Down about my hair (with growth pics)

[Dutchesse]

Hi all,
I'm feeling a bit down about my growth and general state of my hair. It's growing quite slowly, and especially because I have to cut out damage all the time.
Exactly two years ago this picture was taken: http://img838.imageshack.us/img838/2756/ds06.jpg
Right now, two years of few haircuts and lots of taking care of my hair, my hair is only this long:
http://img856.imageshack.us/img856/1019/t4vf.jpg
The past 2 years my bangs have been grown out over two times (I dyed them then grew all the dye out then redyed them THEN grew all that out, so I have a good reference as to how fast my hair grows at the roots), so my hair has grown quite a bit. However at the ends hair has barely grown a few centimeters, including much needed haircuts of a few centimeters (I couldn't really comb through my hair anymore)
It's so thin and brittle it drives me nuts! Never in my life have I dyed the length of my hair, never have I used heat on it. I barely ever swim in swimming pools, barely ever in the sea, it doesn't get THAT much sun, the past two years I've been combing it carefully instead of brushing through it like I used to when it was chin length...
I'm afraid it won't get any longer than this. Am I really that impatient or am I right with thinking my hair is way slower than most people's? I'm getting so disheartened by this, does ANYONE know how I can continue?

[akuamoonmaui]

Have you tried oiling your ends? It sounds like your hair damages like mine does. Oil has done wonders for me. It takes a bit of time to get the applicaton right. I use a very small amount, smear it all over the palms of my hands then pat my hands evenly over my driest parts, then focus on the very ends, then as evenly as possible try to distribute the oil throughout my hair. I like coconut oil a lot. Avocado is nice, too. People feel castor oil has growth properties, but I've never tried it for that.

It looks like your hair has grown about 4 inches (10 centimeters?). On average hair grows about 1/2 inch (1 cm?) per month. (Sorry, don't know metric conversion very well). That might be a gauge to see if you're cutting more than you hair is growing. ???

I had about a foot of damage in my hair, it took a long time to get it cut out. Sometimes its worth having healthy hair, instead of long but damaged hair...

Hang in there!

~ A.

[Dutchesse]

Yeah, I've been oiling my hair the past few months. First with Argan , now with Jojoba. It makes it look better already, but still the ends just get damaged, I think because my hair is so thin there's more stress on the ends. There are so many white dots and splits I don't even want to think about S&D, even though I cut my damage in february or april and I keep my hair in braids and buns most of the time. I can't really cut my damage out, because it feels like the damage just keeps coming. Like my hair is too weak. So cutting will only mean shorter hair, and still damaged ends after half a year... It's so upsetting!

[FuzzyBlackWaves]

Your hair is very lovely, and the damage will not always be there. Your hair is still growing which means the damage is still growing out. Just think how lovely it will be when you see your healthy hair growing long (speaking from a position of having very split, damaged ends myself, which unfortunately I do just address with S and D every week and trims every four months).

[alyanna]

I don't think your hair looks nearly as bad as you think it does. It is possible you are cutting too much off, but it doesn't really look damaged to me. Plus you've classified yourself as an M/ii, which is by no means thin. I'd slow down with the cutting, try limiting it to once or twice a year, a maximum of one inch each time. Also, have you thought about growing out a portion if not all of your bangs? They are quite thick and may be taking away too much thickness from your length...

Oh and one more thing... I found that APL was the worse length. I was really impatient throughout that whole stage. I find it very awkward. Now that I'm inching closer to BSL, I am less restless about how fast my hair is growing. You may just be at an awkward stage.

[OleanderTime]

I also have slower-than-average hair. I have found it helpful to just remember that if your hair is growing at all, it will keep growing. Focus on your mental and physical health instead of obsessing, and overtime you will reach your goals. Also, your hair is really beautiful, so you can be thankful for that, too! I am right there with you, though. :)

[Leeloo]

I think it grows just fine just breaks off at the bottom a lot. Have you tried the following things:
- adding vitamins to fill in the holes in your diet (bee pollen makes a good all natural multi vitamin, 1 tsp a day, starting out with a few granules and increasing dose), adding fish oil
- coconut oil on length the night before wash
- silk pillow case AND sleeping bonnet
- SLS free shampoo followed up by catnip rinse (1 tsp of catnip to 250-300 ml of boiling water, steep till cool) then silicone free shampoo
Hope this helps

[Silverbrumby]

Take a good prenatal muli vitamin. Sounds like you need something more in your diet.

[stachelbeere]

What changed my hair a lot was going WO. Now I'm not here to convince you that WO is the only way - but maybe you need to change your routine? Maybe your shampoo or whatever you use is too harsh?
When I ditched my old shampoo (and some other things) my slowly growing hair began to look much better and my ends were so much healthier. I also got some extra baby hairs that grew along.

[lapushka]

I'm afraid it won't get any longer than this. Am I really that impatient or am I right with thinking my hair is way slower than most people's? I'm getting so disheartened by this, does ANYONE know how I can continue?

I say go with Feye's self-trimming method (Google it). It beats having a hair dresser take too much off, which I suspect might have also happened here - how other to explain this?

It grew a pretty big amount though. I look at the growth and would put 1 year growth on it. It seems to take you twice as long, so something is to blame. Either you're an extremely slow grower (which you've denied), or someone (the hair dresser) is cutting too much off.

I suggest to give Feye's a try!

[jacqueline101]

I'd try a multi vitamin and self trims.

[kme81]

One tip for babying your ends is to put your hair in a bun at the top of your head while you sleep. My ends are prone to tangle and this is the only method that really works for me; I've tried down, braids, sleeping caps, satin pillowcases, you name it, they didn't work.

Definitely try out self-trims and micro-trims!

Wish you the best!

[goldenlady]

I think I took about the same amount of time to go from/to the same lengths. Since my hair is BSL/MB I feel that it grows a lot quicker, but I've made drastic changes to my diet in the last year or so. I eat a lot more lean protein, eat a hell of a lot of veg, cut back on carbs and take vitamin supplements.. I'm also trying out msm at the moment. I found that growing out my bangs made my hair appear longer.. although yours suits you!

[Dutchesse]

One tip for babying your ends is to put your hair in a bun at the top of your head while you sleep.

Yeah I started doing this a few months ago and it made detangling in the morning much easier. I also sleep on a satin pillowcase and in the morning with a few stroked of my comb my hair just looks perfectly presentable. I think I might get the damaged ends from when I'm lazy and sleep with my hair loose, then have to comb more in the morning...

[Panth]

I can't see your second picture, so I can't really comment on the growth. However, I disagree with these recommendations:


I think it grows just fine just breaks off at the bottom a lot. Have you tried the following things:
- adding vitamins to fill in the holes in your diet (bee pollen makes a good all natural multi vitamin, 1 tsp a day, starting out with a few granules and increasing dose), adding fish oil


Take a good prenatal muli vitamin. Sounds like you need something more in your diet.


I'd try a multi vitamin and self trims.

If you do have a problem with your diet resulting in slow growth then the absolute best way to improve that is to improve your diet. Supplements should not be used as a patch to cover poor diet - they do not improve your vitamin and mineral levels as well as a good diet would, they can impede each other's action and/or absorption and they can also cause health problems, particularly when taken in high doses. Unfortunately, the harder option of positively improving your health by improving your diet and exercise habits is the better option.

[starlamelissa]

Panth I am going to disagree with you here. My son has eating issues, resulting in a limited diet. His pediatrician has recommended multivitamins to us to ensure his healthy growth. Vitamins can be a "patch" for people who struggle with food, or simply cannot afford a major lifestyle change. I also take a high dose b12 supplement because a medication I take lowers my ability to absorb b12.

[Panth]

Panth I am going to disagree with you here. My son has eating issues, resulting in a limited diet. His pediatrician has recommended multivitamins to us to ensure his healthy growth. Vitamins can be a "patch" for people who struggle with food, or simply cannot afford a major lifestyle change. I also take a high dose b12 supplement because a medication I take lowers my ability to absorb b12.

Sorry, I should have clarified. I meant in otherwise healthy people who are simply eating poor diet and have no doctor's recommendation. I did not mean people with illnesses, eating issues or deficiencies due to medication. I've been there too. :flower:

[starlamelissa]

Thanks for clarifying your position! No hard feelings :)