Your name/username:
Traycee

Your hair's current state:
Relaxed ( I relax every 6 to 8 weeks) Stretching isn't my thing!!!!

When did you start your hair care journey: I started my hair journey in Late November '07 ....I stumble on to this Blog "The Coarse Hair Diary"...Thats how I also learned of LHCF ...My hair journey started from there.......( Thank you Ms Belle)

Your current regimen:
Wash hair with shampoo 1x a week
Prepoo overnight 2x to 3x a week b4 every wash or co-wash
co wash 1x to 2x a week
Deep condition under heat 2x a week
Air Dry 99% of the time
Protein when needed
Clarify 1x a month
Moisturize and seal ends every night
Wear protective styles( Buns and French Rolls)
I love braid-outs
Relax every 6 to 8 weeks

Why you decided to grow your hair: I decided to grow my hair because I love long hair!!!! I think it fits me and the men in my life love hair ( Husband, Father, and my 4 sons).......

Your staple product(s): Coconut Oil, and 100% Aloe Vera Gel...I couldn't live without either

What technique has helped you the most: No heat (keeps my ends healthy = less trims)..Deep Conditioning (helps me retain moisture = less breakage & soft beautiful hair).......Protective styles like buns..French rolls,etc ( helps me be cute with out using heat) and braid-outs too

Your advice to the readers: Would be 2 scriptures- Hosea 4:6- My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge:Black women as a whole do not have long hair not because we can no grow long hair, but because of lack of knowledge and mis education.....Gain knowledge on proper hair care and dis spell all the black haircare myths and don't forget to teach others

Proverbs 29:18-Where there is no vision, the people perish: "If you can see it you can achieve it"..There are other scriptures that says write down your vision ..."See it and Believe it ...And you can achieve it!!!!"Last, stay consistent....Once you find what works for you stick with it...Don't jump on every bandwagon...Keep it simple...I wish all of you the best


Check out more about Traycee at her blog: http://keepitsimplesista.blogspot.com/

Mercedes' Place
32 Northwest 167th Street
Miami, Florida, United States 33169
Phone: 1-305-948-4807
Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ (4/5)

Let me just say that I'm a BIG fan of this salon. I go there anytime I need a good blowout when I'm in the Miami area. They wash my hair, let a conditioner penetrate my hair under a dryer for a couple of minutes, wash my hair again, apply rollers, put me under the hair dryer once more, take the rollers out, and then blow dry my hair straight. Flat ironing isn't necessary! When I'm done, my hair looks and feels healthy. It also has body and bounce. And the even better part is that all this costs me $25. How awesome is that?

Hi! I'm so glad I found your website. I'm a black female, and I've had my hair relaxed for a while now. I used to straighten it with a hair iron every other day and as a result I now have a lot of breakage. Especially in the sides and back of my hair. I'm a 4b hairtype like you, and judging by your hair in your pic (which is gorgeous btw) you certainly know how to take care of 'our' hair. I'm thinking of putting in weave for a few months to let it regrow, but could you please tell me what kind of hair products (including shampoos/conditioners) you use to make your hair so beautiful and stop hair breakage etc?? That would be soo helpful and give me hope for saving my own
hair. lol

Thanks in advance,
J.

Hey J.,

Thanks for the compliment! In my search for good products, the only ones that seem to work with my hair are: Creme of Nature Ultra Moisturizing Shampoo, Organic Root Stimulator Olive Oil Replenishing Conditioner, and any of these conditioners. I shampoo and condition every week to keep my hair healthy. Then, when I'm ready, I go to my stylist and get a relaxer. If you plan on using a weave to re-grow your hair, try re-doing the weave every month (Prevents matting). I hope this helps and feel free to e-mail me at any time if you have any questions.

- Belle Cheveux

P.S. Multi-vitamins help a lot with hair growth. So does water!

Alopecia areata
AA is a condition where hair loss happens in one area. This is also called spot baldness. In very few cases, all hair on the scalp can be lost. This disease is called Alopecia areata totalis.

Traction alopecia
TA is a form of Alopecia that is caused by excessive force on the hair. It is commonly found in men and women who wear ponytails, braids, weaves, etc. So be careful not to do tight ponies and braids.

Androgenic alopecia
This is a condition characterized by hair loss related to hormones called andrones (mostly DHT). It's common in both men and women, but usually men. This is also called male pattern baldness.

Treatments
Treatments that can help stop or reverse hair loss caused by these forms of Alopecia include: Minoxidil, Topical Caffeine, Miconazole/Ketoconazole (Interesting, huh?), or hair transplants.

Finding a good heat protectant is a little annoying when there are so many out there. Here's a list of the five best heat protectants around for coarse hair. The prices listed are just average prices and can vary from store to store. I even listed the ounces so you can judge for yourself.

Redken Smooth Down Heat Glide (5 oz), $15.99


Fantasia IC Heat Protector Straightening Serum (6 oz), $7.49


Giovanni Frizz Be Gone (2.75 oz), $8.99


CHI Silk Infusion (2 oz), $10.99


KeraCare Silken Seal (2 oz), $15.99

Sorry! I usually add a post every two days if I can, but I've been caught up in my reading. I've been reading Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum novels like crazy since Friday. I'm up to book seven now (Yes, I'm a fast reader). Anyway, I've updated! I will add another post either later today or tomorrow. I have a list of future TCHD articles and I'm just going down the list to see what I will discuss. And the feature of the month for March is coming soon! Wait 'til you see this gal's hair. Beautiful!

If there's one thing I hate about vitamins, it has to be swallowing them. Honestly, I hate having to pull out a bottle of water to chug down a pill. I kept telling myself that there has to be something better and when I went grocery shopping, I found my answer. Ensure! This little baby has: Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Vitamin B12, Biotin, Pantothenic Acid, Phosphorus, Iodine, Magnesium, Zinc, Selenium, and Copper. The best part has to be the fact that it tastes like a milkshake. It comes in different flavors like Banana Cream, Coffee Latte, and of course Homemade Vanilla which I love. It's lactose free by the way.

*UPDATE*
As much as I love Ensure, I won't be drinking it too often. I was breaking out after a week of drinking a bottle daily. Just my luck. I hate Biotin.

Although silicone based products aren't too popular among the hair care circuit, some may actually help. Dimethicone (or Polydimethylsiloxane), an organic polymer made from silica, smoothes the hair cuticle and reduces its ability to be damaged. When the cuticle is smooth, the hair is easier to detangle.

I know it can be tempting to blow dry if you co-wash and air dry. I know I always feel like plugging in that bad boy because air drying is too time consuming. After a bit of research, I found a good reason not to. To the left is a picture of a hair strand that's been damaged at the cortex. This damage is also called Trichorrhexis nodosa. It's caused by excessive use of overheated dryers, excessive use of chemicals, and aggressive hair brushing/combing. It can make our hair appear as if it's not growing.

Symptoms

• lack of apparent hair growth
• hair appears "patchy"
• hair breaks close to scalp
• hair may have thickenings/nodes in the shaft
• thin or split ends
• whitish discoloration of hair ends
• ends of hair breaks easily

To treat the damage, hair should be brushed gently, conditioned frequently, and use of chemicals should be limited. Gentle shampoos should also be used. And hair should not be ironed frequently.

I'm really loving these ladies' hair styles. We all know that Beyonce is wearing a lacefront and I absolutely love the color; very different. By the way, she's a natural! Rihanna's dress is stunning and her new hair cut is so edgy. She just keeps chopping away at that hair and it looks better every time. Kerry Washington's short do is lovely. I like it better than the long locks she was rocking in the I Think I Love My Wife movie. As usual, YaYa's hair is gorgeous. Her and Bre are my natural inspirations.

When going product shopping, it can be a little overwhelming deciding what's considered a moisture product and what's considered a protein product. Well, here's some help. When looking for a moisture product, you'll usually find that it contains high amounts of glycerin(e) (or glycerol), propylene glycol, cetyl alcohol, sorbitol, panthenol, etc. Protein products usually contain high amounts of amino silk acids (or silk amino acids), milk protein, hydrolyzed wheat protein, silk protein, glycine, collagen, keratin, hydrogenated castor oil, etc. Listed below are products that are either moisture or protein:

Moisturizing Conditioners
ORS Replenishing Pak/Conditioner (Moisture & light protein)
Aussie 3 minute Miracle Deep Moisture Treatment
Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose
Suave Humectant
Nexxus Hydra Sleek
KeraCare Humecto
Miss Key 10-en-1

Moisturizing Leave-Ins
S-Curl "No Drip" Activator Moisturizer
Neutrogena Triple Moisture Silk Touch
Giovanni Direct
Lacio Lacio
Nexxus Humectress (Diluted with water)

Protein Conditioners
Nexxus KerapHix
Aubrey Organics GPB
Mane N' Tail
Silicon Mix
ORS Hair Mayo

Protein Leave-Ins
Infusium 23 Repairologie
Salerm 21

Out of severe boredom, I made a few banners and buttons for TCHD. You can get the code for this banner by visiting the Advertising & Linking page. And of course, I will link back to any hair and beauty blog that supports TCHD. :)

The Black Woman's Guide to Beautiful Hair: A Positive Approach to Managing Any Hair and Style by Lisa Akbari

I was very fond of this book. Akbari gives some great information for those who are just starting out. She also includes some great methods that can help your hair immensely. I love that she goes into detail about the scalp, hair, and the perception of your hair to you . This book was definitely worth buying. I recommend this book to newbies and those who have been in the hair growth thing for a while.

Where to Find: Barnes & Noble, Amazon

I'm super excited right now. I've been co-washing and deep conditioning a lot since January 6, 2008 and my hair growth is great. I have more than 1/2 an inch at the crown and 1/4 an inch in the front. I can't wait to take out the twist extensions and get a blow out. I had to pull out a smiley for this one!

Shampoo, condition, and deep condition hair. After washing the hair, apply 1 to 2 pumps evenly of Redken Smooth Down Heat Glide to towel-dried hair and let air dry. Add about another pump once hair is dried and flat iron. Keep the heat on a low setting though. This is a great alternative to blow drying and straightening with a flat iron. For extra shine, when rinsing hair after deep conditioning, be sure to rinse with cold water!

Photo Credit: Adam Olszewski

Hey Belle,

Thank you SSSOOO much for all that information because I needed allof it. I was thinking of getting an Aphogee treatment to stop the uneccessary breaking, and continue deep conditioning with Keracare Humecto. Have you tried these products before? I was also going to try Dr. Miracle's temple and nape gro balm because my hair in the front and in the back is breaking drastically. I was wondering if you hadany tips on how to show some extra TLC to the back of my hair because it seems to grow much slower and is thinner than the rest of my hair. Iwas also wondering if you put anything on your hair when you air dry and do you comb while it's drying or something, because air drying really is the best method but whenever I try it, my hair becomes dry and crackly and it poofs up. I am definetly going to begin co-washing, and I will also begin build a regimen for myself.

Thanks so much,

A.

Hey A.,

ApHogee products I have yet to try, but I hear ApHoghee Treatment For Damaged Hair is great. KeraCare Humecto on the other hand is an amazing product. My stylist used it on my hair a couple times and it soften my hair. But if you want great (and better in my opinion) results for a lower price, I'd suggest Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose Moisturizing Conditioner. You can find it at any health food store or on the website (http://aubrey-organics.com/).

For your edges and nape, I suggest low manipulation so tight ponies aren't a good idea. Dr. Miracle products most likely won't give the results you want so I suggest a tube of Miconazole Nitrate (found in Monistat 7 or Neosporin AF) mixed with Sulfur 8. That plus daily scalp massages should boost growth in the affected areas. If that MN isn't for you, you can try Sulu Max (http://www.suluhair.com/products.html). This product is great because it has Sulfur in it which helps with growth.

When I air dry, I add a leave-in or serum to my hair and make sure I pay close attention to my ends. As my hair is drying, I finger comb my hair to keep it from knotting up on me. My hair is always down when I air dry. I make sure to have a satin scarf laying on my shoulders so my ends won't rub on my clothes. My hair always gets a little puffed up, but it's normal when air drying.

For your new regimen, You should get a touch-up if you haven't already and begin co-washing with the Humecto or Honeysuckle every other day. Shampoo, condition with Humecto or Honeysuckle, and deep condition with ORS Hair Mayo weekly. Use ApHoghee Treatment For Damaged Hair once a month (or every six weeks) only if your hair is breaking after all this. Your hair needs more moisture than protein. The ApHoghee product is a strong protein treatment so be careful and follow the instructions carefully.

Make sure you always have your hair tied with a silk or satin scarf at night. Not doing this will help with breakage.

I hope all of this helps you! If you want to know more about washing your hair, read my new article on the matter (http://coarsehair.blogspot.com/2007/12/washing-your-hair.html). Please feel free to ask any more questions and let me know of your progress. Remember that your hair is your crowning glory so treat it like silk!

- Belle Cheveux

Essential oils are used in many commercial products today because of their ability to stimulate the scalp. Here are a few oils that are popular among the hair care forum circuit.

Tea Tree (Melaleuca)
A potent antiseptic and known antifungal agent. Stimulates blood flow.

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
Stimulates blood circulation.

Ylang Ylang (Cananga odorata)
Normalizes sebum secretion for skin problems.

Peppermint (Mentha × piperita)
High in menthol, this is used to stimulate the scalp. It is high manganese, vitamin C and vitamin A content; as well as trace amounts of various other nutrients such as fibre, iron, calcium, folate, potassium, tryptophan, magnesium, omega-3 fatty acids, riboflavin, and copper.

For the ladies that braid, this is for you: To get rid of those nasty chemicals found in braiding hair, soak the hair in vinegar for about an hour, rinse, and let it dry. The chemicals in braiding hair can be harsh on your hair strands, causing more harm than good. I started doing this a few years back after finding Growafrohairlong and it's worked for me. :)

Tool Name: CHI Turbo Flat Iron
Price Range: $115.99-$125.99
Company: Farouk (http://www.farouk.com/)
Catch Phrase: Consumer friendly; Felt heat protection;
Sliding temp. control: 175 -356 F or 80-180 C in only 6-10 seconds;
Adjustable temp control; Saves energy (CHI is only using 20-25 Watts of Electricity)

What I Say: I remember hearing good things about CHI, but I always dismissed it because to me, pretty much all flat irons were the same. But after using my friend's CHI Turbo, my whole mindframe has been changed. It straightens new growth like nothing else and even puts my current flat iron to shame! I love it!

Tool Tip: Use a heat protectant!
Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ (5/5)

After washing your hair, apply a setting lotion or an anti-frizz serum (Make sure it's a heat protectant also) from root to tip. Roll the hair on small flexi-rods, or perm rods, and sit under a dryer for 45 minutes. If your hair is still a little damp, let it air dry; too much heat will damage your hair strands. When taking out the rods, apply a little moisturizer to your fingers to prevent breakage.

Photo Credit: Ondrea Barbe

Your name/username:
artrinity!

Your hair's current state:
I'm mostly natural now...I think I got all of the relaxer out...I started out transitioning though I did not do the big chop...I have a big head

When did you start your hair care journey: I started November of 2006...one year and counting

Your current regimen:
I co wash every 2 to 3 days and deep condition with LeKair Cholesterol...I went back to the old school stuff that mom used when we were little..from right to left wonder 8 oil liv hair moisturizer and ojon when I where it natural...tressume heat tamer spray when I flat iron it nioxin shampoo/conditioner. healthy hair butter and margatites magic. I don’t use all of there products at once but they all have worked well for me. Here are my pics...I wear it curly 90% of the time because it takes me forever to straiten out my hair

Why you decided to grow your hair: My hair wouldn’t hold a perm...it would just curl up the minute I started to sweat or water hit it...so I just decided to save myself $90 a week and let it grow out and see what happens

Your staple product: The ojon restorative hair treatment.

What technique has helped you the most: co washing//deep conditioning ...just keeping my hair on a regimen

Your advice to the readers: transitioners PATIENCE IS KEY!!! Once you make it past the 1st few months I promise its worth it...rollersets kept me sane for a long time until it grew out so I could wear it curly all the time...My hair is so much stronger now that I have really been taking care or it

After seeing 4.5 inscribed on my bottle of KeraCare Humecto Creme Conditioner bottle. I looked up the pH scale. The pH scale starts at 0 and ends at 14; 7 is the balancing point on the scale. Things before 7 are acidic and things after 7 have more alkaline. The closer to 1 a product is, the stronger it is. And the closer a product is to 14, the stronger it is. Here's the scale:

Vinegar 2.7
Neutralizer 3
Hair 4.5-5
Skin 4.5-6
Shampoo 4-4.5
Water 7
Harsh Shampoos 7-10
Lye Relaxers 14
No-Lye Relaxers 14-18

By the way, Did you notice how No-Lye is way off the scale? Just thought you should know. And just in case you're wondering, relaxers shoot up the natural pH of your hair and it takes days for it to go back down.

Reference: Beautiful Black Hair: Real Solutions to Real Problems

If there's one thing I love it has to be reader suggestions. You guys are awesome! Here's a suggestion I got last week:

GNC tends to be OKAY but try vegetarian vitamins especially with anti oxidants and watch your hair grow, eat more vegetarian and your hair will prosper.

- N. J, California

I saw a wonderful page from Essence about hair I thought I should post for you guys. These are from certified trichologists and stylists! :) Where were they when my hair was breaking off long ago? Just kidding!

1. BAMBI MONTGOMERY, owner of Honeychild Salon and Spa
"Use a very ripe avocado as a preshampoo conditioning treatment (Hmm... Like Burt's Bees?). Massage onto your hair, leave in for an hour, shampoo and rinse. You will be surprised how shiny it will leave your hair."

2. OSCAR JAMES, celebrity hairstylist
"During touch-up time you can prevent overprocessing by applying conditioner to the relaxed portion of the hair, leaving the new growth untouched. The conditioner acts as a barrier inthe event that any of the relaxer comes into contact with the processed hair."

3. DERRICK SCURRY, stylist
"To soften even the most coarse or kinky hair, try Miss Jessie's Curly Buttercreme ($58, missjessies.com). It moisturizesd and makes hair silky in seconds."

4. CHRIS CRENSHAW, stylist
"Never use plastic bristle brushes on relaxed hair. They can scratch and tear an already weak cuticle. Use a wide-tooth comb to maintain a healthier hair shaft."

5. CHUCK AMOS, celebrity stylist
"For the smoothest hairline, use a firm toothbrush. Small bristles ae perfect for handling flyaways. Add a touch of hair spray or gel before you brush."

6. EDRIS NICHOLLS, salon owner and stylist
"To style curly hair, try aloe vera gel. It provides a buffer against harsh, dry environmental elements. Add a few drops of olive, grapeseed or avocado oil to it, and you have a great leave-in conditioning treatment."

7. ROXANNA FLOYD, makeup artist
"I wore the same hairstyle for 14 years. Buying a cute wig was a way to experiment without cutting my hair. I get my wigs from katourlinewigs.com. Now I never have a bad hair day.

8. RODNEY BARNETT, certified trichologist
"There is a direct relationship between a flaky scalp and poor bowel elimination. Increase your fiber intake to correct this problem."

Source: Essence Online
Photo Credit: Darren Keith

Product Name: KeraCare Humecto Creme Conditioner
Price Range: $10.99-$12.99
Company: Avlon Industries, Inc. (http://www.avlon.com/)
Catch Phrase: Helps correct and prevent moisture loss due to exposure to chemicals and thermal styling appliances.

What I Say: I think I've found another staple! I was at Wal-Mart and looked through the hair care products at the salon within it. I saw the Humecto and decided that I would try it. I washed with Creme of Nature Ultra Moisturizing, deep condition with ORS Replenishing (I got the bottle!) for an hour, and conditioned with Humecto. Why did I DC before conditioning? ORS makes my hair soft, but fragile so I wanted to try something different. It worked! The Humecto was wonderful and it softened my hair amazingly. And it smells sooo good!

Product Tip: Apply to hair in quarter-sized amounts; don't wanna waste it!
Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ (5/5)