Rant!!!

[Eirinn]

I've just decided that my hair isn't the way I wanted it to be. Not the way I visualised it when I started to grow it again, if you know what I mean. I wanted it to be straight, even, long, sleek, shiny and worn down. It isn't:mad: Instead of this it looks like an old, uneven broom at the ends no metter how I treat it and is kept in updoes all the time (so where does the broom effect come from?). All for it's good. And what about my good?:rolleyes: Is that my hair for me or me for my hair?

Now question to all of you who keep your hair often/mostly down while growing: Is that possible to do that and not demage your hair? Or do you use any protection on it?

I'll be very grateful for any advice or answer:flowers:

[DragonLady]

Well.... I've only recently started putting mine in updos. I wore it down exclusively for years. And, it took me...over ten years to reach waist. I can only imagine it's because of constant damage.

Since I came here, I've been putting it up during the day, and taking it down at night, and have grown a full inch! Of course, it may be because of the Monistat, but I choose to think it's a combination, and will keep doing it this way.

If you're not happy with your hair up, and aren't too concerned about its growth rate, then why not just leave it down?

[Denebi]

What exactly do you men by "looking like a broom"? Is your hair dry and crunchy? If moisture treatments do not help, maybe a microtrim does. I have this sooner or later because of an outgrowing perm, and cutting just a little bit helps a lot, to make my ends behave again.

[Shanarana]

I'll always advocate coconut oil......one of my favorite oils to smooth through my hair.

[spidermom]

The only way you can get rid of that "uneven broom" effect is by trimming. I get mine trimmed about 1/2 inch every 3 months. I may gain length a little slower than non-trimmers, but I like my even ends (well, as even as they can be with this wurly hair).

[Eirinn]

What exactly do you men by "looking like a broom"? Is your hair dry and crunchy? If moisture treatments do not help, maybe a microtrim does. I have this sooner or later because of an outgrowing perm, and cutting just a little bit helps a lot, to make my ends behave again.

That's what I plan to do but... what if I'd worn it down more often?

[pariate]

I've also found that coconut helps with this problem. It protects and nourishes the strands and on the rare occasion that I wear my hair down, I don't fret about it quite so much! :)

[Morticia]

I'm a trimmer! It doesn't take much trimming to make my hair look smoother. I like to wear it down as long as it's not too hot outside.

[xrosiex]

Im also a trimmer. Only do dustings every 4 months. But it helps keep my ends alittle thicker. And I'm a big fan of coconut oil and shea butter.

[alligatorbaby23]

Due to the picture in your siggie, I would say your hair is anti broom like. But since you have straight hair, the ends are going to be straight too, right? I think your hair is pretty shiny, and last adjective I would ever think of would be "broom-like"

Sorry I didn't help your problem, maybe helped your hair ego though?

[Arctic_Mama]

I wear mine down a lot because of the length right now (don't want constant damage from ponytails) and coconut oil helps IMMENSELY for preventing tangles and snags, it helps the strands just slide against each other and other things. If I am staying home with the kids and not going anywhere for a few days I slather it with coconut oil. Yeah, it looks greasy and stringy, but in the long run it is helping me protect my hair properly.

[Eirinn]

Due to the picture in your siggie, I would say your hair is anti broom like. But since you have straight hair, the ends are going to be straight too, right? I think your hair is pretty shiny, and last adjective I would ever think of would be "broom-like"

Sorry I didn't help your problem, maybe helped your hair ego though?

Well, thanks a lot but the hmm broom-likeness comes out in 'use' and the pic was taken about three months ago when it wasn't that bad. I trimmed today - I'll try to post some actual photo

[Eirinn]

I wear mine down a lot because of the length right now (don't want constant damage from ponytails) and coconut oil helps IMMENSELY for preventing tangles and snags, it helps the strands just slide against each other and other things. If I am staying home with the kids and not going anywhere for a few days I slather it with coconut oil. Yeah, it looks greasy and stringy, but in the long run it is helping me protect my hair properly.

If only my hair responded for oils!!

[FrannyG]

I think a lot of us, especially straighties, need to have regular trims. In my experience, regular trimming slows down my growth rate by very little. I trim 1/3 of my growth every 2-3 months. If I don't trim, my ends get so uneven that I need to trim even more off in a year's time than I would have with regular trimming.

It took me a lot of years to figure that out.

[Nes]

Well my hair is somewhere between waist and TB and I wear it down 90% of the time and always have.

I think wearing it down does mean that the ends need trimming more frequently. I find I get many splits on the ends of my hair (and they have been known to be dry to the point of audable crunchy sounds) A deep treatment with EVOO usually sorts this out and when it doesn't, I know that it's time for a trim.

I usually use a cone leave-in conditioner or a light oiling to give the ends a bit of slip to stop them friction-ing up against each other too much.

As long as you are micro-trimming and piling in loads of moisture, there's no reason why you can't wear it down and still get good growth.

I'm sorry you're having a bad time with your hair right now. In your pic it looks really really shiny and beautiful. Try to remember that everyones hair goes though good and bad phases.

It is important to care for your hair, but don't forget to care for yourself too. Maybe take the focus off your hair for a while, and treat yourself in some other way?

Nes x

[Eirinn]

Well my hair is somewhere between waist and TB and I wear it down 90% of the time and always have.

I think wearing it down does mean that the ends need trimming more frequently. I find I get many splits on the ends of my hair (and they have been known to be dry to the point of audable crunchy sounds) A deep treatment with EVOO usually sorts this out and when it doesn't, I know that it's time for a trim.

I usually use a cone leave-in conditioner or a light oiling to give the ends a bit of slip to stop them friction-ing up against each other too much.

As long as you are micro-trimming and piling in loads of moisture, there's no reason why you can't wear it down and still get good growth.

I'm sorry you're having a bad time with your hair right now. In your pic it looks really really shiny and beautiful. Try to remember that everyones hair goes though good and bad phases.

It is important to care for your hair, but don't forget to care for yourself too. Maybe take the focus off your hair for a while, and treat yourself in some other way?

Nes x

Thanks a lot:flower: Your expirience helps much:) I'll trim more often (then once in 6 months) and use my leave-in or serum every day - from what I recall I did it some time ago and there were no splits at all. To learn from my own mistakes at last:rolleyes: But also I'm considering having it shorter than waist.... Sorry guys for bothering you with my hair ponderings:doh:

[Eirinn]

I think a lot of us, especially straighties, need to have regular trims. In my experience, regular trimming slows down my growth rate by very little. I trim 1/3 of my growth every 2-3 months. If I don't trim, my ends get so uneven that I need to trim even more off in a year's time than I would have with regular trimming.

It took me a lot of years to figure that out.

Do you really trim whole 1/3?! So what is your growth rate? That's interesting... but you wear your hair up mostly, don't you?

[UP Lisa]

I would say it depends on your hair. Mine is baby-fine, and very fragile. If I didn't wear it up most of the time, I wouldn't have much hair left due to breakage from trying to remove all the tangles I would get.

[starfire]

I generally always wear my hair down. I get splits but I don't know if it's from wearing it down or not. I don't have an even hemline, but then again, I don't trim. I think my siggy pic is pretty accurate of how my ends look. The ends are thinner, probably due to a combination of damage, layers, and lack of trimming.

[kunibob]

I went to school with a girl who had gorgeous tailbone-length hair and always wore it down, and she had no visible damage of note. That said, she was always very careful about lifting it out of the way of anything potentially damaging, pulling it over one shoulder if she was going to lean back against objects, etc. So, it wasn't 100% easy-breezy-carefree. I don't know what her hair care routine at home was, either.

So, I think it is possible to wear it down and still have healthy hair; one just has to be careful to prevent as much damage as possible, and be willing to accept that damage may occur (though if you're thinking of cutting it anyway, maybe this isn't a huge deal?) It's all about weighing the pros/cons. You're absolutely right in that you should be growing your hair for YOUR wants and needs. Do what makes YOU happiest!

[bunnii]

I leave my hair down most of the time due to my scalp getting oversensitive. But I do braid to keep it out of the way alot, tiny trims every couple of months and EVOO keep it smooth and relatively tamed. Also my hair goes through these wierd stages of looking rubbish, then all of a sudden it looks better again :shrug:

[Deborah]

Well, heck, your hair already looks 'straight, long, sleek, shiny, and worn-down'. All you need to do is trim off an inch or two and you will have exactly what you want! See, your solution is much simpler than you thought. :)

[Eirinn]

Well, heck, your hair already looks 'straight, long, sleek, shiny, and worn-down'. All you need to do is trim off an inch or two and you will have exactly what you want! See, your solution is much simpler than you thought. :)

You really think so?:) Well, I'm a perfectionist and I require much from myself - both inner and outer, it has to be exactly what I'd like it to be and I'm hardly ever contented.. Maybe that's why I don't see it.

[basak]

Hi, we have similar hair types and at some point I was doing regular trims to keep my ends blunt and thick. I decided that I didn't like blunt and thick ends on me, because I didn't like how it looked when pin-straight and piecey-which is how it is %90 of the time. I couldn't leave it like that because it would look uneven, like I haven't been caring for it. So I went to the salon and had the ends thinned with a razor. I don't plan to ever trim it again. Now the last 7-8 cms of my hair is tapered and it looks more natural. They take better wave from buns and don't disturb braid wave patterns. Razor thinning can damage, but my hair is already strong and coarser from the henna I used, so I have minimum splits. I don't even have tangles. It still isn't as tapered as I want but it does the job. I'm also a perfectionist and I found that this was the best solution for me.

[Eirinn]

Hi, we have similar hair types and at some point I was doing regular trims to keep my ends blunt and thick. I decided that I didn't like blunt and thick ends on me, because I didn't like how it looked when pin-straight and piecey-which is how it is %90 of the time. I couldn't leave it like that because it would look uneven, like I haven't been caring for it. So I went to the salon and had the ends thinned with a razor. I don't plan to ever trim it again. Now the last 7-8 cms of my hair is tapered and it looks more natural. They take better wave from buns and don't disturb braid wave patterns. Razor thinning can damage, but my hair is already strong and coarser from the henna I used, so I have minimum splits. I don't even have tangles. It still isn't as tapered as I want but it does the job. I'm also a perfectionist and I found that this was the best solution for me.

Glad you found your solution but personally thinning ends is what I hate and want to avoid. But every perfectionist has her own exact idea of how it suppouse to look:) oh, and henna rinses out of me within few washes...

[Nes]

I'm a perfectionist too and I could easily drive myself insane over my hair.

IMO, if your a perfectionist you have to remember this when evaluating how your hair looks. You are unlikely to be satisfied with what you see no matter how your hair is, because hair can never be perfect.

Like most women, your own evaluation of yourself is probably much worse than how other people see you.

I think your hair looks fantastic.

Nes x

[Eirinn]

I'm a perfectionist too and I could easily drive myself insane over my hair.

IMO, if your a perfectionist you have to remember this when evaluating how your hair looks. You are unlikely to be satisfied with what you see no matter how your hair is, because hair can never be perfect.

Like most women, your own evaluation of yourself is probably much worse than how other people see you.

I think your hair looks fantastic.

Nes x

Thanks Nes:flowers: Yes I know that people see me in better way then I do... they must have something wrong with their eyes:face: And I know that I'll probably never be perfectly happy with my hair but at least it'd be better then worse...

[ChloeDharma]

Eirinn just echoing what has already been said here.....your hair to me looks flawless. I like the ends, but if you want blunt all you need to do is maintain a trimming routine. But i'd say you have what you want now.
As for wearing it down, i have a friend with quite similar hair to you i think, and she grows it easily to hiplength and never wears it up. She does get splits a bit but nothing major. Like has been said, your hair has to make you happy, if you are prepared to keep it a little bit shorter than you might otherwise be able to grow it then i say wear it down and enjoy it. :)

[Tressie]

Try not to obssess about your hair so much and just enjoy it! As others have said, it looks great in your pic! Just think how happy you would be to have your hair, if it was just growing out from chemo or was badly damaged by color or heat! Be happy now I say..........today is all we are sure of! This is what I am going to try and do when I get discouraged about my own hair! I hope I can live up to my own advice!! We ALL have our bad hair days (o:

[Eirinn]

After trim:
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k409/BlackShrew/wosyzpasem-1.jpg

I've marked waist with red line this time for no dubt.

And this is how it looked about 3 months ago:

http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k409/BlackShrew/shrew2-1.jpg

[spidermom]

Your hair looks terrific after the trim. Time for a new sig pic.

[Eirinn]

Your hair looks terrific after the trim. Time for a new sig pic.

You think so?:D Thanks:flower: Well then...

[lora410]

I get the broom look from updo's BUT when i let it hair dry the ends are perfect. Are you only seeing the ends after its been in a updo ,or just in general?

[lora410]

After trim:
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k409/BlackShrew/wosyzpasem-1.jpg

I've marked waist with red line this time for no dubt.

And this is how it looked about 3 months ago:

http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k409/BlackShrew/shrew2-1.jpg

I personally think your ends look great in both picts :D

[atlantaz3]

I wear my hair down alot at work and probably break off the ends on my office chair. It's funny at home I grab a fork to put my hair up - I don't want to shed in cooking! (sorry ewww!) I trim 1/2 inch every 4-6 months and try for regular smt's.
But I to wonder if I wore my hair up more would I gain more length faster. I'm trying to practice more updos and love that Stardust look alike note to self practice twisting. I just have self picture image problems of mean bun lady with bifocal glasses! (even though they are no lines :)
Maybe we should try the wear up for a month challenge to see if there is a difference.

[crystal_89]

I'm liking the new signature picture, Eirinn. The trim looks good... :D

[danacc]

Do you really trim whole 1/3?! So what is your growth rate? That's interesting... but you wear your hair up mostly, don't you?

I think she means she trims 1/3 of new growth, not 1/3 of total length.


To your original question, I grew from bob to between hip and tailbone while wearing my hair down and free 90% of the time. For nearly a year now, I've worn it up or braided every day. While it obviously grew long when "out", I had a lot more split ends then than I do now. I think EdG has worn and currently wears his down all the time, and he's at calf-length with fairytale ends.

[Eirinn]

Strange thing: somehow now when it's trimmed and worn down 90% it's in the best condition ever, in much better then when I wore it up all the time. It's vivid, bouncy and stays fresh and moisturized all day. Everyone were warning me that if I wore it loose it'd turn into greasy, tanged, dried out and damaged... Does anyone understand what's going on?:confused:

[bunnii]

Not a clue i'm affraid, i'm the same though my hair likes being down most of the time its stays nicer that way, up it gets greasy quicker probably because it gets messes with more.

[Eirinn]

Not a clue i'm affraid, i'm the same though my hair likes being down most of the time its stays nicer that way, up it gets greasy quicker probably because it gets messes with more.

Hmm that's interesting... so would you say that it also depends on hair - no general rule?

[bunnii]

Maybe, my hair can get greasy after putting it up once if i've had to play with it alot to get it up so I leave it down. So maybe some scalps get greasy quicker than others.

[RavennaNight]

Mine is generally happier down. Constant updos make my head hurt and scalp sensitive. I only put it up for work, and by the time I get home, down it goes! Otherwise its ouch for me.

[Eirinn]

Mine is generally happier down. Constant updos make my head hurt and scalp sensitive. I only put it up for work, and by the time I get home, down it goes! Otherwise its ouch for me.

Well, sensitive scalp is another factor of hair hapiness or unhapiness when down... Mine hurt often couse of updos...