I give up...accepting all bright ideas :)

[Cyetra]

I've always had long hair, and its never really given me any hassles.

This time last year, though, it was suddenly in a terrible state- thinning, breaking, split ends and ratty. I'd changed nothing in my routine [more on that below]

I trimmed a few inches off, and decided I'd spend 2012 maintaining it there to grow out the worst.

Well, its a year now... and while it is a little better and probably not breaking *as much*, the ends haven't thickend up much at all despite the microtrims and there still seems to be split ends everywhere despite a monthly s&d I've stuck to religiously.

So now I give up...anyone got a smart idea?

FYI, I don't blowdry [air dry only], wash once a week after a night of oil soaking, with a very mild shampoo and tried and trusted conditioner [haven't changed them in a decade] in cold water, SMT once a month, vinegar rinse as seems suitable and clarify likewise. I don't brush- wide toothed comb only, my comb is sandalwood and I've had it for years, and my hair is up almost all the time- I check my toys for damage possabilities.

Hence why I am stuck in puzzlement.

[spidermom]

The only thing I'd change in the above is to use warm water for washing and conditioning. Warmth helps conditioner penetrate.

Otherwise, it might be something internal. How's your diet and other health habits? Any room for improvement? High stress?

[henné]

I second spidermom. What else ...

How about your hormones? Going through anything major? Post-partum or post-menopausal? How about the scissors you use? Are you sure they're as sharp as possible? I almost never have split ends, but the time I did have some, it was due to using totally brand new shears that were just not sharp enough, even though theoretically they were supposed to be. They were cheap, so that's probably it :D

I wish you good luck!

[melusine963]

Maybe check to see if your shampoo/conditioner ingredients have changed. Manufacturers often tinker with the recipes, without any kind of warning. I hope you figure things out quickly.

[lapushka]

Could be something up with your health, something hormonal, thyroid issue, what have you... I'd get that checked out if you're worried and if your hair is *really* falling out, thinning tons. Maybe it's your age (don't know how old you are), something menopauzal.

Anyway, I hope you recover soon. I'd consider trimming more off and possibly microtrimming until your hair recovers.

[DinaAG]

always check your thyroid-diet-depression for that, any messing with any of those can ruin the greatest hair ever

[raingirl]

I vote checking your health as well. Sounds like the issue is at the root and could have been like that for years. I would estimate the length of your hair at the time it started, and count back in months/years to see if your body did any changes starting then?

[Cyetra]

Thanks for the thoughts guys.

He he....I see I clipped 'and RINSE in cold water'...I use warm water for washing, lol. Silly trigger fingers. Scissors *should* be ok, cos they are a very good pair. I've never quite managed to work out how to sharpen hair scissors though- folks always say its a different edge to paper.

Not post patum and way off menopausal :) So they are out. My diet's good too- I'm a pescatarian desperatly in love with salads. No, really. ;)

We've just come off the back of a very rough 5 years, but this one has been a tad stressful but-in-good-way....things are much better now. I think that's why this is suddenly fragging me off ;) Maybe delayed stress, who knows? I've had terrible PMS for years- ironically *thats* been a ton better this last year :)

Ugh...does sound like blood tests up ahead, though I have no other symptoms of anything that are impinging. I've wondered about thyroid, but I am fairly sure my hair is breaking rather then falling, though I may be wrong. Unfortunatly, we have no state healthcare out here and the doc is so darn expensive, megh...

Wish me luck!

[jacqueline101]

If you've done all the things everyone suggested and nothing helps I'd see the doctor.

[kitcatsmeow]

Definitely stress can show up YEARS later as can poor diet, drugs, alcohol abuse any poor health habits really....they all can manifest in a variety of ways long after the fact.

[LaurelSpring]

On the health related topic, any medications? Antibiotics make me shed like crazy. Oh and here is another thing that happened once. I had been taking Hair Skin and Nail vitamins for awhile and ran out. I kept forgetting to get more and started into a shed. I think my hair/body got use to the amount of biotin in the vitamins and not having it somehow made an impact.

[jojo]

Thanks for the thoughts guys.

He he....I see I clipped 'and RINSE in cold water'...I use warm water for washing, lol. Silly trigger fingers. Scissors *should* be ok, cos they are a very good pair. I've never quite managed to work out how to sharpen hair scissors though- folks always say its a different edge to paper.

Not post patum and way off menopausal :) So they are out. My diet's good too- I'm a pescatarian desperatly in love with salads. No, really. ;)

We've just come off the back of a very rough 5 years, but this one has been a tad stressful but-in-good-way....things are much better now. I think that's why this is suddenly fragging me off ;) Maybe delayed stress, who knows? I've had terrible PMS for years- ironically *thats* been a ton better this last year :)

Ugh...does sound like blood tests up ahead, though I have no other symptoms of anything that are impinging. I've wondered about thyroid, but I am fairly sure my hair is breaking rather then falling, though I may be wrong. Unfortunatly, we have no state healthcare out here and the doc is so darn expensive, megh...

Wish me luck!
Sounds like my hair for the past 18 months, i have hypothyroidism and developed a inverted V which was thinning in my hemline, thyroid problems make the hair drier and therefore more likely to break as well as shed. I also had anaemia which just added to the problem. Other signs of hypithyroidism are;
Aching joints
Feeling cold all the time
Feeling exhasted all the time
Depression
Dry skin
Sudden greying of hair
Brain fog, you kinda forget what your saying in the middle of a sentance or forget the words for common things
Slow pulse, to name a few
Very similar symptoms for anaemia but add getting short of breath to the list. Id definately get some bloods done, if it is the above your hair will recover, mine has, its regained its shine, the dryness has gone and for the first time in 2 years im baxk to growing at my previous speed, my hair growth just got to the point where it was hardly growing.
Also look at your fluid intake, how many hours sleep you are having. Maybe even try a sulphate free shampoo and see if it makes a difference, i totally emphasise, hope you find the answers soon and get. This sorted out.