Please help me grow my hair again, ditching the bleach

[Tbee]

Hey, I posted this in the newbie section but then realised that people dont always look in the newbie section and I am absolutely desperate for help. I hope this is ok.

I've always had quite longish hair up until last year and then it all started to go horribly wrong. My hair is very fine but there is/was alot of it. I used to have it trimmed/cut twice a year, sometimes once. I decided to go blonde again in December 2010. Since then I've had my roots touched up with bleach every 6-8 weeks. All was fine up until December last year. I had a major shed so my hair thinned quite a bit but my hair also started breaking off. My hairdresser has always trimmed my hair each time to keep it looking nice and healthy which I didnt mind until 12 weeks ago. She said I'll give you a good trim this time and took 3 inches off and added some more layers. 6 weeks later she trims again and takes 2 inches off so in 12 weeks i lost 5 inches of length and the layers have just made my hair look, quite frankly ridiculous. I said to her at the time I was so happy as the layers had grown and literally the next second she snips them. My hair in 2 and a half years has gone from luscious and beautiful, to thin, wispy and barely there. I even visited the doctor for bloods as I was so worried but everything came back fine. I feel so upset and really am in mourning of my hair. I love my hair being long and thats when I'm most happy. I also love blonde and feel best blonde but if its killing my hair its just not worth it.

I think there may well be 2 things going on here. 1 is my hair/bleach combo and the other is my hairdresser. I really do like her, shes great, but I get the feeling she likes to do her clients hair how she likes rather than what the client likes if you know what I mean. I know she finds hair all one length boring and she hates middle partings lol... Its just like she is determined to chop my hair all off….

Anyway, I was booked in to have my roots done next week and I said to her after looking at my hair today that I need to lay off the bleach and she tried to persuade me not to. Now I love being blonde, but I tried saying "look, its really ruining my hair" but she says its not the bleach as she only touches up the roots so its not damaging. She said it was up to me but she loved me blonde and recommended I get a good shampoo and carry on. She also then said “I’ve only had my hair cut and coloured 4 times since December 2012 and that is not enough for healthy hair. Only 3 to 4 haircuts in 7 months will cause major breakage in healthy natural non coloured hair” Now to me this seems wrong? I know from my own experience that 1 or 2 haircuts a year and my hair used to be in better condition than it is now! I’ve always trusted her with my hair but this info seems way off?

I'm pretty certain its the bleach thats killing my hair. Looking through my pictures my hair just went to pieces after the bleach. I was blonde for a year before and you can see in the pictures how my hair just gets thinner and crap. I can't carry on being a blondie (even though I adore it) I'm sure if this continues I will be bald in a couple of years.

Here are some pics of my hair.

Natural virgin hair 2009-2010

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n27/Sarah_Tillybird/8e98173d-e3e6-4e5d-ac9a-08d94519cbb6_zps9de0fda3.jpg (http://s108.photobucket.com/user/Sarah_Tillybird/media/8e98173d-e3e6-4e5d-ac9a-08d94519cbb6_zps9de0fda3.jpg.html)
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n27/Sarah_Tillybird/Unknown026472_zpsebe4c858.jpg (http://s108.photobucket.com/user/Sarah_Tillybird/media/Unknown026472_zpsebe4c858.jpg.html)

2010 when I started to go blonde
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n27/Sarah_Tillybird/Unknown008203_zps3ca4d70a.jpg (http://s108.photobucket.com/user/Sarah_Tillybird/media/Unknown008203_zps3ca4d70a.jpg.html)

2012 when I was blonde and it started slowly to go bad. It was naturally dried in this pic.
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n27/Sarah_Tillybird/DSC_0299_zpsdcf59a8c.jpg (http://s108.photobucket.com/user/Sarah_Tillybird/media/DSC_0299_zpsdcf59a8c.jpg.html)

and now from the back you can see just how thin and straggly it is It makes me want to cry
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n27/Sarah_Tillybird/nohairleft_zps27f81422.jpg (http://s108.photobucket.com/user/Sarah_Tillybird/media/nohairleft_zps27f81422.jpg.html)



So, Have any of lovely people some advice on what I can do to get my hair back? I stopped using heat 8 weeks ago, I stopped washing everyday too so now wash every 2-3 days. I always condition, I use leave in conditioner too and moroccan oil about twice a week. I very gently brush my hair now too. I've noticed that it doesnt seem to be breaking as bad but I'm sure the damage is done. What would you do if you were me? Any replies GREATLY appreciated xx

A few questions



Do you think its bleach that’s ruined my hair? Or a combination of things? Age? (Im 31)Heat?
Would prenatal vitamins help?
Would you stop having trims or if not how often should I get trimmed? I feel like everytime it grows the growth and more is then cut off 6 weeks later and its getting shorter and shorter. My hair doesn’t feel dry now but it is so incredibly thin.
What products could I use to help?




Oooops apologies for the massive pics!

[gillybeanxo3921]

There used to be articles on LHC you could read about this sort of thing, but since the crash they've changed things and it seems the articles haven't quite come back yet. I hope in time they will.

Check out this link:
http://www.hairfinder.com/hairquestions/bleachinghair.htm

I don't remember the article I read word for word, but that one is close to what I remember. Basically, bleach opens up the cuticle of your hair, exposing the cortex, which is where your natural hair pigment is kept. Then there is a chemical reaction that removes the pigment, at which point you wash the bleach out. Fact is, once the cuticle is opened, it never sits down exactly right. There are some shampoos and conditioners/treatments that can temporarily "fix" the cuticle, but it won't last.

This link has nice pictures and diagrams of what I'm trying to explain:
http://afrokinkilove.tumblr.com/post/30626105047/what-does-healthy-hair-look-like

The cuticle is what protects the cortex and basically what keeps the hair together. So you would definitely expect some shedding. So for your first question, yes, the bleach is definitely you're culprit. By the way, I like your natural color better :)

Prenatal vitamins, or just regular vitamins will definitely help. But you have to realize that the vitamins won't affect the hair you already have, just the new growth.

I went through the same exact problem with my hair dresser. Every time I needed a little trim they would take off three inches and then say if it didn't my hair would stop growing or some outrageous thing like that. I trim my own hair now, and I only take off about 1/4 inch every month. There are different methods of self trimming you can research on the LHC.

In terms of products, I would buy a nice drugstore deep conditioning treatment like aussie's three minute miracle or something like that, and I personally am in love with coconut oil. I use it almost daily, and it makes my hair softer, shinier, and a lot less tangly.

Combing hair is better than brushing it usually, but many people use boar bristle brushes too. The best comb is a wooden comb with no catches for the hair to snag on.

Wearing it up could possibly help prevent further shedding!

Good luck! I tried to include all the best tips I could think of and answer all your questions

[spidermom]

Oh my goodness but the natural color and texture of your hair is beautiful! You really don't need the bleach for beautiful hair; you have that naturally.

I know that getting my hair cut once or twice a year is bad; my hair just loves to split. I get much better length when I get regular small trims because my hair doesn't break off so much. I get it trimmed every 8-16 weeks.

It does appear that bleach and straightening are very bad for your hair as they would be for mine. I advise growing it out natural again.

[Vrindi]

Wow. Your natural color is amazing and really makes your green eyes stand out! The blond is beautiful, but I actually prefer your natural color.

I think it's the bleach that's hurting your hair. If you have fine hair, it tends to be much more sensitive to bleaching. I went blond a few years ago and my healthy, shiny hair instantly started splitting and breaking off. I will be battling splits until all the bleached ends are cut off, but with better care and no more bleach, I find fewer and fewer now.

Also, your hairdresser is entirely wrong about the trims. If you want to trim your hair every 2 months, usually only a dusting of 1/4 inch— not 3 inches!— is needed. Currently, I'm trimming about 1/4 inch every 8-10 weeks or so, which is called micro-trimming, to keep splits from getting out of hand and let the thickness catch up to my hemline. Honestly, it sounds to me like your stylist is more concerned with getting your bum in the chair on a regular basis to pay for upkeep. That is how they make a living, and they need regular clients. It really sounds like she's more concerned with creating a regular client out of paranoia instead of listening to what you actually want and helping you to have the hair you love. That's a problem. I'd find someone else.

Gillybeanxo3921 had some great advice about the combs and coconut oil and vitamins. I'd also add to that drink lots of water. It will help with healthier hair and skin.

[Komao]

I felt sick for you as I read your post. Perhaps it's not as bad as it seems to you, right now. I'm glad you discontinued the bleach. Your natural, virgin hair color is beautiful. Not using heat should help. I don't believe your age has anything to do with damage. As for the rest of your questions, I'll let the experts on LHC help with those.
I wish you the best of luck with your hair:blossom:

[Tbee]

Thank you ladies, that's really helpful.

I think I agree with you too in that my natural colour is much nicer than blonde. I think I've just gotten used to it and now I'm scared of the change. Looking at the pictures so much today has made me realise I was crazy to ever bleach it in the first place. I'm terrible for doing drastic things and its usually my hair that suffers. I should find something else change next time!

Do you think I should just let it grow out cold turkey? My hairdresser suggested dip dyeing it but I declined. Because my hair is almost white and my natural colour is so much darker it's going to look quite harsh growing it out. No pain no gain though I guess and it might teach me to appreciate my natural hair a lot more going through it. It definitely still grows though as my regrowth in 6 weeks is an inch and I have lots of new baby hair growing.

Vrindi I had my suspicions about my hairdresser too. It makes me sad to think that but I think you're right. She gets paid a fair bit by doing my hair as she does it on her days off and not in the salon. Hmm.

Thanks again. I will pop out tomorrow and get myself some coconut oil, a new comb and some vits to get started with. I'm so worried it won't grow back the same as before :( lots of tlc and prayers to the Hair Gods I think. I'm going to have a look around here too and get some tips :)

Thank you Komao. I feel like I've taken a big step towards getting my hair back which is good. I do feel very sick right now though looking at what I've done to my hair. I'm a Leo and I've always said my Mane was my best bit and look at what I did to it! Never ever again

[Leeloo]

I think your hair is just breaking off from the bleach damage and if you stop damaging it, it’ll grow back as it did before thick and healthy. I’d suggest stopping the bleach right now. If you’re ok with growing out the bleach color then great, if not then you might want to deposit some color to match your natural color to make the growing out process easier. I love your natural color! Next thing I’d suggest is to stop going to your current hair dresser. From what you said about her, she does not have your hairs’ health as her priority, just the extra income from more frequent visits and more expensive treatments (color and trim vs just trim). You can start with coconut overnight oiling before washdays to protect from protein loss. Maybe catnip rinses to keep the new grow that you’ll get.

[10000days]

Hi Tbee

I was recently in the EXACT same boat as you.
I know it sounds like 'just doing the roots' is fine. It's not.

Anyway, your natural hair looks blonde- why strive for white-blonde? :)

I'll reply later today with my suggestions.
But until then- let the anger and sadness that you feel now remind you that you're not going to use bleach EVER again.

Talk soon

[Othala]

I am so sad for you right now (and angry). I want you to show your hairdresser those photographs and ask her to describe what she sees and explain what she has done.

Yes, the bleach ruined the quality of your hair, but the scissor-happy hairdresser has butchered it. I would be seeking compensation.

Please stop the bleach and please stop the crazy cutting. Your natural hair is beautiful, wonderful, glorious and precious. It is also perfect for your skin tone and eye colour.

I think you need to pamper your hair and there is lots of advice on this forum as to how to achieve that. There will be a limited amount that you can do to improve the condition of your bleached hair, but the more you can take care of your new growth, the better.

I wish you the very best with whatever you decide to do. Just hope you sack that so-called hairdresser and find one that is customer-focused and knowledgeable (they do exist).

[NuclearApple]

The best thing you should do is a b.ig chop,but regular trims are good too to cut the damage.
I suggest to wear your hair up most of the time,use a good conditioner and a delicate shampoo and use lots of nutrient products.
I don't have currently the link but check out igorsbelltower blog,she says lots of true things and explain everything about hair,and also gives tips n tricks :)
Don't bother,if you treat it in the good way it will grow fast,strong and healthy.

[ebullience]

Originally when I gave up bleaching my hair I let it grow out naturally, but there was such a noticeable difference between my regrowth and the rest of my hair (black regrowth v bleached ends was a big contrast) that I decided to get the ends colored to match my natural colour. It worked out for me and it's an option for you - but either way you should definitely give up the bleach as your natural hair colour is gorgeous!

I think the best tips have already been given out in the posts above, I would only add that you should consider giving yourself scalp massages to encourage growth.

[Komao]

Thank you ladies, that's really helpful.

I think I agree with you too in that my natural colour is much nicer than blonde. I think I've just gotten used to it and now I'm scared of the change. Looking at the pictures so much today has made me realise I was crazy to ever bleach it in the first place. I'm terrible for doing drastic things and its usually my hair that suffers. I should find something else change next time!

Do you think I should just let it grow out cold turkey? My hairdresser suggested dip dyeing it but I declined. Because my hair is almost white and my natural colour is so much darker it's going to look quite harsh growing it out. No pain no gain though I guess and it might teach me to appreciate my natural hair a lot more going through it. It definitely still grows though as my regrowth in 6 weeks is an inch and I have lots of new baby hair growing.

Vrindi I had my suspicions about my hairdresser too. It makes me sad to think that but I think you're right. She gets paid a fair bit by doing my hair as she does it on her days off and not in the salon. Hmm.

Thanks again. I will pop out tomorrow and get myself some coconut oil, a new comb and some vits to get started with. I'm so worried it won't grow back the same as before :( lots of tlc and prayers to the Hair Gods I think. I'm going to have a look around here too and get some tips :)

Thank you Komao. I feel like I've taken a big step towards getting my hair back which is good. I do feel very sick right now though looking at what I've done to my hair. I'm a Leo and I've always said my Mane was my best bit and look at what I did to it! Never ever again

My moon is in Leo. My husband is Leo & I'm a Pisces, cusp of Aries. So don't worry. The lioness has a magnificent mane and with care you can revitalize your hair. You have the power to rejuvenate it with the excellent health and sunny disposition that Leo enjoys. You just have to take PRIDE in your natural beauty:queen:

[Teazel]

I agree with everything Othala said. You're a natural blonde, why would you ever want to bleach away that glorious, rich, golden colour?

[jacqueline101]

I'd suggest a deep conditioner Aussie three minute miracle is good, coconut oiling is good, and wearing it up is great. I'd also use a leave in conditioner. I agree a gentle shampoo is good. I'd trim off the damage to start with. I did that when I started growing my hair. I had perm damage and this will help your hair grow more evenly.

[Brileeka]

I think the bleach totally damaged your hair and heat could have contributed. Just get a trim when needed but eventually all the damaged hair well have to come off. It takes a lot of patience. I'd just baby your hair as much as possible and wait for your virgin hair to grow in again. I think your natural hair color is just gorgeous btw.

[McFearless]

I think the blonde is a very dull colour. It looks gray and isn't very flattering. Your natural colour is very beautiful, much more vibrant and dimensional, and appears to me to be in the blonde spectrum as well. You look very pretty with it.

Bleach does appear to be destroying your hair and making it break and fall out, but heat styling does that as well. I don't see it discussed much around here, but in my experience, heat styling caused hair loss for me, some of it being permanent. So I recommend you quit using heat tools immediately and grow out your natural texture and colour. I'm not sure if the picture of you near water is recent, but I'd cut off the thin ends to start fresh and minimize the demarcation line/layers.

[Haybop]

Oh dear, I'm sorry you have been going through this with your hair & hairdresser (who I would politely ditch as of now). As many others have said before, your natural hair looks gorgeous, you do not need to worry about dying your hair when you have that waiting to come back out ;D

Thankfully there are lots of helpful people and useful threads on here to help you get it back to its former glory, so good luck :)

[Firefox7275]

Welcome!

I'm going to be blunt: your hairdresser is either a total liar or has absolutely no understanding of the science of healthy and bleached hair, neither option is a good one. NO virgin hair that is not cut regularly will not break off, even box dyed hair (mine) that is not cut for many months doesn't break off IF it is cared for it the right way. NO commercial shampoo is not the solution, washing actually causes further damage (hygral fatigue). What absolute rubbish.

The problem is likely not just the persulphate bleach, tho that is probably the main culprit. Very light bleached hair is extremely vulnerable, the protective surface layer (f-layer) has been removed, holes have been blown in the cortex where the melanin pigment is lost (high porosity), the protein structure has been damaged. It's impossible to bleach hair to so light without doing this, it is not a sign of bad hairdressing. Being so vulnerable bleached hair must be babied: ideally no heat styling, no sun exposure, super gentle combing and styling, limit washing damage, avoid chlorine and seawater. Your hairdresser should have told you this, it's based on published research not my opinion.

Very sorry to say that I think you need to do a big chop and start over, I don't think much of your length can be salvaged. For the remainder IMO use proven ingredients: hydrolysed protein, coconut oil, ceramides, 18-MEA and panthenol. Probably some silicones for protection, but don't rely on these alone. Deep conditioning will be required to follow a hardcore protein strengthening treatment but it will not fix your hair, most ingredients in deep conditioners cannot penetrate they coat only. Most commercial shampoos will further damage your hair - go for something with no anionic surfactants, no alkaline soaps, pH 4.5 to 5.5. Maybe even switch to a cleansing conditioner: try to stretch washes with dry shampoo to limit water damage. IMO you do not need 'moisturising' products, being porous your hair will already take up far too much water far too readily. Your hair needs increased strength, increased elasticity and reduced porosity.

Possible products
- Komaza Care Moja shampoo
- Inecto coconut conditioner/ Suave Naturals conditioner (to wash hair)
- Colorful neutral protein filler from Sallys
- straight up coconut oil from the grocery store
- Komaza Care Matani repair treatment spray
- Komaza Care Matani leave in conditioner
- Batiste dry shampoo
- silk or satin pillowcase
- UV protective Buff or close weave sunhat.

[Panth]

Welcome! I agree - your problem is partly the bleach - if you only touch up the roots, bleach is less damaging (as each bit of hair only ever gets bleached once) but it still is damaging. Also, if she hasn't done it 100% correctly, there could have been bleach put on already-bleached hair, which would result in some hair getting bleached multiple times.

However, I also think a major part of your problem is the heat. You say you "stopped using heat 8 weeks ago". What sort of heat tools were you using before and how often? If, as your pictures suggest, it was straighteners and fairly often then that is also going to be a major part of the problem. Regular straightening will destroy nearly any hair - certain hair types may stay nice-looking for a little longer than others, but all will be ruined in the end. Also, all (or, at very best, nearly all) "heat protectant" products just lie - straightening causes damage, end of.

I agree with Firefox7275 - either your hairdresser is lying to you, or she has been lied to / manipulated by her teachers and has believed every word. Intentionally or not, she has trapped you in the cycle of mainstream fashionable hair: take pretty hair then bleach, dye, "trim" and cut wacky layers/"styles" in until it is a shadow of its former glory, all the while convincing the client that it's "necessary" and she's just doing all this stuff to make you "the best you can be". Then, after that, the stylist can market "growth boosting" products and supplements and suggest that the client gets extensions because "oh, well, you know, not everyone has the genes for growing hair". </cynicism>

If your hairdresser had been awesome, here's how your first meeting might have gone:
- *looks at hair* Oh, why do you want to bleach this? It's beautiful as it is.
- [you reply]
- Oh, well, you do know that bleached hair won't have the complexity of colour/shading that you have already and may look "flat"?
- [you reply]
- Ok, if you're still convinced you want to bleach. *sits you in chair, starts to look more closely at your hair* Did you know you have fine hair? This sort of hair can be damaged very easily, so if you do bleach it you'll need to avoid as many other sorts of damage as possible in order for it to remain looking its best. That means no straightening, ideally.
- [you reply]
- Ok, I just wanted you to know. Yes, there are products we can recommend - they won't fix the damage, but they can help to prevent any further damage.

...etc.

[BlazingHeart]

It looks to me like you have a couple of things that are causing a pile-up in damage. First, the bleach. Now, I know she says she's doing just the roots, but the nature of bleaching means that she has to overlap a little with the most recent coloring or you're likely to get narrow stripes of unbleached hair, which would look odd. Anyhow, that means that your hair is being treated at least twice. Going as light as you are takes a LOT out of your hair, especially if it's done in one step.

The past use of heat also caused damage. Heat is no good for hair, especially if you did things like use a straightener on wet hair (that more or less causes steam explosions that severely damage the hair and literally blast the cuticle to pieces). Fragile hair often can't tolerate heat, and even if your hair was not fragile naturally, it sounds like it really is post-bleach.

If your hair is fragile, you will probably do better switching to a gentler detangling tool. For most people, a seamless comb is the best, either plastic or horn (there are a bunch of brands recommended, try the 'conventional tools' subforum or just ask and people will be happy to tell you their favorites!). Tangle Teazers are hit or miss - for some people, they are holy grail items, for others they are a disaster, and for some they're just...eh, nothing special. To detangle your hair, divide out narrow sections (approximately 2") at a time and start an inch or two above your ends, moving up a bit at a time as you detangle. Going this way keeps your tangles from combining and becoming worse knots; it is the most gentle way to remove tangles. Also, you should either detangle either dry or in the shower with conditioner helping you. Detangling while wet but without conditioner puts stress on your hair when it is at its most fragile (wet hair is waaaay more fragile than dry hair!)

Have you used any protein treatments? They can temporarily bind to your cuticle and fill in the holes, making your hair behave as if it was less damaged. Joico K-pak is the one I've heard recommended the most; I've never used any lifting dyes so I don't have personal experience with them, sorry. Again, feel free to ask other people what brands they like! Do be warned, you MUST follow a protein treatment with a moisturizing deep treatment. Protein can make your hair very dry otherwise, which can cause tangles and straw-like feeling. However, if you follow it with moisture, it can really improve the condition of your hair.

If you decide to do any further dyeing, such as trying to go back to your natural shade so that growing out will be less noticeable, you should treat your hair with coconut oil the night before and leave it in through the treatment. It helps protect your hair from protein loss while the cuticle is being lifted so color can be deposited. Most of the people here who dye recommend trying it.

Your stylist's suggestions about when hair needs to be cut are BS that gets money in her pocket. If you keep an eye on your hair, you can see when you need a trim. Just look at your ends - have a few split ends? You can remove them one at a time with sharp scissors on your own (buy a pair of hairdresser's scissors, they start around $10, and ONLY use them for hair). More than a few split ends? Time for a trim. Personally, my hair is ridiculously tough - at the moment, I've gone 3 years without a trim, and I'm just now seeing split ends and considering a trim. The other reason to trim is because you're maintaining the shape of your cut. Individual hairs on the same head do not all grow at the same rate, so if your hair is allowed to grow without trims, you'll end up with uneven ends, and it may get quite thin as the fastest hairs outpace the slower hairs. The effect is known around here as 'fairytale ends', and can look quite charming (I particularly think curly folks carry it off well, personally). If you don't want that effect, you need a trim every now and again to deal with it (another point I am lucky on - my hair grows at relatively even speeds, so that I only need to trim every couple years to keep a nice hemline).

I hope that LHC can help you get the hair you want!
~Blaze

[CurlMonster]

Your natural hair is so beautiful and I would certainly say it is blonde already!

I also have bleached and heat damaged hair, so I know how upsetting it is to know you've ruined the condition of your hair... With the intention of making it look good! D'oh!
I have found conditioner only washing to be really good. Before my hair always felt like straw after a wash and I always lost a lot of hair in the shower, but with conditioner only washing my hair never feels stripped and less breaks/sheds in the shower. I've also found regular S&D (search and destroy) to be necessary because my bleached hair breaks so easily and split ends accumulate fast.

Good luck on your healthy hair journey! You have jaw-dropping hair to look forwards to at the end of it, judging by your pics. :)

[Tbee]

Thank you all SO much for all your replies, tips, and kind words. It makes me feel a million times better having people actually acknowlege that my hair is bad. Usually when I mention my hairs 'state' people say "oh its lovely, its fine, you're being silly" and it makes me feel like I'm being a Drama Queen, and in turn even worse about myself.

I showed the hairdresser pictures this morning and she said she thinks something else other than bleach/cutting has made my hair actually fall out..like from the root :( I know I had a huge shed and I lost a lot but I feel like its broken more and the layers really finished it off. My Mums hair did the same though, she bleached hers white and it thinned so much. She continued to colour it and it never really grew back. She isnt with us anymore so its hard to say if it would have ever gotten healthy again but I remember she was taking supplements and using products to help it grow again. I'm now worried that if I chop all mine off it will never return. Although its not really worth salvaging looking the way it does right now. Maybe it is in my genes? Either way I need to stop abusing the hair I have.

I used to straighten it 4 to 5 times a week with GHD irons :/ I know... kill me now. I had no idea how damaging it could be. Ignorant and naive! I think I should throw them in the bin. From this day forward I vow to look after my hair, however much is left.

I will have an extra read through here again later and take some notes so I can go and buy some hair rescue essentials. Thank you again, I really really appreciate your help

[xoxophelia]

Your hair was extremely lovely before. Even the color.. I'm almost shocked that was completely virgin because it looked like you had it highlighted. People pay quite a lot to have highlights like that.. and you have them naturally! And really, I think the warmer tone of your virgin hair really brought out the green in your eyes nicely.

I think you could try oiling your hair. I really like extra virgin olive oil (about 1 tbsn on my thickish long hair.. applied to dry hair). It helps bring out the shine some.

As for the trims:

I do have experience in this realm because I had a similar problem to you. My hair was severely damaged from cheap dyes, over heat styling, sun in.. bleh. It is now, grown out and while my hair isn't perfect, it is much improved. If you plan on drastically changing the handling of your hair, then yes, trims are worth it. That would mean though, that you either aren't bleaching it anymore or you decrease how much you are processing it.

Basically, trims are worth it if they improve the overall look of your hair. If the hair growing in is way healthier than what you have, I would vote regular small trims of about 1" are a good way to go. That is mostly how I grew out my damage with one larger initial chop from waist to BSL and a few 3" trims.

If on the other hand you wish to keep the platinum blonde, I don't think lots of trimming will make a difference. Like you said, you will just have shorter hair. Trim enough to remove excessive splits and maintain a shape you like. Other than that you can grow it to the length of your desire.

[Stray_mind]

Well, i guess i have nothing much to add. Just be patient, reviving damaged hair takes time, because you practicaly have to grow them "out of damage" and that is a long proces, but with the right treatment (no bleaches/chemical dyes, no heat, A LOT of moisturizing, hair vitamins, natural hair masks etc.) you surely can make your hair healthy again! By the way, why bleach such a beautiful natural collor? :confused: Good luck!

[stachelbeere]

on the downside your hair is damaged and you need to grow it back healthy again, get rid of the damage, baby it.

on the upside if it's already damaged and bleached why not have fun with the very ends that have to be trimmed at some point anyway and dip dye them some awesome colourful, mermaid ombre? or make temporary colourful streaks? I actually wish could do that, I think it looks great when braided ;) I wish you all the best

here is some inspiration
http://www.colourrub.com/uploads/5/6/9/4/569477/1329667387.png
http://data.whicdn.com/images/23748811/Hair-Chalking-Chalk-Pastel-Method_large.jpg

[Tbee]

thank you :)

I know you all think Im CRAZY for ever bleaching my hair in the first place haha. I was. I was just bored having had the same colour hair for years and years and wanted something drastic. I regret that SO much now!

xoxophelia - I know, my hair was a lovely colour. My Daughter has exactly the same colour. Its naturally highlighted. She is sporting an ombre look at the moment. Its very very blonde in the ends and darker at the top. People have asked me if I have dyed it... she is 2 so no haha. Hoopefully i can grow it back and it will be the same *prays*

Stachelbeere - that is a great idea! I love the mermaid ombre :)

[Haybop]

I showed the hairdresser pictures this morning and she said she thinks something else other than bleach/cutting has made my hair actually fall out..like from the root :(

I'll be honest here - from what you've already said about your hairdresser I can't imagine she'll be ready to admit that something she wants you to continue paying her to do to your hair is actually the cause of the damage. Especially if she thinks regular dying is good for hair!

[Firefox7275]

Thank you all SO much for all your replies, tips, and kind words. It makes me feel a million times better having people actually acknowlege that my hair is bad. Usually when I mention my hairs 'state' people say "oh its lovely, its fine, you're being silly" and it makes me feel like I'm being a Drama Queen, and in turn even worse about myself.

I showed the hairdresser pictures this morning and she said she thinks something else other than bleach/cutting has made my hair actually fall out..like from the root :( I know I had a huge shed and I lost a lot but I feel like its broken more and the layers really finished it off. My Mums hair did the same though, she bleached hers white and it thinned so much. She continued to colour it and it never really grew back. She isnt with us anymore so its hard to say if it would have ever gotten healthy again but I remember she was taking supplements and using products to help it grow again. I'm now worried that if I chop all mine off it will never return. Although its not really worth salvaging looking the way it does right now. Maybe it is in my genes? Either way I need to stop abusing the hair I have.

I used to straighten it 4 to 5 times a week with GHD irons :/ I know... kill me now. I had no idea how damaging it could be. Ignorant and naive! I think I should throw them in the bin. From this day forward I vow to look after my hair, however much is left.

I will have an extra read through here again later and take some notes so I can go and buy some hair rescue essentials. Thank you again, I really really appreciate your help

Stop wasting your breath on this person, she is either a liar or knows nothing about the science of healthy and damaged hair. You won't know what it in your genes until you start taking care of your hair from inside and out: I used to think I had naturally poofy unmanageable straight hair, turns out I have naturally wavy/ curly hair that I was abusing to hell and back again. Age plays a role in hair health, thickness and density, chemicals in commercial shampoos and permanent dyes can enourage shedding in susceptible individuals.

Did you have the reason for the shed medically diagnosed? Supplements DO NOT substitute for a nutrient dense, balanced varied wholefood diet, they are intended to be exactly that: supplements. Healthy scalp and hair needs the full complement of nutrients - fats, carbs, proteins, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and overall calories. Nutrients work synergistically and in oppositon, supplementing small groups of nutrients or megadosing can do more harm than good by putting your body off balance.

[Flor]

No hairdresser will ever admit ruining someone's hair. Neither will they ever admit that coloring/bleaching is bad for hair in a long run. Or that you don't actually need regular trims. Or that layers look worse than straight line cut. Because their income depends on all of the above supposedly making your hair look "good" without causing any harm. EDIT: I'm talking about your "standard" hairdressers that keep pimping all of those services on every client.

If I were you, I'd do a big chop and start all over. You might consider cassia treatments to match your current color to your natural a bit better.

[Firefox7275]

No hairdresser will ever admit ruining someone's hair. Neither will hey ever admit that coloring/bleaching is bad for hair in a long run. Or that you don't actually need regular trims. Or that layers look worse than straight line cut. Because their income depends on all of the above supposedly making your hair look "good" without causing any harm. EDIT: I'm talking about your "standard" hairdressers that keep pimping all of those services on every client.

If I were you, I'd do a big chop and start all over. You might consider cassia treatments to match your current color to your natural a bit better.


You forgot "Oh no this flat iron won't damage your hair it's very good quality, don't worry about the steam coming off".

[MaryMarx]

Oh, please don't listen to your hairdresser. Your natural colour is beautiful. Just stop the bleaching when there is still time! I've destroyed my hair with dye and it is not worth it.

[Komao]

Tbee, if you think you have damage, wait until you hear my horror story! Once upon a time I had an apartment with a gas stove. (I did love cooking on a gas stove). I had just turned on gas and was going to light pilot when all of a sudden I heard a friend yell from bottom of a long staircase. She was pregnant with packages in her hand. When we got back upstairs, I had forgotten I had turned on gas and to make a long story short it had what you would call a small explosion. I can still hear that bang. Thank God, my very pregnant friend was not near it! I ended up running into shower, clothes and all. Hair just came off in sheets and beleive me that is an experience you will never forget :demon: My eyebrows were singed. Thankfully, I did not burn my skin. My hair was just shy of WL.
In my case, I had no choice and immediately got it cut to just above shoulder length. Then I went through quite a few years of styling, heating, coloring the works. Then I decided to stop and try growing it out again. I had no problem growing it.
I've been taking good care of it since 2010. With LHC I have learned many helpful routines that have further improved my locks.
So, THERE IS HOPE:cheer:
Forgot to mention in previous post that oiling my hair has helped me. I use different oils but the most regularly used are olive oil, coconut oil and jojoba oil. I use these on length of hair and usually only on scalp before wash day. I CO and wash once a week, braid at night and use up-dos to protect hair if windy conditions, etc...

[emilyann]

It sounds like you need a new hairdresser! The moment you suspected that she didn't care what you really wanted, and preferred to style customers' hair her own way, you should probably have politely left her. I understand, though, I'm not a particularly assertive person, especially when I'm coming to someone who should be an expert (or at least knowledgable) in their field. I have found a good hairdresser now, and the best I can hope for is "You really should consider layers! I can't believe you want to grow it out to your waist, it's already so tangly, you're so crazy!" But even while giving me her opinion, she is cutting it the way I want. I give myself a little mental pep-talk before I go each time: "No, Emily, you do NOT want layers. NO BANGS. Trim a quarter inch ONLY. NOooooOOoo LAYERS!!" Haha, she really just shakes her head at me, but I can handle that as long as she continues to cut it the way I ask her to.

It looks like your hair is much thinner on the bottom because of the layers. It has definitely thinned throughout, but I doubt that it will remain that thin when your virgin hair grows back. I've been using coconut oil, a suuuuper thin layer, on my old highlights to try and keep them from tangling and splitting. It's been helping. In under a week I have some of the old softer texture back in those damaged hairs.

I agree with the others; your virgin hair color is far superior to the bleached color. It has so much dimension and depth! I think your hairdresser has gone bleach and scissor happy on you ("A little bleach and layering looks good, MOAR MUST BE BETTER!!"). I've had pretty good luck with Aveda salons, although they are expensive. But they use more natural products, and many of the stylists are honest about what kind of damage certain treatments may do to your hair. They might have a less damaging dye that you can get put over the bleach if you can't stand the growing-out phase. Just don't buy shampoo/conditioner from them. It's insanely expensive, and you can get a decent conditioner that will take care of your hair for much less (I would recommend not using any shampoo on that bleached hair as shampoo tends to strip oil from the hair).

[stachelbeere]

I give myself a little mental pep-talk before I go each time: "No, Emily, you do NOT want layers. NO BANGS. Trim a quarter inch ONLY. NOooooOOoo LAYERS!!" Haha, she really just shakes her head at me, but I can handle that as long as she continues to cut it the way I ask her to.

"A little bleach and layering looks good, MOAR MUST BE BETTER!!"


I loled :D :D hahahaha

[Artisticat]

Just wanted to say your natural color is very lovely! :o
I wouldn't pay any attention (or any more money) to that hairdresser. IMHO - she took the "life" out of your hair. :steam

[spidermom]

Came back to add that your natural color is already blonde - looks like a honey/strawberry blonde. So pretty! Way better than being just another bleach-head.

If the "cold turkey" grow-out is unbearable for you, consider having every other panel of hair dyed as close to your natural color as possible with a gentle product. I really love the dimension in multi-colored hair. It looks especially good in braids.

[Vrindi]

Originally when I gave up bleaching my hair I let it grow out naturally, but there was such a noticeable difference between my regrowth and the rest of my hair (black regrowth v bleached ends was a big contrast) that I decided to get the ends colored to match my natural colour. It worked out for me and it's an option for you - but either way you should definitely give up the bleach as your natural hair colour is gorgeous!

I think the best tips have already been given out in the posts above, I would only add that you should consider giving yourself scalp massages to encourage growth.

I actually dyed over my bleach about a month after bleaching to try to get it closer to my natural color. About a year later, after much TLC and nursing my hair back to health, I dyed the still-much-lighter ends the same color as my roots (without dying the roots at all) since the demarcation line was at my neck, and looked strange. Now I have a subtle ombre that I will not be dying ever again, and good care means it's growing out nice and healthy.

My hair was at BSL when I bleached it. It's now at BCL and healthy, super-shiny, and much thicker 2 years later. I have a bit of taper toward the ends, but only I notice it. Don't worry about growing out the color. Sometimes it will feel awkward, but if you can get your hair healthy again, you might be able to transition back to your natural color sooner than you think. And the ombre look is really in style, which is fortunate for us bleach converts. ;)

[Panth]

Thank you all SO much for all your replies, tips, and kind words. It makes me feel a million times better having people actually acknowlege that my hair is bad. Usually when I mention my hairs 'state' people say "oh its lovely, its fine, you're being silly" and it makes me feel like I'm being a Drama Queen, and in turn even worse about myself.

I showed the hairdresser pictures this morning and she said she thinks something else other than bleach/cutting has made my hair actually fall out..like from the root :( I know I had a huge shed and I lost a lot but I feel like its broken more and the layers really finished it off. My Mums hair did the same though, she bleached hers white and it thinned so much. She continued to colour it and it never really grew back. She isnt with us anymore so its hard to say if it would have ever gotten healthy again but I remember she was taking supplements and using products to help it grow again. I'm now worried that if I chop all mine off it will never return. Although its not really worth salvaging looking the way it does right now. Maybe it is in my genes? Either way I need to stop abusing the hair I have.

I used to straighten it 4 to 5 times a week with GHD irons :/ I know... kill me now. I had no idea how damaging it could be. Ignorant and naive! I think I should throw them in the bin. From this day forward I vow to look after my hair, however much is left.

I will have an extra read through here again later and take some notes so I can go and buy some hair rescue essentials. Thank you again, I really really appreciate your help

I really wouldn't listen to a word your hairdresser says. She has already proven herself to be either highly ignorant or a complete liar. Why would you keep going back for her opinion on things? I think it's best just to draw a line under that particular relationship and move on - you're never going to get her to admit that she gave you bad advice and damaged your hair. The best you can hope for is to move on and (with your new knowledge) find someone much better!

As for the whole genetics question - if your mum continued to colour her hair, then it is likely that the colouring caused the thinness. Hair can thin with age (and moreso in some people). However, many dyes (including all permanent and demi-permanent, but not semi-permanent dyes) contain developer - aka bleach. That would cause plenty enough damage to result in thinness. In any case, your hair is not your mother's hair - you've got hair genes from your dad too. Your best bet is not to supplement or try to fix the damage afterwards, but try to eat healthily, live healthily (e.g. treat any illnesses or nutrient deficiencies with the help of your doctor, exercise regularly, try to live a low-stress life(!), etc.) and don't damage the hair in the first place.

When it comes to the straighteners - certainly using them 4-5 times a week is going to cause serious damage. If you still want the super-straight look you could look into the 'doobie wrap' technique, which basically involves wet-setting your hair using your entire head as a giant "roller". On many people it works very well and, if done correctly, should be nearly damage-free.


thank you :)

I know you all think Im CRAZY for ever bleaching my hair in the first place haha. I was. I was just bored having had the same colour hair for years and years and wanted something drastic. I regret that SO much now!

xoxophelia - I know, my hair was a lovely colour. My Daughter has exactly the same colour. Its naturally highlighted. She is sporting an ombre look at the moment. Its very very blonde in the ends and darker at the top. People have asked me if I have dyed it... she is 2 so no haha. Hoopefully i can grow it back and it will be the same *prays*

Stachelbeere - that is a great idea! I love the mermaid ombre :)

If you get the "ah, bored!" feeling again here are some no-damage (or minimal damage) suggestions: try some new hairstyles (there are MILLIONS of long hair friendly tutorials on youtube for all lengths - just ask here and you will get masses of suggestions); try braid waves, pin curls, sock bun curls, and other no-heat methods of changing your texture; try deposit-only dyes (streaks, tips/dip-dye, ombre-effect or whole head) as these are completely no-damage; try other dyes in a dip-dye effect (will do some damage, but will only hurt the last few inches). I'm sure other people can suggest some more ideas.

And finally: don't worry! It is extremely rare that hair never grows back after damage (you have to seriously damage the actual hair follicle and this is very unlikely unless you've actually had scabs/scars from your chemical treatment). You won't be able to keep on doing what you've been doing (bleach, straighteners), but if you decide to make a change then you will be able to grow back beautiful hair like you had before. It'll just take time, patience, a bit of babying and putting up with the annoyance of the damaged bits until you trim them off. (Also, to add - you may feel like having a drastic change and going uber-perfect with your hair from now on, but don't go too far the other way and start feeling awful for doing anything that is even the tiniest bit damaging. A little damage is ok - with time you'll have healthy hair and you'll be able to figure out what constitutes "a little" for you.)

[BlondeWavyGal]

Prenatal vitamins are myth, people think it helps because pregnant women take them and they have good hair, but really its the pregnancy hormones. I recommend a gentle shampoo and a good conditioner, Coconut oil heated and applied every three days, and you will need to get it trimmed as it grows so eventually all the damage goes away. I myself bleached the hell out of my hair at one point, thankfully I have naturally strong hair, so now its just a bit frizzy and bushy and less healthy than my naturally thin hair.

[jeanniet]

OMG, your natural color is gorgeous! Don't cover it up!

Fact: you cannot repair the damage. You'll have to grow it out. Coconut oil soaks and protein treatments will help it to feel better and reduce the breakage, but don't actually repair. I think what I would do--and keep in mind I'm no color expert--is have it colored to match your natural color, and then work on growing it out. And find another stylist who will do what you ask and not try to talk you out of everything. At this point, layers are going to make your hair look thinner, so I would avoid those. You do need regular trims, just because your ends are damaged, but once you have healthy hair again you only need to trim as often as necessary to keep your ends decent.

Don't give up. It'll take a while, and you'll need to be patient, but you can grow out the damage.

[10000days]

I bleached my fine mousy-brown hair recently and on the 6th or so appointment I lost a SCARY amount of hair (in addition to my hair being super porous and more yellow-orange than a pretty blonde). The hairdresser ran a brush down my hair once and I saw her freeze up in shock then walk away awkwardly to hide the lost hair...
So, like you, I've lost a lot of thickness. But!- the good news is that with time it gets way better!

Here are my suggestions:
- be your own hairdresser. Luckily that means doing pretty much nothing but researching healthy hair care methods on LHC.
- when you wash your hair use conditioner only.
- try to WO the roots (conditioner-use on scalp has been linked to hair falling out).
- keep using cones. Try not to fall into the trap that an 'all natural routine' is best for you. Bleached hair needs as much help as it can get. When I stopped using cones (and was still shampooing at the time) my overbleached hair turned into dreadlocks all on its own! I was *this* close to cutting it off which would have been an unnecessary drastic measure.
- use Elumen to slightly darken your hair to a colour close to your natural colour. Some people have said on LHC that Elumen seems to have the same strengthening effects as henna: I have to agree. For me, Elumen has made my hair silky (I haven't had silky hair since I started bleaching...). Now: you ONLY need to buy the colour bottle. You do NOT need to buy the 'Prepare', 'Lock', 'Shampoo' etc. Those are all marketing gimmicks.

Also, your last comment on your original post (that the last picture makes you want to cry) makes me want to recommend that you get a big cut. While your hair grows it will continue to have that extreme-V shape and I think it WILL make you sad every time you look at it. Also, your ends are probably much more damaged than the hair near your scalp, and in my experience it is so terribly frustrating taking care of it.
If you do choose to cut your hair: start a Pinterest with pictures of that length (as well as that length in your natural colour) that inspire you.

With regards to growing more hair:
- massage castor oil (once a week maybe) into your scalp and sleep in it. Then shampoo out in the morning (this is the only time you're allowed to shampoo).
But be careful with this because it is a very viscous oil which 'pulls' as your massage and I find that sometimes I pull out baby hairs. So be super gentle. But I did get a bunch of new baby hairs growing out when I used this.
- take MSM (the highest dosage you can find, once per day). I used to use biotin and MSM together; now I'm only using biotin and I'm not seeing any effects so I think it was the MSM that sped up my hair growth.
- exercise. The blood flow promotes hair growth. I always have a protein shake within 30mins after exercising (and it has biotin in it, if that appeals to you). During my more-exercise stages, my nails grow faster so I assume my hair does too.

Good luck!

[jeanniet]

- try to WO the roots (conditioner-use on scalp has been linked to hair falling out).


Can you link a source for this information? I've seen posts from people saying this happened with CO, but it's difficult to determine whether it's actually caused by conditioner on the scalp or because of some other factor (in one case the poster came back and said that the cause was due to a diagnosed scalp condition and had nothing to do with CO at all). Since it appears that far more people CO successfully than not, I'd guess that there is no absolute link to conditioner on the scalp and hair loss other than that nothing works for everyone. But if you've seen any kind of research to the contrary, I'd be very interested to see it.

[10000days]

Nah no link I'm afraid- it's just LHC words of advice and also partly my experience.

[jeanniet]

Well, then it hasn't really been linked to anything. A very few people on LHC recommend against conditioner on the scalp or CO. Far, far more actually do put conditioner on the scalp or CO and don't have any problems with it. Some have been COing for years--as for me, while I haven't been COing regularly for more than a year, I've been putting conditioner on my scalp for decades. It may be problematic for some, or there may be other coinciding reasons, but that's not enough reason to recommend against it when so many more people are having great success with it. Heavily damaged hair that needs additional conditioning can really benefit from CO vs. using even a low-poo method.

[Dandelion6]

Just want to say hello and welcome! You have come to the right place for help and though I haven't read every single reply to your post you have been given a wealth of information to help you reclaim your naturally beautiful locks! Yes, stay away from the bleach and please find a new stylist. Your natural hair color is gorgeous. It looks like a honey blonde. I would be so happy with that color:pinktongue: This is absolutely not an age issue. There are lots of women here far older than you who are having tremendous success growing long healthy hair with the gentle care techniques and sensible advice shared on this forum. Please stick around for the support:flower:

[majesticmoon]

Hi i went through this same problem a couple years ago. It took about three years to recover fully to where my hair grows normally again even though i am still waiting for the bleach to fully grow out. I bleached my hair and it got really bad so i got extensions because i wanted my long hair back bad idea because i got sew ins. After i got those out i did clip ins and without those i think i would have not left the house for a year or two because my hair looked horrible and too short. Now my hair is in pretty good condition towards what i have done to it. It did not grow much for the past 2-3 years but i continued to take care of it and now i am finally seeing 6 in of growth per year again and minimal/no shedding along with my thickness coming back. I will give you my list of things i have done

First i oiled the heck out of it. Take a cup of extra virgin olive oil or mayo and work it through your hair.Leave it on for 10-12 hours, the longer the better. You will look quite slick for the time you have it on so plan on a day you don't have to go out. It is best to have someone work it through for you as you want it to cover every strand. I used a comb with 2 degrees of fineness. First comb through with the large tooth side then comb through with the fine tooth side. When it goes through your hair smoothly on the fine tooth side you have pretty much worked it through.

Second I stopped washing my hair so often i used to wash every other day before i did the bleach. After the bleach i started cutting back, but i did so gradually. I started washing my hair only 2-3 times a week at first then spread it out to only once a week. Then i cut out shampoo and started stretching it to whenever i got too much oil at the roots. First i brush the oil down my length with my boar bristle brush and horn comb since these are the only two things i have found that efficiently move oil down your hair. Then i see if it still looks oily if so i wash my hair if not i let it go till its oily and so on. You have to be gradual with your hair and not suddenly stop washing so often because your hair needs time to react or it will become to greasy, unmanagable, etc depending on what you are being an extremest on. Now i only use conditioner to remove henna from my hair and mostly do herbal tea rinses on a weekly to bi monthly basis depending on my hairs needs.

Third if you don't already have one invest in a boar bristle brush and a horn comb and know that oil your hair makes is a good thing. At first you will see hair in you brush, a lot of hair, but after a lot of brushing you will see your hair start to shine again and act as though it is hair and not straw. You should work at it with the brush till the oil reaches your ends. The horn comb will also work great at bringing oil down your length. I would like to say i brush my hair thoroughly everyday but i don't if i do a thorough brushing a couple times a week I'm happy and the rest of the time i do a quick combing through.

Forth be as natural as possible with your hair after you reach good hair. I say this because i know going through the first year or two you will need conditioner and protein treatments. It is inevitable to keep your hair untangled with out it. As i said i weaned myself off chemicals after my hair showed signs it was healthy and did not need them anymore.

As for trims i don't anymore. Sometimes i hunt for split ends though. After the bleach there was just so much damage that at one point i got so disgusted every time i cut because it never looked any better. I could never cut enough off to be happy so i stopped cold turkey. Now i know people will tell you split ends continue to split and this is true but with ultra damaged hair this is ten fold. My hair was so damaged that i would have split ends on the bottom so i would cut it less then a week later all my ends were split again. So i lived with it otherwise i would have been in a really short scalp cut before long. What i do find helps it the brushing. I not only brush when my hair is too oily but also brush when it looks too dry or frizzy. You will see a lot of hairs in the brush but if you look closer most of these hairs will be severely damaged with only a partial cuticle left or split.

Be patient and in time it will be better. Good luck.

[Tbee]

Wow! thank you all so much. You've given me heaps of fab info to be digesting and I have to say I've learnt I more about hair from you all in 2 days than I have in 31 years!

I think what I'm going to do is have a chop to even the layers out a bit. I'm going to wash my hair every 3 or 4 days with conditioner only. I'll oil and I'm looking into essential oils too. My boyfriend has kindly offered to give me a head massage whenever I require which is good. He is having an 'I told you so' moment as he pleaded with me not to bleach my hair in the first place but he is being great in offering to help me get my hair back. I already eat really well and get regular daily exercise but I am going to take a daily multi vit as it can't hurt. I have been using the same kind of hairbrush for 15 years, its a Mason Pearson which I *think* is Boar Bristle. I'm going to get a satin pillow as I know I definately sometimes rub my hair out from sleeping on the same side everynight. I've ditched the hair dryer and the straighteners for around 2-3 months now so thats helped alot. I'm going to drink lots more water too. I'm not sure whther to colour the rest closer to my natural colour or not yet. Part of me wants to to make it look a bit better but I aslo think it could be good for me to grow it out cold turkey to remind me never to bleach again.

When I went to the doctors for bloods they tested for B12, Folate and Ferratin. They said everything was fine. Just out of interest I called them just now to ask the actual levels. She said they were as follows:

B12 = 489
Folate = 14.9
Ferritin = 12

I havent had chance to look up what that means yet but I will. Since last year I have felt VERY tired all the time, like exhausted and just quite low at times for no reason as my life is good and I should be happy. Bodily wise I was sure there was something not quite right but the Dr says I'm fine *shrug*

Anyway, after I had my Daughter in Dec 2010 I had a post partum shed around 4 months later and didnt really lose much hair. It really came out though in Dec 2012 and lasted about 4 months. I now have quarter of the hair I had through a combination of shed, breakage and having my hair hacked to death. I had a lot of stress last year and I'm sure this contributed to some of the shed I had. I still dont feel quite *right* though with the tiredness. Somedays I feel so weak. I do have 2 children though who wear me out! I'm not certain what is going on but I think I need to really take care of myself to get my hair back in shape!

I'm going to print this thread off as it has such great info in that I can refer to. Thanks again, you are such a LOVELY bunch xx

[Dandelion6]

Hi, I just want to say that your Ferritin level is on the very low end of what's considered a normal range (10-200). I know because I recently had blood work done as well. I suspected I was becoming anemic again and requested the test. My level was 20 and my doctor advised to start building up my iron stores.

[AnnaB]

Just wanted to say hello and welcome :) this is definitely the right place.

I had sever bleach damage 14months ago and this place saved me.

I would definitely suggest quitting bleaching, however I am not sure about going cold turkey on the dye. You don't want to HATE your hair even more, so maybe look into natural ways on darkening it.

Please please try and quit using any heat, I know its hard. I went from straightening my hair every single day, to being heat free for almost a year now! I do not miss it, actually I don't need it. My hair is healthier and I enjoy my natural texture.

I agree with others about having a chop now, but maybe go to a different hair dresser and DO NOT have any layers, just a straight bob cut. I personally think this would make growing the hair easier.

for now do some protein treatments, I found ApHogree a savier.

Good luck and keep us updated :)

[YamaMaya]

When I bleach fried my hair, I felt so stupid for doing so. My hair was so ugly for the better part of 2 years. I micro trimmed to get rid of the damage bit by bit, and I've made it all the way to BSL bleach free after just 4 years. Just remember, what happened to your hair is temporary, and it WILL come back. With some tlc you can give your new hair the pampering it deserves, and you can get back your beautiful natural color.

[Panth]

Just to add: you are getting lots of interesting and potentially useful suggestions from people. However, I'm not sure anyone's mentioned some of the most basic LHC recommendations.

1) EVERYTHING (and I mean absolutely everything) in haircare is YMMV (your mileage may vary). So, what works wonderfully for one person may be the worst possible thing for another, even if they have exactly the same hair type. So, by all means try things (conditioner only, certain oils, boar bristle brushing, etc.) but you are almost certainly going to have to do a good bit of trial and error to find what works for you. (Also, as your hair gets healthier "what works for you" is likely to change.)

2) Don't rush to try everything at once. That way, if something doesn't work for you you'll have no idea which of the new things you've started is the culprit. It might seem annoying and time-wasting to start with, but it's much better to start very basic and then try one or maybe two things at a time. Also, often a new thing in your haircare will take weeks, or even months in some cases, to show a benefit. So, you should try each thing for at least a few weeks before you decide whether it is/isn't working (unless, of course, it really isn't working, then just stop!).

Some other things that you mentioned:
- I certainly think anaemia might be a problem - constant tiredness is a very common indicator of anaemia and anaemia (particularly B12 deficiency, but also iron deficiency) can cause low mood. However, you have to be careful if supplementing for iron (particularly without a doctor's guidance) as many sorts of iron supplements don't absorb very well and can have their absorption inhibited by certain foods. Also, too much iron can cause side effects.
- You say you have a boar bristle brush. You should know that you should NEVER use it to detangle the hair - first, comb the hair thoroughly to remove all tangles, then use the boar bristle brush to smooth / encourage shine / etc. Also, bear in mind that while some people adore them, many others find they completely wreck their hair even when used correctly. In particular, people with waves/curls and people with fine hair often dislike them.
- Please think very carefully before taking supplements (as some people have advised you to). Biotin and MSM in particular are quite popular here, but really you should consider your health before your hair. Overdosing on supplements is neither healthy nor necessary for good hair growth (this is a good read if you are considering this: http://igorsbelltower.blogspot.co.uk/2011/02/infamous-biotin-rant.html).

[jeanniet]

Just to add: you are getting lots of interesting and potentially useful suggestions from people. However, I'm not sure anyone's mentioned some of the most basic LHC recommendations.

1) EVERYTHING (and I mean absolutely everything) in haircare is YMMV (your mileage may vary). So, what works wonderfully for one person may be the worst possible thing for another, even if they have exactly the same hair type. So, by all means try things (conditioner only, certain oils, boar bristle brushing, etc.) but you are almost certainly going to have to do a good bit of trial and error to find what works for you. (Also, as your hair gets healthier "what works for you" is likely to change.)

2) Don't rush to try everything at once. That way, if something doesn't work for you you'll have no idea which of the new things you've started is the culprit. It might seem annoying and time-wasting to start with, but it's much better to start very basic and then try one or maybe two things at a time. Also, often a new thing in your haircare will take weeks, or even months in some cases, to show a benefit. So, you should try each thing for at least a few weeks before you decide whether it is/isn't working (unless, of course, it really isn't working, then just stop!).

Some other things that you mentioned:
- I certainly think anaemia might be a problem - constant tiredness is a very common indicator of anaemia and anaemia (particularly B12 deficiency, but also iron deficiency) can cause low mood. However, you have to be careful if supplementing for iron (particularly without a doctor's guidance) as many sorts of iron supplements don't absorb very well and can have their absorption inhibited by certain foods. Also, too much iron can cause side effects.
- You say you have a boar bristle brush. You should know that you should NEVER use it to detangle the hair - first, comb the hair thoroughly to remove all tangles, then use the boar bristle brush to smooth / encourage shine / etc. Also, bear in mind that while some people adore them, many others find they completely wreck their hair even when used correctly. In particular, people with waves/curls and people with fine hair often dislike them.
- Please think very carefully before taking supplements (as some people have advised you to). Biotin and MSM in particular are quite popular here, but really you should consider your health before your hair. Overdosing on supplements is neither healthy nor necessary for good hair growth (this is a good read if you are considering this: http://igorsbelltower.blogspot.co.uk/2011/02/infamous-biotin-rant.html).

Agreed on all counts. I'll just add a couple of thoughts:

Re brushing--Mason Pearson are top of the line brushes; however, because your hair is so damaged and delicate, I would actually avoid brushing and use a good quality seamless comb instead (MP also makes very good quality combs). IMO, combing is much gentler on the hair. I would also suggest that as much as possible, you detangle in the shower with your hair saturated with conditioner. Much less stress on the hair that way. Always start at the bottom and detangle moving upwards, working gently if you hit a tangle.

Re supplements--always look to your diet first and foremost. Supplements can't help your body the way a good diet can. Especially eat plenty of fresh fruits and veggies and moderate protein. If you're on the go a lot, homemade smoothies can pack a nutritional punch with a little planning. I'm always in a rush in the morning, so a sit-down breakfast doesn't happen, but I take a smoothie with me and it's a good start to the day (small amount of blueberry juice, water, lecithin, hemp powder, berries, pineapple, mango, banana, and kale or spinach--you can't taste the greens, honest!). I get two or three servings of fruit, one or two of greens, and plenty of fiber and protein, and it fills me up.

It really helps to keep a basic journal of what you do. Then you can track what is working and what isn't. Definitely don't try to change too much all at once. You'll never be able to figure it out if you hit a snag and have tried three new things together!

[Tbee]

thanks ladies :)

I had a look into the Ferritin and apparently low levels are the number one cause of hair loss. To see shedding subside and growth it needs to be at least 70 and ideally 100 :/ Mine are 12. The range here in the UK is 12-250. I'm back at the doctors later today now to sort that out. It might explain a little better why I've lost so much damn hair! When they told me nothing was wrong I then looked to other reasons and was convinced it was the bleach. Thats certainly not helping matters but the thinning may actually be the low iron stores. It would also explain me feeling the way I do. I'm not sure how I feel about it to be honest, relieved and sad. At least if it was the bleach it would be so much easier to just stop the bleach and wait for my hair to grow back all lovely. Now I realise that unless I can sort my body out it may never come back.

Thanks for all the help though. I did know about not using a brush on wet hair. I always comb my hair with my fingers when it has conditioner on in the shower/bath. I've always done this. I dont know if thats bad or not? I rarely use my brush now. I comb with my fingers then leave it to dry naturally and it curls and waves so looks ok. I might use a brush if I've been out and it gets mega windswept. I used to use a brush while straightening aswell but I dont do that anymore.

Im definately going to keep a journal of my hair mission. I think realistically if I can get my hair to grow back then in 5 years I should have beautiful hair again. It seems like a long time but Rome wasnt built in a day.

[Panth]

thanks ladies :)

I had a look into the Ferritin and apparently low levels are the number one cause of hair loss. To see shedding subside and growth it needs to be at least 70 and ideally 100 :/ Mine are 12. The range here in the UK is 12-250. I'm back at the doctors later today now to sort that out. It might explain a little better why I've lost so much damn hair! When they told me nothing was wrong I then looked to other reasons and was convinced it was the bleach. Thats certainly not helping matters but the thinning may actually be the low iron stores. It would also explain me feeling the way I do. I'm not sure how I feel about it to be honest, relieved and sad. At least if it was the bleach it would be so much easier to just stop the bleach and wait for my hair to grow back all lovely. Now I realise that unless I can sort my body out it may never come back.

Thanks for all the help though. I did know about not using a brush on wet hair. I always comb my hair with my fingers when it has conditioner on in the shower/bath. I've always done this. I dont know if thats bad or not? I rarely use my brush now. I comb with my fingers then leave it to dry naturally and it curls and waves so looks ok. I might use a brush if I've been out and it gets mega windswept. I used to use a brush while straightening aswell but I dont do that anymore.

Im definately going to keep a journal of my hair mission. I think realistically if I can get my hair to grow back then in 5 years I should have beautiful hair again. It seems like a long time but Rome wasnt built in a day.

Good for you for going back to the doctors. Another thing you might want to ask them to check is B12 deficiency. From memory, that can result in anaemia too and can be quite pernicious in that once your levels drop below a certain point you actually become less and less able to absorb it and eventually can even start to develop a dislike to B12-containing foods, making it nearly impossible to regain normal levels without supplementation via injection. B12 deficiency is of particular concern in vegans as the only natural dietary sources are meats, fish and dairy (though some foods, e.g. cereals and (I think) Marmite are fortified with it).

I wouldn't worry too much about it, though. A lot of your problem is probably the bleach. Even the thinness due to anaemia will improve once your iron (and B12) levels improve - and that is not usually difficult with a doctor's help.

With brushes, there are particular sorts of brushes that are generally ok for most people (boar bristle, plastic ones WITHOUT the balls on the tips of the bristles, tangle teaser). None should be used on wet hair (except on some people, when the hair is soaked in conditioner). Boar bristle ones should never be used to detangle.

As for the finger combing - that is a very good habit as you go much slowly that way and can feel knots and tangles before you rip through them. It is good on wet or dry hair. Personally, I also fingercomb conditioner-soaked hair in the shower. I find it's very good at detangling gently and is my preferred method for when I have a large tangle or matted section. I've even managed to comb out a friend's dreadlocks that way.

Good luck on your hair journey and well done for having such a positive and committed attitude. You WILL succeed!

[spidermom]

The standard newbie advice is try only one change at a time for two weeks, unless you have an instant bad result.

With such delicate hair, I don't know if I can agree with the CO recommendation. It takes a lot more hair manipulation to get it to work. You actually have to do a lot more massaging/scrubbing to get your scalp clean with that method. Instead, I think it would be worth a try to dilute your current favorite shampoo in warm water in a squirt bottle - make a new solution every time - one dollop of shampoo per 1/4 to 1/2 cup water (I never measure). Then you can squirt this solution all over your scalp and finger comb in one direction all over your scalp to work the solution through. You could even use a wide-tooth shower comb for this - to scalp only.

[Firefox7275]

thanks ladies :)

I had a look into the Ferritin and apparently low levels are the number one cause of hair loss. To see shedding subside and growth it needs to be at least 70 and ideally 100 :/ Mine are 12. The range here in the UK is 12-250. I'm back at the doctors later today now to sort that out. It might explain a little better why I've lost so much damn hair! When they told me nothing was wrong I then looked to other reasons and was convinced it was the bleach. Thats certainly not helping matters but the thinning may actually be the low iron stores. It would also explain me feeling the way I do. I'm not sure how I feel about it to be honest, relieved and sad. At least if it was the bleach it would be so much easier to just stop the bleach and wait for my hair to grow back all lovely. Now I realise that unless I can sort my body out it may never come back.

Thanks for all the help though. I did know about not using a brush on wet hair. I always comb my hair with my fingers when it has conditioner on in the shower/bath. I've always done this. I dont know if thats bad or not? I rarely use my brush now. I comb with my fingers then leave it to dry naturally and it curls and waves so looks ok. I might use a brush if I've been out and it gets mega windswept. I used to use a brush while straightening aswell but I dont do that anymore.

Im definately going to keep a journal of my hair mission. I think realistically if I can get my hair to grow back then in 5 years I should have beautiful hair again. It seems like a long time but Rome wasnt built in a day.

Sound advice from Panth as usual. Many ladies - and a few gents - on here are on a journey of five years or more so you will be in good company if you stick around!

I work in lifestyle healthcare here in the UK: General Practitioners tend not to be that great with nutrition and some don't take dermatological disorders (includes hair) that seriously. If you don't get the response you hope for make an appointment with someone else in the same practice, it is important this is addressed. There is lots of sound information out there for you to help yourself with healthy eating: this is in addition to getting medical advice and perhaps a prescription not instead of that.

Be sure that you are meeting or exceeding ALL our recommendations for healthy eating, noting that many are minimums and maximums not ideals. For example we are advised to eat at least five a day of fruit and vegetables, most countries advocate seven to nine as supported by the published research. This will give you piles of vitamin C which aids absorption of iron. Organ meats are much better sources of haem iron (bioavailable/ absorbable) than red meat, some seafood items are good sources too and both these are good sources of B12. Chicken livers can be really delicious and you only need to eat a small serving, as homemade pate or lightly fried in butter with bacon, red onion, avocado, garlic for example.
http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iron-HealthProfessional/

Bleach and heat stylng won't usually cause shedding unless you have a bad scalp reaction they cause breakage: you can tell the difference by examining the hair in your plughole, see how many hairs have bulbs on and how many do not. It's possible you have been experiencing both shedding and breakage at the same time or different times so it's well worth keeping up with the healthy hair practices.

[jeanniet]

The standard newbie advice is try only one change at a time for two weeks, unless you have an instant bad result.

With such delicate hair, I don't know if I can agree with the CO recommendation. It takes a lot more hair manipulation to get it to work. You actually have to do a lot more massaging/scrubbing to get your scalp clean with that method. Instead, I think it would be worth a try to dilute your current favorite shampoo in warm water in a squirt bottle - make a new solution every time - one dollop of shampoo per 1/4 to 1/2 cup water (I never measure). Then you can squirt this solution all over your scalp and finger comb in one direction all over your scalp to work the solution through. You could even use a wide-tooth shower comb for this - to scalp only.

Not really, because what cleans the scalp is a combination of manual scrubbing and surfactant, but surfactants don't really remove dirt, etc. from the scalp. That's what the manual manipulation is for. The surfactants (also in conditioner) help to carry away debris. If you don't manually scrub your scalp when using shampoo, it won't get as clean. It really doesn't take much with CO. I only scrub (lightly) for maybe 20 seconds, which is what I do if I use shampoo. With either method no scrubbing = itchy scalp buildup. With virgin hair roots, they should be strong enough to withstand gentle scrubbing.

[Tbee]

Sound advice from Panth as usual. Many ladies - and a few gents - on here are on a journey of five years or more so you will be in good company if you stick around!

I work in lifestyle healthcare here in the UK: General Practitioners tend not to be that great with nutrition and some don't take dermatological disorders (includes hair) that seriously. If you don't get the response you hope for make an appointment with someone else in the same practice, it is important this is addressed. There is lots of sound information out there for you to help yourself with healthy eating: this is in addition to getting medical advice and perhaps a prescription not instead of that.

Be sure that you are meeting or exceeding ALL our recommendations for healthy eating, noting that many are minimums and maximums not ideals. For example we are advised to eat at least five a day of fruit and vegetables, most countries advocate seven to nine as supported by the published research. This will give you piles of vitamin C which aids absorption of iron. Organ meats are much better sources of haem iron (bioavailable/ absorbable) than red meat, some seafood items are good sources too and both these are good sources of B12. Chicken livers can be really delicious and you only need to eat a small serving, as homemade pate or lightly fried in butter with bacon, red onion, avocado, garlic for example.
http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iron-HealthProfessional/

Bleach and heat stylng won't usually cause shedding unless you have a bad scalp reaction they cause breakage: you can tell the difference by examining the hair in your plughole, see how many hairs have bulbs on and how many do not. It's possible you have been experiencing both shedding and breakage at the same time or different times so it's well worth keeping up with the healthy hair practices.

You summed up my experience PERFECTLY! I went in and this time saw a trainee doctor who was USELESS. She looked at my results and said "the Computer says you're fine so you're fine" She didnt believe the levels were of any significance at all and she offered me Anti Depressants?! I was furious but walked straight out and booked an appointment with the Doctor I saw in the first place who specifically ordered the Serum Ferritin test as he must've known the relation between the hair loss and the Ferretin. I've just about got over yesterday now and have a plan if they wont help me. I know iron isnt something you want to mess with incase of overload so I will change my diet, supplement myself but ask the doctor to advise me on doseage and ask for regular bloods to check Im not harming myself. Hopefully it wont come to that anyway and the original doc will know his stuff. Fingers crossed!

I've been making a list of things I should be eating and and drinking and of course things I shouldn't, and I'm about to do a meal planner. I generally eat very well but there is always room from improvement and I think I need to swap certain things to really boost me. I hardly eat red meat anymore so that sgoing on the menu. I managed a piece of steak for lunch today, its a start :)

I'm feeling really excited, not just about my hair. Hopefully I will feel a million times better and actually have some energy.

Thanks again for all your brill replies! It times like this that the internet is an absolutey wonderful place. How you can reach out to people you dont know and they readily offer so much help and advice is so heartwarming. I felt so depressed about my hair situation until I came here and you all really made me feel like its NOT the end of the world and there is so much that can be done. I feel really motivated too into doing something other than searching for wigs hee hee! I cannot thank you all enough :)

[Panth]

You summed up my experience PERFECTLY! I went in and this time saw a trainee doctor who was USELESS. She looked at my results and said "the Computer says you're fine so you're fine" She didnt believe the levels were of any significance at all and she offered me Anti Depressants?! I was furious but walked straight out and booked an appointment with the Doctor I saw in the first place who specifically ordered the Serum Ferritin test as he must've known the relation between the hair loss and the Ferretin. I've just about got over yesterday now and have a plan if they wont help me. I know iron isnt something you want to mess with incase of overload so I will change my diet, supplement myself but ask the doctor to advise me on doseage and ask for regular bloods to check Im not harming myself. Hopefully it wont come to that anyway and the original doc will know his stuff. Fingers crossed!
<snip>

When you see the other doctor, be sure to tell him about your other symptoms - hair loss, chronic tiredness and low mood. With all those indicators AND the low serum ferritin, you should have a good case for getting him to take you seriously. Be insistent if needs be. Best of luck.

[Firefox7275]

You summed up my experience PERFECTLY! I went in and this time saw a trainee doctor who was USELESS. She looked at my results and said "the Computer says you're fine so you're fine" She didnt believe the levels were of any significance at all and she offered me Anti Depressants?! I was furious but walked straight out and booked an appointment with the Doctor I saw in the first place who specifically ordered the Serum Ferritin test as he must've known the relation between the hair loss and the Ferretin. I've just about got over yesterday now and have a plan if they wont help me. I know iron isnt something you want to mess with incase of overload so I will change my diet, supplement myself but ask the doctor to advise me on doseage and ask for regular bloods to check Im not harming myself. Hopefully it wont come to that anyway and the original doc will know his stuff. Fingers crossed!

I've been making a list of things I should be eating and and drinking and of course things I shouldn't, and I'm about to do a meal planner. I generally eat very well but there is always room from improvement and I think I need to swap certain things to really boost me. I hardly eat red meat anymore so that sgoing on the menu. I managed a piece of steak for lunch today, its a start :)

I'm feeling really excited, not just about my hair. Hopefully I will feel a million times better and actually have some energy.

Thanks again for all your brill replies! It times like this that the internet is an absolutey wonderful place. How you can reach out to people you dont know and they readily offer so much help and advice is so heartwarming. I felt so depressed about my hair situation until I came here and you all really made me feel like its NOT the end of the world and there is so much that can be done. I feel really motivated too into doing something other than searching for wigs hee hee! I cannot thank you all enough :)

It is possible you do have clinically measurable mild or moderate depression, tho this can be as a symptom rather than a primary (standalone) diagnosis. In this case anti depressants are not the solution, they are just masking a symptom of a underlying issue that needs addressing (if indeed they were effective!). I am very glad to read you are seeing another doctor: some pre-reg and juniors are excellent but many quite clueless - when I worked in hospital pharmacy we'd be on red alert for the new intake!

I hope you will stick around, be posting annual progress threads, helping others on their journey.

[woolyleprechaun]

Oh you poor thing! Your hair was stunning before, and I'm sure it can be again. It can take some time for bleach damage to become apparent, so I'm fairly confident that's your main problem.
When I had the dreaded bleach damage, I dyed back to my natural colour, oiled it, wore it up all the time, never heat styled and trimmed it regularly myself. In time, I got my hair back.
You can see the lighter ends in my avatar (under henna and Directions)- that's all I have left of the bleach. You can also see they are thinner...
You've had some wonderful advice so far; I just wanted to chip in with support :)

[jrmviola]

Im so sorry about your hair :( I addition to what i've read above you might seriously consider how big a chop you can stand to start over (from a different hairdresser) and then do nothing for at least a year, just condition it well. The reason being if you plan to grow longer then it might start to bug you that the ends look worse in comparison to your hopefully healthy hair. After a year if you still want to change the color then there are forums here that can give you very helpful advice. :D

[dulce]

Am really sorry,I have had several hairdressers in the past do their own thing ,completely disregarding my very explicit instructions.One even had the nerve to say it looked better when
I questioned why she did that to me.I bought myself a creaclip to cut my own hair [see demos on utube for different hair cuts you can do]I agree with no bleach,it can ruin hair especially if yours is delicate.Another alternative several have mentioned in the past is to go to a barber,they are trained to just cut,they are not into the fashioneable styles like some stylists are,they listen and just cut to your instuctions,according to previous threads I have read.Good luck!

[Komao]

Am really sorry,I have had several hairdressers in the past do their own thing ,completely disregarding my very explicit instructions.One even had the nerve to say it looked better when
I questioned why she did that to me.I bought myself a creaclip to cut my own hair [see demos on utube for different hair cuts you can do]I agree with no bleach,it can ruin hair especially if yours is delicate.Another alternative several have mentioned in the past is to go to a barber,they are trained to just cut,they are not into the fashioneable styles like some stylists are,they listen and just cut to your instuctions,according to previous threads I have read.Good luck!

I bought a crea clip too. Excellent investment for me. Now I can just concentrate on growing my hair and taking a dusting when needed. I get a chill up my spine when I think of salons. shudder:

[Tbee]

Thank you girls :)

I just looked at the Creaclip. That looks good! I've bookmarked for future reference. I dont think I'd be confident doing it at the moment as my hair is not long enough. I am going to get a cut next week sometime. I'm not sure who much I can cope with having chopped at first but I will probably decide on the day.

I dont think depression is a problem. I have a history with depression (from age 14 to my early twenties) I dont feel like I did then. Its not the same kind of low feeling. Im just exhausted and it makes me snappy and that combined with a daily headache, generally feeling awful and hair loss is making me sad. Therapy would be a waste of time too as I really dont have any problems other than those I just described, which makes it a physical thing rather than a mental thing. I'll be fine once I get back to feeling and looking human :)

Im not sure if I can create a blog yet but I will have a look in a sec :)

[Komao]

Thank you girls :)

I just looked at the Creaclip. That looks good! I've bookmarked for future reference. I dont think I'd be confident doing it at the moment as my hair is not long enough. I am going to get a cut next week sometime. I'm not sure who much I can cope with having chopped at first but I will probably decide on the day.

I dont think depression is a problem. I have a history with depression (from age 14 to my early twenties) I dont feel like I did then. Its not the same kind of low feeling. Im just exhausted and it makes me snappy and that combined with a daily headache, generally feeling awful and hair loss is making me sad. Therapy would be a waste of time too as I really dont have any problems other than those I just described, which makes it a physical thing rather than a mental thing. I'll be fine once I get back to feeling and looking human :
Im not sure if I can create a blog yet but I will have a look in a sec :)

I do have someone trim my hair with the creaclip for the back of my hair. There is a video showing how you can do this yourself but for me it's easier to have someone help with this and believe me they don't need experience cutting hair. Best of luck to you:)

[Firefox7275]

Thank you girls :)

I just looked at the Creaclip. That looks good! I've bookmarked for future reference. I dont think I'd be confident doing it at the moment as my hair is not long enough. I am going to get a cut next week sometime. I'm not sure who much I can cope with having chopped at first but I will probably decide on the day.

I dont think depression is a problem. I have a history with depression (from age 14 to my early twenties) I dont feel like I did then. Its not the same kind of low feeling. Im just exhausted and it makes me snappy and that combined with a daily headache, generally feeling awful and hair loss is making me sad. Therapy would be a waste of time too as I really dont have any problems other than those I just described, which makes it a physical thing rather than a mental thing. I'll be fine once I get back to feeling and looking human :)

Im not sure if I can create a blog yet but I will have a look in a sec :)

Clinical depression can be a mental or a physical thing, depending if it's a standalone diagnosis or a symptom of another condition as it seems you may have now. Mild depression does not always present with low mood, I have seasonal affective disorder amongst my diagnoses, and I often don't get low mood with that, I get other symptoms of clinical depression. But again mild depression doesn't usually require anti depressants, that is masking symptoms not addressing underlying cause - depression does not cause hair loss or low ferritin levels, that should be red flag to a doctor something else is going on. I'm not saying you ARE depressed just that I can see why the doctor identified that, however he didn't take that to the next step and link it with the other issues you are reporting.

[Tbee]

Just a quick update for everyone.

I am back with :) I finally got to see a dermatologist in the end who said my iron was way too low. I'm now taking supplements and eating a really good diet. I went 3 months without any bleach until November and caved and had my roots done :( I was doing SO well and had so much growth! I know, I know... I haven't had it done since though and I am absolutely dedicated to quitting bleach forever this time. My boyfriend has a bet on with me that I don't touch bleach for a year and this isn't one I'm going to lose. I will never touch it again once it has grown out. My hair is in real bad shape. The shedding has eased but it is snapping left right and centre. The bleached strands (which make up most of my hair) are so brittle and almost translucent but the virgin strands actually feel like hair and have some substance to them. So anyway, I'm eating well, taking supplements, using castor oil with EO's every other day which I started this week and I can see growth already!! I'm not using any sort of heat which is brilliant as I'm seeing my curls and waves returning and really babying my hair. I switched to a sulfate free shampoo and am washing my hair every other day which is probably still too much but its better than every day. I'm going for a good trim/chop next week (currently between APL and BSL) but I am hoping by the end of the year I have some sort of hair that is healthy and pretty.

Thanks again for all your really great replies and info, I've been thinking about everything you've all said. I'm hoping to start a blog soon but I dont think I can at the moment?

[Wosie]

I really hope for you and your hair's sake that you'll continue to grow your own hair colour out. It's beautiful, and such a vibrant colour!

If you think about it, you have something to look forward to in the coming year. You will notice how your hair is getting thicker again, and your hair won't snap off as easily (and if I may say so--you'll retrieve a gorgeous hair colour which I think suits you much better than blonde). :flowers:

[kendraf]

Best of luck going back natural! I really think it's the best choice if you want long and healthy hair. When I started growing out my golden blonde and my dark ash blonde roots started coming through, I went in for one ombre job where they basically brushed on a color between my natural and the blonde to blend the demarcation line. It was worth it for me - I feel no need to color my hair ever again, and it looks really naturally blended.

Maybe after a few months of letting your hair recover, you could try blending the demarcation line a bit to help in the long run. Otherwise, just try to baby it as much as possible as everyone mentioned :)

[leslissocool]

Hello! Well I came to LHC with your same issue!


I had bleached my hair 7 times (the roots, then full head color retouchs) with box hair dye after bleaching and my hair was a nightmare! It was multi-color (parts lighter, parts darker) and It would NOT grow. Eventually I had to cut it short (to about shoulder) because it was breaking off. It's funny I was coloring it to look a bit like yours!

Anyways, when I came here I dyed it back to black and decided (since the color is kind of the same) to just let it be.

My rescue routine, while I trimmed most of my hair, was: Coconut or olive oil deep conditionings ever week, and babyface keratin protein treatment (you mix with conditioner, they are like protein drops I used a thick conditioner cream I think it was TIGI's) every 2 months about. I kept trimming off the damage. My hair still grew in spite of the damage because it's really coarse and strong.

Anyways, I was there. Don't listen to the hair stylist, you hair is NOT thinning for medical reasons only. It's the bleach, it destroyed my hair. If I were you, I would dye it a color similar to what you have, cut to shoulder, and baby your hair while you mantain and get the condition.

I also changed my diet or the better, eating clean (veggies, fruit, a lot of protein, non processed carbs although I do better with quinoa and low GI) and exercising, and my hair thicked up from the root too. But before you can even notice it you WILL have to stop the bleach and the damage.

[renarok]

Your stylist is in complete denial. She knows she is in danger of losing a high dollar client, and she is trying hard to save her revenue stream even if it means lying. Stop using any heat, especially a flat iron. They are death to hair. Oh BTW there is no magic serum that 'protects' it from the heat. Heat protectants are hogwash. You are young so your hair will come back beautifully, but it will take time and patience. The best advice I can give is to be so busy and happy in the rest of your life that you don't have time to dwell on your hair. If I were you I'd cut it into a cute bob, and focus on excellent nutrition . And get a puppy!:puppy: Just kidding.... kind of. I love puppies.