Do you actually like your hair?

[01]

Or your body in general?

[CanadaSquirrel]

No. :( I tolerate both, but mostly I despise my hair for its refusal to get long, strong, and shiny.

[shelomit]

I wish my overall body image were more positive ) : The hair is the one thing I do like!

[Sabrina Fair]

Well. It's a work in progress on both fronts. In the interim, applying entertaining gloop to my hair is MUCH MORE FUN and offers more immediate gratification than counting carbs and going to the gym!

[spidermom]

Hair yes, body no. In spite of the best efforts I've managed so far, I'm right over the line into obese. Sigh ... when I think of all the things I don't eat because I don't want to gain weight ...

[AmaryllisRed]

Yes!
I have always liked my hair.
My body has been through a lot, but after nearly nine months of eating better and exercising regularly, I like it, too.

[01]

Well. It's a work in progress on both fronts. In the interim, applying entertaining gloop to my hair is MUCH MORE FUN and offers more immediate gratification than counting carbs and going to the gym!

I abhor taking care of my hair... Or using products in general, including basic things like body lotion, etc... I really like bathing and having clean hair but I just can't stand lotions, conditioners... Of course I have eczema so yeah... I'm basically forced to do what I hate, every single day.

[Laurenhope29]

I am very happy with my body, however i have a love/hate relationship with my hair. I'm on a journey to grow out my natural color and i LOVE the 5 inches of natural regrowth that i have, however the rest of my bleached hair just seems super dry and dull compared to it. I can't wait for it to just be all natural again!

[jane_marie]

I don't care for my body but I do like my hair. Hopefully sticking with watching what I eat and going to the gym will eventually get me to where I'm happy with both. :)

[RunOnCaffeine]

Body, no.

Hair is a yes. When I was a teen, I was made fun of a lot for having 'bad' hair and a toxic so-called friend gave me an awful nickname to go with it. It was frizzy and dry and didn't straighten too well. I also used to dye it a lot.

After I ruined my hair in 2012, I didn't like it much. But I've recently looked back on photos since then and thought my hair looked pretty damned good! I'm pretty happy with my hair most days now, which is a lovely feeling after growing up feeling ashamed of it.

:)

[lapushka]

I am very happy with both, except I do have a disability and that "distorts" some things for me, for sure. Do I hate my body? Hate is such a strong word, though.

[unheardletters]

I’m more happy with my hair than I have been in the past. The part of my hair that i don't like is that it is always in my face, so I have to wear it up all the time..
My body is the opposite. I was mosly always happy with it, until I had 3 babies in 3 years. My body is a wreck from it. Also, I gained 80 lbs from stress eating. I’m trying to get my eating habits under control. I’m very close to obese right now and my health is paying for it in many ways. My family is not supportive of weight loss, so it has made it very difficult.

[SleepyTangles]

I do. It´s not its fault if the cut is choppy and uneven, poor thing. My hair per se is soft, silky and the color very pretty. And its not very thick, but it poofs out so much that it looks like that. Sadly, the last quality is an advantage only when past shoulder, right now is the dreaded mushroom apocalyptic poodle from hell.
It´s fine. Better days will come.

I like my body just fine. The only thing I´d change if given the opportunity is my forehead: one cm shorter, please.

[Cg]

Yes to both, always.

Thin grey hair? Yes, but that's perfectly ok, I do have hair. Scrawny, disabled body? Yes again, and so what, it serves me and always has.

[Wendyclaire]

Love my hair and happy with my body. I go to the gym and watch what I eat. That’s what I like to do. Cardio and weights

[blackgothicdoll]

No my hair sucks.

Thankfully, my body is pretty nice, though I've recently had to size-up in some clothing articles. At least I feel that is something in my control. I can work on my shape and fitness and I enjoy doing so. Nothing will change my hair, I just have to deal with it.

[Dung Beetle]

Conflicted, like almost everyone.

I think my weight is where it should be. However, I don't like the weakness or general shape of my body, never have. I have what you might kindly call a boyish figure, which is one reason I want to keep my hair long!

As for the hair, I feel doomed to frizz, cowlicks, splits, etc. And yet, it's probably as pretty as it's ever been. I have to remember that when I inevitably compare it to other people's.

[Laurab]

I'm trying to.

My mom's always told me I have really great hair, and I've always been resistant to believe it.
I hated it growing up honestly. I'd get lots of tangles and I'm tender-headed so it would hurt a whole lot. Having a hairtype different from your mom's never helps either. Her hair is actually more difficult to maintain (i'd call it fine, i/ii, 2B). But like I'd use her brushes, but they wouldn't actually be able to get through more than the top layer. So one layer of my hair would be smooth and I had all of these knots underneath, and I'd just scream if my mom tried to get through the deeper ones.
I've always loved fun boucy curls, pretty mermaid waves, sleek and straight hair, and I felt like my hair was just none of that. It's straight alright, but no one would ever call it sleek.

But now I'm older and I've come to realize all the benefits of my hair.
Lots of people would kill to have their hair this thick, I'm not worried about getting bald spots when I'm older, I can let it airdry without it being a huge mess, I can cut it into a lot of styles with no trouble (when I had a pixie my stylist told me it's harder with different hair types) it'll actually hold curl if I want it to, I have a lot of natural blonde highlights in my ash brown hair that make it an uncommon color that I quite like, and most importantly it's healthy.

There are things I'd change about it, but that's true about everything for everyone.

[Zesty]

I love my hair very much. It's not actually perfect and I've complained about a thing or two but really it's perfect in my eyes. :)

I'm fine with my body. I should exercise (ever) and could stand to lose some weight but I'm okay.

I have moments of insecurity but I'm really pretty content with myself, physically and otherwise.

[BethiBerries]

I don't like my body because it causes me unnecessary pain.

However my hair on the other hand is amazing, it brings me joy. in my family they swear that I'm part elf, because I've never had a bad hair day and my hair is always extremely soft.

[MusicalSpoons]

Took a while, but yes I do like my hair now :) Sure there's room for improvement but I'm doing what I can for it and appreciating its qualities; while it's nothing amazing or particularly special compared with other hair (apart from the length, outside of LHC) having learned to work with it I really like that it feels and looks quite nice with a routine that doesn't require too much energy. Daily handling of it is easy, so I definitely like that :)

My body, not so much - I've sort of arrived at the 'tolerate' level of acceptance because I can't change anything about it due to disability/chronic illness, and I just don't think about it as far as possible. I'm very grateful it's relatively stable for now, and I try to enjoy what aspects of life it allows me to - and if things should get worse again, well I'll just keep looking for the positives and appreciate whatever I can still do.

[shelomit]

I don't like my body because it causes me unnecessary pain.

However my hair on the other hand is amazing, it brings me joy. in my family they swear that I'm part elf, because I've never had a bad hair day and my hair is always extremely soft.

As a chronic pain sufferer, I'm so happy to see that somebody else shares this perspective <3

[Dark40]

My hair I like. My body no but I'm working on it with eating better and excercise.

[Shorty89]

My hair: Sometimes. Right now, it's too thin past BSL, which doesn't make me too happy. But, I like the colour, the health of the top half, and the overall length.

My body: I'm a bit overweight and out of shape, so I'm not 100% happy with it, but I'm working on it. :)

[Quixii]

I like my hair, tolerate my body.

[cjk]

Continental breakfasts are taking their toll on my waistline, I really need to get back to a proper nutritional mindset.

So the answer is no, I'm not happy with my body right now.

And while my hair does have some days that are better than others, there's a lot to love.

https://i.imgur.com/l1QockG.jpg

[The Lizard Wife]

Thanks to LHC, my hair and I get along much better now. I'm learning what I can realistically expect from my hair (aka stop trying to do buns for another year at least and I'll stop being endlessly disappointed) and how it wants to be taken care of. Its mind-of-its-own quirks seem cute now, we are no longer in a stubbornness war, and I can enjoy that it is getting long and it feels nice to pet. Bonus points that all of this was achieved by me becoming infinitely lazier in my haircare routines. I really lucked out; otherwise I'd still be endlessly frustrated by it. Which would be a shame, it's quite pretty.

[desisparkles]

I love my hair but I think I set unrealistic standards for it most times. I've never in the past focused on a goal length, I just enjoyed having long hair (majority of adult life longer than waist - I will thank the pro cuts hack job I got at 18 where she shaved my head for that) but now that I'd like to see it at classic I have this fear that it will all go wrong somehow.

For my body, I'm dimply but I'm skinny - it's an interesting combo but ya know as ya get older, ya get more comfortable with yourself, so yeah I'm happy with my body but I need to treat it better and some firming up would def do it some good.

Now my skin (going to count that as my body :p), that took almost a decade of being afraid to show my face after an untreated overactive thyroid decided to destroy it. Now I proudly go makeup free & with makeup too and feel like I'm pretty and just re-telling myself this in my head has really helped me get over that past insecurity of mine.

[TreesOfEternity]

I have a hard time accepting my body type and hair type, I usually find myself wishing both were diferent.

But as I can’t change them I try to accept them and turn them into their best version possible, although I have some bad days here and there when I don’t want to see myself in the mirror.

[LittleHealthy]

Recently I had this weird thing happen.
Background: I *like* my body and what it's capable of but I always feel like I'm 'big'. I'm 5ft11.5inches tall so I'll always be big in that regard but if I put on weight I just feel giant.

The other day I was in my nearest city and caught sight of a reflection in a mirror, I didn't realise it was me at first and I thought the girl looked very tall and slender, which is what made me stop and look again. Then I realised it was actually me, and the 'tall and slender' look faded away as I picked out my flaws.
I've thought back on it and I think I must have a bit of a distorted view of myself.


As for my hair, I 'like' it, but it's actually getting long now and I just wish it were a bit thicker. I'm thankful for it being straight and fine, and if my hair type was tossed in a basket with everyone else's I know I'd pick it right back up again.

[LittleHealthy]

.... but now that I'd like to see it at classic I have this fear that it will all go wrong somehow.


I also have this fear!! I would like 100cm of hair and daydream of maybe getting to classic length one day, but always have this little bit of fear that somehow something might 'happen', haha!

[Begemot]

Hmm I'd say yes, I like both my hair and body. I know neither is "ideal" by society's or my own standards and there are things I would change. But OTOH, I like to think that I don't have to love everything about my appearance, just try appreciate what I do have. My hair is probably the healthiest it has been since I was a kid (first as a teen I abused it with dyes and heat tools, then I got some health issues that made me shed and made the quality pretty weak) and I think it's nice head of hair. I like my body because it's mostly healthy and I can be active. I like my shape even though I have gained some weight. I'm not too worried about the number on the scale but I do sometimes worry about getting stuck with this sedentary life style and how it will affect my health. Time to time I get anxious about the shape and how I should improve it to look more attractive but usually it's not the best motivator for me.

[Stray_mind]

Hair: it depends. When i have good hair days, i like it, when i have bad hair days, i Hate it.
Body: I mostly ignore it. I wish sometimes i had better expressed feminine curves, but instead i just have a rectangle figure and i am also pretty short at 5"3 (160 cm) so if i put on even a slightest bit more weight, it shows and my body lines dissappear almost completely. Ugh.

[Katsura]

My hair is not my dream hair, I'd change many things about if if I could. But I do like the fact that I've got hair on my head, and I like going more natural, as I've done recently. I suppose I could change some things about my body too, but I like the fact that it's strong. I've done hard work with it for decades.

[Sarahlabyrinth]

Yes I do, more so now than when it was shorter.

As for my body, it has more weight on it than it should, but since I have been eating one (large) meal a day I have lost 15kg, and now that I know I can lose the weight I am enjoying the process and grateful to God that He has given me such a wonderfully made, fine tuned body that wants to get back to a good size again. So yes, although I am still overweight, I like my body, and the fact that it does what I want and generally without too much complaining. And I have found that it's a great feeling, to like oneself. I spent many years hating myself and it was a miserable existence.

[blackgothicdoll]

Hair: it depends. When i have good hair days, i like it, when i have bad hair days, i Hate it.
Body: I mostly ignore it. I wish sometimes i had better expressed feminine curves, but instead i just have a rectangle figure and i am also pretty short at 5"3 (160 cm) so if i put on even a slightest bit more weight, it shows and my body lines dissappear almost completely. Ugh.

5'6 here but can totally relate. If I get just a little bloated I look like the aliens from Men in Black: https://aliens.fandom.com/wiki/Annelid

[Stray_mind]

5'6 here but can totally relate. If I get just a little bloated I look like the aliens from Men in Black: https://aliens.fandom.com/wiki/Annelid

hahaha yeah. My sides just seem to puff out. I wish the fat at least would go to my thighs or booty, but Nope. It goes to my stomach and sides making me look completely flat.

[Sora Rose]

Ooh this depends...

I love my hair, for sure. I'm cool with the colour, the texture... just not the length yet. I also wish my ends were thicker, but that's a work in progress and I can deal with that.

Body... is here and there. I don't think about it much, and I'm mostly okay with it, but I have things I wish I could change that just won't change - such as height (tall) and long narrow feet. You get what you get. :rolleyes:

[shelomit]

Hmm I'd say yes, I like both my hair and body. I know neither is "ideal" by society's or my own standards and there are things I would change. But OTOH, I like to think that I don't have to love everything about my appearance, just try appreciate what I do have.

Both halves sound like a very healthy perspective <3

[Ari.]

My hair is actually the only thing I like about myself. And by "hair" I really mean most of my hair. My brows, my lashes and well, my actual hair! This is also the reason I recently started my journey to waist-length. :)

[Begemot]

Both halves sound like a very healthy perspective <3

I try my best to think positively about myself :o

[Nineteenbirds]

I love my hair.

My body? I have scoliosis and have always had to exercise and practice yoga so that I can stand up straight and live pain-free. It's what I have and who I am. So yes, I like my body just fine.

[Knightly]

I kinda like my hair but can never get it styled like I want but honestly its texture is awful.
About my body... Not really. I'm built like Spongebob SquarePants 😒 No waist, no hips, no boobies, no bum. It's frustrating because no matter how much weight I lose or gain I can't get curves. But on the bright side I'm learning to accept it more every day 💕

[Siv]

I do like both.


I have scoliosis and have always had to exercise and practice yoga so that I can stand up straight and live pain-free. It's what I have and who I am. So yes, I like my body just fine.

Coincidentally, I've scoliosis too. I could write an essay on things I dislike about my body, like my scoliosis, but at the end of the day I don't feel bad about it? When pain flares up I pop a pill and do some yoga, when my stomach is bloated I pick a tunic for the day, when my boobs look smaller than usual I put on some skinny jeans and heels and make my bum look good :shrug: "It's what I have and who I am" sums it up quite well!

I could pick apart all the things I dislike about my hair too, but I try to play up the good things instead.

[lithostoic]

My response to both is "yeah it's fine I guess". Though I wish my body was in better condition so I can be happy.

[0xalis]

My hair? Surprisingly, yes.
Last time I went on a hair growth journey, I was very inpatient and unhappy.
This time I'm actually in love with my current haircut, and I'm simply excited to see where time takes it.
My hair is very soft, I like the colour, and it's surprisingly resilient / damage resistant despite having fine strands.

My body? That's... complicated.
I have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome. It's a huge pain in the ***, literally!
But, considering that, it's been relatively nice to me lately.
I'm not completely reliant on a (cheap, heavy, clunky hand-me-down) wheelchair to leave the house anymore, I have a rollator walker and it's been working out for me!

In terms of looks... I'm pretty neutral about it.
I have some gender dysphoria so my breasts make me uncomfortable pretty often, but most of the time I simply just don't think about it.
I have a really long torso compared to most people my height. If I sit next to people much taller than me I often look the same height. (I'm 5'3'')
And a giraffe neck. Lol.
But all things considered it's not that bad. I have really clear skin at least! :rollin:

[embee]

When I was young I was not happy with either hair or body - straight thin hair, mousy color, droopy boobs and skinny body. My mom didn't help, she said I was ugly and I believed her. Later I heard that other people thought I was pretty. WHAT???? Amazing.

Now I am An Old Lady and I love my hair (finally know what to do with it!) and my body is great - it does almost everything I want, even after all these years and challenges. Nope, not pretty, but that's not my goal either. Everything works pretty well.

If I'd realized how fine it is to be An Old Lady I'd have tried to get here sooner... ;) When I look at other folks my age I am happy to be me.

[Spikey]

What a fascinating thread.... it seems almost nobody here is happy with everything. Which is surprising to me because from what I've seen you all have really pretty hair!

Sometimes I worry that it's self-centered of me to like myself, but I do.

[bokeh]

At 65 years of age I'm finished picking myself apart and that includes my hair. I accept myself as I am and put a priority on taking care of myself. I deal with various health issues but thoroughly enjoy life all the same. Yes, I actually like my hair.

[Laurab]

What a fascinating thread.... it seems almost nobody here is happy with everything. Which is surprising to me because from what I've seen you all have really pretty hair!

Sometimes I worry that it's self-centered of me to like myself, but I do.

Oh I worry ALL THE TIME that I'm being too arrogant about things. Like honestly I could spend hours listing all of my flaws, but at the end of the day I honestly like how I look and who I am, and I think that's one of the luckiest things about me. I have so many friends and clients who I just wish could see their own good traits, but they seem blind to them. Self esteem is a gift.
I think with everything else in life it's just about not comparing yourself to others. "I'm so much better than they are" is bad, but so is "I'm worthless compared to them."
We've gotta find that sweet spot.
I like who I am and I'm excited to learn more and love the person I become.

[paulownia]

I am happy with both, actually:D
I like my hair for being wavy and not making any problems- no frizz, no split ends, pretty healthy. If it only would grow, that's the only thing!
For the body - no issues here. I'm in pretty good shape for my age ( soon 40) and being a mom didn't leave any mark on me.
I don't go to the gym, I eat everything I like and it just falls into place. I'm 172 cm and weigh 60 kg ( sorry, inches feet and pounds are not my thing)

[Linden]

It's been a struggle, but I'm slowly coming to terms with both. My hair was the one thing I always refused to hate, despite much criticism by a friend that I needed to cut it. I still struggle with some aspects, like the split ends and the fact that it's turning brown, but overall I am happy with it.

My body... Well, I went through all the normal teenage insecurity, plus a battle with severe acne for over 4 years. My family doesn't approve of makeup, and it just made my acne worse, so I could never hide it. There were days when I didn't want to leave the house because I was sure everyone thought I was as ugly as I felt, but I learned to not let it bother me. Ironically, now that I've learned to live with it it's actually beginning to fade. Go figure.

So some days it takes quite a bit of conscious effort, but Now I think I can say that I'm happy with both.

[Ylva]

Yes and yes. My hair is sometimes annoying when face-framers come on my face and get oily because I have very oily skin, but other than that, I have no problems with my hair. I just wish it stopped shedding and that I'd grow out the damage soon.

There are parts that I don't like about my body, but overall, now that I've lost weight and I'm healthy both physically and mentally, my idea of myself that I have inside my head actually matches that which is on the outside. I am, for example, super excited about my breasts getting smaller as a result of my weight loss, because I never saw myself as someone with large breasts. They're still big, but we'll see what becomes of them over time.

ETA: Oh, I also have a typical Hallstatt Nordid body with broader shoulders than hips and it's taken its sweet time for me to accept that, but now I wouldn't change it for the world although it's the complete opposite of the fashion figure. :D


5'6 here but can totally relate. If I get just a little bloated I look like the aliens from Men in Black: https://aliens.fandom.com/wiki/Annelid

:lol:


I think with everything else in life it's just about not comparing yourself to others. "I'm so much better than they are" is bad, but so is "I'm worthless compared to them."
We've gotta find that sweet spot.
I like who I am and I'm excited to learn more and love the person I become.

I agree! I have definitely found happiness in not comparing myself to others. What was it that Marilyn Monroe said...? "It's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring", or how was it. I find that to be true, because with me being kind of "weird" on many levels, others (toxic people) also find it very difficult to put me down. 1) I'm not impressed by what they use to try and make themselves feel superior to me, and 2) they have no idea what to try to upset me anyway, and that makes them feel sort of weak I guess when I don't react the way they expect.

My self-esteem was nonexistent for years because of bullying, a toxic relationship and other unfortunate occurrences in my life. I would, for example, assume that whenever someone smiled or laughed, they were laughing at me. It must have been malicious. But now, I am absolutely comfortable with being considered silly or weird or whatever.

When it comes to wearing makeup, I've had ups and downs there. At one point, I couldn't even go to the store without putting on makeup. Now I never bother. I feel like I "trick myself" into believing I am confident because when I wear makeup, I know I do so to hide insecurities. It's hard to explain.

[Seeshami]

No. He is evil and want to destroy the universe.

The naughty mess says, "I don't like her either so that is fair."

And I don't want to get into my body image issues. But the damage other people have done to the way I feel about myself is shocking even to myself. The sad part is knowing. It's easier to just simply hate yourself but when you know you hate yourself because of the conditioning of others it's hard.

[guska]

Gosh, I'm in a love-hate relationship with my hair. I have such mixed feelings towards it.

I love my hair for its silkiness, thickness, coarseness, shininess and colour (all of which are unusual in the area where I live). I hate it for its slipperiness and unwillingness to cooperate.

But well. My hair is something I have to live with for the rest of my life, might as well be happy with it while it's still black and thick.

[hannabiss]

Now in my late 20s I feel much happier with both my hair and body. I no longer wish my hair was something it's not. (Other than longer I guess but I'm enjoying it now) And my body I appreciate. It has safely carried and nursed my 4 children. I can gain or lose weight easily and I can gain muscle easily. Though I wont deny I plan on getting a mommy makeover for my 30th birthday. ;) But I dont hate it the way I did when I was young.

[shelomit]

No. He is evil and want to destroy the universe.

That's definitely a mood some days! The hair is in all things and all things are in the hair. . . :shudder:

[lapis_lazuli]

Yes, both, very much. They've given me a lot.

[elise.autumn]

Yes, both, very much. They've given me a lot.

I appreciate this thankful outlook, and I have been working towards this same thinking myself.

Hair - it's not as thick as I'd wish, and the curls aren't as defined as they could be, but it's red, unusual, long, and sometimes feels epic.

Body - my top is small and thighs are thick (I have a dramatic pear shape), but they support me in hours of soccer multiple times a week. I am weak compared to bodybuilders, but I am not fragile. I have some cellulite but am healthy, and I try to remember that health is the goal.

[Arciela]

It depends! Haha somedays I love my hair..and other days...well..up it goes >.> :lol:

[leayellena]

I like my hair when it's straight, it actually proves that I have straight hair, never wavy or curly... "at the ends" (lmfao, "curly at the ends ;))
I like it even more after 4 days, when I can do braids without them looking thin or fall apart.
I don't like my hair for 4 days after washing because it's too soft, lacks of volume and it won't hold any bun except if I ponytail it or start with a french(!) braid.
these 3 situations mentioned above happen in autumn/winter (like now)
I don't like my hair down in summer because it's too bushy. not wavy, not straight, just vavoom the volume.

[Estrid]

Yes, I do like my hair. Sure, I wish it wouldn't split as easily as it does, and I wish that my head wasn't so tender (can't wear anything high up on my head or I'll get a headache, and any hairs that pull too much on the top will also cause a headache). It would also be nice if my hair didn't tangle up every time I wear it loose for 5 minutes.

My body? I don't mind it, there's nothing wrong with it, so why would I? I should be nicer to my body, though, junk food and snacks are two common things in my day to day life that I really should lay off.

[enting]

Yup. I'm sad when it's not healthy/not doing well but that doesn't make me dislike it. It didn't do anything deliberately wrong. I may have. I'm pretty sure I've always liked my hair. If I had known how I'd look as an adult, I wouldn't have worried so much about my body as a teen, either. But as I get older it's more about how functional I am, less about numbers on a scale or whatever.

[earl grey]

Always felt meh about my hair. It hasn't been healthy for most of my life and has been a source of anxiety for me since I got trichotillomania. I felt terrible about it in university as my hair got really gross from stress and started going brown. I felt better since I got the big chop as it's growing back healthy, it's going back to gold and I feel more in control over it.

As for my body? Never got body image problems but was always frustrated over my lack of fitness. Last year I started putting effort in, found out I love weightlifting and started getting strong so now I'm pretty happy with my body.

[MissMarmiladka]

I really disliked my hair since there were layers added by my hairdresser. I'm growing it out now for almost 4 months.
Yesterday I went out with friends and they have sent me pictures today of the night and my hair looks lovely, so I can finally say that I'm starting to love my hair again! :crush:

[butterfly_dream]

Well, I like my hair because it surprised me. I guessed I was barely able to reach Classic and now I am at knee. Unbelievable!!
As far as my body is concerned, I always loved it.
When I was younger, I have been a successful catwalk model. Now I am trying to obtain a bodybuilding type figure and I am going fine. :)

[Natalia_A00]

Well it depends on the moment. There are days in which I feel "proud" of my hair and I think it's drop dead gorgeous :D. Other days, it's not what I would like it to be or I focus more on my imperfections. Broadly I would say that I like it but there are aspects I would change (I'd like to have more thickness, waves, a less oily scalp, etc).
Regarding my body, well, that's a different thing. I don't mind it but sometimes I feel insecure about it. Maybe I should exercise more.

[ExpectoPatronum]

I like my hair texture but like a lot of people here, I wish it was longer. Patience :meditate:

My body I neither like nor dislike. I'm ambivalent about it.

[Green leaves]

I'm grateful for & like both. Not because either are especially beautiful but because they've served me beautifully all these years. And whenever I have a moment of angst about either I remind myself that they're both healthy & strong, & that those who love me best would love me even if I were bald & ten foot tall.

[Entangled]

Honestly, my hair and my body both just feel like me. I’ve made peace with my color and taper. Even though my hair isn’t my ideal, I generally like it. Granted, I think most days the texture is not what I want on display, so if I wear it down I make sure it has consistent texture instead of the half braid half bun texture that it usually has.

As for my body, I’m much more confident than I used to be. Going to my school gym everyday has helped my confidence a lot. My body can do many things, and it it looked much different (to match an ideal) it wouldn’t be mine. Getting over my dislike/fear of exercise has helped a lot, because it’s easier for me than subtractive health (only avoiding things I think are bad for me). I think in general additive health practices have been more healthy mentally than subtractive ones. For example, instead of not eating this, focus on adding this onto my diet. Goals that involve adding in healthy changes tend to have the side effect of replacing some of the unhealthy things as well. I don’t know how much I weigh, but I know I’m both heavier and lighter than I’ve been and it feels like a sustainable place for me. I spent years always feeling bad about my body, then I lost thirty pounds and gained much of it back, but in the process of gaining it back I lost a lot of the fear I had in my teenage years of weight gain (unfortunately because many members of my family struggled with obesity, my mom mentioned many times that I needed to be careful about my weight since I took after them, but it made me pretty insecure about my weight for a long time because I was scared of what would eventually happen).

[pisinoe]

I like the fullness, quality and colour - but not the texture and how it looks. The length is beginning to look better, but I much prefer 1c hair on myself.

[esfand]

I don't think I reached my full genetic potential thanks to malnutrition and traumatizing childhood and my siblings (who were fed and treated better) are much hotter than me but when I am not compared to them? I think I am pretty fine. But, I am also the kind who doesn't think it's a sacrilege to be homely, like being ugly is the worst thing in the world, so unacceptable that we have to tell ourselves that "everyone is beautiful... in their own way!"

I think I have a good foundation, though I can work on it more and try not to stress and clench my jaws so much (which gives me square jaws). I like my body, though I can use more muscles and toned abs through more exercise and better diet. I am pretty content with my face, though I am getting some work done with a speech therapist.

I love my hair lol. It's silky and strong.

[littlestarface]

Or your body in general?

No to both, I cannot stand my hair and I have been wanting to cut it for some time now. It is getting really annoying I cant take it no more.

[Ilyem]

Body yes, hair no. I've just been unfortunate enough to get bad hair genetics but at least I got good luck with my body and I guess face too. I do wish my hair wouldn't be so unbelievably ugly though, I feel so frustrated with it

[Dark40]

No to both, I cannot stand my hair and I have been wanting to cut it for some time now. It is getting really annoying I cant take it no more.

Ahhhh, I'm so sorry to hear that. :( When I've been always admiring you beautiful long black shiny knee length hair! How short were you thinking about going?

[macyann]

Im curious about responses because I always wondered if my own obsession about my hair came from my past obsessions about my body, and likewise with other people? I used to have a rather unhealthy relationship with food in the past, maybe still do, especially tracking my intake... now, I track my hair habits, which is much healthier and more fun. Some people talk so badly on here about there hair that ive wondered if their body image is just as bad.

[*Wednesday*]

Im curious about responses because I always wondered if my own obsession about my hair came from my past obsessions about my body, and likewise with other people? I used to have a rather unhealthy relationship with food in the past, maybe still do, especially tracking my intake... now, I track my hair habits, which is much healthier and more fun. Some people talk so badly on here about there hair that ive wondered if their body image is just as bad.

I've had a very long and continued unhealthy relationship with food. It's terrible. I've gotten much better. I don't think it is a bad thing to pay attention to what we eat. Depending where we live is an over-abundance of food to the point we can eat recklessly without much thought. I calorie count very often. I've starting doing intermittent fasting which I must say for me, has help me rest better a night. I'm very guarded with my hair, I'm very mindful of it. I can't remember what it feels like (prior to 2015) being negligent of it, not thinking about it. Special occasions when I do where my hair down, it's a big deal for me. Things have gotten weird sometimes as if I'm in my own world :)

[ZoeZ]

I really hate the color of my hair - it's a mousy brown/grey with no interesting streaks. I would like to bleach a strand here and there but unfortunately am not in a financial position to maintain it. Also I'm afraid of hairdressers - they've left me with some pretty embarrassing styles and some horrible cuts. One of the reasons for growing out my hair is just so I don't have to deal with them.

[Arciela]

No to both, I cannot stand my hair and I have been wanting to cut it for some time now. It is getting really annoying I cant take it no more.

I felt like this last August when I had a huge health issue and dealing with my super long bleached hair got overwhelming. Cutting it made me so happy! Sure, I miss it now (Because I am somewhat healthier) but it can always grow back :flower:

[BeverlyHills]

I love my hair

[GlacierLacie]

I like both. I just now started liking my hair since i actually know how to take care of it.

[Growingit]

I hate mine right now. I just had the big chop after major hair loss. I lost so much I literally had strings of hair at the bottom. It’s finally filling back in a bit. Hair loss can definitely mess with your mind and self confidence.

[lithostoic]

I wouldn't change anything about my body aside from getting fit and gaining muscle. My face ... I'd change a few things. My hair is whatever. I would love for it to be just a bit thicker.

[maborosi]

Yep. I always have been mostly satisfied with it.

[georgia_peach]

I do like my hair. However, I don't think it flatters my face. That is the reason I've cut my hair in so many different styles over the years. My hair doesn't hold a "style" very well and will just fall flat and is also unflattering to my face. So I've decided to just grow my hair and enjoy it regardless of my face! ;)

[GrowingGlory]

I love my hair! It is shiny, thick, coarse yet soft, smooth, straight and sleek.

[p3anutbuttercup]

I have the worst love, hate, relationship with my hair. Some days adore it other days it’s a big pain in the butt. I’ve been constantly trying to figure out how to make it less frizzy. So far I haven’t figured out the right recipe. As far as liking my body, I do believe I have body dysmorphia. Which I think ultimately has a big impact on my hair... but lately I’ve been more positive and have been practicing a lot of self care and that’s been making a positive impact on my hair and my view of my body.

[branbran]

I love my hair. I just wish I had more time to spend caring for it. With my life it's hard to prioritize my hair.

[p3anutbuttercup]

I agree^. It kind of hard to balance all responsibility and the best care for your hair.

[catsnake]

I have always loved my hair more than any other part of myself yet felt it was worse than that of those around me. My hair is wavy and frizzes up easily so I often find myself looking at those around me wishing my hair was that straight/curly/smooth. But since I have found this forum I have been taking better care of it so that it can be at its most beautiful!

[leafygreens18]

I love my hair, I think I'm so lucky. I like things about my body, feel not so good about others.
.

[Hexana]

I am liking my hair more with every mm of growth. I especially like the fullness of it even though it is straight.
My body I don't like... Never did. From early childhood I was told I was bigger/fat and this stayed with me throughout my whole life, even when I was not fat (according to BMI). I feel I will always hate my body.

[Gabrielina]

I actually do, excepting the color (bleached) but working on that: growing it out for 1 year and counting.
I love my thick, wavy hair and my virgin roots - they have such a beautiful color and a really nice shine.

[Sarahlabyrinth]

I actually do, excepting the color (bleached) but working on that: growing it out for 1 year and counting.
I love my thick, wavy hair and my virgin roots - they have such a beautiful color and a really nice shine.

I love that about my roots too! :D

[Kalamazoo]

No to both, I cannot stand my hair and I have been wanting to cut it for some time now. It is getting really annoying I cant take it no more.

You're one of my inspirations. Your hair is so beautiful, littlestarface! But, yes, I wonder if I'll be able to stand having terminal-length, myself. If you do decide to cut, it's perfectly your right. But you might want to start with a small chop, so you'll have time to decide how you feel about it for a month or two, before deciding whether to take off any more. Whatever your growth rate is, consider how long you're going to have to wait to grow it back, in case you change your mind.

ETA: I guess you're probably watching that other thread, "How to cope with an emotional chop". https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=151401
Lapushka's got a good post, #10 on page 1.

[Kalamazoo]

Do I actually like my own hair? Yes, I'm becoming enamored of it for the first time ever, because it's fun to see what I can do to change it. Pretty soon, I'm going to get good at styling it.

My body? I like being in my body. I like all the things it can do for me, & just the way I like, too! I don't so much like looking at it, though. Time to hit the callesthentics again...

[JennyLue]

It’s a love hate relationship with my hair. I love the compliments it gets, the thickness, length and color. I hate the work it takes to maintain and the pain it causes my neck lol. My body.... it’s okay but I wish I could go back to before I had four children lol.

[spirals]

It's my favorite thing about me. Others' favorite thing is my eyes. I'm not one of those curly-heads who wishes for straight hair. I like my curls, much to the consternation of the girls working at the hair straightener kiosk in the mall. I don't hate my body but it hates me. I've spent this Christmas in pain/discomfort all day.

[Kat-Rinnè Naido]

I love my hair and my body. It May not be sleek and straight but it is mine and I enjoy it.

My body yes too. This is who I am. I am happy to be me.

[Volchitsa]

I absolutely adore my hair. I know there's that saying 'we want what we can't have' but I love my hair. It's straight, shiny & long. Sure, it won't hold a curl & has a tendency to end up in places it shouldn't but it's mine. Hmmm, my body is another matter. I need to build muscle.

[Beymine]

I love my hair, even though I am currently working through some things with it. It took a while for that to happen though, I learned it's better to just accept my hair and work with it rather than against it. I am learning to love my body, there are parts I love already some I am working on changing but I am happy to have my body.

[AnyaWK]

I went to a exhibition stall this month where I got my hair condition checked with a magnifying machine, it was near perfect with a bit of dandruff though, so I guess I am very Happy with my hair condition. My body...well wish I was a bit thinner...these days I am dieting to achieve that...will see how that turns out through...

[Aeris]

I like my body way more now than I used to. I had a baby almost two years ago, and I've just been so much happier overall (struggled a lot with depression and body image before).

My hair is different, I haven't enjoyed it for a long time. I used to enjoy occasionally wearing it down, but nowadays my only concern is having it out of the way. Maybe it will get better when my daughter is a little older. Right now, I don't have any place to go where I feel like I can justify wearing it down.

[BraidedBunch]

I love my body, I fluctuate about 10 lbs every year or so but stay in a perfectly slim range for myself. My hair, well--I've struggled to embrace it but I'm coming to terms with it. It's going to be long and red and there's nothing I can do about it, and I'm happy with that.

[SnowDancer]

I love my hair when I use my curling iron. I'm learning to love it without heat.

I like my body most days but not others. I got pregnant when my son was 9 months old and wasn't quite finished losing the baby weight. I'm eager to have this baby and become active again.

[wishy]

I like my body and mostly always have (even when I was less in shape and heavier than I am now), but my hair has always been my biggest insecurity. It's baby fine, thin, flat, oily, etc and I have always disguised it by keeping it shorter. Now that I am determined to find out what it looks like long, I've been working on accepting my hair and trying to love it. I may never have my dream hair but I can still work on getting mine to the best condition it can be in.

[Simsy]

I like my hair now and in the last few years far more than I had throughout high school. It just seems happier. I like my body well enough, it’s not goddess beautiful (hubby disagrees rather strenuously) but it does what I need it to.

The big thing is that I have never hated my body or my hair. It took a while to not see the little things that I wanted to fix, but I never wanted to change that much overall. My body was enough, pretty enough, strong enough, steady enough. My hair was a rats nest, but it was just what I had and that was enough. An almost Zen approach to life, the universe, and fate in general.

[clandestine]

Short answer, no, but I'm working on taking care of myself and learning to show myself for kindness. It's tough and I fall into old habits (negative talk, drastic style changes, emotional hair cuts) but I'm still working on it.

I am happier with my progress.

[Beckstar]

Hair yes, body yes.

[Joules]

Yes, I do. My hair isn't perfect and it's not exactly what I dream of, but it's ok. I love taking care of it and braid it.

I also love my body. Again, it's not perfect and it's not exactly my dream body, but it gets the job done, I guess :lol: I gained quite a bit of weight over the past few years and now after Christmas holidays I weigh more than ever, but I'm weirdly ok with it. Of course I know it's not healthy and I do plan to get into better eating habits, but it's not like I hate myself and can't look in the mirror. It's fine, it's all fine.

[Simpscone]

I've never hated my body but I probably used to hate my hair, when I didn't know how to care for it and couldn't grow it and just damaged it so soooo much with bleach...

I like my hair now that I have it healthy again and have learnt how to wear it without any heat, I'm mostly proud of that to be honest. Whilst I do like it I don't think I'll love it until its at least waist length. Grow grow grow!

As for my body, I used to love it a lot more. I was super skinny until a handful of years ago and although I'm still considered pretty small it's something I'm working on getting my head around. All sizes are beautiful it's just weird to see my own body differently for the first time ever.

[misspage]

I like my hair a lot.
I always got made fun of in school for having huge puffy curly hair (this was when flat ironed hair was the s*&%) I flat ironed it but it never stayed straight. So I gave up on that and wore it curly all the time.
Personally, I like the floofyness of my hair, I get it from my dad. Of course when I fried my hair from excessive dyeing, I didn't like it so much. (except when it was blue, that was pretty alright)
It's returning to its original state, which I'm pleased to say.

My body on the other hand... oooohhhh boy.....
I would be very content being a floating head with hair rather than someone with a body.

[FrayedFire]

I would be very content being a floating head with hair rather than someone with a body.

:D What a mood. :rollin:

[sophia_]

As my hair grows and gets healthier and starts looking more and more like how I've always wanted it to look, I am starting to genuinely like it. However, I don't like how it behaves. I wish it would not show oil so much, and that it wasn't so slippery, that my braids wouldn't shred so much, that it wouldn't cling to itself so much, that my scalp wouldn't try to kill me if I neglected washing it for a single day, etc. My hair's behavior is disappointing sometimes.

[EmbracetheHippy]

I love my hair. It's curly, but manageable. I love when it's dried after a wash. It's foofy and lush. I only regret that I didn't say "forget you all" and just grow it out decades ago. I gave into the pressure to conform in my peer group. No one was rocking long hair like this back in my younger days. I think I've hit terminal length, just above my butt and that makes me sad because I believe before menopause, it might have gotten longer. Cie la vie. I'll be a long haired gray granny when I have enough gray to go natural.

My body? After several years of injuries and bad health, I'm learning to love my body. It's resilient. It's strong. I'm just about back to running 3 miles a day in under 33 minutes. I hit it one day and then not the next. But at least I have some consistency. I'm too heavy, I need to drop some more weight, but I'm feeling good that I'll get there now that I'm making my goal distance/speed. My health goal is not so much a weight but to feel comfortable in my clothes and be healthy.

[GoddesJourney]

I do like my hair but I'm trying to get it back to my pregnancy length. I got the dreaded postpartum shed and had to cut it short. I'm at waist now and it's beginning to fill out again.

As for my body...not so much. I have always been very particular about how I keep myself. Now after a few injuries, a pregnancy and a long bout of major depression and insomnia, I am still managing to keep within what is probably ten pounds or so of my usual. The problem is body composition. Although the weight itself isn't far off, I have a lot less muscle and so a lot more fat. I had just gotten back into my jeans when my ankle got bad enough that I had to quit running. Doing physical therapy for it now but I think I will need a surgery. I had the other one repaired years ago and it got me back to running.

So I used to love my body and my hair...

Trying to get it back. Being in really good shape and having wild woman hair are both huge parts of my identity. I actually do not feel like myself without them, especially the being in really good shape part.

[akurah]

I actually dislike my hair a lot. It gets on my nerves, it gets in everything, most updos are uncomfortable right now, but when i braid it the base is so fat it gets in the way of my jacket collar and turning my head when driving is annoying as heck because of that lump. And the few comfortable updos I can wear at the neck (super low) have the lump problem but worse, because it is an even bigger lump.

But I also don't want to cut it because I want to hit my goal of "either terminal or floor once in my life" and given how annoying it is, if i cut it back even a little bit, I might never grow it long again.

I'm... probably 2 or 3 inches from knee, if that?

I'm cool with my body in terms of shape and size, but i am trying to lose some weight i gained from stress end of last year (so busy I couldn't eat healthy) so that I don't have to buy new pants. I hate clothes shopping. If i had clothes that fit I might not bother cause my body and I are cool. My innards are another story. My gut seems to have it out for me.

[iforgotmylogin]

I do

Others' opinion may differ

[Entangled]

I actually dislike my hair a lot. It gets on my nerves, it gets in everything, most updos are uncomfortable right now, but when i braid it the base is so fat it gets in the way of my jacket collar and turning my head when driving is annoying as heck because of that lump. And the few comfortable updos I can wear at the neck (super low) have the lump problem but worse, because it is an even bigger lump.

But I also don't want to cut it because I want to hit my goal of "either terminal or floor once in my life" and given how annoying it is, if i cut it back even a little bit, I might never grow it long again.


I wonder, have you ever tried a Dianyla braid? Those are a lot more comfortable to me and they tend to lift the braid base up a little.

[akurah]

I wonder, have you ever tried a Dianyla braid? Those are a lot more comfortable to me and they tend to lift the braid base up a little.

I have not! I'll look that up

[Entangled]

I have not! I'll look that up

Here are some instructions:
https://web.archive.org/web/20110624212306/http://archive.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=23652

Essentially, instead of dividing your hair into bunches as the nape, you divide the scalp hair into three pie slices. I usually go from my ears to the top of my crown in a /\ shape and divide the remaining hair into two, but it may be different for your head and hair.

[littlestarface]

I actually dislike my hair a lot. It gets on my nerves, it gets in everything, most updos are uncomfortable right now, but when i braid it the base is so fat it gets in the way of my jacket collar and turning my head when driving is annoying as heck because of that lump. And the few comfortable updos I can wear at the neck (super low) have the lump problem but worse, because it is an even bigger lump.

But I also don't want to cut it because I want to hit my goal of "either terminal or floor once in my life" and given how annoying it is, if i cut it back even a little bit, I might never grow it long again.

I'm... probably 2 or 3 inches from knee, if that?

I'm cool with my body in terms of shape and size, but i am trying to lose some weight i gained from stress end of last year (so busy I couldn't eat healthy) so that I don't have to buy new pants. I hate clothes shopping. If i had clothes that fit I might not bother cause my body and I are cool. My innards are another story. My gut seems to have it out for me.

Same for me and the guts too, my insides keep getting worst :nono:

I'm now only putting my hair into double dutch braids and then wrapping them around my head with amish pins cuz the scalp is thinning and I dont want to put stress on my remaining hairs with buns anymore.

[luckydandelion]

I'm actually very okay with my hair right now. The growing out phase was insufferable, but now I have adorable, thick wurls that make me look like a misplaced cherub:laugh:
I'm in love with my texture as it takes very little manteinance to look good. Switching from commercial shampoo to coconut sulfate bar was a godsend.

[Ditzy Rose]

My hair is my child. And like children, you can't exactly disown it after putting in this much time and effort. Also it's extremely useful for when I want to stand in front of the mirror and pretend to be an evil sea nymph luring sailors to their watery grave. As for my body.. my crusty lizard skin seems to be incapable of holding ANY moisture most days, but I'm slowly learning to cope. :)

[Dutchbraids]

I love my hair! Its blond, and I think the color, texture, and cut I have suits me well. 1st day after washing its this big mass of TBL whurls and curls, and my friends say it has the same personality that I do! Heehee! Having trouble doing it up right now though, because its the longest its ever been. Trying to find new hairdos!
Body needs to go to the gym more, for my physical and mental health (I'm in nursing school, and breaks from studying are much needed), but I actually like how I look. I have pretty curvy hips, and nothing super out-of-the-ordinary, so I can't complain!

[gustavonut]

Not at this moment! That’s why I’m getting it cut soon. I can’t take it anymore. It was so weird too. I’ve been using deep conditioners, gently combing/brushing, slept on silk, oiling, etc. and I still am getting breakage like crazy. I’ve been in this same situation once before because of bleaching my hair but I guess I didn’t learn the lesson till now. (Hopefully..)

I think I will start really loving my hair after I get rid of the damaged stuff.

[hayheadsbird]

I do like my hair. The colour is fine, the length is fine, it's the journey of growing and seeing the gray come through I'm enjoying the most though.

As for my body I m pretty content with it too now. Changes to diet over the last 18 months due to baby allergies have resulted in unexpected weight loss, so for the first time in 20 years I am actually I'm the middle of my healthy weight range, not at the top or overweight. My job and kids mean I have to be fairly active, and I'm finding I enjoy it more now than I did when I was over my ideal weight. Finding that clothes fit so much better, and I feel more confident

[TayDragonis]

I love my hair, I do have the odd moments when I want it short but they are fleeting. As for my body I am working on that, lost 3st last year and have a further 2 to go. I feel so much better about myself.

[Stoneburnia]

I LOVE my hair except on hair was days... I have classic length natural red hair and I am always getting complements on my hair! My body that's is a whole different story, I am thinking about starting the Keto diet to help!

[Bri-Chan]

I don't know ... I don't hate my hair, but I hate how damaged it is and his length right now, and the color it has on the first inches ... also, it grow very slowly, and I also need a cut :/ but now I can only wait

[Hexen]

It's often times a pain in the ass....but yeah, I like it :)

[whoisida]

I ruined my hair 2 years ago because of excessive dyeing, but now that its completely grown out, healthy and at APL, I love it again :).
It still gets oily super quick tho.. Which is quite annoying.

[queencarrion]

As with any committed, long term relationship, there are days when my hair annoys me but overall I really love and appreciate it :laugh: