help. my hair is in the "horrible" stage

[forgotten1]

I've posted a few threads asking question about growing out my hair and how I've grown it out numerous times. Well I just washed my hair and wanted to show and ask if maybe you could diagnose my hair dilemma. I hate the way it looks. It's all thin looking. I recently quit straightening it with an iron and blow dryer.

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa221/Cheeseistheword/forgotten1.jpg

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa221/Cheeseistheword/forgotten_one.jpg

here's some pics.
it's also wavy underneath.
i hate it.

[lady G]

Hi hun, your hair looks like mine did at that length if I did not blow dry it to give it more volume. Sadly I quit at that length as without the dryer I simply could not feel happy with it or find other ways to make it look fuller the way I wanted, so I went back to a graduated chin length bob and I am happy with that so I can blow dry to my hearts content and not worry as it gets trimmed regularly. I have naturally fine hair and thats just genetic as my mum is the same. I think you have to be happy with what your own hair is like naturally. Yours looks LOVELY and the colour is GORGEOUS too. We are our own worst critics and its just you that is thinking your hair is not right and its making you feel unhappy with it try not to be harsh on yourself and love your hair. If you do get some tips on how to get it fuller without a dryer do keep me posted as maybe in the future I may grow mine again and try it out. I do hope you persevere and not give up like I did....... sadly I think I am a black hair dye, blowdryer, salon junkie!


hugs

[Katze]

It's an awkward length, at least mine was when it was that long. Mine flipped out at the ends into what I call "first lady hair" - YUK! :D

I can see you have fine, wavy hair. Learning to deal with fine hair is hard; so is learning to deal with wavy. No salon that I ever went to ever told me that my hair was wavy, or that I could encourage its wave, and none of them ever dealt with my fine hair as it should be handled - gently!

My diagnosis: you need patience, deep moisture treatments, and above all, GENTLE treatment.

Our hair type can be frustrating when you have to relearn how to take care of it. Believe me, when I first came to LHC I posted so many posts like yours! After stopping bleaching, dyeing, and heat styling, my hair started to recover, but it needed adjustment.

Looking at all the pictures of what seems to be perfect, thick, beautifully-managed hair on this site can indeed be hard, but remember many, many of us have been through what you're going through!

It WILL grow; it IS growing now.

:flower:

Katze

[DecafJane]

It is a tough length - if you can, pull it up until it gets a bit longer. :)

[forgotten1]

It's an awkward length, at least mine was when it was that long. Mine flipped out at the ends into what I call "first lady hair" - YUK! :D

I can see you have fine, wavy hair. Learning to deal with fine hair is hard; so is learning to deal with wavy. No salon that I ever went to ever told me that my hair was wavy, or that I could encourage its wave, and none of them ever dealt with my fine hair as it should be handled - gently!

My diagnosis: you need patience, deep moisture treatments, and above all, GENTLE treatment.

Our hair type can be frustrating when you have to relearn how to take care of it. Believe me, when I first came to LHC I posted so many posts like yours! After stopping bleaching, dyeing, and heat styling, my hair started to recover, but it needed adjustment.

Looking at all the pictures of what seems to be perfect, thick, beautifully-managed hair on this site can indeed be hard, but remember many, many of us have been through what you're going through!

It WILL grow; it IS growing now.

:flower:

Katze


The first lady hair comment made me laugh. That's a good name for it. Also, everyone tells me that I have no wave in my hair. They never understand that it has waves. I mean when I used to have it to my waist I had plenty of waves. I guess no one can really understand your hair except yourself.
:)

[Arctic]

Are we possible hair twins??? Do you have straight canopy and wavy underlayer???

I see you have layers, which are the propably a reason for why you feel your hair looks thin. What are your growing plans according the layers? My experience is, that MY hair looks better without layers, it looks it thickest. (this excludes bangs/ couple face framing layers.)

It's great news you've given up heatstyling! You have wavy hair, which helps to bring volume there :) I think your hair looks lovely, actually! :flower:

You'll propably need to pamper the hair alot with moisture. Use nice sparkly hair pins :) Learn to love your hair! Your colour is stunning, btw!

Many members here notice their hair gets thicker, wavier, etc when they start taking care of it. I recommend CWC washing method warmly, coconut oil was also great for my hair. Henna too, but it colours red permanently.

Read as much you can, try one thing at the time so you'll know if it works... blog your experiences... You can do it!

[vampodrama]

oh yes, I know that stage - I started to grow from a buzzcut basically, so my hair was for a very long time in that awkward stage where you can't do anything with it.

my hair, when short, sticks up from the ends. I looked like a freaking manga character for a very long time.

positive side in all this - it will pass :D

your hair looks long enough for mini-pigtails or ponytail stub... maybe little clips to hold back the layers? or a headband?

also, if you want to give your hair volume and body, then I hear cassia is good for this, but it does have some colour change to it (golden, mostly). henna too, of course, but with your current colour you'll end up flaming fiery red :)

[Arctic]

I might be good idea to make the most of this phase by encouraging the flipping out :) For a young person, hair like manga character isn't necessarily a bad thing :D (I personally don't think your hair looks like manga character, just quoting Vampodramas post how she felt about her own hair).
Work with your hair, let it flip from the ends, enjoy it! After all, like others have said, this stage will pass. Enjoy the possibillities your hair has NOW. Emphasize your hairs natural tendencies! It will grow but it's wise to make most of the journey and not just keep your eyes on the destination ;)

[manderly]

How long are you planning on growing your hair?

I think it looks cute, but that's me.

If you aren't going for extraordinary lengths, go ahead and blow your hair out the way you like it. Sure, you'll get a little damage, but it will help you through this rough patch and won't be anything seriously detrimental to your hair.

Just remember to wean yourself off the dryer when it gets longer and see how you like it :)

[Little_Bird]

Hello there!

Welcome to the boards! I think that you did great about quitting the heat styling, that's a hair killer!!
So, hold on to that! Growing long hair is not that hard, you just have to give to your hair so that it will give to you too.

Also, maybe the style you have right now is making your hair look thinner. As your hair grows, maybe you'll want to have slight trims to even out your ends so they will look blunt and thick.

You'll get lots of great advice here on the forum, I'm sure you'll be able to grow your hair successfully! I wish you the best luck! And welcome!!!

[spidermom]

You can still blow-dry your hair on the cooler setting to get a little volume; it won't hurt your hair as long as you aren't pulling and stretching with a brush. I also think you could benefit from about a 1/4 inch trim off the very bottom-most layer. Stunning color and texture.

[chrissy-b]

Hey! Welcome to the boards!!

My hair had the same problem at your length. Tons of layers, very thin w/o body, and my hair is mostly fine (w a few random M hairs stuck in).

Stretching out washes helps: once you can get past the greasies and your scalp's oil production calms down, my hair actually has more body when it's a little dirty. Also, my hair actually looks thicker the longer it gets, even with all the layers. I've been doing cassia treatments that have helped tremendously too.

Give it a while. I know this stage totally sucks, but you'll be through it soon enough and with all the help and advice you'll get here I'm sure you'll soon love your hair again!

[bgarrison]

FWIW, I think it looks cute, too and the color's really pretty. I know it's a tough length though. Hang in there. It will grow.

Clips? Tiny sticky out-y little pony's with colored bands? I always think those look great, but may not be your style. Scarves and tiaras and other things.?Tulle around the head?? :)

Just looked at it again.I think you're adorable. But I know hating one's hair.

P.S. A little gel or mousse can be a life saver at awkward thin stages, imo.

[detritus]

Just figure out a few ways to have a little fun with it while it grows. Pigtails, ponytail, poofy bangs, whatever. You may even have enough length to do two small scrunchy buns (my favorite updo, at least until I got a few inches cut off last week).

I just learned this cool twisty style that I'm sure your hair is long enough to do. Plus the fineness is actually a plus. This style also keeps your ends protected.
http://ysolda.com/wordpress/2007/01/10/snow-white-hair/#more-204

[Arctic]

You could also french braid your bangs every now and then. I used that alot when my bangs were growing out. Soon you can frenchbraid all of your hair :)

[jojo]

A difficult stage for sure but like SM said you can still blow dry on a cool setting, i do from time to time.

Other than that baby it, it will grow and get past this stage, then it gets easier honest xx

[Nightshade]

You've already gotten great advice, and I'd also recommended checking out the damaged hair article in my siggy for further reading :)



IBelieve me, when I first came to LHC I posted so many posts like yours! After stopping bleaching, dyeing, and heat styling, my hair started to recover, but it needed adjustment.

Katze, I just wanted to say that seeing you post a response like that makes me smile. I remember those many threads and how much you despaired. It's heartening to see you now on the other side, giving that same morale boost to others :)

[HairColoredHair]

Hrm... That's not horrible stage... It's cute headbands and barrettes stage! :D

[Katze]

You've already gotten great advice, and I'd also recommended checking out the damaged hair article in my siggy for further reading :)


Katze, I just wanted to say that seeing you post a response like that makes me smile. I remember those many threads and how much you despaired. It's heartening to see you now on the other side, giving that same morale boost to others :)

Thanks Nightshade. :D Although my hair won't look like yours for a long, long time, I'm also a ways past the "horrible" hair stage. Forgotten, as I said before, it WILL grow - just be patient. This can be one of the hardest things about hair.

Little barrettes (look in the kids' section for fun ones too), headbands, ponytail/braid stubs were all my go-to looks when my hair was between chin and shoulder. That length was nothing but awkward! However, you have the advantage of a better face shape than I do, so see what kind of edgy, cute, girly, sporty stuff you can pull off.

At your length I also started doing pincurls for that 1920s-1930s look but I had a much more blunt cut...

[Nightshade]

Thanks Nightshade. :D Although my hair won't look like yours for a long, long time, I'm also a ways past the "horrible" hair stage. Forgotten, as I said before, it WILL grow - just be patient. This can be one of the hardest things about hair.

Eh, it'll come sooner than you think! I mean, look how far you've come already, and it wasn't THAT long ago my hair was busted to hell and BSL as well. Your hair is in much better shape than mine ever was at that length, and from here you're on the home stretch :D