BucketCrab's Practical Hair Guide - Understanding Hair & How To Get Beautiful Hair As Quick As Possible.

DelonLover1999 · Nov 1, 2023

inwardgonionscel said:
Tbh i think it's the oral minox that made them thicker cuz this shit works a lot, topical minox on lashes is bullshit but when applied near them it has an effect but u can't do this as you have thick brows..

I think you gotta use oral minox managing the dosage to avoid weird side effects and while using it use topical castor and biotin oil (biotin will probably carry as castor didn't thicken yours)

Also taking the biotin oil orally and castor oil orally to doubles growth i've discovered it on mpmd, it makes my stomach feel weird when ingested but it works.

thanks, will def try

inwardgonionscel · Nov 1, 2023

DelonLover1999 said:
thanks, will def try

Your welcome brother

emeraldglass · Nov 2, 2023

BucketCrab said:
“...hair is architecture with a human element.”
– Vidal Sassoon

View attachment 2512993
BucketCrab's Practical Hair Guide
the fastest way to understand hair, and how to make it beautiful

Introduction
This guide is written with the explicit aim to educate people about hair care in order to achieve beautiful hair as quickly as possible.
As such, it won't go in-depth regarding many topics, but simply provide good practical information about how to do things. This guide is meant to be a vademecum of sorts, rather than a trove of scientific information; I usually pride myself on always articulating the reasons that lead me to assert something, but since this is a practical guide with practical aims, I've decided to cut out the explanations and focus on the actual procedures you should go for.
This will require you to kind of take my word, obviously; still, you can find scientific information about how hair works all over the internet. You can read this guide to have said information already digested for you, so that you can make hair choices with ease; most of the information in here is the summation of years of tinkering, reading, studying and flat out stealing the wisdom of professional hairdressers, whose entire job revolves around giving people beautiful hair.

Guide Philosophy and Structure
As mentioned above, this guide is a practical way to solve hair issues in the least amount of time; little time will be wasted on lengthy explanations on why something works a certain way. Additional information on the topics mentioned can be found elsewhere; you are going to have to trust me on the specific underlying mechanisms that make something work better than something else in a specific situation.

Part I will detail the correct way to take care of your hair in general. It will also explain what hair products do and how to use them.
Part II will be dedicated to understanding your particular hair's requirements and issues.
Part III will discuss possible ways in which you you may attempt to solve said issues.
Part IV will discuss products that could be beneficial to your specific case.

On Hair Length
This guide has little to offer to people who wear their hair quite short, and is mostly meant for medium and long haired users. That is because short hair is "young" and has had little time to accumulate damage, since it will be cut again before said damage can start showing. That is why people with short hair can take little care of it and it will still look decent, whereas longer hairstyles need more time and care. Yes, when you have super short hair you can get away with shampooing it every day and just rubbing it with a towel; that does not apply to longer hairstyles at all, so let's forget the idea that beauty comes without effort.

The Golden Rule
The first and most important thing you must understand to achieve good hair is that EVERYONE'S HAIR IS DIFFERENT.
What works for someone may not work for someone else. Think of hair like skin; people's skin have different issues and requirements, and thus require different approaches. It's the exact same with hair, so don't fall for "miracle cures" and "one size fits all" products. This guide is, therefore, only a STARTING POINT for you to begin the journey - you will have to study and understand your hair yourself.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

PART I
Hair care made simple

View attachment 2512996

Taking care of your hair can be split into four major areas: washing, drying, styling and lifestyle. Each areas may require different products but the ultimate aim of this section of the guide is ensuring a rock-solid foundation of health for your hair, before we go on to tackle more specific issues.

Hair care products
There are a LOT of hair products, but don't be discouraged. I have listed them all right here; if you hear of an hair product but it isn't in this list, assume it's not as necessary. It is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT that you understand that you won't get beautiful hair by being stingy; supermarket hair products are watered down and rarely effective. It is a wise idea to invest money in quality hair products if you are serious about your hair. Choose high-quality products that professionals use in their salons and you will avoid wasting your money on useless snake oil that gives no results.

Shampoo: it is used to clean your scalp, not your hair. If applied directly to hair it will strip it of its natural oils, making it dry and ugly. Shampoo is the first product you apply when washing your hair. It is washed out of your hair after being applied.

Conditioner: it is used to restore strength and moisture to your hair, not your scalp. If applied to your scalp it will clog the follicles, leading to dandruff. Conditioner is the second product you apply when washing your hair, right after shampoo. It is washed out of your hair after being applied.

Leave-in conditioner: it is used to seal moisture inside your hair strand, making sure it does not escape the hair, ensuring it remains healthy and beautiful. Unlike a Conditioner, a Leave-in Conditioner is NOT washed out of your hair after being applied.

Hair oil: it is used to seal moisture into particularly vulnerable areas, such as your hair ends and, to a lesser extent, your hair mids. It helps fight frizziness and protect your hair. It is NOT washed out of your hair after being applied.

Blow dry cream: it is used to protect your wet hair before you blow dry it; when wet, your hair is at its most vulnerable and it will always require protection. It is not washed out of your hair after being applied.

Heat protectant: it is used to protect your dry hair before you use a flat iron on it. Heat is very dangerous for your hair and it can lead to damage if you do not properly protect your hair with a heat protectant. It is not washed out of your hair after being applied.

Hair mask: it is used to repair damaged hair or fix certain hair problems. Hair masks can be applied to wet or dry hair and are generally left on for a long period of time before you wash them out.

Washing
Washing your hair correctly is simple but most people do it wrong. It should be done this way:

Phase I - Shampooing
Gently wet your hair with lukewarm water for 1 minute allowing it to open up. Put shampoo on your scalp and gently rub it with your fingertips all over the scalp; this is a good time to have a scalp massage as well since you're basically already doing it. Keep rubbing gently until the shampoo forms a lather, once you're done (shouldn't take you more than 5 minutes even with a scalp massage), wash it all off.

Phase II - Conditioning
Gently squeeze your hair to remove excess water. Do NOT pull, scratch or twist. Just gently squeeze your hair inbetween your palms. Once you got most of the water out, apply conditioner to your hair and NOT to your scalp. Leave it on for 2 to 10 minutes, then wash it off with cold water.

Drying
Drying your hair is the hardest part and the one where most people do the most damage. When wet, your hair is in its most vulnerable state and should be treated like glass: that means you must be super gentle with it.

There are two main ways you can dry your hair: Blow Drying and Air Drying.

Blow Drying will require good technique but allows you to change your hair's pattern. Blow Drying will require a blow drying cream and a quality blow drier as well. It is impossible to properly explain how to blow dry in written form, so you will need to find tutorials elsewhere; YouTube should have plenty of options.

Air Drying will require a microfiber towel for optimal results. Once you are out of the shower, gently squeeze water out of your hair by hand, then gently pat your hair with your microfiber towel until it's about 60 to 80% dry. Apply your leave-in conditioner, then you can wrap your hair in another microfiber towel (one that's not wet) and leave it on to dry for a few hours. Alternatively, you can leave your hair uncovered right after you apply your leave-in conditioner, but I wouldn't recommend it as you'll need hair that's in PERFECT health to avoid it losing moisture.

Some people wrongfully assume Air Drying is damaging because your hair remains wet for too long, or that Blow Drying applies unnecessary heat to your hair.
Both are wrong. Either way of drying is perfectly fine.
Just make sure to use a blow-dry cream and good technique when blow drying to ensure no heat damage. If instead you decide to air dry, just keep in mind the shape your hair dries in is the way your hair will stay - you obviously won't get to decide your hair's shape if you air dry it and don't use heat on it right after.

Styling
Styling refers to all procedures that are not meant to fundamentally change your hair's structure but merely the way it looks. The most common ways of styling your hair are connected to the use of heat. There are countless heat tools one can use, but the most effective, safe and widely used is the Flat Iron. I will skip the specifics or heat hair tools as you need an actual video to see the technique in action; what I want to focus on is ensuring styling won't damage your hair.
Information on the various procedures you can use to change your hair pattern through heat can be found elsewhere.

To protect hair from heat damage, follow these FOUR rules:
Rule 1: I will NOT apply heat to my hair when it is wet, greasy/unwashed, or already damaged.
Rule 2: I will NOT use heat styling more than twice a week, and I will avoid morning touch-ups.
Rule 3: I will always use a Heat Protectant before heat styling, and an hair oil right after heat styling.
Rule 4: To ensure heat styling lasts as long as possible, I will only use heat right after I washed and dried my hair.

Using a Heat Protectant: Spray from afar so that the spray can actually become a cloud and coat your hair in a wide area. A few sprays for each section should be sufficient; heat protectant should not be felt on your hair and it shouldn't make your hair greasy - you don't have to SEE IT on your hair to know it's there, and if you go overboard, you will make your hair greasy and heavy and that will negatively impact your heat styling. Once it's been sprayed, brush your hair to coat it evenly and proceed with your heat styling.

Lifestyle
Biologically speaking, your hair is fairly useless, but it is a good way to instantly tell if an organism is in good health or not, since it's one of the first things your body ditches when it feels threatened. That is why so many diseases cause hair loss, and why you can even lose hair from a sudden debilitating shock, like surgery. Veterinarians routinely gauge a pet's health by the state of its fur, and humans are not different. Hair is a quick way to tell the health state of its owner throughout a long period of time... as such, one of its foundations is good habits for your overall health.

Diet: A balanced diet with plenty of protein and omega-3 will ensure optimal hair growth. Focus on fatty fish, nuts, eggs, avocados, sweet potatoes, meat.

Water: Drink 3+ liters of water a day to ensure optimal liquid intake.

Sleep: Sleep 8hr+ a day, in a slightly cold room, in complete silence and darkness, and following regular sleep patterns (go to sleep and wake up at roughly the same hours throughout the entire week).

Sun: Direct sunlight can damage hair through a process similar to bleaching; protect your hair, wear hats, or just avoid frying it under intense sun for too long.

Swimming: Salt water (from the sea) and chloride (from swimming pools) can damage your hair in the long run; moreover, wetting your hair too often can also lead to breakage and damage.

Tying your hair: When at home, try to never tie your hair. When outside, avoid tight hairstyles as they can lead to hair loss and breakage. Ponytails should be low-set, not high-set; this applies minimal stress to hair follicles.

Hair ties: Never use low quality hair ties and stay away from those with little metallic pieces in them. Use scrunchies if possible, as they are less damaging to hair.

Scalp massages: Massaging your scalp relieves tension and fosters hair growth; a good rule of thumb is having a relaxing scalp massage every time you shampoo.

Brushing: Avoid brushing your hair too much and only use quality brushes. Never brush when wet if you can avoid it.

Touching your hair: Avoid touching and pulling on your hair, as well as scratching your scalp.

Towels: Only use microfiber towels in your hair as they prevent frizz and breakage.

Pillowcases: Only use silk pillowcases as they prevent frizz and breakage.

Combs: Use wide-toothed ones.

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PART II
Understanding your hair

View attachment 2512997

You will have to spend a lot of time and some money on your hair, trying many different products and improving your routine little by little. For some, it's a quick process, while the unlucky ones will take a long time to find a routine that works for them. It is better to start this process as soon as possible, since it will be a long journey.
Your process will be based on the Scientific Method: you will...

Study your hair to see where you can improve it.

Formulate an hypothesis as to what is wrong with it.

Choose a product/routine to attempt to fix it.

Implement that routine for a certain amount of time, taking notes on what is working and what is not.

Review the data to see what worked and what didn't, and start the process again until you obtain satisfying results.

Types of hair
Most people think there are four hair types: straight, wavy, curly and kinky.
This is wrong, because these are hair patterns, not types. A hair's pattern only tells you the shape of your hair; a hair type tells you what product you need to use, and since our goal is creating beautiful hair, that is what we need to consider!
In order to improve our hair, we must forget hair patterns and focus on two main features that are often overlooked: thickness and porosity.

View attachment 2505382
Thickness - the width of your hair strands.
To find out the width, start by taking a single strand of hair and laying it flat on a table.
If you can barely see the hair or feel it between your fingertips, then you have fine hair.
If the hair strand looks thick and appears to be textured, then the hair is coarse.
If your hair is somewhere in-between, then you have a medium width.

View attachment 2505388
Porosity - your hair’s ability to absorb moisture or product.
An easy way to determine your hair’s porosity is by placing a single strand of hair into a bowl of water.
If the hair sinks to the bottom, your hair has a high porosity as it’s absorbing all the moisture.
If your hair floats on top of the water, your hair has a low porosity and doesn’t absorb moisture easily.
Lastly, if the hair floats somewhere in the middle of the water, it has a medium porosity meaning that it is well balanced.

Note that your porosity levels may change; high porosity is generally caused by damage, whereas healthy hair tends to be on the low porosity side.
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PART III
Hair Diagnosis

View attachment 2513001

After Part I, you should have discovered 2 pieces of information, i.e. your hair's thickness and porosity. Let us now have a look at what your problems are, and how to fix them in a way that is tailored to your hair's specific structure and needs.

The tables below will give indications related to three main elements:
Amount of Product: each ▮ represents a dime-sized dollop of product. This can be increased or reduced based on your hair length, obviously - if your hair goes past your neck, use more. If it doesn't, use less. A bit of mental flexibility is required here!
Weight/Thickness of Product: refer to product description; ▮ products are almost watery, ▮▮▮▮▮ products are super thick or very oily.
Shampooing Frequency: each ▮ represents how many days per week you should shampoo.

Types of Hair Issues
The most common hair issues can be classified in three major groups: Dryness, Oiliness, Hair Loss, Scalp Issues.

Dryness refers to hair that looks somewhat like straw; it is dull, brittle and split. It does not shine and it does not flow. Dry hair is especially ugly right after washing, and extreme dryness is usually a sign of hair damage.

Oiliness refers to the opposite; hair that is flat, heavy, and which looks and feels gross and dirty. Oily hair is especially annoying because it requires frequent washes, and gets greasy really quickly.

Hair Loss refers to the lack of hair itself rather than its quality. Hair loss can be caused by hormones (male and female pattern baldness), skin conditions (sebhorreic dermatitis), autoimmune diseases (alopecia areata) and poor habits (lack of nutrients/sleep).

Scalp Issues refers to problems that arise from an unbalanced scalp environment, such as dandruff and itching.

Note that while most people generally suffer from only one of the three issues discussed in part I, many issues can coexist; for example, you may have oily roots and dry ends, or suffer from extreme dryness right after washing which quickly turns into excess oiliness.

Dryness
The most common cause of dryness is some level of hair damage. Hair can be damaged by a variety of things; external agents, sunlight, bleaching, tight hairstyles, pulling... the list is endless. Solutions for dryness are generally quite simple but are slightly different based on your specific hair.

POROSITY Amount of Product Weight/Thickness of Product Shampooing Frequency
Low Fine: ▮▮
Medium:▮▮▮
Coarse:▮▮▮ Fine: ▮▮▮
Medium: ▮▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮▮▮ Fine: ▮▮
Medium: ▮▮
Coarse: ▮
Medium Fine: ▮▮▮
Medium: ▮▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮▮ Fine:▮▮▮▮
Medium:▮▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮▮▮ Fine: ▮▮
Medium: ▮
Coarse: ▮
High Fine: ▮▮▮▮
Medium: ▮▮▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮▮▮ Fine▮▮▮▮▮
Medium:▮▮▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮▮▮ Fine: ▮
Medium: ▮
Coarse: ▮

Fixing Damage
Particularly persistent dryness may be caused by some extent of damage. Damage is a bit harder to fix, but it is not impossible. Just keep in mind that hair that has been damaged too severely will never go back to 100%; you will have to wait and grow it out again. This is the case for aggressive bleaching.
I recommend using Olaplex n.3 Hair Perfector to fix hair damage, as damaged hair is simply unable to retain moisture and will always revert to being dry, no matter how well you take care of it. That is because damaged hair is filled with microscopic holes that leak moisture; this product will plug those holes and allow your hair to retain moisture again. It is exceptionally effective and it will give some results from the very first try, peaking after 1-3 months of consistent use (the more damaged your hair is, the longer it will take).
You can follow this tutorial for what regards this specific product:

Oiliness
Oiliness is typically caused by a wide array of things. Fixing it requires a holistic approach that ensures optimal scalp environment (not oily nor too dry) as well as meticulous product choice that can give moisture to hair without making it greasy.
Note: Oiliness may also be caused by hormones, and there is no real fix for that besides the help of a dermatologist.

POROSITY Amount of Product Weight/Thickness of Product Shampooing Frequency
Low Fine: ▮
Medium: ▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮ Fine: ▮
Medium: ▮
Coarse: ▮ Fine: ▮▮▮ or even ▮▮▮▮
Medium: ▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮
Medium Fine: ▮▮
Medium: ▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮▮ Fine: ▮
Medium: ▮
Coarse: ▮ Fine: ▮▮▮
Medium: ▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮
High Fine: ▮▮
Medium: ▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮▮ Fine: ▮▮
Medium: ▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮ Fine: ▮▮
Medium: ▮▮
Coarse: ▮

Hair loss
There are a lot of resources on this website that already discuss this problem in-depth. I believe in a practical approach based on reality rather than experimental drugs and unproven anecdotes. Hair loss is a complex problem and this is not the right place to discuss possible cures; I will, however, take some time to dispel some harmful myths related to hair loss.

Myth 1: Hair loss comes from your mother's side
There are a lot of very complex reasons for this, but the truth is that this claim is mostly false. Your mother's side is responsible for a bigger amount of genes that may carry the balding gene but they're not the only ones. The real truth of the matter is that predicting hair loss is impossible, it can strike randomly, skip generations, and act in very strange and unpredictable ways. All we can do is look for signs and take action.

Myth 2: Hair loss will always slowly result in a norwood 7 / completely bald head
Not all forms of hair loss are the same. Many people begin balding around the end of puberty (age 18 to 22) and towards middle age (40s), but in many cases hair loss simply stops after a certain point. That's why so many trichologists believe in the idea of a "mature hairline"; it is a statistical fact that the vast majority of men experience SOME extent of hair loss that makes one's hairline a bit higher than when they were teenagers, but which doesn't necessarily progress further.
This isn't completely well understood yet since "mature hairlines" tend to present a set of characteristics that sets them apart from male pattern baldness, but it is an indicator that not all forms of hair loss are the same, even when caused by testosterone or DHT.

Myth 3: Hair loss only affects men
Simply put: women are affected too, since testosterone is also in their system. They're just affected a LOT less often, in slightly different patterns, and they're really good at hiding/camouflaging it. Plus they also wear wigs without a second thought. As a matter of fact, Minoxidil is routinely prescribed to women too, and sometimes even Finasteride.

Myth 4: Hair loss medication doesn't work / is too risky
Hair loss medication isn't perfect but it does work and carries minimal risks.
There are a lot of people who use minoxidil and have excellent results, and who can stop or even reverse their hair loss without even using stronger medication like finasteride.
The same can be said for Finasteride; we have all heard the horror stories, but I'd like to stress that statistically speaking most people who start taking finasteride pills get excellent results and keep living their lives without any issues. It is important to gauge risks with a clear head instead of being carried away by feelings.

Now that these clarifications are out of the way, I will merely list what is KNOWN to work reasonably well.
DISCLAIMER: I am NOT a doctor and take no responsibility for what you are going to do with the information provided below.

Treatment Effectiveness Possible side effects Notes
Scalp Massages Effective at restoring blood flow and reducing fibrosis. Somewhat effective at regrowing hair.

It can help make other treatments more effective by ensuring optimal scalp health. None. Only requires a few minutes when you are shampooing.
Ketoconazole Shampoo Mildly effective at slowing Male Pattern Baldness, or stopping it in very light cases. Extremely drying to hair.
Generally very harsh to your scalp. It is generally not ideal to use this for long periods of time, as it is mostly an anti-fungal remedy.
Derma rolling Effective at inducing mild hair regrowth even alone, but especially useful to turn a minoxidil non-responder into a responder. Needles too big may cause damage to the hair follicle, which if repeated may become permanent loss of said hair follicle.

Chronic tears in the scalp may also induce some form of fibrosis or even more serious conditions (more research is needed in this respect). Generally done professionally, but you can easily do it with yourself by using a plastic tool (properly disinfected and replaced every few months) or a specialized machine (Derminator).
Minoxidil Very effective at regrowing hair in roughly 50% of men. Non-responders may attempt to turn into responders by Derma-Rolling or using Tretinoin. Mild irritation on scalp skin.

Anecdotal evidence related to collagen loss and dark circles has no scientific validity, UNLESS applied to the face to stimulate beard/eyebrow/eyelash growth, in which case said side effects may be explained by the alcoholic content of Minoxidil drying out the face's skin. Comes in two different percentages; 2% and 5%. 5% is generally as safe as 2% but more effective.

Can be taken orally or topically. Topical version is generally preferred since it is safer. Oral version is not FDA approved and carries a series of health risks, especially related to heart health.

In most cases, minoxidil induces hair shedding for a few weeks before the new strengthened hair can grow. Said hair becomes permanent after roughly 2 years, but it is recommended to keep using Minoxidil indefinitely to be completely sure the user won't revert to their original hair state when treatment is discontinued.
Finasteride (needs prescription and medical supervision) Effective at stopping Male Pattern Baldness in the majority of cases, and even reversing it in the lighter cases. Erectile dysfunction, reduced fertility (both reversible if treatment is discontinued).

Contrary to popular opinion, side effects are quite rare, and life-lasting side effects are exceptionally rare. Can be taken orally or topically. Oral version is generally preferred.
Dutasteride (experimental drug) Extremely effective at stopping Male Pattern Baldness in the vast majority of cases, and even reversing it in the lighter cases. Finasteride's side effects, but generally stronger. Not FDA-approved and thus relatively difficult to predict; make use of this at your own risk.
This drug has a profound effect on the androgenic pathway that leads to sebum production too, which should help with acne as well.

Scalp Issues

Every single common scalp condition, from itching to dandruff, has one culprit: Sebhorreic Dermatitis. As a matter of fact, 11% of people worldwide suffer from this condition, although it is most common in people between age 30 and 60.
The extent of a person's vulnerability to Sebhorreic Dermatitis influences the way it manifests. In the lightest cases, it will simply manifest as itching. In moderate cases, it will be dandruff. In more serious situations it can cause redness and extreme itching as well as huge inflamed flakes.

Following this guide religiously will help keep most of these symptoms in check; I recommend switching your shampoo for a HIGH QUALITY PROFESSIONAL/MEDICAL SHAMPOO (not one you can find at the supermarket!) that is specifically made for people with dandruff/itching/sebhorreic dermatitis.
Another viable option is selecting a super delicate shampoo meant for newborns, the ones specifically made to wash out cradle cap; this kind of shampoo is extremely gentle and can restore health and vitality to a suffering scalp.

If your sebhorreic dermatitis is particularly aggressive, I recommend seeking the help of a dermatologist.

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PART IV
Product Recommendations

View attachment 2513004

This section will give you a quick overview of the most effective products you can buy to fix your issues; HOWEVER you must keep in mind that this is just a very generic guideline and you will have to try many different products over a sufficiently long period of time before you find something that works for YOU and YOUR hair. In other words, this is a starting point - you are meant to research and experiment yourself.

Type of Product Fine or Medium Hair Coarse Hair
Shampoo Kerastase is generally good*. Kerastase is generally good*.
Conditioner Kerastase is generally good*. Kerastase is generally good*.
Leave-in Conditioner PUREOLOGY Color Fanatic PUREOLOGY Color Fanatic
Hair Oil Olaplex n.7 Moroccanoil Treatment Original
Blow Dry Cream Redken Big Blowout

Redken Frizz Dismiss Rebel Tame Cream

Heat Protectant Olaplex n.6 (all heat)
Good Hair Day's Bodyguard (for ironing) Moroccanoil Perfect Defense
Hair Mask Anything with Anything with Coconut Oil.
Damage Repairing pre-wash treatment Olaplex n.3** Olaplex n.3**

*They offer a wide selection of quality products; make sure to select one that is appropriate to your hair requirements.
**Last year, Olaplex reformulated this product as it contained "Lilian", a fragrance that was European health inspectors found to be harmful to fertility when exposed to it over very long periods of time. This was not a serious issue at all, but Olaplex still recalled all products containing it and reformulated n.3 for sales worldwide. So if you see people saying Olaplex gives you cancer, you can rest easy knowing that it's all been solved.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

CONCLUSION
We have seen an extensive analysis of hair care, and you are probably overloaded with information.
As I mentioned many times throughout this guide, this is only a starting point meant to give you a basic set of practices and procedures to ensure optimal hair health. What works BEST for you is up to you to discover: finding the exact right products for your biological makeup is a long process that requires you to be analytical and level-headed.

Keep trying and don't give up!

@enchanted_elixir

enchanted_elixir · Nov 13, 2023

Holy smokes, this is good! Wow!

mogstars · Nov 13, 2023

BucketCrab said:
“...hair is architecture with a human element.”
– Vidal Sassoon

View attachment 2512993
BucketCrab's Practical Hair Guide
the fastest way to understand hair, and how to make it beautiful

Introduction
This guide is written with the explicit aim to educate people about hair care in order to achieve beautiful hair as quickly as possible.
As such, it won't go in-depth regarding many topics, but simply provide good practical information about how to do things. This guide is meant to be a vademecum of sorts, rather than a trove of scientific information; I usually pride myself on always articulating the reasons that lead me to assert something, but since this is a practical guide with practical aims, I've decided to cut out the explanations and focus on the actual procedures you should go for.
This will require you to kind of take my word, obviously; still, you can find scientific information about how hair works all over the internet. You can read this guide to have said information already digested for you, so that you can make hair choices with ease; most of the information in here is the summation of years of tinkering, reading, studying and flat out stealing the wisdom of professional hairdressers, whose entire job revolves around giving people beautiful hair.

Guide Philosophy and Structure
As mentioned above, this guide is a practical way to solve hair issues in the least amount of time; little time will be wasted on lengthy explanations on why something works a certain way. Additional information on the topics mentioned can be found elsewhere; you are going to have to trust me on the specific underlying mechanisms that make something work better than something else in a specific situation.

Part I will detail the correct way to take care of your hair in general. It will also explain what hair products do and how to use them.
Part II will be dedicated to understanding your particular hair's requirements and issues.
Part III will discuss possible ways in which you you may attempt to solve said issues.
Part IV will discuss products that could be beneficial to your specific case.

On Hair Length
This guide has little to offer to people who wear their hair quite short, and is mostly meant for medium and long haired users. That is because short hair is "young" and has had little time to accumulate damage, since it will be cut again before said damage can start showing. That is why people with short hair can take little care of it and it will still look decent, whereas longer hairstyles need more time and care. Yes, when you have super short hair you can get away with shampooing it every day and just rubbing it with a towel; that does not apply to longer hairstyles at all, so let's forget the idea that beauty comes without effort.

The Golden Rule
The first and most important thing you must understand to achieve good hair is that EVERYONE'S HAIR IS DIFFERENT.
What works for someone may not work for someone else. Think of hair like skin; people's skin have different issues and requirements, and thus require different approaches. It's the exact same with hair, so don't fall for "miracle cures" and "one size fits all" products. This guide is, therefore, only a STARTING POINT for you to begin the journey - you will have to study and understand your hair yourself.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

PART I
Hair care made simple

View attachment 2512996

Taking care of your hair can be split into four major areas: washing, drying, styling and lifestyle. Each areas may require different products but the ultimate aim of this section of the guide is ensuring a rock-solid foundation of health for your hair, before we go on to tackle more specific issues.

Hair care products
There are a LOT of hair products, but don't be discouraged. I have listed them all right here; if you hear of an hair product but it isn't in this list, assume it's not as necessary. It is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT that you understand that you won't get beautiful hair by being stingy; supermarket hair products are watered down and rarely effective. It is a wise idea to invest money in quality hair products if you are serious about your hair. Choose high-quality products that professionals use in their salons and you will avoid wasting your money on useless snake oil that gives no results.

Shampoo: it is used to clean your scalp, not your hair. If applied directly to hair it will strip it of its natural oils, making it dry and ugly. Shampoo is the first product you apply when washing your hair. It is washed out of your hair after being applied.

Conditioner: it is used to restore strength and moisture to your hair, not your scalp. If applied to your scalp it will clog the follicles, leading to dandruff. Conditioner is the second product you apply when washing your hair, right after shampoo. It is washed out of your hair after being applied.

Leave-in conditioner: it is used to seal moisture inside your hair strand, making sure it does not escape the hair, ensuring it remains healthy and beautiful. Unlike a Conditioner, a Leave-in Conditioner is NOT washed out of your hair after being applied.

Hair oil: it is used to seal moisture into particularly vulnerable areas, such as your hair ends and, to a lesser extent, your hair mids. It helps fight frizziness and protect your hair. It is NOT washed out of your hair after being applied.

Blow dry cream: it is used to protect your wet hair before you blow dry it; when wet, your hair is at its most vulnerable and it will always require protection. It is not washed out of your hair after being applied.

Heat protectant: it is used to protect your dry hair before you use a flat iron on it. Heat is very dangerous for your hair and it can lead to damage if you do not properly protect your hair with a heat protectant. It is not washed out of your hair after being applied.

Hair mask: it is used to repair damaged hair or fix certain hair problems. Hair masks can be applied to wet or dry hair and are generally left on for a long period of time before you wash them out.

Washing
Washing your hair correctly is simple but most people do it wrong. It should be done this way:

Phase I - Shampooing
Gently wet your hair with lukewarm water for 1 minute allowing it to open up. Put shampoo on your scalp and gently rub it with your fingertips all over the scalp; this is a good time to have a scalp massage as well since you're basically already doing it. Keep rubbing gently until the shampoo forms a lather, once you're done (shouldn't take you more than 5 minutes even with a scalp massage), wash it all off.

Phase II - Conditioning
Gently squeeze your hair to remove excess water. Do NOT pull, scratch or twist. Just gently squeeze your hair inbetween your palms. Once you got most of the water out, apply conditioner to your hair and NOT to your scalp. Leave it on for 2 to 10 minutes, then wash it off with cold water.

Drying
Drying your hair is the hardest part and the one where most people do the most damage. When wet, your hair is in its most vulnerable state and should be treated like glass: that means you must be super gentle with it.

There are two main ways you can dry your hair: Blow Drying and Air Drying.

Blow Drying will require good technique but allows you to change your hair's pattern. Blow Drying will require a blow drying cream and a quality blow drier as well. It is impossible to properly explain how to blow dry in written form, so you will need to find tutorials elsewhere; YouTube should have plenty of options.

Air Drying will require a microfiber towel for optimal results. Once you are out of the shower, gently squeeze water out of your hair by hand, then gently pat your hair with your microfiber towel until it's about 60 to 80% dry. Apply your leave-in conditioner, then you can wrap your hair in another microfiber towel (one that's not wet) and leave it on to dry for a few hours. Alternatively, you can leave your hair uncovered right after you apply your leave-in conditioner, but I wouldn't recommend it as you'll need hair that's in PERFECT health to avoid it losing moisture.

Some people wrongfully assume Air Drying is damaging because your hair remains wet for too long, or that Blow Drying applies unnecessary heat to your hair.
Both are wrong. Either way of drying is perfectly fine.
Just make sure to use a blow-dry cream and good technique when blow drying to ensure no heat damage. If instead you decide to air dry, just keep in mind the shape your hair dries in is the way your hair will stay - you obviously won't get to decide your hair's shape if you air dry it and don't use heat on it right after.

Styling
Styling refers to all procedures that are not meant to fundamentally change your hair's structure but merely the way it looks. The most common ways of styling your hair are connected to the use of heat. There are countless heat tools one can use, but the most effective, safe and widely used is the Flat Iron. I will skip the specifics or heat hair tools as you need an actual video to see the technique in action; what I want to focus on is ensuring styling won't damage your hair.
Information on the various procedures you can use to change your hair pattern through heat can be found elsewhere.

To protect hair from heat damage, follow these FOUR rules:
Rule 1: I will NOT apply heat to my hair when it is wet, greasy/unwashed, or already damaged.
Rule 2: I will NOT use heat styling more than twice a week, and I will avoid morning touch-ups.
Rule 3: I will always use a Heat Protectant before heat styling, and an hair oil right after heat styling.
Rule 4: To ensure heat styling lasts as long as possible, I will only use heat right after I washed and dried my hair.

Using a Heat Protectant: Spray from afar so that the spray can actually become a cloud and coat your hair in a wide area. A few sprays for each section should be sufficient; heat protectant should not be felt on your hair and it shouldn't make your hair greasy - you don't have to SEE IT on your hair to know it's there, and if you go overboard, you will make your hair greasy and heavy and that will negatively impact your heat styling. Once it's been sprayed, brush your hair to coat it evenly and proceed with your heat styling.

Lifestyle
Biologically speaking, your hair is fairly useless, but it is a good way to instantly tell if an organism is in good health or not, since it's one of the first things your body ditches when it feels threatened. That is why so many diseases cause hair loss, and why you can even lose hair from a sudden debilitating shock, like surgery. Veterinarians routinely gauge a pet's health by the state of its fur, and humans are not different. Hair is a quick way to tell the health state of its owner throughout a long period of time... as such, one of its foundations is good habits for your overall health.

Diet: A balanced diet with plenty of protein and omega-3 will ensure optimal hair growth. Focus on fatty fish, nuts, eggs, avocados, sweet potatoes, meat.

Water: Drink 3+ liters of water a day to ensure optimal liquid intake.

Sleep: Sleep 8hr+ a day, in a slightly cold room, in complete silence and darkness, and following regular sleep patterns (go to sleep and wake up at roughly the same hours throughout the entire week).

Sun: Direct sunlight can damage hair through a process similar to bleaching; protect your hair, wear hats, or just avoid frying it under intense sun for too long.

Swimming: Salt water (from the sea) and chloride (from swimming pools) can damage your hair in the long run; moreover, wetting your hair too often can also lead to breakage and damage.

Tying your hair: When at home, try to never tie your hair. When outside, avoid tight hairstyles as they can lead to hair loss and breakage. Ponytails should be low-set, not high-set; this applies minimal stress to hair follicles.

Hair ties: Never use low quality hair ties and stay away from those with little metallic pieces in them. Use scrunchies if possible, as they are less damaging to hair.

Scalp massages: Massaging your scalp relieves tension and fosters hair growth; a good rule of thumb is having a relaxing scalp massage every time you shampoo.

Brushing: Avoid brushing your hair too much and only use quality brushes. Never brush when wet if you can avoid it.

Touching your hair: Avoid touching and pulling on your hair, as well as scratching your scalp.

Towels: Only use microfiber towels in your hair as they prevent frizz and breakage.

Pillowcases: Only use silk pillowcases as they prevent frizz and breakage.

Combs: Use wide-toothed ones.

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PART II
Understanding your hair

View attachment 2512997

You will have to spend a lot of time and some money on your hair, trying many different products and improving your routine little by little. For some, it's a quick process, while the unlucky ones will take a long time to find a routine that works for them. It is better to start this process as soon as possible, since it will be a long journey.
Your process will be based on the Scientific Method: you will...

Study your hair to see where you can improve it.

Formulate an hypothesis as to what is wrong with it.

Choose a product/routine to attempt to fix it.

Implement that routine for a certain amount of time, taking notes on what is working and what is not.

Review the data to see what worked and what didn't, and start the process again until you obtain satisfying results.

Types of hair
Most people think there are four hair types: straight, wavy, curly and kinky.
This is wrong, because these are hair patterns, not types. A hair's pattern only tells you the shape of your hair; a hair type tells you what product you need to use, and since our goal is creating beautiful hair, that is what we need to consider!
In order to improve our hair, we must forget hair patterns and focus on two main features that are often overlooked: thickness and porosity.

View attachment 2505382
Thickness - the width of your hair strands.
To find out the width, start by taking a single strand of hair and laying it flat on a table.
If you can barely see the hair or feel it between your fingertips, then you have fine hair.
If the hair strand looks thick and appears to be textured, then the hair is coarse.
If your hair is somewhere in-between, then you have a medium width.

View attachment 2505388
Porosity - your hair’s ability to absorb moisture or product.
An easy way to determine your hair’s porosity is by placing a single strand of hair into a bowl of water.
If the hair sinks to the bottom, your hair has a high porosity as it’s absorbing all the moisture.
If your hair floats on top of the water, your hair has a low porosity and doesn’t absorb moisture easily.
Lastly, if the hair floats somewhere in the middle of the water, it has a medium porosity meaning that it is well balanced.

Note that your porosity levels may change; high porosity is generally caused by damage, whereas healthy hair tends to be on the low porosity side.
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PART III
Hair Diagnosis

View attachment 2513001

After Part I, you should have discovered 2 pieces of information, i.e. your hair's thickness and porosity. Let us now have a look at what your problems are, and how to fix them in a way that is tailored to your hair's specific structure and needs.

The tables below will give indications related to three main elements:
Amount of Product: each ▮ represents a dime-sized dollop of product. This can be increased or reduced based on your hair length, obviously - if your hair goes past your neck, use more. If it doesn't, use less. A bit of mental flexibility is required here!
Weight/Thickness of Product: refer to product description; ▮ products are almost watery, ▮▮▮▮▮ products are super thick or very oily.
Shampooing Frequency: each ▮ represents how many days per week you should shampoo.

Types of Hair Issues
The most common hair issues can be classified in three major groups: Dryness, Oiliness, Hair Loss, Scalp Issues.

Dryness refers to hair that looks somewhat like straw; it is dull, brittle and split. It does not shine and it does not flow. Dry hair is especially ugly right after washing, and extreme dryness is usually a sign of hair damage.

Oiliness refers to the opposite; hair that is flat, heavy, and which looks and feels gross and dirty. Oily hair is especially annoying because it requires frequent washes, and gets greasy really quickly.

Hair Loss refers to the lack of hair itself rather than its quality. Hair loss can be caused by hormones (male and female pattern baldness), skin conditions (sebhorreic dermatitis), autoimmune diseases (alopecia areata) and poor habits (lack of nutrients/sleep).

Scalp Issues refers to problems that arise from an unbalanced scalp environment, such as dandruff and itching.

Note that while most people generally suffer from only one of the three issues discussed in part I, many issues can coexist; for example, you may have oily roots and dry ends, or suffer from extreme dryness right after washing which quickly turns into excess oiliness.

Dryness
The most common cause of dryness is some level of hair damage. Hair can be damaged by a variety of things; external agents, sunlight, bleaching, tight hairstyles, pulling... the list is endless. Solutions for dryness are generally quite simple but are slightly different based on your specific hair.

POROSITY Amount of Product Weight/Thickness of Product Shampooing Frequency
Low Fine: ▮▮
Medium:▮▮▮
Coarse:▮▮▮ Fine: ▮▮▮
Medium: ▮▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮▮▮ Fine: ▮▮
Medium: ▮▮
Coarse: ▮
Medium Fine: ▮▮▮
Medium: ▮▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮▮ Fine:▮▮▮▮
Medium:▮▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮▮▮ Fine: ▮▮
Medium: ▮
Coarse: ▮
High Fine: ▮▮▮▮
Medium: ▮▮▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮▮▮ Fine▮▮▮▮▮
Medium:▮▮▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮▮▮ Fine: ▮
Medium: ▮
Coarse: ▮

Fixing Damage
Particularly persistent dryness may be caused by some extent of damage. Damage is a bit harder to fix, but it is not impossible. Just keep in mind that hair that has been damaged too severely will never go back to 100%; you will have to wait and grow it out again. This is the case for aggressive bleaching.
I recommend using Olaplex n.3 Hair Perfector to fix hair damage, as damaged hair is simply unable to retain moisture and will always revert to being dry, no matter how well you take care of it. That is because damaged hair is filled with microscopic holes that leak moisture; this product will plug those holes and allow your hair to retain moisture again. It is exceptionally effective and it will give some results from the very first try, peaking after 1-3 months of consistent use (the more damaged your hair is, the longer it will take).
You can follow this tutorial for what regards this specific product:

Oiliness
Oiliness is typically caused by a wide array of things. Fixing it requires a holistic approach that ensures optimal scalp environment (not oily nor too dry) as well as meticulous product choice that can give moisture to hair without making it greasy.
Note: Oiliness may also be caused by hormones, and there is no real fix for that besides the help of a dermatologist.

POROSITY Amount of Product Weight/Thickness of Product Shampooing Frequency
Low Fine: ▮
Medium: ▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮ Fine: ▮
Medium: ▮
Coarse: ▮ Fine: ▮▮▮ or even ▮▮▮▮
Medium: ▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮
Medium Fine: ▮▮
Medium: ▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮▮ Fine: ▮
Medium: ▮
Coarse: ▮ Fine: ▮▮▮
Medium: ▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮
High Fine: ▮▮
Medium: ▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮▮ Fine: ▮▮
Medium: ▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮ Fine: ▮▮
Medium: ▮▮
Coarse: ▮

Hair loss
There are a lot of resources on this website that already discuss this problem in-depth. I believe in a practical approach based on reality rather than experimental drugs and unproven anecdotes. Hair loss is a complex problem and this is not the right place to discuss possible cures; I will, however, take some time to dispel some harmful myths related to hair loss.

Myth 1: Hair loss comes from your mother's side
There are a lot of very complex reasons for this, but the truth is that this claim is mostly false. Your mother's side is responsible for a bigger amount of genes that may carry the balding gene but they're not the only ones. The real truth of the matter is that predicting hair loss is impossible, it can strike randomly, skip generations, and act in very strange and unpredictable ways. All we can do is look for signs and take action.

Myth 2: Hair loss will always slowly result in a norwood 7 / completely bald head
Not all forms of hair loss are the same. Many people begin balding around the end of puberty (age 18 to 22) and towards middle age (40s), but in many cases hair loss simply stops after a certain point. That's why so many trichologists believe in the idea of a "mature hairline"; it is a statistical fact that the vast majority of men experience SOME extent of hair loss that makes one's hairline a bit higher than when they were teenagers, but which doesn't necessarily progress further.
This isn't completely well understood yet since "mature hairlines" tend to present a set of characteristics that sets them apart from male pattern baldness, but it is an indicator that not all forms of hair loss are the same, even when caused by testosterone or DHT.

Myth 3: Hair loss only affects men
Simply put: women are affected too, since testosterone is also in their system. They're just affected a LOT less often, in slightly different patterns, and they're really good at hiding/camouflaging it. Plus they also wear wigs without a second thought. As a matter of fact, Minoxidil is routinely prescribed to women too, and sometimes even Finasteride.

Myth 4: Hair loss medication doesn't work / is too risky
Hair loss medication isn't perfect but it does work and carries minimal risks.
There are a lot of people who use minoxidil and have excellent results, and who can stop or even reverse their hair loss without even using stronger medication like finasteride.
The same can be said for Finasteride; we have all heard the horror stories, but I'd like to stress that statistically speaking most people who start taking finasteride pills get excellent results and keep living their lives without any issues. It is important to gauge risks with a clear head instead of being carried away by feelings.

Now that these clarifications are out of the way, I will merely list what is KNOWN to work reasonably well.
DISCLAIMER: I am NOT a doctor and take no responsibility for what you are going to do with the information provided below.

Treatment Effectiveness Possible side effects Notes
Scalp Massages Effective at restoring blood flow and reducing fibrosis. Somewhat effective at regrowing hair.

It can help make other treatments more effective by ensuring optimal scalp health. None. Only requires a few minutes when you are shampooing.
Ketoconazole Shampoo Mildly effective at slowing Male Pattern Baldness, or stopping it in very light cases. Extremely drying to hair.
Generally very harsh to your scalp. It is generally not ideal to use this for long periods of time, as it is mostly an anti-fungal remedy.
Derma rolling Effective at inducing mild hair regrowth even alone, but especially useful to turn a minoxidil non-responder into a responder. Needles too big may cause damage to the hair follicle, which if repeated may become permanent loss of said hair follicle.

Chronic tears in the scalp may also induce some form of fibrosis or even more serious conditions (more research is needed in this respect). Generally done professionally, but you can easily do it with yourself by using a plastic tool (properly disinfected and replaced every few months) or a specialized machine (Derminator).
Minoxidil Very effective at regrowing hair in roughly 50% of men. Non-responders may attempt to turn into responders by Derma-Rolling or using Tretinoin. Mild irritation on scalp skin.

Anecdotal evidence related to collagen loss and dark circles has no scientific validity, UNLESS applied to the face to stimulate beard/eyebrow/eyelash growth, in which case said side effects may be explained by the alcoholic content of Minoxidil drying out the face's skin. Comes in two different percentages; 2% and 5%. 5% is generally as safe as 2% but more effective.

Can be taken orally or topically. Topical version is generally preferred since it is safer. Oral version is not FDA approved and carries a series of health risks, especially related to heart health.

In most cases, minoxidil induces hair shedding for a few weeks before the new strengthened hair can grow. Said hair becomes permanent after roughly 2 years, but it is recommended to keep using Minoxidil indefinitely to be completely sure the user won't revert to their original hair state when treatment is discontinued.
Finasteride (needs prescription and medical supervision) Effective at stopping Male Pattern Baldness in the majority of cases, and even reversing it in the lighter cases. Erectile dysfunction, reduced fertility (both reversible if treatment is discontinued).

Contrary to popular opinion, side effects are quite rare, and life-lasting side effects are exceptionally rare. Can be taken orally or topically. Oral version is generally preferred.
Dutasteride (experimental drug) Extremely effective at stopping Male Pattern Baldness in the vast majority of cases, and even reversing it in the lighter cases. Finasteride's side effects, but generally stronger. Not FDA-approved and thus relatively difficult to predict; make use of this at your own risk.
This drug has a profound effect on the androgenic pathway that leads to sebum production too, which should help with acne as well.

Scalp Issues

Every single common scalp condition, from itching to dandruff, has one culprit: Sebhorreic Dermatitis. As a matter of fact, 11% of people worldwide suffer from this condition, although it is most common in people between age 30 and 60.
The extent of a person's vulnerability to Sebhorreic Dermatitis influences the way it manifests. In the lightest cases, it will simply manifest as itching. In moderate cases, it will be dandruff. In more serious situations it can cause redness and extreme itching as well as huge inflamed flakes.

Following this guide religiously will help keep most of these symptoms in check; I recommend switching your shampoo for a HIGH QUALITY PROFESSIONAL/MEDICAL SHAMPOO (not one you can find at the supermarket!) that is specifically made for people with dandruff/itching/sebhorreic dermatitis.
Another viable option is selecting a super delicate shampoo meant for newborns, the ones specifically made to wash out cradle cap; this kind of shampoo is extremely gentle and can restore health and vitality to a suffering scalp.

If your sebhorreic dermatitis is particularly aggressive, I recommend seeking the help of a dermatologist.

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PART IV
Product Recommendations

View attachment 2513004

This section will give you a quick overview of the most effective products you can buy to fix your issues; HOWEVER you must keep in mind that this is just a very generic guideline and you will have to try many different products over a sufficiently long period of time before you find something that works for YOU and YOUR hair. In other words, this is a starting point - you are meant to research and experiment yourself.

Type of Product Fine or Medium Hair Coarse Hair
Shampoo Kerastase is generally good*. Kerastase is generally good*.
Conditioner Kerastase is generally good*. Kerastase is generally good*.
Leave-in Conditioner PUREOLOGY Color Fanatic PUREOLOGY Color Fanatic
Hair Oil Olaplex n.7 Moroccanoil Treatment Original
Blow Dry Cream Redken Big Blowout

Redken Frizz Dismiss Rebel Tame Cream

Heat Protectant Olaplex n.6 (all heat)
Good Hair Day's Bodyguard (for ironing) Moroccanoil Perfect Defense
Hair Mask Anything with Anything with Coconut Oil.
Damage Repairing pre-wash treatment Olaplex n.3** Olaplex n.3**

*They offer a wide selection of quality products; make sure to select one that is appropriate to your hair requirements.
**Last year, Olaplex reformulated this product as it contained "Lilian", a fragrance that was European health inspectors found to be harmful to fertility when exposed to it over very long periods of time. This was not a serious issue at all, but Olaplex still recalled all products containing it and reformulated n.3 for sales worldwide. So if you see people saying Olaplex gives you cancer, you can rest easy knowing that it's all been solved.
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CONCLUSION
We have seen an extensive analysis of hair care, and you are probably overloaded with information.
As I mentioned many times throughout this guide, this is only a starting point meant to give you a basic set of practices and procedures to ensure optimal hair health. What works BEST for you is up to you to discover: finding the exact right products for your biological makeup is a long process that requires you to be analytical and level-headed.

Keep trying and don't give up!

Good effort

Sushifart · Nov 18, 2023

Anyone have any tips for protecting your hair when it comes to being a swimmer? I go to the pool a lot to swim since that's what I like doing. I usually grow my hair pretty short so I never had to worry about hair damage that much, but I've decided to start growing it longer.

the_nextDavidLaid · Nov 19, 2023

Sushifart said:
Anyone have any tips for protecting your hair when it comes to being a swimmer? I go to the pool a lot to swim since that's what I like doing. I usually grow my hair pretty short so I never had to worry about hair damage that much, but I've decided to start growing it longer.

This isn’t the place you should be asking for advice on that man but I guess there is a extra precaution cream i think. Also wear a swimmers cap (you already knew that). Something that most would probably not tell us get a cap that is not too tight etc cause that damages your hair etc

Napoleon1800 · Nov 19, 2023

You made It to botb bhai

Sushifart · Nov 20, 2023

the_nextDavidLaid said:
This isn’t the place you should be asking for advice on that man but I guess there is a extra precaution cream i think. Also wear a swimmers cap (you already knew that). Something that most would probably not tell us get a cap that is not too tight etc cause that damages your hair etc

Yeah figured as much, been taking a lot of MSM so my hair was rapidly growing too but I noticed the hair quality looking worse and assumed it was just the chlorine. I guess my cap is pretty tight too. Anyways, I'll look into the precaution cream though, thanks.

zz67 · Nov 24, 2023

BucketCrab said:
“...hair is architecture with a human element.”
– Vidal Sassoon

View attachment 2512993
BucketCrab's Practical Hair Guide
the fastest way to understand hair, and how to make it beautiful

Introduction
This guide is written with the explicit aim to educate people about hair care in order to achieve beautiful hair as quickly as possible.
As such, it won't go in-depth regarding many topics, but simply provide good practical information about how to do things. This guide is meant to be a vademecum of sorts, rather than a trove of scientific information; I usually pride myself on always articulating the reasons that lead me to assert something, but since this is a practical guide with practical aims, I've decided to cut out the explanations and focus on the actual procedures you should go for.
This will require you to kind of take my word, obviously; still, you can find scientific information about how hair works all over the internet. You can read this guide to have said information already digested for you, so that you can make hair choices with ease; most of the information in here is the summation of years of tinkering, reading, studying and flat out stealing the wisdom of professional hairdressers, whose entire job revolves around giving people beautiful hair.

Guide Philosophy and Structure
As mentioned above, this guide is a practical way to solve hair issues in the least amount of time; little time will be wasted on lengthy explanations on why something works a certain way. Additional information on the topics mentioned can be found elsewhere; you are going to have to trust me on the specific underlying mechanisms that make something work better than something else in a specific situation.

Part I will detail the correct way to take care of your hair in general. It will also explain what hair products do and how to use them.
Part II will be dedicated to understanding your particular hair's requirements and issues.
Part III will discuss possible ways in which you you may attempt to solve said issues.
Part IV will discuss products that could be beneficial to your specific case.

On Hair Length
This guide has little to offer to people who wear their hair quite short, and is mostly meant for medium and long haired users. That is because short hair is "young" and has had little time to accumulate damage, since it will be cut again before said damage can start showing. That is why people with short hair can take little care of it and it will still look decent, whereas longer hairstyles need more time and care. Yes, when you have super short hair you can get away with shampooing it every day and just rubbing it with a towel; that does not apply to longer hairstyles at all, so let's forget the idea that beauty comes without effort.

The Golden Rule
The first and most important thing you must understand to achieve good hair is that EVERYONE'S HAIR IS DIFFERENT.
What works for someone may not work for someone else. Think of hair like skin; people's skin have different issues and requirements, and thus require different approaches. It's the exact same with hair, so don't fall for "miracle cures" and "one size fits all" products. This guide is, therefore, only a STARTING POINT for you to begin the journey - you will have to study and understand your hair yourself.
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PART I
Hair care made simple

View attachment 2512996

Taking care of your hair can be split into four major areas: washing, drying, styling and lifestyle. Each areas may require different products but the ultimate aim of this section of the guide is ensuring a rock-solid foundation of health for your hair, before we go on to tackle more specific issues.

Hair care products
There are a LOT of hair products, but don't be discouraged. I have listed them all right here; if you hear of an hair product but it isn't in this list, assume it's not as necessary. It is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT that you understand that you won't get beautiful hair by being stingy; supermarket hair products are watered down and rarely effective. It is a wise idea to invest money in quality hair products if you are serious about your hair. Choose high-quality products that professionals use in their salons and you will avoid wasting your money on useless snake oil that gives no results.

Shampoo: it is used to clean your scalp, not your hair. If applied directly to hair it will strip it of its natural oils, making it dry and ugly. Shampoo is the first product you apply when washing your hair. It is washed out of your hair after being applied.

Conditioner: it is used to restore strength and moisture to your hair, not your scalp. If applied to your scalp it will clog the follicles, leading to dandruff. Conditioner is the second product you apply when washing your hair, right after shampoo. It is washed out of your hair after being applied.

Leave-in conditioner: it is used to seal moisture inside your hair strand, making sure it does not escape the hair, ensuring it remains healthy and beautiful. Unlike a Conditioner, a Leave-in Conditioner is NOT washed out of your hair after being applied.

Hair oil: it is used to seal moisture into particularly vulnerable areas, such as your hair ends and, to a lesser extent, your hair mids. It helps fight frizziness and protect your hair. It is NOT washed out of your hair after being applied.

Blow dry cream: it is used to protect your wet hair before you blow dry it; when wet, your hair is at its most vulnerable and it will always require protection. It is not washed out of your hair after being applied.

Heat protectant: it is used to protect your dry hair before you use a flat iron on it. Heat is very dangerous for your hair and it can lead to damage if you do not properly protect your hair with a heat protectant. It is not washed out of your hair after being applied.

Hair mask: it is used to repair damaged hair or fix certain hair problems. Hair masks can be applied to wet or dry hair and are generally left on for a long period of time before you wash them out.

Washing
Washing your hair correctly is simple but most people do it wrong. It should be done this way:

Phase I - Shampooing
Gently wet your hair with lukewarm water for 1 minute allowing it to open up. Put shampoo on your scalp and gently rub it with your fingertips all over the scalp; this is a good time to have a scalp massage as well since you're basically already doing it. Keep rubbing gently until the shampoo forms a lather, once you're done (shouldn't take you more than 5 minutes even with a scalp massage), wash it all off.

Phase II - Conditioning
Gently squeeze your hair to remove excess water. Do NOT pull, scratch or twist. Just gently squeeze your hair inbetween your palms. Once you got most of the water out, apply conditioner to your hair and NOT to your scalp. Leave it on for 2 to 10 minutes, then wash it off with cold water.

Drying
Drying your hair is the hardest part and the one where most people do the most damage. When wet, your hair is in its most vulnerable state and should be treated like glass: that means you must be super gentle with it.

There are two main ways you can dry your hair: Blow Drying and Air Drying.

Blow Drying will require good technique but allows you to change your hair's pattern. Blow Drying will require a blow drying cream and a quality blow drier as well. It is impossible to properly explain how to blow dry in written form, so you will need to find tutorials elsewhere; YouTube should have plenty of options.

Air Drying will require a microfiber towel for optimal results. Once you are out of the shower, gently squeeze water out of your hair by hand, then gently pat your hair with your microfiber towel until it's about 60 to 80% dry. Apply your leave-in conditioner, then you can wrap your hair in another microfiber towel (one that's not wet) and leave it on to dry for a few hours. Alternatively, you can leave your hair uncovered right after you apply your leave-in conditioner, but I wouldn't recommend it as you'll need hair that's in PERFECT health to avoid it losing moisture.

Some people wrongfully assume Air Drying is damaging because your hair remains wet for too long, or that Blow Drying applies unnecessary heat to your hair.
Both are wrong. Either way of drying is perfectly fine.
Just make sure to use a blow-dry cream and good technique when blow drying to ensure no heat damage. If instead you decide to air dry, just keep in mind the shape your hair dries in is the way your hair will stay - you obviously won't get to decide your hair's shape if you air dry it and don't use heat on it right after.

Styling
Styling refers to all procedures that are not meant to fundamentally change your hair's structure but merely the way it looks. The most common ways of styling your hair are connected to the use of heat. There are countless heat tools one can use, but the most effective, safe and widely used is the Flat Iron. I will skip the specifics or heat hair tools as you need an actual video to see the technique in action; what I want to focus on is ensuring styling won't damage your hair.
Information on the various procedures you can use to change your hair pattern through heat can be found elsewhere.

To protect hair from heat damage, follow these FOUR rules:
Rule 1: I will NOT apply heat to my hair when it is wet, greasy/unwashed, or already damaged.
Rule 2: I will NOT use heat styling more than twice a week, and I will avoid morning touch-ups.
Rule 3: I will always use a Heat Protectant before heat styling, and an hair oil right after heat styling.
Rule 4: To ensure heat styling lasts as long as possible, I will only use heat right after I washed and dried my hair.

Using a Heat Protectant: Spray from afar so that the spray can actually become a cloud and coat your hair in a wide area. A few sprays for each section should be sufficient; heat protectant should not be felt on your hair and it shouldn't make your hair greasy - you don't have to SEE IT on your hair to know it's there, and if you go overboard, you will make your hair greasy and heavy and that will negatively impact your heat styling. Once it's been sprayed, brush your hair to coat it evenly and proceed with your heat styling.

Lifestyle
Biologically speaking, your hair is fairly useless, but it is a good way to instantly tell if an organism is in good health or not, since it's one of the first things your body ditches when it feels threatened. That is why so many diseases cause hair loss, and why you can even lose hair from a sudden debilitating shock, like surgery. Veterinarians routinely gauge a pet's health by the state of its fur, and humans are not different. Hair is a quick way to tell the health state of its owner throughout a long period of time... as such, one of its foundations is good habits for your overall health.

Diet: A balanced diet with plenty of protein and omega-3 will ensure optimal hair growth. Focus on fatty fish, nuts, eggs, avocados, sweet potatoes, meat.

Water: Drink 3+ liters of water a day to ensure optimal liquid intake.

Sleep: Sleep 8hr+ a day, in a slightly cold room, in complete silence and darkness, and following regular sleep patterns (go to sleep and wake up at roughly the same hours throughout the entire week).

Sun: Direct sunlight can damage hair through a process similar to bleaching; protect your hair, wear hats, or just avoid frying it under intense sun for too long.

Swimming: Salt water (from the sea) and chloride (from swimming pools) can damage your hair in the long run; moreover, wetting your hair too often can also lead to breakage and damage.

Tying your hair: When at home, try to never tie your hair. When outside, avoid tight hairstyles as they can lead to hair loss and breakage. Ponytails should be low-set, not high-set; this applies minimal stress to hair follicles.

Hair ties: Never use low quality hair ties and stay away from those with little metallic pieces in them. Use scrunchies if possible, as they are less damaging to hair.

Scalp massages: Massaging your scalp relieves tension and fosters hair growth; a good rule of thumb is having a relaxing scalp massage every time you shampoo.

Brushing: Avoid brushing your hair too much and only use quality brushes. Never brush when wet if you can avoid it.

Touching your hair: Avoid touching and pulling on your hair, as well as scratching your scalp.

Towels: Only use microfiber towels in your hair as they prevent frizz and breakage.

Pillowcases: Only use silk pillowcases as they prevent frizz and breakage.

Combs: Use wide-toothed ones.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

PART II
Understanding your hair

View attachment 2512997

You will have to spend a lot of time and some money on your hair, trying many different products and improving your routine little by little. For some, it's a quick process, while the unlucky ones will take a long time to find a routine that works for them. It is better to start this process as soon as possible, since it will be a long journey.
Your process will be based on the Scientific Method: you will...

Study your hair to see where you can improve it.

Formulate an hypothesis as to what is wrong with it.

Choose a product/routine to attempt to fix it.

Implement that routine for a certain amount of time, taking notes on what is working and what is not.

Review the data to see what worked and what didn't, and start the process again until you obtain satisfying results.

Types of hair
Most people think there are four hair types: straight, wavy, curly and kinky.
This is wrong, because these are hair patterns, not types. A hair's pattern only tells you the shape of your hair; a hair type tells you what product you need to use, and since our goal is creating beautiful hair, that is what we need to consider!
In order to improve our hair, we must forget hair patterns and focus on two main features that are often overlooked: thickness and porosity.

View attachment 2505382
Thickness - the width of your hair strands.
To find out the width, start by taking a single strand of hair and laying it flat on a table.
If you can barely see the hair or feel it between your fingertips, then you have fine hair.
If the hair strand looks thick and appears to be textured, then the hair is coarse.
If your hair is somewhere in-between, then you have a medium width.

View attachment 2505388
Porosity - your hair’s ability to absorb moisture or product.
An easy way to determine your hair’s porosity is by placing a single strand of hair into a bowl of water.
If the hair sinks to the bottom, your hair has a high porosity as it’s absorbing all the moisture.
If your hair floats on top of the water, your hair has a low porosity and doesn’t absorb moisture easily.
Lastly, if the hair floats somewhere in the middle of the water, it has a medium porosity meaning that it is well balanced.

Note that your porosity levels may change; high porosity is generally caused by damage, whereas healthy hair tends to be on the low porosity side.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

PART III
Hair Diagnosis

View attachment 2513001

After Part I, you should have discovered 2 pieces of information, i.e. your hair's thickness and porosity. Let us now have a look at what your problems are, and how to fix them in a way that is tailored to your hair's specific structure and needs.

The tables below will give indications related to three main elements:
Amount of Product: each ▮ represents a dime-sized dollop of product. This can be increased or reduced based on your hair length, obviously - if your hair goes past your neck, use more. If it doesn't, use less. A bit of mental flexibility is required here!
Weight/Thickness of Product: refer to product description; ▮ products are almost watery, ▮▮▮▮▮ products are super thick or very oily.
Shampooing Frequency: each ▮ represents how many days per week you should shampoo.

Types of Hair Issues
The most common hair issues can be classified in three major groups: Dryness, Oiliness, Hair Loss, Scalp Issues.

Dryness refers to hair that looks somewhat like straw; it is dull, brittle and split. It does not shine and it does not flow. Dry hair is especially ugly right after washing, and extreme dryness is usually a sign of hair damage.

Oiliness refers to the opposite; hair that is flat, heavy, and which looks and feels gross and dirty. Oily hair is especially annoying because it requires frequent washes, and gets greasy really quickly.

Hair Loss refers to the lack of hair itself rather than its quality. Hair loss can be caused by hormones (male and female pattern baldness), skin conditions (sebhorreic dermatitis), autoimmune diseases (alopecia areata) and poor habits (lack of nutrients/sleep).

Scalp Issues refers to problems that arise from an unbalanced scalp environment, such as dandruff and itching.

Note that while most people generally suffer from only one of the three issues discussed in part I, many issues can coexist; for example, you may have oily roots and dry ends, or suffer from extreme dryness right after washing which quickly turns into excess oiliness.

Dryness
The most common cause of dryness is some level of hair damage. Hair can be damaged by a variety of things; external agents, sunlight, bleaching, tight hairstyles, pulling... the list is endless. Solutions for dryness are generally quite simple but are slightly different based on your specific hair.

POROSITY Amount of Product Weight/Thickness of Product Shampooing Frequency
Low Fine: ▮▮
Medium:▮▮▮
Coarse:▮▮▮ Fine: ▮▮▮
Medium: ▮▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮▮▮ Fine: ▮▮
Medium: ▮▮
Coarse: ▮
Medium Fine: ▮▮▮
Medium: ▮▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮▮ Fine:▮▮▮▮
Medium:▮▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮▮▮ Fine: ▮▮
Medium: ▮
Coarse: ▮
High Fine: ▮▮▮▮
Medium: ▮▮▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮▮▮ Fine▮▮▮▮▮
Medium:▮▮▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮▮▮ Fine: ▮
Medium: ▮
Coarse: ▮

Fixing Damage
Particularly persistent dryness may be caused by some extent of damage. Damage is a bit harder to fix, but it is not impossible. Just keep in mind that hair that has been damaged too severely will never go back to 100%; you will have to wait and grow it out again. This is the case for aggressive bleaching.
I recommend using Olaplex n.3 Hair Perfector to fix hair damage, as damaged hair is simply unable to retain moisture and will always revert to being dry, no matter how well you take care of it. That is because damaged hair is filled with microscopic holes that leak moisture; this product will plug those holes and allow your hair to retain moisture again. It is exceptionally effective and it will give some results from the very first try, peaking after 1-3 months of consistent use (the more damaged your hair is, the longer it will take).
You can follow this tutorial for what regards this specific product:

Oiliness
Oiliness is typically caused by a wide array of things. Fixing it requires a holistic approach that ensures optimal scalp environment (not oily nor too dry) as well as meticulous product choice that can give moisture to hair without making it greasy.
Note: Oiliness may also be caused by hormones, and there is no real fix for that besides the help of a dermatologist.

POROSITY Amount of Product Weight/Thickness of Product Shampooing Frequency
Low Fine: ▮
Medium: ▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮ Fine: ▮
Medium: ▮
Coarse: ▮ Fine: ▮▮▮ or even ▮▮▮▮
Medium: ▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮
Medium Fine: ▮▮
Medium: ▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮▮ Fine: ▮
Medium: ▮
Coarse: ▮ Fine: ▮▮▮
Medium: ▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮
High Fine: ▮▮
Medium: ▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮▮ Fine: ▮▮
Medium: ▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮ Fine: ▮▮
Medium: ▮▮
Coarse: ▮

Hair loss
There are a lot of resources on this website that already discuss this problem in-depth. I believe in a practical approach based on reality rather than experimental drugs and unproven anecdotes. Hair loss is a complex problem and this is not the right place to discuss possible cures; I will, however, take some time to dispel some harmful myths related to hair loss.

Myth 1: Hair loss comes from your mother's side
There are a lot of very complex reasons for this, but the truth is that this claim is mostly false. Your mother's side is responsible for a bigger amount of genes that may carry the balding gene but they're not the only ones. The real truth of the matter is that predicting hair loss is impossible, it can strike randomly, skip generations, and act in very strange and unpredictable ways. All we can do is look for signs and take action.

Myth 2: Hair loss will always slowly result in a norwood 7 / completely bald head
Not all forms of hair loss are the same. Many people begin balding around the end of puberty (age 18 to 22) and towards middle age (40s), but in many cases hair loss simply stops after a certain point. That's why so many trichologists believe in the idea of a "mature hairline"; it is a statistical fact that the vast majority of men experience SOME extent of hair loss that makes one's hairline a bit higher than when they were teenagers, but which doesn't necessarily progress further.
This isn't completely well understood yet since "mature hairlines" tend to present a set of characteristics that sets them apart from male pattern baldness, but it is an indicator that not all forms of hair loss are the same, even when caused by testosterone or DHT.

Myth 3: Hair loss only affects men
Simply put: women are affected too, since testosterone is also in their system. They're just affected a LOT less often, in slightly different patterns, and they're really good at hiding/camouflaging it. Plus they also wear wigs without a second thought. As a matter of fact, Minoxidil is routinely prescribed to women too, and sometimes even Finasteride.

Myth 4: Hair loss medication doesn't work / is too risky
Hair loss medication isn't perfect but it does work and carries minimal risks.
There are a lot of people who use minoxidil and have excellent results, and who can stop or even reverse their hair loss without even using stronger medication like finasteride.
The same can be said for Finasteride; we have all heard the horror stories, but I'd like to stress that statistically speaking most people who start taking finasteride pills get excellent results and keep living their lives without any issues. It is important to gauge risks with a clear head instead of being carried away by feelings.

Now that these clarifications are out of the way, I will merely list what is KNOWN to work reasonably well.
DISCLAIMER: I am NOT a doctor and take no responsibility for what you are going to do with the information provided below.

Treatment Effectiveness Possible side effects Notes
Scalp Massages Effective at restoring blood flow and reducing fibrosis. Somewhat effective at regrowing hair.

It can help make other treatments more effective by ensuring optimal scalp health. None. Only requires a few minutes when you are shampooing.
Ketoconazole Shampoo Mildly effective at slowing Male Pattern Baldness, or stopping it in very light cases. Extremely drying to hair.
Generally very harsh to your scalp. It is generally not ideal to use this for long periods of time, as it is mostly an anti-fungal remedy.
Derma rolling Effective at inducing mild hair regrowth even alone, but especially useful to turn a minoxidil non-responder into a responder. Needles too big may cause damage to the hair follicle, which if repeated may become permanent loss of said hair follicle.

Chronic tears in the scalp may also induce some form of fibrosis or even more serious conditions (more research is needed in this respect). Generally done professionally, but you can easily do it with yourself by using a plastic tool (properly disinfected and replaced every few months) or a specialized machine (Derminator).
Minoxidil Very effective at regrowing hair in roughly 50% of men. Non-responders may attempt to turn into responders by Derma-Rolling or using Tretinoin. Mild irritation on scalp skin.

Anecdotal evidence related to collagen loss and dark circles has no scientific validity, UNLESS applied to the face to stimulate beard/eyebrow/eyelash growth, in which case said side effects may be explained by the alcoholic content of Minoxidil drying out the face's skin. Comes in two different percentages; 2% and 5%. 5% is generally as safe as 2% but more effective.

Can be taken orally or topically. Topical version is generally preferred since it is safer. Oral version is not FDA approved and carries a series of health risks, especially related to heart health.

In most cases, minoxidil induces hair shedding for a few weeks before the new strengthened hair can grow. Said hair becomes permanent after roughly 2 years, but it is recommended to keep using Minoxidil indefinitely to be completely sure the user won't revert to their original hair state when treatment is discontinued.
Finasteride (needs prescription and medical supervision) Effective at stopping Male Pattern Baldness in the majority of cases, and even reversing it in the lighter cases. Erectile dysfunction, reduced fertility (both reversible if treatment is discontinued).

Contrary to popular opinion, side effects are quite rare, and life-lasting side effects are exceptionally rare. Can be taken orally or topically. Oral version is generally preferred.
Dutasteride (experimental drug) Extremely effective at stopping Male Pattern Baldness in the vast majority of cases, and even reversing it in the lighter cases. Finasteride's side effects, but generally stronger. Not FDA-approved and thus relatively difficult to predict; make use of this at your own risk.
This drug has a profound effect on the androgenic pathway that leads to sebum production too, which should help with acne as well.

Scalp Issues

Every single common scalp condition, from itching to dandruff, has one culprit: Sebhorreic Dermatitis. As a matter of fact, 11% of people worldwide suffer from this condition, although it is most common in people between age 30 and 60.
The extent of a person's vulnerability to Sebhorreic Dermatitis influences the way it manifests. In the lightest cases, it will simply manifest as itching. In moderate cases, it will be dandruff. In more serious situations it can cause redness and extreme itching as well as huge inflamed flakes.

Following this guide religiously will help keep most of these symptoms in check; I recommend switching your shampoo for a HIGH QUALITY PROFESSIONAL/MEDICAL SHAMPOO (not one you can find at the supermarket!) that is specifically made for people with dandruff/itching/sebhorreic dermatitis.
Another viable option is selecting a super delicate shampoo meant for newborns, the ones specifically made to wash out cradle cap; this kind of shampoo is extremely gentle and can restore health and vitality to a suffering scalp.

If your sebhorreic dermatitis is particularly aggressive, I recommend seeking the help of a dermatologist.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

PART IV
Product Recommendations

View attachment 2513004

This section will give you a quick overview of the most effective products you can buy to fix your issues; HOWEVER you must keep in mind that this is just a very generic guideline and you will have to try many different products over a sufficiently long period of time before you find something that works for YOU and YOUR hair. In other words, this is a starting point - you are meant to research and experiment yourself.

Type of Product Fine or Medium Hair Coarse Hair
Shampoo Kerastase is generally good*. Kerastase is generally good*.
Conditioner Kerastase is generally good*. Kerastase is generally good*.
Leave-in Conditioner PUREOLOGY Color Fanatic PUREOLOGY Color Fanatic
Hair Oil Olaplex n.7 Moroccanoil Treatment Original
Blow Dry Cream Redken Big Blowout

Redken Frizz Dismiss Rebel Tame Cream

Heat Protectant Olaplex n.6 (all heat)
Good Hair Day's Bodyguard (for ironing) Moroccanoil Perfect Defense
Hair Mask Anything with Anything with Coconut Oil.
Damage Repairing pre-wash treatment Olaplex n.3** Olaplex n.3**

*They offer a wide selection of quality products; make sure to select one that is appropriate to your hair requirements.
**Last year, Olaplex reformulated this product as it contained "Lilian", a fragrance that was European health inspectors found to be harmful to fertility when exposed to it over very long periods of time. This was not a serious issue at all, but Olaplex still recalled all products containing it and reformulated n.3 for sales worldwide. So if you see people saying Olaplex gives you cancer, you can rest easy knowing that it's all been solved.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

CONCLUSION
We have seen an extensive analysis of hair care, and you are probably overloaded with information.
As I mentioned many times throughout this guide, this is only a starting point meant to give you a basic set of practices and procedures to ensure optimal hair health. What works BEST for you is up to you to discover: finding the exact right products for your biological makeup is a long process that requires you to be analytical and level-headed.

Keep trying and don't give up!

high effort,thanks!

Deleted member 52596 · Nov 24, 2023

op on coconut oil for my hair?

Chadpreet_ · Nov 25, 2023

Washed with lukewarm water and applied coconut oil like 10 minutes before washing yesterday, it's already way less rough and smoother. Also will buy castor oil to apply to eyebrows and eyelashes. Great post bro thanks for the info.

HighClassMaxing · Nov 27, 2023

BucketCrab said:
Finasteride's side effects, but generally stronger.

this is wrong, dut has a better side effect profile than fin

BucketCrab · Nov 27, 2023

HighClassMaxing said:
this is wrong, dut has a better side effect profile than fin

Please elaborate, I am quite sure a stronger inhibitory effect would translate into stronger side effects, but I am open to changing my mind since I'm not an expert on dut. Isn't the higher side effects profile one of the reasons it's not FDA approved yet?

Jason Voorhees · Nov 27, 2023

How did I miss this thread. Insane thread OP. Tag me in your future threads.

PointOfNoReturn · Nov 27, 2023

heisenburgertaco said:
can you add a tldr or something im not reading allat

Just shower

HighClassMaxing · Nov 27, 2023

BucketCrab said:
Please elaborate, I am quite sure a stronger inhibitory effect would translate into stronger side effects, but I am open to changing my mind since I'm not an expert on dut. Isn't the higher side effects profile one of the reasons it's not FDA approved yet?

Maalik · Jan 6, 2024

Dutasteride reversed my hairloss
suppressed my acne and de-oiled my skin and reduced the Pore size too somehow
this is a looksmaxx miracle drug. How can it solve Four terrifying problems by itself?!
it almost sounds too OP, like its gonna be nerfed soon.

shouldirope99z · Jan 6, 2024

Maalik said:
Dutasteride reversed my hairloss
suppressed my acne and de-oiled my skin and reduced the Pore size too somehow
this is a looksmaxx miracle drug. How can it solve Four terrifying problems by itself?!
it almost sounds too OP, like its gonna be nerfed soon.

i found the currycel on Rate Me (i'm the chink) jfl

garoupilled_ · Aug 8, 2024

botb @Gargantuan @Gengar @Lmao @emeraldglass @NumbThePain

JohnDoe · Aug 8, 2024

>olaplex no.7
>Ingredients: Diméthicone, Isohexadecane, C13 à 14 Isoparaffin (isoparrafine), Coco-Caprylate (huile estérifiée de coco), Phenyl Trimethicone (phényltriméthicone), Bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate (dimaléate de bis-aminopropyl diglycol), Propanediol, Zea Mays (maïs) Oil, Beta-Carotene (bétacarotène), Helianthus Annuus (tournesol) Seed Oil, Punica Granatum Seed Oil (huile de graine de grenadier), Eau, Morinda Citrifolia Fruit Powder (extrait de nono), Fragrance (parfum), Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene (limonène), Tocopherol (tocophérol), Citral, Linalool (linalol), Citronellol, Pseudozyma Epicola/Camellia Sinensis Seed (Green Tea) Oil Ferment Extract Filtrate (huile fermentée de graines de thé vert).

I don't know.. i feel like shampoo should have natural ingredients and only a few, not a whole list.

BucketCrab · Aug 23, 2024

23/08/2024 UPDATE

After extensive testing on myself, I have come to the conclusion that K18 leave-in molecular repair hair mask is a superior product to Olaplex N.3 for fixing hair damage.

The two products function in different ways and thus can be used together; still, K18 is simply more effective at what it does.
Olaplex n.3 creates and strengthens bonds, while K18 works on the innermost structure of the hair to repair deep-seated damage.
Both make your hair more beautiful, but K18 produces better results more quickly.

Additionally, K18 only requires 4 minutes of your time, and it can be used way less often once damage is fixed.

Deleted member 69862 · Aug 23, 2024

BucketCrab said:
23/08/2024 UPDATE

After extensive testing on myself, I have come to the conclusion that K18 leave-in molecular repair hair mask is a superior product to Olaplex N.3 for fixing hair damage.

The two products function in different ways and thus can be used together; still, K18 is simply more effective at what it does.
Olaplex n.3 creates and strengthens bonds, while K18 works on the innermost structure of the hair to repair deep-seated damage.
Both make your hair more beautiful, but K18 produces better results more quickly.

Additionally, K18 only requires 4 minutes of your time, and it can be used way less often once damage is fixed.

He’s back.

sb23 · Aug 23, 2024

BucketCrab said:
Tying your hair: When at home, try to never tie your hair. When outside, avoid tight hairstyles as they can lead to hair loss and breakage. Ponytails should be low-set, not high-set; this applies minimal stress to hair follicles.

Hair ties: Never use low quality hair ties and stay away from those with little metallic pieces in them. Use scrunchies if possible, as they are less damaging to hair

This has to partly be copy and paste. Scrunchies? Ponytails? What dafuq? Is this for women?

BucketCrab · Aug 23, 2024

sb23 said:
This has to partly be copy and paste.

None of my writings are copy and paste. I always properly punctuate quotations or outright state it when I'm using someone else's words.

I also don't use gendered terms when unnecessary. "Manbuns" are essentially ponytails and I don't make any particular distinction in that regard since there is nothing particularly gendered in the way hair is kept tied to the back of one's head. On that note, I do not find scrunchies emasculating either.

sb23 · Aug 23, 2024

BucketCrab said:
None of my writings are copy and paste. I always properly punctuate quotations or outright state it when I'm using someone else's words.

I also don't use gendered terms when unnecessary. "Manbuns" are essentially ponytails and I don't make any particular distinction in that regard since there is nothing particularly gendered in the way hair is kept tied to the back of one's head. On that note, I do not find scrunchies emasculating either.

My bad for judging. I grew up with a sister who used scrunchies and never saw any guys using it so I just assumed it was for females. Good thread. I incorporated the first section today. Hair is still stubborn as a goat but it felt healthier.

Rawprimalooks · Aug 23, 2024

I

BucketCrab said:
“...hair is architecture with a human element.”
– Vidal Sassoon

View attachment 2512993
BucketCrab's Practical Hair Guide
the fastest way to understand hair, and how to make it beautiful

Introduction
This guide is written with the explicit aim to educate people about hair care in order to achieve beautiful hair as quickly as possible.
As such, it won't go in-depth regarding many topics, but simply provide good practical information about how to do things. This guide is meant to be a vademecum of sorts, rather than a trove of scientific information; I usually pride myself on always articulating the reasons that lead me to assert something, but since this is a practical guide with practical aims, I've decided to cut out the explanations and focus on the actual procedures you should go for.
This will require you to kind of take my word, obviously; still, you can find scientific information about how hair works all over the internet. You can read this guide to have said information already digested for you, so that you can make hair choices with ease; most of the information in here is the summation of years of tinkering, reading, studying and flat out stealing the wisdom of professional hairdressers, whose entire job revolves around giving people beautiful hair.

Guide Philosophy and Structure
As mentioned above, this guide is a practical way to solve hair issues in the least amount of time; little time will be wasted on lengthy explanations on why something works a certain way. Additional information on the topics mentioned can be found elsewhere; you are going to have to trust me on the specific underlying mechanisms that make something work better than something else in a specific situation.

Part I will detail the correct way to take care of your hair in general. It will also explain what hair products do and how to use them.
Part II will be dedicated to understanding your particular hair's requirements and issues.
Part III will discuss possible ways in which you you may attempt to solve said issues.
Part IV will discuss products that could be beneficial to your specific case.

On Hair Length
This guide has little to offer to people who wear their hair quite short, and is mostly meant for medium and long haired users. That is because short hair is "young" and has had little time to accumulate damage, since it will be cut again before said damage can start showing. That is why people with short hair can take little care of it and it will still look decent, whereas longer hairstyles need more time and care. Yes, when you have super short hair you can get away with shampooing it every day and just rubbing it with a towel; that does not apply to longer hairstyles at all, so let's forget the idea that beauty comes without effort.

The Golden Rule
The first and most important thing you must understand to achieve good hair is that EVERYONE'S HAIR IS DIFFERENT.
What works for someone may not work for someone else. Think of hair like skin; people's skin have different issues and requirements, and thus require different approaches. It's the exact same with hair, so don't fall for "miracle cures" and "one size fits all" products. This guide is, therefore, only a STARTING POINT for you to begin the journey - you will have to study and understand your hair yourself.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

PART I
Hair care made simple

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Taking care of your hair can be split into four major areas: washing, drying, styling and lifestyle. Each areas may require different products but the ultimate aim of this section of the guide is ensuring a rock-solid foundation of health for your hair, before we go on to tackle more specific issues.

Hair care products
There are a LOT of hair products, but don't be discouraged. I have listed them all right here; if you hear of an hair product but it isn't in this list, assume it's not as necessary. It is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT that you understand that you won't get beautiful hair by being stingy; supermarket hair products are watered down and rarely effective. It is a wise idea to invest money in quality hair products if you are serious about your hair. Choose high-quality products that professionals use in their salons and you will avoid wasting your money on useless snake oil that gives no results.

Shampoo: it is used to clean your scalp, not your hair. If applied directly to hair it will strip it of its natural oils, making it dry and ugly. Shampoo is the first product you apply when washing your hair. It is washed out of your hair after being applied.

Conditioner: it is used to restore strength and moisture to your hair, not your scalp. If applied to your scalp it will clog the follicles, leading to dandruff. Conditioner is the second product you apply when washing your hair, right after shampoo. It is washed out of your hair after being applied.

Leave-in conditioner: it is used to seal moisture inside your hair strand, making sure it does not escape the hair, ensuring it remains healthy and beautiful. Unlike a Conditioner, a Leave-in Conditioner is NOT washed out of your hair after being applied.

Hair oil: it is used to seal moisture into particularly vulnerable areas, such as your hair ends and, to a lesser extent, your hair mids. It helps fight frizziness and protect your hair. It is NOT washed out of your hair after being applied.

Blow dry cream: it is used to protect your wet hair before you blow dry it; when wet, your hair is at its most vulnerable and it will always require protection. It is not washed out of your hair after being applied.

Heat protectant: it is used to protect your dry hair before you use a flat iron on it. Heat is very dangerous for your hair and it can lead to damage if you do not properly protect your hair with a heat protectant. It is not washed out of your hair after being applied.

Hair mask: it is used to repair damaged hair or fix certain hair problems. Hair masks can be applied to wet or dry hair and are generally left on for a long period of time before you wash them out.

Washing
Washing your hair correctly is simple but most people do it wrong. It should be done this way:

Phase I - Shampooing
Gently wet your hair with lukewarm water for 1 minute allowing it to open up. Put shampoo on your scalp and gently rub it with your fingertips all over the scalp; this is a good time to have a scalp massage as well since you're basically already doing it. Keep rubbing gently until the shampoo forms a lather, once you're done (shouldn't take you more than 5 minutes even with a scalp massage), wash it all off.

Phase II - Conditioning
Gently squeeze your hair to remove excess water. Do NOT pull, scratch or twist. Just gently squeeze your hair inbetween your palms. Once you got most of the water out, apply conditioner to your hair and NOT to your scalp. Leave it on for 2 to 10 minutes, then wash it off with cold water.

Drying
Drying your hair is the hardest part and the one where most people do the most damage. When wet, your hair is in its most vulnerable state and should be treated like glass: that means you must be super gentle with it.

There are two main ways you can dry your hair: Blow Drying and Air Drying.

Blow Drying will require good technique but allows you to change your hair's pattern. Blow Drying will require a blow drying cream and a quality blow drier as well. It is impossible to properly explain how to blow dry in written form, so you will need to find tutorials elsewhere; YouTube should have plenty of options.

Air Drying will require a microfiber towel for optimal results. Once you are out of the shower, gently squeeze water out of your hair by hand, then gently pat your hair with your microfiber towel until it's about 60 to 80% dry. Apply your leave-in conditioner, then you can wrap your hair in another microfiber towel (one that's not wet) and leave it on to dry for a few hours. Alternatively, you can leave your hair uncovered right after you apply your leave-in conditioner, but I wouldn't recommend it as you'll need hair that's in PERFECT health to avoid it losing moisture.

Some people wrongfully assume Air Drying is damaging because your hair remains wet for too long, or that Blow Drying applies unnecessary heat to your hair.
Both are wrong. Either way of drying is perfectly fine.
Just make sure to use a blow-dry cream and good technique when blow drying to ensure no heat damage. If instead you decide to air dry, just keep in mind the shape your hair dries in is the way your hair will stay - you obviously won't get to decide your hair's shape if you air dry it and don't use heat on it right after.

Styling
Styling refers to all procedures that are not meant to fundamentally change your hair's structure but merely the way it looks. The most common ways of styling your hair are connected to the use of heat. There are countless heat tools one can use, but the most effective, safe and widely used is the Flat Iron. I will skip the specifics or heat hair tools as you need an actual video to see the technique in action; what I want to focus on is ensuring styling won't damage your hair.
Information on the various procedures you can use to change your hair pattern through heat can be found elsewhere.

To protect hair from heat damage, follow these FOUR rules:
Rule 1: I will NOT apply heat to my hair when it is wet, greasy/unwashed, or already damaged.
Rule 2: I will NOT use heat styling more than twice a week, and I will avoid morning touch-ups.
Rule 3: I will always use a Heat Protectant before heat styling, and an hair oil right after heat styling.
Rule 4: To ensure heat styling lasts as long as possible, I will only use heat right after I washed and dried my hair.

Using a Heat Protectant: Spray from afar so that the spray can actually become a cloud and coat your hair in a wide area. A few sprays for each section should be sufficient; heat protectant should not be felt on your hair and it shouldn't make your hair greasy - you don't have to SEE IT on your hair to know it's there, and if you go overboard, you will make your hair greasy and heavy and that will negatively impact your heat styling. Once it's been sprayed, brush your hair to coat it evenly and proceed with your heat styling.

Lifestyle
Biologically speaking, your hair is fairly useless, but it is a good way to instantly tell if an organism is in good health or not, since it's one of the first things your body ditches when it feels threatened. That is why so many diseases cause hair loss, and why you can even lose hair from a sudden debilitating shock, like surgery. Veterinarians routinely gauge a pet's health by the state of its fur, and humans are not different. Hair is a quick way to tell the health state of its owner throughout a long period of time... as such, one of its foundations is good habits for your overall health.

Diet: A balanced diet with plenty of protein and omega-3 will ensure optimal hair growth. Focus on fatty fish, nuts, eggs, avocados, sweet potatoes, meat.

Water: Drink 3+ liters of water a day to ensure optimal liquid intake.

Sleep: Sleep 8hr+ a day, in a slightly cold room, in complete silence and darkness, and following regular sleep patterns (go to sleep and wake up at roughly the same hours throughout the entire week).

Sun: Direct sunlight can damage hair through a process similar to bleaching; protect your hair, wear hats, or just avoid frying it under intense sun for too long.

Swimming: Salt water (from the sea) and chloride (from swimming pools) can damage your hair in the long run; moreover, wetting your hair too often can also lead to breakage and damage.

Tying your hair: When at home, try to never tie your hair. When outside, avoid tight hairstyles as they can lead to hair loss and breakage. Ponytails should be low-set, not high-set; this applies minimal stress to hair follicles.

Hair ties: Never use low quality hair ties and stay away from those with little metallic pieces in them. Use scrunchies if possible, as they are less damaging to hair.

Scalp massages: Massaging your scalp relieves tension and fosters hair growth; a good rule of thumb is having a relaxing scalp massage every time you shampoo.

Brushing: Avoid brushing your hair too much and only use quality brushes. Never brush when wet if you can avoid it.

Touching your hair: Avoid touching and pulling on your hair, as well as scratching your scalp.

Towels: Only use microfiber towels in your hair as they prevent frizz and breakage.

Pillowcases: Only use silk pillowcases as they prevent frizz and breakage.

Combs: Use wide-toothed ones.

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PART II
Understanding your hair

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You will have to spend a lot of time and some money on your hair, trying many different products and improving your routine little by little. For some, it's a quick process, while the unlucky ones will take a long time to find a routine that works for them. It is better to start this process as soon as possible, since it will be a long journey.
Your process will be based on the Scientific Method: you will...

Study your hair to see where you can improve it.

Formulate an hypothesis as to what is wrong with it.

Choose a product/routine to attempt to fix it.

Implement that routine for a certain amount of time, taking notes on what is working and what is not.

Review the data to see what worked and what didn't, and start the process again until you obtain satisfying results.

Types of hair
Most people think there are four hair types: straight, wavy, curly and kinky.
This is wrong, because these are hair patterns, not types. A hair's pattern only tells you the shape of your hair; a hair type tells you what product you need to use, and since our goal is creating beautiful hair, that is what we need to consider!
In order to improve our hair, we must forget hair patterns and focus on two main features that are often overlooked: thickness and porosity.

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Thickness - the width of your hair strands.
To find out the width, start by taking a single strand of hair and laying it flat on a table.
If you can barely see the hair or feel it between your fingertips, then you have fine hair.
If the hair strand looks thick and appears to be textured, then the hair is coarse.
If your hair is somewhere in-between, then you have a medium width.

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Porosity - your hair’s ability to absorb moisture or product.
An easy way to determine your hair’s porosity is by placing a single strand of hair into a bowl of water.
If the hair sinks to the bottom, your hair has a high porosity as it’s absorbing all the moisture.
If your hair floats on top of the water, your hair has a low porosity and doesn’t absorb moisture easily.
Lastly, if the hair floats somewhere in the middle of the water, it has a medium porosity meaning that it is well balanced.

Note that your porosity levels may change; high porosity is generally caused by damage, whereas healthy hair tends to be on the low porosity side.
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PART III
Hair Diagnosis

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After Part I, you should have discovered 2 pieces of information, i.e. your hair's thickness and porosity. Let us now have a look at what your problems are, and how to fix them in a way that is tailored to your hair's specific structure and needs.

The tables below will give indications related to three main elements:
Amount of Product: each ▮ represents a dime-sized dollop of product. This can be increased or reduced based on your hair length, obviously - if your hair goes past your neck, use more. If it doesn't, use less. A bit of mental flexibility is required here!
Weight/Thickness of Product: refer to product description; ▮ products are almost watery, ▮▮▮▮▮ products are super thick or very oily.
Shampooing Frequency: each ▮ represents how many days per week you should shampoo.

Types of Hair Issues
The most common hair issues can be classified in three major groups: Dryness, Oiliness, Hair Loss, Scalp Issues.

Dryness refers to hair that looks somewhat like straw; it is dull, brittle and split. It does not shine and it does not flow. Dry hair is especially ugly right after washing, and extreme dryness is usually a sign of hair damage.

Oiliness refers to the opposite; hair that is flat, heavy, and which looks and feels gross and dirty. Oily hair is especially annoying because it requires frequent washes, and gets greasy really quickly.

Hair Loss refers to the lack of hair itself rather than its quality. Hair loss can be caused by hormones (male and female pattern baldness), skin conditions (sebhorreic dermatitis), autoimmune diseases (alopecia areata) and poor habits (lack of nutrients/sleep).

Scalp Issues refers to problems that arise from an unbalanced scalp environment, such as dandruff and itching.

Note that while most people generally suffer from only one of the three issues discussed in part I, many issues can coexist; for example, you may have oily roots and dry ends, or suffer from extreme dryness right after washing which quickly turns into excess oiliness.

Dryness
The most common cause of dryness is some level of hair damage. Hair can be damaged by a variety of things; external agents, sunlight, bleaching, tight hairstyles, pulling... the list is endless. Solutions for dryness are generally quite simple but are slightly different based on your specific hair.

POROSITY Amount of Product Weight/Thickness of Product Shampooing Frequency
Low Fine: ▮▮
Medium:▮▮▮
Coarse:▮▮▮ Fine: ▮▮▮
Medium: ▮▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮▮▮ Fine: ▮▮
Medium: ▮▮
Coarse: ▮
Medium Fine: ▮▮▮
Medium: ▮▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮▮ Fine:▮▮▮▮
Medium:▮▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮▮▮ Fine: ▮▮
Medium: ▮
Coarse: ▮
High Fine: ▮▮▮▮
Medium: ▮▮▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮▮▮ Fine▮▮▮▮▮
Medium:▮▮▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮▮▮ Fine: ▮
Medium: ▮
Coarse: ▮

Fixing Damage
Particularly persistent dryness may be caused by some extent of damage. Damage is a bit harder to fix, but it is not impossible. Just keep in mind that hair that has been damaged too severely will never go back to 100%; you will have to wait and grow it out again. This is the case for aggressive bleaching.
I recommend using Olaplex n.3 Hair Perfector to fix hair damage, as damaged hair is simply unable to retain moisture and will always revert to being dry, no matter how well you take care of it. That is because damaged hair is filled with microscopic holes that leak moisture; this product will plug those holes and allow your hair to retain moisture again. It is exceptionally effective and it will give some results from the very first try, peaking after 1-3 months of consistent use (the more damaged your hair is, the longer it will take).
You can follow this tutorial for what regards this specific product:

Oiliness
Oiliness is typically caused by a wide array of things. Fixing it requires a holistic approach that ensures optimal scalp environment (not oily nor too dry) as well as meticulous product choice that can give moisture to hair without making it greasy.
Note: Oiliness may also be caused by hormones, and there is no real fix for that besides the help of a dermatologist.

POROSITY Amount of Product Weight/Thickness of Product Shampooing Frequency
Low Fine: ▮
Medium: ▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮ Fine: ▮
Medium: ▮
Coarse: ▮ Fine: ▮▮▮ or even ▮▮▮▮
Medium: ▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮
Medium Fine: ▮▮
Medium: ▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮▮ Fine: ▮
Medium: ▮
Coarse: ▮ Fine: ▮▮▮
Medium: ▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮
High Fine: ▮▮
Medium: ▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮▮ Fine: ▮▮
Medium: ▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮ Fine: ▮▮
Medium: ▮▮
Coarse: ▮

Hair loss
There are a lot of resources on this website that already discuss this problem in-depth. I believe in a practical approach based on reality rather than experimental drugs and unproven anecdotes. Hair loss is a complex problem and this is not the right place to discuss possible cures; I will, however, take some time to dispel some harmful myths related to hair loss.

Myth 1: Hair loss comes from your mother's side
There are a lot of very complex reasons for this, but the truth is that this claim is mostly false. Your mother's side is responsible for a bigger amount of genes that may carry the balding gene but they're not the only ones. The real truth of the matter is that predicting hair loss is impossible, it can strike randomly, skip generations, and act in very strange and unpredictable ways. All we can do is look for signs and take action.

Myth 2: Hair loss will always slowly result in a norwood 7 / completely bald head
Not all forms of hair loss are the same. Many people begin balding around the end of puberty (age 18 to 22) and towards middle age (40s), but in many cases hair loss simply stops after a certain point. That's why so many trichologists believe in the idea of a "mature hairline"; it is a statistical fact that the vast majority of men experience SOME extent of hair loss that makes one's hairline a bit higher than when they were teenagers, but which doesn't necessarily progress further.
This isn't completely well understood yet since "mature hairlines" tend to present a set of characteristics that sets them apart from male pattern baldness, but it is an indicator that not all forms of hair loss are the same, even when caused by testosterone or DHT.

Myth 3: Hair loss only affects men
Simply put: women are affected too, since testosterone is also in their system. They're just affected a LOT less often, in slightly different patterns, and they're really good at hiding/camouflaging it. Plus they also wear wigs without a second thought. As a matter of fact, Minoxidil is routinely prescribed to women too, and sometimes even Finasteride.

Myth 4: Hair loss medication doesn't work / is too risky
Hair loss medication isn't perfect but it does work and carries minimal risks.
There are a lot of people who use minoxidil and have excellent results, and who can stop or even reverse their hair loss without even using stronger medication like finasteride.
The same can be said for Finasteride; we have all heard the horror stories, but I'd like to stress that statistically speaking most people who start taking finasteride pills get excellent results and keep living their lives without any issues. It is important to gauge risks with a clear head instead of being carried away by feelings.

Now that these clarifications are out of the way, I will merely list what is KNOWN to work reasonably well.
DISCLAIMER: I am NOT a doctor and take no responsibility for what you are going to do with the information provided below.

Treatment Effectiveness Possible side effects Notes
Scalp Massages Effective at restoring blood flow and reducing fibrosis. Somewhat effective at regrowing hair.

It can help make other treatments more effective by ensuring optimal scalp health. None. Only requires a few minutes when you are shampooing.
Ketoconazole Shampoo Mildly effective at slowing Male Pattern Baldness, or stopping it in very light cases. Extremely drying to hair.
Generally very harsh to your scalp. It is generally not ideal to use this for long periods of time, as it is mostly an anti-fungal remedy.
Derma rolling Effective at inducing mild hair regrowth even alone, but especially useful to turn a minoxidil non-responder into a responder. Needles too big may cause damage to the hair follicle, which if repeated may become permanent loss of said hair follicle.

Chronic tears in the scalp may also induce some form of fibrosis or even more serious conditions (more research is needed in this respect). Generally done professionally, but you can easily do it with yourself by using a plastic tool (properly disinfected and replaced every few months) or a specialized machine (Derminator).
Minoxidil Very effective at regrowing hair in roughly 50% of men. Non-responders may attempt to turn into responders by Derma-Rolling or using Tretinoin. Mild irritation on scalp skin.

Anecdotal evidence related to collagen loss and dark circles has no scientific validity, UNLESS applied to the face to stimulate beard/eyebrow/eyelash growth, in which case said side effects may be explained by the alcoholic content of Minoxidil drying out the face's skin. Comes in two different percentages; 2% and 5%. 5% is generally as safe as 2% but more effective.

Can be taken orally or topically. Topical version is generally preferred since it is safer. Oral version is not FDA approved and carries a series of health risks, especially related to heart health.

In most cases, minoxidil induces hair shedding for a few weeks before the new strengthened hair can grow. Said hair becomes permanent after roughly 2 years, but it is recommended to keep using Minoxidil indefinitely to be completely sure the user won't revert to their original hair state when treatment is discontinued.
Finasteride (needs prescription and medical supervision) Effective at stopping Male Pattern Baldness in the majority of cases, and even reversing it in the lighter cases. Erectile dysfunction, reduced fertility (both reversible if treatment is discontinued).

Contrary to popular opinion, side effects are quite rare, and life-lasting side effects are exceptionally rare. Can be taken orally or topically. Oral version is generally preferred.
Dutasteride (experimental drug) Extremely effective at stopping Male Pattern Baldness in the vast majority of cases, and even reversing it in the lighter cases. Finasteride's side effects, but generally stronger. Not FDA-approved and thus relatively difficult to predict; make use of this at your own risk.
This drug has a profound effect on the androgenic pathway that leads to sebum production too, which should help with acne as well.

Scalp Issues

Every single common scalp condition, from itching to dandruff, has one culprit: Sebhorreic Dermatitis. As a matter of fact, 11% of people worldwide suffer from this condition, although it is most common in people between age 30 and 60.
The extent of a person's vulnerability to Sebhorreic Dermatitis influences the way it manifests. In the lightest cases, it will simply manifest as itching. In moderate cases, it will be dandruff. In more serious situations it can cause redness and extreme itching as well as huge inflamed flakes.

Following this guide religiously will help keep most of these symptoms in check; I recommend switching your shampoo for a HIGH QUALITY PROFESSIONAL/MEDICAL SHAMPOO (not one you can find at the supermarket!) that is specifically made for people with dandruff/itching/sebhorreic dermatitis.
Another viable option is selecting a super delicate shampoo meant for newborns, the ones specifically made to wash out cradle cap; this kind of shampoo is extremely gentle and can restore health and vitality to a suffering scalp.

If your sebhorreic dermatitis is particularly aggressive, I recommend seeking the help of a dermatologist.

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PART IV
Product Recommendations

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This section will give you a quick overview of the most effective products you can buy to fix your issues; HOWEVER you must keep in mind that this is just a very generic guideline and you will have to try many different products over a sufficiently long period of time before you find something that works for YOU and YOUR hair. In other words, this is a starting point - you are meant to research and experiment yourself.

Type of Product Fine or Medium Hair Coarse Hair
Shampoo Kerastase is generally good*. Kerastase is generally good*.
Conditioner Kerastase is generally good*. Kerastase is generally good*.
Leave-in Conditioner PUREOLOGY Color Fanatic PUREOLOGY Color Fanatic
Hair Oil Olaplex n.7 Moroccanoil Treatment Original
Blow Dry Cream Redken Big Blowout

Redken Frizz Dismiss Rebel Tame Cream

Heat Protectant Olaplex n.6 (all heat)
Good Hair Day's Bodyguard (for ironing) Moroccanoil Perfect Defense
Hair Mask Anything with Anything with Coconut Oil.
Damage Repairing pre-wash treatment Olaplex n.3** Olaplex n.3**

*They offer a wide selection of quality products; make sure to select one that is appropriate to your hair requirements.
**Last year, Olaplex reformulated this product as it contained "Lilian", a fragrance that was European health inspectors found to be harmful to fertility when exposed to it over very long periods of time. This was not a serious issue at all, but Olaplex still recalled all products containing it and reformulated n.3 for sales worldwide. So if you see people saying Olaplex gives you cancer, you can rest easy knowing that it's all been solved.
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CONCLUSION
We have seen an extensive analysis of hair care, and you are probably overloaded with information.
As I mentioned many times throughout this guide, this is only a starting point meant to give you a basic set of practices and procedures to ensure optimal hair health. What works BEST for you is up to you to discover: finding the exact right products for your biological makeup is a long process that requires you to be analytical and level-headed.

Keep trying and don't give up!

im gonna save time u need aajonus vonderplanitz whole diet and protocol and next wash eggs with eggs raw and exactly aajonus wash recipe u can find primalenjoyer site thats all for silk hair raw milk and its solved

DeadByThirty · Aug 23, 2024

dnr but i will make a much less verbose version here:
1. have hair
2. don't be bald
it's really that simple no need for more

lestoa · Aug 23, 2024

good guide, read this a while ago when i joined this forum
foids on reddit are good for hair care too

Litekiller11 · Aug 23, 2024

lestoa said:
good guide, read this a while ago when i joined this forum
foids on reddit are good for hair care too

They waste too much on unnecessary products tbh

zero_mogger · Aug 25, 2024

BucketCrab said:
“...hair is architecture with a human element.”
– Vidal Sassoon

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BucketCrab's Practical Hair Guide
the fastest way to understand hair, and how to make it beautiful

Introduction
This guide is written with the explicit aim to educate people about hair care in order to achieve beautiful hair as quickly as possible.
As such, it won't go in-depth regarding many topics, but simply provide good practical information about how to do things. This guide is meant to be a vademecum of sorts, rather than a trove of scientific information; I usually pride myself on always articulating the reasons that lead me to assert something, but since this is a practical guide with practical aims, I've decided to cut out the explanations and focus on the actual procedures you should go for.
This will require you to kind of take my word, obviously; still, you can find scientific information about how hair works all over the internet. You can read this guide to have said information already digested for you, so that you can make hair choices with ease; most of the information in here is the summation of years of tinkering, reading, studying and flat out stealing the wisdom of professional hairdressers, whose entire job revolves around giving people beautiful hair.

Guide Philosophy and Structure
As mentioned above, this guide is a practical way to solve hair issues in the least amount of time; little time will be wasted on lengthy explanations on why something works a certain way. Additional information on the topics mentioned can be found elsewhere; you are going to have to trust me on the specific underlying mechanisms that make something work better than something else in a specific situation.

Part I will detail the correct way to take care of your hair in general. It will also explain what hair products do and how to use them.
Part II will be dedicated to understanding your particular hair's requirements and issues.
Part III will discuss possible ways in which you you may attempt to solve said issues.
Part IV will discuss products that could be beneficial to your specific case.

On Hair Length
This guide has little to offer to people who wear their hair quite short, and is mostly meant for medium and long haired users. That is because short hair is "young" and has had little time to accumulate damage, since it will be cut again before said damage can start showing. That is why people with short hair can take little care of it and it will still look decent, whereas longer hairstyles need more time and care. Yes, when you have super short hair you can get away with shampooing it every day and just rubbing it with a towel; that does not apply to longer hairstyles at all, so let's forget the idea that beauty comes without effort.

The Golden Rule
The first and most important thing you must understand to achieve good hair is that EVERYONE'S HAIR IS DIFFERENT.
What works for someone may not work for someone else. Think of hair like skin; people's skin have different issues and requirements, and thus require different approaches. It's the exact same with hair, so don't fall for "miracle cures" and "one size fits all" products. This guide is, therefore, only a STARTING POINT for you to begin the journey - you will have to study and understand your hair yourself.
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PART I
Hair care made simple

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Taking care of your hair can be split into four major areas: washing, drying, styling and lifestyle. Each areas may require different products but the ultimate aim of this section of the guide is ensuring a rock-solid foundation of health for your hair, before we go on to tackle more specific issues.

Hair care products
There are a LOT of hair products, but don't be discouraged. I have listed them all right here; if you hear of an hair product but it isn't in this list, assume it's not as necessary. It is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT that you understand that you won't get beautiful hair by being stingy; supermarket hair products are watered down and rarely effective. It is a wise idea to invest money in quality hair products if you are serious about your hair. Choose high-quality products that professionals use in their salons and you will avoid wasting your money on useless snake oil that gives no results.

Shampoo: it is used to clean your scalp, not your hair. If applied directly to hair it will strip it of its natural oils, making it dry and ugly. Shampoo is the first product you apply when washing your hair. It is washed out of your hair after being applied.

Conditioner: it is used to restore strength and moisture to your hair, not your scalp. If applied to your scalp it will clog the follicles, leading to dandruff. Conditioner is the second product you apply when washing your hair, right after shampoo. It is washed out of your hair after being applied.

Leave-in conditioner: it is used to seal moisture inside your hair strand, making sure it does not escape the hair, ensuring it remains healthy and beautiful. Unlike a Conditioner, a Leave-in Conditioner is NOT washed out of your hair after being applied.

Hair oil: it is used to seal moisture into particularly vulnerable areas, such as your hair ends and, to a lesser extent, your hair mids. It helps fight frizziness and protect your hair. It is NOT washed out of your hair after being applied.

Blow dry cream: it is used to protect your wet hair before you blow dry it; when wet, your hair is at its most vulnerable and it will always require protection. It is not washed out of your hair after being applied.

Heat protectant: it is used to protect your dry hair before you use a flat iron on it. Heat is very dangerous for your hair and it can lead to damage if you do not properly protect your hair with a heat protectant. It is not washed out of your hair after being applied.

Hair mask: it is used to repair damaged hair or fix certain hair problems. Hair masks can be applied to wet or dry hair and are generally left on for a long period of time before you wash them out.

Washing
Washing your hair correctly is simple but most people do it wrong. It should be done this way:

Phase I - Shampooing
Gently wet your hair with lukewarm water for 1 minute allowing it to open up. Put shampoo on your scalp and gently rub it with your fingertips all over the scalp; this is a good time to have a scalp massage as well since you're basically already doing it. Keep rubbing gently until the shampoo forms a lather, once you're done (shouldn't take you more than 5 minutes even with a scalp massage), wash it all off.

Phase II - Conditioning
Gently squeeze your hair to remove excess water. Do NOT pull, scratch or twist. Just gently squeeze your hair inbetween your palms. Once you got most of the water out, apply conditioner to your hair and NOT to your scalp. Leave it on for 2 to 10 minutes, then wash it off with cold water.

Drying
Drying your hair is the hardest part and the one where most people do the most damage. When wet, your hair is in its most vulnerable state and should be treated like glass: that means you must be super gentle with it.

There are two main ways you can dry your hair: Blow Drying and Air Drying.

Blow Drying will require good technique but allows you to change your hair's pattern. Blow Drying will require a blow drying cream and a quality blow drier as well. It is impossible to properly explain how to blow dry in written form, so you will need to find tutorials elsewhere; YouTube should have plenty of options.

Air Drying will require a microfiber towel for optimal results. Once you are out of the shower, gently squeeze water out of your hair by hand, then gently pat your hair with your microfiber towel until it's about 60 to 80% dry. Apply your leave-in conditioner, then you can wrap your hair in another microfiber towel (one that's not wet) and leave it on to dry for a few hours. Alternatively, you can leave your hair uncovered right after you apply your leave-in conditioner, but I wouldn't recommend it as you'll need hair that's in PERFECT health to avoid it losing moisture.

Some people wrongfully assume Air Drying is damaging because your hair remains wet for too long, or that Blow Drying applies unnecessary heat to your hair.
Both are wrong. Either way of drying is perfectly fine.
Just make sure to use a blow-dry cream and good technique when blow drying to ensure no heat damage. If instead you decide to air dry, just keep in mind the shape your hair dries in is the way your hair will stay - you obviously won't get to decide your hair's shape if you air dry it and don't use heat on it right after.

Styling
Styling refers to all procedures that are not meant to fundamentally change your hair's structure but merely the way it looks. The most common ways of styling your hair are connected to the use of heat. There are countless heat tools one can use, but the most effective, safe and widely used is the Flat Iron. I will skip the specifics or heat hair tools as you need an actual video to see the technique in action; what I want to focus on is ensuring styling won't damage your hair.
Information on the various procedures you can use to change your hair pattern through heat can be found elsewhere.

To protect hair from heat damage, follow these FOUR rules:
Rule 1: I will NOT apply heat to my hair when it is wet, greasy/unwashed, or already damaged.
Rule 2: I will NOT use heat styling more than twice a week, and I will avoid morning touch-ups.
Rule 3: I will always use a Heat Protectant before heat styling, and an hair oil right after heat styling.
Rule 4: To ensure heat styling lasts as long as possible, I will only use heat right after I washed and dried my hair.

Using a Heat Protectant: Spray from afar so that the spray can actually become a cloud and coat your hair in a wide area. A few sprays for each section should be sufficient; heat protectant should not be felt on your hair and it shouldn't make your hair greasy - you don't have to SEE IT on your hair to know it's there, and if you go overboard, you will make your hair greasy and heavy and that will negatively impact your heat styling. Once it's been sprayed, brush your hair to coat it evenly and proceed with your heat styling.

Lifestyle
Biologically speaking, your hair is fairly useless, but it is a good way to instantly tell if an organism is in good health or not, since it's one of the first things your body ditches when it feels threatened. That is why so many diseases cause hair loss, and why you can even lose hair from a sudden debilitating shock, like surgery. Veterinarians routinely gauge a pet's health by the state of its fur, and humans are not different. Hair is a quick way to tell the health state of its owner throughout a long period of time... as such, one of its foundations is good habits for your overall health.

Diet: A balanced diet with plenty of protein and omega-3 will ensure optimal hair growth. Focus on fatty fish, nuts, eggs, avocados, sweet potatoes, meat.

Water: Drink 3+ liters of water a day to ensure optimal liquid intake.

Sleep: Sleep 8hr+ a day, in a slightly cold room, in complete silence and darkness, and following regular sleep patterns (go to sleep and wake up at roughly the same hours throughout the entire week).

Sun: Direct sunlight can damage hair through a process similar to bleaching; protect your hair, wear hats, or just avoid frying it under intense sun for too long.

Swimming: Salt water (from the sea) and chloride (from swimming pools) can damage your hair in the long run; moreover, wetting your hair too often can also lead to breakage and damage.

Tying your hair: When at home, try to never tie your hair. When outside, avoid tight hairstyles as they can lead to hair loss and breakage. Ponytails should be low-set, not high-set; this applies minimal stress to hair follicles.

Hair ties: Never use low quality hair ties and stay away from those with little metallic pieces in them. Use scrunchies if possible, as they are less damaging to hair.

Scalp massages: Massaging your scalp relieves tension and fosters hair growth; a good rule of thumb is having a relaxing scalp massage every time you shampoo.

Brushing: Avoid brushing your hair too much and only use quality brushes. Never brush when wet if you can avoid it.

Touching your hair: Avoid touching and pulling on your hair, as well as scratching your scalp.

Towels: Only use microfiber towels in your hair as they prevent frizz and breakage.

Pillowcases: Only use silk pillowcases as they prevent frizz and breakage.

Combs: Use wide-toothed ones.

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PART II
Understanding your hair

View attachment 2512997

You will have to spend a lot of time and some money on your hair, trying many different products and improving your routine little by little. For some, it's a quick process, while the unlucky ones will take a long time to find a routine that works for them. It is better to start this process as soon as possible, since it will be a long journey.
Your process will be based on the Scientific Method: you will...

Study your hair to see where you can improve it.

Formulate an hypothesis as to what is wrong with it.

Choose a product/routine to attempt to fix it.

Implement that routine for a certain amount of time, taking notes on what is working and what is not.

Review the data to see what worked and what didn't, and start the process again until you obtain satisfying results.

Types of hair
Most people think there are four hair types: straight, wavy, curly and kinky.
This is wrong, because these are hair patterns, not types. A hair's pattern only tells you the shape of your hair; a hair type tells you what product you need to use, and since our goal is creating beautiful hair, that is what we need to consider!
In order to improve our hair, we must forget hair patterns and focus on two main features that are often overlooked: thickness and porosity.

View attachment 2505382
Thickness - the width of your hair strands.
To find out the width, start by taking a single strand of hair and laying it flat on a table.
If you can barely see the hair or feel it between your fingertips, then you have fine hair.
If the hair strand looks thick and appears to be textured, then the hair is coarse.
If your hair is somewhere in-between, then you have a medium width.

View attachment 2505388
Porosity - your hair’s ability to absorb moisture or product.
An easy way to determine your hair’s porosity is by placing a single strand of hair into a bowl of water.
If the hair sinks to the bottom, your hair has a high porosity as it’s absorbing all the moisture.
If your hair floats on top of the water, your hair has a low porosity and doesn’t absorb moisture easily.
Lastly, if the hair floats somewhere in the middle of the water, it has a medium porosity meaning that it is well balanced.

Note that your porosity levels may change; high porosity is generally caused by damage, whereas healthy hair tends to be on the low porosity side.
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PART III
Hair Diagnosis

View attachment 2513001

After Part I, you should have discovered 2 pieces of information, i.e. your hair's thickness and porosity. Let us now have a look at what your problems are, and how to fix them in a way that is tailored to your hair's specific structure and needs.

The tables below will give indications related to three main elements:
Amount of Product: each ▮ represents a dime-sized dollop of product. This can be increased or reduced based on your hair length, obviously - if your hair goes past your neck, use more. If it doesn't, use less. A bit of mental flexibility is required here!
Weight/Thickness of Product: refer to product description; ▮ products are almost watery, ▮▮▮▮▮ products are super thick or very oily.
Shampooing Frequency: each ▮ represents how many days per week you should shampoo.

Types of Hair Issues
The most common hair issues can be classified in three major groups: Dryness, Oiliness, Hair Loss, Scalp Issues.

Dryness refers to hair that looks somewhat like straw; it is dull, brittle and split. It does not shine and it does not flow. Dry hair is especially ugly right after washing, and extreme dryness is usually a sign of hair damage.

Oiliness refers to the opposite; hair that is flat, heavy, and which looks and feels gross and dirty. Oily hair is especially annoying because it requires frequent washes, and gets greasy really quickly.

Hair Loss refers to the lack of hair itself rather than its quality. Hair loss can be caused by hormones (male and female pattern baldness), skin conditions (sebhorreic dermatitis), autoimmune diseases (alopecia areata) and poor habits (lack of nutrients/sleep).

Scalp Issues refers to problems that arise from an unbalanced scalp environment, such as dandruff and itching.

Note that while most people generally suffer from only one of the three issues discussed in part I, many issues can coexist; for example, you may have oily roots and dry ends, or suffer from extreme dryness right after washing which quickly turns into excess oiliness.

Dryness
The most common cause of dryness is some level of hair damage. Hair can be damaged by a variety of things; external agents, sunlight, bleaching, tight hairstyles, pulling... the list is endless. Solutions for dryness are generally quite simple but are slightly different based on your specific hair.

POROSITY Amount of Product Weight/Thickness of Product Shampooing Frequency
Low Fine: ▮▮
Medium:▮▮▮
Coarse:▮▮▮ Fine: ▮▮▮
Medium: ▮▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮▮▮ Fine: ▮▮
Medium: ▮▮
Coarse: ▮
Medium Fine: ▮▮▮
Medium: ▮▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮▮ Fine:▮▮▮▮
Medium:▮▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮▮▮ Fine: ▮▮
Medium: ▮
Coarse: ▮
High Fine: ▮▮▮▮
Medium: ▮▮▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮▮▮ Fine▮▮▮▮▮
Medium:▮▮▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮▮▮ Fine: ▮
Medium: ▮
Coarse: ▮

Fixing Damage
Particularly persistent dryness may be caused by some extent of damage. Damage is a bit harder to fix, but it is not impossible. Just keep in mind that hair that has been damaged too severely will never go back to 100%; you will have to wait and grow it out again. This is the case for aggressive bleaching.
I recommend using Olaplex n.3 Hair Perfector to fix hair damage, as damaged hair is simply unable to retain moisture and will always revert to being dry, no matter how well you take care of it. That is because damaged hair is filled with microscopic holes that leak moisture; this product will plug those holes and allow your hair to retain moisture again. It is exceptionally effective and it will give some results from the very first try, peaking after 1-3 months of consistent use (the more damaged your hair is, the longer it will take).
You can follow this tutorial for what regards this specific product:

Oiliness
Oiliness is typically caused by a wide array of things. Fixing it requires a holistic approach that ensures optimal scalp environment (not oily nor too dry) as well as meticulous product choice that can give moisture to hair without making it greasy.
Note: Oiliness may also be caused by hormones, and there is no real fix for that besides the help of a dermatologist.

POROSITY Amount of Product Weight/Thickness of Product Shampooing Frequency
Low Fine: ▮
Medium: ▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮ Fine: ▮
Medium: ▮
Coarse: ▮ Fine: ▮▮▮ or even ▮▮▮▮
Medium: ▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮
Medium Fine: ▮▮
Medium: ▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮▮ Fine: ▮
Medium: ▮
Coarse: ▮ Fine: ▮▮▮
Medium: ▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮
High Fine: ▮▮
Medium: ▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮▮ Fine: ▮▮
Medium: ▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮ Fine: ▮▮
Medium: ▮▮
Coarse: ▮

Hair loss
There are a lot of resources on this website that already discuss this problem in-depth. I believe in a practical approach based on reality rather than experimental drugs and unproven anecdotes. Hair loss is a complex problem and this is not the right place to discuss possible cures; I will, however, take some time to dispel some harmful myths related to hair loss.

Myth 1: Hair loss comes from your mother's side
There are a lot of very complex reasons for this, but the truth is that this claim is mostly false. Your mother's side is responsible for a bigger amount of genes that may carry the balding gene but they're not the only ones. The real truth of the matter is that predicting hair loss is impossible, it can strike randomly, skip generations, and act in very strange and unpredictable ways. All we can do is look for signs and take action.

Myth 2: Hair loss will always slowly result in a norwood 7 / completely bald head
Not all forms of hair loss are the same. Many people begin balding around the end of puberty (age 18 to 22) and towards middle age (40s), but in many cases hair loss simply stops after a certain point. That's why so many trichologists believe in the idea of a "mature hairline"; it is a statistical fact that the vast majority of men experience SOME extent of hair loss that makes one's hairline a bit higher than when they were teenagers, but which doesn't necessarily progress further.
This isn't completely well understood yet since "mature hairlines" tend to present a set of characteristics that sets them apart from male pattern baldness, but it is an indicator that not all forms of hair loss are the same, even when caused by testosterone or DHT.

Myth 3: Hair loss only affects men
Simply put: women are affected too, since testosterone is also in their system. They're just affected a LOT less often, in slightly different patterns, and they're really good at hiding/camouflaging it. Plus they also wear wigs without a second thought. As a matter of fact, Minoxidil is routinely prescribed to women too, and sometimes even Finasteride.

Myth 4: Hair loss medication doesn't work / is too risky
Hair loss medication isn't perfect but it does work and carries minimal risks.
There are a lot of people who use minoxidil and have excellent results, and who can stop or even reverse their hair loss without even using stronger medication like finasteride.
The same can be said for Finasteride; we have all heard the horror stories, but I'd like to stress that statistically speaking most people who start taking finasteride pills get excellent results and keep living their lives without any issues. It is important to gauge risks with a clear head instead of being carried away by feelings.

Now that these clarifications are out of the way, I will merely list what is KNOWN to work reasonably well.
DISCLAIMER: I am NOT a doctor and take no responsibility for what you are going to do with the information provided below.

Treatment Effectiveness Possible side effects Notes
Scalp Massages Effective at restoring blood flow and reducing fibrosis. Somewhat effective at regrowing hair.

It can help make other treatments more effective by ensuring optimal scalp health. None. Only requires a few minutes when you are shampooing.
Ketoconazole Shampoo Mildly effective at slowing Male Pattern Baldness, or stopping it in very light cases. Extremely drying to hair.
Generally very harsh to your scalp. It is generally not ideal to use this for long periods of time, as it is mostly an anti-fungal remedy.
Derma rolling Effective at inducing mild hair regrowth even alone, but especially useful to turn a minoxidil non-responder into a responder. Needles too big may cause damage to the hair follicle, which if repeated may become permanent loss of said hair follicle.

Chronic tears in the scalp may also induce some form of fibrosis or even more serious conditions (more research is needed in this respect). Generally done professionally, but you can easily do it with yourself by using a plastic tool (properly disinfected and replaced every few months) or a specialized machine (Derminator).
Minoxidil Very effective at regrowing hair in roughly 50% of men. Non-responders may attempt to turn into responders by Derma-Rolling or using Tretinoin. Mild irritation on scalp skin.

Anecdotal evidence related to collagen loss and dark circles has no scientific validity, UNLESS applied to the face to stimulate beard/eyebrow/eyelash growth, in which case said side effects may be explained by the alcoholic content of Minoxidil drying out the face's skin. Comes in two different percentages; 2% and 5%. 5% is generally as safe as 2% but more effective.

Can be taken orally or topically. Topical version is generally preferred since it is safer. Oral version is not FDA approved and carries a series of health risks, especially related to heart health.

In most cases, minoxidil induces hair shedding for a few weeks before the new strengthened hair can grow. Said hair becomes permanent after roughly 2 years, but it is recommended to keep using Minoxidil indefinitely to be completely sure the user won't revert to their original hair state when treatment is discontinued.
Finasteride (needs prescription and medical supervision) Effective at stopping Male Pattern Baldness in the majority of cases, and even reversing it in the lighter cases. Erectile dysfunction, reduced fertility (both reversible if treatment is discontinued).

Contrary to popular opinion, side effects are quite rare, and life-lasting side effects are exceptionally rare. Can be taken orally or topically. Oral version is generally preferred.
Dutasteride (experimental drug) Extremely effective at stopping Male Pattern Baldness in the vast majority of cases, and even reversing it in the lighter cases. Finasteride's side effects, but generally stronger. Not FDA-approved and thus relatively difficult to predict; make use of this at your own risk.
This drug has a profound effect on the androgenic pathway that leads to sebum production too, which should help with acne as well.

Scalp Issues

Every single common scalp condition, from itching to dandruff, has one culprit: Sebhorreic Dermatitis. As a matter of fact, 11% of people worldwide suffer from this condition, although it is most common in people between age 30 and 60.
The extent of a person's vulnerability to Sebhorreic Dermatitis influences the way it manifests. In the lightest cases, it will simply manifest as itching. In moderate cases, it will be dandruff. In more serious situations it can cause redness and extreme itching as well as huge inflamed flakes.

Following this guide religiously will help keep most of these symptoms in check; I recommend switching your shampoo for a HIGH QUALITY PROFESSIONAL/MEDICAL SHAMPOO (not one you can find at the supermarket!) that is specifically made for people with dandruff/itching/sebhorreic dermatitis.
Another viable option is selecting a super delicate shampoo meant for newborns, the ones specifically made to wash out cradle cap; this kind of shampoo is extremely gentle and can restore health and vitality to a suffering scalp.

If your sebhorreic dermatitis is particularly aggressive, I recommend seeking the help of a dermatologist.

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PART IV
Product Recommendations

View attachment 2513004

This section will give you a quick overview of the most effective products you can buy to fix your issues; HOWEVER you must keep in mind that this is just a very generic guideline and you will have to try many different products over a sufficiently long period of time before you find something that works for YOU and YOUR hair. In other words, this is a starting point - you are meant to research and experiment yourself.

Type of Product Fine or Medium Hair Coarse Hair
Shampoo Kerastase is generally good*. Kerastase is generally good*.
Conditioner Kerastase is generally good*. Kerastase is generally good*.
Leave-in Conditioner PUREOLOGY Color Fanatic PUREOLOGY Color Fanatic
Hair Oil Olaplex n.7 Moroccanoil Treatment Original
Blow Dry Cream Redken Big Blowout

Redken Frizz Dismiss Rebel Tame Cream

Heat Protectant Olaplex n.6 (all heat)
Good Hair Day's Bodyguard (for ironing) Moroccanoil Perfect Defense
Hair Mask Anything with Anything with Coconut Oil.
Damage Repairing pre-wash treatment Olaplex n.3** Olaplex n.3**

*They offer a wide selection of quality products; make sure to select one that is appropriate to your hair requirements.
**Last year, Olaplex reformulated this product as it contained "Lilian", a fragrance that was European health inspectors found to be harmful to fertility when exposed to it over very long periods of time. This was not a serious issue at all, but Olaplex still recalled all products containing it and reformulated n.3 for sales worldwide. So if you see people saying Olaplex gives you cancer, you can rest easy knowing that it's all been solved.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

CONCLUSION
We have seen an extensive analysis of hair care, and you are probably overloaded with information.
As I mentioned many times throughout this guide, this is only a starting point meant to give you a basic set of practices and procedures to ensure optimal hair health. What works BEST for you is up to you to discover: finding the exact right products for your biological makeup is a long process that requires you to be analytical and level-headed.

Keep trying and don't give up!

No hair for your face
No skincare for your race
No fashion for your height

Outerz14 · Aug 26, 2024

BucketCrab said:
“...hair is architecture with a human element.”
– Vidal Sassoon

View attachment 2512993
BucketCrab's Practical Hair Guide
the fastest way to understand hair, and how to make it beautiful

Introduction
This guide is written with the explicit aim to educate people about hair care in order to achieve beautiful hair as quickly as possible.
As such, it won't go in-depth regarding many topics, but simply provide good practical information about how to do things. This guide is meant to be a vademecum of sorts, rather than a trove of scientific information; I usually pride myself on always articulating the reasons that lead me to assert something, but since this is a practical guide with practical aims, I've decided to cut out the explanations and focus on the actual procedures you should go for.
This will require you to kind of take my word, obviously; still, you can find scientific information about how hair works all over the internet. You can read this guide to have said information already digested for you, so that you can make hair choices with ease; most of the information in here is the summation of years of tinkering, reading, studying and flat out stealing the wisdom of professional hairdressers, whose entire job revolves around giving people beautiful hair.

Guide Philosophy and Structure
As mentioned above, this guide is a practical way to solve hair issues in the least amount of time; little time will be wasted on lengthy explanations on why something works a certain way. Additional information on the topics mentioned can be found elsewhere; you are going to have to trust me on the specific underlying mechanisms that make something work better than something else in a specific situation.

Part I will detail the correct way to take care of your hair in general. It will also explain what hair products do and how to use them.
Part II will be dedicated to understanding your particular hair's requirements and issues.
Part III will discuss possible ways in which you you may attempt to solve said issues.
Part IV will discuss products that could be beneficial to your specific case.

On Hair Length
This guide has little to offer to people who wear their hair quite short, and is mostly meant for medium and long haired users. That is because short hair is "young" and has had little time to accumulate damage, since it will be cut again before said damage can start showing. That is why people with short hair can take little care of it and it will still look decent, whereas longer hairstyles need more time and care. Yes, when you have super short hair you can get away with shampooing it every day and just rubbing it with a towel; that does not apply to longer hairstyles at all, so let's forget the idea that beauty comes without effort.

The Golden Rule
The first and most important thing you must understand to achieve good hair is that EVERYONE'S HAIR IS DIFFERENT.
What works for someone may not work for someone else. Think of hair like skin; people's skin have different issues and requirements, and thus require different approaches. It's the exact same with hair, so don't fall for "miracle cures" and "one size fits all" products. This guide is, therefore, only a STARTING POINT for you to begin the journey - you will have to study and understand your hair yourself.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

PART I
Hair care made simple

View attachment 2512996

Taking care of your hair can be split into four major areas: washing, drying, styling and lifestyle. Each areas may require different products but the ultimate aim of this section of the guide is ensuring a rock-solid foundation of health for your hair, before we go on to tackle more specific issues.

Hair care products
There are a LOT of hair products, but don't be discouraged. I have listed them all right here; if you hear of an hair product but it isn't in this list, assume it's not as necessary. It is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT that you understand that you won't get beautiful hair by being stingy; supermarket hair products are watered down and rarely effective. It is a wise idea to invest money in quality hair products if you are serious about your hair. Choose high-quality products that professionals use in their salons and you will avoid wasting your money on useless snake oil that gives no results.

Shampoo: it is used to clean your scalp, not your hair. If applied directly to hair it will strip it of its natural oils, making it dry and ugly. Shampoo is the first product you apply when washing your hair. It is washed out of your hair after being applied.

Conditioner: it is used to restore strength and moisture to your hair, not your scalp. If applied to your scalp it will clog the follicles, leading to dandruff. Conditioner is the second product you apply when washing your hair, right after shampoo. It is washed out of your hair after being applied.

Leave-in conditioner: it is used to seal moisture inside your hair strand, making sure it does not escape the hair, ensuring it remains healthy and beautiful. Unlike a Conditioner, a Leave-in Conditioner is NOT washed out of your hair after being applied.

Hair oil: it is used to seal moisture into particularly vulnerable areas, such as your hair ends and, to a lesser extent, your hair mids. It helps fight frizziness and protect your hair. It is NOT washed out of your hair after being applied.

Blow dry cream: it is used to protect your wet hair before you blow dry it; when wet, your hair is at its most vulnerable and it will always require protection. It is not washed out of your hair after being applied.

Heat protectant: it is used to protect your dry hair before you use a flat iron on it. Heat is very dangerous for your hair and it can lead to damage if you do not properly protect your hair with a heat protectant. It is not washed out of your hair after being applied.

Hair mask: it is used to repair damaged hair or fix certain hair problems. Hair masks can be applied to wet or dry hair and are generally left on for a long period of time before you wash them out.

Washing
Washing your hair correctly is simple but most people do it wrong. It should be done this way:

Phase I - Shampooing
Gently wet your hair with lukewarm water for 1 minute allowing it to open up. Put shampoo on your scalp and gently rub it with your fingertips all over the scalp; this is a good time to have a scalp massage as well since you're basically already doing it. Keep rubbing gently until the shampoo forms a lather, once you're done (shouldn't take you more than 5 minutes even with a scalp massage), wash it all off.

Phase II - Conditioning
Gently squeeze your hair to remove excess water. Do NOT pull, scratch or twist. Just gently squeeze your hair inbetween your palms. Once you got most of the water out, apply conditioner to your hair and NOT to your scalp. Leave it on for 2 to 10 minutes, then wash it off with cold water.

Drying
Drying your hair is the hardest part and the one where most people do the most damage. When wet, your hair is in its most vulnerable state and should be treated like glass: that means you must be super gentle with it.

There are two main ways you can dry your hair: Blow Drying and Air Drying.

Blow Drying will require good technique but allows you to change your hair's pattern. Blow Drying will require a blow drying cream and a quality blow drier as well. It is impossible to properly explain how to blow dry in written form, so you will need to find tutorials elsewhere; YouTube should have plenty of options.

Air Drying will require a microfiber towel for optimal results. Once you are out of the shower, gently squeeze water out of your hair by hand, then gently pat your hair with your microfiber towel until it's about 60 to 80% dry. Apply your leave-in conditioner, then you can wrap your hair in another microfiber towel (one that's not wet) and leave it on to dry for a few hours. Alternatively, you can leave your hair uncovered right after you apply your leave-in conditioner, but I wouldn't recommend it as you'll need hair that's in PERFECT health to avoid it losing moisture.

Some people wrongfully assume Air Drying is damaging because your hair remains wet for too long, or that Blow Drying applies unnecessary heat to your hair.
Both are wrong. Either way of drying is perfectly fine.
Just make sure to use a blow-dry cream and good technique when blow drying to ensure no heat damage. If instead you decide to air dry, just keep in mind the shape your hair dries in is the way your hair will stay - you obviously won't get to decide your hair's shape if you air dry it and don't use heat on it right after.

Styling
Styling refers to all procedures that are not meant to fundamentally change your hair's structure but merely the way it looks. The most common ways of styling your hair are connected to the use of heat. There are countless heat tools one can use, but the most effective, safe and widely used is the Flat Iron. I will skip the specifics or heat hair tools as you need an actual video to see the technique in action; what I want to focus on is ensuring styling won't damage your hair.
Information on the various procedures you can use to change your hair pattern through heat can be found elsewhere.

To protect hair from heat damage, follow these FOUR rules:
Rule 1: I will NOT apply heat to my hair when it is wet, greasy/unwashed, or already damaged.
Rule 2: I will NOT use heat styling more than twice a week, and I will avoid morning touch-ups.
Rule 3: I will always use a Heat Protectant before heat styling, and an hair oil right after heat styling.
Rule 4: To ensure heat styling lasts as long as possible, I will only use heat right after I washed and dried my hair.

Using a Heat Protectant: Spray from afar so that the spray can actually become a cloud and coat your hair in a wide area. A few sprays for each section should be sufficient; heat protectant should not be felt on your hair and it shouldn't make your hair greasy - you don't have to SEE IT on your hair to know it's there, and if you go overboard, you will make your hair greasy and heavy and that will negatively impact your heat styling. Once it's been sprayed, brush your hair to coat it evenly and proceed with your heat styling.

Lifestyle
Biologically speaking, your hair is fairly useless, but it is a good way to instantly tell if an organism is in good health or not, since it's one of the first things your body ditches when it feels threatened. That is why so many diseases cause hair loss, and why you can even lose hair from a sudden debilitating shock, like surgery. Veterinarians routinely gauge a pet's health by the state of its fur, and humans are not different. Hair is a quick way to tell the health state of its owner throughout a long period of time... as such, one of its foundations is good habits for your overall health.

Diet: A balanced diet with plenty of protein and omega-3 will ensure optimal hair growth. Focus on fatty fish, nuts, eggs, avocados, sweet potatoes, meat.

Water: Drink 3+ liters of water a day to ensure optimal liquid intake.

Sleep: Sleep 8hr+ a day, in a slightly cold room, in complete silence and darkness, and following regular sleep patterns (go to sleep and wake up at roughly the same hours throughout the entire week).

Sun: Direct sunlight can damage hair through a process similar to bleaching; protect your hair, wear hats, or just avoid frying it under intense sun for too long.

Swimming: Salt water (from the sea) and chloride (from swimming pools) can damage your hair in the long run; moreover, wetting your hair too often can also lead to breakage and damage.

Tying your hair: When at home, try to never tie your hair. When outside, avoid tight hairstyles as they can lead to hair loss and breakage. Ponytails should be low-set, not high-set; this applies minimal stress to hair follicles.

Hair ties: Never use low quality hair ties and stay away from those with little metallic pieces in them. Use scrunchies if possible, as they are less damaging to hair.

Scalp massages: Massaging your scalp relieves tension and fosters hair growth; a good rule of thumb is having a relaxing scalp massage every time you shampoo.

Brushing: Avoid brushing your hair too much and only use quality brushes. Never brush when wet if you can avoid it.

Touching your hair: Avoid touching and pulling on your hair, as well as scratching your scalp.

Towels: Only use microfiber towels in your hair as they prevent frizz and breakage.

Pillowcases: Only use silk pillowcases as they prevent frizz and breakage.

Combs: Use wide-toothed ones.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

PART II
Understanding your hair

View attachment 2512997

You will have to spend a lot of time and some money on your hair, trying many different products and improving your routine little by little. For some, it's a quick process, while the unlucky ones will take a long time to find a routine that works for them. It is better to start this process as soon as possible, since it will be a long journey.
Your process will be based on the Scientific Method: you will...

Study your hair to see where you can improve it.

Formulate an hypothesis as to what is wrong with it.

Choose a product/routine to attempt to fix it.

Implement that routine for a certain amount of time, taking notes on what is working and what is not.

Review the data to see what worked and what didn't, and start the process again until you obtain satisfying results.

Types of hair
Most people think there are four hair types: straight, wavy, curly and kinky.
This is wrong, because these are hair patterns, not types. A hair's pattern only tells you the shape of your hair; a hair type tells you what product you need to use, and since our goal is creating beautiful hair, that is what we need to consider!
In order to improve our hair, we must forget hair patterns and focus on two main features that are often overlooked: thickness and porosity.

View attachment 2505382
Thickness - the width of your hair strands.
To find out the width, start by taking a single strand of hair and laying it flat on a table.
If you can barely see the hair or feel it between your fingertips, then you have fine hair.
If the hair strand looks thick and appears to be textured, then the hair is coarse.
If your hair is somewhere in-between, then you have a medium width.

View attachment 2505388
Porosity - your hair’s ability to absorb moisture or product.
An easy way to determine your hair’s porosity is by placing a single strand of hair into a bowl of water.
If the hair sinks to the bottom, your hair has a high porosity as it’s absorbing all the moisture.
If your hair floats on top of the water, your hair has a low porosity and doesn’t absorb moisture easily.
Lastly, if the hair floats somewhere in the middle of the water, it has a medium porosity meaning that it is well balanced.

Note that your porosity levels may change; high porosity is generally caused by damage, whereas healthy hair tends to be on the low porosity side.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

PART III
Hair Diagnosis

View attachment 2513001

After Part I, you should have discovered 2 pieces of information, i.e. your hair's thickness and porosity. Let us now have a look at what your problems are, and how to fix them in a way that is tailored to your hair's specific structure and needs.

The tables below will give indications related to three main elements:
Amount of Product: each ▮ represents a dime-sized dollop of product. This can be increased or reduced based on your hair length, obviously - if your hair goes past your neck, use more. If it doesn't, use less. A bit of mental flexibility is required here!
Weight/Thickness of Product: refer to product description; ▮ products are almost watery, ▮▮▮▮▮ products are super thick or very oily.
Shampooing Frequency: each ▮ represents how many days per week you should shampoo.

Types of Hair Issues
The most common hair issues can be classified in three major groups: Dryness, Oiliness, Hair Loss, Scalp Issues.

Dryness refers to hair that looks somewhat like straw; it is dull, brittle and split. It does not shine and it does not flow. Dry hair is especially ugly right after washing, and extreme dryness is usually a sign of hair damage.

Oiliness refers to the opposite; hair that is flat, heavy, and which looks and feels gross and dirty. Oily hair is especially annoying because it requires frequent washes, and gets greasy really quickly.

Hair Loss refers to the lack of hair itself rather than its quality. Hair loss can be caused by hormones (male and female pattern baldness), skin conditions (sebhorreic dermatitis), autoimmune diseases (alopecia areata) and poor habits (lack of nutrients/sleep).

Scalp Issues refers to problems that arise from an unbalanced scalp environment, such as dandruff and itching.

Note that while most people generally suffer from only one of the three issues discussed in part I, many issues can coexist; for example, you may have oily roots and dry ends, or suffer from extreme dryness right after washing which quickly turns into excess oiliness.

Dryness
The most common cause of dryness is some level of hair damage. Hair can be damaged by a variety of things; external agents, sunlight, bleaching, tight hairstyles, pulling... the list is endless. Solutions for dryness are generally quite simple but are slightly different based on your specific hair.

POROSITY Amount of Product Weight/Thickness of Product Shampooing Frequency
Low Fine: ▮▮
Medium:▮▮▮
Coarse:▮▮▮ Fine: ▮▮▮
Medium: ▮▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮▮▮ Fine: ▮▮
Medium: ▮▮
Coarse: ▮
Medium Fine: ▮▮▮
Medium: ▮▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮▮ Fine:▮▮▮▮
Medium:▮▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮▮▮ Fine: ▮▮
Medium: ▮
Coarse: ▮
High Fine: ▮▮▮▮
Medium: ▮▮▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮▮▮ Fine▮▮▮▮▮
Medium:▮▮▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮▮▮ Fine: ▮
Medium: ▮
Coarse: ▮

Fixing Damage
Particularly persistent dryness may be caused by some extent of damage. Damage is a bit harder to fix, but it is not impossible. Just keep in mind that hair that has been damaged too severely will never go back to 100%; you will have to wait and grow it out again. This is the case for aggressive bleaching.
I recommend using Olaplex n.3 Hair Perfector to fix hair damage, as damaged hair is simply unable to retain moisture and will always revert to being dry, no matter how well you take care of it. That is because damaged hair is filled with microscopic holes that leak moisture; this product will plug those holes and allow your hair to retain moisture again. It is exceptionally effective and it will give some results from the very first try, peaking after 1-3 months of consistent use (the more damaged your hair is, the longer it will take).
You can follow this tutorial for what regards this specific product:

Oiliness
Oiliness is typically caused by a wide array of things. Fixing it requires a holistic approach that ensures optimal scalp environment (not oily nor too dry) as well as meticulous product choice that can give moisture to hair without making it greasy.
Note: Oiliness may also be caused by hormones, and there is no real fix for that besides the help of a dermatologist.

POROSITY Amount of Product Weight/Thickness of Product Shampooing Frequency
Low Fine: ▮
Medium: ▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮ Fine: ▮
Medium: ▮
Coarse: ▮ Fine: ▮▮▮ or even ▮▮▮▮
Medium: ▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮
Medium Fine: ▮▮
Medium: ▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮▮ Fine: ▮
Medium: ▮
Coarse: ▮ Fine: ▮▮▮
Medium: ▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮
High Fine: ▮▮
Medium: ▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮▮ Fine: ▮▮
Medium: ▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮ Fine: ▮▮
Medium: ▮▮
Coarse: ▮

Hair loss
There are a lot of resources on this website that already discuss this problem in-depth. I believe in a practical approach based on reality rather than experimental drugs and unproven anecdotes. Hair loss is a complex problem and this is not the right place to discuss possible cures; I will, however, take some time to dispel some harmful myths related to hair loss.

Myth 1: Hair loss comes from your mother's side
There are a lot of very complex reasons for this, but the truth is that this claim is mostly false. Your mother's side is responsible for a bigger amount of genes that may carry the balding gene but they're not the only ones. The real truth of the matter is that predicting hair loss is impossible, it can strike randomly, skip generations, and act in very strange and unpredictable ways. All we can do is look for signs and take action.

Myth 2: Hair loss will always slowly result in a norwood 7 / completely bald head
Not all forms of hair loss are the same. Many people begin balding around the end of puberty (age 18 to 22) and towards middle age (40s), but in many cases hair loss simply stops after a certain point. That's why so many trichologists believe in the idea of a "mature hairline"; it is a statistical fact that the vast majority of men experience SOME extent of hair loss that makes one's hairline a bit higher than when they were teenagers, but which doesn't necessarily progress further.
This isn't completely well understood yet since "mature hairlines" tend to present a set of characteristics that sets them apart from male pattern baldness, but it is an indicator that not all forms of hair loss are the same, even when caused by testosterone or DHT.

Myth 3: Hair loss only affects men
Simply put: women are affected too, since testosterone is also in their system. They're just affected a LOT less often, in slightly different patterns, and they're really good at hiding/camouflaging it. Plus they also wear wigs without a second thought. As a matter of fact, Minoxidil is routinely prescribed to women too, and sometimes even Finasteride.

Myth 4: Hair loss medication doesn't work / is too risky
Hair loss medication isn't perfect but it does work and carries minimal risks.
There are a lot of people who use minoxidil and have excellent results, and who can stop or even reverse their hair loss without even using stronger medication like finasteride.
The same can be said for Finasteride; we have all heard the horror stories, but I'd like to stress that statistically speaking most people who start taking finasteride pills get excellent results and keep living their lives without any issues. It is important to gauge risks with a clear head instead of being carried away by feelings.

Now that these clarifications are out of the way, I will merely list what is KNOWN to work reasonably well.
DISCLAIMER: I am NOT a doctor and take no responsibility for what you are going to do with the information provided below.

Treatment Effectiveness Possible side effects Notes
Scalp Massages Effective at restoring blood flow and reducing fibrosis. Somewhat effective at regrowing hair.

It can help make other treatments more effective by ensuring optimal scalp health. None. Only requires a few minutes when you are shampooing.
Ketoconazole Shampoo Mildly effective at slowing Male Pattern Baldness, or stopping it in very light cases. Extremely drying to hair.
Generally very harsh to your scalp. It is generally not ideal to use this for long periods of time, as it is mostly an anti-fungal remedy.
Derma rolling Effective at inducing mild hair regrowth even alone, but especially useful to turn a minoxidil non-responder into a responder. Needles too big may cause damage to the hair follicle, which if repeated may become permanent loss of said hair follicle.

Chronic tears in the scalp may also induce some form of fibrosis or even more serious conditions (more research is needed in this respect). Generally done professionally, but you can easily do it with yourself by using a plastic tool (properly disinfected and replaced every few months) or a specialized machine (Derminator).
Minoxidil Very effective at regrowing hair in roughly 50% of men. Non-responders may attempt to turn into responders by Derma-Rolling or using Tretinoin. Mild irritation on scalp skin.

Anecdotal evidence related to collagen loss and dark circles has no scientific validity, UNLESS applied to the face to stimulate beard/eyebrow/eyelash growth, in which case said side effects may be explained by the alcoholic content of Minoxidil drying out the face's skin. Comes in two different percentages; 2% and 5%. 5% is generally as safe as 2% but more effective.

Can be taken orally or topically. Topical version is generally preferred since it is safer. Oral version is not FDA approved and carries a series of health risks, especially related to heart health.

In most cases, minoxidil induces hair shedding for a few weeks before the new strengthened hair can grow. Said hair becomes permanent after roughly 2 years, but it is recommended to keep using Minoxidil indefinitely to be completely sure the user won't revert to their original hair state when treatment is discontinued.
Finasteride (needs prescription and medical supervision) Effective at stopping Male Pattern Baldness in the majority of cases, and even reversing it in the lighter cases. Erectile dysfunction, reduced fertility (both reversible if treatment is discontinued).

Contrary to popular opinion, side effects are quite rare, and life-lasting side effects are exceptionally rare. Can be taken orally or topically. Oral version is generally preferred.
Dutasteride (experimental drug) Extremely effective at stopping Male Pattern Baldness in the vast majority of cases, and even reversing it in the lighter cases. Finasteride's side effects, but generally stronger. Not FDA-approved and thus relatively difficult to predict; make use of this at your own risk.
This drug has a profound effect on the androgenic pathway that leads to sebum production too, which should help with acne as well.

Scalp Issues

Every single common scalp condition, from itching to dandruff, has one culprit: Sebhorreic Dermatitis. As a matter of fact, 11% of people worldwide suffer from this condition, although it is most common in people between age 30 and 60.
The extent of a person's vulnerability to Sebhorreic Dermatitis influences the way it manifests. In the lightest cases, it will simply manifest as itching. In moderate cases, it will be dandruff. In more serious situations it can cause redness and extreme itching as well as huge inflamed flakes.

Following this guide religiously will help keep most of these symptoms in check; I recommend switching your shampoo for a HIGH QUALITY PROFESSIONAL/MEDICAL SHAMPOO (not one you can find at the supermarket!) that is specifically made for people with dandruff/itching/sebhorreic dermatitis.
Another viable option is selecting a super delicate shampoo meant for newborns, the ones specifically made to wash out cradle cap; this kind of shampoo is extremely gentle and can restore health and vitality to a suffering scalp.

If your sebhorreic dermatitis is particularly aggressive, I recommend seeking the help of a dermatologist.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

PART IV
Product Recommendations

View attachment 2513004

This section will give you a quick overview of the most effective products you can buy to fix your issues; HOWEVER you must keep in mind that this is just a very generic guideline and you will have to try many different products over a sufficiently long period of time before you find something that works for YOU and YOUR hair. In other words, this is a starting point - you are meant to research and experiment yourself.

Type of Product Fine or Medium Hair Coarse Hair
Shampoo Kerastase is generally good*. Kerastase is generally good*.
Conditioner Kerastase is generally good*. Kerastase is generally good*.
Leave-in Conditioner PUREOLOGY Color Fanatic PUREOLOGY Color Fanatic
Hair Oil Olaplex n.7 Moroccanoil Treatment Original
Blow Dry Cream Redken Big Blowout

Redken Frizz Dismiss Rebel Tame Cream

Heat Protectant Olaplex n.6 (all heat)
Good Hair Day's Bodyguard (for ironing) Moroccanoil Perfect Defense
Hair Mask Anything with Anything with Coconut Oil.
Damage Repairing pre-wash treatment Olaplex n.3** Olaplex n.3**

*They offer a wide selection of quality products; make sure to select one that is appropriate to your hair requirements.
**Last year, Olaplex reformulated this product as it contained "Lilian", a fragrance that was European health inspectors found to be harmful to fertility when exposed to it over very long periods of time. This was not a serious issue at all, but Olaplex still recalled all products containing it and reformulated n.3 for sales worldwide. So if you see people saying Olaplex gives you cancer, you can rest easy knowing that it's all been solved.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

CONCLUSION
We have seen an extensive analysis of hair care, and you are probably overloaded with information.
As I mentioned many times throughout this guide, this is only a starting point meant to give you a basic set of practices and procedures to ensure optimal hair health. What works BEST for you is up to you to discover: finding the exact right products for your biological makeup is a long process that requires you to be analytical and level-headed.

Keep trying and don't give up!

Is this thread only for whites?

BucketCrab · Aug 29, 2024

Outerz14 said:
Is this thread only for whites?

It should cover all hair types and patterns.
Although I realize that very coiled hair has certain unique features that need specific care, the guide should cover most of its needs, since coiled/kinky hair generally has a coarse texture/type.

Outerz14 · Aug 29, 2024

BucketCrab said:
It should cover all hair types and patterns.
Although I realize that very coiled hair has certain unique features that need specific care, the guide should cover most of its needs, since coiled/kinky hair generally has a coarse texture/type.

Alr

Brootal · Aug 29, 2024

if only my hairline wasn't garbage

AscendableReal · Sep 1, 2024

I have thick, low porosity, coarse hair. I use flaxseed gel at home and coconut oil + gel if im going outside.
Flaxseed gel does wonders, but all the progress gets reversed whenever i use styling products like gel.
I also cant use it outside since it smells weird.

Do you have any styling gel recommendations that dont fuck up your hair?

asdvek · Sep 1, 2024

underrated thread ngl, deserves more than 80 reps

BucketCrab · Sep 1, 2024

AscendableReal said:
I have thick, low porosity, coarse hair. I use flaxseed gel at home and coconut oil + gel if im going outside.
Flaxseed gel does wonders, but all the progress gets reversed whenever i use styling products like gel.
I also cant use it outside since it smells weird.

Do you have any styling gel recommendations that dont fuck up your hair?

If you are looking to add volume in a way that's not easy to notice, I've heard people get good results from sea salt spray.
Although, if your aim is a very strong hold, I don't think there's many things that can keep your hair in an "unnatural" position without weighing it down and forcing you to wash it more often

Piqu · Sep 4, 2024

Guys just a quick question, should i use leave in conditioner even when i didnt use shampoo and normal conditioner, or should i only use it when i washed my hair?

oooooooooo8484848 · Sep 4, 2024

how to cope with mild hair loss even with low porosity healthy hair

BucketCrab · Sep 5, 2024

Piqu said:
Guys just a quick question, should i use leave in conditioner even when i didnt use shampoo and normal conditioner, or should i only use it when i washed my hair?

Leave in conditioner is meant to be used after washing, otherwise you risk it sitting on top of your hair making it greasy.
However, if your hair is extremely dry, you can probably do it (although a hair oil would work better in this case)

oooooooooo8484848 said:
how to cope with mild hair loss even with low porosity healthy hair

Not the right place to ask this question.
Answer is the usual though: minoxidil and finasteride

fabi_magyr.incel · Sep 5, 2024

aint reading allat + ik the title says as quickly as possibly but just do no shampoo been on it for 500 plus days had no issues and its healthier for hair

beckylover · Sep 9, 2024

BucketCrab said:
“...hair is architecture with a human element.”
– Vidal Sassoon

View attachment 2512993
BucketCrab's Practical Hair Guide
the fastest way to understand hair, and how to make it beautiful

Introduction
This guide is written with the explicit aim to educate people about hair care in order to achieve beautiful hair as quickly as possible.
As such, it won't go in-depth regarding many topics, but simply provide good practical information about how to do things. This guide is meant to be a vademecum of sorts, rather than a trove of scientific information; I usually pride myself on always articulating the reasons that lead me to assert something, but since this is a practical guide with practical aims, I've decided to cut out the explanations and focus on the actual procedures you should go for.
This will require you to kind of take my word, obviously; still, you can find scientific information about how hair works all over the internet. You can read this guide to have said information already digested for you, so that you can make hair choices with ease; most of the information in here is the summation of years of tinkering, reading, studying and flat out stealing the wisdom of professional hairdressers, whose entire job revolves around giving people beautiful hair.

Guide Philosophy and Structure
As mentioned above, this guide is a practical way to solve hair issues in the least amount of time; little time will be wasted on lengthy explanations on why something works a certain way. Additional information on the topics mentioned can be found elsewhere; you are going to have to trust me on the specific underlying mechanisms that make something work better than something else in a specific situation.

Part I will detail the correct way to take care of your hair in general. It will also explain what hair products do and how to use them.
Part II will be dedicated to understanding your particular hair's requirements and issues.
Part III will discuss possible ways in which you you may attempt to solve said issues.
Part IV will discuss products that could be beneficial to your specific case.

On Hair Length
This guide has little to offer to people who wear their hair quite short, and is mostly meant for medium and long haired users. That is because short hair is "young" and has had little time to accumulate damage, since it will be cut again before said damage can start showing. That is why people with short hair can take little care of it and it will still look decent, whereas longer hairstyles need more time and care. Yes, when you have super short hair you can get away with shampooing it every day and just rubbing it with a towel; that does not apply to longer hairstyles at all, so let's forget the idea that beauty comes without effort.

The Golden Rule
The first and most important thing you must understand to achieve good hair is that EVERYONE'S HAIR IS DIFFERENT.
What works for someone may not work for someone else. Think of hair like skin; people's skin have different issues and requirements, and thus require different approaches. It's the exact same with hair, so don't fall for "miracle cures" and "one size fits all" products. This guide is, therefore, only a STARTING POINT for you to begin the journey - you will have to study and understand your hair yourself.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

PART I
Hair care made simple

View attachment 2512996

Taking care of your hair can be split into four major areas: washing, drying, styling and lifestyle. Each areas may require different products but the ultimate aim of this section of the guide is ensuring a rock-solid foundation of health for your hair, before we go on to tackle more specific issues.

Hair care products
There are a LOT of hair products, but don't be discouraged. I have listed them all right here; if you hear of an hair product but it isn't in this list, assume it's not as necessary. It is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT that you understand that you won't get beautiful hair by being stingy; supermarket hair products are watered down and rarely effective. It is a wise idea to invest money in quality hair products if you are serious about your hair. Choose high-quality products that professionals use in their salons and you will avoid wasting your money on useless snake oil that gives no results.

Shampoo: it is used to clean your scalp, not your hair. If applied directly to hair it will strip it of its natural oils, making it dry and ugly. Shampoo is the first product you apply when washing your hair. It is washed out of your hair after being applied.

Conditioner: it is used to restore strength and moisture to your hair, not your scalp. If applied to your scalp it will clog the follicles, leading to dandruff. Conditioner is the second product you apply when washing your hair, right after shampoo. It is washed out of your hair after being applied.

Leave-in conditioner: it is used to seal moisture inside your hair strand, making sure it does not escape the hair, ensuring it remains healthy and beautiful. Unlike a Conditioner, a Leave-in Conditioner is NOT washed out of your hair after being applied.

Hair oil: it is used to seal moisture into particularly vulnerable areas, such as your hair ends and, to a lesser extent, your hair mids. It helps fight frizziness and protect your hair. It is NOT washed out of your hair after being applied.

Blow dry cream: it is used to protect your wet hair before you blow dry it; when wet, your hair is at its most vulnerable and it will always require protection. It is not washed out of your hair after being applied.

Heat protectant: it is used to protect your dry hair before you use a flat iron on it. Heat is very dangerous for your hair and it can lead to damage if you do not properly protect your hair with a heat protectant. It is not washed out of your hair after being applied.

Hair mask: it is used to repair damaged hair or fix certain hair problems. Hair masks can be applied to wet or dry hair and are generally left on for a long period of time before you wash them out.

Washing
Washing your hair correctly is simple but most people do it wrong. It should be done this way:

Phase I - Shampooing
Gently wet your hair with lukewarm water for 1 minute allowing it to open up. Put shampoo on your scalp and gently rub it with your fingertips all over the scalp; this is a good time to have a scalp massage as well since you're basically already doing it. Keep rubbing gently until the shampoo forms a lather, once you're done (shouldn't take you more than 5 minutes even with a scalp massage), wash it all off.

Phase II - Conditioning
Gently squeeze your hair to remove excess water. Do NOT pull, scratch or twist. Just gently squeeze your hair inbetween your palms. Once you got most of the water out, apply conditioner to your hair and NOT to your scalp. Leave it on for 2 to 10 minutes, then wash it off with cold water.

Drying
Drying your hair is the hardest part and the one where most people do the most damage. When wet, your hair is in its most vulnerable state and should be treated like glass: that means you must be super gentle with it.

There are two main ways you can dry your hair: Blow Drying and Air Drying.

Blow Drying will require good technique but allows you to change your hair's pattern. Blow Drying will require a blow drying cream and a quality blow drier as well. It is impossible to properly explain how to blow dry in written form, so you will need to find tutorials elsewhere; YouTube should have plenty of options.

Air Drying will require a microfiber towel for optimal results. Once you are out of the shower, gently squeeze water out of your hair by hand, then gently pat your hair with your microfiber towel until it's about 60 to 80% dry. Apply your leave-in conditioner, then you can wrap your hair in another microfiber towel (one that's not wet) and leave it on to dry for a few hours. Alternatively, you can leave your hair uncovered right after you apply your leave-in conditioner, but I wouldn't recommend it as you'll need hair that's in PERFECT health to avoid it losing moisture.

Some people wrongfully assume Air Drying is damaging because your hair remains wet for too long, or that Blow Drying applies unnecessary heat to your hair.
Both are wrong. Either way of drying is perfectly fine.
Just make sure to use a blow-dry cream and good technique when blow drying to ensure no heat damage. If instead you decide to air dry, just keep in mind the shape your hair dries in is the way your hair will stay - you obviously won't get to decide your hair's shape if you air dry it and don't use heat on it right after.

Styling
Styling refers to all procedures that are not meant to fundamentally change your hair's structure but merely the way it looks. The most common ways of styling your hair are connected to the use of heat. There are countless heat tools one can use, but the most effective, safe and widely used is the Flat Iron. I will skip the specifics or heat hair tools as you need an actual video to see the technique in action; what I want to focus on is ensuring styling won't damage your hair.
Information on the various procedures you can use to change your hair pattern through heat can be found elsewhere.

To protect hair from heat damage, follow these FOUR rules:
Rule 1: I will NOT apply heat to my hair when it is wet, greasy/unwashed, or already damaged.
Rule 2: I will NOT use heat styling more than twice a week, and I will avoid morning touch-ups.
Rule 3: I will always use a Heat Protectant before heat styling, and an hair oil right after heat styling.
Rule 4: To ensure heat styling lasts as long as possible, I will only use heat right after I washed and dried my hair.

Using a Heat Protectant: Spray from afar so that the spray can actually become a cloud and coat your hair in a wide area. A few sprays for each section should be sufficient; heat protectant should not be felt on your hair and it shouldn't make your hair greasy - you don't have to SEE IT on your hair to know it's there, and if you go overboard, you will make your hair greasy and heavy and that will negatively impact your heat styling. Once it's been sprayed, brush your hair to coat it evenly and proceed with your heat styling.

Lifestyle
Biologically speaking, your hair is fairly useless, but it is a good way to instantly tell if an organism is in good health or not, since it's one of the first things your body ditches when it feels threatened. That is why so many diseases cause hair loss, and why you can even lose hair from a sudden debilitating shock, like surgery. Veterinarians routinely gauge a pet's health by the state of its fur, and humans are not different. Hair is a quick way to tell the health state of its owner throughout a long period of time... as such, one of its foundations is good habits for your overall health.

Diet: A balanced diet with plenty of protein and omega-3 will ensure optimal hair growth. Focus on fatty fish, nuts, eggs, avocados, sweet potatoes, meat.

Water: Drink 3+ liters of water a day to ensure optimal liquid intake.

Sleep: Sleep 8hr+ a day, in a slightly cold room, in complete silence and darkness, and following regular sleep patterns (go to sleep and wake up at roughly the same hours throughout the entire week).

Sun: Direct sunlight can damage hair through a process similar to bleaching; protect your hair, wear hats, or just avoid frying it under intense sun for too long.

Swimming: Salt water (from the sea) and chloride (from swimming pools) can damage your hair in the long run; moreover, wetting your hair too often can also lead to breakage and damage.

Tying your hair: When at home, try to never tie your hair. When outside, avoid tight hairstyles as they can lead to hair loss and breakage. Ponytails should be low-set, not high-set; this applies minimal stress to hair follicles.

Hair ties: Never use low quality hair ties and stay away from those with little metallic pieces in them. Use scrunchies if possible, as they are less damaging to hair.

Scalp massages: Massaging your scalp relieves tension and fosters hair growth; a good rule of thumb is having a relaxing scalp massage every time you shampoo.

Brushing: Avoid brushing your hair too much and only use quality brushes. Never brush when wet if you can avoid it.

Touching your hair: Avoid touching and pulling on your hair, as well as scratching your scalp.

Towels: Only use microfiber towels in your hair as they prevent frizz and breakage.

Pillowcases: Only use silk pillowcases as they prevent frizz and breakage.

Combs: Use wide-toothed ones.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

PART II
Understanding your hair

View attachment 2512997

You will have to spend a lot of time and some money on your hair, trying many different products and improving your routine little by little. For some, it's a quick process, while the unlucky ones will take a long time to find a routine that works for them. It is better to start this process as soon as possible, since it will be a long journey.
Your process will be based on the Scientific Method: you will...

Study your hair to see where you can improve it.

Formulate an hypothesis as to what is wrong with it.

Choose a product/routine to attempt to fix it.

Implement that routine for a certain amount of time, taking notes on what is working and what is not.

Review the data to see what worked and what didn't, and start the process again until you obtain satisfying results.

Types of hair
Most people think there are four hair types: straight, wavy, curly and kinky.
This is wrong, because these are hair patterns, not types. A hair's pattern only tells you the shape of your hair; a hair type tells you what product you need to use, and since our goal is creating beautiful hair, that is what we need to consider!
In order to improve our hair, we must forget hair patterns and focus on two main features that are often overlooked: thickness and porosity.

View attachment 2505382
Thickness - the width of your hair strands.
To find out the width, start by taking a single strand of hair and laying it flat on a table.
If you can barely see the hair or feel it between your fingertips, then you have fine hair.
If the hair strand looks thick and appears to be textured, then the hair is coarse.
If your hair is somewhere in-between, then you have a medium width.

View attachment 2505388
Porosity - your hair’s ability to absorb moisture or product.
An easy way to determine your hair’s porosity is by placing a single strand of hair into a bowl of water.
If the hair sinks to the bottom, your hair has a high porosity as it’s absorbing all the moisture.
If your hair floats on top of the water, your hair has a low porosity and doesn’t absorb moisture easily.
Lastly, if the hair floats somewhere in the middle of the water, it has a medium porosity meaning that it is well balanced.

Note that your porosity levels may change; high porosity is generally caused by damage, whereas healthy hair tends to be on the low porosity side.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

PART III
Hair Diagnosis

View attachment 2513001

After Part I, you should have discovered 2 pieces of information, i.e. your hair's thickness and porosity. Let us now have a look at what your problems are, and how to fix them in a way that is tailored to your hair's specific structure and needs.

The tables below will give indications related to three main elements:
Amount of Product: each ▮ represents a dime-sized dollop of product. This can be increased or reduced based on your hair length, obviously - if your hair goes past your neck, use more. If it doesn't, use less. A bit of mental flexibility is required here!
Weight/Thickness of Product: refer to product description; ▮ products are almost watery, ▮▮▮▮▮ products are super thick or very oily.
Shampooing Frequency: each ▮ represents how many days per week you should shampoo.

Types of Hair Issues
The most common hair issues can be classified in three major groups: Dryness, Oiliness, Hair Loss, Scalp Issues.

Dryness refers to hair that looks somewhat like straw; it is dull, brittle and split. It does not shine and it does not flow. Dry hair is especially ugly right after washing, and extreme dryness is usually a sign of hair damage.

Oiliness refers to the opposite; hair that is flat, heavy, and which looks and feels gross and dirty. Oily hair is especially annoying because it requires frequent washes, and gets greasy really quickly.

Hair Loss refers to the lack of hair itself rather than its quality. Hair loss can be caused by hormones (male and female pattern baldness), skin conditions (sebhorreic dermatitis), autoimmune diseases (alopecia areata) and poor habits (lack of nutrients/sleep).

Scalp Issues refers to problems that arise from an unbalanced scalp environment, such as dandruff and itching.

Note that while most people generally suffer from only one of the three issues discussed in part I, many issues can coexist; for example, you may have oily roots and dry ends, or suffer from extreme dryness right after washing which quickly turns into excess oiliness.

Dryness
The most common cause of dryness is some level of hair damage. Hair can be damaged by a variety of things; external agents, sunlight, bleaching, tight hairstyles, pulling... the list is endless. Solutions for dryness are generally quite simple but are slightly different based on your specific hair.

POROSITY Amount of Product Weight/Thickness of Product Shampooing Frequency
Low Fine: ▮▮
Medium:▮▮▮
Coarse:▮▮▮ Fine: ▮▮▮
Medium: ▮▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮▮▮ Fine: ▮▮
Medium: ▮▮
Coarse: ▮
Medium Fine: ▮▮▮
Medium: ▮▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮▮ Fine:▮▮▮▮
Medium:▮▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮▮▮ Fine: ▮▮
Medium: ▮
Coarse: ▮
High Fine: ▮▮▮▮
Medium: ▮▮▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮▮▮ Fine▮▮▮▮▮
Medium:▮▮▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮▮▮ Fine: ▮
Medium: ▮
Coarse: ▮

Fixing Damage
Particularly persistent dryness may be caused by some extent of damage. Damage is a bit harder to fix, but it is not impossible. Just keep in mind that hair that has been damaged too severely will never go back to 100%; you will have to wait and grow it out again. This is the case for aggressive bleaching.
I recommend using Olaplex n.3 Hair Perfector to fix hair damage, as damaged hair is simply unable to retain moisture and will always revert to being dry, no matter how well you take care of it. That is because damaged hair is filled with microscopic holes that leak moisture; this product will plug those holes and allow your hair to retain moisture again. It is exceptionally effective and it will give some results from the very first try, peaking after 1-3 months of consistent use (the more damaged your hair is, the longer it will take).
You can follow this tutorial for what regards this specific product:

Oiliness
Oiliness is typically caused by a wide array of things. Fixing it requires a holistic approach that ensures optimal scalp environment (not oily nor too dry) as well as meticulous product choice that can give moisture to hair without making it greasy.
Note: Oiliness may also be caused by hormones, and there is no real fix for that besides the help of a dermatologist.

POROSITY Amount of Product Weight/Thickness of Product Shampooing Frequency
Low Fine: ▮
Medium: ▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮ Fine: ▮
Medium: ▮
Coarse: ▮ Fine: ▮▮▮ or even ▮▮▮▮
Medium: ▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮
Medium Fine: ▮▮
Medium: ▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮▮ Fine: ▮
Medium: ▮
Coarse: ▮ Fine: ▮▮▮
Medium: ▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮
High Fine: ▮▮
Medium: ▮▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮▮▮ Fine: ▮▮
Medium: ▮▮
Coarse: ▮▮ Fine: ▮▮
Medium: ▮▮
Coarse: ▮

Hair loss
There are a lot of resources on this website that already discuss this problem in-depth. I believe in a practical approach based on reality rather than experimental drugs and unproven anecdotes. Hair loss is a complex problem and this is not the right place to discuss possible cures; I will, however, take some time to dispel some harmful myths related to hair loss.

Myth 1: Hair loss comes from your mother's side
There are a lot of very complex reasons for this, but the truth is that this claim is mostly false. Your mother's side is responsible for a bigger amount of genes that may carry the balding gene but they're not the only ones. The real truth of the matter is that predicting hair loss is impossible, it can strike randomly, skip generations, and act in very strange and unpredictable ways. All we can do is look for signs and take action.

Myth 2: Hair loss will always slowly result in a norwood 7 / completely bald head
Not all forms of hair loss are the same. Many people begin balding around the end of puberty (age 18 to 22) and towards middle age (40s), but in many cases hair loss simply stops after a certain point. That's why so many trichologists believe in the idea of a "mature hairline"; it is a statistical fact that the vast majority of men experience SOME extent of hair loss that makes one's hairline a bit higher than when they were teenagers, but which doesn't necessarily progress further.
This isn't completely well understood yet since "mature hairlines" tend to present a set of characteristics that sets them apart from male pattern baldness, but it is an indicator that not all forms of hair loss are the same, even when caused by testosterone or DHT.

Myth 3: Hair loss only affects men
Simply put: women are affected too, since testosterone is also in their system. They're just affected a LOT less often, in slightly different patterns, and they're really good at hiding/camouflaging it. Plus they also wear wigs without a second thought. As a matter of fact, Minoxidil is routinely prescribed to women too, and sometimes even Finasteride.

Myth 4: Hair loss medication doesn't work / is too risky
Hair loss medication isn't perfect but it does work and carries minimal risks.
There are a lot of people who use minoxidil and have excellent results, and who can stop or even reverse their hair loss without even using stronger medication like finasteride.
The same can be said for Finasteride; we have all heard the horror stories, but I'd like to stress that statistically speaking most people who start taking finasteride pills get excellent results and keep living their lives without any issues. It is important to gauge risks with a clear head instead of being carried away by feelings.

Now that these clarifications are out of the way, I will merely list what is KNOWN to work reasonably well.
DISCLAIMER: I am NOT a doctor and take no responsibility for what you are going to do with the information provided below.

Treatment Effectiveness Possible side effects Notes
Scalp Massages Effective at restoring blood flow and reducing fibrosis. Somewhat effective at regrowing hair.

It can help make other treatments more effective by ensuring optimal scalp health. None. Only requires a few minutes when you are shampooing.
Ketoconazole Shampoo Mildly effective at slowing Male Pattern Baldness, or stopping it in very light cases. Extremely drying to hair.
Generally very harsh to your scalp. It is generally not ideal to use this for long periods of time, as it is mostly an anti-fungal remedy.
Derma rolling Effective at inducing mild hair regrowth even alone, but especially useful to turn a minoxidil non-responder into a responder. Needles too big may cause damage to the hair follicle, which if repeated may become permanent loss of said hair follicle.

Chronic tears in the scalp may also induce some form of fibrosis or even more serious conditions (more research is needed in this respect). Generally done professionally, but you can easily do it with yourself by using a plastic tool (properly disinfected and replaced every few months) or a specialized machine (Derminator).
Minoxidil Very effective at regrowing hair in roughly 50% of men. Non-responders may attempt to turn into responders by Derma-Rolling or using Tretinoin. Mild irritation on scalp skin.

Anecdotal evidence related to collagen loss and dark circles has no scientific validity, UNLESS applied to the face to stimulate beard/eyebrow/eyelash growth, in which case said side effects may be explained by the alcoholic content of Minoxidil drying out the face's skin. Comes in two different percentages; 2% and 5%. 5% is generally as safe as 2% but more effective.

Can be taken orally or topically. Topical version is generally preferred since it is safer. Oral version is not FDA approved and carries a series of health risks, especially related to heart health.

In most cases, minoxidil induces hair shedding for a few weeks before the new strengthened hair can grow. Said hair becomes permanent after roughly 2 years, but it is recommended to keep using Minoxidil indefinitely to be completely sure the user won't revert to their original hair state when treatment is discontinued.
Finasteride (needs prescription and medical supervision) Effective at stopping Male Pattern Baldness in the majority of cases, and even reversing it in the lighter cases. Erectile dysfunction, reduced fertility (both reversible if treatment is discontinued).

Contrary to popular opinion, side effects are quite rare, and life-lasting side effects are exceptionally rare. Can be taken orally or topically. Oral version is generally preferred.
Dutasteride (experimental drug) Extremely effective at stopping Male Pattern Baldness in the vast majority of cases, and even reversing it in the lighter cases. Finasteride's side effects, but generally stronger. Not FDA-approved and thus relatively difficult to predict; make use of this at your own risk.
This drug has a profound effect on the androgenic pathway that leads to sebum production too, which should help with acne as well.

Scalp Issues

Every single common scalp condition, from itching to dandruff, has one culprit: Sebhorreic Dermatitis. As a matter of fact, 11% of people worldwide suffer from this condition, although it is most common in people between age 30 and 60.
The extent of a person's vulnerability to Sebhorreic Dermatitis influences the way it manifests. In the lightest cases, it will simply manifest as itching. In moderate cases, it will be dandruff. In more serious situations it can cause redness and extreme itching as well as huge inflamed flakes.

Following this guide religiously will help keep most of these symptoms in check; I recommend switching your shampoo for a HIGH QUALITY PROFESSIONAL/MEDICAL SHAMPOO (not one you can find at the supermarket!) that is specifically made for people with dandruff/itching/sebhorreic dermatitis.
Another viable option is selecting a super delicate shampoo meant for newborns, the ones specifically made to wash out cradle cap; this kind of shampoo is extremely gentle and can restore health and vitality to a suffering scalp.

If your sebhorreic dermatitis is particularly aggressive, I recommend seeking the help of a dermatologist.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

PART IV
Product Recommendations

View attachment 2513004

This section will give you a quick overview of the most effective products you can buy to fix your issues; HOWEVER you must keep in mind that this is just a very generic guideline and you will have to try many different products over a sufficiently long period of time before you find something that works for YOU and YOUR hair. In other words, this is a starting point - you are meant to research and experiment yourself.

Type of Product Fine or Medium Hair Coarse Hair
Shampoo Kerastase is generally good*. Kerastase is generally good*.
Conditioner Kerastase is generally good*. Kerastase is generally good*.
Leave-in Conditioner PUREOLOGY Color Fanatic PUREOLOGY Color Fanatic
Hair Oil Olaplex n.7 Moroccanoil Treatment Original
Blow Dry Cream Redken Big Blowout

Redken Frizz Dismiss Rebel Tame Cream

Heat Protectant Olaplex n.6 (all heat)
Good Hair Day's Bodyguard (for ironing) Moroccanoil Perfect Defense
Hair Mask Anything with Anything with Coconut Oil.
Damage Repairing pre-wash treatment Olaplex n.3** Olaplex n.3**

*They offer a wide selection of quality products; make sure to select one that is appropriate to your hair requirements.
**Last year, Olaplex reformulated this product as it contained "Lilian", a fragrance that was European health inspectors found to be harmful to fertility when exposed to it over very long periods of time. This was not a serious issue at all, but Olaplex still recalled all products containing it and reformulated n.3 for sales worldwide. So if you see people saying Olaplex gives you cancer, you can rest easy knowing that it's all been solved.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

CONCLUSION
We have seen an extensive analysis of hair care, and you are probably overloaded with information.
As I mentioned many times throughout this guide, this is only a starting point meant to give you a basic set of practices and procedures to ensure optimal hair health. What works BEST for you is up to you to discover: finding the exact right products for your biological makeup is a long process that requires you to be analytical and level-headed.

Keep trying and don't give up!

dnr

bonelessvirgin · Oct 19, 2024

i have perfect hair. Just dont use shampoo and wash as little as possible in general(yes even water) like every second day. also use the t shirt you wore before showering to gently remove any excess water and then air dry

POROSITY	Amount of Product	Weight/Thickness of Product	Shampooing Frequency
Low	Fine: ▮▮ Medium:▮▮▮ Coarse:▮▮▮	Fine: ▮▮▮ Medium: ▮▮▮▮ Coarse: ▮▮▮▮▮	Fine: ▮▮ Medium: ▮▮ Coarse: ▮
Medium	Fine: ▮▮▮ Medium: ▮▮▮▮ Coarse: ▮▮▮▮	Fine:▮▮▮▮ Medium:▮▮▮▮ Coarse: ▮▮▮▮▮	Fine: ▮▮ Medium: ▮ Coarse: ▮
High	Fine: ▮▮▮▮ Medium: ▮▮▮▮▮ Coarse: ▮▮▮▮▮	Fine▮▮▮▮▮ Medium:▮▮▮▮▮ Coarse: ▮▮▮▮▮	Fine: ▮ Medium: ▮ Coarse: ▮

POROSITY	Amount of Product	Weight/Thickness of Product	Shampooing Frequency
Low	Fine: ▮ Medium: ▮▮ Coarse: ▮▮▮	Fine: ▮ Medium: ▮ Coarse: ▮	Fine: ▮▮▮ or even ▮▮▮▮ Medium: ▮▮▮ Coarse: ▮▮▮
Medium	Fine: ▮▮ Medium: ▮▮▮ Coarse: ▮▮▮▮	Fine: ▮ Medium: ▮ Coarse: ▮	Fine: ▮▮▮ Medium: ▮▮▮ Coarse: ▮▮
High	Fine: ▮▮ Medium: ▮▮▮ Coarse: ▮▮▮▮	Fine: ▮▮ Medium: ▮▮ Coarse: ▮▮	Fine: ▮▮ Medium: ▮▮ Coarse: ▮

POROSITY	Amount of Product	Weight/Thickness of Product	Shampooing Frequency
Low	Fine: ▮▮ Medium:▮▮▮ Coarse:▮▮▮	Fine: ▮▮▮ Medium: ▮▮▮▮ Coarse: ▮▮▮▮▮	Fine: ▮▮ Medium: ▮▮ Coarse: ▮
Medium	Fine: ▮▮▮ Medium: ▮▮▮▮ Coarse: ▮▮▮▮	Fine:▮▮▮▮ Medium:▮▮▮▮ Coarse: ▮▮▮▮▮	Fine: ▮▮ Medium: ▮ Coarse: ▮
High	Fine: ▮▮▮▮ Medium: ▮▮▮▮▮ Coarse: ▮▮▮▮▮	Fine▮▮▮▮▮ Medium:▮▮▮▮▮ Coarse: ▮▮▮▮▮	Fine: ▮ Medium: ▮ Coarse: ▮

POROSITY	Amount of Product	Weight/Thickness of Product	Shampooing Frequency
Low	Fine: ▮ Medium: ▮▮ Coarse: ▮▮▮	Fine: ▮ Medium: ▮ Coarse: ▮	Fine: ▮▮▮ or even ▮▮▮▮ Medium: ▮▮▮ Coarse: ▮▮▮
Medium	Fine: ▮▮ Medium: ▮▮▮ Coarse: ▮▮▮▮	Fine: ▮ Medium: ▮ Coarse: ▮	Fine: ▮▮▮ Medium: ▮▮▮ Coarse: ▮▮
High	Fine: ▮▮ Medium: ▮▮▮ Coarse: ▮▮▮▮	Fine: ▮▮ Medium: ▮▮ Coarse: ▮▮	Fine: ▮▮ Medium: ▮▮ Coarse: ▮

POROSITY	Amount of Product	Weight/Thickness of Product	Shampooing Frequency
Low	Fine: ▮▮ Medium:▮▮▮ Coarse:▮▮▮	Fine: ▮▮▮ Medium: ▮▮▮▮ Coarse: ▮▮▮▮▮	Fine: ▮▮ Medium: ▮▮ Coarse: ▮
Medium	Fine: ▮▮▮ Medium: ▮▮▮▮ Coarse: ▮▮▮▮	Fine:▮▮▮▮ Medium:▮▮▮▮ Coarse: ▮▮▮▮▮	Fine: ▮▮ Medium: ▮ Coarse: ▮
High	Fine: ▮▮▮▮ Medium: ▮▮▮▮▮ Coarse: ▮▮▮▮▮	Fine▮▮▮▮▮ Medium:▮▮▮▮▮ Coarse: ▮▮▮▮▮	Fine: ▮ Medium: ▮ Coarse: ▮

BucketCrab's Practical Hair Guide - Understanding Hair & How To Get Beautiful Hair As Quick As Possible.

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Eat aajonus vonderplanitz diet

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If you can't climb out, drag others down.

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“...hair is architecture with a human element.”

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“...hair is architecture with a human element.”

– Vidal Sassoon

“...hair is architecture with a human element.”

– Vidal Sassoon

“...hair is architecture with a human element.”

– Vidal Sassoon

“...hair is architecture with a human element.”

– Vidal Sassoon

“...hair is architecture with a human element.”

– Vidal Sassoon

“...hair is architecture with a human element.”

– Vidal Sassoon