Cathy Howse, the author of "Grow 6'' Longer 1 Year from Now"  Is currently writing a new book about her discoveries about tranitioning. 

Cathy Howse wrote: My last retouch was May 14, 2004. After 35 years of relaxing my hair I have decided to give up chemical straightening for 3 reasons: Aging brings with it its own complications. (Alzheimer’s, dementia and cancer) I have no interest in becoming a test dummy for relaxer products and the fewer chemicals I expose myself to, the better. I am afraid of losing my hair to chemical relaxing. With so many sisters experiencing balding and thinning hair problems I found myself asking, what really causes Black women’s thinning hair? Do I think chemicals are the culprit? Chemical relaxers are one of the problems. Especially when they are constantly pushed on to the scalp with the back of the stylist hand, repeatedly throughout time. To help us understand this issue my next book will be on “Saving our hair after giving up chemical treatments”, thus the reason for my Thinning Hair Survey (another first for African-American women). One thing you should know is that no-lye relaxers are not the problem because even sisters who wear lye relaxers are having the same issues! It also has nothing to do with dry hair! I want to demonstrate to sisters everywhere that you CAN stop relaxing your hair and keep it on your head! Going natural now after 35 years is a chore. The maintenance doesn’t change except now I HAVE to comb my natural hair wet to detangle and stretch it out or I end up with one big hard ball of hair roots with straight ends! Constantly, I am asked about what styles I wear. Now with the two textures of hair, I have opted for five styles: Twist (yes even with long chemically straightened ends) Ponytails Plaits pulled up on top of my head with a scrunchie 2 pigtails pulled together with a scrunchie Straight – with a blow dryer and flatiron (very seldom) Watch for my book to give you more details!!

I can't wait for the new book, I have her second edition.  Maybe I really can keep all my hair with no BC!

What do you all think?

Vanity . This new book sounds like an excellent read . Did you find her 2nd edition helpful to you and did you adopt her approach to caring for your hair as you are transitioning ? I think i'm going to order the 2nd edition from Amazon, i noticed she has over 100 book reveiews. It was interesting that the emphasis on her ideas is not about what products you use on your hair but what techniques you use for caring for your hair. But i did get a bit confused because there is also an emphasis on using her own hair products she designed? Do the two go in hand i wonder? did you get this view too? I also noticed she has her own hair care products which her site promotes of course . Did you try these in conjunction with her book?. I wondering if anyone else on this forum has a testomonial about Cathy Howse's findings/products.

Just another comment to add . I'm quite open minded and love to read about the care and maintainance of black hair from a physical and emotional perspective but i also like to research too before i invest in a product and i guess where would we be without testomonials or reviews as these speak volumes as to whether one decides to try a hair regime/ product or not . I went on to both Uk and US Amazon sites to look at Cathy's book reviews and i must say there is such a split camp between current readers this year and dating back to the early 2000's. Some readers were impressed with her book/ products whilst other were not. 

Like yourself Vanity i'd love to hear if anyone has had any first hand experience of reading this book what they experienced and even so far to try her products. I'm now in two minds whether to get her 2nd edition ( as i'm not transitioning but would welcome the read) or wait for the new book to come out or just get both?

I found her 2nd edition to be very informative.  Some of her practices I've adopted, some I didn't.  You don't have to use her products, I haven't.  You can substitute your own, when she suggest one.  No big deal.  It is the technique for the care of your hair and the ingredients of what you put into your hair that's most important. 

I got my book at Borders!  I ordered it at a store and picked it up, no S&H charges!  Plus I had a coupon for 20% off!

Vanity I have never ready any Kathy Howse books but I do have "Going Natural Learning to Fall in Love with Your Natural Hair" and I found it very informative and helpful when I transitioned. It was all about care. It gives good explanations of different chemicals,different types of techniques.  I woudl recommend it and it is now available at Barnes and Nobles.  Check out http://www.going-natura.com - www.going-natura.com .

Just my 2 cents.

Hope this helps.

i definatley plan on getting her 2nd ed. and other books to help me.

THANXX vanity