Hair Thickening Solutions to Consider

Matcha Ceremonial Grade Green Tea

Like many women, my crown of my head has been tempermental.  Relaxers, aging, overtightening of my locs have all contributed to some thinning over the decades.  However, I have great news!!!!

I added some Matcha Ceremonial Grade Green Tea to my Herbalife non-GM Chai tea and noticed hair thickening in my crown area. I also added Artichoke tea and Oolong tea to my daily regimen.  I consume the Herbalife tea cocktail in the morning.  The Artichoke tea in the midday.  The Oolong tea before bedtime.  I have done this for a month, and my scalp does not get "sticky" in that crown area anymore.  It looks thicker too!

According to my research, the green tea fights that DHT hormone that causes hair loss. I plan to stick with my teas.  It forces extra water consumption because it is literally steeping tea bags for the Artichoke tea and Oolong tea.

I have to mix the Ceremonial Grade Green tea in my Herbalife shaker bottle.  It tastes like "grass" unless I add it to my HerbaLife custom cocktail.

You can order the HerbaLife Non-GM Chai tea from my website at http://getset.goherbalife.com

You can order the Matcha Green tea from www.zuleana.com

Please get medical advice if you are already on other medications before adding herbal teas.  Men you can drink the tea too!

Artichoke tea, Oolong tea, Soursop tea and other teas can all be ordered from the Zuleana website.

Free registration is required for my HerbaLife website.  It allows me to followup with you!

My Herbalife chai tea and green tea cocktail

(along with Herbalife probiotics, collagen beauty booster, peach mango beverage mix, and cranberry aloe concentrate)

Confused about Hair Growth?

Question:  Do you have to keep your hair cut or trimmed to keep it growing?

ANSWER: No!  I have not cut my hair/Sisterlocks in almost five years . . . .  my hair is still growing!

Question:  Am I consuming too much biotin?

ANSWER:  If you are taking over 5mg/5,000mcg of biotin per day, then I would try to eliminate a biotin source. I have known too many people consuming 10,000 mcg, 12,000mcg and up of biotin  (superbiotin) per day.  It seems to cause other health and/or hair challenges.  Side effects vary.  If you are taking a multi-vitamin, a "hair, nails, and skin" vitamin, meal replacement shake (i.e. Herbalife), and taking an additional 5,000 mcg of biotin capsule, then you need to add up how much biotin that you are really consuming. You may need to reduce the "extra biotin" to 1,000 mcg if you are getting the Daily Value of Biotin from other sources.

Realistic Loc Growth in five months Timeframe

November 2016 Longer Locs and Less Weight (without bodyshaper)

June 2016 wearing bodyshaper and different denim slacks

Using Herbalife shakes, teas, soups to replace meals and get multi-vitamin intake.  Healthier lifestyle promotes hair growth and weight loss.

Does Hair Really Grow Evenly?

 As I was looking at some of the bushes that needed re-shaping, I realized that I could still see the bush's original shape, but some limbs were overachievers sticking out.

Different bush above, but it too seems to grow unevenly.  Don't you wonder if the same thing happens with our hair?

Many people are always trimming to keep a shape whether talking about hair or bushes. Many wonder if they are ever going to grow out evenly.

Curls hide a multitude of errors so having perfectly shaped hair is not necessary for those embracing wet sets and protective styling.

We should NOT expect our hair to grow evenly.  We should expect to get it shaped every six months to keep it on track if longer length is a goal.

Just a little food for thought from "Mother Nature."

Access to Air Promotes Hair Growth

I don't know about you, but this sleep cap with the holes in it is what I grew up wearing at night.  The emphasis is on the air flow to the scalp.

Now, consider the fact that we always envy women who can go to bed without "tying" their hair up.  They get maximum air flow to their scalp.

To further support my conclusion that the scalp's access to air flow promotes hair growth - I have a client who started with me seven years ago who had a "baldness pattern" where she had a little afro in the back of her head, but  no hair in the front.  Over the years, we kept her in wigs for corporate job purposes.  What we found was that the wigs that allowed more air flow seemed to promote more hair growth as far as thickening was concerned.  The healthy hair in the back seemed to spawn additional hair to continue growing from the back to the front.  So within six years, she actually had enough hair to braid cornrows from the front to the back of her head.  This was a huge accomplishment.  Now, that it is seven years later, she is comfortable wearing a baseball cap and showcasing her long cornrows in the back in her downtime. Her hair had finally grown enough to help her feel normal enough to go in public without a wig. This was a huge milestone.  I was so happy that she was happy.  There are still some areas of her scalp that are "smoothed over" and  shiny and will probably never grow another hair, but to look in the mirror and to see hair all over her head brought her joy.  I was proud that I made this journey with her.

So what is my message to everyone:  If your headscarf that you sleep in does not allow airflow, then you may be causing your hair to thin.

Think about it, have you ever let down a sweaty ponytail that had been in that ponytail for three days or even a whole week?  The scalp sometimes smells rancid right?  The sweat which is moisture, the thickness of the ponytail can compact heat, and we are always shedding cells which is "food" for bacteria growth.

So just like sweaty feet and any other sweaty body part that does not get enough air flow - bacteria or fungus can grow or suffocate the scalp and hair follicles without proper airflow.

Consider a real silk scarf which are usually dry clean only care or a sleep cap that allows airflow through it.  Those satin polyester scarves and bonnets do not allow air through them if there are no holes in them.

I even had to discontinue wearing my extra wide headband at night because my scalp area that I slept on seemed to feel a little sticky.  After a few days of sleeping free of any headwraps of any sort, my scalp felt more normal and healthier.  No stickiness and more volume.

For those who need to save their hairstyles at night, use several roller pins to anchor your style down and sleep on a satin pillow cover.

Let's try to give all the headwraps a rest!  You should be able to see a difference in one week.  If not, at least within two weeks, you should see and feel a difference.  Keep me posted.

Update:  I just purchased this "slumber cap" from RiteAid Drugstore for $3.79 USD plus tax.  It is ConAir brand.  So yes, these sleep or slumber caps still are being made.  Yay!!! They came in pink, white, and blue colors.

Hair Growing versus Gaining Length

So you reach another milestone on the "Hair Length chart" then everyone is saying . . ."Your hair is growing." (in a surprising tone) . . .

It is awkward to me to hear this terminology because our hair has always been growing . . .

Unless there is a medical reason, everyone's hair is always growing.  However, many people are not gaining length because their hair is breaking due to dryness, chemical damage, excessive heat, nutrition deficiency, or the natural behavior of their curl pattern and texture. Continuous hair breakage prevents many people from seeing their hair length increase, but we have to stop wishing for hair growth!

God has already granted you continuous hair growth.

Please focus on "gaining length."

Gaining Length
Gaining Length
Gaining Length

This is the new hair goal and the new hair terminology for 2014. So remember:

"Gaining Length."

by wet setting . . .  practicing less hair manipulation . . . limiting permanent haircolor.

Two Months comparison of Lock Growth

   

November 2013 (blue sweater)  versus  September 2013 (black and gold)

Two months equals about an extra inch of hair growth.  If I drew an imaginary line from my right ear out in a diagonal, then I can see more solid length and fullness in the picture on the left in the blue sweater.

I am also learning to style the locks more as the length is gaining.  Everyone seems to be more and more excited about my microlocks.

Now, that the length is getting closer to chin level, I have more guides to really monitor my growth.  I also do not  feel the need to wear it curly all the time.

In another week, my locks will be 16 months old.

Shaven Legs: Learning about Hair Growth

Have you ever shaved your legs and felt stubble by the next day?  That's proof that your hair does grow.  If you are fighting gray hair, then that would also explain that the new growth of gray hair is a never ending battle to keep covered.

Now, let's take the discussion even farther, if you never shave your legs, would you grow a ponytail full of hair on your legs?  No, for some reason, the length does stop growing on the legs based on individual genetics.

Most stylists will say "cutting your hair" does not make it grow, but I have found that if there is a patch of hair that is not growing; if you cut it back, then it does spawn hair growth.  Hair on your head can reach unlimited length without regard to hair type.  One has to learn to work with their hair versus against it.

Also, for many, the side or patch of hair that you want to grow out is on the side that you do not want to lose any more hair length. So a good cut is usually a great idea if you want to try a shorter look, but it is not an option for someone longing for length.  Adding some hair extensions to support the style may be a good option.  If the hair is growing, but it is breaking at the ends, then one must determine what is causing the breakage in order to gain length.  Cutting breaking hair may help with style, but it will not resolve the breakage problem.

Identify the breakage factor, cut the hair into a healthy style, and either wear new look or add  hair extensions to enhance the old look.

So that's a lot to learn from shaving legs . . .

A Secret to Grow your Hair Back

So you have tried the steroid shots at the dermatologist and failed.  So you have tried the prescriptions and topical applications and failed.  So you have sent over a $1000.00 and still no hair, no fuzz, nothing?

Well, one of my clients, experienced this exact situation with her hairline.  After months of following doctor's orders, she and the doctors gave up. So I suggested that we try the Bee Mine Products Hair Growth Serum with Sulfur and Mango scent.  She agreed.  She figured "what the heck? Why not?"  So we applied it sparingly around the hairline at the end of her hair service, and two weeks later, we saw some fuzz in her hairline area by her next hair visit.  We both had to pause and just laugh.  After months of doctor visits, co-pays, prescriptions, special shampoos, and over $1000.00 spent, the answer was in a little $8.00 bottle in my arsenal of hair products.  This client was just one of several clients who have seen hair growth with just one application every two weeks or with every shampoo service.

This particular client also had discontinued all haircolor as well as relaxer services.  She had no other hair chemicals being applied.  No flat irons.  Just thermal blowdry services.

Make sure the growth serum is fresh from the company . . . and you have one secret formula for hair growth.

Three and a half months SisterLocks Check-in

These monthly check-in's are good for me to see my progress.  In addition, more and more people who I come in contact with on a routine basis are growing more comfortable with my SisterLocks as they are growing out.  Some people are visionaries.  They can see pass the immediate.  Some people have to have everything "staged" and "front and center."  I am a visionary, but I can adapt to the needs of others.

Well, I am at my five weeks past my last retightening so of course, my roots are thick.  My third retightening is due next week.  Below is my one month SisterLocks anniversary.  The thickness is the same.  So it took about 30 days or less to thicken up from the installation.

Above is my SisterLocks on day one which is my SisterLocks birthday.  I have all my hair off my face so it may be hard to compare the progress.  Overall, I think that I am gaining length.  I believe my fullness is staying the same as it was from my first month of SisterLocks.

Split Ends: Where to trim?

Pictured is a ribbon. When I saw this ribbon, I realized that it reminded me of someone with split ends. In this picture, I show two different ends of the ribbon. One end of the ribbon is still in tact. The other end is unravelling.

So where do you cut? If you do not want to lose length, then I would just cut the string at the bottom but leave the loose ends.

Or should you cut some of the loose ends and be careful not to cause any more damage?

Or you should you just cut above where the damage ends are? You would lose a lot of length, but the ends would be nice and healthy looking again. This was probably your first thought as far as cutting this ribbon is concerned. A "no-brainer" right? Did any of the other options really even come to mind until after you read them?

Another question: Was I talking about hair or the ribbon pictured? The answer: I was talking about both - hair decisions as well as "ribbon decision." It is easier to cut this ribbon where it needs to be cut which is above the split end because it is just a ribbon, but cutting is a more difficult decision when it is relative to the hair on your head especially if you are trying to maintain a style.

Food for thought right? There is no right or wrong answer. Obviously, one would have to cut at least the string away from the ribbon. However, more importantly, one has to determine what caused the unravelling in the first place and make sure that it does not happen again.

Many "scissor happy" stylists as some would label them would without a doubt keep all your ends healthy looking. Some clients are happy with that. Other clients prefer the conservative cutting approach. I am conservative in my cutting. Why? To me, if a client has not eliminated the "cause" of the split ends, then they are going to split them again and again. I do not want to keep cutting off "too much hair" until they have a good daily regimen, and it will not interfere with their ability to style.

Tips for preventing split ends or stringy ends:
1) Stop using ionic flat irons.

2) Use curling irons and ceramic flat irons on the lowest settings as possible to do the job.

3) Wear a style that keeps the ends curled or in a loose updo. Avoid having the hair ends rub against the clothes too much. A loose ponytail or a bun works!

4) Keep the hair moisturized and soft. (Try Bee Mine Luscious Balanced Cream Moisturizer for those with dry hair. www.beemineproducts.com)

5) Get a manageable haircut that falls nicely without having to force a style into it.

6) Pretreat hair with organic, virgin, coconut oil from the health store before you shampoo.

Please see my separate articles on "Luscious", coconut oil, flat iron free pledge, and curling irons for more detailed reviews and discussions.

On a separate note, I wanted to address the saying that "keeping your hair cut; keeps it growing." Hair constantly should be growing unless there is a medical reason, but sometimes people do not see length (which people incorrectly describe as growth) because their hair is also breaking.

Split ends will grab and latch onto surrounding hair to make it difficult to style; therefore adding to breakage. So regular trims do assist in gaining length because you eliminate split ends and snags. Be careful not to interchange the terminology of "hair growing" with "length."

If you see hair getting longer, then maintenance is being done to keep it from breaking. The growth is free. Remember your eyebrows, hair on your legs, and other regular hair removal areas? Hair growth is always happening. Hair is always growing in areas that you do not want it because the ends are not getting split. An aw-haw moment? Right?

Just take care of your hair using some of the tips above to avoid breakage if you desire longer length hair.

Hair Growth Review: Five Months Timeframe

It's September 2011. Eight months without using a ionic flat iron. (See article on flat iron free pledge) Five sodium hydroxide relaxer attempts where four attempts only texturized my type 4c curl pattern. My final styling was completed with stove and marcel irons and the True Indulgence relaxer system. (Please see separate article.) I still have a little wave in my hair. On a separate note, I think that I have 3 different hair textures in my head. Below the occipital bone is probably a type 4a. Above the occipital bone into the crown is probably a type 4c. Let me clarify that my occipital bone sits low. Therefore I have a lot of type 4c hair. My front hair is probably a type 4b. I have had about five trims trying to keep some shape. I mainly layered in the back so I have been cutting away length there.
This picture is from April 2011. Big difference right? I had started to eliminate all the ends that had been flat iron damaged. Apparently, the curlier your hair; the more flat iron passes you take trying to get the hair straight. I figured out that I was losing the battle; so no more flat irons for me. So I started the "protective styling." (i.e. wigs and half wigs)
Then in June 2011, I realized the wigs were too heavy. The wigs were cute but they started traumatizing my scalp. Please my article on wig weight. The synthetic wigs are heavier than the human hair wigs, but they all were too heavy for my head shape. I still was growing lengthwise, but who needs thin hair? I intentionally left my hairline out to avoid damage from the traction of the wig. Can you imagine me thinning my hairline out?
So by July 2011, I was recovering from the wigs and protective styling. My front had thickened back up. I had started wearing my natural styling. The natural styling was a "bear" to deal with. I did not have a choice. The wigs were too heavy. I was trying to avoid the heat from any type of irons. I could not find a sodium hydroxide relaxer that straightened without burning me within 20 minutes or less.
August 2011, my new growth comes in strong again! It controls my whole look. I also started wondering if the texturized hair is reverting some. It was time to attempt the next relaxer. That was a battle. (See the separate article on my August hair battle) I was not pleased with the relaxer that I tried. It was extremely drying. I was going to have to discover a completely different combination of natural products just to adapt to this new partially relaxed hair. I did not have any more patience for this natural hair care. So I went into the gluefree quick weave styling to just let it rest because some areas were too straight to try to wear it natural, and some areas were too natural to hold straight in the crazy weather that we were having. Talk about caught between a "rock and a hard place."
September 2011, my growth was doing well. The Viviscal pills seem to work well. I decided to discontinue them during relaxer time. I am proud of my five months of hair growth. It was good for me to actually see my progress. I have been wearing my hair natural part of the time. I have also used the partial gluefree quickweave styling a few times. This styling is less stressful on the hair than the synthetic wigs, but it allows me a longer, straighter look for a styling change. Well, this was my hair texture before this September 2011 relaxer. I did not take a picture of the texture of my hair wet after the relaxer. Sorry. I still had texture in it but more wave than curl. I did not want it bone straight. However, I did need it straight enough not to revert back in high humidity. It took four sodium hydroxide relaxer attempts, and I still had not achieved enough straightness to prevent frizzing in high humidity. I am actually beginning to wonder if going from ultra kinky, sensitive scalp to straight enough to avoid reversion is realistic in one sodium hydroxide relaxer setting? I was not able to successfully do this in one setting. Of course, sensitive scalp formula relaxers can probably achieve this, but they are not healthy for the hair nor scalp. Once or twice a year in a bind, yes - you should recover; but I avoid sensitive scalp relaxers now at all cost!

This documentation is important to me because some stylists and people in general feel that "nappy hair" can only grow to a certain length and break. This is not true. "Nappy hair" is fragile in its natural state and if it is chemically overprocessed or heat damaged. If you keep "nappy hair" texturized enough to soften and not revert without over straightening it - length and strength can be maintained. So far I have learned that the frequency of relaxing is not a problem. It is the type of relaxer used. It is also how much straighening that you are trying to achieve in one setting. Stay positive, stay focussed, stay tuned!

Viviscal Extra Strength Dietary Supplement

Viviscal Tablets were highlighted in the May 2011 edition of InStyle magazine as a celebrity must-haves. (The information is on Page 240 in case you need to buy a copy and find out which celebrity uses it!)
Prior to this article, the February 2011 edition of Vogue Magazine also highlighted these tablets. Celebrity stylist Orlando Pita was quoted among others who recommended the tablets. (The information is on Page 151 in case you need to buy a copy to read the other testimonies!)
The tablets are described as 100 percent natural and designed to make hair grow long and healthy. I just bought my pack of 60 tablets. Each tablet is individually sealed by foil like "Sudafed" allergy tablets. You just break the foil as needed to get one out. I am only planning to take one a day versus the two a day recommended dosage according to the product instructions. I will keep you posted! By the way, the tablets do contain fish ingredients. The ingredients are clearly marked on the package just in case anyone has fish allergies.

If the tablets do make a difference, then I wonder what happens if you discontinue usage? They are expensive tablets to get "hooked" on!

A Look at Hair Growth in two months

Hair typically grows around a half inch a month. Pictured here is a few clippings from a haircut. The client has mid-back hair in long layers; so for her- this was a trim. :-)

Notice the clippings are about an inch long? That is about two months of growth. So it is easy to cut two months of hair when you have a lot to work with; but those who are working toward gaining length, an eighth of an inch is more than enough for a routine trim.

It is amazing how quickly two months can go by. Patience is a virtue when it comes to hair growth. Want to learn more about this clients' hair? See our September 2010 article. (Click on the link to find out about these double processed clippings.)

Hair tools: Direct heat versus Infrared Heat

Hot hair tools have been around for over a hundred years! Direct heat is the oldest technology. If you have to wait for a good 10 minutes for the tool or appliance to heat up, then it is direct heat. If the tool heats up in 15 seconds or less, then it typically using infrared heat. So your old curling irons, old flat irons, and hot rollers that you had to turn on early to get them hot enough to use are also direct heat. Pictured are two 2 inch irons. One cost $40 retail and the other costs $200 retail. The $40 marcel flat iron must be heated up in or on a heat source. The use of it becomes direct heat. The $200 Chi Turbo flat iron pictured heats up within 15 seconds of plugging up and turning it on.

When to use the infrared heat versus the direct heat? If you are going for bone straight hair without any bend nor curls, then infrared heat from the flat iron works great for styling purposes. Thermal protectant is vital to maintain the health of the hair. However, if you want any type of body or curl without having to use heat everyday to touch it up, then direct heat from even the traditional curling iron seems to hold for days without reapplying heat. The direct heat seems to give more body. Re-emphasizing that direct heat method has been effective for styling and allowing the hair to grow for over a hundred years WITHOUT "thermal protectants." The only things needed for decades were 1) styling spray for maximum hold and 2)shine spray. And yes, pressing oils were needed for pressing comb applications. No rocket science here . . . and we had plenty of "growing hair!" Madame C.J. Walker was living proof that we did not have to have infrared heat to have long hair. We just need "higher end" hair care products and conservative application of heat for styling.

Please remember that hair should be as clean as possible when using any type of hot tool. Also, hair growth is normally a half inch a month, but we have to prevent the strands from breaking in order to see that the hair gets maximum length.

On a side note, Black salons are losing the black haircare business . . . I do not think that it is coincidence that switching from the traditional stove and marcel styling into exclusive flat iron usage just happened around the same time. The traditional methods of marcel irons and pressing combs defined "Black hair."

Documenting Hair Thickening Naturally

"The After:" Fresh haircut and style. Hair and scalp can recover from thinning caused by chemicals and not enough oxygen. You must make sure that wigs and hairpieces have enough holes to see through and allow oxygen/air to get to the scalp. Be careful of drawstring ponytails. Ponytail attachments have added weight concentrated in one area of the head and they do not allow scalp to breathe. Hairpieces look cute as far as styling but save them for special events versus everyday use.
"The Before:" Yes. This is the same head of hair as above except it is a picture about 1.5 years prior. What you see is the results of several years of professional sensitive scalp relaxer services by licensed professionals in state licensed salons. This is proof that Sensitive Scalp relaxers are like using "Super Stength" all the time! Sensitive scalp relaxers should not be a preferred choice. Please copy and paste the following link into your browser window to see an article supporting that sensitive scalp relaxers can be more dangerous than traditional lye relaxers: http://www.dralisyed.com/2009/10/new-information-regarding-sens.html#more

Within three weeks of using the Gluefree QuickWeave method created by Morning Glory Products. It is a messy service, but the protective serum allows the hair to grow! Under supervision of licensed hair professional Benita Blocker.

Proof that your hair and scalp can recover without hair transplants under the supervision of licensed professional Benita Blocker. Kinky curly (Type 4c) hair is texturized using Paul Mitchell relaxers/retexturizing for more control. The scalp remains healthy without chemical burns!

This is proof (Blown out proof) that Licensed Professional Benita Blocker can grow your hair with proper chemical texturizing! (using Paul Mitchell relaxer System -- gentle enough for the most sensitive scalps!)

After growing out enough length (at least three inches all over), you can get a professional haircut and style when you are ready.