Trying to grow my hair out! HELP PLEASE!!!

Hey guys I've grown my hair out once or twice in my life, but was never able to keep up with it decently because of wrestling. Two pronged question. A. What is your regimen for keeping your hair healthy e.g. dieting hair products etc. B. If I have already established myself at work as a valuable employee, do you think I would catch any grief once i row my hair down? Thanks in advance!!!

 

Hi Greco, that's cool, good luck with it! My man is growing his out too, he switches between braids (plaiting - how is that spelled??) and twists. Once in a while he keeps it loose for a week or so before redoing it. I have convinced him to start using conditioner after shampooing and his hair is so much softer, plus he uses this leave in spray that softens his hair without weighing it down with a tonne of gunk.

Seems to be working well for him, his hair is so healthy and growing fast!

 

Diet has a lot to do with how healthy your hair is. I assume you've got a good diet, since you wrestle. Also, always keep it greased, sheen, activator, or whatever you use to keep your hair moist. Don't wash it every day. Wash it every 2-3 days. Always get trimmed and clipped at the ends.......this is shit I don't do, which is why my hair is shit, but when I did, it made a difference. I always keep activator and gel in my shit, though. And I need to start clipping the ends.

As far as the work thing, it probably depends on the employer. My friend was hella cool with his boss and he was rocking the fauxhawk. But, we also worked in the back of the warehouse, and not the front of the store, so we could wear and do whatever with our hair. I don't want to cut my hair, so I just slick it back when I go look for other jobs. When I was in Florida, this dude at a restaurant had some wild ass dreads, so I guess it doesn't matter to all employers. Some people are just dumbasses and think "thug" when they see cornrows.


Oh, and comb or pick your hair if you don't want it to tangle. I don't comb mine because my current hairstyle won't maintain itself if I comb it. When I do comb it, every few months just to get all the knots out, I rip out so much hair. It's a bitch. Then my hair looks like shit for 2-3 days, then goes back to normal.

 

greco...check out the indian hair treatment thread in the ladies room...lots of great hair info...i picked up some really great hair oil @indian market last time i was in dallas...it has worked very well on my hair which is very thick...course and naturally curly...mix in a few months of over processing and it is now getting back to normal...ajax is absolutely correct you need to keep it treated...sure can't hurt that you are in dallas...

 

i might be a little off in saying this, but i dont really think diet has much to do with it. i've had hair most of my life, and when i was younger i really didnt eat all that great, and still grew out a pretty solid mane. but vitamin E gel caps dont hurt if you are not getting enough through food in-take. (you can swallow them or break them open and apply directly to the scalp. i would suggest ingestion)

BA hit a nail on the head, as you grow your hair out, definitely get those ends cut. split ends will destroy progress. plus it doesnt look very well kept when your hair is breaking off.

for a black man, washing/shampoo'ing too often is not a good idea. try not to do this too regularly. (as in do not wash your hair daily) shampoo strips the scalp of the moisture we need to maintain the hair. (and also prevent flaking) so again, as BA and Lippy said, keep the scalp moisturized. i dont know about activator tho, sounds a bit harsh as a chemical. personally i would suggest some good shea butter. if you like oil, try some kemi.
note: your head/hair doesnt have to be wet neither, just not dry. this may take some time for you to figure out the right balance for you.

last but not least, if you plan to style your hair once it gets long... braids, cornrows, twists... the sooner the better. getting and keeping a natural hairstyle stimulates growth. anyone who rocked cornrows will tell you, gettin those pieces done every 2 weeks consistently will help it grow rapidly. scalp massages are good too to stimulate growth.

good luck!

oh, one more thing... on the shampoo tip, dont use anything harsh. like head n shoulders or any of that mess. try to find a nice organic, if possible. if you are staying natural, you don't need all of that conditioner stuff that "adds" to your hair. (if you get it relaxed, pressed, or permed... well that's another story)

 

You're right about the activator. I should've said that just what I used for my hairstyle, but it does have a lot of chemicals, so scratch the activator. My hair is relaxed, so I need the chemicals to maintain the hairstyle I have. I don't plan to do it anymore because I've done it 5 times over the past year or so, and my hair just stays like this, now.

 

No answers for you here Greco but I just want to say THANK YOU for knowing the difference between regimen and regime! I notice often people misusing the word regime and it drives me nuts. Good work!!!

 

Thanks for all the input guys. BTW I'm going with natural not going to mess with the chemicals!