Operation Grow it LONG!

I have always dreamt of having LONG hair. Blame it on fairy tales with princesses with LOTS of luscious hair. As a relaxed head, I often thought about my dark brown (almost black hair) swinging in the wind. Now as a bodacious natural, I want BIG fluffy hair. I'm not caught up on someone else's curls, I just want MY curls and I want LOTS of them.

So, what's a curly to do to get more growth? Well, I turned to researching more about my scalp condition, seborrhea dermatitis. This scalp condition is thought to be caused by a yeast or fungus overgrowth on the scalp. It is not the result of poor hygiene but rather, it can be exacerbated by a changing in seasons, stress, or certain cosmetic products. While digging deeper into this frustrating condition, I learned about some possible ways to manage and even almost eliminate it. That brings me to Operation Grow It Long!

I am committed to embarking on a renewed interest in fighting this scalp condition, getting good growth, and improving my overall health. Due to the nature of my problem, I'm attacking it from the nutritional diet and haircare aspects. I will be blogging about my experiences over the upcoming months to share my observations, celebations, and challenges. I'm doing this in hope of helping others with the same issue.

#1. Tea Detox.. For the next 30 days I will be drinking a tea detox which will benefit my internal functions. According to my research people with seborrhea dermatitis will benefit from a detox cleansing. I will be using the Yogi Detox tea which contains many natural ingredients, including clove and burdock root. The theory behind detoxing is that it will cleanse the body of any toxics that contribute to the overgrowth of yeast.

#2. Exercise... I will walk on my treadmill at least 3 times a week for 30 minutes. I hope to increase my walking to most days of the week. But, I know I must start somewhere so I will start slow. Studies show that people who exercise are healthier and their bodies function more efficiently. Also, this will help to increase my circulation.

#3. Use MN mixture on scalp... For this one I did A LOT of research and prayed about it. For those of you who don't know miconazole nitrate (MN) is the active ingredient in Monistat 7. Yes, the vaginal cream. I know I will probably get some flack for using this on my scalp BUT my scalp condition is due to an overgrowth of YEAST. There are MANY testimonials on YouTube and on various blogs about how using the cream diluted with oils or water resulted in at least double the growth. I will be mixing a small amount to start with Jamican Black Castor/Pimento Oil. Diluting a small amount of the MN with oil will eliminate any side effects. According to my research some people have gotten side effects, such as redness and tenderness at the application site; ringing the ears; and increased shedding. Mostly, this is due to applying MN straight from the tube to the scalp. For more info on Monistat for hair growth visit http://suicidesevemonistat.blogspot.com/2011/03/growing-your-hair-using-monistat.html?m=1.

#4. Increase my produce (fruits and veggies) intake and decrease fatty foods and sugars. Unfortunately, I have some bad eating habits. While I drink A LOT of water daily, I have somewhat of a sweet tooth. Just the other week my son and I made some red velvet cupcakes. I devoured them to the point where my son complained that I ate more than my share. I think out of all things in my new challenge, this one will be the most difficult for me. Also, I have an obsession with bread and starch. I LOVE bread products and anything made with dough like pizza. I will be working on finding some healthy alternatives.

This is my plan to increase my hair growth and become healthier. As I've said, I did a lot of research to ensure that my plan was tailor fit for MY needs. I'm not advocating that anyone follow my lead. I have suffered with this scalp condition for years. I've gone to the dermatologist for years and then, I realized that what I was being prescribed dealt with my symptoms but I was not being healed. I go forth in this journey with excitement and anticipation.

Have you decided to change anything in your hair regimen? If so, why ? What are your plans?