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Tons of guys on here with long hair,and others just starting out. I'd like to read some tips, like daily routines, what you did, from the veterns for those starting out, or in the middle. Products you usd, how much you washed hair, ect..
I had shoulder-length hair which I cut in April, then starting growing it back out and then cut it again last week. Now I am starting again, and NOT giving up this time. But here is my routine:
Shampoo once a week (I use an organic herbal shampoo made by "Avalon Organic Botanicals." Let air dry. When my hair is long, I sometimes condition to get out tangles. Just comb the conditioner through your hair after shampooing and rinse.
Brush my hair once or twice a week just to stimulate the scalp and stuff... normally I just use my fingers to comb through my hair to get out tangles and make it look the way I want. Do that to distribute your hair's natural oil down the hair too.
And I massage my scalp about once a week, usually before shampooing or the day before shampooing.
That's basically all I do. Very simple.
Thanks for the tips guys!
I'm having another one of those days were I want my hair to grow over night! Make things worse by wishing for the impossible.
How long do you think it wil be 9 months???
That's how I feel... it's the worst when you're starting out and it's so short and it feels like it'll never be long. But in 9 months it should be 4 1/2 inches longer than it is now, and that's pretty decent length right there on it's own. Mine is 1/2 inch, so I figure in 9 months (which would be mid-July) it'll be about 5 inches and about to the tip of my nose! I can't wait.
OK: here goes, some tips for those starting out.
1. Remember that scissors are your enemy
2. Time (although slow at first) is your friend
3. Find by experimenting a good quality shampoo which suits you and your hair. Generally speaking, cheap shampoos won't do much good to you are your hair.
4. Be careful with your hair. It doesn't matter if short hair gets damaged, as it will be on its way to the floor before the damage shows. The longer your hair gets, the more you have to be gentle with it. Brush it rather than comb it, with not too hard a brush, detangle it with your fingers as soon as it is long enough, etc. treat it in the same way you would a valuable work of art belonging to a close member of the family. That's exactly what it is, after all.
5. Having probably had neat and tidy hair before, you will soon go into the awkward phase when your hair looks a mess. This is a stage everybody has to go through (unless like me, your hair has always been a mess). Don't worry, your friend (Time) will solve this problem, so long as you don't go back to your enemy (Scissors). You will also get some comments at this stage, some positive (enjoy these) and some negative (ignore these). You will also get a lot of people looking at your hairm but saying nothing. If they keep on looking quite a lot, they are probably people who would make a positive comment, but feel it is too personal a subject, so enjoy thse too.
6. When it gets long enough, you can if you want tie it back, but be careful to use a covered tie which doesn't break the hairs. Don't tie your hair too tightly, and take the tie off slowly and carefully.
7. The only time you can visit your enemy, Mr Scissors, is if you feel that you need a trim. Opinion is divided over trims. Some people feel that it is a good idea to get rid of split ends and to make yout hair look nicer. Others (like me) don't believe in trims, believing that trims are the enemy of your friend, Mr Time.)
8. Any problems, consult this excellent board.
Hope that is helpful, and good luck!
Here are my rules/routines:
Rule #1: Learn to adapt the philosophy that believes conformity is a bad thing, and variety is the spice of life. Once you become a longhair, you're going to start standing out in a big way. The only way you're going to survive is if you're comfortable with yourself, how you look, and don't give a shit about what anyone else might think.
Rule #1: Patience is a virtue
Hair takes a long time to grow. I've been growing mine for 12 years. I started soon after I graduated High School in 1990, and it's now just about an inch below my waist line.
Rule #2: There's going to be a period of time (approximately 1 year) during which your hair is going to begin making the transition from being considered short, to being considered long. This is often referred to as the "awkward" stage. Your hair WILL look a mess during this period. Deal with it. You'll thank yourself in the end.
Rule #3: Hair Care
a) Just because a shampoo is expensive doesn't make it good. My hair is usually in a ponytail. When I decide to wear it down (once or twice a week), I wash it with Suave Shampoo and Conditioner. It's the only brand I've found that doesn't make my hair feel like straw even after I've washed it. It's also very cheap.
b) Try to wash your hair at least once a week. My hair is long enough that washing it while I shower is no longer practical. It's an event completely separate from my daily shower. I'm fortunate in the fact that my shower has a detachable head. I simply bend over so my hair hangs in front of my face, and then use the shower head to rinse and wash.
c) Hairdryers are bad. I always towel dry, usually with the same towel I've dried off with after showering. I simply wrap my hair up like a turbon and let it set for about 5 minutes. Then, I finger through it to remove any knots. Finally, I spritz it with Suave styling gel, and then finger through that to spread it down through my locks.
That's it for the rules.
As for how to wear it, I always wear mine parted straight down the middle. That works best for me anymore. It feels great, and looks even better. When I wear it in a ponytail, I've found scrunchi's are the most comfortable hair ties. Yes, they're made for women, but they're incredibly soft, and extremely gentle on hair when removed. I have a few of them in various solid colors to match some of my shirts (grin). My favorite is black.
When all is said and done, I can confidently say that the decision to become a longhair was one of the best I've ever made.
Good luck!
>>My hair is long enough that washing it while I shower is no longer practical. It's an event completely separate from my daily shower.
My hair is past my butt and I wash it every day when I'm showering, it's simple and efficient. I usually take less time in the shower than most shorthairs seem to.