new thread
Hello All,
I stumbled on this forum yesterday and found it quite interesting and filed with kindred spirits. I thought I'd post and say hello as well as give you my story.
I have been growing my hair since my last very short haircut in June, 2009. My hair grows slowly (I think) but I don't believe in trimming at all, so it's all there in the picture. The picture in this post and the following are not that great and my hair was pretty damp in the one here, but the one of the back is a bit more dry. I'm finding as I grow out my hair this time around that I have "strings" on the front and sides that are growing very slowly - I thought it unusual until I saw the thread about that same issue further down the board - and I figure at 57 that it may be natural. I did start this same process in 1998 and just as the hair on the sides touched my shoulders I had to cut it off. This time it for keeps!
Early on, as my hair started to grow, I realized it was very, very dry, so I did some research and by using off the shelf products I made a concoction of shea butter cream, olive oil cream and jojoba oil. I wash my hair once or twice a week with a clarifying shampoo, then put on a health glob of my stuff and work it into my wet hair and just leave it in. Sometimes I put some extra jojoba on the ends and back. Believe it or not I will sometimes add more cream to my hair later in the week if it appears dry.
I'm just getting the hang of combing and brushing - when I get up in the morning I always have a lot of tangles in the back. I've been pretty harsh until I got a tip on this forum yesterday - start at the end and work up. What a difference!
I sure did enjoy reading the board yesterday - I did get quite a few tips for caring for my hair and everyone here seems to be really great!
Thanks!
Dan
Here's the back...
Awesome, healthy-looking hair, guy.
Now that's what I would call some great lookin' waves:)Awesome hair Dan and don't stop now as you are on a roll!Cheers
Mark
Your hair is looking great. I am looking forward to seeing updates as it continues to grow.
Thanks! I'm hoping to be less of a stranger on here. It's probably been over a year since I last showed my face on this site.
Best of luck to you and your hair. Glad to see you don't beleive in trims. I never understood the old wives tale of how trimming helps your hair grow longer. I would think a trim makes hair shorter lol. I look forward o seeing your updated pics and hopefully you'll stick around for awhile.
Welcome to our oasis Dan!
Thanks for sharing your hair-care recipe.
Once or twice a week wash here too, followed with a little Jojoba oil.
- Oren
Hey All - Thanks for the kind words!
Welcome to the board, Dan, and I must say what a fine name you have! (even down to the last name initial, haha)
I'm glad to hear that you're on track to permanent long hair and I hope you enjoy the journey as much as I did. This board certainly helped in that regard.
Best of luck to you,
-Dan H.
When I saw your post I thought - wait, I didn't do that! I'm modifying my handle a bit so it won't be quite as confusing...
dan_h
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Welcome, Dan. Your hair looks great. I really like that back photo. Your hair looks very thick. It appears to be in very good shape too. Whatever you are doing, keep it up, it is working very well for you. Long hair forever.
Scott
Hi Dan,
Welcome to the hyperboard, I am glad that you stopped on by, and shared your progress with us. I look forward to following your progress as your hair grows longer. You have a great head of hair to work with, and your back photo shows excellent thickness, shine, and waves. By all means, keep up the good work, and I hope to see you around the hyperboard more often!
Welcome aboard,
David
Thanks for your nice introduction, as well as for sharing your inspiring pics, Dan -- you have GREAT hair there!!
And I'd also like to add....
It's great to see other guys in my age group (I'm also 57) growing their hair long -- especially when it's hair as nice-looking as yours!! To me, long hair on men is not an issue about any hair-style fad that is limited to any particular age group: it is timeless, always a classic, always "appropriate" -- a symbol of being an independent thinker, and a person who is confident enough to go against the boring "norm".
A big fat CONGRATS to you for your great hair-growth progress so-far, and may you have many many more happy additional inches to follow!
- Ken in San Francisco
I consider myself fortunate to be able to grow hair at my age! ;-) I've found one of the best things about grower older is that, more and more, I really don't give a damn what people think, especially here on the Eastern Seaboard. I work for a public university in the IT department and I am the only one with long hair! The same is true on the sister campuses. So weird.
I often visit the offices of one of the huge database companies, on both coasts. The offices here are full of buzz-cut, clean-shaven men. When I visit the California offices half the staff has long hair and beards - which, to me, seems more normal for technical folks.
Once again, thanks to everyone for the encouraging remarks!
Hi again Dan,
Not caring about what other people think re. what length we choose to grow our own hair on on own heads is the #1 most important attitude to have in order to succeed at becoming a longhair!
If I had genuinely worried about everyone else's opinion re. whether they agreed or disagreed with me growing my hair out, I never would have made it past the awkward stages. Too many people listen to the "Fashion Police", too many guys cave in because Grandma & Grandpa (or Uncle So-and-so) hate long hair on men, or too many short-haired friends pressure wannabe longhairs into cutting (not to also mention girlfriends, wives, and other significant others who are not supportive of long hair)...
And then there's jobs and/or bosses who won't hire (or won't fairly promote) a longhaired employee... another topic altogether!!
Growing one's own hair to whatever length is such a personal decision. I don't mind a boss or job telling me HOW I have to wear my hair during the daily 8 hours on-the-job (at my cooking job, for example, I have to tie it back into a bun and wear a hat or hair net); but if anyone told me I have to cut it, I'll look for another job!!!!
It's also important not to be confused whenever someone accuses us of being "selfish" for not cutting our hair in order to fit in -- it is THEY who are the ones being selfish for asking us to conform with their narrow-minded outlook in life, and their limited op[inion of what hair length should be allowable for adult males. This is a self-imposed Western Society viewpoint (and, thank goodness, not even shared by all members of modern Western Society)...
Thanks again for sharing your thoughts and intro, Dan. And again, I think your hair looks hands-down AWESOME!!
- Ken in SF
Good luck on the journey. I find for morning tangles, if I sleep with mine in a ponytail night before, I have far less tangling when I wake up. And agreed tangles are a pain in the A-youknow. Always remember to finger comb the tangles out before brushing.
Charlie
Hey Charlie - thanks for the reply! My hair can be so irritating as far as tangles go - even after being in a ponytail during the day, I have to untangle the ends! I think my hair tangles itself due to the waves and curls. I can brush my hair and within minutes it'll look totally different just on it's own. I usually put a dab of oil on my fingers before I de-tangle. Man I hate that snapping sound when I brush or de-tangle - even when I'm gentle!! Do others get that?
Dan