Growing out thick hair

[kaiimac]

Hey all,

I am new to the forum and in need of some advice. I have extremely thick/coarse hair, and I have always wanted to grow it out. I have tried it a few times, and it always looks horrible in the process. Even with a few weeks without a hair cut, my hair gets so "poofy" and huge...mainly I am talking about the clipper-cut sides. I have attempted to get it "thinned out" but it seems to ruin the style that way. Do you flat iron it or use certain products? Or do you even keep the sides shaved and let the top grow? I just don't know where to start. I am tempted to just buzz cut it all the way around and let it all grow the same length. Anyway, thanks for any help you can offer.

I want it something like Pete Wentz, and it looks like his hair would be thick also.

http://media.photobucket.com/image/p...11268.jpg?o=45

http://www.bestweekever.tv/bwe/image...20n%20Pete.jpg

 

[DocHolliday]

I have extremely thick hair and growing it out was by far the best thing I've tried. The weight of the longer hair helps keep it under control. The downside is that it's going to look unfortunate for a while. I found that using a good conditioner helps. If anything, I tend to overcondition, so that my hair becomes a little limp. I also use Garnier Fructis' smoothing milk.

For Pete's hair, you could try a hot iron. His is also layered, but I wouldn't suggest you try that -- or thinning -- until your hair has grown out.

 

[kaiimac]

Thanks for the quick reply! How do you wear your hair?

I guess my question is also, like, you know how men's hair is usually clipper-cut on the sides and back and then a bit longer on top? Do you just let that grow out until it gets to your desired length and then go back and have it cut into some sort of style? Or do you get maintenance cuts throughout? Maybe I am overthinking this.

 

[DocHolliday]

It's longish all over, though not terribly long in back. I pretty much let the natural contours of my hair shape the cut, rather than continuing my futile efforts to beat it into submission. I get it cut fairly regularly now, but I found that cutting it while growing it out was counterproductive. A little trim now and then was fine, but thinning and the like was a mistake. Some of the awkwardness is unavoidable, or at least was for me.

 

[kaiimac]

I wanted to bump this to see if anyone has any suggestions or pictures they'd like to share. I have tried growing my hair out twice since this post, and I always get mad and cut it off. The sides literally kill me! I am thinking of trying it again and sticking to it for at least 3 months...when I graduate college.

 

[ctrlaltelite]

i have infamously thick hair. more often than not i keep it long and sweep my bangs to the right like so:

shortest i'll go is probably something like this:

right now i haven't had a haircut in 2 months or so. i deal with the poofiness by not shampooing it too much, i prefer letting the oil accumulate a bit and using just conditioner, which is what my stylist recommended.

 

[gatorfan15]

Originally Posted by ctrlaltelite

i have infamously thick hair. more often than not i keep it long and sweep my bangs to the right like so:

shortest i'll go is probably something like this:

right now i haven't had a haircut in 2 months or so. i deal with the poofiness by not shampooing it too much, i prefer letting the oil accumulate a bit and using just conditioner, which is what my stylist recommended.
Hey man, you have nice hair, how do you comb it? I've been growing my hair out for maybe 4 months from short length. I never know what to do with my hair when I get out of the shower. If I gel it up, it's too long to stay up and it falls down. If I comb it, it looks awkward for some reason. What do you do for the top and the bangs to look like that?

 

[kaiimac]

I really like your hair! So, how long do you go without shampooing? Do you just use water/conditioner every day?

 

[ctrlaltelite]

Originally Posted by gatorfan15

Hey man, you have nice hair, how do you comb it? I've been growing my hair out for maybe 4 months from short length. I never know what to do with my hair when I get out of the shower. If I gel it up, it's too long to stay up and it falls down. If I comb it, it looks awkward for some reason. What do you do for the top and the bangs to look like that?

thanks guys. um, i actually use very little product, when i did i used this kms molding paste (it smelled kind of like coconut), things like that work much better than gels or sprays, plus it's good for piecing. my girlfriend has this bumble&bumble creme that i used sometimes, but usually i just comb it with a brush when i get out of the shower, then it's pretty much "set it & forget it," however more often than not i have to fix it by running my fingers to get it out of my eyes. but i like to think my hand oils do it a little good.

blow-drying might help if you're trying to keep it up though, i had a semi-faux hawkish cut at one time and my stylist showed me how to give it a layered look using a comb and hair dryer.

Originally Posted by kaiimac

I really like your hair! So, how long do you go without shampooing? Do you just use water/conditioner every day?

yeah, i shampoo maybe 2-3 times a week, i almost always condition save for 1 or 2 days when i just let it get wet and dry.

 

[limping_decorum]

my hair was thick and wavy when i first grew it out.

as it got longer it turned into curly ringlets.

when it got to that point, i never brushed my hair after it dried, unless i wanted to look like jon bonjovi.

 

[Z3PT]

heym i have a thick hair too, and i really want to let it grow
i want something like axl, or similar to it
is ti possible?
some suggestions please