Then & Now - Unlock Your Growth Potential

[It isn't a real cig guys..lol just one of those candy puffers]

I came across this picture yesterday, and I could not believe the shape of my hair, it was extremely thin, fragile, and lifeless. I wanted to post this picture as a source of inspiration for others who have this as their starting point, as well as a quick recap of how I managed to go from thin to thick hair. Hopefully this helps others along the way.

 [My hair two months ago]

Cut back on the tight ponytails: Hair that is thinning and fragile should be maintained with low tension hair styles. Tension from tight buns, braids, and ponytails can lead to additional thinning around the hairline as well as the nape area. Breakage can also occur around the area of the ponytail holder as well. Opt for free-flowing styles such as braid outs, twist outs, flexi sets, and even roller sets, until your hair is strong enough to withstand the tension from ponytails and braids.

Go heat free for as long as possible: Hair that is damaged due to unhealthy thermal straightening practices needs to be nursed back to health. Going heat free allows for protein regeneration along the hair shaft, which strengthens the Keratin bonds, thus resulting in stronger hair. Try a series of protein treatments to fortify your tresses during this time. I would recommend doing two protein treatments the first month of your journey, then every 4-6 weeks or as needed. My favorite protein treatments are:

Sebastian 2+1 [2 Parts Moisture, 1 Part Protein]

Dudley's Hair Rebuilder [Great for correcting elasticity issues]

Keracare Super Reconstructor [A heavy duty protein treatment well worth it's weight in gold]

Try an Ayurvedic regimen: I maintained a strict Ayurvedic regimen for about the first 6-8 months of my hair journey, this included scalp massages [helps stimulate scalp, which in turn promotes growth], implementing an ayurvedic pre poo regimen, and also regular henna treatments to strengthen my hair. Most of my Ayurvedic products were all natural herbs and oils that are all purported to help thicken hair, and stop excessive shedding/breakage. My favorite oils are:

Bhringaraj - Nourishes hair and scalp w/essential nutrients necessary for healthy hair growth. I purchase this oil from my local Indian grocer.

Brahmi - Is another favorite of mine, it promotes a nice healthy sheen, strengthens hair, eliminates issues with dandruff, and also nourishes your hair and scalp. I use the Ramtirth brand, which has Coconut Oil as it's base vs Mineral Oil. Ramtirth Brahmi oil is infused with a proprietary blend of 22 Indian herbs. I also purchase this from my local Indian grocer. 

The classic wash & go is made a lot funkier by shaping the models hair, and adding bangs.

If you are on your last leg of your braid out/twist out, plop a hat on and pull out some face framing tendrils or bangs to keep from having to slick your hair back into a pony.

Although this is a wash & go - Flexi rod sets are a nice way to cheat perfect coils if you don't have this curl pattern naturally! [Wendy from Honey Brown Sugar shows you how she created this style here]

 A braid out with a side part is also adds a bit of funkiness to a braid-out. 

Air dry [this works best if your hair is shorter and has some type of shape to it]

Twist-out

Instead of bunning on a bad hair day, pin your hair up [similar to the way you would do an up do] and add a over sized chic headband, bow, or statement piece.

All pics courtesy of Fuckyeahcurlscurlscurls