What did I do!

[WaterLili]

I feel a bit sad right now. I cut my waist length hair to donate it. I got a balayage on top of that! So I cut and damaged my hair. Don't get me wrong I'm so happy I donated it! I'm just sad I dyed it. I'm already planning to grow it out again. I was ready for a change now I'm ready for it back!!!😭😭😭. Now I have to grow both the dyed hair and my hair I feel like a shaved my head! Sorry just feeling bummed at my choices.

[hypersensitive]

Hair grows back! Don't worry! You can color it back darker if you don't like the color. Give yourself lots of hair treatments and take care of it!

[WaterLili]

I keep telling myself it grows back! My hair grows fast so I'm hoping I'll be in a better place in a couple months. I'm going to sport the color for now but I'm not redoing it. When the time comes I will be adding brown to cover it up. Eventually it will grow out. Any tips to save my beaten up hair?

[ipickee]

There's not really a saving option, but you can baby it. Deep condition, henna, or cassia, if you don't want the red color that comes with henna. I wear mine up nearly constantly, and condition my ends with oil every night before I go to bed. I was in your spot a couple years ago, and now I'm nearly to waist. Hair grows back :).

[WaterLili]

I've grown out my hair a couple times and I keep telling myself just that! I'm hoping I'll be back to where I was in about two years.

[WaterLili]

I cut 8ish inches off. That's not crazy to think I can get it back in about a year right?

[hayheadsbird]

I cut 8ish inches off. That's not crazy to think I can get it back in about a year right?

My spreadsheet thinks I grow about 8 inches a year. I'm not sure yet how accurate that will turn out to be, but if the average is 6 then I'm guessing it's not outside the realms of possibility

[WaterLili]

How do you figure out how fast you grow? I always assumed I grow hair fast due to my haircuts growing out relatively fast...legs and armpits grow within the end of the day. Idk how relative body hair is to head hair.

[hayheadsbird]

Growth rates. Hair growth varies depending on body region. For example, average eyelash/brow growth rates have been reported at 0.16 millimeters (mm) per day, scalp hair at 0.34 to 0.36 mm/day, and beard hair at 0.38 mm/day. Growth rates also are affected by age, gender, hair color, and ethnicity. For example, scalp hair in a prepubescent, adolescent, adult, and older adult have been reported at 0.41, 0.30, 0.34, and 0.32 mm/day, respectively (Myers and Hamilton 1951).

Interindividual variability also occurs. Scalp hair grows at an average rate of 1 centimeter (cm) per month, but can range from 0.6 to 3.36 cm/month (Harkey 1993). Thus, 12 cm can represent 3½ to 20 months of hair growth.

From a slightly haphazard Google, this is the best I've found for variability in individual growth rates.
From https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/hac/hair_analysis/2.4.html

[hayheadsbird]

How do you figure out how fast you grow? I always assumed I grow hair fast due to my haircuts growing out relatively fast...legs and armpits grow within the end of the day. Idk how relative body hair is to head hair.

There's a thread on managing hair growth data - it a spread sheet made by an excel genius who's name I can't recall right now, and it can track and predict growth for you!

[LongCurlyTress]

By any chance, are you Waterlilli 716 also? Your hair will grow....but just go hide your scissors! :)

[WaterLili]

No just plain ole waterlili! I guess it could be a lot worse I still have make a braid and it still goes to my bra line. I dyed it once and never use heat on my head!

[LongCurlyTress]

No just plain ole waterlili! I guess it could be a lot worse I still have make a braid and it still goes to my bra line. I dyed it once and never use heat on my head!

LOL.. thanks for the info! Thereis a youtuber who goes by Waterlili716 but I guess you are not her. :) That is great that your braid goes to your bra line!! Just go hide those scissors. :) Let it grow grow grow! :)

[Rapunzel_to_be]

Don't be sad :flower: Try to enjoy the balayage, as I'm sure it looks great on you! And then just baby your hair, lots of oiling etc, and maybe try to microtrim it regularly so that you get rid of the balayage and gain some length at the same time?

I've done a similar thing before ( except I didn't donate my hair, I burned it with permanent straightening :( ), and as I had finally managed to recover from the damages( I microtrimmed and also bigger trims) I went and got a balayage.... and damaged my hair again.. a few months after that, I decided to give up all heat tools, and go natural, and this is also when I found LHC:D I started treating my hair better and I grew it out to a TBL, after lots of S&Ds, microtrims, bigger trims etc. My hair looked healthy, but the remainings of the balayage were of course not to be rescued no matter what, so being the impatient person that I am, I cut off approximately 55 cm ( 21 inches or so ), and now Im at APL. I've never been a fan of myself with this length, especially not with my natural hair. BUT I'm looking forward in to growing it all out healthy.
Since you do not want to chop off all of your hair, I would just enjoy my new look, and do as I ( and others ) mentioned above, and try not to think so much about it anymore. Before you know it, it has grown out all healthy again !! :o

[WaterLili]

Thank so much I needed to hear this! I used to highlight my hair on a regular basis and had long hair I got sick of it dyed over it to match and let it grow out. If I did it once I can do it again. I will learn to embrace this new look. I'm sure this will be the last hurrah before settling into my old long hair again. I've had the long hair for soooo long and fought the urg to change it. Now at least I can go forward not wanting to do this again😬. I've been wanting to donate and balayage for years now it's out of my system! I try not to try too bummed because I'm really happy my hair will go to someone that needs it.

[Rapunzel_to_be]

Thank so much I needed to hear this! I used to highlight my hair on a regular basis and had long hair I got sick of it dyed over it to match and let it grow out. If I did it once I can do it again. I will learn to embrace this new look. I'm sure this will be the last hurrah before settling into my old long hair again. I've had the long hair for soooo long and fought the urg to change it. Now at least I can go forward not wanting to do this again��. I've been wanting to donate and balayage for years now it's out of my system! I try not to try too bummed because I'm really happy my hair will go to someone that needs it.

You're very welcome :) Embrace it, and think that after this you will be on a new journey to long healthy hair, so just enjoy it, change can be fun sometimes, so dont let it bum you out! And the fact that you donated your hair is amazing, so just be happy and proud of yourself, and rock this look until you reach your hair goals again ! :)

[Annalouise]

Zoiks! :disgust:
Well, think of it as a fresh start. Starting today no more damaging the hair or taking out personal problems on our hair!:p
Maybe try karate or a martial art! lol Just kidding. But seriously, women tend to take out their frustrations on their manes.:(

[meteor]

There's a thread on managing hair growth data - it a spread sheet made by an excel genius who's name I can't recall right now, and it can track and predict growth for you!

I think it's probably Managing Hair Growth Data spreadsheet by Shastrix. ;)
Here's the link: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=36275