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Lynnsmane
December 23rd, 2016, 04:53 PM
Hi all! New here and dreaming of long hair for the first time in my thirty years of existence. This is also the first time I've thought that it my in fact be possible if I stop with all the damaging habits!

For those who don't want to read my hair story, the question I come to below is this: to you ladies who have come back from severely thinned out and broken hair: how long did it take for you to feel that your hair was filling back out after giving up the bad habits?

My story goes like this: during childhood I had big poofy uncontrollable hair and started straightening it and dying it blonde (I'm a natural dark blonde). My hair is fine but dense, and actually grows straight out instead of down so I've always had lots of volume. But when straightened, it just looks super thin. After years of heat styling and dyes, I just accepted that I had thin hair, completely forgetting that it used to be thick!

Then came the keratin treatments, hailed as the greatest thing since sliced bread. And the first few times I tried it, I agreed. But I started noticing my hair becoming brittle and straw-like. Although I noticed it was always right after the keratin treatments, I didn't stop because my stylist said the treatments are needed to repair my hair and it must be the heat styling doing that. Fast forward to August 2016. I did a keratin treatment and literally lost half my hair in the process. My hair broke off everywhere. My hair was thin with no volume or curl and I honestly looked sick, like a malnourished woman whose hair had fallen out. I decided the best thing to do to add fullness was cut off the dead ends. Sounds smart, except that I tried to do it myself and ended up looking like a malnourished women with a mullet.

So then I went to the hair dresser (deva curl) and the hairdresser evened it out but told me unless I wanted close to a pixie I would have to wait for the shortest pieces to grow out. That was two months ago and it's been agony. I don't feel attractive at all and don't know when I'll have enough hair again to feel like my old self.

So my question to you ladies who have come back from severely thinned out hair: how long did it take for you to feel that your hair was filling back out?

My ultimate goal is length but knowing that it is years away, my first goal is fullness and especially for the pieces around my face to grow to a point where it's no longer a mullet. I don't want to cut the back because the hairdresser told me the back length is actually pretty healthy. So I've decided to stick out the mullet until it fills out.

I no longer heat style, I take vitamins, baggy once a week, use olaplex, and massage my head each night. So my habits have completely changed.

Thanks in advance! I'm so happy to have a place to vent and find support! PS I'm not having luck with posting. I accidentally posted this twice in the New Forum and don't have permission to delete the posts. I'd love to add pics but don't have the permission to add attachments. Does anyone know how I can share some pics with you all?

Lynnsmane
December 23rd, 2016, 05:37 PM
Figured out photos (I hope):


Me as a kid (I want these curls again!)

http://i1044.photobucket.com/albums/b444/taralynn1255/little%20me_edited-1_zpsphz0pbga.jpg


As a teenager (I present the frizzy afro with bangs that started me on my quest for silky hair)

http://i1044.photobucket.com/albums/b444/taralynn1255/IMG_5964_zpsc0fuzxc7.jpg


Me in my 20s before the keratin treatments (hair subdued by dye and heat-styling; damaged and thin, but looked fine)

http://i1044.photobucket.com/albums/b444/taralynn1255/IMG_0055_zpsbaryvuaq.jpg


After the keratin treatment that fried half my head (first pic: me trying to keep it together. my friend in the second pic said I looked like "a cow licked my head" lol, I think I just look sickly)

http://i1044.photobucket.com/albums/b444/taralynn1255/IMG_3684_zpsdjracxa6.jpg

http://i1044.photobucket.com/albums/b444/taralynn1255/IMG_4494_zpsq2q0ezqo.jpg


And after the hairdresser tried to fix my mullet:

http://i1044.photobucket.com/albums/b444/taralynn1255/IMG_5299_zpsk994jqwl.jpg


And six weeks later (maybe it's wishful thinking but it looks like it's growing!)

http://i1044.photobucket.com/albums/b444/taralynn1255/IMG_6072_zpsjahxctlk.jpg

mizukitty
December 23rd, 2016, 06:24 PM
Girl, from that last pic it doesn't look like you need any help at all! You pretty much got everything down because that progress is looking incredible. You're doing everything right - now comes the hard part. Patience :( It's the worst. But as long as you keep up what you're doing, you'll be amazed. Amazing curl pattern, by the way :flower:

LongCurlyTress
December 23rd, 2016, 06:55 PM
When my hair was your length, I used a claw clip and put it up and straightened the bangs along one side of my face, kind of like Jennifer Aniston in Friends...(see photos below)
This protected my ends and kept my curly short hair from getting too big and bushy until it grew longer. Now at hip length the weight of the length holds down the curls but I still bun it everyday or it still gets all tangly. Anyways, I follow the KISS rule.. and use evoo oil.. extra virgin olive oil, just a tiny drop on the ends at night and wash it out in the morning. Very littlle heat, but still you could dry and straighten just the face framing bangs to give your hair some style, but put the back up in a peacock french twist to protect it. Eventually your hair will grow... Good luck!! :) Don't cut!~~ And.. you are very pretty, btw! :)

https://www.google.com/search?q=jennifer+aniston+friends+updo&biw=1366&bih=610&noj=1&tbm=isch&imgil=rHh3jTV15f0KfM%253A%253BRW4_QnlRqXKrDM%253Bh ttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.redbookmag.com%25252Fb eauty%25252Fhair%25252Fg2326%25252Ficonic-updos%25252F&source=iu&pf=m&fir=rHh3jTV15f0KfM%253A%252CRW4_QnlRqXKrDM%252C_&usg=__ngOKj3-lc38Kgnb8oTMf6lEgRdc%3D&ved=0ahUKEwiJsZ3024vRAhXCr1QKHSd5D0MQyjcILQ&ei=rtRdWImiLcLf0gKn8r2YBA#imgrc=1aKKK4sqaWO8wM%3A

https://www.google.com/search?q=jennifer+aniston+friends+updo&biw=1366&bih=610&noj=1&tbm=isch&imgil=rHh3jTV15f0KfM%253A%253BRW4_QnlRqXKrDM%253Bh ttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.redbookmag.com%25252Fb eauty%25252Fhair%25252Fg2326%25252Ficonic-updos%25252F&source=iu&pf=m&fir=rHh3jTV15f0KfM%253A%252CRW4_QnlRqXKrDM%252C_&usg=__ngOKj3-lc38Kgnb8oTMf6lEgRdc%3D&ved=0ahUKEwiJsZ3024vRAhXCr1QKHSd5D0MQyjcILQ&ei=rtRdWImiLcLf0gKn8r2YBA#imgrc=1aKKK4sqaWO8wM%3A

pili
December 23rd, 2016, 07:43 PM
It looks like you are doing all the right things! As was already said, patience is your new best friend. Maybe get a satin pillowcase to protect the fragile ends until it's long enough to put up at night. And I second the peacock. YouTube also has some good tutorials for short hair updos. You are already on your way to getting those pretty curls back, and welcome to the boards!

Lynnsmane
December 24th, 2016, 02:19 AM
Thank you! I will try out the recommended hairstyles. Perhaps it's lack of style that is making me feel so blah :)

Johannah
December 24th, 2016, 04:07 AM
One word for you: moisture. You need it to balance out the protein asap. Search for SMT on the forum and experiment with oiling as a pre-wash and/or leave-in.

How long ago did you do the keratin treatments?

lapushka
December 24th, 2016, 05:04 AM
I had hormonal hair loss at ages 13/14, and bald patches. Took me 2 years to grow that hair back, but it grew back. Like was said above: patience. And the fact that you have this knowledge now, and can start to "pamper" your hair = priceless! Honestly, priceless. You might have "straighter" hair than you are used to due to the keratin, but it will grow back in nice and full from here on out.

Good luck & happy growing! :D :flower:

RebekahE
December 24th, 2016, 08:16 AM
I second the moisture treatments. If you buy a mask/masque watch the ingredients list for protein, if it has protein I don't think I would get it. The SMT is also a great homemade mask.
Your hair looks very lovely to me.

starlamelissa
December 24th, 2016, 08:24 AM
it looks like you are doing well! just keep trimming, and stay away from the damaging hair practices.

Flipgirl24
December 24th, 2016, 08:15 PM
Hi all! New here and dreaming of long hair for the first time in my thirty years of existence. This is also the first time I've thought that it my in fact be possible if I stop with all the damaging habits!

For those who don't want to read my hair story, the question I come to below is this: to you ladies who have come back from severely thinned out and broken hair: how long did it take for you to feel that your hair was filling back out after giving up the bad habits?

My story goes like this: during childhood I had big poofy uncontrollable hair and started straightening it and dying it blonde (I'm a natural dark blonde). My hair is fine but dense, and actually grows straight out instead of down so I've always had lots of volume. But when straightened, it just looks super thin. After years of heat styling and dyes, I just accepted that I had thin hair, completely forgetting that it used to be thick!

Then came the keratin treatments, hailed as the greatest thing since sliced bread. And the first few times I tried it, I agreed. But I started noticing my hair becoming brittle and straw-like. Although I noticed it was always right after the keratin treatments, I didn't stop because my stylist said the treatments are needed to repair my hair and it must be the heat styling doing that. Fast forward to August 2016. I did a keratin treatment and literally lost half my hair in the process. My hair broke off everywhere. My hair was thin with no volume or curl and I honestly looked sick, like a malnourished woman whose hair had fallen out. I decided the best thing to do to add fullness was cut off the dead ends. Sounds smart, except that I tried to do it myself and ended up looking like a malnourished women with a mullet.

So then I went to the hair dresser (deva curl) and the hairdresser evened it out but told me unless I wanted close to a pixie I would have to wait for the shortest pieces to grow out. That was two months ago and it's been agony. I don't feel attractive at all and don't know when I'll have enough hair again to feel like my old self.

So my question to you ladies who have come back from severely thinned out hair: how long did it take for you to feel that your hair was filling back out?

My ultimate goal is length but knowing that it is years away, my first goal is fullness and especially for the pieces around my face to grow to a point where it's no longer a mullet. I don't want to cut the back because the hairdresser told me the back length is actually pretty healthy. So I've decided to stick out the mullet until it fills out.

I no longer heat style, I take vitamins, baggy once a week, use olaplex, and massage my head each night. So my habits have completely changed.

Thanks in advance! I'm so happy to have a place to vent and find support! PS I'm not having luck with posting. I accidentally posted this twice in the New Forum and don't have permission to delete the posts. I'd love to add pics but don't have the permission to add attachments. Does anyone know how I can share some pics with you all?

Your hair looks great! Just wanted to ask a question....you said you "baggy once a week" - what does this mean?

Alissalocks
December 24th, 2016, 09:20 PM
Some great advice I read when I first arrived was to treat your hair like antique lace. I try to remember that when I'm tempted to pull through a knot or whatever bad habits I have that might encourage breakage.

I also thought some oil treatments might help the overall health and thickness improve over time, I like coconut or sweet almond oils but there are so many good ones for different hair folks.

Also, do you CWC? Might help increase overall slip to help avoid breakage as you grow?

Totally agree on waiting out those keratin treatments, sounds like classic protein overload symptoms, dry and stringy/piecey, but that's just my guess. Lots more moisture treatments like SMT, as expertly recommended already!

Your hair does look nice, don't fret! It gets better ;)

spirals
December 24th, 2016, 09:30 PM
I had to grow out not only layers, but also ends that were thinned with notching shears. I've been on here for what, 3, 4 years? It's taken that long to get most of that cut out. Now, that's because I rarely trim and I thinned the ends at least 4 inches up. So yes, patience is key. Another thing you can do is use heatless curl methods.

spidermom
December 25th, 2016, 09:33 AM
It looks like you're on the right track.

Elfa
December 25th, 2016, 11:25 AM
For me, from the day I got a hand full of hair broken by bleach and decided to grow natural to now, CBL natural hair without layers, it took 2 years.

Lynnsmane
December 28th, 2016, 08:06 AM
It's when you put a deep conditioner or anything that will moisturize your hair and put a plastic bag over your head. I'll leave it on for a few hours or overnight. The heat inside the bag opens the cuticle and really gets moisture in there. I do it once a week because any more often and I'd be afraid of over-moisturizing my hair!

spirals
December 28th, 2016, 11:13 PM
^ That's a good idea. My hair is more on the non-porous side, so the warmth would help.

RavenRose
December 28th, 2016, 11:53 PM
You look like you are doing a really good job! Hair on average grows 1/2" a month, and judging by the hair around your eyebrows and ears, you have a good amount of growth! Waves and curls can be hard to tell sometimes since they can have a mind of their own. Plus your curls are springing to life!

I agree with the others- lots of moisture, gentle shampooing methods, Silk or satin sleep cap or pillow, and some updos will really help prevent further breakage.
The giving up the dye thread may also have alot more tips for you!
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=51155&page=240

Greenfire
December 29th, 2016, 12:46 AM
I had a really bad highlighting done by a new hairdresser, I knew she was doing it wrong when she was foiling, but stupidly didn't question it because my wedding was a day later. My hair ended up really fried and she didn't tone it properly so it went orange. (she put the lightener on all the hair except what went in the foils... ) She ended up putting more lightener on it a day later and then toning it so that it wouldn't be orange but my hair still was fairly reddish in my photos. Then a week later the toner washed out and it was really orange again so she bleached all my hair, and it was white. I ended up with some hairs that were BSL the day before, being only an inch or so long because it was just so fried it was disintegrating in the sink when she rinsed it. No, I have not been to a hairdressser since, and I grew out all the bleach using the thread referenced above.

But my hair was fried I tell ya. I had to cut it, and went to around shoulder, but it wasn't good enough so cut it to chin, then really stopped lurking here and started asking for help. Someone linked me from in the files somewhere a treatment that had mayonnaise in it, and it was the best thing ever to take out the feeling that my hair wasn't hair anymore. (it seriously felt like spiderwebs) I think it was the protein with the oils that did it, but everyone's hair is different, and I was cautioned to try one thing at a time.

Madora and EdG on here were awesome with suggestions, and really the best thing for me was to learn to crown braid. I would do the French style rather than the Dutch, and for a shorter hairstyle, with dye growing out or damage (or both in my case) it's seriously an awesome hairstyle for those awkward stages before you can really pull it back into a bun or even a ponytail. I wore it ALL the time, and it kept my hair from being blown around in the wind, from needing to be brushed a lot. It basically kept me from shaving my head and starting over.

I would trim out my damaged hair regularly, using the Feye's method and what I thought was microtrimming but I became pretty overly aggressive with doing this myself so the damaged hair grew out but I seemed to hit between shoulder and BSL and once all the colour was gone tended to stall there even though there wasn't any more damage to cut out. So in YOUR case, the good news is that you may be able to baby the damaged hair and grow it out without needing to cut it all out like you would if it was bleached too!

I would really look in the files or stickies here for the link to all the hair treatments, and figure out which you need. I really needed protein (you probably DON'T) and moisture, but there are moisture only ones in there that you may want to try! I don't know if chelating your hair might help with any of the brittle feeling too, but sometimes you can get that with too much protein, and it feels like damage but isn't really damage. It needs moisture, but if there's any build up you can remove first, it might help. (I'm NO expert on that, hoping someone who might be jumps in and gives you their experience, I just know when I do too much protein, I need to use something really ultra conditioning on it or it would get brittle.)