Make my hair grow........

Having my Cosmetology license I am occasionally asked questions about hair. It was requested I answer questions on my blog regarding hair so I will try. Here is the first. I was recently asked by Cardine the following question:

"I was wondering if you would address hair growth? I am trying to grow out my hair to give it to Locks of Love. I want it to be long enough for them to make wigs, but I also don't want my hair to be very short after I cut it. Do you have any suggestions on what I can do to help my hair grow fast and healthy?"

I am sorry to burst your bubble, but no. There is nothing you can do to make your hair grow faster. Hair growth is basically determined by your genes. As much as you try and no matter what you hear, if you hair only grows 1/8th of an inch a month, then your hair only grows an 1/8th of an inch a month. 1/2 and inch, then a 1/2 an inch and so forth. Many people think taking prenatal vitamins will help hair growth, but the change in hair growth during pregnancy is not due to the prenatal vitamins but rather it is due to hormonal changes taking place in the body so taking prenatal vitamins really aren’t going to help your cause. Health and stress are also 2 major components in the health of your hair. Being ill for long periods of time can cause hair to be lifeless and dull. There may even be times of hair loss or delay in growth due to sickness. Also different people are able to grow their hair to different lengths. Some will never be able to grow their hair past a certain length no matter what they do. Just as hair grows at different speeds, hair also can grow to different lengths. Though some may try to grow it longer, all the hair won't necessarily grow so the ends can be thin and lifeless.
There are probably many things you can do to affect how healthy your hair is. Here are a few I could think of.

One, Use heating tools such as hair dryer, flat iron, curling iron as little as possible. If using these tools is a must, use them on the lowest heat setting possible that will work with your hair.


Two, Taking a multivitamin (not prenatal). Though this will not increase hair growth, it will make the new hair growing more healthy and strong to be able to withstand the torture we put our hair through.

Third, Use good product that works well with your hair. If you hair is thick, coarse, flyaway, please do not use a Volumizing shampoo and conditioner. Your hair will go crazy. Volumizing conditioner has a very light base so the hair is not weighed down. Use the kind that is made for your hair type.

Fourth, Get a trim every 10 to 12 weeks. ¼ to ½ inch should suffice. Just enough to snip off the split ends before they get worse leaving long smooth edges.

Fifth, Scalp massage!!! Not only is this good for your hair, but wow does it feel good. This can promote good circulation to the scalp providing nourishment to the papilla where the hair begins.

Sixth, Do not comb you hair while wet. Doing so can cause stretching and breaking of the hair shaft. Use a pick or wide tooth comb.

A very good cause to want to contribute to Cardine. Your hair is beautiful by the way and will make a very pretty wig for someone in need. I hope this helped a little. I will try to get better as I go along. Thanks for the patience.
If you have anymore questions, please email them to me or post them in the comment section. I will try and answer them.

New Year Greetings!!!

Another year has come and gone,
Shared with friends both old and new,
A year of celebration, love, and loss,
Of happiness and times of grief too.
While this year has been a good one,
I wonder where the next one will lead,
With different choices I make in my life,
Each one hopefully will help me succeed.

I look forward to the future,
The past in my heart I'll hold dear,
Starting out the New Year, a beginning,
And with faith I have nothing to fear.
I hope you all had a a nice Christmas,
I know that I had a ball,
I just want to wish everybody,
Happy New Year to one and all!!!

Caroling Caroling through the snow.....

I love caroling. Just as I said I love Christmas music, I love going around to peoples houses especially the elderly and bringing a little bit of joy to them. Growing up my Grandparents lived right next to me and every year at Christmas time we would go caroling and the first place, or last place would always be there. My Grandma loved it so much. I remember her sitting there listening and when we would finish a song she would ask for more. There were a couple widowed sisters we would also go to and they would come to the door and their eyes would just light up when they saw us.

Well this year I was privileged to be able to go twice. Once here and once at home. My sister planned a bunch of people to get together and go caroling on our street. There are quite a few older people here who I had never met. They were so cute. We would sing a song and then they would want us to come in and sing which we would. In the process we got to know our neighbors a little and we also got to share some Christmas joy with them.

I also got the opportunity to carol at home. Again Laura came with me as well as my mom and 2 of my friends. It was a small group, but oh so fun. We walked and the roads were quite icy so we linked arms to help each other from falling. We went to some of the elderly around town a couple of my aunts and uncles included. Though it was really cold outside and some had braved deery roads to get there, I think we all had a great time.

Brother Hess

On a sad note, Wednesday night I received word that an amazing teacher, and current Bishop of my home ward had passed away after a tremendous battle with cancer for the last 9 years. He was such a good teacher and always seemed to have the answers to the questions you had.

His knowledge of the gospel was so vast that sometimes I wondered if there was anything in the gospel he didn't know. As a teacher he was able to bring the scriptures to life. I looked forward to his class everyday. In everything he did he showed the light of Christ. He was a great example to all who knew him. Thank you Brother Hess for helping to teach me the way back home. We will all miss you but know that we will see you again.

"Its the most wonderful time of the year"

My next adventure in this Christmas season, is Christmas music. Everyone has their favorite that just has to be listened to and sang to. I love Christmas music and start listening to it as soon as reasonably possible without annoying everyone around me. There are 3 cds I don't think I will ever get tired of for misc. reasons. The first is Forgotten Carols by Michael McLean. When I was in high school a church leader of mine introduced the story to me. It is an amazing story that just gives me cold chills every time I hear it. The music is so powerful. I had the chance to see the show for the first time December 2000 and went to it every year there after until this year. They changed it in 2006 to a little different direction and in doing so, it kind of lost the heart of the show to me. Still when the music starts playing... wow.

Second, Hillary Weeks Christmastime. The very first song on the cd is the song the cd itself is named after. As I listen to it, I am reminded of Christmas past, and hope for Christmas present, and future. It also reminds me very much of my Grandma who passed away 4 years ago. Her favorite holiday was Christmas and so many things talked about in this song was my Grandma. It makes me miss her very much, but also appreciate Christmas from the past and help me look forward to the future. The rest of the cd is amazing also. Love it!

Third, Beach Boys Christmas. I know funny choice huh. Growing up my mom had a huge record player that also played 8 tracks and possibly even the radio. It was the coolest thing and I loved to have her play records on it. Well leading up to Christmas I don't know how many times that record was played. Very good memories are brought back when I turn on that cd and remember.
There are so many good Christmas songs out there, but if you get a chance I would completely recommend listening to at least a few of the songs on my list of cds.

December

It is now December. Actually it has been for 3 days. Being the Christmas season I thought it might be fun to remember a few of my families traditions, share Christmas stories, and just bask in the joy of the season. I love this time of year. I can't wait for snow which is kind of crazy since I am always freezing. Yet there is nothing like the first good snow fall. Especially if it happens at night. I love walking in snow at night when the sky is red (I am guessing from the lights) and big fluffy snowflakes are falling blanketing the ground in a puffy white cloud. Warming up with hot chocolate. Just sitting around talking about Christmas growing up. Good memories. First we will start with the Christmas tree. For as long as I can remember when we had Thanksgiving at my Grandma and Grandpa H house we would eat dinner and then we all pile into pickups and head out into the hills to get us a Christmas tree. Unless you have done it, I can't even begin to describe how fun it is to search for the perfect tree (every ones perception of perfect is different by the way) find it and cut it down. Good ones will even smell heavenly as you cut them the pine (if you get pine) surrounding you. Sometimes its takes a couple hours, sometimes you find the right one right away but want to look around to be sure, but then usually come back to it if you can find it. Then other times you really do find a better one. Rain, snow, ice, sun, we have gone in all types of weather. Thanksgiving, just isn't Thanksgiving with out the Christmas Tree gathering.