Really bad hair day!

[Fractalsofhair]

Today I had a really bad day with the damage on my hair. I now have about 1/4 of my total hair or less in the front for the last 6 inches(More like 1/8 or 1/16 for the last few). I'm really on the fence about if I should get bangs due to a lot of my hair in the front just crumbling. Blowdrying daily for a month or two and bleaching once did this to my hair(despite hot oil treatments!), and I think I've saved the back(Only the last 3 or so inches are really bad, most of it is still nice), but the front just... Is crumbling if I even gently touch it(Which I do all the time to all my hair) and it's starting to affect the virgin growth. I did a little trim of the worst of it, but I'm not sure if bangs are a good idea or not. I have a very angular face and don't want to make my acne worse. Any suggestions/support? I've been S&Ding for splits, but my whole hair is split in the front so I sorta would have to chop out all the hair.The top where it's virgin growth looks very poofy and awkward compared to before... Thanks in advance, and I've learned a blowdrier is a bad idea, along with even gentle bleach! Coconut milk helped it, but basically I'm on the fence to cut the hair that is so severely damaged off, or just let it grow. It still looks shiny and fine, but it breaks off at the slightest touch now! :(

[RancheroTheBee]

I vote bangs. It's a stylish way to prevent more breakage. I have a pretty angular face, too, but I can still pull it off. Just get wispier bangs as opposed to a blunt all across.

[Fractalsofhair]

Ah, thanks for the advise. Probably the next time I go to get my hair cut I'll get bangs. Did they give you acne and were they a pain to grow out if you've grown yours out?

[Natalia]

Ah, thanks for the advise. Probably the next time I go to get my hair cut I'll get bangs. Did they give you acne and were they a pain to grow out if you've grown yours out?

I didnt notice and extra acne from getting bangs and in fact thay are awesome at hiding it :D. I am in the process of growing mine out right now and yes it is a huge pain :( at least to me. Growing from traditional to side swept was no biggie but trying to get through that awkward phase from under eye level to chin and beyond..... lets just say there are several curse words a day uttered at my unattrative cheek length fringe. I have really enjoyed having them but at this point in my life they are too much maitenance.

[RancheroTheBee]

I haven't grown out my bangs in years. It always seems like a great idea, but I look really weird without them.

They never increased my acne. In fact, I get less acne on my forehead because the bangs cover the area and so I never wear makeup there.

[bigdreamer]

After having bangs forever I grew them out last year. It was only really hard for a short period of time, a few months maybe. I grew them out for a few reasons, maybe you can think about some of these to help you:

1) I have wavy hair. Wavy hair and bangs can be difficult - I was forever fighting them back and trying to make them behave. Humid out? Forget it. Beach? Crazy-looking. Is your hair wavy or straight? If it's straight then bangs can be much easier than if it's wavy.

2) I am not a salon person and even the supposed "free bang trim" was annoying to me. I was a self-bang-cutter, which involves a lot of angst about what you're doing and how they look all the time.

3)I don't see you say how old you are, but I definitely look 10 years younger with bangs. I personally don't care about that observation at the moment because I'm in a major mode to be a minimalist with the beauty routine and just grow my brown hair out, and now I'm just happy that I can just see and not have to "deal with my bangs" all the time. But bangs can do that for you. And that itself might make you feel good!

[bakertwins2004]

yep I vote bangs too. They really are not to bad to keep cut and would take care of your damage a bit.

[Nanni]

and it's starting to affect the virgin growth, if that's the case I would cut it off as well and go for bangs. You shold probably also cut down on the blowdrying and bleach. Good luck!

[kdaniels8811]

I cannot give advice about bangs but my hair was very damaged and broke of all the time when I joined here. What really helped was catnip tea soaks, I swear the splits and breakage just went away. There is an entire thread on it. Good luck! Oh, I did not cut my hair, either, figured if I wanted it to grow, cutting would be counter productive.

[brok3nwings]

Last year i did the bangs thing because of the damage. And i was happy with it, just see what kind of bangs look good on you.

[Fractalsofhair]

Nanni, I did ONE bleaching this winter, with a very mild bleach. I used to blow dry my hair every day for about 2 months, and I blew it dry about once a month in the past. I haven't blow it dry since... January? I did recently go cone free, which helped my virgin growth grow in nicely and not get all weird/even more damaged!, but the really damaged parts of my hair are still really damaged and well, the cones aren't hiding the damage anymore(Though my hair had the breaking off problem before). However, the non severely damaged parts of my hair are looking great! I'm a little surprised at how poorly my hair reacted to the chemicals and heat, since it's pretty strong when virgin growth, and it is very fine,but I didn't realize it was terribly delicate to those things, since it's just dry otherwise, and somewhat strong.

Kdaniels! Thanks, I'll try that. Did you use fresh or dry catnip? I have a fresh plant in my room?

Thanks for the advise! Bangs it is in a few weeks!

[xoLegallyAubrey]

I would do the chop.

It sounds as though this is really bothering you. I know it would really bother me...cuz it did. So I think that if you chop it, you won't have to worry about salvaging your ends, and 'making do.' You will just have to work on keeping your beautiful virgin hair happy and healthy. :grin:

[kdaniels8811]

[http://forums.longhaircommunityCOLOR]com/showthread.php?t=476

Here is the link, do not know why I cannot just do HERE like others do... My virgin hair is about 3" of the length you see. When I joined here, my hair was shoulder length, and broke off continually. I have not trimmed it since last summer, be a year in August and soak my hair in catnip tea about twice a week. I use poo bars or herbs on the scalp only, catnip is my only conditioner and my hair is tangle free and growing! I use coconut oil every day or two, also. It has made a huge difference in the way my hair looks and feels. Good luck and do what it is you need to make you happy, if that is cutting the damage off, then cut it. If you want to try to save it, you have my advice. Good luck and keep us posted on what you decide.

[Fractalsofhair]

Thanks everyone!
xoLegallyAubrey, thanks. I'll have to schedule an appointment ASAP. I think I'm going to try this sorta sketchy salon(Or it might have been I walked in at a bad time. They don't do perms, which is a good thing. They do do color but only semi permanent. Probably pretty hair healthy, but walking in on a customer sobbing about her roots and how they won't fix them and let her be blonde and they were the only place with an opening the day before her date, wasn't the best time to walk in. Hopefully it just means they're hair healthy, not simply a training salon. The stylist was trying to tell the woman her hair would break off if she bleached it more, but the stylists all had short dyed/permed/straightened hair, so, who really knows! Worth a try though.) across the street from me, as opposed to going to the Aveda one where I get pressured into dying it a lot, and generally leave feeling like my natural hair is bad. XD And I think anyone would freak out if they felt their hair and a good chunk broke off! I'm just very glad most of my hair is happy, and that the whole of it isn't as damaged, and that I have enough hair that the very thin front ends look about normal for ends! XD

Kdaniels, thanks for the link. I'll be looking thru it and probably trying it this weekend. The only bit that worries me is the dying effects, but it sounds like it fades so if I do it once in a while I should be fine! Slightly off link for my computer, here's the link I got with a few minor little changes. http://www.forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=476
Is that the thread?

[enfys]

I wouldn't be too put off by the crying customer, if what they were saying was in her best interest. They have to protect themselves, too.

Catnip conditions in 5 mins, the staining occurs after about an hour IIRC. It's not permenant either, it washes out.

Can you find a reference pic of your face shape and the style of fringe you want? It doesn't have to be your face if you don't want to show it.

[Fractalsofhair]

Enfys, here's an edited photo of my face from a couple of months ago. http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/album.php?albumid=3149&pictureid=40849
I just added random blue splotches to it to hide my ID. I'm thinking wispy bangs since they'd be easiest to grow out.