First post. Lots of good info on this 'site. I'm tired of dull, dry-looking frizzy hair, so I'm picking up all sorts of helpful tips here.

My first question is: In the "Ultimate Guide to Growing Long Hair," the author recommends, "Don't sleep with your hair loose..." So how does one reign in their hair to avoid damage at bedtime? My hair is shoulder length. Thank you.

Hey there, hairapparent. Welcome aboard.  :)

From what I've read, most of the people here seem to braid their hair at night before bed, sometimes oiling it beforehand.

Personally, I always sleep with my hair "loose." I've always been something of a rule-breaker.  ::)  But I do use satin pillowcases & my hair never seems to suffer.

Peace.

Hello and welcome.
I, too, let my hair loose at night. Always have. I know many people in here will shudder with that, but I enjoy the feeling.
I have to say, though, a loose braid guarantees virtually tangle-free hair in the morning. Remember to use metal-free elastics for your braid.

I've tried a number of things from top knots and sock buns, to braids and even night caps.  My hair shed does not vary much with any of them.

Thanks for the welcome and your input, ladies. Knowing me, the chances of braiding my hair every night before bed is... slim. I might, however, try a high ponytail. If that doesn't work to satisfaction, I suppose I could always have my daughters teach me to braid anyway. Plus, a braid could help when riding the bike. And the satin or silk pillowcases are definitely on the shopping list.

Welcome to the boards, hairapparent!  From your avatar (which I think is great, BTW) it looks to me like you have wavy hair.  I do too, and wavy hair is naturally dry and prone to frizzing and tangling.  I sleep in piggy braids and have no tangles when I wake up.  I start the braids below or just at ear level.
Using moisturizing shampoo & conditioner should help, too.

Good Luck!!

Your compliment is certainly appreciated, Sakina. Thanks for the tip on wavy hair dryness too. I'll admit though, that up to now, I have not taken hair care as seriously as I should have.

(I'm typing this between innings of the World Series. :))

At the urging of a stylist and a Trade Secret employee, I have abandoned Suave Humectant shampoo and Nexxus Humectress conditioner in favor of Redken's Densify (thickening shampoo for thinning hair) and Finish Up (daily weightless conditioner).

Today, I also picked up Aveda Beautifying Composition oil, a Boar bristle paddle brush and large tooth comb, plus, a couple satin pillowcases.

I have begun finger-combing, as well as, washing and conditioning my hair in cool water. As for shampooing, I'm going to try limiting myself to 2 or 3 times a week while conditioning daily.

With this new approach, I am optimistic about my chances of improving the health of my hair.

(Cardinals win Game 1.)

I either sleep with my hair loose,with a ponytail,or with a bun on top of my head.Another trick is to make a ponytail,but with more  ponytail holders along the length.I use 3 when I do that,but you can use more depending on your hair's length.My favorite is the bun because buns are simple and quick to make

Alright, I just "tied" my first bun. Though with my hair length, it is more like a biscuit. This might just work. Once I master the "biscuit" maybe I'll attempt a braid.

I hope you ladies don't mind me hanging here; there doesn't seem to be much activity in the Men's section.

Anyway, thanks again for your helpful suggestions.

Welcome!  :).

I usually wear my hair in a top bun. I've tried braiding, but its annoying to try to sleep on.

That's my presumption; I can't imagine myself being able to fall asleep on any kind of lump. Thanks for the welcome, Sexywitch.

Welcome Hairapparent :)  The satin pillowcases are a godsend for people with long hair for sure.  If you ponytail your hair and then scrunchie it down a few times(when it is long enough),using hairsafe holders,that will help.  I use my creation of a satin sox to protect my hair at night or when I need my length safely out of my way.  

Welcome!
Lots of great suggestions have already been given.  You'll just need to find what works best for you.  The satin pillow cases are great, especially if you prefer to leave your hair loose.  

I'm a braider at night, but sometimes I'm just too tired to do the braid, so I will make a two strand rope instead.  I find this faster, but it still contains my hair when sleeping.  You might find the rope easier than the braid when starting out.  

Good luck and let us know how your new routines work out.

Curlgirl64 wrote on Oct 22^nd, 2006 at 6:46pm:

If you ponytail your hair and then scrunchie it down a few times(when it is long enough),using hairsafe holders,that will help.

Curlgirl64, could you elaborate a bit on what you mean by "scrunchie it down?" Are you suggesting using a scrunchie and/or hairsafe holders and then wrapping the ponytail back inside the scrunchie/holder to eliminate the exposed length? (That's one heck of a sentence, but I'm not sure how else to describe it.)

bikerbraid, any info you can provide on doing a two strand rope would be appreciated.

With less than a week of an improved regimen, I can say I am already noticing a softness in my hair that I've never known. Thank you all for your suggestions, thus far. This website and it's associated links have demystified much already. I will keep you informed on my progress...thanks for asking. And questions? I'll have a few;)

And finally, may I say, of the examples I've seen in avatars, you ladies have some gorgeous hair. I have a newfound appreciation of the time and effort that goes into create a healthy head of hair. Well done!

I'm glad you are finding suggestions that are working ofr you.

To make a 2 strand rope:

1.  Divide hair into 2 sections.  
2.  Twist each section clock wise.
3.  Wrap/twist the two sections around each other in a counter clock direction.
4.  Secure the ends to prevent them from untwisting.

Hope this helps a bit.  In reality, I do steps 2 and 3 at the same time.  I make a couple of twists of the section, then wrap it around the other section.  Twist that section, then wrap, etc.  But I do it this way due to the length of my hair.  I think that starting out with shorter hair, it would be easier to grasp the concept by twisting each section, THEN wrapping them around each other.

Right. Very descriptive. Thanks bikerbraid.

Welcome Hairapparent! ;) Love your picture, nice bike 8-)  You found the best place for hair! Me I have brastrap length hair and I wear it in a braid covered with a hair sock (tube of stain material) to bed.  I combat the frizzys by putting a very thin coat of Jojoba oil on my length evey night.  One drop rubbed between the palms and applyed to hair from the ears down.

Hey there, hairapparent!  I have no suggestons to add, as the ones you've already received are all great.  I just wanted to welcome a fellow Missourian to the board--Cape Girardeau here.   :)  Enjoy your time here!

Lisabelle, thanks for your kind words and sharing your nighttime ritual. Jojoba each night, huh? I shall add that to my approach and see how it goes.

Trisha, thank you too for the welcome. Cape, eh? My brother and his family live in Jackson.

hairapparent

Jackson is a very nice town, in my opinion.  It reminds me of the wonderful way Cape used to be but, sadly, isn't anymore.  

Say, isn't Rodent from the St. Louis area?

I've not met or encountered Rodent as yet.

Ok, Hairapparent,you put your hair in a ponytail and then use hairsafe holders(like scunci or small ponytail holders,section alittle bit down at a time,down the length of your hair.  When you are at the end you're then ready to put the length in a Satin Sox.  The satin Sox protects the length while the satin pillowcase protects the head.  I was in NYC yesterday for QVC's Product Search and I presented my Satin Sox to them so if all goes well and they want to put it on the air,I'll know in December.   In fact a couple of members here bought my Satin Sox and from what I heard they are happy with it.  If you have any more questions,please don't hesitate to ask! ;D

Curlgirl64,

Thanks for the explanation. I wish you well with QVC...that's awesome. The Satin Sox sound great. I got my ends trimmed about a week and a half ago (the day after I took the avatar photo), and unfortunately, the stylist took more off than was necessary. So...I have some length to recover. It may be a while before my hair is long enough to reap the benefits of your Sox. Nevertheless, I'll keep them in mind.

I've tended to wear my hair in a braid at night, recently...I like sleeping with my hair loose, but I get *really* bad morning hair, for which a braid is a godsend. :)