Reddit mentions: The best hair care products

Fun, thanks for hosting the scavenger hunt!

1. Something Blue: These journals are so beautiful, and I just thought I would start the scavenger hunt out with something simple and beautiful. Is that too corny of a reason to put them on here?
   
2. Summer: Summer reminds me that I will soon be in a place with sun constantly radiating down and burning my retinas. We're all gonna need some sunglasses.
   
3. Unusual Food-Related Item: Kawaii Squishies are super cute, smell like freshly baked bread (or cream soda), and are shaped like foods! I had a lot of wiggle room with this category, and while I have tons of things about food in my WLs, I just think these are great to pass out to stressed friends, as well.
   
4. Gift Someone Else: A Bidet for the Fiancé Kind of a silly one, but my fiancé loves bidets. I've always wanted to get him one, and so this is my ultimate "I love you" gift for him. I actually thought about getting it for him and calling it his engagement ring, in response to the one he just got me. Do you think it would make him laugh?
   
5. Book!: The book Lab Girl by Hope Jahren has gotten a lot of great press, and it seems very relevant to any woman in a demanding science-related field. I think it would be an interesting, and hopefully inspiring, read.
   
6. Less Than a 1$: Somehow this shampoo brush is only $.01? Is that real?
   
7. Related to Dogs: I haven't owned a dog since my family's golden retriever, Max. He was such a wonderful light in our house, and I think about him a lot. I know that GSD are really smart, so I figured I'd put something a smart-alecky GSD owner might have on here. ;)
   
8. Not Useful, But Awesome: I really love oracle cards. I find that they sort of get me past challenges that maybe I'm too stubborn to see for myself. I think they are a good psychological tool, but I also know most people would find them less than useful. Therefore, they are mostly just awesome, and I want them.
   
9. Great Movie: I get some flak for it, but my favorite movie of all time is Coraline. I think it is just so thought-provoking and the animation is beautiful. It really has a special place in my heart.
   
10. Zombies Attack!: Weirdly enough, I am in the process of creating an emergency plan and some bugout bags for my fiancé and I. It's more of a hobby than worry, but I always thought a couple of these matches would come in handy when the hammer drops.
    
11. Life Goals: This one might require a little explanation. So, I just quit my career as an archaeologist to become a creative writer, and my fiancé just quit his archaeology career to become an illustrator. Together we are writing some children's books, creating a comic book series, and hosting a podcast. It has come to our attention that these endeavors require social media presence (something neither of us are very good at). Through our bumbling around, we've found that our pictures are turning out less-than-great for social media, and the problem is lighting. I think this lightbox really neat for anyone who wants to make their pictures look professional on social media.
    
12. Add-Ons: Makeup Remover Cloths These are so useful, I thought about even adding them to the Zombie Apocalypse part of the Scavenger Hunt! I sometimes forget to take care of my skin. So I started leaving one of these by my nightstand just for those times when I'm too lazy (or drunk) to take my makeup off. They are lifesavers!
    
13. Fandom Related: Adventure Time, come on grab your friends.... No explanation needed really. AT is amazing, and I'm sad the series is ending, but we will always have the comics!
    
14. Ridiculously Priced: Okay, let's chat. This watch is over $200,000 and has 4 reveiws? 4 people bought this? Why?! If I was that rich, I'd hole up in my cool-ass movie theater and eat caviar all day. Who needs a watch for that?
    
15. Shark or Unicorn: This unicorn color-changing light is on my wishlist. I want it so badly, but have no idea where I would put it. The bathroom maybe? It has to be somewhere that won't get in the way of all my other unicorn stuff. I like when people just happily stop upon a unicorn in the apartment. When they're peeing is a good time, right?
    
16. Smells Great: These candles are the scents of a coffee shop and so I know everyone in my house would feel warm and welcome right when they walk in once they are lit. These are actually three of my favorite scents, so you can probably tell that I have a slight coffee-related addiction.
    
17. Toy: Dixit is an amazing game. Like...I don't know how to describe it. A bunch of cards with illustrations on them need to be described by the players, and then everyone votes on which description they like the best (blindly vote). It's just a wonderful game for inspiration, and you can make it as complicated or as simple as you'd like. I really enjoy playing it with both my friends and family.
    
18. Helpful for Writers: An Imaginative Workbook! I think one of the biggest things writers forget how to do is play! We spend so much time in our universe, trying to make it perfect, that sometimes we forget to just let go and have our imaginations run wild. I think workbooks like the one I just linked are perfect for when writer's block hits, or when we need a pick-me-up to remember why we started writing in the first place.
    
19. Current Obsession: My current obsession has become learning how to play the ukulele. I heard on a couple of podcasts that it really boosted some people's happiness, especially if they loved music, but didn't feel like they had the time to learn to play a new instrument. I have been borrowing my neighbor's, but since I am moving soon, I've decided to purchase one from Amazon. They have tons of ukuleles on there, weirdly.
    
20. Makes You Laugh: As a person who loves Wes Anderson films this coffee table book always makes me laugh.
    
    Edit: Finished! I love scavenger hunts; it always reminds me what a weirdo I am.

hello everyone!! so here is my routine (i’ll admit it’s pretty simple and mostly stolen from others on this subreddit so don’t credit me for this stuff!! just passing it along)


-www.amazon.com/dp/B076Q6442Z/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_g0aEDb4CR75R3

-First of all, this shampoo brush has been a game changer. So my basic understanding is that you really want to get those flakes off your scalp when you shampoo, but you also don’t want to scrub so hard that you scratch your scalp with your sharp nails which is why this brush is perfect. It does a fantastic job of massaging the scalp and just feels amazing. Don’t scrub too hard with it either!!

INITIAL SHAMPOO TREATMENT (2-3 weeks)

Okay so pretty much i’m alternating between three different shampoos:

1. Nizoral A-D Anti-Dandruff Shampoo, 7 Fl. Oz
   
   https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AINMFAC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_pnaEDbGAET57X
   
   
   • Monday, Wednesday, Saturday
     
     
   • Right now I use this 3 times a week because it’s early on in my sebderm treatment. Pretty soon i’ll be reducing how much I use it once my sebderm is really more fully in control for a while. It’s pretty strong so you really shouldn’t use it daily which is why i’ll be switching up my routine soon. I’ll include what i’ll be changing my routine to at the bottom of this post.
     
     
2. Dr. Eddie's Happy Cappy Medicated Shampoo for Children, Treats Dandruff and Seborrheic Dermatitis, Clinically Tested, Fragrance Free, Stops Flakes and Redness on Sensitive Scalps and Skin, 8 oz
   
   https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07857W8MS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_e9aEDbTA9R4M6
   
   
   • Tuesday, Friday, Sunday
     
     
   • This has really become my favorite shampoo by a long shot. It’s gentle because it’s generally for babies but as you can see in the comments, great for adults too. Doesn’t strip the oils in your hair so I also highly recommend this on days you don’t want frizzy hair but feel like you should wash your hair.
     
     
3. Neutrogena T/Gel Therapeutic Shampoo Original Formula
   
   https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001E96OWY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_dWaEDbP3581SG
   
   
   • Thursdays
     
     
   • So while this has helped my scalp in the past a bit, I mostly still use it because I have a few bottles left over and it’s smart to switch up shampoos so you don’t become immune to one. Someone on this sub recommended the generic amazon brand of this shampoo which i’ll probably be trying soon once I run out of the name brand stuff.
     
     Okay so, although I really want to nuke the shit out of my scalp, I know it’s not smart in the long term so i’m going to translation into a new routine pretty soon. The only new product i’ll be adding to my routine is:
     
     

• Dr. Eddie's Happy Cappy Daily Shampoo & Body Wash for Children, Soothes Dry, Itchy, Irritated, Sensitive Skin, Dermatologist Tested, Fragrance Free, Dye Free, Sulfate Free, 8 oz
  
  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07C66WVDJ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_1-aEDb49FSARW
  
  
  • This is just a daily, not medicated version of the Dr. Eddie’s shampoo i’m using right now.
    
    
    I’ll update if it changes but as of right now my projected routine will be:
    
    -Monday: Nizoral
    -Tuesday: Dr. Eddie’s Daily Shampoo
    -Wednesday: Dr. Eddie’s Medicated Shampoo
    -Thursday: Dr. Eddie’s Daily Shampoo
    -Friday: Dr. Eddie’s Medicated Shampoo
    -Saturday; Dr. Eddie’s Daily Shampoo
    -Sunday: T-Gel
    
    I’m hoping even to only do this routine for just a bit if my sebderm is fully in control. My IDEAL routine will eventually be:
    
    -Monday: Nizoral/T-gel (Switching back and forth between these)
    -Tuesday: No Shampoo
    -Wednesday: Dr. Eddie’s Medicated shampoo
    -Thursday: Dr. Eddie’s Daily shampoo
    -Friday: No shampoo
    -Saturday: Dr. Eddie’s Daily shampoo
    -Sunday: Dr. Eddie’s Medicated shampoo
    
    Hope this helps! My sebderm and shedding isn’t completely gone yet, but it’s DRAMATICALLY improved. I honestly almost want to cry tears of joy when I run my hands through my hair without a BUNCH of hairs on my hands afterward. I’m also going to experimenting with tea tree oil on my scalp soon to retain moisture. DO NOT SLEEP ON THE SHAMPOO BRUSH!!! Let me know if ya have any questions!
    
    
    I also just want to mention that this has been after a long journey of seeing several doctors who didn’t have a clue how to help, dermatologists who claimed to know how to help, and hair transplant specialists that had to assure me I most likely did not have male pattern baldness when I was freaking out that I might. Don’t give up! Treat your scalp well and eat well! Also avoid hairloss subreddits lol even if your hairloss IS genetic lol

I hope you see this because this is a huge tip that helped me. You have a winter skin tone, so pure colors, true red, true blue, black, jewel tones (like that hot pink top which you are ROCKING, btw) will look the best on you. http://selfishseamstress.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/picture-178.png%3Fw%3D490%26h%3D370 This is like an old idea from the 50's I think, but I really agree with it.

Also, one product I really like as far as makeup goes is http://www.covergirl.com/instantcheekbonescontouringblush this in peach perfection. I am also a winter and a little color on the cheeks really will help your face pop & can help give you a more feminine cheekbone. I'm sure there are youtube videos on how to apply.

I agree with the lady that said some sideswept bangs would look nice. They will help balance out your jawline. Also try parting your hair a little further over a la http://hrbangs.com/jessica-alba-side-bangs.jpg

Do you know how to tease your hair at all? If you have wavy hair, it helps give it a little poof to the side and back so that all your curls don't make it look flat on the top. You can look up teasing or backcombing to see how to do it or take your pretty butt down to a salon & tell them to show you. But don't go overboard. Not looking for scene kid, just a little extra volume on top.

Also with waves, a texturizing spray like this: http://www.amazon.com/Not-Your-Mothers-Beach-Texturizing/dp/B004UL0GTK/ref=sr_1_2?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1346617727&sr=1-2&keywords=beach+waves is your friend. And my favorite hairspray to finish with is good old aquanet. We're trying to get natural, not crunchy waves with these two products.

Last of all, congratulations on finding our true self & keep being you. If you want to try any of these tips but can figure them out, just let me know, and I'll be glad to do some videos and show you how! I have a lot of LGBTQ friends & even volunteer working with a couple of organizations that help with things like this, so let me know if even you just need to talk or whatever--be proud of who you are!

Ok, so there are some areas you can trim, some you can't. The big budget buster line items I see from a monthly cashflow perspective are rent, preschool, child support, and your car costs, most of which are extremely tough to adjust at this point. I would definitely recommend looking for another job as well- 5 years, stagnant, with no significant chance to move up in the short term is not a good spot to be in, especially in sales.

Now, some specifics that might help on the spending side:

• Insurance. That number strikes me as very high for a single car and renter's insurance. I've got two cars with collision/comp and pay about $130/month, and my homeowner's insurance is $135 (and that's the thing that, you know, rebuilds my entire house if the worst happens) for a combined total of $265; your renter's insurance should be way less than that. Unless you have some old accidents/tickets on your record, you need to shop around for a different insurance company- it sounds like you're getting hosed.
  
  
• Cell phone. This is really, really high; a good per line estimate is under $50, since most MVNOs can get you there with unlimited talk, text, and a healthy data limit, while being on a major carrier's network. You can get by with an older phone for a bit while you get your finances under control, so find a way to switch your current phone over to an MVNO that can take it without requiring you to get a new one.
  
  
• Child Support/Preschool. If you're paying for child support, why are you also paying for sending your son to preschool? Is there another kid involved, or is this a 50/50 custody thing and your ex is also dropping him off on days she has him? I would expect it should be one way or the other, and it might just be my assumptions regarding how the split worked as the custody case moved forward, but I'm surprised that it's this skewed. Is this locked in by a judge yet, or is it something you can petition for a re-evaluation of since you are covering preschool costs? It may be worth sending your son to daycare instead as you are money tight, but let's see what we can scrounge back for you first.
  
  
• Work lunches. If you company isn't buying, neither are you. Time to brown bag that. You can eat well for <$50 more in groceries, saving you another $50/month.
  
  
• Groceries. This is actually fairly reasonable, given the need to balance work, time with your son, and cooking. You can probably drive it a bit lower with the help of /r/EatCheapAndHealthy and /r/MealPrepSunday, but I wouldn't be going crazy about that number and trying to take it to the "only beans and rice" extreme.
  
  
• Haircut. Unless you have something crazy complex, can you buy a set of clippers off Amazon and have your girlfriend cut your hair? I spent $18 on a decent Wahl trimmer (now $20) about 3 years ago and have maybe gotten three haircuts not from my wife since then, saving me ~$300 already. I spent another $10 on a giant bottle of clipper lubricant that I'll probably still have after the clippers die off to make sure it keeps working well and a couple bucks to get some longer attachments (Wahl will sell you up to 1.5" attachments). First couple cuts were "meh" quality, but my haircut isn't too complex and the quality has improved over time. Spent another $5 on a cape to keep hair off me and everything else has been smooth sailing. So, entry fee is the first haircut, extras are covered by the second, and then you just start saving money.
  
  
• Rent. If your girlfriend moves in, I'd recommend she work and split rent and utilities instead of caring for your son. There are a few reasons for this. First, your son is only going to be in preschool for 1-2 years, and then she'll need to find work anyway. Not having a gap in her work history will make that easier, and she may score a couple raises along the way. Second, your son being cared for by your girlfriend does not accomplish the socialization you want. Third, if you live together, she cares for your kid for a year or two, and you split up, she may be entitled to palimony (she sacrificed her career to support your son, so that's a fairly easy argument to make). Plus, she's now behind in her career, making life tougher for her to get her feet under her.
  
  
• Cigs/vape. This needs to go ASAP. I've heard vaping is cheaper, so if you can switch to 100% vaping, that should help bring the cost down while you work on reducing the cravings.
  
  
• Credit card. This needs to go away. Every day it sits there, it's draining money from you that you need. Every big commission check goes to this. Once it's gone, you can feel free to celebrate with a nice bottle of wine (limit $20) or six-pack of craft beer to go with a fancy dinner (made at home, limit of $8/person).
  
  So, what are your next steps? I recommend you get one month's worth of bills into your checking account so that you stop stressing about paying the bills each month (last month's pay covers this month's bills, this month's pay covers next month's bills, etc.), then wipe the credit card the hell out. After that, you should build up about $1k in an efund, and evaluate where you are financially. You have a car lease; that will be coming up for turn in, so how much longer will it have? Are you likely to owe mileage? What's your next vehicle choice? While I want to tell you that you should pay off your medical bills next (assuming they aren't passively by then), it may be better to plan for the next car purchase instead. Feel free to post a follow up and ask for more advice at that point- we love hearing about progress, and people are quite willing to help with more feedback around here.
  
  Good luck!

Hi! Don't feel bad about all those years of shampooing and not conditioning. I was raised female, and still made that mistake. I'm 29 and didn't start conditioning until April of this year. I thought I was too greasy for conditioner!

On to your questions!

1. Nizoral is the bomb! I have scalp issues too-- my scalp gets super greasy, and I have eczema. Grease + sweat and dirt and debris = major issues with scalp eczema. If you want to pick it up at a store local to you, I find it's usually in the Beauty section. It's the only shampoo that's helped with my scalp issues, and the one sulfate in it is low on the list. Before I went mod CG, I loved the way my hair felt after washing with Nizoral, and hadn't had that kind of luck with a shampoo in a long time, despite trying all the usual dandruff shampoos (and some odd ones).
   
   If you want to totally ditch sulfates but still take care of your dandruff, you can experiment with Trader Joe's Tea Tree Tingle, Giovanni Tea Tree Triple Treat, or Shea Moisture African Black Soap Deep Cleansing Shampoo. I'm pretty sure there are more CG options I'm forgetting, but those are the ones that I remember off the top of my head. I've been experimenting with the Giovanni TTTT, and I'm still not sure how I feel about it. It seems fine with my hair, but my scalp seems to have issues in general with every tea tree product I try. It's often paired with mint/mentholatum, which is a skin irritant.
   
   
2. You can dry your hair with an old t-shirt (the softer it is, the more absorbent it seems, to me). You can scrunch your hair with the towel, and Curly Penny gives a pretty decent demo of this. You can also use a hair dryer, and the general consensus seems to be: use a finger diffuser (also called a bowl diffuser), use low speed/air, and low-medium heat and don't dry all the way with a blow dryer. You can also use a microfiber towel (the ones in the automotive section are cheaper, although they're smaller). Experiment to figure out which method works best not just for your hair, but for keeping your routine manageable.
   
   I get the best results with using a t-shirt to get my hair just dry enough not to drip, and then air-drying. But if I need my hair to be dry for some reason, I do break out the diffuser.
   
   
3. A lot of people swear by using a wide-tooth comb, with their head upside down, in the shower, with their hair full of conditioner. The conditioner does help, by providing slip so tangles come out easily and gently instead of causing hair to break or rip when you detangle. A wide-tooth comb reduces the likelihood of breakage as well.
   
   A Denman brush is this. As near as I can tell, it just means the bristles are spaced further apart, again to help prevent breakage and further tangling when you detangle-- but bear in mind that I don't really understand the Denman brush thing, either. It just looks like a brush to me. A wide-tooth comb has the bristles or tines spaced further apart as opposed to a fine tooth comb. I like a comb that has the tines almost chopstick-width apart. You can also just comb your hair in the shower with your fingers and your conditioner-- I like using a comb better because it feels more effective, to me.
   
   The other reason we don't comb after showering is because it breaks up clumps-- you want clumps if you want strong curls and good definition. Otherwise it can look stringy. I recently read someone talking about curly haircuts saying "ends need friends"-- and so they do, for curls to look right.
   
   I think this stuff is hard, and a lot of us just don't get good info on hair or skincare. Good luck to you.

Sorry in advance for the length of my comment but speaking from personal experience, your acne could be caused by fungus/yeast, not bacteria. It's called Malassezia Yeast and we all have it on our skin, but it can cause issues when it becomes overgrown. This overgrowth is called Pityrosporum folliculitis and looks almost identical to other forms of acne.

Other evidence that points towards fungus is the fact that you're breaking out on other parts of your body. The fungus spreads easily, especially if you give it a nice environment to thrive, like sweaty workouts!

I had perfect skin until I was about 22, and suddenly developed acne on my face, chest, and back. It was so bizarre and none of the traditional acne treatments were helping because, as I later figured out, most products are geared towards bacterial breakouts, including benzoyl peroxide. In fact, overuse of these products can cause fungus/yeast to take over the balance and cause all sorts of issues!

So, after months of research I came to the conclusion that I did indeed have fungal acne, so I started a routine to combat it. I was desperate at first, so I bought an anti-dandruff shampoo (because dandruff is commonly caused by fungus). [This one is great because its SLS free!]
(https://www.amazon.com/Regenepure-Shampoo-Treatment-Supports-Growth/dp/B0032FSDOA/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1485317432&sr=8-1&keywords=dr.+regenepure) In the shower, I slathered it all all over my face and body, let it sit for 5 minutes, then rinsed it off. All of the breakouts started disappearing overnight, literally.

I felt strange using shampoo on my face so I decided to do more research and discovered that zinc is an amazing natural antifungal. So, I purchased this bar of soap, which contains 2% Pyrithione Zinc (an antimicrobial) and it was also very effective. I only use that about every three days now, and only on my body, because I have super sensitive skin and it is too drying for my face.

For my face, I now use Curology because they offer Zinc Pyrithione as an ingredient! My current formulation is .25% Zinc Pyrithione, 1% Clindamycin, and 4% Niacinamide and it is AMAZING. I'm now free of any and all breakouts.

I also use this mineral sunscreen because it uses zinc oxide - another form of zinc that is an antifungal!

For me, I have to maintain a routine or else the overgrowth returns, so I also take zinc picolinate supplements.
So, yeah, I hope this helps give some insight on your skincare journey!!

*EDIT!

I also want to point out the necessity of being super gentle on your skin, in general. I always think "kill it with kindness" when it comes to skin issues. You definitely don't want to make things worse by over-exfoliating (chemical and physical), using harsh cleansers that strip your natural oils, and above all you must keep your moisture barrier in tip top shape because it will protect you from excess fungus and bacteria!

I decided to give you my whole routine as an example, so here it is! I focus on moisture.

AM:

• Rinse face with water
  
  
• Apply Thayer's Witch Hazel Lavendar Toner on cotton ball and wipe face
  
  
• Apply Paula's Choice Calm Redness Relief Repairing Serum, pat dry
  
  
• Apply Mizon Snail Recovery Gel Cream, pat dry
  
  
• Apply Paula's Choice SKIN RECOVERY Daily Moisturizing Lotion SPF 30
  
  
  PM:
  
  
• Wash face with Paula's Choice Perfectly Balanced Cleanser - extremely moisturizing cleanser
  
  
• Apply Thayer's Witch Hazel Lavendar Toner on cotton ball and wipe face
  
  
• Apply Paula's Choice Calm Redness Relief Repairing Serum, pat dry
  
  
• Apply Curology, let dry for ~10 Min
  
  
• Apply Mizon Black Snail All In One Cream, pat dry
  
  
• Apply Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Hydrating Treatment Mask, keep on overnight
  
  ONCE/TWICE WEEKLY:
  
  I loooove sheet masks. Especially the Benton Snail Bee Essence one. Head over to r/AsianBeauty for more recs on these and SO MANY MORE THINGS. warning: it's addicting.
  
  
  

comment content: I'm gonna apologize now - I'm on mobile and formatting an slinks are hard.

So personally, I use three things - a daily shampoo, a weekly shampoo, and a scalp scrubber thingy.

Daily shampoo - a gentle nice shampoo that o use as often as I wash my hair (usually daily, but every other day in the winter). I've been using the L'Oreal Paris line with the parables and sulfate free formula is awesome. It does not HELP but scalp, but it also does NOT HURT it, which is a major deal. No tightness, no itch, I'm good! I've used almost all the different kinds in the line, but I'm going back to this green one since it's the best for me. You're not me, so your needs are probably different! :) L'Oreal Paris Hair Care Ever Strong Thickening Shampoo, 8.5 Fluid Ounce https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MZXSUWN/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_HcX5yb44HC9T3

Weekly shampoo - I used to use the tar shampoo, and the salyclic (?!) acid shampoo as my weekly. As my scalp has realized I mean business, I've switched to a (again) paraben and sulfate free dandruff shampoo. I get a big glob and add a little of the daily shampoo, since none of these weekly shampoos like to lather like I like. JASON Natural Cosmetics Dandruff Relief Shampoo, Rosemary, Olive and Jojoba, 12 Ounces https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FGDIAS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_rfX5yb6GVEQSN

Scalp scrubber thingy - mine is purple! I use it always with the weekly shampoo, and any time during the week that I feel like I need it. It's great for getting flakes moving so you can wash them or brush them out later. I don't really like the finger hole thing for it, but I don't complain since it just feels sooooo gooooood. Scalpmaster Shampoo Brush, Purple https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000NJG82W/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_rhX5ybZPM2YNP

subreddit: Psoriasis

submission title: Tips for scalp psoriasis maintenance?

redditor: dare2smile

comment permalink: https://www.reddit.com/r/Psoriasis/comments/63uldt/tips_for_scalp_psoriasis_maintenance/dfxxm67

I'm gonna apologize now - I'm on mobile and formatting an slinks are hard.

So personally, I use three things - a daily shampoo, a weekly shampoo, and a scalp scrubber thingy.

Daily shampoo - a gentle nice shampoo that o use as often as I wash my hair (usually daily, but every other day in the winter). I've been using the L'Oreal Paris line with the parables and sulfate free formula is awesome. It does not HELP but scalp, but it also does NOT HURT it, which is a major deal. No tightness, no itch, I'm good! I've used almost all the different kinds in the line, but I'm going back to this green one since it's the best for me. You're not me, so your needs are probably different! :) L'Oreal Paris Hair Care Ever Strong Thickening Shampoo, 8.5 Fluid Ounce https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MZXSUWN/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_HcX5yb44HC9T3

Weekly shampoo - I used to use the tar shampoo, and the salyclic (?!) acid shampoo as my weekly. As my scalp has realized I mean business, I've switched to a (again) paraben and sulfate free dandruff shampoo. I get a big glob and add a little of the daily shampoo, since none of these weekly shampoos like to lather like I like. JASON Natural Cosmetics Dandruff Relief Shampoo, Rosemary, Olive and Jojoba, 12 Ounces https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FGDIAS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_rfX5yb6GVEQSN

Scalp scrubber thingy - mine is purple! I use it always with the weekly shampoo, and any time during the week that I feel like I need it. It's great for getting flakes moving so you can wash them or brush them out later. I don't really like the finger hole thing for it, but I don't complain since it just feels sooooo gooooood. Scalpmaster Shampoo Brush, Purple https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000NJG82W/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_rhX5ybZPM2YNP

So you could do either blow dry straightening, which is my favorite since it looks more natural and gives the hair more movement and body, or regular flat ironing. Blow drying it straight takes a bit of practice to get the technique down right, but it's a nice thing to learn if you have the time and patience. Everyone is different, but I think it usually looks much nicer blown out than flat ironed.

I've never heard of that brand before, and I think for $40 you can get the HSI which I've heard really good things about. A quick look on Amazon's page for the one you linked shows really varied reviews for it. Personally, I'd be wary of it, but I'm the kind of person that likes to go with stuff that's got a good following/significant feedback.

Never flat iron wet or damp hair! You'll burn it. Wait until it's completely dry before ironing. You need to always use a heat protectant of some kind. The have spray kinds that are much lighter weight than creams or lotions, and my favorites are Nexxus' and Suave's spray protectors. They smell nice and don't leave any residue on my hair. Your hair looks like it's at that weird in-between length where it's going to flip out because of it laying against your shoulders. You might want to get some kind of setting spray to try and keep it from flipping out again after you style it. You mention frizz as well, so I'd pick up a leave in conditioner to help smooth that down and keep it at bay. I love Suave's Keratin Infusion leave in. It's super cheap, smells great, and works way better than it has any right too. I haven't had a single flyaway since I started using it.

Since your hair is on the thinner side, you should be using one of the lowest settings. Even my curly, thickish hair only takes about 250-290 degrees to flat iron it pin straight. At the very least, never go over 320, which is usually about the middle setting. After that point it's pretty much overkill on anyone without really coarse hair.

And lastly, any type of heat is going to damage it. The protectant, lower heat setting, and generally just taking care and not straightening it every day is going to prevent it from getting too bad. Regular trims will help keep it looking nice, and you should be deep conditioning and using moisturizing shampoos to stave off dryness from the heat tools.

Fellow balding brothers, there's hope for you yet. /r/tressless

"What do I do? Do I have options??" Yes, but you really only have 1 option....."Do 'The Big 3'".

1: Propecia

2: Rogaine

3: Nizoral shampoo.

Get generic Proscar (have your doctor write you an RX). Proscar is 5mg of Finasteride (propecia is 1mg of Finasteride) used to treat BHP. Get a $3 pill cutter from walmart and cut them into quarters. This means $9 for 120 days of propecia, whereas getting actual name brand propecia is around $70 or so a month. Tell your doctor that you can't afford name brand, and that Proscar is LITERALLY the exact same thing as Propecia, just a 5x stronger dose. Most people can be sympathetic towards wanting to save money. Just be upfront and honest with him. If you don't have a doctor, PLEASE DO NOT GET GENERICS ONLINE!! Pay for one doctor visit (or a dermatologist visit) and then get the RX for Proscar. You will STILL pay less overall for that than you will getting generics online. Source? I did generics for 4 years before I wised up. I think I paid around $30-$40 a month for generics. You'll save money in the long run, so long as it's not $400+ for one doctor visit.

Get generic rogaine from walmart. Start with 1 month of the liquid and see how it works. Only get 1 month to start because it MIGHT irritate your scalp (PPG is the delivery vehicle, and some people get really itchy where it's applied [I had a horrible itch]). If it doesn't bother you, then after a month get the 3 month supply (I say liquid because it has a slightly better rate of growth than the foam). If it bothers you (either because it's itchy or because it feels like it makes your hair too greasy), then get the 3 months supply of Rogaine foam.

Nizoral is hard to find these days, but what you want is a shampoo that has at least 1% KETOCONAZOLE as the active ingredient. Keto has been shown to have anti androgen properties. By itself it's not going to do much, but it helps in conjunction with the other things. It's usually back on Amazon for about $14. Another option for Keto shampoo is Regenepure DR. I haven't used it, so I can't attest to it, but many others have said it worked well.

I also use Bosley Revive for my normal shampoos. It SAYS it's suppose to help with thinning hair. I have my doubts, but I like the way it makes my hair feel. It's much more manageable and better looking when I use it. It's not super cheap, but buy the liter bottles and they'll last you for at least a couple months, if not closer to 3 or 4 months. You need to get 2 kinds, cleanser and scalp therapy. Buy them both, then just buy them individually as needed.

Propecia: Some people say that taking propecia makes them kinda tired for the first few hours after they take the pill. I think that's kinda bogus, but I always take mine right before bed...just in case.

Rogaine: Take a shower in the morning, towel dry your hair, then put the rogaine in and let it sit while you get dressed. After that, style your hair as usual. Put it in again before you go to bed (needs to be in 2x a day), but do it as the FIRST thing before your nightly ritual so that it sits on your head and can be absorbed and not run down the side of your head when you're sleeping.

Nizoral/Nioxin: You want your hair to be somewhat clean from normal oils so that Nizoral will suds up and hit your scalp. I use generic T-Gel from walmart for the first round of hair washing. Rinse, then apply Nizoral. After you do that, then start washing yourself off. Get all sudsy and clean, then rise your hair out (you do this to let the Nizoral sit and soak your scalp for a while. DON'T RINSE OFF YET!). Next you use the Nioxin cleanser. It doesn't have to sit, so just lather up and rinse out. Now for the Nioxin cleanser. It's basically a conditioner, so put it on and let it sit while you rinse off. You want it to sit on your head for about 2 minutes. After that, rinse off, get out of the shower, towel dry your hair, then put on your Rogaine.

Source: I've been doing this for about 6 or 7 years.

Proofs:

7 years ago

7 years ago with totally dry/no product hair ("That's not so bad!!!" I know, it wasn't THAT bad, but it had gotten to that point in about 2 years, and it was only going to get worse. Imagine what it would be like after 7 additional years)

4 years after starting

4 years after starting, with wet hair

2 year frontal difference

Still from a short film I was in. Outside in the bright sun this Feburary

Modeling gig I picked up, with a bright flash from my right (about 2 months ago)

Lovely hair :)

​

You mention shampoo, do you also use conditioner? I second the CG method, for sure.

I agree, it is a bit of a hassle at first but once you get into the 'swing' of it - you get used to the burden (lol). You don't need the fancy products, you mentioned sulfate-free, paraben-free, silicone-free - so it sounds like you're on the right track there! They've got a neat list for international CG approved products here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/3/d/e/2PACX-1vTbVtl5RKQyRwtOlctXVt4f8HovDNVjRUkXBMt3l_DpnkSS0Q-wQ3d77_nf20EJ2yPEFpsuvb6Aa52c/pubhtml#

​

Your hair looks wavy - go with it! I honestly think the CG method would make your hair look even greater and bring out those natural waves you've got hidden in there. Don't be afraid of too much conditioner, and try the hair gel too!

The gel will likely leave a 'cast', which can be scrunched (or however you apply it) out with some oil. I prefer to use Argan oil for this personally.

Another tip, because I also deal with dandruff, is maybe try out one of those shower scalp massager/cleaners? I just got a non-electric silicone one and I do not regret it. It doesn't take away all the dandruff, but i noticed it helps a lot in my case. ( I swear i'm not promoting, just sending over what i bought so you know what i'm talking about: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074ZDXFL6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 )

​

[Also, not sure if this needs to be said BUT shampoo is to help clean your scalp, conditioner is for your hair. You don't need to(and shouldn't) condition your scalp, as it will leave build-up. You don't really need to 'shampoo' your "pony-tail hair" (anything under a pony tail), just enough to clean the scalp and hair roots. The rest of your hair will get some shampoo when you clean it out anywho. I know some might disagree, but thats what i've heard and seems to be best for me]

​

Best of luck!

Alright I know you have lots of answers here, but I think I have something to offer.

1. Take as many showers as you want. Water does have a cost, though, and depending on where you live, it can add up. Particularly if you're paying the water bill. One shower a day is probably good, but if you want to take two a day for a while, you should do it.
   
   
2. I find that it's best to change my razor blade every week or two. I have thick hair, and I get red bumps, razor burn and ingrown hairs from shaving 'against the grain' (down to up) so I always start high and shave down. Change the blade every couple of weeks. Look for an aftershave or face lotion that does NOT contain alcohol. That will just dry your skin. When you get a chance, consider buying a double-edge safety razor like this and blades like this - in the long run it's much cheaper than a Gillette, more manly and gives a better shave. A $6 ten-pack of blades could last you two or three months.
   
   
3. Eh, all guys are hairy. I wouldn't bother shaving your armpits unless you like the feel. I sure as hell do not. Youtube, believe it or not, has a ton of videos about how to shave properly. Check 'em out!
   
   
4. I change underwear, socks, and undershirts everyday. I usually wear outer shirts twice or three times before I wash them - always hang them up afterwards. I wash pants only when I need to (if they're smelly or dirty), which is usually every couple of weeks. I wash my jeans every six months or so. Yes it is 'good' to wear different clothes everyday, but don't sweat it right now. Hang your clothes up or fold them right after you take them out of the dryer, and hang them up at night if you're going to wear them again so they don't get wrinkly.
   
   PROTIP 1: When you get a chance, consider buying some clippers like this - make sure you get some guides with it - and you can cut your own hair short, and keep your pubes trim.
   
   PROTIP 2: If you haven't already found them, there are a ton of helpful subreddits to check out:
   
   /r/Frugal
   /r/LifeProTips
   /r/simpleliving
   /r/AskMen
   /r/AskWomen
   /r/beards
   
   and more!
   
   People here are mostly super helpful. You're off to a good start!

Absolutely! I’m very happy to help! Finding something that helps this much AND being able to pass on the information to fellow chronic pain sufferers is gratifying (wish that wasn’t the case!).
...and bonus points for thinking of your gf, she’s going to thank you for it, plus it’s $47 on Amazon right now, score!
The other brand I was thinking about was BabyBliss, it has an automatic button to turn the brush in either direction. I thought that would be even better but in the reviews that feature seemed to break easily & pull your hair. In the end I only had one to choose from (at the store) & I’m actually happy about that. I think the turning would have been overkill, with the learning curve & random hairs getting stuck in it.
The one I linked below worked perfectly! Only having one tool saved myself a good 20/30 minutes of energy & pain. Priceless!
Best of luck, hope she enjoys it as much as I have!
Cheers

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LSUQSB0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_qgG4Cb4FT51ZY

Can't speak for the blow dryer itself, just the weird hand diffuser that I use with my BaByliss Pro Rapido. I recently picked up the devafuser because I felt my regular diffuser wasn't quite doing enough - my ends were drying but my mid-shaft and roots were still damp even after a long while. I was 75% sure I would try it once and return it after reading reviews, people seem to either enjoy it or hate it.

I have fine hair that needs a lot of help getting definition and the devafuser does such a good job for me! It cups against my scalp better which makes it easier for my clumps to stay formed while drying. Also, unlike my regular round diffuser the Deva one has "fingers" that can be positioned right at my roots (just like if you were to stick your hand along your scalp). Doing this makes getting root volume SO much easier! It is a bit more difficult to work with big chunks of hair as they're more likely to slip off compared to a regular bowl shaped diffuser so for thick hair I feel like it would be easier to something like this. But all in all I think it does a better job getting my hair dry faster and with more volume.

I also will say like the others that investing in a quality dryer makes a huge difference. There are lots of guides and reviews out there - and don't be afraid to try something out and return it if it's not for you!

Google it, then.

(A) Nothing, I'm not trying to attack you or anything. You asked for brutal honesty and it just doesn't help you when you're trying to pass with makeup.

(B) Moisturizer isn't going to matte your face throughout the day over your makeup. By itself maybe, but still.

Again, just CC, look how you want.

This is a bit heavy but it's your preference.

You aren't a guy, you're a girl. Literally, right now as much as you may not feel it, your hormones have made you biologically female. Also, it will be a very healthy exercise in moving past the concern of what people think of you.

After you shower, when you're getting ready, and whenever it's tangled. I don't know, just brush it? Run the comb through your hair until you don't feel resistance? Again, google it, it's something that I've been doing since a very young age so it's a bit hard to explain. It will make your hair softer, healthier, promote growth, and train it to go a certain direction rather than just going everywhere. Don't yank clumps, hold your hair between your scalp and the tangled hair and brush through. Also, go look for some sort of frizz control or detangler hair stuff. Also, conditioning will help. Price is one factor, and people's reviews are another. There is an absurd amount of info on the internet: google it. And also, Head and Shoulders is junk. If you have a problem with dandruff consider using Nizoral two times a week.

To me, it sounds like the self hatred talking. See someone, express this. You need to get past it. If anything is poisoning your mind it's yourself.

Well, if you feel like you look weird with makeup then maybe you need to take a step back and understand that what you're doing isn't working and you need to change something. Not all makeup products are equal. You need to get better stuff that fits you.

Well, you need to. And it's not even a "guy" thing to not care about skin, it's just an uninformed thing. You need to care about at least your skin and your hair. It's part of basic care for yourself. If you don't take care of your skin you get cancer, and if you don't take care of your hair it'll become matted and damaged. I get the exhaustion part, that could be a number of things. I'll reference a few of them in the next few lines.

• First off, what's your diet like? Diet will affect EVERYTHING. Food is fuel, and if your fuel is shit, your engine is gonna run like shit. Make sure you're eating veggies, fruits, and healthy proteins. Avoid processed food like the plague. This could also potentially help your energy levels as when I used to eat like shit I felt tired ALL the time.
  
  
• Second, do you take any vitamins? I would personally look at a good multivitamin. Go to your nearest health food store and ask for a good multivitamin (without potassium obv). Also, I would personally suggest a B-complex, which will help massively with energy and with mood. A few other good ones would be C, E, fish oil capsules (omega-3s), and biotin.
  
  
• Third, wash your face with cleanser once a day (usually at night) and with cold water in the morning.
  
  
• Fourth, moisturize your skin twice a day, morning and evening, after you wash your face.
  
  
• Fifth, physically exfoliate two to three times a week instead of your night time routine, or (not and) chemically exfoliate according to the chemical exfoliants directions. (Curology.com will formulate a custom chemical exfoliant for 20$ a month, works pretty good, is what I use)
  
  
• Lastly, get some skin masks. I love Korean sheet masks for how fun they are. Skin masks are healthy and make your skin look glow-y, but most of all it makes me feel girly and it's fun!
  
  Hair dryers are cheaaaap, and your hair would benefit from one. You could probably get one for almost nothing at a goodwill nearby. Head and shoulders, like I said before, is bad. All sorts of drying components to it, just not great. Like I said before, I use nizoral because if I didn't I would have an insane dandruff problem (due to serrb derm), I'd suggest it if you do have flakes, if you don't get something good and suggested by the curly hair sub I linked earlier.
  
  Well, I can't say much there if you don't like it.

SPIN PINS. They are the miracle you've been waiting for. I have mid-length thin hair, but they were recommended to me by a former coworker with the waist length, thick beautiful hair. All you do is swirl your hair into a bun and then 'screw' the twisted bobby pin through the bun. IT took me a couple times to figure out how to get a tight hold, but once you figure that out you are gold! And the best part is that when I put my hair up when its a bit wet, I have the most beautiful wavy curls when I take it down later!

The Goody brand pins are great, but expensive for how many pins you get. I only need one with my shorter, thin hair but my friend definitely used two for a stable bun. I've also bought these off-brand pins which are exactly the same thing for way less. I bought those in a gold metallic color and I haven't noticed any chipping or other aging marks on the metallic paint.

Do yourself a favor and try them out. I promise you they are magic!

If you don't like hard feeling hair "putty", I recommend going with something like Suavecito or Uppercut Deluxe Pomade.

I've used both of these products for hair styling, and I think they're simply in a league of their own. The Suavecito is definitely on the milder side, but I like that it doesn't make my hair firm. Walmart carries American Crew Fiber which I think is an OK alternative to the brands I recommended, but I wouldn't waste my money on it unless you just absolutely have to buy it at Walmart tonight.

Use damp hair with all these products, but make sure its on the drier side, because the two pomades are water soluble (so they wash out easy, as opposed to some pomades like Murray's which take multiple washes to get out).

While I'm going on about this, my only other advice in regards to hair styling is to make sure your hair has some of its natural oils. It REALLY helps in the long run. I noticed that most shampoos were drying out my scalp and hair, so I switched to some all-natural crap from one of those health food stores (I think its seaweed brand or something). I started washing it every other day, and my hair looks supremely better, feels better, styles easier and uses less product.

Is my daughter your sister? Seriously. My daughter is 11, but everything you said is identical to her all the way down to the damn Guinea Pigs! I can give you some ideas from her Christmas list. Of course there's the gallon of glue for slime - clear, not the white. She specifically asked for this Slime accessory kit off Amazon.

At that age she is probably just getting into makeup so those kits such as this one are perfect for experimenting.

Wireless headphones are this year's big gift so I don't have to listen to her stupid Tik Tok videos.

She's been asking for her own electric toothbrush for about a year now so she's getting one.

She loves using tools to do her hair and all of my friends have talked about this tool and it has incredibly decent reviews (I have that on my own wish list, but I know my daughter would be jealous).

I got her a subscription to Muse magazine that's for kids 9-12 that are interested in science or crafts. Order it from their own site if you want an extra issue to actually give her at Christmas.

This particular umbrella because all girls this age love the Eiffel Tower for some reason and having their own umbrella is a big deal I guess...

A gift card to a makeup or jewelry place would be loved as well as cool gel/liquid/retractable highlighters.

If you need any more ideas I'm sure I can pull some more stuff out lol

• Usually I have a hair oil blend massaged into my scalp and left there for 2-3 hours before I shower. It's a mix of castor oil, grapeseed oil, rosemary, lavender, cedarwood, and thyme essential oils. Once a week I skip that and instead do an all-over hair mask with coconut oil, neem oil, and a few drops of tea tree oil.
  
  
• First I gently use a dry brush, all over, before getting into the shower.
  
  
• I use Pura d'Or shampoo or Regenepure shampoo every other day. Otherwise I just massage my scalp gently with warm water. I have short hair and use hair oils, so I don't use conditioner.
  
  
• I use Acure Organics Coconut Pumpkin Body Wash (I like all their body washes) if I'm feeling dirty, otherwise mainly just a konjac sponge and water, or I scrub my shins, feet, etc with a Salux cloth. I use zinc soap on my upper arms, shoulder blades, and upper chest. I used to use CeraVe Foaming Cleanser as a body wash but now I just use it as a hand soap.
  
  
• Out of the shower I use Acure Organics Cocoa Butter + CoQ10 Ultra-hydrating Unscented Body Lotion and Andalou Naturals Lavender Shea Hand Cream though I'm not particularly loyal when it comes to body moisturizers.
  
  
• Once a week I use Japanese bath salts for relaxing in the tub. Once every three months or so I use Tony Moly Shiny Foot Peel.
  
  As you can see, there's an absence of Asian beauty products simply because I'm on a "naturally-derived" kick again and when it comes to body stuff I like it to be inexpensive and easily accessible. All the Acure Organics and Andalou Naturals stuff I get I can buy at a local grocery store. Special stuff like bath salts or treatments I like to order since Japanese bath salts are always the best.

Unlike a lot of people here, I'll actually give some good advice.

People who say "quit being a bitch", obviously never rode regular rides with women. My girlfriend does like to ride pillion, but she does complain that it's hard to look good for an outing. The helmet messes up her hair, makeup, etc.

I have a Coolmax Skull Cap or helmet liner that I bought from the US a long time ago for a tenner. It looks something like this. I like it a lot. Look for helmet liners that cyclists use. For girls with longer hair, they may prefer a buff. In particular, my girlfriend wears stud earrings, and the buff is nice in that it covers her ears. She does look like she's wearing a hijab when she puts it on though.

None of these are really going to perfectly preserve your hair. It's best to also try a better hair product. I haven't used gel for literally decades since it's too crunchy and shiny. For me, gel is a very school-boy thing to use. Wax is too shiny. The best hair product I've used is American Crew Forming Cream which does well in helmets.

Some pomades, the traditional one made with waxy bases that are not water-soluable, tend to have a more waxy or greasy texture. The difference between pomades and waxes is mainly that a pomade will provide a little more "sheen" to your hair when applied (think 60's greaser style). Since they aren't water soluble, traditional pomades tend to last through a few washings and the hold is long-lasting.

Personally, I prefer water-soluble pomades. Fine hair in general, doesn't hold up too well with heavy products. A traditional pomade will definitely weigh down fine hair, and I don't like the way my hair feels with a greasier product in it. I think a benefit of pomade over a product like a clay or a wax is the pliability it offers, while still creating a strong hold. At least with my hair texture, a water-soluble pomade offers the most hold while letting my hair feel the most natural (i.e. it doesn't feel like it has product in it at all!) I use Layrite Pomade, but folks also tend to rate Suavecito very highly. I think they're almost identical products, except that Suavecito has a traditionally "masculine" grooming product scent and Layrite has a really pleasant and subtle vanilla-beeswax scent. I love it!

I'll second the recommendation for youtube styling videos, a lot of folks have some really helpful advice on there and can walk you through different grooming products and tools. You can also find good product reviews and stuff like that! I also have the tiniest head in the world (everybody loves to tell me about it too) and adding height and sharp lines to my haircut really helped make my head look normal-sized. Fading also helps too, it adds an illusion of a larger head in comparison to a haircut when your head is buzzed to one consistent length.

I also have very thick hair. I'm not sure if it's quite on your level, but it's close.

First, I'd recommend that you trim everything down a bit. I find that my hair is often more manageable when it's shorter. I do a 1-2 on the back and sides, faded up to a 5-6 on top, and I tell them to use scissors on the front leaving it a little longer than the rest. Longer means that you have more to work with for styling, but too long gets unruly.

After you get things trimmed, I'd recommend watching this video for styling tips. They do a lot of cool stuff with a wide range of hair types.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFb_Ggh89S4

I've been successful using some of their techniques for a few months now. Don't be afraid to use a blow dryer!

As for products, currently I use:

1. Old Spice Cruise Control - http://www.amazon.com/Old-Spice%C2%AE-Cruise-Control-Forming/dp/B00O01O6PU/ref=sr_1_2?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1452749557&sr=1-2&keywords=old+spice+cruise+control
   
   
2. Sauvecito - http://www.amazon.com/Suavecito-10-Pomade-Original-Hold/dp/B0065JCV84/ref=sr_1_2?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1452749598&sr=1-2&keywords=suavecito
   
   Cruise control is pretty good. You could probably find a lot of similar products out there, but I find that it gives me a nice amount of hold, texture and shine, without being overly heavy. I usually use this first, and then use Sauvecito to really make my hair bend to my will.
   
   Sauvecito is an amazing product. It changed my life. I've used a ton of different products over the years in the attempt to tame my hair. Most gels, pomades, creams, etc. are all the nearly the same and they all suck. This doesn't. It literally holds like glue, but it's also very lightweight. It also lasts quite a long time because you don't (and shouldn't) need to use a lot of it. You just need to coat your fingers and sort of push it into your hair. I think of it as a sort of container product. I try to use water, light hair spray, blow dryer, and Cruise Control to about 80% of the work towards molding my hair to a certain shape and then I lock it in by using Sauvecito on the outside.
   
   Anyway, I hope this helps.
   
   

I've been cutting my own hair for about two years now, all on a $20 pair of hair clippers. If I knew what I know now, I would have invested in a more expensive pair. Not because of any shortcomings, but because I figured I am saving ~$15 every month so investing in a good quality clipper will pay for itself very quickly.

For reference, this is the clippers I purchased. The color-coding makes it very easy to quickly find the number you are looking for. Be sure whatever clippers you choose you keep them well oiled, this will prevent rust and insure they continue to cut smoothly without tearing at the hair.

For the actual cut I pick the number I wish to do the sides/back and start cutting. Working my way around from one side to the other, cutting against the hair. On the back I will repeat sections until I can no longer hear the hair being cut, and I tend to go pretty high (slightly on top of the head) to make sure there's not a "cliff" of hair hanging off the back. A couple mirrors are wonderful to examine your work.

For the top it is just scissors (or if you like it really short you could use the clipper). I just grab a clump of slightly damp hair with straight fingers (parallel to the top of the head) to the length I wish to cut, then clip close to the top of the fingers. The main goal of this is to insure the hairs are a uniform length. I just work my way around until it is all pretty even, then go back a second time to double check.

The whole process takes about 10-15 minutes once you get good at it. You can also go back every week or so and just trim up the sideburns to keep them from getting shaggy.

I got quite a few tips from watching YouTube videos, I'd suggest you do the same.

Definitely use conditioner. I live in the desert as well (AZ) and have pretty much the same hair as you (oily). I would advise you to to find a hair stylist/dresser if you don't have one and as the others have mentioned below; get it textured. I personally don't like my scalp showing on the sides so I get at least a number 4 on the sides or i have them scissor cut the sides so it isn't cut too short. Also have them razor cut/texture the top. For product's I'd suggest trying bedhead's "matte separation" or their wax stick. I've also used d:fi extreme hold too and it works great but it's definitely thick and it's hard to find as it's pretty popular here so I'd just buy it online.

Here's the matte separation:
http://www.amazon.com/TIGI-Head-Matte-Separation-Ounce/dp/B002N5MI2S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1427780500&sr=8-1&keywords=matte+separation+bed+head

Here's the wax stick:
http://www.amazon.com/TIGI-Bed-Head-Hair-Stick/dp/B003JP19U8/ref=pd_sim_sbs_bt_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=0KHGQYE6RDDDN1QAGM69

Here's the d fi extreme cream:
http://www.amazon.com/Extreme-Hold-Styling-Cream-2-6/dp/B000H30FHS/ref=sr_1_2?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1427780598&sr=1-2&keywords=d%3Afi

I also put product in while my hair is dry/slightly damp rather than wet. If you're using the d:fi I'd definitely try it when your hair is a little damp because that stuff is pretty sticky. Don't be afraid to blow-dry it a bit to speed up the drying process.

It might seem like a lot of steps but it's really not bad at all, takes me maybe 5 minutes to do right after the shower. Good luck man!

The only one I've tried is Selsun Blue, but a lot of people really love the Nizoral. It's hard for me to say which one would be best for you. Here's the amazon links: https://www.amazon.com/Nizoral-D-Anti-Dandruff-Shampoo-Oz/dp/B00AINMFAC?th=1

https://www.amazon.com/Selsun-Blue-Medicated-Strength-Dandruff/dp/B001UGL84U?th=1

So I don't know if there's any truth to this, but I have this theory that hair adapts or gets used to the shampoo I use. I like switching up the active ingredients in the shampoo. Hopefully that will help you. There's a chance you might have dry scalp, doing an oil treatment with tea tree oil might help. I've used this cheap one at Walmart before You could try buying tea tree oil and diluting it in a carrier oil. Some people swear by diluting Apple Cider Vinegar, and putting it in a spray bottle and using it on the scalp.

I have thick but fine curly/wavy hair that is pretty much completely unmanageable most of the time and the BEST thing I ever did was purchase a Revlon One-Step Volumizer/Hair dryer. Its basically a hair dryer that is a big round brush and it gives me a smooth salon blowout every time. It makes my hair silky and straight and I never have to use a straightener and although after a couple days my hair will go a little wavy again the smoothness stays and makes your hair so manageable until the next time you wash it. I ordered mine off amazon but I think you can find them in walmart etc. I would suggest watching some youtube reviews of it to see how its used and the results, I got the hang of it quickly and found it easy to use. I also HIGHLY recommend pureology shampoo + conditioner..even though its pricey its 110% worth it and I honestly don't think I'll ever use anything else.

Hope this helps :)

Revlon Hair Dryer: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01LSUQSB0/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1542996286&sr=8-1&keywords=revlon+volumizing+hair+dryer

Looking for product advice from fellow fine haired folk!

My hair: Fine, high-normal porosity (I think just high rn from heat damage), wavy, but sometimes get ringlets here and there, definitely mixes of diff curl patterns.

Routine: low poo w/ TJs Tea Tree Tingle shamp, STC w/ Sauve Coconut cond, rinse out cond, leave-in cond L'Oreal Elvive Protein Recharge, Herbal Essences totally twisted mousse, plop for 10-20 min, then diffuse to 80%ish with xtava Black Orchid diffuser.

What's working: My hair is the healthiest it's been in a long time just after following tips from y'all! Low poo is definitely working for me, and the diffuser I have is AMAZING (shoutout to someone on here who recommended it).

What's NOT working: I think I need to find a different product to put in after leave-in conditioner. I used gel on day 1 and I think it weighs down sections of my hair too much so I think I need a mousse, but the HE one made my hair look pretty shiny/made it really obvious there was product in it. Also having a hard time getting the ends of some strands to have wave.

Hair Journey: Recently moved to Seattle after being in a dry climate with hard water for 2 years. Knew that trying to straighten my hair/what I'd been doing was not going to work well for me/bring back epic hair struggles, and luckily I found this sub to help me out. While living in dry climate past 2 years, I had been straightening my hair or using a curling wand 2-5 times a week, so my hair was super damaged/always too dry from hard water and overuse of heat. I always struggled to find a way to do my hair that I actually liked growing up, and when I started using heat tools daily in high school it started to get damaged. I went to college in Seattle and the humidity here helped my hair get healthier but I spent a lot of time straightening it only to go outside and have it completely ruined in 5 minutes flat. Really hoping that CG method works for me and excited to have healthy hair for the first time in memory!!

First, I'm sorry depression has been rough for you lately but you're doing awesome to try and do some self care where you can!

Cowashing simply means you use conditioner to wash your hair instead of shampoo. Just like you do right now where you scrub your head/ hair with shampoo, you use conditioner instead. That doesn't work for everyone. More so if you have dandruff.

I do cowash and I use a shampoo brush every wash day, about once a week, which definitely helps with flakes. I used to have some mild dandruff but incorporating that in my routine helps slough off the dead/ dry skin. This what I use: Hair Scalp Massager Shampoo Brush, MAXSOFT Scalp Care Brush https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074ZDXFL6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_cwD8BbAGVAY43

I definitely advise you to start with the quickstart routine in the Community Info. It's less than $15 USD. As your hair gets healthier you hair will curl more. As far as those pieces around your face I'd just pin curl them until they cooperate. https://youtu.be/Y1zvrsWqY38

I hope this helps you get started!

I use natural dandruff shampoo (no parabens or lauryl sulfates, blahblahblah) by Jason. It has curbed my dandruff very well but I never really had rashes, just flakes.


If your hair/scalp is particularly dry, however, I really would recommend coconut oil. Just slather it right into your hair until it saturates down to your scalp and let it sit for a while to condition, then rinse it out as best as you can. I usually end up shampooing afterward, but in your case it might be best if you didn't until a day later or whatever so it can really soak in.


Apple cider vinegar is great stuff. If you're using it externally only, I would actually recommend drinking it a little bit every day as well! Could help from the inside out.

Your shampoo could be the cause. I would definitely start using an aha and or bha product. I would use a gentle cleanser like vanicream Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser with Pump Dispenser | Fragrance, Gluten and Sulfate Free | For Sensitive Skin | 8 Ounce https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QY1XZ4W/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_dq1CDbWX75558 then a good toner like MIZON Aha & Bha Daily Clean Toner, 5.07 Fluid Ounce https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LUU42NU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_bo1CDb3KXNJ4A there is also a different selection on this mizon toner for a aha serum. I haven't tried it but I am planning on buying it. I really love Cosrx products. I use the COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid, 100ml https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073P6ZQ4V/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Vw1CDb8W7WA27 a lot because it uses a different form of salicylic acid which great for sensitive skin, plus this is moisturizing.

Edit I would also recommend Jason dandruff shampoo Jason Dandruff Relief Treatment Shampoo 12 oz https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FGDIAS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_WB1CDbSVRBM37 it has the bha salicylic acid and sulfer which help exfolites your scalp. If you do have fungal acne or are having a reaction to your shampoo this is a good choice. I have been dealing with a dry scalp and then it turns into dandruff, after 4 uses my scalp looks so much better

To combat MPB, you need to cover all bases. MPB is caused by a couple different things:

1. Tightening of the galea, the muscle above the eyebrows.
   As it gets tighter, oxygenation of blood goes down. This is confirmed by many studies (men with MPB have 43% less oxygenation of scalp blood than non balding men). T converts to DHT in low oxygen environments. This is why DHT levels are higher in the scalp of MPB patients than in non MPB patients (serum DHT levels are the same in both groups though).
   
   This is the toughest one for people to take. They've been told for a very long time that its (all genetic). While its true, it may very well be genetic, that's not really an acceptable answer as to why some people lose their hair and others don't. Everything is genetic. In the case of cancer, that's a purely genetic disease. Yet they didn't just give up trying to fight cancer because its "genetic."
   
   There is some truth in the genetic theory. Some people have more Androgen receptors (there's 2 types in the scalp i think) in their scalp. But when they tested MPB patients, those who had more androgen receptors due to their genetics were still in the minority (around 35% I believe).
   
   Also, if this genetic theory were completely true in that hairloss is not being caused by some outside force, then there would be no pattern. The pattern disproves the genetic theory immediately, since all the hairs on your head would minaturize at the same rate.
   
   This doesn't happen though, and there is a distinct pattern.
   
   The same people who believe the genetic theory do agree though, that the miniaturization is happening because of DHT. Since there is a gradual pattern towards the center of the scalp, we can agree that the DHT accumulation is happening gradually towards the center. This conflicts with their being an end all be all genetic issue.
   
   This gradual DHT accumulation supports the tight scalp theory.
   
   Also, they've had an 80% success rate growing hair back in balding patients by using botox in the muscles around the scalp (nail in the coffin).
   
   http://www.jwatch.org/jd201111100000001/2011/11/10/growing-hair-with-botox
   
   
2. Fungus. Yes, that's right, fungus. One of the best remedies for MPB is an anti-fungal called ketoconazole. Certain organisms that live on our skin actually can cause sebum (oil) buildup, and its speculated that this buildup may contribute to DHT accumulation in the scalp.
   
   
3. Genetic hormone levels: it could just be caused by some people creating more DHT than most people. This is very rare though.
   
   Solutions:
   
4. Fungal shampoo. Use every day (don't use any other shampoos):
   
   http://www.amazon.com/Regenepure-Doctor-Recommended-Shampoo-Treatment/dp/B0032FSDOA
   
   This is a great one. Keep it on for 5 minutes, then wash it out really well.
   
   http://www.amazon.com/PURA-DOR-Anti-Hair-Premium-Organic/dp/B00FH692PQ/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1458332475&sr=8-1&keywords=pura+d%27or
   
   I really like this one. Makes your hair super soft. It says leave it on for 2 minutes, but I leave it on for 5.
   
   
5. Minoxidil. Minoxidil 5% works well, but there's different blends of stuff. The best one is the one with retinol. There's only one company that sells it with retinol (retinol is used to speed up cell division. Clinical studies show that minoxidil with retinol is far more effective.
   
   http://www.amazon.com/Maximum-Hair-Regrowth-Treatment-Men/dp/B00CJ29P7Q/ref=sr_1_sc_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1458332570&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=minoxidil+retiol
   
   
6. finasteride. Just get a perscription. Buy it from india on the cheap. Not a great solution, but right now, its the only mainstream way.
   
   
7. Rosemary oil: use this as conditioner and rub it in. Great for regrowth.
   
   http://www.amazon.com/NOW-Foods-Rosemary-Oil-ounce/dp/B0014UEEXY/ref=sr_1_2_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1458332618&sr=8-2&keywords=now+rosemary+oil
   
   
8. RU58841 : experimental androgen inhibitor. Works really well. Buy it from rui-products.com
   
   You can find my progress pics in my history to see my results.

I had the same issue last winter. I tried coconut oil and showering with cold water and showering less often, but nothing seemed to help much. Then I just started using head and shoulders and it helped a lot. I was still having some issues so I got this shampoo that has a different active ingredient than head and shoulders:

http://www.amazon.com/Nizoral-AntiDandruff-Shampoo-7-Ounce-Bottles/dp/B00AINMFAC/ref=sr_1_1?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1451443490&sr=1-1&keywords=nizoral

I use it maybe three times a week and don't have itchy scalp anymore. While going for an all natural solution is nice, I found this to be way easier and more effective. Good luck hope this helped.

Best thing is medicated shampoo. There is quite a choice, but I think the sulfur ones work best:

• Jason anti dandruff shampoo, it contains sulfur and salicylic acid. Should be easy to find and it's on Amazon as well. Just read the reviews, people seem to like it. Note that Jason has a couple of products, this is the one you want.
  
  
• Nizoral, either OTC or Rx strength, it is an antifungal.
  
  
• Neutrogena T-Sal, active ingredient is salicylic acid
  
  
• Neutrogena T-Gel, active ingredient is coal tar. Has a smoky smell to it. Tends to condition the hair as well.
  
  
• Selsun blue
  
  You can build up a tolerance to a particular type of shampoo. I would stick with one type for a while and see how it goes.

Changing the way you dress is definitely a process - I don't know if there are thrift stores and things where you are, or places to resell clothing you don't use anymore, but going through your clothes and figuring out what goes with Older More Mature You and what belongs in the past with Younger You takes some time and is a big step. Check out /r/frugalmalefashion for cheaper takes on great male fashion as well as some money saving do-it-yourself techniques.

Your hair, though, does not need to be messed with. The fly-away look can be tamed if you really want it to with pomade or hair wax (look for something like Bumble and Bumble Sumo Wax or Tigi Matte Separation Wax - go for something non-shiny so it doesn't look greasy) or you can just say fuck it and allow your hair to do its sexy, bedhead thing. As long as your clothes don't look sloppy, it'll actually look really great.

And you are really welcome. Thanks for providing the eye candy on behalf of all of us at /r/ladyboners.

I may have been criticizing fellow barber texture paste, too much. It deserves considerable respect for being the best I've found yet. The only reason I don't think it's "the one" is because I'm still holding out for some miracle product -but that may just be unrealistic expectations lol

Without a doubt try fellow barber, you won't regret it. It gave my thin hair noticeably thicker, fuller body and the right amount of hold that kept the hair looking natural, but in place. Never had a product do all that so well before.

A big improvement came from using this shampoo/conditioner by Arvazallia. My whole life, every time I ran out of shampoo, I'd buy a different brand to test if it was better. The Arvazallia one I found by sorting Amazon results by highest rated. It's also the only shampoo I've gone back to instead of trying new ones because I liked the results so much. It's the smoothest my hair's ever been, but I wonder if it couldn't be fuller.

I just did some online research and purchased these to see how they help with thin hair, too:

• American Crew Texture Lotion
  
  
• Hanz de Fuko Quicksand
  
  
• TIGI Bed Head Matte Separation
  
  
• R+CO Badlands (expensive, so buy a sample on ebay for cheap to test if it's worth the $$$)

I'm not trans, but I have short hair that rarely grows. So I got a wig on a whim off amazon.

This is what it looks like

Second pic

I went to a party with this wig on, and to the mall. Everyone commented on how much they loved my hair and totally shocked it was a wig. Look up ways to make wigs look more realistic (powder, maintenance, etc).

Seriously, wigs are totally fine and there's a TON of them out there that look super realistic. Plus, there's many reasons people wear wigs other than balding issues, so it's nothing anyone would likely call you out on.

This was the wig I bought. Only 17 dollars on amazon. I had to style it a bit, and give it a big haircut (I'm really short, this was really long). There's a lot of great ones out there that aren't terribly expensive, and if you want to super invest, there's real-hair wigs as well.

It's never EVER too late. And transitioning before puberty would, unfortunately, not have stopped the male-pattern baldness enough. So take this chance to be exactly who you want to be. You only get one life, so live it exactly the way you want to.

A lot of people are recommending American Crew Fiber. I don't. I've tried quite a few brands with very similar hair to yours and now I can part it successfully.

Crew is great but it's a hassle to work into your hair and it's not going to play well with water, at least not as good as Suavecito. Sauvecito doesn't offer as strong of a hold but the plus sides are that it's easier to apply and it's water friendly. The water friendly part is the most important factor if you want your hair to be malleable.

Wash your hands, work the excess water from your hands through your hair. Make sure it's wet but not dripping. Get it as close to your desired hairstyle as possible with ONLY water and a comb

Then work some product into your left palm with the fingertips of your right hand. Use the fingertips for small tough to work areas (ie. the crease) and your palm for the large areas (ie. front and sides).

The water will dry slowly, only leaving behind the product. After a while your hair will be much more obedient :)

Both products, Perfect Hold and Spiky Edge, don't make your hair rock-hard so they won't leave any white solidified flake. You can even re-style your hair after awhile you first apply them- this may make you think that these waxes are not strong but they really are(especially the spiky edge). It's hard to describe their texture so see this video FYI: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UH6SUHBIy9c

​

Moving Rubber Spiky Edge is definitely on the strong side of holding. If strong hold is your priority, I'd say try Spiky Edge first. If you want natural style and yet strong hold for a day, I recommend style with wax/cream first and finish with spray.

Where you can buy:

Moving Rubber Spiky Edge: https://www.amazon.com/GATSBY-MOVING-RUBBER-SPIKY-2-8oz/dp/B000V2ACH8/ref=sr_1_2_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1538966536&sr=8-2&keywords=gatsby%2Bspiky%2Bedge&dpID=51j0gvw558L&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch&th=1

Perfect Hold Wax Extra Hard: https://www.amazon.com/Gatsby-Perfect-Hold-Wax-Extra/dp/B001GQ2ED8/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1538966703&sr=8-1&keywords=Gatsby+Perfect+Hold+Wax+-+Extra+Hard&dpID=41sprgdTXgL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

Ok ok I'm not in the US but this item I want and that you'd love too, doesn't require Prime as it ships from China!

It's a SCALP MASSAGER!!!! You use it will you shampoo and not only does it make your scalp super clean, but it's supposed to feel like when they massage your head at the salon. Ah man I sooooo make orgasm sounds (sorry shampoo girl) when they do that!

Becca, you will LOVE this.

On .ca : http://www.amazon.ca/dp/B008FZBGL4/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=DMETSNTQTYSG&coliid=I2RHUIKMWSLG02

On .com I found a bunch. This one is similar to the one I wished for : http://www.amazon.com/Scalpmaster-Shampoo-Brush-Purple/dp/B000NJG82W/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1422215088&sr=8-8&keywords=scalp+massager

Fuck the surgery thing, that's crazy talk. I would just recommend losing the earrings (if that's what they are). I had a very similar problem as you when I was in high school. I had longer, thick hair, but I needed to find something that didn't look over the top, but still looked decent.

http://imgur.com/a/i0k7t

The top picture was me in high school (i know the picture is funny, but I didn't have a social media account back then) and the bottom is what I currently do with my hair at 22.

I found a product called American Crew Forming Cream
http://www.amazon.com/American-Crew-Forming-Cream-Ounce/dp/B000KEIPC6

I like it because it doesn't make your hair hard and you can restyle it throughout the day with no issue at all. It also doesn't have a wet or shiny look to it, so it doesn't look like you have anything in your hair (which I always thought to be douchy). I just take a shower, let it dry for like 10 mins and then i rub a very small amount between my index, middle finger, and thumb and part my hair off to the side. Very simple, low maintenance and it keeps the hair out of your face while looking pretty good. Ditch the bowl cut for christ sakes! Stop trying to be unique!!! :P

You are pretty attractive, If I were you, I would get rid of the earrings, get a trim and tell the barber you want it relatively short, but want to be able to part your hair off to the side, which will leave you with bangs to do with as you please. Also, start dressing more preppy, like khakis/boat shoes, northface/columbia, just dress very conservatively and it will definitely bump your numbers up on the attractiveness scale.

I have read here / seen on YouTube that a lot of curlies have success with this diffuser which can attach to this dryer. I think depending on shipping / any discounts you'd be right around $50 maybe a lil over. I think you can technically attach the diffuser to other hair dryers but may have to do some handiwork to get it secure. :-)

I got this one years ago (before I started CG) and it came with the diffuser pictured, it's still going strong all these years later and for the way I diffuse it is perfect. Gotta love the $25 price and the cold shot button.

I hope this helps! :-)

Edit: forgot words

It also seems to slow down or stop hair loss. Some guys even claim regrowth.

---

Here is some more information for those curious.

The ones that experience regrowth are usually doing at least one thing to treat their hair loss (besides NoFap).

You really have just three options: Rogaine, Propecia, and ketoconazole (usually in a shampoo).

Rogaine works by speeding up the growth cycle, but it also adds more DHT receptors to the hair follicles (that is why you lose a lot of hair once you stop). It is also a heart medication, so it might mess with your blood pressure.

Propecia works, but it can mess with your hormones. The first day my friend took it, he got like instant man boobs (they got all swollen). He stopped immediately and, thankfully, they went back to normal. I read it can become permanent if you keep using it.

Ketoconazole works and doesn't have many, if any, drawbacks. It does the opposite of Rogaine and reduces the number of DHT receptors on the hair follicles over time. And since it is applied topically, it won't mess with your hormones like Propecia.

(Please don't waste your time reading more random articles on the internet for the balding cure. Trust me, this is everything you need to know.)

Some people advocate doing all three at once, but I think that is messing with your body chemistry too much. And I think you're being a little too vain / anxious about it if you do all three.

Personally, I would just buzz it short (think Jason Statham). If it looks good, you have nothing else to worry about.

(I really like this quote by him about working out.)

Plus, girls don't seem to care as long as you aren't trying to hide your balding.

But if you want to try it, here are the more popular brands when it comes to ketoconazole shampoos: Regenepure, Lipogaine, and Nizoral.

Besides all that, make sure you lower your stress, get plenty of sleep, and, of course, NoFap!

>Neckbeard: See family situation above. Now imagine you just hit puberty and you start growing facial hair and have absolutely no idea how to shave.

Oh jesus this.

I don't care who you are, if your child is growing facial hair please help them learn to shave.

I looked so fucked up when I was a teenager because my beard grew in so scraggly and patchy but I didn't want to shave it because I was so proud of the fact that I'd grown it. Little did I realize how insane it made me look.

Might help if you tell the kid that, if they shave, it'll grow back fast and a lot more evenly and look more mature.

EDIT: I've weirdly gotten like six messages now asking about shaving advice. I say "weirdly" because I put fully the least amount of work into shaving of anyone I know.

I've been shaving for a while now and I've tried almost every method out there at least once. I've even tried fire. I...really do not recommend that method.

For me, a pair of corded electric hair clippers like these are the best. Not one like this because it doesn't have the adjustable stand-off guide.

They're cheap, dead simple to use, and they cut better than anything I've ever used. Brand is completely irrelevant just make sure it's corded and has an adjustable stand-off guide. The snap-on guides are good too and be sure you get/keep a little brush (most of them come with one) to help clean out the teeth. Shave over a dirty t-shirt to catch the hair and dump it outside.

You won't get that baby-smooth skin but a neat, maintained 5 o'clock shadow is better than looking like you just got out of jail.

The stand-off guides also mean that even if you jam it into your skin it won't cut you. If it starts pulling out hair, you're going too fast (same applies with electric shavers too).

I actually hate electric razors because they're so fussy, they break so quickly, and you have to spend twenty minutes unclogging them to get them working. Fuck that noise. One set of electric clippers lasts me 3-4 years with basically zero maintenance and I get a nice, even shave every time. I can shape, layer, and shave almost smooth with the same set of clippers.

I maintain a decent beard and I put in maybe three minutes of shaving every two weeks and I'm solid. And yes it's even suitable for shaving your junk. How? Carefully and with the stand-off guide adjusted for safety. I have never cut anywhere I've shaved with electric hair clippers.

This gal's youtube tutorial channel was recced to me after some more moaning about my hair woes downthread: Miss Charmsie. Her hair is about 1.5 tiers curlier than mine, based upon the totally arbitrary scale I have just invented (I know real scales exist), and I definitely can't pull off bangs, but maybe it'll be useful to you! The two product recommendation videos are worth a watch.

I can tell you a few basics after finally learning how to handle my hair a bit. First - if you are gonna put in any product, do it when your hair is still wet from the shower, and probably use about half of what you usually do. A leave in conditioner is an absolute must, even if you don't use any other products. I don't use a towel or a t-shirt in my hair, I just wring it out like an old dishrag and leave it to air dry. Since it's thin that doesn't take too long. DON'T TOUCH THAT SHIT!!! It gets said over and over, and I never bought it till I was like 30. Seriously, tape your hands to thighs if you can't resist the urge. This is the most critical phase in curls. My hair always looks it best when I leave myself no time to mess with it before I have to literally run out the door!

If I have the time I will do a very careful half-way dried spritz with a sea salt spray, especially around the roots for the volume/definition. But don't go crazy! I will usually flip my hair over and bend like I'm tying my shoes to do this so the product doesn't just end up on the crown and weight my biz down. When it's finally dry I will do a very, very gentle break-up of my curls with my fingers (might get an afro pick after watching Miss Charmsie's videos) and give it a little toss around like I'm in a mosh pit to break it all up and make it look natural.

Give this product a try - it really works well for me. I have really long hair though, so it might not be a good choice depending on your hair length. I gather that texturing sprays are kinda controversial for curly hair, which is also dry hair, but it's worked well for me.

I think what you need, more than anything, is to get some volume in your hair!

Try out some different methods of styling your hair and some different products. My go-to products for adding volume are mousses and those volumizing powders. Big sexy hair has one that I've used and like but there are many other brands as well. I also use not your mother's texturing spray and like that a lot to give my hair a bit more grit to be a bit more likely to hold volume if I do something like tease it a bit.

Also, I'd try to put some texture in your hair.

How much styling do you want to do? I think you'd look cute in a cut like this maybe, but that texture is key! If you've got any natural wave, you can use sea salt spray to pump up that texture, if not you'll probably have to resort to heat styling with either a curling iron or straightener.

If you'd like to go a bit shorter, maybe something like this.

> I keep seeing rumblings about terrible sexual side effects of finasteride but have yet to see anything substantiated. So I'm just going to ignore that entirely and take the plunge. Is going to a dermatologist the best route to ask about a prescription?

2% experience sexual side effects of which all have gone away on their own while continuing use or after stopping usage in scientific studies. All the horror stories I've read have been anecdotal. I spent about 6 months debating whether or not to hop on fin, only regret has been not hopping on it earlier. Derm is the best route. Many Hair Transplant doctors give free consultations and will write you prescriptions as well. Ask for generics, much cheaper.

> I read somewhere that Rogaine is only for vertex thinning- is this true? Since I don't have that issue, should I bother?

I think this is because the main study done focused on the crown. There has been evidence it can help on the temples but not as strong as the crown.

>Can I continue to use regular shampoos in conjunction with it? Are there any shampoos I should avoid? I use a soy paste product to sculpt my hair, could that be an issue? Are there any other hair products / foods / anything I should generally avoid?

Yes, many people first wash with a normal shampoo then use Niz. You can also get prescription 2% niz from derm/ht doctor which you use every other day. Keto shampoo can be somewhat harsh on your scalp/hair (dry), althought I've had no problems. http://www.amazon.com/Regenepure-Shampoo-Treatment-Supports-Growth/dp/B0032FSDOA?tag=dailydeal0c6-20 is slightly more expensive but has many more ingredients to help counteract irritation and dryness.

No products you're putting in your hair are going to speed up your MPB. Shampoos containing Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) can be more drying than others, which can in theory make the hairs weaker which may make them fall out faster, but won't effect whether or not they regrow back as MPB does.

In terms of food - supplements such as creatine or steroids can increase DHT production and increase MPB. I've also read sorghum (a grain) increases 5-alpha-reductase and DHT, its pretty uncommon in day-to-day foods unless you're gluten free.

Some other thoughts: I've been using a volumizing mouse/shampoo and it definitely helps my hair look fuller/hide the thinning spots. You can also use something like TOPPIK to help conceal, but I've found that the brownish colors have an almost green tint to them in certain light and can be pretty annoying applying to the hairline. I think people who have black hair benefit most from hair fibers.

what's your problem dude, like why even make the post? Just go to a barber and get a nice haircut. Have him put some product in your hair and walk around and see how you feel for a day. You don't need to buy it This will look pretty natural and will last you awhile You don't need to use the stuff every day just when you want to look good like a date or interview or whatever. This will last you MONTHS! I have a hair gel I've been using for a year that i've been trying to find things to use it on so I can use the one I linked. (I hate product also!) But the more I use it the more comfortable I become with it. After my 9 year LTR I had a buzz cut just like you and really didn't have any fashionably clothes. I worked on changing that even if I was uncomfortable wearing and going out with nice hair at first. Now while i'm not the best looking person in my social group I'm definitely the best dressed with the best hair...... while I still have it haha

>I don’t blow dry my hair. I should start.

not necessarily, you can just air dry. diffusing will speed up your drying time and also prevent the weight of wet hair from weighing your curls down, but you don't need it

>What blow dryer do you have? Does it even matter?

honestly, the kind of blow dryer doesn't really matter. i just bought one that would fit my diffuser. i do like that mine can do medium and cold air though, and not just hot

>I don’t have a diffuser. I lost that part... lol.

i see some people here pooling their hair in a strainer/sieve and then just pointing the blowdryer at it, so maybe that could work lmao

>Do you wear protective hair styles? If so what do you do to protect your hair?

personally, not really, although i wear my hair in a high ponytail on top of my head when i go to sleep so i don't smush my curls flat. i also sleep on a satin pillowcase

>How often do you wash your hair?

i wash mine once a week but this will be different for anyone you ask. everyone's hair is different; some people's hair needs to be washed every day. so this is for you to figure out

>How do you know if it’s “approved” it doesn’t have silicones or anything like that in it.

run the ingredient lists through curlsbot and/or isitcg

That looks really nice on you! I suggest pulling it down a little more. It should sit at the top of your pointer finger if you put your pinky finger at the bridge of your nose.

Have you tried it with a wig grip? I find I feel more comfortable and secure when I wear a wig grip under my wigs. They are pretty cheap on Amazon. Search on YouTube on how to make a wig smaller/tighter. There are lots of tutorials that show you how to make them feel more secure.

Also, Amazon has some really nice, inexpensive wigs. I have an "It's a Wig" Konis or Justine that's really nice for $30.

This one looks similar to your picture and has good reviews.

The twice a week wash is gonna do great, since the natural oils on your hair helps it grow. Still, I’ve also been trying to grow my hair as fast as I can so here’s what I’ve been doing: I do Castor oil soaks the night before I decide to wash my hair. I just rub it all over my scalp, put my hair in a bun and cover it with something while I sleep with the oil on. When I wake up I wash it (just shampoo, no conditioner since the oil conditioned it already) but I do have to warn you though, that castor oil is really thick so I use this to take it all out:

Hair Scalp Massager Shampoo Brush, MAXSOFT Scalp Care Brush https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074ZDXFL6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_ka0zDbNK7H9H5

(Also helps with hair growth, since it helps blood circulation on your scalp)

I also take biotin and collagen, (collagen mostly for my skin) and brush it every night before bed, and avoid as much as I can heating tools.

You also wanna take a good look at which shampoo and conditioner you’re using, in the long run, it’s better to spend a few more bucks and get a better quality haircare kit.

Get this product called Nizoral shampoo (linked below), it has ketoconazole in it (you can read up on it) which doctors prescribe similar stronger ketoconazole products to people with excess dandruff that cannot be controlled. Use it like every two or three days for about 6-8 weeks, you can use conditioner every day though. After that, I would recommend a natural shampoo and conditioner that contains a lot different oils such as argan oil.

 

Also really important, people who shampoo their hair everyday especially with products such as Head & Shoulders which contain ingredients such as sulfate (which is terrible for your scalp, companies just use these ingredients because they are cheap. They couldn't give a sht about what happens to your scalp.) are stripping all the natural oils which your hair/scalp needs at least a little bit of, drying your scalp excessively which also causes dandruff, and also making yourself more prone to baldness. Read up on the no shampoo method which is basically you use shampoo ever two or three days, but you can still use conditioner every day. I've linked a page below if you're interested.

 

Oh one more thing....
For the love of god, please stop using two in one shampoo and conditioners because it doesn't work! Think about it, shampoo is supposed to strip stuff out while conditioner is supposed to put nutrients back in. How the fck can one product do these two things at once. It's obviously just a way for the company to scam you into buying that product because you think you are getting the better deal. Just buy separate shampoos and conditioners, I've linked below the products that I'm currently using if you want some reference. You could buy that or other products that have similar ingredients.

 

You can ask me any questions if you have some.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Nizoral-D-Anti-Dandruff-Shampoo-Fl/dp/B00AINMFAC/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1540274200&sr=8-1&keywords=nizoral

 

https://www.nopoomethod.com/

 

https://www.amazon.com/ArtNaturals-Organic-Moroccan-Shampoo-Conditioner/dp/B01BFKIJ06/ref=sr_1_8_s_it?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1540274589&sr=1-8&keywords=shampoo

 

If you follow what I've written here, I expect you to come back in a few weeks in order to thank me for giving away all my secrets and for changing your life for the better.

Looks SO great! Gold medal to your stylist, for giving you great advice. She's a keeper.

I, like you, shower etc. at night. Now that I CGM, I try to make sure I do all this business pretty soon after dinner, so that I have a good 2-3 hours dry time. Also, do you have a diffuser that attaches to your blow dryer? If so, use it. If you don't, or don't like the one you have, the xtava black orchid diffuser was a game changer for me!!!

https://www.amazon.com/xtava-Black-Orchid-Diffuser-Natural/dp/B00VJ06PG8/ref=sr_1_1_s_it?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1541634265&sr=1-1&keywords=xtava+black+orchid+diffuser&dpID=41NlimuE%252BHL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

Diffusing upside down will give your hair, esp w/your short, layered haircut, lots of volume.

I sleep in my crunch, and when I wake up, there are usually only a few curls/waves in the front that need sotc.

hth!

I struggled for years with sebbhoreic dermatitis on my scalp, which is essentially just oily, yucky, itchy, noticeable dandruff. I had a lot of people (including dermatologists) recommend things like T/gel, but none of those types of shampoos, even the prescription ones, did much of anything for my scalp.

What DID work, after a lot of trial and error and research, was a combination of tea tree oil shampoo and conditioner and Triderma Psoriasis Control shampoo (even just for dandruff). The improvement in my life is just so huge. The latter one is a little expensive, but so well worth it, and you only have to use a little at a time. The tea tree shampoo and conditioner also tend to be cheapest at Hannaford, but you can also get them on Amazon. I also highly recommend a shampoo brush. I'll put links to all of these things below, and I truly wish you the best of luck!

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=natures+gate+tea+tree&ref=nb_sb_noss_1

https://www.amazon.com/TriDerma-Soothing-Shampoo-scaly-scalp/dp/B07CVPQKS2/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_2?crid=204E8G23MKLTU&keywords=triderma+psoriasis+control+shampoo&qid=1549919431&s=gateway&sprefix=triderma+P.S.%2Caps%2C145&sr=8-2-fkmrnull

https://www.amazon.com/LaCasa-Scalpmaster-Shampoo-Brush-Purple/dp/B000NJG82W/ref=sr_1_14?crid=1234RCP7ZT87B&keywords=shampoo%2Bbrush&qid=1549919497&s=gateway&sprefix=shampoo%2Bbr%2Caps%2C150&sr=8-14&th=1

Here are some things that I have found help for me at least:

1.) The biggest one is manscaping. Honestly. I bought a $20 set of clippers from walmart, and it has worked wonders. My pits are the biggest offender, so I use a #1 guard on the clippers, and take care of them. Less hair means less surface area for bacteria to grow an cling to.

2.) When showering, is use a basic shower brush. It is abrasive enough to feel like it is really clearing everything away, with the added benefit of exfoliation.

3.) Using a moisturizing bar of soap. My normal process is: rinse, soap, brush, rise, soap, brush, rinse.

4.) Others have mentioned Certain Dri which you apply at night before bed, and works wonders. I also rotate between 3 different deodorants/antiperspirants from day to day. If I only use 1, it is like my skin develops a resistance to it. My brain wants to say that is total crap, but I get better results by rotating. I then hit my chest with a light spray of body spray, like Axe. A little goes a long way with these. Srsly. After I am dressed, I use one squirt of cologne and I'm good to go.

Hope some of these help. Hang in there brother!

Back to School shopping list:

This, This, or This depending on your hair type/style you want to achieve.

These Converse or these Vans depending on which style you like better. These are going to be your most versatile shoes for "every day" wear.

Assorted Crew or V-Neck Tees, depending on your preference

A good fitting pair of dark jeans, I linked 511's, but those may not suit you depending on your build. Try some pairs on, take pictures, and post them in the Outfit Feedback threads if you're not sure of the fit.


For dressing "up":

Two pairs of well fitting khaki's/chinos in different colors such as these in grey or these in khaki. Again, I linked slimmer fits, as that is what I wear, but you may need to change depending on body type. Posting in the feedback threads is encouraged.

One or two decent Oxford Cloth Button Down collared shirts that fit you well, in light blue and white.

Those should cover your bases as a freshman, as you're not likely going to have to dress super formal.

Note: Because you're just a freshman, you will most likely be hitting many random growth spurts. Try not to spend too much money on clothing, as you will likely outgrow it.

Read simpleskincarescience’s compilation of research and product recommendations for fungal acne (Malassezia): https://simpleskincarescience.com/pityrosporum-folliculitis-treatment-malassezia-cure. I suffered from pityrosporum folliculitis for years. Taking fluconazole for a few months is the only thing that finally cured it. I recommend checking the ingredients in your skincare to make sure they don’t trigger/feed fungal acne. The products I use successfully are: Aquanil cleanser, Glaxal Base moisturizing cream, Differin, squalane oil. If you’re open to trying a pyrithione zinc product, I highly recommend Free & Clear Anti-Dandruff Shampoo, which is fragrance free and non-irritating https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06WD8YQKL/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_BZJYCb873DHQV. You’ll wash your face with it, leaving it on for 5-10 min. and then wash off. Good luck, and I’m happy to answer more questions.

I've been upping my hair game the last few months and have been overhauling everything I own. I've been trialing a few hair products.

Hair dryer/Styling Brush: Revlon One Step Hair Dryer and Volumiser. Where's this thing been all my life? It's been all over YouTube and people are raving about how good it is for great blow-outs. I'm terrible at drying my hair with a round brush and this this makes it stupid easy. It leaves my frizzy, thin, fine hair so shiny and voluminous. They aren't sold in AU so I had to get mine from the UK. The ones from the US won't work here. Milabu did a great review.

Hair treatment: Olaplex. There's nothing to say aside from it's worth it. Catch occasionally have the travelling stylist kit which is far better value for money instead of constantly buying tiny bottles of Step 3.

Leave-in/Heat Protectant/Frizz reducer: Revlon Uniq One was recommended by my stylist and it's pretty amazing. I spray it on my hair after washing and it leaves it very manageable and silky. Sprayed in when dry it detangles and tames fly-aways. It's great not having to use several products.

Conditioner: Muk 1 minute treatment Another product my stylist rec'd. Myself and a couple friends all use this instead of normal conditioner. I have chronically dry hair that I could never get to feel soft. Even without heat styling it would slurp up conditoner and still feel like straw. A tiny bit goes a long way and leaves my hair so silky.

Hair regrowth: Minoxidil 5% aka Regaine/Rogaine. I lost about 2/3 of my hair volume in my early 20's and it really got me down. Rogaine is an absolute rip-of in Australia. The generic brand from Costco is AUD 40 for a 6 month supply on eBay and amazon. Labelled a 3 month supply but once a day is enough and I've had fantastic results. I'm also using it on my eyebrows to make them thicker since I always had a couple patches that never grew any hair. If you have cats make sure you keep it away from them as it's highly toxic to them.

First, you've got a good head of hair my man! You've got the foundation for a barber to do their thing!

My suggestion is a typical one found here, but you could rock pretty much any cut where its short on the sides & longer and styled on top. Here are a few photos for inspiration:

Side Part Comb Over

Fade with Sweep Back

Relaxed Brushed Over

It might just be the pictures you posted, but it doesn't look like you use any product in your hair. I would buy some product and test out different styles.

Here are a couple products (low to medium price range):

American Crew Forming Cream

Bed Head Matte Separation Wax

My personal favourite Fatboy


Hope this helps! You can always try /r/malehairadvice as well! Good luck!

> new Bluetooth headphones

I've got a pair of Jaybird x2's, and I've heard the x3's are even better. Great bluetooth buds for exercise without sacrificing sound quality. They absolutely dump on Beats bluetooth earbuds in all categories.

> Does loose skin ever tighten up?

I've heard there is some tightening over time. I know there are surgeries to get rid of the excess skin, but that's the extent of my knowledge here.

>I'm down 60-65lbs with around 24%bf

Seriously impressive, dude. Great job on that, keep up the progress.

> Hair

I've got similarly thinning hair, and I shave my head with a 1.5 length clipper every week. Shaved heads are convenient in that you don't have to style it every day, but inconvenient in that you have to cut it weekly or it starts looking pretty bad. I'd suggest keeping yours pretty short, too. Cheap clippers work just fine for me. If you have dandruff, you'll have to pay a little more attention to it to avoid the fresh snowfall shoulders. I use this and it's under pretty good control.

I have a similar hairstyle to yours except slightly shorter and more slicked back. The product I’ve found to work best is Baxter of California - Clay Pomade. Works great for all sorts of hair types and has great hold with a matte finish.

Also you should look into this youtuber called The Pomp. He makes great product review videos and in that one he’s using the product I mentioned.

If I were you I’d ask my barber to just trim about an inch or so off the top and blend the long top with the sides. Keep the part where it is in the photo and just slick everything back. You can try blowdrying the front to give a little more volume. Dry shampoo can also be good to add volume. Either way, you’re not far off!

A couple more things that didn't fit my last post:

1. Scalp massage is one of the few scientifically sound ways to encourage hair growth. Use the pads of your fingers, don't scratch with your fingernails. Or use something like this (just make sure there are no rough seams / jagged edges that could catch or tear your hair).
   
   
2. I'm a huge fan of henna as a protective treatment. It adds a smoothing strengthening layer to each strand, without adding weight. Note: It'll dye light hair "carrot-top" red (and auburn for burnettes, and add a lovely red sheen in sunlight for black hair). So cassia ("clear henna") is an option, or mixes with indigo to get brown or black. Also, some low quality henna's don't play nice with other treatments like perms, so do a test run with shed hairs from your brush first. Another warning: I personally tend to drop a terrifying amount of hair when I do the treatment, but it seems to improve the day-to-day shedding, and most definitely helps prevent split ends and breakage.
   
   >Is this just me getting older
   
   
3. It certainly can be a contributing factor. Hair growth (and shedding) patterns are affected by hormones, and they do change with age. Many women experience thinning hair as they get older (usually post menopause). And of course other hormonal changes can cause pretty sudden changes (pregnancy, PCOS, etc).
   
   
4. Extreme stress and dieting can cause a temporary hair loss. It's called telogen effluvium. I mention this because I'm on the keto sub and it comes up a lot. ("Hey! I lost 30lbs which is great, but now my hair is falling out??")

I would love to win this scalp massager. there's many times i feel like i don't get my hair clean enough because i bite my nails so often i'm unable to really scrub well lol


thanks for the contest :)

alright well you're going to want to start by showing your barber these pictures especially the front facing ones and emphasize that you want to keep a lot at the front to work with, as well as wispy layers for the rest of your head

now for products (i know you said your hair is thick but) you might want to try a thickening product as well just to get the style you're looking for. my salon sells this product that i've heard great things about. then i'm guessing from you getting a perm that your hair isn't naturally curly, so for the front section i strongly suggest devacurl's wave maker i have wavy to curly hair naturally and this gives me wonderfully defined curls

for styling i recommend you, a paddle brush, and a light touch become best friends. brushing away from your crown towards the front stopping before you reach where you want the curls to start. dont brush curls you'll ruin them. then for styling the sides, top and back of the hair you can either use a pomade this ones my personal favourite, or you can use a hair wax. they'll work similarly but the pomade will give you a little bit of a shiny finish whereas the wax won't. work a small amount of either between your fingers and run through your hair to give more of a wispy layered textured. again i wouldn't touch your curls except maybe with some hairspray but depending on how well the devacurl works you won't need to. the important thing to remember is don't touch what you want to curl as you'll break the curl pattern and it won't work just let it air dry no touch. if you're going to blow dry that's fine but i recommend blowing your hair against the grain back to your crown. this will give it a bit of lift. try to avoid blow drying the curly bit.

hope this achieves what you want

>On to your questions!

>1) Nizoral is the bomb! I have scalp issues too-- my scalp gets super greasy, and I have eczema. Grease + sweat and dirt and debris = major issues with scalp eczema. If you want to pick it up at a store local to you, I find it's usually in the Beauty section. It's the only shampoo that's helped with my scalp issues, and the one sulfate in it is low on the list.

That's a pretty ringing endorsement. Okay then!

>If you want to totally ditch sulfates

I've never heard of sulfates until now. I'm not bothered by them.

>2) You can dry your hair with an old t-shirt (the softer it is, the more absorbent it seems, to me). You can scrunch your hair with the towel, and Curly Penny gives a pretty decent demo of this. You can also use a hair dryer, and the general consensus seems to be: use a finger diffuser (also called a bowl diffuser), use low speed/air, and low-medium heat and don't dry all the way with a blow dryer.

Okay then. I'll have to look into that. Thank you.

>You can also use a microfiber towel (the ones in the automotive section are cheaper, although they're smaller).

Good to know!

>3) A lot of people swear by using a wide-tooth comb, with their head upside down, in the shower, with their hair full of conditioner.

Another question about conditioner: How do I apply it, anyway? Does it get rubbed into the scalp like shampoo, or just sort of slathered onto the ends of the hair? I remember reading on Reddit in another thread "Shampoo is for the scalp, conditioner is for the hair."

>You can also just comb your hair in the shower with your fingers and your conditioner-- I like using a comb better because it feels more effective, to me.

>The other reason we don't comb after showering

Okay, so...combing in the shower is okay with the conditioner, but combing after isn't?

>I think this stuff is hard, and a lot of us just don't get good info on hair or skincare. Good luck to you.

Thanks. I'm kind of intimidated. Part of me want to get a crewcut again and be done with it...:P.

EDIT: Is that why the downvotes? My dumb joke?

Hey! I have the exact problem as you do, except probably more advanced. I'm 28 and have been picking target areas of my skin since Elementary School. I think the scalp picking happened just after high school ended for me. I remember a time where I can run my own fingers through my hair and not lift a bunch of skin off my scalp to leave terrible looking flakes in my hair... I have to basically take a very fine tooth comb to pull the dead skin out of my hair follicles that lifted off of my damaged scalp. No fun. I feel that I've picked my scalp so much that it hasn't ever really had time to heal and so I'm here with a deranged form of dandruff where the flakes are large disks and not small flecks.

So, yeah it does gets worse for you. The worst area is right at the crown of my head right at the hairline. I'll have just taken a shower, after scrubbing my scalp free of dead flakes and I'll get out to find MORE lifted up. In plain sight, for everyone to see. I have to wear certain hairstyles to hide it and know I can't at ALL touch my hair lest I release another dandruff-looking monster. And, I hope you know that any scarring on the scalp is going to be a spot hair can't grow back. So there's that, too.

I just wanted to get all my horror stories out of the way before I get into some of the whys and fixes. Compulsive skin picking is indeed in the OCD family, and part of how it works is similar to having a drug addiction. We look for imperfections on our skin, and when we give into our moments of picking we not only get a large sense of relief, we are releasing endorphins and getting a mini high off of doing it! So, just know that when you care little about the damage you cause yourself and give into the feel-goods, you're giving into your brain and body's twisted urges and it may not be a conscious choice of yours at all.

I'm still trying to find ways to heal my scalp quicker than I pick it (because we all have bad days). I need to do research on Head & Shoulders because I don't think it's as good as I was lead to believe. Sucks too, because I found a SCALP CARE version of the shampoo. I purchased a $9 tub of hair masque from a beauty store recently and I use that a few times a week when I feel I really need a 'pick me up' for my scalp. I've also just ordered a "scalp shampoo brush" and tea tree oil shampoo from Amazon, which neither I have experience with yet but have heard wonderful things, especially about the shampoo brush.

Gotta end my babble here because I have to get to work, sorry if any of this is a jumbled mess to read. Hopefully, there's something helpful in there for you. I know giving into our impulses feels great, but out body can't handle these habits indefinitely.

Scalp Shampoo Brush (there's more options too)

Tee Tree Oil Shampoo

Read the reviews and questions for more about them and how they've helped folk. :)

Never thought this would be a relevant product to link on FMF.

I use the longest comb [1"] for the top, and the shortest [1/8"] on the sides. 1" is probably a little shorter than I'd like it on top, but it's way faster than using a scissors and grows out to a length I like in about a week. It does help to have somebody on hand to straighten out the back, but you can get by on your own with enough time and practice.

And I linked that one for a reason. I've gone through a few, and this one is legit.

I realize that this isn't describing the cut you referenced, but I'm willing to bet you could benefit from one of these with your own style, OP.

It also bears mentioning that the 1/8" length makes facial hair look real nice, in my opinion.

http://imgur.com/05VH10o
here ya go:3
i love my puppy, shes so fricking adorable!s he falls asleep right on my lap, and she has the cutest little yawn!

shes such a snuggle bunny, and i love her:3



[id love this] (http://www.amazon.com/Not-Your-Mothers-Beach-Texturizing/dp/B004UL0GTK/ref=sr_1_131?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1371396685&sr=1-131) or maybe [this] (http://www.amazon.com/Proraso-Shave-Soap-Sensitive-150ml/dp/B001JHEY14/ref=sr_1_231?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1371396763&sr=1-231), [this] (http://www.amazon.com/Gillette-Venus-Embrace-Womens-Cartridges/dp/B000XVSNTQ/ref=sr_1_275?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1371396825&sr=1-275), or [this] (http://www.amazon.com/Jelique-Pure-Instinct-Pheromone-Cologne/dp/B000LCETUO/ref=sr_1_290?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1371396868&sr=1-290)

thank you!

Hey if you're wanting advice on changing hair, definitely check out /r/malehairadvice! They are a great community that will answer your question down to a single hair.

I recommend you go to a stylist/barber and show them a picture of this look. They will let you know whether your hair can do that cut, how to style it, and which products work best.

What I would personally do is use some pomade (I personally like Suavecito) and shape your hair into that style. Some people say dampen your hair a bit, others say make sure it's dry - I blow dry mine and then shape. If it doesn't work on the first try, you need to keep doing it everyday. Hair remembers the shape it takes.

Anyways, check out /r/malehairadvice and go see a stylist.

Good luck!

Oh yeah no, please don’t buy the Dyson— it won’t be able to make a dent in hair that long.

I have a conair Revlon brush dryer, too, a giant “volumizing” one, and it’s the best I’ve tried. I also have to get my hair mostly dry with a regular dryer before I use it, but honestly the results with the Conair brush are as good or better than the results I got with the Dyson round brush attachment— in half the time or less.

And the Dyson curling attachments won’t even begin to work on your super long hair, no way. They’re too short to fit any hair on! Especially if it’s hard to curl? Forget it.

Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer & Volumizer https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LSUQSB0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_hET9Bb6E6DK13

I love my scalp brush! I haven't seen the electric one that you're talking about, I use an inexpensive manual one that I got from Amazon. I use it every morning when I shampoo and it's fantastic. It helps get rid of debris and also gets good ingredients from my shampoo closest to my scalp. I do use it after I use the scalp scaler, I feel that it helps really get everything out well. The rest of my family got curious about it and now they each have one, too!

Edit: /u/porewhore recently posted about a scalp brush from Daiso so which looked amazing. The tines on the ones that I linked look a little harsh in the picture but they are super gentle

If you haven't tried it yet, Shea Moisture has an African Black Soap line for dandruff that worked really well for me. I've also had decent luck with this sulfate-free dandruff shampoo, but it was still pretty harsh on my hair and gave it that squeaky clean feel that isn't good at all. To help, I coated the length of my hair in conditioner before shampooing.

Another thing that might help, regardless if the issue is product buildup, dandruff or just not scrubbing enough is a [scalp brush](https://smile.amazon.com/Scalpmaster-SC20-Shampoo-Brush-Purple/dp/B000NJG82W/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1495466861&sr=8-3&keywords=shampoo+brush
)! I have them and love them and give them to friends.

Thank you thank you! I ordered that shampoo you recommended off of Amazon and have noticed a HUGE improvement in my dandruff -back to being much more manageable instead of me wanting to itch my head every 5 minutes.

I also picked up a shampoo brush which came recommended by people who bought the shampoo on Amazon and that has definitely helped too. It helps to lift the flakes and make sure the shampoo actually penetrates your skin.

https://www.amazon.com/Scalpmaster-SC20-Shampoo-Brush-Purple/dp/B000NJG82W

This hair styling technique is good for guys with thicker, medium length hair as the picture shows.
I use TIGI Bed Head Matte Separation Clay Wax and it has a strong hold with relatively minimal use. I do essentially this same hairstyle but with shorter sides(@ me okay).

1. Wet hair, usually conditioned VERY well in the shower as a wax product may make your hair look dry.
   
2. Lean over and blow-dry your hair downward so that gravity works with you and gives you the volume you want, make sure to blow-dry in the general same direction.
   
3. Once mostly dry take only a fingertip full at most(this product really works), and rub it all over your fingers and palm, then run your hand through your scalp and generally the base of your hair.
   
   EDIT: Actually I should have mentioned I always style my hair before bed and then in the morning I use a little bit more product for the perfect look.

You're going to get a bunch of different opinions on that DevaCurl dryer. It is a reputable and well-loved brand for sure, but it has a very nontraditional diffuser (the green thing on the end) that some people love and some people hate.

Personally, I use this hairdryer and absolutely love it, along with this diffuser, and am really happy with it.

Honestly, I do not think the dryer really matters as long as it's a decent brand. There really aren't any dryers that I've found that are specific to curly hair, the difference is all in the diffuser for me personally.

It's all in the cut, really. I have a fantastic friend named Bethanie who does both mine and Ashley's hair, along with many of our friends. She cuts it in a way that makes it really easy for me to whip it together. The secret is to not wash it every day. I know some people might "eww" at that, but every great stylist I've had has told me it's not great to wash your hair every day. So I blow dry it after I get out of the shower, into the sort of position where I like it (lots of innuendo here), then I use a tiny amount, like dime sized, of this stuff: https://www.amazon.com/Baxter-California-Clay-Pomade-fl/dp/B000MIKEZQ?keywords=hair+clay&qid=1537564031&sr=8-9&ref=sr_1_9. Mostly the blow drying gets and keeps it in position, the clay just solidifies the goodness.

There’s this :) No SLS! I haven’t used this specific shampoo, but have used other shampoos from this brand and they are very gentle...no fragrance, and very non-irritating.

Vanicream Free & Clear Medicated Anti-Dandruff Shampoo for sensitive skin - all hair types - maximum OTC strength zinc pyrithione 2% - preservative free - dermatologist tested - 8 ounce https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06WD8YQKL/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Qn9VAb56N0FJK

I have also tried the Noble Zinc bar, and it didn’t work for me either plus it irritated my skin (it has a very high ph, I tested it). It also has a lot of oils etc in it. I have the Vanicream shampoo in my amazon cart, as it looks to be more mild and doesn’t have all that oil in it.

Two tips for curly hair and updo's: try out spin pins, they're bun pins for curly hair. I find them super comfortable. My hair is about belly button length.

Another idea for keeping it in place is to literally sew it. A super blunt needle (I use big plastic ones) and some yarn. There's someone on the /r/weddingplanning sub just today who's hair was done like this.

If your hair is braid-able, you can braid a circlet on the top of your head to keep things looking pretty and under control. Like this

Edit: I forgot to add my favourite updo/bun method: use chopsticks!

I'm using this:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002N5MI2S/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Took a while to find one that works for me, but this one is great. Has a great hold while not being too firm. I only put it in a couple of days a week. The rest, I simply shower, then put a brush through it and it still holds pretty well.

Not OP, but I can recommend a few things:

• Do NOT towel dry your hair, get a decent blowdryer with changeable tips.
  
• While blow drying your hair, run your fingers or a comb through it repeatedly to keep it up while drying. You should notice after it is pretty much dry that it should stay up pretty decently without any product (but you will need some for it to stay like that all day).
  
• Don't cheap out on hair product! You don't need to go insanely crazy on hair product, but paying a bit more for a product from a salon vs. a drug store is well worth it. You typically have to use less (so it lasts longer) and doesn't leave residue or such things. I personally use TIGI Bed Head Men Matte Seperation and love it.
  
• Don't use shampoo everyday (Depending on your hair, this could be one of the most important things). I personally use Shampoo every fourth day, after about two to three weeks, your hair doesn't look greasy/oily anymore at all and it gives your hair a ton of volume and styling capabilities. The day I have to use shampoo is actually the day my hair looks the worst.

I've used American Crew's Fiber, then moved to the Forming Cream, and now to Suavecito Pomade.

In that exact order is probably the ease of applying the product. Fiber holds pretty well and gives it a much more matte, natural hold. It doesn't feel like you have any product in your hair. Forming cream, to me, was much easier to use and apply because it was softer and more liquidy (if that makes sense). Similar hold to Fiber, but probably not as strong. Still a matte finish as well.

Sauvecito probably is like the combination of the two, but with more of a shine. I actually prefer this more than the other two now because it's easier to apply and kinda gives it a slicker look (if that's what you're going for). It has a real nice hold and is water-soluble as well.

Jason is a great CG friendly Antidandruff it’s serious stuff (has a strong smell but it works!) and it’s affordable. It treats dandruff, scalp dermatitis and mild psoriasis. I was using head and shoulder,not CG Friendly, on only my scalp and when I switched to this my hair was a lot happier.

Jason Dandruff Relief Treatment Shampoo 12 oz https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FGDIAS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_QwrRDbQR7VN15

I had very short hair for a while last year (about as short as the girl in the first picture and with very short sides). I tried Gatsby and American Crew, but I eventually settled on the TIGI Bedhead Matte Separation wax. I have thick ramrod straight hair and the TIGI wax is strong enough to hold a style and still be restyleable. I don't like overt shininess in my hair, so the matte look is great. It smells very nice, but it isn't too overbearing and it washes out easily, since it's water-based. I have longer hair now but I still use a dab of the stuff to give my hair some texture.

It does make a difference. It helps keep the follicles moisturized, preventing your beard from getting dry and brittle, but also keeps your beard soft and more manageable. The different scents they come in are very pleasant as well.

Along with combs, I use these daily, you'll want a good boars hair brush to evenly distribute the oil and also to exfoliate the skin underneath the beard to avoid any dry skin or dandruff.

I started using oil about the 1 month mark and I'm now almost to 5 months in. I've used oil every single day since. Hope that helps get you started at least.

La looks and deva curl doesn’t work for me. I use either SM momongo gel, the eco styler flax seed or SM gel with the pink label. The SM curl enhancing smoothie too.

CG approved styling foam includes creme of nature styling foam, and there’s one by styleID I LOVE bc you can use heat (I diffuse with med heat idc idc)

I use twisty Bobby pins like this and hair clips like this puff cuff like i said, great when I need a pony without the headache.

I agree with acronymopolis. Shorter hair helps with the flaking. I use tea tree shampoo and it helps a bit.

I also have several other shampoos that are prescription and OTC. I used the T-gel stuff with coal tar, but that didn't work for me. A shampoo with salicyclic acid is pretty easy to find in the grocery or drug store. This is the one I use. I use that in rotation with this shampoo as well. Then I also have clobex, but that is a prescription.

I've heard that some people rub oils and whatever into their scalps. You could research that. Join up and get some heathcare and make an appt with a dermatologist. Better to catch it early.

I recommend trying a ketoconazole shampoo (if you haven't already) and going sulfate-free. For example, a solid routine for active dandruff is Nizoral (1% ketoconazole) a couple times a week and a sulfate-free shampoo like Free & Clear on the days you aren't using Nizoral. Once the active flare up is under control, you can cut back to one application of Nizoral per week for maintenance and then ultimately replace it with Free & Clear Medicated (2% zinc pyrithione - essentially sulfate-free Head & Shoulders).

I used this approach with my last flare up almost 2 years ago, and I haven't had a problem since. I probably only use Free & Clear Medicated every other week or so at this point. Previously, I had been to a derm who prescribed me a 4% ketoconazole shampoo, but I didn't get sustainable results until I switched my "normal" shampoo to a super gentle, sulfate-free option.

Yup, probiotics have about as much health-benefits as taking multivitamins. Nothing concrete as far as we know now.

Want to treat your eczema? Take colder showers. Keep your living space clean. Get plenty of sleep. Eat healthier. Go to an allergist and figure out what you are allergic to (cannot stress this one enough). Keep your skincare routine simple, but effective. I basically only use a moisturizer and protopic when things get bad.

I use this moisturizer, Eucerin Original Healing Creme. I love this product because it literally only contains seven ingredients (Water, Petrolatum, Mineral Oil, Ceresin, Lanolin Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Piroctone Olamine), none of which cause flareups for myself. Highly recommend it.

I also use this shampoo, and it's been working very well for me so far. No more dandruff or scalp itchiness.

I do not use any facial cleansers or body shampoo, mostly because I haven't found a good product for myself yet. My skin stays relatively clear even without using them too. Open to suggestions though if people have any.

Nope! You can find it at a local drug store like cvs or Walgreens in the shampoo dandruf section or on amazon

As for the bra - you can totally wear one but once you do the first treatment make sure you are wearing clean bras after that. Fungal stuff is hard to get rid of 100%. But just wash everything in some hot water until the skin is clear again. Once it’s clear you can be a little more relaxed and just use the nizoral as a body wash every other day or whatever.

I actually have hair a little longer than that! maybe like 1 1/2 inches long. ive been growing it out from a buzzcut. what I do is brush my bangs out kinda like this but the bangs are less sparse. if you didn't use a razor id recommend ordering this razor and give yourself an even shave. it might be necessary for you to get some hair gel as well. im so sorry and good luck!

I had this exact same problem, where my skin would get super dry whenever I grew my beard out for more than a couple of weeks. Beardruff like you wouldn't believe. So i usually would keep it pretty trimmed, that seemed to help. But about 2 months ago I decided I would give it a full-effort try. Same issue, super dry skin. Using dandruff shampoo on it kept the beardruff down but the skin was still really dry and itchy. I was about to trim it down again but then some random post brought me to /r/beards and I did some reading here. I decided to try some beard-specific products and a good brush. I ended up with Honest Amish beard balm (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009NNFB0O/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_r3ewub1EERK6S) and a generic boars-hair brush (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0041TBQUO/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_44ewub06YA7PZ) and my beard has never been better. Beardruff? Gone! Itchiness? Gone! I give my beard a good rinse every shower and wash it with shampoo two or three times a week and then brush this stuff in afterwards and its never felt better. Seriously, worth every penny.

> I have this same thing. I used to have a bald patch at the back of my head but it eventually grew back. It's completely normal now.

Just for clarity you excessively scratched the crown of the scalp for a year or two (?) but eventually grew back? Hopefully that patch behind your ear grows back like your scalp did though.

> What kind of oils helped you, if you don't mind my asking?

For sure! The oil I use is called fluocinolone acetonide 0.01% topical oil. Additionally I was prescribed ketoconazole 2% shampoo. I don't use the shampoo anymore as it was only prescribed to be used 2 times a week for 4 weeks. My scalp still doesn't itch as much even without the ketoconazole. Also, the ketoconazole I was prescribed is Nizoral AntiDandruff Shampoo but 2x stronger.

http://i.imgur.com/HO7koeS.jpg

As others said, American Crew Fiber is very good. I prefer Baxter of California Clay Pomade though, it's got a very strong hold and a great look. Also next haircut, make sure you get the barber to thin it out a bit; you've got a lot of hair, thinning it will definitely help with the poofiness.

This is my shampoo BTW: http://www.amazon.com/Regenepure-Doctor-Recommended-Shampoo-Treatment/dp/B0032FSDOA
Nizoral will work too (the ketoconazole is what you're after), but this stuff is sulfate-free and doesn't have a terrible chemical smell. DHT blockers won't make as much of a difference once T gets knocked clear down to female normal, but I'll stick with this stuff anyway cause it's also great for dandruff. It's a little pricey, but my current bottle has lasted 3 months and is still about 1/4 full (shampooing every other day right now, with more growth I'll use more but eventually just twice a week - not really effective for hair growth at that point but enough to get the anti-dandruff effect).

Do you mean you want it to look like you have no product in your hair? If so, look into waxes and clays. A good, cheap wax to make your hair look natural with no product would be Gatsby Spiky Edge aka. Gatsby Pink. Gatsby Gray Mat is even more matte, but doesn't have as much hold. Hairbond Shaper Hair Toffee has similar properties to Gatsby Pink, but is a little better in some regards and is more expensive. All these products are very popular and have reviews and videos online, so research them to see if you like them.

Also, you should try hairdrying/blowdrying your hair before applying any product with a comb or fingers to get the general style you want, then use product to get it to hold that style. You'll notice it helps a lot.

curly hair hype: I use a scalp/shampoo brush for conditioner and shampoo, and while I wash with conditioner every day I only shampoo twice a week. Keeps my hair shiny and prevents it from being frizzy. I also avoid anything with sulfates or silicones. I use Hanz de Fuko shampoo and conditioner, and their Quicksand styling product. If you have never used a shampoo brush before I highly recommend it. Life changing.

Shave soap, aftershave, bar soap, and cologne, I use products from Whoo's the Man. I cannot recommend them enough. High quality all natural products, absolutely amazing smells. It's also very affordable imho.

For my skin I use an acne fighting face scrub and day/night moisturizers from Carley's Clear and Smooth. If you struggle with acne I highly recommend this stuff.

I use a double edged safety razor and shave soap in a mug that I whip up with a shaving brush, another routine I highly recommend if you have acne or ingrown hairs. Super cheap and I change the blade almost every day.

Finally wanted to throw out a suggestion for Quip toothbrushes, it's a very affordable electric toothbrush subscription service.

I do the same, though I have this Wahl version. Your version is also quite a bit less expensive on Amazon, for anyone who cares.

But yeah, I've been cutting my hair for over 10 years now. If you're a guy with short hair I think it's a no-brainer. Super easy, super fast, and cheap. Over 10 years this has definitely amounted to thousands of dollars, and also allows me to have a nice hair cut length all the time (rather than have a couple weeks where I'm like "ehh...I should make time for a cut soon").

I'm in need of a replacement as well. I'm currently between deciding on this one, which is listed on Amazon for $44 when the list price is $300 (and great reviews!), and this one, listed on Amazon for $39 when the list price is $49 (also great reviews!). I live in Florida so the second one's humidity resistance feature is the biggest draw for me, but a straightener that's worth $300 for $45 is very hard to pass up. Good luck finding the right one for you!

Axe doesn't usually have the best styling products. If you're willing to pay a little more for really good quality products then Layrite will last a long time since it doesn't really take a lot for the hold of their products to kick in. I've used their clay in the past before switching to their pomades and it held very well and finished with a matte look.

If it's out of the budget then I recommend an inexpensive wax such as bedhead although the finish won't be as clean as Layrite, it will still have a matte-ish look and you most likely will have to use a blowdryer to get your hair up using the wax due to its low hold. Best of luck to you.

Personally I use a brush vs a comb, it feels great on my skin as it relieves itchiness, straightens the beard and evenly distributes my beard oil, I never enjoyed using a comb. I bought some "nice" brush online and the bristles are way to hard and irritate my skin, until I found my perfect pride and joy, with soft bristles that pleasurably caress my beard, plus it's cheap! here

Turning 18 in about 2 months and I have noticed my hair has gotten thinner, especially around my crown area and my sides. I haven't gotten much sleep over the past 2 years, and my diet hasn't been great, however, I am improving both of these. At 16 I started to notice thinning, and I took some biotin tablets for about a few weeks, although it seemed to help, my skin got far too oily so I stopped.

My father isn't fully bald, he's about a Norwood 4 at in his early 50's, and on my mom's side, one of her brothers early 40's is a Norwood 4.5 or so, and her other brother is late 30's with no recession at all.

I went to a dermatologist mid-2018 and he said there was some thinning up top, but nothing much to worry about otherwise. He said I could start taking minoxidil, but that I was too young for finasteride. I don't plan on taking finasteride until I'm in my early 20's, or if my hair worsens significantly. For the time being, I am planning on 5% taking liquid minoxidil, - https://www.biovea.com/ca/en/product_detail.aspx?PID=3954&deptid=0&cid=0&OS=204&NAME=FOLIGAIN-MINOXIDIL-5--HAIR-REGROWTH-TREATMENT-For-Men-6-Month-Supply ,

using either a dermaroller https://www.ebay.ca/itm/Luxury-Titanium-Micro-Needle-Therapy-Derma-Roller-Meso-Roller-Anti-ageing/173867389697?hash=item287b4dd301:m:mUUTTUe_Qn186FzOOND54Ww

or a derma pen https://www.ebay.ca/itm/Dr-pen-Electric-Derma-Pen-Needles-Auto-Microneedle-Roller-ULTIMA-M7-2-Pcs-Needle/142997937310?var=441964207186

Nizoral shampoo twice a week- https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AINMFAC/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

Biotin shampoo for the rest - https://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/ogx-thick-full-biotin-collagen-shampoo/6000187397711

Is this a reasonable route to take?

I also had a few questions:

1. Is it worth going with a derma pen over a derma roller, and for the derma pen are the m5 and m7 essentially the same? Also are there any good tutorials showing how to use them.
   
2. Will minoxidil help grow back hair around the sides and hairline?
   
3. How long does the shedding process last for minoxidil
   
4. Are there any major side effects with the products I have chosen
   
5. Are there any other essential products for someone my age
   
   Any other suggestions are welcome, I live in Canada btw so please take that into consideration when recommending products, also I will be paying for everything myself so I would like to keep things reasonably priced, thanks.
   
   Pics album - https://imgur.com/a/mlH2jQF

OMG I had the same issue when I first started CG and I've only just found the solution.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074ZDXFL6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
This has been a game changer for my oily roots. When I lo-poo or cowash I use this. I rake my product in to make sure I get coverage everywhere (sometimes separating and clipping parts of my hair up to make sure I really get in there), then I use this tool and do the tiniest circular motion over and over all over my head to get it in to the roots. This isn't a brush, so don't use it like one. Just massage all over. I'll spend like 5 minutes doing this and it feels sooooo good. But I found it helped break up my worst spots (back of the head especially) where water/product wasn't necessarily coming in or going out. I didn't even realize I was missing that part of my head before! I just thought I just had weird spots on my head that would get more greasy than others. So I'd end up doing a clarifying shampoo like once every two weeks which was helping with the grease, but not the frizz and left my hair lifeless and dry. Not anymore :)

So after I massage in the lo-poo or cowash with this thing, I'll put in some leave-in conditioner, again parting/clipping up pieces of my hair and making sure I get even coverage everywhere, and IMMEDIATELY put in my products sopping wet. Agreed with some of the others, frizz means needs more moisture, but the oily bits are just not rinsing out. You have to start with an even baseline to really get consistency everywhere.

Good luck!

Thanks to the answers to one of my other Q's in this thread I've decided to get a shampoo with 1% Ketoconazole but I'm being much more specific with the question. Which of these do you guys like more?

Nizoral or L'emarie (or something different?)

I realize Nizoral is the most popular but I would love something less harsh on my hair and the L'emarie is marketed much differently than the "anti-dandruff" Nizo and just seems to be made by gentler people although it still says "DHT blocker".

I used to style my hair like the way your attempting. I would blow dry it right when I got out of the shower. Blow drying it all backwards while running my fingers though my hair. Once I was done blow drying, I would use Powder Play by Big Sexy Hair , applying it to the roots throughout and running my fingers through. This doesn't make your hair greasy and you won't have to wash your hands when your done. Takes a good 10-15 minutes to get it all right. Good luck.

Edit: fixed link

How short are you wanting your hair? If you'd like it pretty short and you feel up to the challenge, it might be worth it to invest in a pair of clippers ($15 for these badboys) while your mom won't stop outing you and stylists won't listen.

If that's not something you feel confident/comfortable doing, maybe ask your mom to take you to a barber shop? IME barbers are waaay more likely to listen to your request than a stylist; I stopped going to stylists because I got tired of my hair looking like something out of the latest issue of Lesbian Weekly, haha. In any case, good luck! Just try to really drive home the fact that you want a masculine haircut. Not "femme masculine" (e.g. pixie cut), just masculine.

Absolutely!
This is currently on my shelf:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00390DN34/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_mVGBDbRYGRNQ9

Ive had for about 6 months now and the results have been pretty consistent. The finish is totally matte, so if you want any shimmer you'll have to add something extra. I also live in Florida where the humidity really weighs on my hair. I'm still happy with how this stuff works.


Ive also used this about 2 times. Seems to work in much the same way.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XZNJWZL/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_fUGBDbAMFJ71Q

Really, though, I think itd be pretty hard to go wrong with one of these. I think the formula is relatively the same across products. Just a note, this stuff is NOT water soluble, so if you're doing NoPoo or something, you may have issues.

Best of luck!

Wash once every three days with sulfate free shampoo (and don't use any other shampoos) so that it will have more moisture and not be so puffy/frizzy. (I like this brand a lot: https://www.amazon.com/Vanicream-Medicated-Anti-Dandruff-Shampoo-sensitive/dp/B06WD8YQKL/). But if it's a day when you're not shampooing, make sure you still rinse you're hair out every night, especially if you put product in it.

Don't comb your hair at all. When you style it, get your head soaked and let it air dry with a dab curl activator spread through out (DevaCurl works wonders btw). If you towel dry, it will make it frizzy. Don't guide your hair to a specific direction, let it do its thing.

Source: we literally have the exact same type of hair. When I wake up in the morning, it looks like yours. But when I style it, I can easily get it to look like the second pic.

PS: The cut is definitely important. I like to have a taper on the sides like you do but a little longer. I keep the top front hair to be the longest part. As for the top/back of my head, I like for it to taper into the sides and taper into the top front.

Great, well definitely get him started then. I like jojoba oil because it's cheap and doesn't have much of a scent. I use this brush and some Firehouse Mustache Wax. All the Honest Amish products have always worked well for me too, especially their balms.

Your scalp and hair should never squeak. It means you're removing much needed oils that actually help prevent flakes. Grab a scalp massager, it feels amazing, and does wonders for flakes and sores on your scalp. Even helped me with thinning hair.

I bought this on off of amazon. Hair Scalp Massager Shampoo Brush, MAXSOFT Scalp Care Brush https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074ZDXFL6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_kkIPDbERHAV2J

It's the greatest thing.

Since we're talking about beard balms/oils. Give this a try, it's got a sandalwood-ish smell (some say licorice but i don't get that too much) and does wonders. I use this brush to work in the conditioner and get compliments on the feel of my beard and it removes flaky skin.

I will say OP has a nice setup, I'm just sharing what I use and like.

I like how they included the volumising powder (L'Oreal Super Dust), a much over-looked product. I swear by it for fuller-looking hair at near-30-years of age, and the hold all day is awesome. I don't use the L'Oreal kind, but American Crew makes a powder (albeit, very expensive for what you get), and we also have this here in the States. Volumising powder also helps reduce and eliminate shine from other products, depending on amount applied. You can't tell the powder is there once it's rubbed or brushed lightly through with fingers. Takes a brush well and is easy to restyle, just push in a different direction, stuff is magic.

I have really wavy hair too, but with some matte high-hold type stuff an undercut looks great (my current favorite is Matte Seperation). I know you want low upkeep, but once you start doing it regularly, quick blow dry bit of product takes less than 2 minutes.

I resisted using product for a while too, but it's just one of those things like wearing decent shoes, well fitting clothes etc that once you start doing you wonder why it took you so long..

Yeah man definitely go to some actual salons if you want a good haircut. But I don't think most of them are really "for women" at all anyway. Basically with one exception, every hair place I've been to clearly catered to male customers as well as female. I used to feel a little self conscious when I first stopped going to crap cheap places, but it's never been an issue so I just stopped feeling weird about it.

Also if you are looking for hair styling suggestions, bed head matte separation wax is the best I've every found, and I've tried a LOT of different ones. Like it says though it's a matte finish, won't work if you want a shine.

I use the mens. The women's formula did nothing after 3 months. One month of the men's gave me an explosion of baby hairs and I stopped shedding like crazy. After 5 months I have enough hair to put it up without having awkward bald stops.

I think the main cause of the mustache is that I've been putting it in my hair immediately after I get out of the shower, rubbing it in my hair, and then doing my skin care/make-up. I wash my hands, but maybe I need to be completely hands off my face for an hour after putting it in.

In case you haven't been warned- it also causes dandruff like crazy. I've never had dandruff until I started using it. Nizoral is amazing, and I only have to use it twice a week.

I'd also recommend using Target's brand of Rogaine. It's half the price and works exactly the same.

I hope I didn't scare you off. My stache isn't as luscious as Freddie's. The hair didn't turn dark, it's just longer and there's more of it. It's obvious in some light and not too noticeable in other light.

Some things I learned since I started CG Method:

1. No sulfate shampoo. This subreddit actually helped me find a great alternative to Head and Shoulders: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06WD8YQKL/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_dgAZAbVEBQTD1
   
   The price is more, but you don't need a lot. It can be a little drying.
   This leads me to....
   
   
2. Lots of (silicone free) Conditioner!
   
   
3. make you're own leave-in conditioning spray. Fill a spray bottle with one-third of your favorite conditioner, the rest with cold water. Shake before use, and spray! I didn't believe it until I lost all hope!
   
   
   Hope that helps! My hair texture is similar to yours so feel free to message me on any other questions.

I don't have SD (at least, I don't think I do), but I've been using Jason's Dandruff shampoo and I've read that it's really good for SD as well. I've found it helpful for itchiness/dandruff at least.

It has SA, TTO, and sulfur in it, so do make sure to leave it in for a while to let it work, otherwise the sulfur smell sticks to your hair like glue. No idea why.

I have hair that is around shoulder length. It used to be in a bob/long bob, but has been growing out. I typically do a rough blow dry and then run over the mid-end with the straightener, attempting to curl the ends inward (toward my head) by turning the straightener. The only product I use is heat protectant (aside from shampoo/conditioner). This had been working when my hair was shorter, but since it now hits my shoulders more, I feel it is rebelling and flipping back outward. I'm asking for any advice on styling and or products. Do I need to use hairspray? Round brush? Would one of those heated round brushes (i.e. this ) help since I don't think I'm coordinated enough to use both a hairdryer and round brush? Thanks in advanced for your help and consideration!

I am also in the market. I was just looking at straighteners on Amazon and the CHI doesn't have the best reviews. I found one I'm going to try- it's the HSI straightener and it has rave reviews (over 11k and almost 5 stars) Amazon is selling the older model of it for $40 (marked down from $200) so I thought it would be worth a try and easy enough to return on Amazon if it doesn't work. I currently have a pro solia that does not straighten my waves. I'm like you- super course thick wavy hair.

EDIT- from what my hair stylist tells me, the CHI was good if you bought it a few years ago, but as they've gained popularity and mass produced, their products don't work as well.

EDIT2- Link

I've been using that very model for two years—it's on sale on Amazon right now for US$20 link.

I keep my hair in a mohawk, so the sides are close (#1) and I trim the center with the longer guides and scissors. It works really well, and I'm saving at least $10-15 a month on haircuts—usually closer to 40, because female hair is somehow inherently more expensive to style. WHATEVS.

My boyfriend likes short back and sides, which we do by buzzing those parts (#3) and trimming the rest by hand. It's doable yourself with a hand mirror and practice, but you can ask a special friend to touch things up once in a while.

I'm not sure you should take my advice (newbie) but I'm trying exactly the same thing...

I use Big Sexy Hair products for volume and some texture. Volumizing shampoo and conditioner (it gives me texture), hair dryer... This product also helps me a lot, eps for volume http://www.amazon.com/Sexy-Hair-Powder-Volumizing-Texturizing/dp/B00390DN34 I'm happy with it, although I still need to grow out more hair

I have been having the EXACT same issue so I'm definitely interested in hearing what others have to say.

I have been using this (https://www.amazon.com/Scalpmaster-SC20-Shampoo-Brush-Purple/dp/B000NJG82W/ref=sr_1_2_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1478544166&sr=8-2&keywords=shampoo+brush) and it helps somewhat but not 100%.

When it gets really bad I use T-gel shampoo (not cg friendly) and it stays more under control for a few days after that.

These help but I would love a better solution

If your skin hasn't responded to antibiotics, it's possible you're dealing with Malassezia Folliculitis (fungal "acne"). This guide https://simpleskincarescience.com/pityrosporum-folliculitis-treatment-malassezia-cure/ helped me clear my skin in about two months after spending five years dealing with pimples that wouldn't respond to typical acne treatments.

Of course, YMMV, but my current routine is nothing in the AM, PM shower using Head and Shoulders on hair/body (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MXLFQGB/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1), Pantene on hair (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MTNOJ2Z/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1), and sulfur soap on my face (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CST4AS4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1). Right after shower, I slap on some aloe vera gel (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IRAFRQW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) followed by MSM gel (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000O379PC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) and then Cerave Baby Cream (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00WH31P7A/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1). Twice a week I put Nizoral (https://www.amazon.com/Nizoral-Anti-Dandruff-Shampoo-Ketoconazole-Dandruff/dp/B00AINMFAC/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=nizoral&qid=1566134798&s=gateway&sr=8-3) on my face and let it sit for 3-5 minutes and then wash it off. I've run this full routine by a licensed dermatologist who told me the sulfur and Nizoral would do the heavy lifting to keep the Malassezia at bay, and as far as I can tell those two items are the keystones of this routine. Everything else I use because the sulfur and Nizoral can be very drying. All of those products I pulled from that skincare blog, so I would read through it and see if the skin condition addressed there matches what you're experiencing.

Good luck. This is the routine that made my skin do a complete 180 in February after I saw no improvement from derm prescribed antibiotics and benzoyl peroxide.

Why don't you try this one? Now, keep in mind that that this is not a Paul Mitchell or Chi so it's not going to be perfect, but I owned one before I bought my Paul Mitchell and it did a pretty great job for the price. My hair is very coarse, frizzy, and poofy. It would hold it's straightness throughout the day with a little hairspray and some heat protectant spray.

I have long (boob length), wavy hair that is thick, but the individual hairs are fine (i just have a lot of them).I find for my hair if I wear it up, I need a quick mist of hair spray or sea salt spray to give my hair some tack so it doesn't just slip out. I have also found that these spin pins are fantastic for really anchoring down a bun to your head. I also like styles like this that look complicated, but really hold all of the hair together and stays in place (I use the spin pins to anchor down this style as well).

You'll want to invest in one of these skip the brauns and conairs. I used those for a year apeice, the wahl is night and day.

Ive cut my hair for about 9 years and saved a ton of money. I cut it myself in the backyard. The haircut your describing is what I have and is incredibly easy. Skip using the guard, unless you like the crew cut look. Just by sliding your fingers through your hair at desired length and cutting across the top of your knuckles it is pretty easy to layer and judge length. You may need some help getting the back of the neck straight at first, but everything else is a breeze. Use scissors to do sideburns and ears.

IMO it is way easier to cut your own hair with a trimmer than walk someone else through it. I actually just cut my hair today, but you are welcome to watch and learn next time it needs a trim. I would reccomend trying to give yourself a small trim first to see how easy it is though. Go slow and never touch the trimmer directly to the scalp without your hand in between, until you do around the ear and back of neck. Start slow and take a little at a time. You'll get the hang of it.

Loved my bob cut and was thinking of cutting my hair again. I used to braid my hair down two sides to catch all the hair. Those little elastic rubber bands for hair are amazing but will end up everywhere. Also, these are amazing if you want to do two little buns. They stay put much better than bobby pins.

Baxter of California, it ain't cheap though.

It's what I currently use for my hair style. Try to use sparingly.

Before even using the clay pomade, it's ideal to have your hair the way you want it first. Try using something lighter before hand (a dab or more of pomade) in order to set up your hair the way you want it to, then use the clay pomade to hold it.

A blow dryer helps the process a ton (use it when styling your hair with the lighter pomade).

You can always search for hair styling tips on you tube if you want more help.

I've been using JASON Natural Cosmetics Dandruff Relief Shampoo. It's inexpensive and does the job quite well. Make sure he uses some kind of conditioner to restore moisture. I alternate between this and Peppermint Tea Tree Shampoo from Eden Bodyworks. My hair is very thick and I have a dry scalp so I have to shampoo fairly regularly. I also use a shampoo brush to make sure I really get everything out.

Male here. I cut my own hair with no assistance.

The first time was horrible. I tried it with a beard trimmer and ended up with a buzzcut.

The next time I watched several "do it yourself" videos on youtube, and got myself hair clippers. Seriously, watch 5 or so videos and you will learn enough basics to have an alright cut. All you need is a good clipper, a hand mirror, a wall mirror, scissors, and patience.

My personal style is #4 on the sides and back, #3 on the edges and around the temples, #5 on the back top half, and I cut the front half and with scissors to a length that is long enough to crop up. It comes out looking something like THIS. I am no where near that handsome mind you.

I've been cutting my hair for about 6 months now every two weeks. I've gotten good enough that I think I look better than when I got $16 cuts at Great Clips. I save around $300 a year. It takes me 10 minutes now to do a simple haircut. I love it.

The three things you should do to save your hair and regrow some (probably around half) of what you've lost:

1. Use Bosley shampoo and conditioner (starter kit is currently 29 bucks or so on amazon. Use a shampoo brush to properly get it in there - believe me, the difference between with and without the brush is huge. Leave the shampoo and conditioner both in for five minutes each. Do this every single day. After about four to five weeks you'll start seeing new growth - fine little hairs that will be shorter than the rest of the hair on your head. They will grow longer and thicker with time. After you've run out the starter kit, you can buy one liter sized containers of the shampoo and conditioner only (not the thickening treatment though) for about 40 bucks on Amazon. I like the thickening treatment, but I don't bother with it because it's very expensive outside of the starter kit.
   
   
2. Use minoxidil twice daily. Every day! Skipping this is how it doesn't work properly. You can buy a year's supply on Amazon for about 50 bucks.
   
   
3. Take a Biotin vitamin supplement. It will thicken and strengthen your hair.
   
   You won't lose any more hair if you follow this religiously. Trust me. My entire family is a bunch of bald guys, usually total loss by 30 - I'm in my mid 30's and still have a thick, healthy crop of hair.

The Deva Curl diffusers DO look like a creepy hand! LOL

My favorite diffuser for my fine, medium density 2B-3A waves/curls is the Black Orchid. The DC type diffusers are great for the roots, but the rest of my hair does better piled into the Black Orchid for pixie diffusing.

i thought you meant a conditioner you use in the shower (which i would recommend.) Unfortunately, as others have said, your wife is right in this case... as both products you ordered i would consider after-shower brush-in products to help your beard be more manageable, and shiny. I too just ordered some beard products after reading this sub and getting inspired. I'm going on a yeard but my type of growth tends to be very curly/wirey and mostly grows in thickness as opposed to length. I'm hoping to "relax" it a bit with these new products. I would suggest finding a good shampoo/conditioner for the shower then choose either the conditioner or oil to brush in afterwards. here's what i ended up getting: bar shampoo for the shower, after-shower beard balm, and this brush i have a nice conditioner that my wife bought me for xmas that i use in the shower. any other suggestions i'm all ears

My hair is similar to yours, and about 7 months ago I got really tiered if my go to dos "down and natural," messy bun," and "sleek sock bun." I also got really tired of every morning trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my hair, so I decided to have a hair "uniform." Every work day my hair is the exact same.

I part to the left (always have), twist the right side (bangs) into kind of of a Dutch twist and bring that back to a low ponytail behind/below my right ear. For the left side I just smooth it back and join it in to the low pony.

From here I'll braid the pony tail and roll it up into a bun and secure with a spin pin

This works for me as a simple, quick, everyday, professional look. I felt like my hair was too long for the look I wanted to present professionally and made me look much younger than I am so an updo was my best option.

I do also love a sleek sock bun

Good luck!

Thanks! Partly genes and mostly because I let my beard grow out for about 6 weeks before Movember. After showering, I comb it out and then comb the ends up. I don't use mustache wax but rather Baxter Clay Pomade . I feel like it gives it that good pointed look without looking totally waxed. Those little tiny scissors are also good for trimming the wild hairs / upper lip.

I have super straight hair as well (though mine is very thick), and it used to be that I couldn't keep my hair curled even if it started smoking on the heating rod...

What I find to be really helpful is to spray my hair with some kind of texturizing spray Not Your Mother's Beach Babe is my product of choice, easy to find in most US pharmacies, and inexpensive.

After spraying my hair, I'll wrap it up in a bun or braid it. If I sleep with it in a braid, it can stay luscious and wavy for the entire next day!

Seriously, go 10 dollars over budget and get an HSI Flat Iron. I bought one recently, and my God it is amazing. By far the best flat iron I've ever used, and it's so freaking cheap.

Read some reviews if you don't believe me. But this will be your best hair decision yet. Promise.

I've been using the run-of-the-mill dandruff shampoos for years finally a doctor recommended Nizoral shampoo and I've had good luck with that. I use that about once a week now and wash my face and ears with it too.

However, shampoo removes the oil and dries the skin which isn't good. So I'm using a tea tree conditioner after shampooing with the Nizoral. I don't use the shampoo every day so I just use conditioner on days that I shower and don't shampoo my hair.

I also picked up a hair dryer because I learned that psoriasis is a fungus and I thought leaving my hair wet and letting it air dry might be contributing to the problem.

Anyway, that's what I've done to get my psoriasis/eczema under control.

Some folks recommend jojoba oil in the hair to restore the oils that shampooing removes. I tried it for a couple of weeks but my skin got red and itchy. Hemp seed oil and neem oil have turned up in my Amazon searches as antiseptic, anti-fungal treatments but I haven't tried those yet.

The Nizoral shampoo definitely helped tho. I'd recommend that for sure.

I was like you at one point and had a buzz cut, but I changed hair hairstyles about 2 years ago and haven't looked back. Currently, I tell my barber a number 2 fade on the sides and a combover on top about 2-3 inches long. before and after. I use Suavecito as it is water soluble and smells amazing. There hasn't been a problem and my hair is also thick. The secret is to use a comb and hairdryer to style it. I like to think that this hairstyle has given me a more professional look as I have entered the work force.

To be honest, i'd have no idea where to start looking in the Netherlands... I had a look for a hair care supply place, but google translate can only go so far. Hahaha.

Can you order off amazon? Here is an example of the spray.

I like the brand that i linked to on Amazon (Not your Mothers), but it depends what's available to you. :)

Everyone has already given you some excellent tips so I'll recommend some good products. First gatsby hair products are a must for short hair. They're japanese, but you can buy them on Amazon no problem. I use this one and I love it. I also recently switched over to using a cleansing conditioner instead of shampoo and conditioner. It keeps my hair soft, healthy, and clean. I use herbal essence naked cleansing conditioner.

Your best bet is to try and avoid things you know have a history of breaking you out. Garnier and Tresemme have a lot of scent but I'm still able to use Garnier products safely, for example. Other friends of mine have decent luck with just this but it makes my skin completely freak out. Your skin is going to react differently to different things, regardless of it having comedogenic ingredients or not.

Also if you live in a humid climate just accept that you're going to need to buy the most heavy duty shit available and it will still run at times. If you find it going floppy, run to an air conditioned bathroom, run a wet hand through your hair, let it dry. Quick way to restyle your hair!

I have this flat iron and I love it. I either curl my hair with a flat iron or use a larger barrel curling wand for "beachy" looking waves. The size of the barrel/flat iron depend on what you want the curls to look like. here's what I mean.


Definitely youtube will help. Also, just practice a few times when you're not in a hurry/getting ready in the morning. It's not as intimidating as it seems!

> I kind of worry about kinks from pinning it, but it's definitely worth a shot!

Have you tried using a spin pin? I put wet hair in a bun with one of those pins all the time and I don't get kinks, just very gently wavy hair from it being twisted. I can imagine it working well if you put it in a bun on top of your head before bed.

Sure do! :)

My derm actually told me to try coconut oil to help stretch the steroid foam she prescribed. It was a new medicine at the time and it was crazy expensive per can and she thought I'd need to refill a few times a year.

You can sub in any oil that his skin likes (olive oil, etc.). The oils help with the silvery patches.

If he has scalp psoriasis the best shampoo I ever used for it was jaason dandruff shampoo

It has a strong smell when hair is wet so I ultimately had to stop using it. The best unscented shampoo I've found is honeyskin . They also make a cream I want to try.

Snail goop has really really helped. I put it on my face twice a day and on big bites, scratches etc. I usually put recovery gel on top of snail hoop. I've used mizon and scinic snail.

For my hands I use coconut oil, followed by shea butter followed by lanolin daily.

When I have a scale forming I put snail down first.

I eat avocado a few times a week.

I'm looking at the guerisson cream but I have to research it more for cruelty/ ethical reasons. I'm already using a horse product ( kikamasamune if I read that recent post right)

For me the big things were to keep my hands from getting wet/ chapped. Every time I get s psoriasis flare on my hands it takes months to heal. I pretty much wear work gloves or vinyl exam gloves year round while I'm doing chores.

I also avoid anything that can give me a friction burn. I had a horrible psoriasis patch on my coochie once from a friction burn. Long story short we never tried that particular thing again.

The best advice I have is learn what triggers flare ups. It's taken me years to build my list.

I desperately needed to take counter actions because I didn't want to take the immune suppressing pills my derm wanted me to take. Anything that has cancer as a side effects is a last choice only in my book.

HAPPY CAKE DAY LADY!!!! My Thursday went OK, I got out early from work, so I've got that going for me, which is nice.

My hair is rapidly approaching mullet status. I either need a haircut, or a hat to cover it up.

Absolutely. I use the HSI professional straightener ( http://www.amazon.com/HSI-PROFESSIONAL-TOURMALINE-STRAIGHTENER-Treatment/dp/B001MA0QY2) I can't remember how to link, sorry. But it'll pay for itself if you're going to the salon even 1-2 times a year. It's great quality for the price and in this case would be worth it for you. And far from $100-200! I have thick, frizzy, curly hair and in less than 30 minutes this gets my hair stick straight. Therefore saving you time too :) hope this helps!

Get one of these things! I don’t have one personally, but they are supposed to be great for really scrubbing your scalp!

Hair Scalp Massager Shampoo Brush, MAXSOFT Scalp Care Brush https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074ZDXFL6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_KYjFDb67K0F4G

This is my Eternal Struggle. My hair is wavy and bleached and I live in a hard water area too, so I still struggle with dandruff pretty frequently, but it's much more under control than it used to be.

Shampoo - I'm currently alternating between Free & Clear's dandruff shampoo (sulfate free, but it still feels kind of harsh) and the new As I Am dandruff shampoo (which is hands down the gentlest one I've tried, but with less pyrithone zinc). Sciencey Hair Blog has a massive list of medicated shampoos with notes on whether they contain harsh or drying ingredients, although some of the links are out of date.

For hard water, look for a chelating shampoo and do a deep clean once every week or two. Chelating shampoos will be more stripping, so you'll want to deep condition afterwards. As noted at the bottom of that article, most water filters won't actually help with hard water anyways, so a chelating shampoo is your best option there.

For other ideas, check out this guide on the fungus that is thought to be behind sebhorreic dermatitis, which is the most common cause of dandruff. It's a LOT of info and it's focused mostly on facial skincare, but your scalp is skin too, and the rundown on what ingredients help and hurt may help you narrow down whether any of your current products are aggravating the problem.

Get spin pins: http://www.amazon.com/Goody-Simple-Styles-Assorted-Colors/dp/B003FVDNO6

After showering, flip your head upside down and gather up hair on the top of your head like you're doing a ponytail. Start twisting hair around until it gently coils up on itself. Secure with spin pins into a bun smack on top of your head. Remove in morning to fluffy hair goodness.

Thanks! I haven't advanced too far into makeup yet, so I'm just making sure I get a strong base down before trying to do anything else. My wig was from amazon. It's this one. It's been a decent wig so far. I'm saving up for a higher quality one, but I'd recommend it for a good starter wig.

By far the best I've used.

Nizoral A-D Anti-Dandruff Shampoo, 7 Oz https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AINMFAC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_kcyNAbJ6QZVW1

I shampoo once a week and condition/moisturize everyday. But obviously do what works best for you and your situation.

I don't use this shampoo all the time though. But you mentioned dandruff shampoos, and it's a good one to have in your arsenal.

I'd get some of those twisty bobby pin thingies. I have a bob right now, but if I have some curl in my hair, I can just kind of roll and twist my hair at the nape of my neck and insert two of those bad boys. Secure any strands that fall out with extra (regular) bobby pins. Cute and effortless looking with minimal effort (especially if your hair naturally has some curl to it). If you don't have any curl in your hair, I'd definitely add some product and maybe run a curling iron through your hair first.

I also like to gather strands on both sides of the front of my hairline and either twist or braid them back on super lazy days.

I have a big forehead as well, and also similar hair at your current length. What I do now is finger-length on the sides and about 2 inches longer on top. Shower/shampoo, blow dry it down, spread a dime shaped amount of product from front to back - flatten it - swoosh to one side - flatten the sides. At this length a nice, long comb is a great tool. Also, Baxter's clay is great because you can re-style with a little water throughout the day when your hair gets sad.

I hope this helps!

Unfortunately I am wig-less... Though this wig looks really nice! (I've never had long hair before)
Your wig looks really nice + your eyes are amazing! :)

I bought the following:

Oil.

Brush.

Balm.

I like all three of those, though I think there surely are better brushes.

I didnt really mind the prices, some people here will say that you can make your own oils and balms or use plain coconut butter/oil.

Im not much of a handy DIY kinda guy, so a couple of bucks on beard care product wasnt a big deal to me.

Looks like something I had under my breasts a while back. I think it was a fungal infection...possibly yeast? Things do get sweaty and moist in those regions.

It was flat and did not feel itchy. It seemed to spread slightly, but very slowly.

I used a ketoconazole shampoo (specifically Nizoral) on the area. I lathered up the shampoo, rubbed it in the affected area and let it set for a couple minutes before rinsing it off.

I think I did this three days in a row before it went away completely never to return again. Before treatment the “rash” had been there for months, so I’m pretty sure that’s what cured it.

Best of luck.

Edit: Shoot. Sorry I’m not a doc. Forgot what sub I was on.

I bought the different oils separately and put it in an amber dropper bottle. I mixed the argan oil, jojoba oil, and lemongrass oil in a 20:20:1 ratio. The lemongrass is more of just a scent than a functional oil (it's very strong), so you might replace it with some other aromatic oil like tea tree, eucalyptus, or cinnamon oil depending on your SOs preference. I hope you and your SO like it! You might google around for other recipes, but argan and jojoba will make up the bulk of most recipes.

edit: and this is the brush I got, it works great

I agree with /u/HisSelf. Wahl's clippers are relatively cheap and last awhile. I have this clipper set which is super nice, easy to clean, and it paid for itself after one use. You could even look into some of the more expensive versions, but Wahl's tends to be a good bet.

I'd say first take a military style brush to it, something like this. Something with stiff bristles. See if you can tame it a little with that and some oil.

If it doesn't help I might go ahead and trim the cheeks a little but the rest looks ok and will probably look better with a little more growth.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0032FSDOA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_12dhnbsCsZf4V I’ve had pretty moderate dandruff since before I even knew I had hair issues, but I tried this consistently awhile back(January or so?) and it did a good job of getting rid of it. Its back now cus I ran out and $25 is a lot for shampoo lol. I don’t know the science behind this, though—I’m 19 and dumb and if it says it’s good I’ll put it on my head.

Trick for me was to make sure it got on my scalp and then leave it there for a hot minute or so

Maybe some of those tiny little notebooks that fit in your pocket? I use those to write down vitals and such without lugging a clipboard around.

Hair ties since she’ll have to have her hair up, or if she would like them, I really love spin pins because I can have my hair up all day and never get a headache like I do from a pony tail.

Also don’t forget lunchbox stuff could be useful too because hospital cafeteria food is disgusting and generally not very healthy. Like maybe some glass Tupperware , a lunchbox, or a water bottle/cup.

Also if your friend is like me and likes to wear makeup, she will want a lipstick that won’t quit! This stuff stays on through my 12 hour shifts and I just love it!

Really depends on how much you want to spend, but I find that that these are the things that really got me through clinicals.

You have a textbook bowl cut. Looking young we can't do anything about. You'll grow out of that (sooner than you think). Looking weird? Now that's where we can help.

You need some style. Style is going to require product. Not gel though. This isn't 1998.

Look through this link from the sidebar: http://www.menshairstyletrends.com/

Look through the shorter cuts, get something short on top with a fade on the side. Check it

You're going to need some product. I personally like using clay or wax. Just depends on that you can afford/get your hands on. The shorter your hair the less "hold" you'll need, for the most part. One of the big things is get the hair off your forehead. That's a big part of looking younger.

Try this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002N5MI2S/?th=1

It's what I'm currently using, though I try something new every few months. It has good hold, little goes a long way, and it's pretty cheap.

TLDR: Get a shorter haircut, preferably a fade and a bit longer on top, use a clay or wax product and keep your hair off your forehead.

EXPERIMENT! Your tastes and style will change and that's fine. Just gotta start somewhere.

I totally feel this from before I started treatment - it was almost impossible to hold my hair dryer.

I don't have a suggestion exactly, but two things to consider: they have these hair dryer brushes these days (like this) which are great and lightweight, but aren't exactly a typical hairdryer. There are also hair dryer stands, which if she has a hair dryer she already likes, she can stick in in the stand on a vanity/countertop so she doesn't have to hold it up.

http://www.amazon.com/MelodySusie-Quality-Womens-Glamour-Fashion/dp/B008GR4L18?ie=UTF8&keywords=melody%20suzie%20wig&qid=1458929978&ref_=sr_1_fkmr2_1_a_it&sr=8-1-fkmr2

Looks good for like 2-3 months then time to get a new one. It's so cheap I don't care. Even if my real hair takes 6 months to grow in .. that's still only $32.

I also used my friends referral code to save $5.

https://amazon.com/mpr?referralcode=COLLI1139N&ref_=mpr_tr_ss

Thanks for the reply! Lots of good resources.

I did a little bit of reading in the wiki/sidebar and did a quick inventory of what I've been using. My styling products are all wax based and silicone-free. The weakest link in my routine is my cheap 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner (because I guess marketers assume men only care about convenience, got me). I sulfate free shampoo and conditioner from Burt's Bees and am looking forward to see how that goes over the next few weeks.

Products I'm using:

https://www.amazon.com/American-Crew-Forming-Cream-Ounce/dp/B000KEIPC6/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1500257942&sr=8-1&keywords=crew+forming+cream

https://www.amazon.com/Mister-Pompadour-Natural-Beeswax-Styling/dp/B00WKR4HRI/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1500257959&sr=8-1&keywords=mr.+pompadour

Shampoo/conditioner:

https://www.amazon.com/Burts-Bees-Moisture-Shampoo-Baobab/dp/B006YQ40ZA/ref=sr_1_6_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1500258088&sr=8-6&keywords=burt%27s+bees+shampoo

https://www.amazon.com/Burts-Bees-Moisture-Conditioner-Baobab/dp/B006YQ4DIO/ref=pd_bxgy_194_img_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B006YQ4DIO&pd_rd_r=YAG64W5AYHPPRH6Y7H76&pd_rd_w=JhTh2&pd_rd_wg=VcsOa&refRID=YAG64W5AYHPPRH6Y7H76&th=1

I've heard good things about volumizing powder that you put in the roots of your hair like the one from big sexy hair called power play. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00390DN34/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00390DN34&linkCode=as2&tag=kandeethemake-20

Got any recommendations for a water based medium shine and hold product (that doesn't make your hair feel stiff when running your hands through it)? Fan of American Crew Forming Cream (but doesn't have the best feel) and Baxter Cream Pomade (doesn't quite have enough hold or shine)

Any recommendation would be great, as im super unknowledgeable about this stuff!

This has red, white, and blue.

I learned this in my California History course last semester. California was named after a fictional paradise from a book by a Spanish author


FREEDOM

I have long dreadlocks (a little past my hips) and I flip my head upside down and twist it tightly into a bun on top of my head securing it all with an elastic. Actually I use a headband due to the thickness, but if you don't have dreads then a regular hair tie would probably work. It usually holds pretty well.

They wouldn't work in my hair, but my aerial instructor usually puts her hair in a low bun using spin pins like these https://www.amazon.com/Goody-Simple-Styles-Assorted-Colors/dp/B003FVDNO6?th=1

I've had this same condition for a few years now. Mine also turned up after about 6 months on a nopoo type regiment (I was washing with Apple Cider Vinegar and conditioning with mayo :/

You should try the zinc shampoo someone recommended, and also alternate between the others (T gel, selsun...). The biggest help for me was buying a scalp scrubber to use when I shampoo- looks like this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000NJG82W/ref=mp_s_a_1_cc_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1468745990&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=scalp+scrubber

I found mine at a Walgreens for less than a dollar, and it's made a huge difference. I would recommend this and using a combination of shampoos (with different active ingredients) more than anything.

My old diffuser that came with my hair dryer is there for comparison. I learned about this diffuser from a couple of CG YouTubers and I've been eyeing it for awhile. It was only $12.99 on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VJ06PG8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_qL2TBbT47FCGE

I used it this morning and it definitely dried my hair more quickly and I think helped some with frizz

Fyi, it's marketed as only fitting on a 6" diameter, but it has a inner ring that is very easy to remove (which is what I did to fit it on my Revlon 1875).

The first thing to know is that there isn't really anything over the counter that is going to combat thinning hair. So don't fall for any "hacks" or "home remedies" to thicken hair. If you're concerned about your hair thinning/possibly balding, I recommend seeing a trichologist (head and scalp doctor). They can figure out why your hair is thinning.

One of the most important things you can do is not wash your hair so often. Shampooing too often strips your hair of natural oils, making it weaker. While washing often doesn't make your hair thin faster, it's a good practice for anyone (thin hair or not)

My first recommendation is to stop washing your hair with any type of shampoo and see how long it takes before it gets really oily. You'll know when your hair starts to feel greasy, kinda heavy, your head gets a little warm.

Then make a note of how long that is (say it's 4 days), and start washing your hair every 4 days with a light shampoo that doesn't have harsh chemicals, like this one. Most people use way too much shampoo. You want to squeeze about an amount of a quarter.

Then use lighter hair products. Since your hair is thin, it doesn't have the structure to support heavy products. My favorite products are Sumo tech and Gatsby Moving Rubber. Always use a little (dime size) amount and work it into your hair. If you need more, do it 1 or 2 more times. This is to evenly distribute the product vs going in for a big clump on the first shot.

Are you referring to the Scalp RECOVERY? If so, the active ingredient is 1% pyrithione zinc, so you’ll want to look for another shampoo with the same. I believe the T Gel has coal tar, which is why you didn’t like the smell. We like this one:
Vanicream Free & Clear 2%

Congratulations on all the good things! Wasting time on Reddit is good, right? ;)

Pumpkin!

I'd suggest trying a few different products instead of the gel you're currently using. Play around until you find something you like. Most stores have great return policies, too. Here's some product suggestions: 1, 2, 3, 4