I gel back my hair in the morning with mousse and then a wax, comb it back, put a beanie on, and one hour later i comb the hair forward
the result is dead-straight hair but am i at risk of turning my whole head into one of split ends?
I realise your desire for straighter, more manageable hair.
I also realise the long term effects this can inflict on your hair. If you want to grow to waist length then STOP IMMEDIATELY. However, i remember you stating that you are in the law field and are going to keep your hair at a mere shoulder length at the very longest. In that case it shouldn't be too much of a problem since the oldest hairs on your head will be 2 years max and new hairs will keep outgrowing the old ones. For longer lengths one must take super good care of their hair or it ain't gonna happen.
I occasionally use wax and mousse on my hair. Don't get me wrong, they aren't evil for hair or anything but if you use them everyday it is sure going to dry your hair out(especially the ends) and may cause long term problems(as i mentioned already).
Personally, a beanie cap is the last thing i would want to put on my hair. It just makes my hair flat and dull but if it works for you, then hey, by all means...
In the awkward stage i used to slick my hair back with a bit of gel and water. Nothing more than that. You should embrace your natural hair texture and not be overly concerned with trying to achieve starighter hair. Good luck.
I used gel everyday for over a year as my hair was growing out and noticed few long term effects. I never use it now, however.
I've used L'Oreal Melting gel for some time now (more in the beginning, now a *tiny* amount to curb flyaways at work) with no negative effects. Melting gel is alcohol-free, which I think greatly helps eliminate damage.