Yesterday I made the quality covenent with myself and my hair to let it grow out, 30 inches and very healthy hair is my goal.  Right now, it's at my chin.  So all this week I have been scowering the internet for all the best information to start me on my long journey.  

I have learned A LOT on how to take care of hair but there were still some unanswered questions that I just cannot find anywhere.  So as I was reading "20 tips on growing long hair", I looked around the site and found this place.  

I decided to grow my hair long when I was doing my hair and I was so unhappy with it and started thinking of things I could do to change it.  I wanted to grow my hair long after seeing some pictures of truly healthy and long hair.  So now, not only do I want long hair but it has to be healthy or I will not be happy.

My question for you all reading this is...how do you style your hair without appliances and still make it look so straight and healthy and shiny?  I went without blow drying my hair and it looked so stupid I didn't leave the house.  How can I go years of being embarassed of my hair to reach my goal of healthy hair but not be able to enjoy it's real potential if it looks horrible?

Anyways, from what I have read, you all seem so helpful and kind, I'm glad to be here!

A big part of not using styling appliances is learning to accept your natural hair type  If you have waves or curls, you won't be able to wear your hair straight.  If your objection to your wavy or curly hair is the frizziness, then it might be that your hair is dry and needs more moisture.  Regular conditioning will help with that.  Oiling the length of the hair help control the hair and minimize fly-away hair.

As your hair grows longer, and you discontinue using heated appliances, your hair may change - some find that the weight of the length will make it more straight, others find that waves and curls appear when they previously had straight hair.  Learning to work with your hair and not fight it will make your life much easier.

Thank you for the advice, my hair is very short right now and it is straight going down, but gets curly/wavy/frizzy on the ends, very ugly, as I'm writing this I put some olive oil and conditioner in my hair and wrapped it with a hot towel, it's cold now, but I hear that that will help with my hair shaft.

There is so much to take in when you are re-learning how to take care of your hair.  I have treated my hair like a neusance for so long, it's hard to treat it like 'fine lace' as someone stated as to how you should treat your hair.

Yesterday was the very first time I stepped into a health food store to see all of the natural hair products.  I am excited to see the potential my hair has.  

You might be pleasantly surprised by your hair when you treat it gently and get it healthy again.  :D

Hi and welcome!!  I have wavy hair which is troublesome when at a length above my shoulders.  I haven't been that big on wearing it straight so giving up trying to straighten it was not so difficult but figuring out how to make it look good has been a challenge.  Ouidad products (www.ouidad.com) are made for curly/wavy hair-I suggest the Quench line (shampoo, conditioner & gel) and the Deep Treat conditioner.  The gel really helps to encourage shape & hold of the waves/curls and makes a HUGE differnce in looking gorgeous or blah.

I'll warn you, you're in for the roughest time now, growing from chin to shoulder length.  My hair turned into an ugle pyramid until it got to shoulder length.  If you can, resist the urge to cut layers into to control it.  I cut a few layers into mine and the relief it gave me was short lived-it was another ugly phase I would grow out of that made me cut it (I didn't know I'd grow out of it at the time) and now I'm stuck with layers I did't actually need.

Good Luck, don't give up and maybe start a hair journal of your own where you can vent and rant and get support so you don't cut during those really trying stages of growing it out!!!

Kind of funny really, I had told my husband my goal to grow out my hair and today I was telling him all that I needed to do to get the hair I've never had, "no heating tools, no brushing when wet, no tight ponytails, only boar bristle brushes etc." he looked at me and said "no heating tools, like velcro curlers?", "Yes" I said.  "Well, I might as well tell you that are going to have to exchange a Christmas gift I got for you to get the things you need now."  He said.  

He got me a ceramic curling iron and velcro hot rollers  ;D!

Awwww - what a shame - such thoughtful gifts he selected for you.  I hope he wasn't too disappointed.

Yes, I know, but he is just as curious as I am about having beautiful long hair, so he is in full support of my quest and doesn't mind the dillema.  My sister-in-law is in town and she has hair down to her bottom, so I gave her the curling iron for her bangs, she was glad so it all worked out. :)

Hello and welcome!  I remember deciding to let my hair grow.  I had just gotten a cut and the hair dresser misunderstood what I wanted and gave me a mullet, or whatever they are called!!   :o  Boy did that ever take FOREVER to grow out!  LOL.  I  had big wads of hair sticking out over both ears for what seemed like years.  

That said, what I had to do was find a couple of styles in which I could tolerate my hair and sort of like it in this growing-out stage.  I started really deep conditioning my hair and taking vitamins.  I got busy with life and just wearing my hair in my little styles and WOW before I knew it my hair was hanging down around my shoulders!  At that point I was able to try other styles.  Now I have a lot of fun with my hair!

Best wishes on your decision to grow your hair out!

Lynn  :)

Greetings and welcome RubyGem.

As to your question, I was born with naturally straight hair, so I don't have to do anything to get it that way. Styling, well, I usually just braid mine to get it out of the way, but sometimes I just leave it down.

The healthy part all comes from what you do for your hair. Giving your hair what it needs - such as gentle care, great conditioning and the nutrients it needs to grow and form properly - is the best way to make it healthy, just like any other part of the body.

Good to have you along. Best of luck & happy growing.  :)