Anyone shaved their head for a fresh start?

**firevegan** · July 13th, 2014, 01:51 AM

I just read nightshade's damaged hair article. It shows photos of types of damaged hair, and enlightens you to the science behind what damage is.

I've henna'd my (pre-bleached, pre-dyed) hair, got sick of the red and dyed over it with black, bleached it back, and did it again. etc. Needless to say, every hair on my head likely demonstrates one of those pictures in the article that has a completely destroyed cuticle.

It is so damaged that I have to constantly keep it up 24-7 because if I leave it down for 5 minutes it becomes matted together like one giant dread. haha, it's terrible and quite hard to manage. (Not complaining, I promise.)

So I am seriously contemplating just shaving it all off and starting new. I want to rediscover my natural hair-color and grow it out "virgin", without dealing with half cool brown and half flaming orange hair once I hit my goal length.

Is there ANYONE out there who has shaved their long but damaged hair off and started new? Tell me your story?

Maybe point me to a support thread for other shaved head / fresh start people?

Here is nightshade's wonderful article: http://web.archive.org/web/201201250...e&articleid=79

**Nesoi** · July 13th, 2014, 02:22 AM

Mine wasn't damaged (it was past waist-length, virgin and in good condition) but I DID cut it all off. I pixied for a couple of months and then got sick of the upkeep so I started shaving it at home. I last shaved it in 2012 and now I'm almost at APL in 2014. I absolutely love that all the hair I have has been looked after since I grew it, if that makes sense. I have had one big trim at the hairdresser (to de-mullet) and done one small home-trim in that time. I used to cut my own hair at WL anyway so it's not new for me.

It WAS a big adjustment going from very long (in non LHC terms) to very short, but I loved it! I loved having a pixie, I adored having a shaved head, and I have actually loved every stage since, chin/shoulder flippy abyss excepted. And even that looked pretty cute with very minimal effort as I learned to let my natural waves take over.

There are quite a few people on the Super-Shorties thread who are starting again from shaved, and you can also Google Igor's Bell Tower if you haven't already and see an awesome journey from shaved to past knee!

So my advice would be: do it. But that's because I did it and enjoyed it! Others will be along with different experiences and advice. Something else you could try is cutting back to one body marker at a time to see if that helps with the damage without losing all your length. How long is your hair now, BSL?

**Medievalmaniac** · July 13th, 2014, 05:39 AM

I was going to recommend the same thing-- rather than shaving it entirely, what about trying to cut back to APL, or collarbone, or even a bob, and then growing it out from that point with microtrims? It would spare you the complete shock of going bald--unless you want the experience to see what it's like.

I went from TBL to bald, but it was because I was undergoing cancer treatment. It was traumatizing and horrible and it has taken forever and ever to grow back. I'm currently almost 3 years out from bald and just getting to BSL, and it has grown out in layers, so I have quite the mullet going on right now.

So, I think it depends on your comfort level with the idea of being a super-shortie for at least 1.5 years (that's when I hit shoulder) and your ultimate goals for your hair. If it were me, I'd start by cutting it to a shorter length but not necessarily shaving it all off, and then using rehabilitation methods to help it grow healthier from that point.

**HairFaerie** · July 13th, 2014, 05:50 AM

I did. It grew from shaved to almost waist in three years with plenty of cuts/trims in between. Unfortunately, I ruined it again...

**PinkyCat** · July 13th, 2014, 06:49 AM

I didn't shave but I chopped - recently.
Remember my crazy blonde excursion last summer? Well I was at TB and I was suddenly possessed by this crazy idea that I needed to be blonde. I wish I could easily post pics because the journey was amazing. (I'm on mobile)
I did 6 full bleachings in a 30 day period - oh I was blonde alright. But my curls! Gone! They just lay there dead, frizzy, flat. It was like 80s hair metal cotton batting .
So I enjoyed the new color for a couple months, my ridiculous black roots coming in every two weeks which I bleached immediately. Boy is that for the birds let me tell ya.
So I decided to go back dark. It took a good 5 more tries because there was no cuticle left to hold the color - it would fade out in days!
It was ugly hair. I felt like Gargamel. No shine, no curl, nothing pretty or nice about it. Even soaked with oil & bunned it looked like a brillo pad staked to my head with a stick.
So one Friday night, hubby was out riding moto with the boys, and I was home with a bottle of merlot. The next thing I know, I'm in the bathroom with my CreaClip hacking andslicing and chopping.
It felt AWESOME!! I went from TB to Neck in a matter of moments! And it curled up!! Woo hoo!!
I had to slap hubbs a few times to revive him after he came home & fainted (kidding). But boy does it feel and IMO, look great. I have a very round basketball shaped face so the fullness of the curls around it looks amazing. I can just put it back in a teeny ponytail but it just looks so severe, I wonder why I wore it like that for so long.
So I'm growing out, but I'm only going to apl with layers so I can keep this awesome lion's mane of fullness!!

I say go for it - you may just discover that you adore it!

**Federica** · July 13th, 2014, 08:47 AM

I've never shaved my hair or cutted it very short, I chosen the other way to remove damage (several trims and protective hairstyles) and - to be honest - sometimes I wish I had the courage to cut it all off and start fresh.
But if you really want to chop it all I would suggest you to start cutting it to a shorter body marker, wait a couple of weeks then decide if you want to cut it more or not.
Best wishes on your healty growth

**lapushka** · July 13th, 2014, 08:50 AM

Originally Posted by Federica

But if you really want to chop it all I would suggest you to start cutting it to a shorter body marker, wait a couple of weeks then decide if you want to cut it more or not.

Best advice *ever*! Go shorter slowly, in case you regret it. Going bald or *very* short is a shock to the system (ask me how I know), and you might not take it well, so go slowly.

**Hrtchoco** · July 13th, 2014, 09:00 AM

I agree with cutting it short but not too short initially. I had a few big chopped not due to damage, but I just want shorter hair. It was kinda hard to grow hair back healthy from very short length for me since I just didn't want to trim all that much.

**neko_kawaii** · July 13th, 2014, 09:02 AM

I went from waist length to shaved in one go, but not to remove damage, simply because I wanted the experience. I say if it is something that interests you, go for it. I found it a great experience and enjoyed watching people react to it. When it gets long enough to be unruly I either encouraged the unruliness or covered it with a pretty scarf/bandana.