Caring for Daughter's Long Hair

my daughter had the same issues-beauty shop told me to use this mix-it worked great-1 egg-3tablespoons mayonaise,mix together-put in hair-wrap with plastic baggy-1/2 hour wash out-shampoo/conditioner-her hair is lacking protein-this mix puts it back in-do it 2 xs a week-until you see the difference-then twice a month until cut...

start off with a good shampoo and conditioner. Even after she donates 8 inches of it, you should have them "thin it out" with a thinning sheers. Then there is this stuff I bought to try on my hair for smoothness, that I ended up using on my daughters hair cause it worked so well for snarls, and taming frizz. It's called; SUPER SKINNY SMOOTHING SERUM by PAUL MITCHELL. You should be able to get it at any salon that carried Paul Mitchell products. It's about $20 for a somewhat larger bottle, (as opposed to the small one), but it does last for a very long time. You just put a couple pumps in your hands, rub them together, then put it in her hair, wet or dry, it works both ways. I think it's used to protect and smooth hair when it is heat styled too, but it works great!! It makes your hair really soft!! I love this stuff..I also use Pantene Beautiful Lengths shampoo and conditioner on my daughters long hair. But you just have to make sure with Pantene, to use a Clarifying Shampoo once a week, or everyother week to get rid of any build up. But if she used the super skinny serum everyday, or you do, it will make a big difference... Good Luck....

I have no recommendations on actual hair products...that will depend on your childs hair type, your budget and time contraints for the routine.

My daughter has always had long hair. Thick and heavy...curls as a toddler and small child, that became waves and then mostly straight as the weight grew into it.

The brushing routine was awful for us! But she did not want to cut it....she was very singleminded as a 2 year old (and still is as a teenager!)! So I wanted to do what I could to maintain it. A friend recommended a BOARS HAIR bristle brush for her hair when it was dry. This was the BEST thing on the planet for us! We used a spiny brush or a wide toothed comb for the wet hair, plus a spray leave in conditioner (usually not a child specific product and generally not a super high end product, but something like a Fantastic Sams sort of product worked well for us.. a few squirts was plenty).....her hair was shampooed every other day in general...of course depending on activity. She usually bathed at night and went to bed with damp hair, but we did what we called a "loose" braid for bedtime..a very loose braid that just kept the hair together so she didnt get that awful rats nest from sleeping which would make for a much more difficult and painful for her grooming session in the morning.

But the BOARS HAIR bristle brush for dry hair was our best #1 product for maintaining the long long hair!

Good Luck~

I'm not sure if this was already suggested but Johnson and Johnson makes a wonderful leave-in conditioner that works wonders. After bath and washing my daughter's hair, we just put it in and comb it out. The nice thing is that it continues to work even the next day. I can't remember what it's called but it's in a green squeeze container. Good luck.

I can tell you that there is a product by Redken that is for naturally wavy or curly coarse hair. It is called Redken Fresh Curls it comes in a green bottle. They have there own line of shampoo and conditioner and there is a product called Redken Fresh Curls Curl Booster. You spray this on her hair and let her hair air dry or blow dry and it will be soft pretty waves. They carry a whole line for naturally curly or wavy hair. I have very thick long naturally curly hair, that is coarse and can get dried out this product is the best for this type of hair. I use all the Redken products and they work great. My 6 yr old niece uses the Curl booster as well, she has natural wave and it looks so pretty and and not all over the place and uncontrollable! Your hair does not look frizzy when done using this product. they secret to this kind of hair is you can not wash it everyday or you dry it out even more. Every other day or even every 2 days. Good luck to you! Here is the Redken website in case you are interested: http://www.redken.com/products/haircare/fresh-curls

Also, another product I have found that is great is Catwalk in a blue pump bottle is called Curl Rock Amplifier 1-2 pumps is great for damp hair also by Catwalk there is Curls Rock Curl Booster in a blue can you just spray on the hair on days you do not wash your hair and it brings the curl right back to life! Both very good products.
Happy Holidays! Becky

Sadly I'm pretty sure they have to be able to take at least 10" in order to have it donated.

I have long, course, curly hair that twice a year I cut off 10-12 inches for Locks of Love, so I know exactly what you are going through. I bring my specific shampoo, conditioner, and fly away conrol everywhere (when traveling). I use Biolage they have puprle lable daily shampoo, and a lt. orange lable detangeling conditioner. This all helps with the dryness and tangels my hair gets. I do use shampoo and conditioner everyday. While my hair is still wet I use Aquage (blue container) curl defining cream. This helps with the fly aways and help keep my hair moisturized all day. As far as things to do prior and after the cut, just the daily routine is all I do except for on the day of the cut I do not use the Aquage - that way my hair is clean. It may take a while for her hair to repair from any damage, but give it a week or two with this regimin, and all should be good. As far as differant ideas to "doing" her hair, try just pony tails, or Bobby pin hair clips near the tempels and then a small pony near the nape of the neck, or a big "claw" clip with the hair hair pulled back and twisted up into it. These will all keep hair out of her face and not cause all the damage (waves) that braids can cause. - Good Luck!

You've gotten a lot of great responses already. You didn't mention what your are using now, but I think bottom line is you need to be using an adult products. My daughter is 2 1/2 and I've recently started using my S & C on her (she has beautiful silky straight hair) I've found it to be less staticy and more managable than when I was using the kids 2 in 1 stuff. I wouldn't recommend not washing her hair like previously stated (unless you daughter is black or biracial) but you could space her shampoos out to every third day or so. You might just have to experiment a little bit.

Good Luck!

Hi C.,

I too have long thick curly hair. I tend to have dry brittle hair. I have found that pantene is the best shampoo for me. I am using the new one to strengthen your hair right now. I have also used the ice shine. I have a brush I keep in the shower, when I put in the creme rinse I brush I then brush my hair. It does 2 things, It helps to detangle so it is easier after the shower to brush thru and it also collects the loose hair so it doesn't clog up the drain!!! I have donated to lock of love a couple times also, it gives you such a good feeling to know you are helping someone!!!

It helps to use a good Shampoo and Conditioner nothing you buy at the grocrey store. A good shampoo and conditioner will last longer than the cheap stuff from the store also since you don't have to use as much of it. Make sure you use a lot of water on her hair when shampooing, if you don't get a good lather don't be tempted to us more shampoo it means her hair is not we enough so just we her head a little bit more. Paul Mitchell has a good line of products they also have a spray in treatment for after you shower called Taming Spray just for kids that makes a huge difference if you spray it on before you comb it after the shower. Also have your stylist thin her har out maybe with some layers or somthing.

i always had hair down to my waist when i was little and it was curly.my mom would use a thick conditioner like VO5 that is left in. it does wonders! my son has hair down to his sholders and his was getting really brittle and dried out so i bought some and it used it once a day on him and with in a week its healthy and shiny. now we only use it once a week to keep it that way and for 3 months its been looking better than it ever has.

I've had thick, coarse, long hair all my life - the routine that I SWEAR by: shampoo as usual (I use tre'seme (cheap stuff at Target) moisturizing for both shampoo and conditioner) then put conditioner in and LEAVE IT IN for at least 5 minutes. Rinse and just before getting out of the shower - rinse in ICE COLD WATER. It's tricky and a cold end to a warm shower, but it helps! then I use a leave in conditioner spray (I think that is Tresemme too). Also, braid it before bed - keeps it from being a snarly mess in the morning and make sure you use hair binders without the metal bands (damages the hair) and brush hair before washing it. Another trick is to not wash it every day. The oils that build up help keep the hair healthy and strong - brush it a couple times the day it isn't washed. I've always been told I have very healthy hair and I only get it cut once, maybe twice a year.

Good Luck!

C. - my daughter is bi-racial (her dad is black and I'm Caucasian). We had a terrible time with her hair because of the natural curl. It was always dry until I learned the secret of dealing with curling hair. She is now 19 and deals with her hair on her own. The secret to curly hair is no shampoo. She'll get her hair wet and add conditioner but rarely if ever does she use shampoo. It has made a big difference for her. Her hair is healthier. Also, I found that most hair care/skin care products contain preservatives and other toxic chemicals. I switched our health and beauty products to Sense. It's manufactured by Usana Health Sciences and their products do NOT contain any chemicals or preservatives called parabens.

Good luck,

D.

My daughter is 9 and last year she donated 10 inches to locks for love. It was a great experience for her and taught her compassion and made her feel great about what she was doing. She is currently growing her hair out again so she can donate it. We love the Johnsons detangler, couldn't live without it.

If you donate it you must donate at least 10 inches and that's curly hair stretched out. Here's a link to locks of love. They create wigs for children and that's where I donated mine:) http://www.nexxus.com/locks-of-love/index.html

I use Pantene hair conditioner on my kids and it works great. The kiddy spray in conditioner alone doesn't work well.

Try rubbing in some olive, jojoba or coconut oil to her hair. You can leave it in overnight or just for a few hours, then wash.

I was haveing the same issue with my daughters hair so when I took her to get it cut I asked the stylist how to keep her hair healthy she told me to only comb it with a soft bristle brush and ONLY use a pick to comb her hair when wet. It has made a huge difference. her hair is healthy and shiny now. Good luck T.

Hi, C. - I LOVE Pantene products - I also have long hair, which had become quite brittle since moving to a cold and dry climate - I started using Pantene shampoo and conditioner daily, and my hair has been restored and is soft and silky all the time now! They make a wide variety of different conditioners, my personal favorite being the moisturizing ones. Good luck, and by the way, I commend your for the donation of her hair and it's ok if you have to give a couple more inches than you planned - It will grow back :-)