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I’m new and need help.

Printed From: HairBoutique.com
Category: African American Hair
Forum Name: African American Hair
Forum Description: Devoted to the special needs of African Americans.
URL: https://talk.hairboutique.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=42464
Printed Date: August 04 2025 at 10:34am


Topic: I’m new and need help.
Posted By: socialbutterfly
Subject: I’m new and need help.
Date Posted: April 17 2006 at 9:41pm

Hello everyone,

I am new to this site and from what I see I really like it. This is my problem. I'm 15 and have been adopted since I was little. I was adopted into an all white family so I do not know how to take care of my hair, how to do anything to it (styling wise really) or what I am suppose to do. I want to grow my hair out to be really healthy. Being adopted into an all white family has really handicaped me in this area. Can you guys help me? What am I suppose to do? My hair used to be short. I got it cut because it was breaking off and it was dry. I tried to fix that, but I don't think I was doing it right. Now my hair is almost to my shoulders. I use Dark and Lovely to straighten it. Thank you guys for help.



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Trust God; He holds the key to your future.



Replies:
Posted By: carameldiva
Date Posted: April 18 2006 at 12:58am
Well first of all i am not relaxed any longer- i have been natural for almost 3 years now. But i definitely suggest doing a pre-poo treatment on your hair weekly(i suggest olive oil or castor oil or vitamin e oil)- apply this to dry hair- put on a thin plastic cap- sit under a soft dryer or hard dryer for 20 mins, then shampoo- may i suggest since you are relaxed cream of nature shampoo- the bottle with the green writing and yellow cap, then condition with a good moisturizing conditioner and deep condition with lamaur's bone marrow or queen helene super cholesterol treatment for extra dry/damaged hair (plastic cap w/ heat for 45 mins to an hour). Shampoo in the shower with your head tilted straight back. When you rinse use cold water as cold as you can stand it. Always use leave in conditioner- infusium 23 is good or 911 emergency leave-in. I would suggest doing rollersets or wraps vs using heat. And stretching your relaxers to at least 12 weeks. Moisturize your hair daily and oil your scalp every 2 days (pay special attention to your ends as they need the most care cause they are the oldest). Take a multivitamin daily and drink at least 64 fluid oz of water daily. Hope this helps you get started.

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Me and you, your cousin and your momma too rollin on da strip on bow's


Posted By: Pokahontas
Date Posted: April 18 2006 at 7:51am

Welcome socialbutterfly.  You have definitely found the right place to learn to take care of your hair. 

There is a lot to learn but it will become easier over time.  You have to test out different methods and products to find out what works for you so you can develop your own hair care regimine.  Once you get a good regimine down your hair will start to thrive.

Do you use heat to style your hair and if so what do you use?  Tell us briefly what your current regimine is and what products you use so we can help you out more. 

I would suggest that you moisturize your hair daily with some type of creamy moisturizer that dosen't contain mineral oil or petroleum because they coat your hair and dry it out.  Use an oil such as olive oil over your moisturizer to seal in the moisture.  Deep condition once a week, protein treatments monthly.  For deep con I use NTM Mask or Lekair Cholesterol and for protein treatments I use Motions CPR.   If you are using heat to style, try to use it as less as possible.  For example....if you blow dry and flat iron try to cut out the blow drying by air drying your hair and then flat ironing.  Reducing heat use will really help your hair grow.  HTH



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Posted By: cmesweet
Date Posted: April 18 2006 at 9:47pm

These ladies have given you great advice. I just wanted to welcome you to the board.



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Natural
BC May 9, 2004



Posted By: socialbutterfly
Date Posted: April 19 2006 at 8:59pm
i do not use heat to style my hair. i let my hair air dry and i have never really used a flat iron on my hair because i saw no point since my hair is straight from chemical straightening but sometimes i use a curling iron. the products i use are cantu shampoo and conditioner, cantu grow strong strengthening treatment moisturzier thing and optimum oil therapy creme oil moisturizer. i usually use the optimum in the morning while i am styling my hair and the cantu strenghten thing before i go to bed. what are wraps? thanks for your help you guys. 

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Trust God; He holds the key to your future.


Posted By: cmesweet
Date Posted: April 19 2006 at 10:50pm
If you go to the upper portion of the African American forum, you will see a topic/link that says hair styling techniques. The first post mentions 2 variations of a wrap.  I hope that helps and other styles that you might be interested in without heat.

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Natural
BC May 9, 2004



Posted By: socialbutterfly
Date Posted: April 20 2006 at 6:32am
ok, thanks

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Trust God; He holds the key to your future.


Posted By: Renata22
Date Posted: April 20 2006 at 9:10am

I think the best way to learn to care for ANY texture of your hair is to first learn to take care of your own natural hair. After you learn to care for your natural hair, everything else is much easier and much less stressful because you have no fear of your hair "looking nappy" and won't do so much unhealthy stuff to try to keep it straight.



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Hair type: who knows?
Length: 23 inches as of 3/10/06
MY HAIR IS OFFICIALLY BRA STRAP LENGTH!!
Goal: Waist Length, which is only 30 inches so
ADVISE ME ON HOW TO GET JUST 7 MORE INCHES OF GROWTH!


Posted By: Luvlybelizean
Date Posted: April 21 2006 at 1:46pm

 welcome  abroad, SocialB you're at the right place and the best thing about it is that we're all looking for help and advice. i will provide you with some websites. But i encourage you to pick up a couple of magazines to see what else you cant try.

http://www.bytheplanet.com/Products/Henna/Henna.htm - http://www.bytheplanet.com/Products/Henna/Henna.htm

this site has some shampoos and conditioners with biotin in it as well as others take ya pick

http://public.fotki.com/dontspeakdefeat/super_grow_out_chal/products/ - http://public.fotki.com/dontspeakdefeat/super_grow_out_chal/ products/

this gurls regime is inspiring. i encourage u to keep a hair journal i bought a 3-ring binder to record and reflect on my HGchallenge

http://www.growafrohairlong.com - http://www.growafrohairlong.com

i hope you enjoy these.



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"A rose is still and always will be a rose"~Aretha Franklin.* Remember beauty is in the eyes of the beholder*
Last relaxer:4/06
Trans. styles: weaves&braids
goal:4-6" natural
Currently: 4"uneven


Posted By: Sharon71
Date Posted: April 22 2006 at 6:33pm
Welcome to the family Socialbutterfly you are in the right place! I think its a good suggestion that Renata22 made . Do get to know your own hair in its natural state and chemical free if you can and work forwards from this.  It will help you to find out what products really suit your hair. Keep your regime simple and like the other ladies have said its very important to keep your hair moisturized.  

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Sharon71XxX
Natural 10 yrs,mostly 4b,past BSL length(at back)
Joined Shoulder length challenge 15th April 2006.
GOAL: Healthy,thicker shoulder/L unstreched for Dec 12/15th 06'


Posted By: deexox
Date Posted: April 22 2006 at 7:10pm
Welcome to the Board SocialButterfly =) The ladies above have really given you some good advice.

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Hair Type- 4a/b *transitioning front of my head*
Length-ranges from 5-7 inches =)
Products- Garnier Fructis S & S Poo, Lustrasilk Shea Butter Mango Conditioner and Cantu-Leave in =)


Posted By: Champagne_Wishe
Date Posted: May 03 2006 at 11:08pm
A belated welcome from me.


Posted By: ThAbAdDeStBaBy
Date Posted: May 04 2006 at 2:48am
WELCOME to the forum..I have to co-sign with what the ladies already suggested. Also remember that it will take time to grow your hair and maintain its overall health and that it doesnt happen over night. But I think you will do well because your first step was finding us and asking questions. LOL

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ThAbAdDeStBaBy
http://public.fotki.com/ThAbAdDeStBaBy3 - http://public.fotki.com/ThAbAdDeStBaBy3
Hair Goal: BSL by late 2007-early 2008
Hair now: net weave w/EP-RT




Posted By: R2D2inoz
Date Posted: May 04 2006 at 7:41am

Welcome!

Your adoption probably hasn't handicapped your hair care that much compared to the average black woman raised by black parents.  Many of us didn't have a clue on how to take care of our hair properly until we did the research and found these boards on the internet.

I think the best thing to start of with is to formulate a weekly and monthly care regimen for your hair with plenty of conditioning.  I've found it great for forcing discipline on me and I've really found that the health of my hair has gradually built up over time.   



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Natural 10 years
3b/4a armpit length hair



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