I found this website by searching for a salon in Cairo Egypt that specializes in long hair. 

While I live in Egypt now, last year I lived in Saudi Arabia.  I decided if I was going to live in a country without hairstylists and salons (There are some, but they are expensive, hard to find, and the people don't always speak English) I might as well grow my hair long. 

I knew I would need help, so I started researching different sites.  That is how I knew that the Egyptian stylist ripping through the knots in my daughter's hair was not a good thing.   

Right now my hair is about 4 inches past my shoulders, with about 3 inches till it reaches bra strap length.  In June 2004 it was super short, like my longest peice was about 2 inches.  I had already decided to grow it longer when I found out I was moving to Saudi Arabia.  I have gotten some trims since then, but nothing major.

I am having some trouble right now because I have been living in a desert climate (Saudi and Egypt) for two years, which is drying.  My hair is going gray, which is a bit drying, and in addition, the air pollution in Cairo is so severe that I have a real problem with yellowing.  I do have a purple shampoo, but by itself it is not enough.  I have been using vinegar and lemon juice, and they seem to work pretty well but they also are drying.  My mother is coming to visit later this month, and she is bringing me all kinds of shampoo and conditioner.

My husband also is growing his hair long.  Right now his is about 3 inches longer than mine, but since he hasn't gotten so much as a trim in almost 4 years it looks awful and is not healthy.  He has some split ends almost an inch long.  I keep trying to get him to get a trim, but it's not easy.  Men and women do not usually patronize the same salons over here, and men do NOT grow their hair long.  So finding a stylist that understands a man's long hair will be problematic at best.

The stylist I went to will cut his hair, but he doesn't want to patronize him after what happened to our daughter and I don't blame him.  I tell everyone we are having a race growing our hair to our butts.  Right now he is winning, but mine looks better.  If he would get the damage cut off, we would be more equal.  Maybe what I really want is to sabotage his efforts!   

Anyway, I figure I have about 3 more years before I reach my goal but I also figure that my goal may not be reachable given my current living conditions.  So I'll grow it until I'm tired of it or until it stops looking good, whichever comes first.

Hello and Welcome!

Dry desert air can be tough on your hair.  I'd suggest trying to either use a leave in conditioner or try oiling your hair with something like jojoba, coconut or olive oil.  Different types of hair like different types of oil.  The jojoba oil works well with fine hair, olive oil on more coarse hair and coconut sits in the middle. There are a number of posts on the site that give more info on the specifics of oiling your hair, if you are interested.

It sounds like your family does a lot of traveling....can I ask what provides you with the opportunity to do this?

Very cool!  I had an aunt that taught in American schools - typically associated with military bases.  She traveled all around the world and enjoyed experiencing different cultures.  As a child I always looked forward to presents from her that represented the country she was in at the time (they never came at any specific time - we were never sure if they were Christmas or birthday presents!  ).

I live in Ma'adi, a very westernized portion of Cairo, and the stylist I went to caters to a lot of westerners.  So many women in Cairo wear (Oh dear, I'm going to get this wrong and then all the Muslims are going to yell at me) the hijab (?) or headscarf that it is difficult to tell how their hair looks.  I think, though, that underneath the scarves are mostly western hairdos.  If I chose to wear a headscarf I wouldn't stand out, certainly! 

I actually kind of enjoy the fact that I show my long hair.  I feel I am making a statement of my Americanism, or at least my westernism.  (Is that even a word?)  I will have to decide whether that statement is important enough to sacrifice the condition of my hair to.  Or if a scarf will make enough of a difference to give up that statement.  I will also be giving up the extra attention I get, since so many of the women who don't cover their hair have it cut short.

Hair is actually quite an issue here.  A woman's decision to cover or not cover her hair is a statement of her beliefs.  Increasingly women are told that "good" Muslims cover.  I have friends who find that extremely offensive, and state that they are just as good a Muslim with their hair uncovered as someone who covers their hair.  There are also feminist issues involved.  Covering your hair is a sign of accepting a more "traditional" role in society.  There are also sexual connotations, which I think is why most of the women who don't cover their hair also cut it short.  I have seen no women older than 20 with their hair past BSL.      

I have actually been a little worried about what will happen when my hair reaches the length I want.  When I lived in Saudi, where women don't even show their faces, I had several men almost walk into walls when I was wearing my freshly washed hair down one day.  And it was barely past shoulder length!  But I figure I will cross that bridge when I get to it.

bluberri wrote on Dec 17^th, 2006 at 12:19pm:


I do!  It's called Amla oil and I use it too!