Hair changes?

[LunaHuntress]

Has anyone else experienced a change in their hair since joining LHC? I don't mean expected changes like longer, softer or healthier hair, I'm talking about changes in curl pattern or thickness. For years before I joined my hair was stick straight (1a), with no body and wouldn't hold a curl (what I affectionately call the "wet seaweed on a rock" look.) When I signed up two months ago (and hey, I just noticed I passed my two month anniversary yesterday!) I'd been following the advice here for about a month and a half and when I typed my hair it had changed to a medium 1b/slight 1c: still straight, but a bit of body and a slight "S" forming in spots. Over the past couple of weeks I'd been noticing odd things like bun/braid waves lasting all day, thicker looking braids and my "wispies" around my face seemed to be curling after washing. So today I decided to type it again and this is what happened:http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v309/DinaLori/newhairtype_zps5b65c416.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/DinaLori/media/newhairtype_zps5b65c416.jpg.html)

It's hard to see from the pic (#&!! cheap phone camera!), but the hair is separating into wavy chunks and the ends look like they're wanting to curl. Here's a close-up where you can see the ends a bit better:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v309/DinaLori/curlcloseup_zpse5c63405.jpg

Also when I measured my ponytail it had gone up from slightly over 6.5 cm to a solid 7 cm. Has something like this happened to anyone else? And do you think it might change more as it gets healthier?

[Sharysa]

I used to think my hair was straight as well, but then it turned out borderline-wavy at 1c/2a. It would probably be a 2a/b if I managed not to touch it after a wash, but that's just not practical because my hair's so darn thick and tangly--it takes several hours to a full night to dry, so I just oil it and braid it.

Not only did I stop take better care of it and cut out heat, the length itself probably helped it start forming proper waves instead of just flicking out erratically like it did at APL-BSL.

[Brattina88]

Same here! :) I made a thread about my changes, too.
I originally thought mine was 1b and now it borders day-to-day on a 2b/c, and it's thicker. If you've only been at it two months I think it's very possible for it to change some more, I know mine has! I noticed changes in thickness starting majorly in Jan (I started around October) and I've notice even more changes (this month especially) in my waves ;) your hair is very cute!

[LunaHuntress]

Thanks for the replies (and thanks, Brattina88, for saying my hair is cute, I love your color!) I'm glad to know I'm not imagining things. I guess it makes sense that as a stopped the damaging habits (blow frying, hot curlers, ripping a brush through my hair) it would start looking better, but I wasn't expecting new waves.

I've been thinking about it, and it's been over 30 years since I've seen my "natural" hair. I started dyeing at 16, and before that I'd get home perms a few times a year, at least since I was 10 or 12. So who knows what it'll end up looking like.

[Sharysa]

You know, I actually keep forgetting just how curly my hair might be--after my wash last night, I noticed quite a few loose spirals lurking in my hair. It's just that said spirals are pretty fragile (combing loosens most of them into waves) and I just don't want to be stuck in the house for hours waiting for my hair to dry so I can confirm it.

[Gardezbien]

I would thing it could change for the healthier

[Gardezbien]

think :) - I have not learned to edit yet :rolleyes:

[Sharysa]

I think you need twenty posts to be able to edit, so no worries.

[LunaHuntress]

You know, I actually keep forgetting just how curly my hair might be--after my wash last night, I noticed quite a few loose spirals lurking in my hair. It's just that said spirals are pretty fragile (combing loosens most of them into waves) and I just don't want to be stuck in the house for hours waiting for my hair to dry so I can confirm it.

Ha, I guess having thinner hair is good for something-takes less time to dry. :p Now that it's warmer out could you maybe go outside to let the sun speed things up? Or would that interfere with the curl pattern?

Gardenzbien: Welcome to LHC! Unfortunately you won't be able to edit until you hit 25 posts. Here's the thread that tells you about what you can and can't do yet: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=68520

[veryhairyfairy]

This definitely happened to me a few months after I found LHC. I changed a few products around, and switched to a wide-tooth comb, and found myself going from 1b to a definite 1c/2a. And then over this last year my hair kind of straightened out (I assumed it was from the weight of the length). Now I'm realizing that old damage may have been/may be the culprit since I'm getting some 2something waves in my healthy new growth. :hmm:

It's tough to say with those pictures, but I see some texture in your hair. You might look into trying out the curly girl method and see what happens. :)

[Gardezbien]

Thank you Luna Huntress. I get lost in the forums :) and side tracked and rabbit holed with so much awesome information.

[lapushka]

That does look more like 1c. Not 1a at all.

[Theobroma]

You know, I actually keep forgetting just how curly my hair might be--after my wash last night, I noticed quite a few loose spirals lurking in my hair. It's just that said spirals are pretty fragile (combing loosens most of them into waves) and I just don't want to be stuck in the house for hours waiting for my hair to dry so I can confirm it.

My spirals are fragile too. I went for most of my life thinking my hair was a weird, fluffy excuse for "straight", but then I used to blowdry or airdry in the sun while brushing or combing it the whole time. Never a wave in sight that way. When LHC emboldened me to try airdrying without interference, I found myself with long loose spirals all over my head.

I'd claim full-on 3a, but the curl falls out the moment I comb it, so I'm not sure it counts!

[Sharysa]

I just get more reliable waves with Dutch braids. It's a happy medium.

[kganihanova]

LMAO my hair went straighter since I got on LHC, the curls/waves came from the layers- which I cut out. Glad those suckers are gone.

[LunaHuntress]

So, just out of curiosity I dug through some old childhood pictures and turns out when I was little my hair was a bit on the wavy side:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v309/DinaLori/age5-6_zps8bad77b2.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/DinaLori/media/age5-6_zps8bad77b2.jpg.html)

Well, I guess I learned something: stop abusing your hair and it'll return to it's natural state.