I need to start over, with pic...

[Mary <><]

Here is a current pic of my hair. Hub took this pic last night. I had a covering on over it and had just pulled it down and this was what it looked like. Kinda scraggly since I had not had a chance to brush it yet. So here is my story, I had one baby (seen in the pic with me <3 )and my hair was awesome during pregnancy, but of course after having him it really went down hill. Then, got it back in shape, got pregnant again, but sadly I lost the baby. And I am losing all my hair now too! My hair is at the worst I have seen it in a while. LOTS of breakage, very weak and brittle, dry, and also falling out faster than I can catch them all! :( (The loss was just a few months ago in late September) I have definitely not put the effort into it lately that I had in the past. Now I am at a loss of where to begin again. I have CWC since joining here in 2006 or 2007 (I forget), I used to use SAO or Jojoba oil, so I know I need to be more faithful with that again. I def need a new brush but no idea where to begin with finding one (tried a TT but it is just not for me). Plus my hair type has changed since the 2 pregnancies, so I really am at a loss as to what my new hair needs and need to re-type it, but really do not want to let it dry without messing with it, I have tried, ha! I am tempted to cut off the last 8" just to start over with less damage to work with, but I really like how long it is now. But, without further delay, here is the good, the bad, and the damaged of what remains of my hair today, lol. Advice welcomed! Links even better!

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b373/MLeary/DSCF7160.jpg

[Tressie]

Hi Mary! First I want to say I'm so very sorry for your loss!! :grouphug: May the Lord comfort you as only He can. I can only see one pic of you standing in front of your adorable child in a high chair. Your hair looks marvelous! Long, shiny and just gorgeous! I wouldn't do a thing to it! I use a cheap plastic fine tooth comb for easing out tangles and smoothing, also a wide-tooth comb for combing. TT didn't do much for me either. It pulled the tangled hair out, but felt great on the scalp! :blossom:

[hafattack]

I agree.. i can only see one picture and your hair looks marvelous!! I would say just keep pampering it! If it feels better to, maybe a trim but your hair looks great :)

[Annibelle]

I'm sorry for your loss. :grouphug:

I think your hair looks stunning the way it is.

[Mary <><]

Thanks everyone! Yes, I only put up one pic.

TRESSIE - - =O Your hair is AWESOME!!! It has grown so much since I was on here before!

[spidermom]

I think your hair looks good, too. Maybe a trim; hard to say.

[jacqueline101]

I'd say a trim might be in order. I'm also sorry for your loss. I'd definitely get re typed, new brush, and try to get a care routine established. Maybe some oils and benign neglect. That's after the shed slows down and stops.

[lunalocks]

I am so sorry for your loss.

Your little one is adorable!

Your hair looks beautiful, but only you can tell the difference. I vote for a small trim -1 to 2 inches. See what it does. If you are up for a S and D session, go for it.

I use a wood bristle brush, a Bass. I never brush wet, I comb with a smooth toothed, wide tooth comb, starting from the bottom up. Baby oil has done wonders for my hair, 2 drops on ends mostly and along length, after washing and at bedtime, for splits and tangles.

Good luck and let us know about the results.

[Sillage]

Starting over? Whaaaaat? Your hair looks great to me!

Sonia Kashuk makes a fantastic hair brush for under $16 at Target http://www.target.com/p/sonia-kashuk-hair-brush/-/A-10563302

I have 2 of them and I love them. They are the perfect mix of natural and boar bristle.

Someone on here told me it's located with the rest of her make up brush line, not with the other hair brushes, just fyi.

[Elanadi]

oh, I think your hair is beautiful!!! If it's dry, maybe try oil treatments? I used coconut oil a few times when my ends were try, and it really helped. I loaded it on, braided it, and slept on it.

I'm so sorry for your loss. That must be so hard. :( Your little one is sooooo cute, he looks like a tiny, perfect little man, I love his little face! What an angel.

[spirals]

I'm sorry to hear of your loss! It's true that no one else can comfort you like God can. For what it's worth, your hair is so beautiful. Maybe you just need some overnight oilings for a while.

[Tressie]

Thanks Mary, you are too kind! :flower:

[Carolyn]

I am so sorry for your loss :grouphug: I second the advice on the Sonia Kashuk brush. I have one too and it's very nice. It's a knock off of the MP mixed bristle brush. I have both so I can attest to how similar they are. I think your hair looks very nice and healthy. We are often our own worst critics! How about a 2" trim and a vow to get back to regular oilings?

[Sarahlabyrinth]

I'm sorry about your loss, hugs... But I think your hair is gorgeous! And I don't think it needs trimming even. Maybe as others have said, try a bit of pampering with oils? And your little man is really cute!

[skyblue]

So sorry for your loss hon, I don't see a thing wrong with your hair, it looks gorgeous and even your ends look great, trim if you want to, but I think it looks great to me! If only my ends looked as good!! Sighs

[princess007]

Wow...I would be ecstatic to have your hair. I think it looks nice. Pregnancy hormones will do crazy things to our bodies but it will adjust back soon.

I dont think you need to cut off 8 inchs...maybe just the last 2 or 3 inches at the most. Not more than that though.

[alyaziaaah]

I am so sorry for you loss as well, thank God you have one lovely boy!
I would like to know in which way did your hair texture change?
It looks wavy to me so maybe it's a bit porous like curly hair?
Then you might want to change CWC to co wash?
You might want to test your hair if it needs more protein or moisture?
I would also put coconut oil over night and braid and co it out in the morning.
Also you can add coconut oil into your condish and just clip it up, cover in with a shower cap and towel
And let it sit a while then co it out.

[Fairlight63]

I think that your hair looks very pretty. I don't think that you need to cut off a lot of inches either. What I do is trim off an inch every month & I think that it is helping to thicken it up my ends without losing a lot of length all at once. When my hair is feeling really dry I wet it & put some olive oil on it & bun it up. My hair soaks up the olive oil in no time & feels much better.

[Nebulae]

I agree with the other posters that your hair looks wonderful! I cannot see any terrible damage in that pic, I think it looks very healthy and shiny! Maybe a little trimming of the ends would freshen it up a little and make you feel better about it. :)

I'm also very sorry to hear about your loss.. nobody should ever need to go through such a thing. :grouphug:

[ghost]

Your hair looks really pretty to me! I've heard that a good pre-shower oiling (leaving the oil on for an entire day while your hair is up in a bun) with coconut oil can reduce after-shower breakage, and it will add moisture to your hair. Maybe that would be a good place to start? I used to have pretty damaged hair, though not as long as yours, and I fixed it through oiling like I just described, and on wash days I alternated a moisturizing shampoo and a restoring shampoo (I used Aveda dry remedy and damage remedy -damage remedy is good bc it has veggie protein, thus can be used multiple washes in a row since it doesn't build up the way animal protein does- but any moisturizing/restoring shampoo combo should work). That helped to get the length of my hair feeling good again.
As for trimming, cutting off eight inches at a time can be quite traumatic. Start with an inch, two at the most, and see how your ends feel after that.

[Mary <><]

You guys are so awesome! Thanks for lifting my spirit about the condition of my hair! And thanks to all of you for offering your kind words about my sweet boy and my lost bebe. Means so very much to me to have such kind and understanding advice!

alyaziaaah - My hair type changed a lot, especially after the loss. The color lightened a bit, which I was thankful for, lol. But some pieces went straight and the ones that are still wavy are less wavy than they had been before. I always wanted straighter hair, but somehow I feel the loss of waviness is a reflection of the loss of health I am experiencing. The hairs are also much finer. Just feels scraggly to me. But all of the comments here are helping!

So you guys really think that oiling will do the trick without much of a trim or without a trim at all??? Wow. Well I have been slack about it lately but I will def step it up on that. Thanks so much for all of the advice & encouragement everyone!

[Aladria]

I think your hair looks wonderful! I am sure it is suffering due to the stress you are going through grieving for your child, but with time and care, you will both begin to heal. :-) Pamper yourself. You deserve it!