I have never been able to get my 7 year old little girls hair to grow, her hair is very short and is very dry and feels like straw.
I have tried all kinds of shampoos and conditioners on her hair and the only one I have found that works okay is Patene. It does make her hair softer but still by the end of the day it is dry and looks like it hasn't been brushed all day.
She takes a chewable multivitamin every day and eats very well. I don't keep junk food in the house either.
Any advice?

You need to be sure you are using a shampoo developed for use on fine hair. Many of the 'regular' formula shampoo's are too strong for fine hair and will actually make it dry. Are you using any type of leave-in conditioner on her hair? You might try Infusium 23 - the one that sprays on rather than the one that pours on.

You could also use Jojoba Oil to help condition and moisturize her hair. After washing and towel drying (gently), apply about half a dime size of the oil into your hands, distribute evenly, then distribute it tthroughout her hair. It will help with the fly-away's as well as to rehydrate the hair.

That straw statement sounded very familiar!
When I was pregnant, my hair was not my own. I wouldn't claim that barn residue for anything!
I was watching this show on lifetime called ATTITUDES with Linda Dano and this guy was doing hair makeovers. He made this concoction using an egg (at room temperature), mayonaise and Pompeian Extra Virgin Olive Oil. (The exact formula I don't recall, so I'm going to have to suggest you wing it.)I use about a 1/4 cup of olive oil and 1/2 of mayonaise with the egg. Mixed and pour over hair. Massage in lightly. Then put a plastic cap on it and a warm towel over that for about 10 minutes. I shampooed and then to my surprise...Hair!!!!!!!! It finally felt like hair again after 8 months. And it finally looked like hair I wasn't afraid to have seen on my head again too!

[This message has been edited by beaters (edited 01-09-2003).]

ATTENTION!It is NOT what you put on it!It is your diet,you are what you eat,your daughter needs vitamins,and healthy nutrition.She is lacking something,even if you think her diet is healthy,it is not,if her hair is dry.My daughter's is 11,and I buy muti vit's for her for this reason,and many more.My daughter swims in bleach at the pool 3-7 days a week,somedays not washing the bleach out and going to bed with wet hair.Her hair is so very healthy,and shiny.Mine is to my butt,and dry although thick and full,my health is bad and my hair shows it first.Good luck,you are a wonderful mother to care enough to try to find help for her,god bless*****AmberDoo's

I've heard that eating gelatin is really good for hair and nail growth.

a balanced diet is important, but i believe that the best shampoos and conditioners are the ones from hair salons. they are way more expensive, (the one i buy is aboud $25 each) but it is worth it. the shampoos that u get from supermarkets are crap (just my opinion)a beauty thearpist told me that supermarket shampoos contain only a quarter of the good stuff (sorry dunno what the term she used was)and the rest is just refills of soap or something (dont quote me on that cos i kinda forget what she said)but bottom line the expensive ones are actually better which from experience i agree with.

she also said that hair should not be washed more than once every 3 days because hair needs its natural oils to be health and look healthy. the beauty therapist washes her hair once a week (no joke) and it actually looks fantastic, and she is in her a mature woman (in her 50s.)but the shampoo must be from a salon.

sorry for dribbling 4 so long lol