Please tell me there is hope for low volume 2a-2c hair?

[EggLover]

Particularly 2a-2b? If you have this hair type and it’s low volume you KNOW. You know exactly the emotional roller coaster that is this type, especially when thinning or naturally low volume.

I’ve done everything possible to deal with the thinning and am finally on prescription meds for it. We’ll see.

I desperately want to grow it out and have shiny, healthy looking hair. My profile pic is deceiving because my thinning is in the front/sides. The back looks semi-normal.

Saw my reflection in the mirror today while out shopping and I’m so deflated feeling. Tell me that longer hair will help? I despise the shorter, frumpy layers I have now, but have done it for 5 years to help with the appearance of “fullness”. I’ve also spent over 1k in this time searching in vain for holy grail products that would help. None are great. Im sick of it.

If you have this type of hair and grew it out how did it go for you? Are you happy with it now, or at least at peace?

[ReadingRenee]

I hear you. I have grown my hair out to be about MBL but I never make it past that. Because by that point I hate how it looks on my head. The ends are thin and the length makes it flat to my head. Things I have found that help. Blow drying the roots only upside down and on the sides. I also clip them up off my head while drying. Also encouraging the wave makes it look like it has more volume. When my hair isn't compressed, it actually looks like I have more than I do because of the waves. Learning updos that pouf the front. I usually keep some kind of long bang that can be twisted back to give volume to the front. Layers help with volume but don't work for growing it out for me because then the ends look so thin, that I end up cutting short. It's definitely an ongoing battle.

Right now Im working on accepting my hair type as it is. Otherwise, I won't ever be happy with it, and I won't be able to grow it long.

[Obsidian]

We are often our own worse enemy. I went back and looked at all the pictures you sent me, you don't look frumpy or flat in any of them. I think your layers are beautiful and they are a great place for growing out 2a-2b which I also have. Actually, I have everything from 2A- 3A. I'm just about straight up top with ringlets at the nape and a gradual blending of the two. My hair is messy and wild, layers are about the only thing that helps tame it to a degree.
I'm growing out a pixie so its extra messy at the moment. I've never had hair beyond bra length but it did tend to behave a bit more as it got longer due the the weight pulling out the curls some. Otherwise its puffy in back and flatter at top. I'll never have full volume curls on top and I did have some thinning a few years ago due medication I'm on. I noticed it and still do but no one else does so I stopped worrying about it.

[EggLover]

We are often our own worse enemy. I went back and looked at all the pictures you sent me, you don't look frumpy or flat in any of them. I think your layers are beautiful and they are a great place for growing out 2a-2b which I also have. Actually, I have everything from 2A- 3A. I'm just about straight up top with ringlets at the nape and a gradual blending of the two. My hair is messy and wild, layers are about the only thing that helps tame it to a degree.
I'm growing out a pixie so its extra messy at the moment. I've never had hair beyond bra length but it did tend to behave a bit more as it got longer due the the weight pulling out the curls some. Otherwise its puffy in back and flatter at top. I'll never have full volume curls on top and I did have some thinning a few years ago due medication I'm on. I noticed it and still do but no one else does so I stopped worrying about it.

In all those pics my hair is heavily layered AND heavily styled with heat (either diffused curly girl style upside down OR blown out). Now that I'm trying to cut back on heat and grow my some length, my roots are frizzy **and** flat (this is the awful part of 2a-2b low volume hair imo). Trust me, I sent you the best pics STYLED. Today, it looks bad as I was trying to be more "natural".

I'm hoping with some healthy length it'll look better, but I don't know.

[EggLover]

NM, double post.

[EggLover]

I hear you. I have grown my hair out to be about MBL but I never make it past that. Because by that point I hate how it looks on my head. The ends are thin and the length makes it flat to my head. Things I have found that help. Blow drying the roots only upside down and on the sides. I also clip them up off my head while drying. Also encouraging the wave makes it look like it has more volume. When my hair isn't compressed, it actually looks like I have more than I do because of the waves. Learning updos that pouf the front. I usually keep some kind of long bang that can be twisted back to give volume to the front. Layers help with volume but don't work for growing it out for me because then the ends look so thin, that I end up cutting short. It's definitely an ongoing battle.

Right now Im working on accepting my hair type as it is. Otherwise, I won't ever be happy with it, and I won't be able to grow it long.

We are one lol. Our hair sounds so similar.

And I do hear you. There's a level of mourning for the hair that will never be, BUT if I'm going to ever be happy I have to learn to accept what is. I pray I can!

[paulownia]

My hair has low volume, low porosity and its wavy. Not exactly thin, more medium but I live with constant fight with flatness on the crown ;)
Proteins are your friend, especially vegetable proteins. Avoiding heavy oils and silicones. I love cassia- gives volume and enhances wave pattern ( is in itself a protein treatment and has great antibacterial properties, fights dandruff too.
As for the cut I learned over time that layering is not a good solution. I have only a small amount of layering just at the ends of my hair.
I read about a technique called ghost layers that is suitable for thin hair but it requires a skilled stylist;) I wouldn't do that myself.

[Bri-Chan]

My hair is just flat flat on the roots, with some products less (strong shampoo for instance) and more with others but I don't find the difference that remarkable. But I don't mind it that much honestly, I mean it's my hair's nature.
You mentioned the frizz, my hair is very frizzy and I try to tame that but this means even less volume usually.

[ReadingRenee]

We are one lol. Our hair sounds so similar.

And I do hear you. There's a level of mourning for the hair that will never be, BUT if I'm going to ever be happy I have to learn to accept what is. I pray I can!

Yes it really does sound like our hair is similar. Especially when I read the post about your hair looking great with styling ie gel and heat. My hair does the same but I am trying to grow it out without that. Flat and frizzy roots, yep! And I notice that my ends look the best when my roots are too oily to go in public. Sigh.