Well, ladies and guys, I have started something here at my house! My son,who is 14 tells me he is jealous and wants to grow his hair long too! Personally I feel gr 8-)eat about it, his dad on the other hand is a little iffy? I keep reminding him he had fairly long hair when we got marrried! I also think my son is old enough to make that decision!  The only thing I told him is... it will be clean, strong, and health! That is a must! Here is where I need a bit of help? He has very oily skin,duh, he is 14. Lucky little bugger! Any help on the grow out and dealing with excessive oil would be greatly appreciated! Naturegirl

14 year boys do tend to have oily skin.  Keeping the hair looking good can be a challenge.  Probably the best thing to do is make sure the shampoo/conditioner he uses is not overly harsh and would work well for daily use.  Diluting the shampoo and conditioner can also work well (especially when old habits are hard to break and they "overuse" the product.)  

Teaching him the evils of the blow dryer will help with keeping the hair healthy.

Thanks, I never thought about diluting the shampoo and conditioner? And he never uses the blow dryer, none of us do unless we have to go out immediately after washing hair and I don't even own a curling iron! Did I read here that you are from Minnesota? All my In-Laws are from Fairmont! Winters are pretty harsh there! naturegirl

Woohoo! Another long-locked lad in training! You're right about him being old enough to decide what to do with his own hair...and how sweet that he takes his inspiration from you.  ;)

As for the oily skin, that's a subject near and dear to my heart, having dealt with it all of my life. What I do is stick to oil-free products. That means shampoos, conditioners, bodywashes, face washes, etc. etc. My skin loathes oil of any sort, so the slightest trace of it can mean major breakouts. Check the ingredients on the back of the bottles and make sure they do not contain oil.
   Should the ends of his hair become dry and need extra moisture, it's ok to oil just the ends. Oil should never touch the skin, including the scalp. And if he uses his hands to oil his hair while it's dry, make sure he washes his hands immediately afterward. Hair with any type of oil or product in it should be kept away from the face at all times.

Clarifying is important also, and his routine should probably be a bit more intensive than yours. I do this once a week with a clarifying shampoo and white vinegar rinse. Also, I know there are folks who might gasp at this, but it's ok if he washes his hair every day. Had I the time, I would wash twice in a row every day - my hair appreciates it. Just be sure that he remains vertical and doesn't pile his hair on top of his head while washing or wash his hair upside down. The result is mass amounts of tangles.

Oh yes, and if he uses a leave-in conditioner/detangler, have him drape a towel over his shoulders to protect his shirt and neck from the spray. And be encouraging. There are always awkward stages when guys grow their hair out, so stay positive.  :)