Long hair Qs

Vicky wrote: I'm *trying* to grow my hair. Can you tell me... 1. How often I should wash it 2. How much conditioner I should use 3. How often it should be trimmed Oh, and any other advice much appreciated. Thanks! If it helps I last had it cut yesterday and it's at my shoulders, had about 4 inches taken off.

Hi Vicky,

1) As infrequently as possible. The more you wash it, the more wear it gets (and the less healthy it gets; analogous to laundering an article of clothing). I now wash my hair once every 5-7 days. But I had to slowly and gradually wean myself from washing it daily in the shower.

2) Use as much as is necessary to coat the strands from chin down. Since your hair is to your shoulders, you don't need to use much. The more time you leave it on, the more time it has to impart its effects.

3) Given that your stylist's idea of a "trim" is a 4-inch lopping, I'd say the answer to your question is close to never. In the coming months, learn to find and trim your own split ends. And next year or whenever you do set foot inside a salon again, be firm. Tell them in advance that you want at most a half an inch trimmed, and if they cut any more you won't pay them.

Susan, the thing with scarves is, you have to tie them properly. I can't really explain it, but they shouldn't slip. You can pin them also if you want.
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Both my wife and I love to wear scarves of various materials. I wear them in my hair, my wife likes to wear headscarves at times over her short hair, or wear a scarf around her neck or over her shoulder.
I sometimes use a large square scarf as a headwrap tied in the back, with my long hair underneath it, with my hair loose and down my back.
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Thank you Susan for the advice about platinum hair.
After talking with a couple of other ladies about it, including my beautician Julie, I have decided not to go platinum. I have decided to just get my hair highlighted. My hair is a dark blonde color, and I will get some light blonde highlights put in.
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My beauty salon appointment is tomorrow afternoon. I'm going to get the highlights, and get my hair trimmed an inch or so, in a straight across blunt cut, to even out my hair and get rid of the split ends.
I am also going to get a massage, a manicure, and my ear lobes pierced again.
I am going for more length on my tresses. My hair is mid-back length now, I would like to get it to tailbone length.

Wow Susan, I read your website, you have really been on a hair journey, with all of the different colors of hair you have had, and the different lengths from a short bob cut to long hair!
I like the hair accessories on your website too. I love wearing hair accessories such as barrettes, scrunchies, hair ribbons, scarves, etc.. Do you ever use a scarf to tie back your ponytail?
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Susan did bleaching your hair platinum hurt your hair any?
Did it feel different? Was it dryer or more brittle or whatever? How often did you shampoo and condtion with platinum hair, and what shampoos and conditioners did you use?
I have been thinking of getting my long tresses bleached platinum. My wife doesn't want me to do it, she thinks it will hurt my hair. I may just get my hair highlighted as planned. But I would interested in your opinions about when you hair was bleached platinum. My hair is naturally dark blonde in color, so going platinum wouldn't be that big of a change, just lighter colored hair for me to wear.
Thanks,
BlondeJohn

Hi Vicky.

I have had long hair for a number of years. I keep my hair long for two reasons;
One-I love the feel and look of having long, smooth, silky hair.
Two- My wife likes long hair on me. In fact she really likes it! (my daughters actually like it too).
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I have had hair nearly to my waist before, and my hair is mid-back length now, and I plan on growing it to tailbone length. My hair is very straight, medium texture, dark blonde in color.
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I wash my hair every day, I just can't stand to have dirty hair.
I shampoo and condition usually every other day, maybe 3 times a week. Don't overuse conditioner. Use as instructed. If your hair is color treated then you need to use a little more conditioner or buy a conditioner for color treated hair.
I alternate hair products. I was told by several women with gorgeous long hair, that alternating hair products is good for the hair.
I use several different hair products, including salon products like Aveda and Redken. I also use Avalon Organics, and sometimes less expensive brands like VO5 or Clairol.
Every few weeks I use a clarifying shampoo.
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I wash my hair after I get home from work at night and take a shower.
I always air dry my hair, never blow dry it, and I am careful detangling it. My wife sometimes detangles it too, she is very good at that. Usually with a fine comb.
I brush my hair daily, or my wife or daughters brush it, but I never overbrush it.
When I wear my long hair in a ponytail, I use scrunchies, clips, or scarves, I never use rubber bands which damage hair. At other times I just pin my hair back in a bun, put it in an updo or just wear my long tresses loose and down my back.
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I go for a trim at a beauty salon twice a year. I get about an inch cut off each time, just to even it out, I get it cut in a straight across blunt cut, just to make it look nice and get rid of the split ends. My hair grows from 6-7 inches a year, so even with the trims, I am getting some growth on my hair, maybe 5 inches a year. It will take me a few more years to get my hair to tailbone or classic length.
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Remember to eat a healthy and well balanced diet, take vitamins, and exercise a little. This will give you not only good health, but gorgeous healthy hair!
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I hope this helps.

Good luck!
BlondeJohn