Hello Everyone!

Just want to take a minute and thank ALL of your for your tips and encouragement.  I've learned so much from this board in the short time I've been reading.  Right now my hair is about 1" to 1 1/2" long.....and this is 3 weeks after last cut and clip...yep, I went to a barber and had it clipped in back and on sides.  Well, I am 53 (okay...almost 54!) years old and have decided that I am going to grow it out.  After listening to all of your wisdom here is my plan....no cutting by hairstylists.  Vinegar rinse and deep conditioner once a week.  No more color (I have silver coming in my naturally brownish black hair...quite nice actually).  No brushing.  No harsh shampoo or conditioner.  I did buy an ION blowdryer for desperate days...but will use it on cool setting.  Told two co-workers with long lovely locks I wanted to grow it out and asked them to be there for me on bad hair days!  Ha Ha!  My hair is fine and medium thin so I am going for mid back length at most...but reserve right to change mind at any time. 

Please know that all of you really do teach and encourage all of us!  Thanks again!  Will keep you posted.

AWE, I love your name, 16paws.  I'm a total animal lover too!

Goodluck with your growing out of your hair.  And I like your statement that "I reserve the right to change my mind at any time"!!

Any brush that doesn't have any catchy parts is fine as long as you already detangled your hair before you use it.  The ones with the little plastic ball on the end of each bristle are bad because after awhile the plastic starts to peel off and it can pull and tear your hair.  Mine is a cheap plastic goody brush though, with no seams on the bristles and no ball on the ends of them and it's fine because there's nothing on it to tear hair.  Natural bristle brushes (like a boar bristle brush) is very commonly used by long haired people to distribute a small amount of jojoba oil through the hair (again, used after already detangled because they aren't very efficient detanglers).

Come to think of it, I have 16 paws in my house too, 2 cats and 2 guinea pigs!

Great project, 16paws! I love the idea of that silver streak you have in your hair (envy!). I hope you will enjoy your long hair journey as much as I have done. And this board, and any really good friends, are what gets you through the bad hair days, for sure. But believe me, bad hair days will get fewer and fewer...

Good luck!

16Paws, welcome to the board and good luck with your hair!  I really admire that you're growing your hair long at an age where society tells you you're too old and it's time to go short.  I say it's never too late to have long, beautiful hair. 

I also love your name.  Your dogs sound adorable.  I myself have twelve paws in my house (3 cats) and four talons (2 birds).  Hooray for animals!

Thanks all of you....I feel as though I've found new sisters!    Yep, I've always been a bit of a rebel even at my age and figure..heck with society, if I want long hair I will just grow it. 

Susan...thanks for the lesson on brushes!

Goddess Mels...we will definitely be there for each other.

16Paws, when I read your posting, I was thinking, "Wow, EIGHT animals, incredible." Oops! (lol)

Hopefully, on a more intelligent note, I was just in line at the tax office for about 20 minutes, and I noticed that there were five 50ish women both in line and working, all with short cuts. These women were quite attractive and all had *potentially* beautiful lengthy locks. Now, I don't feel this way about every woman, (and a few ladies do look better with short hair,) but this group would make their friends and relatives faint with shock if they spent a year or two growing their hair. There is nothing any of them could do to more magnificently transform themselves, IMO.  

I'm glad you're joining the long hair crowd. One is never too old, you know!  Bob