new thread
Hey everybody! =)
For my 9 month (and a day! yay!) update, I thought of doing something a bit different, and besides putting on some blue contact-lenses and brushing my hair, I didn't really do much else to it.
Oh yeah, I did, for the first time since regrowing my hair, try the middle part again, not quite sure if I like it yet, but let me know what you think :)
On the hair part, well... the curls are alsmot growing on me at times, though at others I really hate all the length I am missing to the eye because my hair is definitely not growing downwards, hehe.
Still washing around 3 times a week, and only getting it wet in the shower after sweating in the gym in between. Argain oil 3-4 times a week, and not much besides that :)
I think it's really nice comparing with other people at around my martk, such as Tommy, and seeing how we compare with different hair textures and such! If anyone has a picture of themselves at around the 9 month mark, feel free to post it! :D
Interesting look there with the blue contacts! I've never tried switching my eye color but it really does give you a different look. Cool.
Personally, I like the middle part. For many longhairs, it's a step on the journey. Side parts work well with short hair and even some longhairs can stick with them. Generally gravity exercises its will and that usually means a center part.
I know this part of the journey can seem tedious but there is a certain excitement too. Every month produces a notable difference. This will eventually change.
Looking great, Raul, and it's been awesome to follow each step of your well-documented journey. With your videos and photo updates, you're paving the way for others to follow too.
Thanks as usual, Jason!
It's really funny hearing MY biggest inspiration telling me that I might be inspiring others... even though I have been on this path before, it almost feels as if it's the first time, since last time I was really rather random and a much less exciting proccess.
I do hope that all my thoughts and experiences since the start... the beanies, ballcaps, use of gel, oils, straightening yes/no, drealock thoughts, struggles with a voluminous hair texture... I really hope all of this REALLY might help someone growing their hair out, in knowing many more of us experience all of this, and it's natural and normal to get frustrated, to be scared of not having the opportunity og completing this journey (freaking hairline!), and that this might do some good :)
I have used both blue and green contacts before, and I really enjoy it. Since I am using optical contact lenses on a daily basis anyway, for me it really isn't much trouble adding some color! They're called FRESHLOOK COLORS/BLENDS and are the only type in the market to really manage showing through my dark natural color :) You should really try then if you wish, thoguh you naturally have the blue color I think looks best :D
Thanks for sharing your opinion on the part. I do know most people use the center, or just right off the center, and I will have to see whether this perfectly centered one sticks, or whether it will naturally move to the left, as it always has. Do understand the physics behind long hair and center part though!
The journey has been nothing else than testing, at times! Especially since my hair ain't straight and fine, and the length really is camouflaged by the curls at the bottom, but as I said earlier, some days I really like the curly ends and I generally am very proud of these 9 months' growth :)
Thanks for always being there for me with advice, ideas, experiences and just tons of support, and not only through the hair journey, but life in general.
You're a great inspiration to us all, and I really appreciate your friendship, buddy :)
The centre part suits you well.
The curls will soon drop out - the last weeks of the awkward stage.
Hey UK! Thanks for your comment!
I really want to believe you on that one, though seeing as this ain't my first long-hair-growing rodeo, I really think you might be overly positive here ;)
Here's my last time, with around 3 years of growth... TONS of heavy curls at the bottom. Probably because of the problematic "resting on the shoulders" length.. never got to a longer length in my life, so I don't really know if they would settle when passing the shoulders or not.
yeah... BUT, curls on the bottom of shoulder length hair is not nearly as troublesome as curls around the back of our ears as we are now experiencing together, Raul...
Fitz
Being where we're at right now, it sure would seem so, Fitz ;)
Once we're there, this will seem like a minor neusance!
Being where we're at right now, it sure would seem so, Fitz ;)
Once we're there, this will seem like a minor neusance!
Hair's looking good, Raul! Now you are officially in the mid phase stage and this is where the hair growth roller coaster really takes off for you. Another 6 months to a year's worth of growth will get rid of the side flips for ya brother as it did for me at that stage. Cheers! :)
Thanks a lot, Mark! :)
Hey Raul! :-)
*Wow, what a sensational update. This is a "to die for" update, no question about that. Your long hair is looking just so fabulous and I really like the way it flips up in the back. (Part of the Awkward Stage yes, but a really cool look.) Just think, if suddenly some famous movie star had his hair exactly way, then all of the guys would want this look.
*Looks great both ways. Just think Raul, you win 2 times on that one! L U C K Y.
*My hair grew the same way as this when at your length, and later it just kinda did its own thing automatically. 100% guarantee that in the end, all WILL turn out gorgeous long hair, as if it isn't right now.
*Yes indeed, it is especially wonderful to have a board like this so as to compare with other guys, some of which right now are in your same boat as to growth progress.
Thanks for the update Raul. You are truly an inspiration to all.
Take care-
Justin~
Thanks a lot, Justin!
Your words warm the heart, as usual! =)
Hi Raul,
I am really loving the way your hair is looking my friend! The blue lenses are looking great also! The middle part suits you well-I think you will like it better when your hair gets longer. You just need to give your hair a chance to grow down. It will start weighing itself down and you will be fine. You have enough curls to give your hair good "movement". Perfectly straight hair won't do that. I sometimes get mad at my waves, but end up being happy I have them.
I will have to try to find a 9 month pic of my hair when I get home from dialysis. You just keep doing what you're doing my friend! I am inspired by your progress and can't wait for more from you!
Ted
Hi Raul,
Here is a few photos of my 9 month progress.
Ted
.
Thanks Ted! Good to see where you were at at around the 9 month mark! Looks alot longer than my hair right now :)
Thanks Teddy!
To be honest, I kinda' agree with your on the stick straight vs waves and curls issue, and lately I have realized it's not REALLY the curls I am opposed to, but rather the combination of thick/coarse hair with the curls. I absolutely LOVE wavy fine hair, such as CEM and others are sporting, that looks AWESOME and much better than plain straight hair :)
Either way, I got only one gene pool, so will make the best outta it :)
Now THAT's the way your hair should be. Totally cool, no vast
amounts of product and the curliness you obsess about is really
minuscule. All you really need to do is comb it and let it grow.
Just be natural.
Thanks MG! Though I do feel I am misleading you all in a way, since this was a REALLY good hair day, and it doesn't really look that good most of the time. Guess my scalp was extra oily or something :)
I don't mind the center part on you at all. I think Jason is right, eventually it just happens as part of gravity and such!
Great job on reaching 9 months! You'll be over 1 year by the end of the year. I don't know what the weather is like in Norway but I am looking forward to winter this year to see how much warmer I will be hah! It's been 80-95F here this month and I have been SO unbelievably hot this summer.
I used to have blue contacts for a year or so as well, if you've got to wear them, then why not right?
P.S. I finally found a couple plain black hairbands I bought the other day. It's weird wearing them but they help a ton around the house.
-Tommy
Thanks Tommy!
Will definitely stick with the center part from now on, I like it myself, though not when my hair is extremely curly, and thus extra short, as then you get a REALLY nerdy look in a way, hehe..
Glad you found the headbands, let me know if you need me to send some form here in brown :)
Soon to be a year, buddy! Stick with it! =)
Your hair is coming along very very nicely, looking longer & longer with every time you post -- and growing faster than you think!!
I need to go someplace and scan some old pics of myself, as currently I have none of me in my iphoto library showing what I looked like during the awkward stage; BUT, I do remember it well... In my case, my hair didn't curl so much at the neck or in back; but it definitely did this stupid-looking "flip" thing right around the ears -- looked like I had "wings" and was ready to take off somewhere (LOL)!
The first time I grew my hair out (which was during the early '90s), I trimmed and re-styled my hair a lot, even trying out different medium-length styles along the way. The second time growing my hair back (after my devastating impulsive short haircut in Y2K), I just wanted my long hair back ASAP -- I didn't trim anything more than 1/2 inch or less just once per year (just to remove any split ends), no re-styling or "re-shaping" of any kind. But, just like you, I knew from my previous long haired experience that I liked it long, and so wanted to return to that as quickly as humanly possible.
The first year of growing is the hardest, requiring the most patience and perseverance; but somewhere after that, you'll be surprised at how quickly time will seem to fly....
"Onward & Downward!"
Long Lox 4ever,
Ken in San Francisco
Thanks for the encouragement and compliments, Ken!
I do feel it myself, that eventhough the will and excitement to get to long hair NOW is still there, it's slowly becoming a more metodical waiting game, and I can start easying into it :)
Soon to start year #2! insanity! :)
Dude,
purchase some biotin. it will make your hair grow faster!
also, working out at the gym also helps.
Dude, been taking Biotin for over a year now, and I do exercise 3-4 times a week, so I'm good, thanks ;)
Hi Raul,
First off congrats on the nine month milestone as the one year anniversary will soon be here:)I have to admit being a tad biased but frankly I like the center part look as mine has been that way for a loooooooong time.lol.I'm attaching a pic of me in what I guess could be called my awkward phase back in my early 20s and from what I see the center part ruled then too.Regardless of how you feel about that look I do prefer you hair left natural and unmolested but that will be up to you as the months/years go by ;) Anyway great pic and thanks for sharing my friend.Cheers
Mârk
Thanks alot, Mark!
Natural and unmolested! That was quite a claim from the dude making his hair RED as a baboon's backside once a month, eh? :P
Will stick with the center part, and try to go easy on the gels, defintely :)
Hi Raul,
Cheers to you on your continued success in your long hair growing journey, and it can only get better and better. Your hair looks excellent, and I like the middle part as well. Keep up the good work with the growing!
Keep it growing,
David
Thank you, David! =)
I don't see much of a difference between the side part and middle part (On a side note: I had/have it always parted in the middle. I just can't go with a side part.), but the progress is definitly visible, even though your might might have been longer if it was straighter.
It looks good, though. Better than how my hair looked during the awkward stage. Thankfully there are only one or two pictures of me during that time, which should be forgotten as sson as possible.
Thanks Michail! =)
It's not a huge different, seeing as I wear my sidepart quite to the center as well, maybe an inch or two to the side, not all the way to the side of the head.
Would be fun to see pics of you in the awkward stage, mr. Sepiroth! :D
Hey Raul !
Nice progress on your hair. I can already imagine how great it's gonna look once its longer .
Regarding the middle part, I never like middle part on me . I think side part looks a lot better - but that's just me!-. Probably middle part makes people look nerd or something like that haha I dont know. Besides, when using side part, your hair falls into your face , eyes, etc so it's like you have the chance to feel it and play a lot more with it.
Regarding the curls.. dude, what curls are we exactly talking about? hahah those are not even curls, those are waves and they look good. Considering that you might be going through the so called "awkward stage" your hair looks pretty decent as well as the waves.
What I think it would look really good on you - because of your current hair length, face and personal style in general - is headbands. Like the ones soccer players wear:
You have the perfect hair length to use these head bands. I would use them if I could but now my hair is longer so I would look too girly if I used them hahah . Give them a try.
Heya Dave!
Thanks for the tips and compliments, bro!
Funny thing you should link up Becks, dude has been my style inspiration in everything from clothes, tattooes, facial hair and to of course hairstyles. I rocked the cornrows, the bleached mohawk and not the center part... love that dude's style, and AM a huge united fan, so it only makes sense ;) hehe
Will try to find that type of headband in the store today, though the problem I have with the regular round ones, are that they seem to not fit my headshape so well, seeing as my head is "egg" shaped and not round. Hehe.
Anyways, will report back here with the headband when I get it :)
Thanks for the tip, you big girlyman! ;):D
And I still want to know more about the Keratine treatment, btw! That and the "Brazilian Blowout" treatments are not approved here in Northern Europe becuase our version of the FDA means they destroy hair and can even give cancer at times, I asked around at salons here. Guess in South America, anything goes ;)
Heya Dave!
Thanks for the tips and compliments, bro!
Funny thing you should link up Becks, dude has been my style inspiration in everything from clothes, tattooes, facial hair and to of course hairstyles. I rocked the cornrows, the bleached mohawk and not the center part... love that dude's style, and AM a huge united fan, so it only makes sense ;) hehe
Will try to find that type of headband in the store today, though the problem I have with the regular round ones, are that they seem to not fit my headshape so well, seeing as my head is "egg" shaped and not round. Hehe.
Anyways, will report back here with the headband when I get it :)
Thanks for the tip, you big girlyman! ;):D
And I still want to know more about the Keratine treatment, btw! That and the "Brazilian Blowout" treatments are not approved here in Northern Europe becuase our version of the FDA means they destroy hair and can even give cancer at times, I asked around at salons here. Guess in South America, anything goes ;)
Yeah, David Beckham is much of an inspiration here as well. He is not very famous in the USA but he rocks in South America and Europe !
Keratine is basically a protein that's naturally in your hair. So applying keratine to your hair is more of a restorative hair treatment. Its 100% natural.
The reason why it is not approved in some parts of the world, its because this treatment also contains a low level of formaldehyde. But again, they contain low safe levels of it.
This treatment can last for up to 6 months.
As far as I know this hair treatment is also available in the USA. Really, its amazing. This treatment you can also get it done yourself. You just buy the keratin (which is not expensive, at least here) apply it and do all the job yourself.
You could probably find out if you can buy this online ( and also find out if your local customs would allow this product to come in to Norway )
But hey, try it out if you can. It saves a lot of time and money on styling your hair.
This is a pic I found when I was on the 9-month mark:
Great pic!
Pretty much the length I am at when I straighten my hair! Thanks!
Looking real good Raul, I still like the natural look better. But, the part doesn't look bad either =)Looking forward to your next youtube vid!
Tomorrow's the big day, Christian! I am extremely excited, nervous, happy and everything else at the same time :D