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http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=9214780&uid=749462
ok i posted a long time ago and my problem still exists if not worse. i have an afro! i always wanted smooth and straight hair that would drop down over my forehead, but maybe some ppl just aren't meant for long hair? i am very close to getting it cut and just going back to the 'buzz cut'.
i think i take care of it well. i've tried everything in the book too, but right now i condition it every other day and shampoo once a week. i basically use 2 'products' every other day or when i go out: vo5 for shine and aveda hang straight. both are completely useless when i sweat or go out in the heat as my hair instantely curls or afros. the afro is cool i guess every now and then, but i look like an idiot. plus, my job would never allow it (i work at the hospital). i've tried a ton of products too (anti frizz serum by john freida, smoothing milk by garnier, and on and on and on).
any advice guys? or is it just time to give up?
My hair was never that afro-ish, but the first time I grew my hair it grew upwards and out for the first 10 or so centimeters, before finally settling down and growing out more normally. Maybe you too just need some added lenght?
Dude, my hair was going up into a 'fro aswell. It's part of the awkward stage. At 17 months i can now tie a good ponytail and my curly hair flows down. With added length and weight my hair will drop ever more and look better. A user called 'Fallen Angels' has very thick,curly hair that has afro tendancies. He pulled through and now his beautiful curls that are growing down.
It's challenging to grow hair isn't it?
In a few months the afroness should cease. Until then try slicking it back with copious amounts of gel, wearing a hat and just bite the bullet. Don't cut!
what about the bottom back part that forms a mullet? it is curling a LOT! (prob due to hats and such). i did trim this, is this ok? i'm not looking to grow a 'ponytail', atleast not now.
don't cut it unless it's messy or something like that. cutting it will only prolong the awkward stages in the back. just leave it be. try wearing a hat like 80s_Metal said. i myself can't wait for the 1-year mark so i can take a decent picture. hopefully by then the rest of my hair will grow in more moist. but that won't be until July 1st
I had an afro too but thats totally gone and my hair is extremely straight with no curls hardly. The weight of the hair does really make a difference and soon it will lie down without needing to wear a beanie and such. Your hair will soon train itself to lie flat or flatter and if you need to spend 30 mins in a morningwearing a beanie then wetting it down, then you shud do this, its only 30 minutes of time =) My best advice is to wear a beanie... wet it like you did in the picture on your gallery but then use a ultimate hold hair spray, gels and liquids dont help in my opinion, especially straightening creams >.<
First off, dude, that's not even much of an afro. I had far worse problems with hair growing upwards than you seem to be having. Your hair looks sort of like the "white boy fro" people joke about; mine looked darn tribal.
Anyway, stop using a lot of products on it, particularly the straighteners. Shampoo your hair once a week or less, and condition every other day to every few days. Experiment to see which works. Also keep down on brushing/combing your hair (particularly brushing, which will mutilate curly hair); only comb your hair when it's wet, and even so do it gently, as hair is weakest when wet. This should prevent a bit of frizz later on.
Your hair will definitely start growing downwards in the future. After a year, things begin improving a lot. As curly hair grows longer and therefore heavier, gravity begins pulling down on it. After around 2 years, it should be going completely downwards. My sky-touching bangs slowly went to touch my forehead, and then in my eyes, and now it can touch my nose. When I pull them straight, they're halfway down my neck. I can make a decent (but not full) ponytail, and when I take my hair out of it, it hangs a lot straighter until I wet it again.
So hang in there, man. Every curly hair worries about not being able to have long hair. It's not true. Your hair will look as good as anyone else's with enough time and care. And try some gel to keep it presentable for the time being, particularly anything non-alcoholic.
Hope that helps ya.
Peace
hehe i would love to see that. my curls and my sister's curls are reasonably smaller than yours but somehow her hair is oilier and heavier than mine. and it's usually frizzy/fuzzy like mine too when it gets too dry.
i agree with adam. beanies work great.
Non-alcoholic Aloe Vera Gel (you can buy this at Wal Mart)
Pure Shea Butter (this is good if your curls are very loose)
any moisturizing conditioner (condition once per week or less)
i agree with Fallen_Angels. stop brushing your hair so much. comb your hair when it's wet to untangle it. it's best to stop obsessing over straight hair. it's ironic how people with curly hair want straight hair, and people with straight hair want curly hair so they go through all sorts of damaging techniques to change their hair texture. is anybody really satisfied with their hair? lol
how often do i use the top two and when? thanks
you can use Aloe Vera Gel once a week. same with Pure Shea Butter.
Well I agree with the others, have patience man. My hair looked really awful and thick half a year ago but with the added lenght and volume eventually it started laying down all by itself. Conditioner has helped a little but the best results I have gotten just by letting it grow out naturally. A method that worked out pretty good for me during the late akward stages was to wet it with cold water and then comb it out carefully using my fingers
Afros are cool, man.
Hi Unwaw,
your afro looks really cool to me - I think it's phantastic hair! Besides, I'd just keep gowing, it'll get straighter as it gains length. Enjoy it, you look like a really cool guy with that afro - certainly NOT like an idiot!
In addition, I don't think that your hospital work should be any problem for your hair - or is it?
Wishing you Peace and Growth,
Hans-Uwe
I realize this is different from much of the other advice here, but...
On the days when I don't want my hair to curl, I've found that the thing to do is slick it back when it's damp and leave it that way for about an hour, then flip it forward.
Recently, I've decided that a little curl looks the best and that my hair looks flat without it, so instead of combing, I've been pushing it back by hand, and using a very thin layer of wax.
You look a lot better with short hair dude.
