new thread
I really hope you guys can help me here, I just don't know what to do.
As some of you know, my hair has stopped growing at 3 inches below shoulders and only my shorter layer is still growing.
The problem is that it's not long enough to sit under its own weight. I have extremely thick hair and something between curls and waves. There are no photos of me, and the closest I could find to my hair is this guy, although mine's a bit longer, flatter on top and my bangs are down my neck.
So now I can either: spend every day gelling, tying, oiling and otherwise restraining my hair, which I don't want to do, OR cut it short, which I don't want to do either, lol.
But earlier today another option occured to me- why don't I straighten it? So my question is:
does anyone know how to make big, thick, coarse hair flat and straight, "flat" being more important than "straight"?
Would chemical straighteners be the best option? I've got a flat iron but it doesn't really give a lasting effect (read: half an hour).
I don't care about damaging it, I've got nothing to lose, gonna have to cut it anyway.
Thanks in advance for your help.
First things first, its very difficult to give advice without actually seeing the beast. Can you post a picture? Your hair not someone "similiar" besides the photo is difficult to see as its too small.
Failing that, here's the advice I can offer.
From what you've said your problem is you have big, thick, coarse hair which seems to have stopped growing a couple of inches below your shoulder.
Coarse hair can be softened, just choose the right shampoo and conditioners and avoide the Gels, as those that are alcohol based will dry your hair more. Try some leave in conditioners or natural wax for styling, or switch to an alcohol free Gel.
As for increasing your terminal length, I don't know which of the following you already are doing or not doing, but I'll just rattle of things that will help increase terminal length.
- Quit Smoking, (or cut down)
- Cut down on alcohol
- Reduce your cafine intake
- Eat a healyhy and varied diet (fruit, veg, meat, fish, pasta.)
- Drop junk food from your diet.
- Take more exercise.
- Take a vitamin suppliment
If you decide to straighten your hair, then you need to use some "heat protection" products otherwise you already coarse hair will just get even more dry. Then use ceramic straightenrs to straighten your hair, they should give several days of lasting straightness or until your hair next becomes wet.
A chemical straightner will only damage your hair and hair like yours is the easiest type to damage. You might not care about damaging it now, but when it starts to fall out and breaks off you'll certainly wish you'd thought twice.
Hope that helps
-Sorted-
As I say, there are no current photos of me, that's why I had to find something else.
Thanks for the advice though. I don't know if my straightener is ceramic or not, I assume not. I'll see what I can find.
I have very curly hair. Look at my picture above. But I am able to get my hair pretty straight in only about ten minutes. (I don't do this often, though, because of the possible damage)
I let my hair dry about 9/10ths of the way. Then I apply a good amount of Physique "Keep It Straight" Straightening Balm. I then use a blowdryer on a "medium" setting with a comb attachment. I comb through my hair several times with this. I then brush it through with a regular brush. As long as I am away from water, my hair will stay like this until next washing.
Good luck. I don't want to hear about another board member going short!
lol! That's why I thought better to try straightening, if it can be done, to at least postpone the cutting. I'll try your method, if it works I'll build you a monument lol
