hi everybody, im new here, and wanted to introduce myself, my name is fernando and im 20, i live in a caribbean island, so as you can imagine is not very common to find a long haired men. its been 4 months since I decided to let my hair grow and
I think that im now in the awkward phase, and i wanted to know everything about this stage, also i wanted to know some tips for combing my hair in this stage, cuz is very difficult to keep it neat... (by the way my hair is black and straight)
For a great explaination of the awkward phase go the links section at the top of the page and click on "How to Grow Your Hair Out" by Greg Lovern. For an excellent introduction to long hair and long hair care try the first article "A FAQ... On Being a Longhair" by Bill Choisser.
I'm most familiar with those two sites, but the other links will be informative as well.
Mouse
P.S. I'm at six months right now. When I was at three months my hair felt awkward...when I was at four months it felt more awkward...same for five and six months. Assume it's going to get more awkward for a good while yet.
Mouse is right! The longer you go, the more akward it gets. It feels akward all along, though, because it is longer than you are used to. Black and straight hair from the caribbean? I know dreads are not too uncommon in the Carribbean (though those with dreads are often stigmatized by the general population), but straight hair? Are you by chance from Trinidad where there are many of East Indian descent?
Shawn (Mr.Crow)
(http://www.myspace.com/manlocks) - Mr.Crow's photo archive of growing hair
thanks for those tips, they are really helpful, and no, im not from Trinidad, Im from Domican Republic (located between cuba and puerto rico) and my hair is straight cuz my grandparents are from spain... another thing that bugs me is when i wash my hair, it becomes puffy, what should i do for avoing this...
Hair often gets puffy when it's washed because you've take out some of the oil that keeps it weighted down. Also, when you have more hair than your used to but the hair isn't long enough to weight itself down from gravity alone, it's more prone to puffiness.
Try shampooing less often (maybe every other day or even longer). Use a conditioner after you shampoo and perhaps on the days you don't shampoo as well. There are also some anti-poof products. Experiment with various routines and different brands to find what works for you.
And what works will probably change as your hair gets longer.
If it's any help, my hair isn't quite as puffy on shampoo days as it was a few months ago. Patience will fix many problems.
Mouse