hair.I just don't understand the "outdated" information. Since when does knowledge have an expiration date. Some of the best threads are also the oldest, they are the foundation of the forum. For example the best color thread I've seen to date is Tracy's Bootcamp for Colored Girls from 2004.
ITA!!!Yes ma'am!
ITA!
I also don't answer nearly as much as I use to. Seems like plenty people aren't looking for "Best practice" type regi's or techniques. It's more like they want hair down to the ground in no time and with no effort and no waiting period. People don't want to cut those raggedy arse ends or pull all their hair together (you know into that sharp "V", that if it was combed straight down it would be super thin looking at the ends type) to take a pic cuz they don't want to show those raggedy ends. When I see those my first thought is almost always, cut it first...but I know most are not trying to hear it, so I don't post anything. Hmmm, this sorta turned into a rant...sorry, that wasn't my intention.
ETA: Also I blowdry and flat iron weekly and know that it is looked down upon. Also, often times it is detrimental to hair if a person does not know what they are doing or are using less than stellar tools and products.
ITA and was just about to say that. just because the info is old does not mean it still wont work. that why we have to do research to find what is relavant to our own hair.
As someone who is often searching products as opposed to techniques I have to disagree and say that some things are arguably outdated especially if you are looking for a solution that is relevant to your own hair.
Yes there are many things that are staples and work wonderful and will never be outdated.
However I can not count how many times ive done a search on here...landed on a bandwagon....found out that dozens of people loved it....only to get 6 months into the threads and start to see the side affects or not so great attributes of that product that cause some to either stop using it - adjust their usage - or just flat out find something else entirely.
I very rarely get on bandwagons and growth aid products. but the one that I did do, I found issues within that thread and others that I researched. I'm the type of person that if I'm going to try a new product I'll read ALL the comments with the thread(s) regardless of the amt of comments because I want to know. therefore when I too had problems on the bandwagon that I tried I was prepared and that product was returned back to the store.
and when THAT happens...that does make the original item outdated IMO b/c either I have to
1. go back to the drawing board because those who had adverse reactions have hair similar to mine and Ive been scared off from risking it
this can also happen on new threads that's why I thinks it so important to do research so you can be prepared as well as know your hair.
or
2. end up doing a brand new search for the alternative that has subsequently been found.
As an arbitrary example -
I dont use either of these but I thought (and I could be wrong) that within those threads there were people who had issues with dryness or too much shedding or something of the like
- lets says everyone is using Boundless Tresses (this is just an example not a real scenario)....
- and then 4 months into it girls with 4b hair realize that its drying out their hair excessively....
- then they start using megatek instead...and thats popular for a while then folks with dry texlaxed hair start speaking up that their shedding is excessiveLY and falling out into clumps...
If i walk in and ask "hey what works?" - a vet might just direct me to the coconut oil & cow-dung remedy w/ the biotin and garlic pill chaser - and save me the several hours of going through "outdated" info to get to that last thread.
- then someone else says "hey...coconut oil and cow dung is a miracle with no side affects!"....and that works for a while
- until someone mentions that you have to take biotin and garlic pills too because while your hair may be gorgeous the cow dung makes many people break out in a rash.
Im far from lazy...I search all the time. I just want to point out that if some well meaning new person asks for help...lets not always be quick to assume they're being a nag. Like I said before - folks like MSA and Glamazon and others who take out the time to at least reference helpful links are appreciated.
No one owes anyone anything....which is why those who provide insight are awesome.
Just this morning I was driving myself crazy about a protein issue and someone recommended a product that not only gave me hope but also helped refine and narrow down my search for a remedy tremendously
ITA and assistance is worth it's weight in gold just remember what worked for one may not work for you. if it does then there is one less thing to worry about for your regimen
I haven't asked a question yet - to be honest now I'm feeling a bit intimidated to ask, especially if some people will just ignore me because I am new.
I meant to post this yesterday!! I really think this fact is sometimes overlooked.All because there a 400+ people viewing the hair forum doesnt mean they are all posters. Remember that this part of the forum is open for anyone on the net to read.
Welcome. I really hate to see the bold. Please don't ever let that stop you.I'm a noob and I don't have any answers at this point! There are over 1 million threads on this forum - I've never been a part of a forum with so much information and participation. I do a lot of searches because I know that when you join a new forum that's what you do first - read the stickies and search.
But I would hope that if I had a question that I just couldn't find the answer to that someone would reach out and help me. I am painfully shy when I first meet people or first introduce myself to new situations, even on a forum! I haven't asked a question yet - to be honest now I'm feeling a bit intimidated to ask, especially if some people will just ignore me because I am new.
I don't care how many posts someone has, I don't care about pics, I'm just trying to learn. I don't even have a goal for hair length, so I'm not trying to grow ankle length hair in two months. I am actually transitioning and I'm only 9 weeks post, so I'm in this for the long hau! Since I have found LCHF (completely by accident, I might add) I have learned about moisture, prepooing, cowashing, braidouts, twistouts, bantu knotouts, still need to learn more about protein - and I've learned it all by reading threads and searching. So please try not to be too hard on the newbies - we're not all lazy or looking for a quick fix, and I personally appreciate every response on every thread that I have read.
I answer anything asked of me. I don't visit the hair board as much anymore so I don't answer as much. I get PMs that I always answer. I have never had a problem with answering anything.
The only thing that bothers me is when HELPFUL links are provided yet ignored. Not everyone is being a smart *** when they post links to help. (Even though some are.)[/quote]
Hey! I only did that twice!
For the record, the underlined was my entire point all along. If all the threads from 2004-2008 just say "do a search" or do not really have useful information, then what is there to compare to? What is the harm in wanting to see if and how opinions and information has changed?How is it outdated if it still works? Also, the new and so called "better" may not be better for you. Some of you need to understand that there is ALOT of hair practices that work differently for different people. What does it hurt to read the info from 2003, 2004 and 2008 and make comparisons? Does that not help you decide what works for you and build a regimen? Your regimen is going to change alot as you learn more about your hair. I know it has for me. And how do you know something is going to work or is supposedly better if you don't try it both ways?
Also, as a new natural, I am starting all over again and you know what? I love it! I've been searching like a mad woman the past couple of weeks and have found so much useful information that has been helping and will help as I solidify a regimen.
Honestly, I think people are saying information is "outdated" is an excuse and copout. Your 'best efforts' is going to take time and patience. And honestly, I think it is insulting to the people that actually put the time in to share that information.
Doing a search would help you. For example, ORS Replenishing Conditioner. Before purchasing this product, I did a search and looked at the dates as well. In the search, it was revealed that the ingredients changed more than once, peoples reactions to the new formulations and also recent threads still raving about the product considering the changes it has gone through. I made a decision based on that information and chose to purchase. And you know what? The product is still a staple for me. Granted, there was a chance that I would've been one of the few people that didn't like the product, it was risk I was willing to take. I hope that puts things in perspective for you.
Also, you should check out the product reviews forum if you haven't already. Alot of great information on products that I think you may find helpful.
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/reviews/index.php
To be honest once you have your hair regimen down packed you dont really go to the hair forums any more. And I've noticed once members become WSL or longer they dont post that much or not at all on the whole site.
Cant WAIT to get to the point where I have my routine down. Still experimenting like mad these days.
You know what else Im wondering now...is there a jargon decoder or product acronym listing?
There are so many acronyms on this board (not just APL BSB etc..those are simple enough to decode) but folks abreviate the names of so many products that either I only see the acronym and am wondering what the products full name is
OR
when I put the full name in a search i miss some really good stuff cause most people are posting about it using the abreviation
I remember once mistakenly wondered if MT and MTG were the same and by the time I ran into MSM i logged off and called it a nite lol
For the record, the underlined was my entire point all along. If all the threads from 2004-2008 just say "do a search" or do not really have useful information, then what is there to compare to? What is the harm in wanting to see if and how opinions and information has changed?
And how do you know the newer information would not be better for anyone? If you had actually read my post,
I did not assert that information is found by 2003. Considering the example I used, I demonstrated the contrary with my inclusion of time. Please keep in mind that information that is searched for includes information from 2009 and yes hair practices and hair care in general will and has evolved. So there may have been a post from 2009 if you run a search considering were already in June.I said it is fine if what generally works comes from 2003. Or 1981 or 1672. But, being 2009, if people have stumbled upon something better, is it not nice to know about it? If haircare is so relative, why assert "what works" was found by 2003?
I never made that assumption. I actually implied the contrary. Performing a search allows you to explore a wider variety of views over a greater period of time.What people assume is that by asking questions we are just going to take the first answer and run with it. Why do you assume that?
I do believe that people are looking for information and that is why searching is being encouraged to help you get the most out of haircare and the info on this site. If you want to start a thread, great! I don't discourage it. However, doing a search will yield greater results and starting a thread may not garner many responses especially if the topic or question has been addressed before.And again, why assume everyone who asks a question is looking for a
miracle cure? Why can't some people just be looking for information?
Wow@ the bolded and the eyeroll. I was just trying to be helpful and provide insight. The reviews section can be used to supplement the information in this forum. I thought that would be helpful so that you could get as much info as possible. That "attitude" is a perfect example of what some have been stating in this very thread that discourages folks like me and are hesitant to "help" some (not all) new posters.I already used the outdated product information as an example twice, and other people have responded to that better than I could have. But thank you, I know how to search for stuff here. And I have used the review section, but seeing that most of what I look up has two or three reviews, compared to actual years of information in this section, I do not see how it is as useful.
For the record, the underlined was my entire point all along. If all the threads from 2004-2008 just say "do a search" or do not really have useful information, then what is there to compare to? What is the harm in wanting to see if and how opinions and information has changed?
And how do you know the newer information would not be better for anyone? If you had actually read my post, I said it is fine if what generally works comes from 2003. Or 1981 or 1672. But, being 2009, if people have stumbled upon something better, is it not nice to know about it? If haircare is so relative, why assert "what works" was found by 2003?
What people assume is that by asking questions we are just going to take the first answer and run with it. Why do you assume that? And again, why assume everyone who asks a question is looking for a miracle cure? Why can't some people just be looking for information? I am not copping out if I want to know a piece of information, no matter how old, is sound. I am not copping out or lazy if I want to know everything I can about something before I decide to try it, or even if I should try it. That is what getting to know about how to take care of yourself is all about. I am not even someone who starts or wants to start a lot of threads asking questions, but from the hours and hours of reading and research I do here, I do see issues with the "go do a f***** search and stop asking questions" mentality.
It is not and should not be an insult to say I do not want to waste time and money doing something that does not work. If we were meant to spend years and half our bathroom space buying everything to try it out, we may as well not have this entire section of the boards. The entire point is to give our opinions about stuff so that people with questions about how to do this or where can I find that have some direction. If you just wanted to know all about shampoos, for example, would you not be thankful to hear a lot of people here like to use just a few of them, so you can go out knowing exactly what you want to try first? If the same people who spent all that time in 2003 spent the same amount of time in the meantime trying new products and techniques, it is an insult to say their expertise does not mean anything because the older stuff was "good enough". In the same vein, it is an insult to say the contribution of newer people does not mean much because everything can be found in very old threads.
I already used the outdated product information as an example twice, and other people have responded to that better than I could have. But thank you, I know how to search for stuff here. And I have used the review section, but seeing that most of what I look up has two or three reviews, compared to actual years of information in this section, I do not see how it is as useful.
I notice that there's often 480-500+ viewers in the hair forum, but no one is answering newbies' questions. I know that many of these viewers are not members, but I still feel like there's a lot of members on who just don't answer the questions (with the exception of MSA and glamazon).
It is so bad that it's forced some members to do the old bait and switch in order to get folks to enter their thread.
The main reason why I rarely answer is because of #4 and #2. I'm not on many bandwagons, nor am I a hair expert, so I rarely have the answers they seek.
So, why don't you answer questions in the hair forum?
Yeah, but when newbies do a search, some of that info is outdated. Some of the threads are from 2005 2003 and some people aren't using those practices anymore and have found something that works better.
99% of the time people (not just newbies) need to do a search.