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View Full Version : My hair has not grown in over a year....



Anna86
September 28th, 2009, 02:59 PM
Hi Everyone!! im new....

So im 22, had my first child back in Feb of 2007. My hair was super thick and long and curly.

After I had my daughter, my hair was fine, but around 9 months after I started noticing it was getting thinner.

When she was 6 months i started taking Yasmin. My hair drastically changed. It is no longer curly, its very thin, and it shoulder length.

I stopped taking Yasmin 3 months ago because I feel that it had something to with my hair loss as well as stress.
But my hair has been the same length for over a year now, and its way thinner.

I heat style only on saturday (not every saturday but most) and of course use a heat protector.
I shampoo only twice a week and co-wash the other 2 days.

I use biolage leavi in tonic and moroccan oil, when I heat style I use Redken Iron Guard. For shampoo and conditioner I use either joico, Redken or Biolage. My hair loves protein so I use CAT once every two week and I deep condition weekly with coconut oil or biolage hydrating balm.
I colour rarely and only use a semi when i do. My hair looks amazingly healthy, but its not growing.

I also take 5,000mcg of Biotin and I take BioSil drops.

Any ideas whats going and what can i do about it?

Fractalsofhair
September 28th, 2009, 03:02 PM
Well other than normal postpartum shedding, how often are you heat styling? That could be breakage happening right there! How often are you coloring? Your hair might be too fine to use it. Are you getting enough sleep and eating healthy food? That can cause your hair health to change.

On a personal note, you're heavy on the cones. Those cause my hair to break. Could that be part of your problem?

JamieRose
September 28th, 2009, 03:08 PM
Has your diet changed since you noticed the change in your hair? I would say to make sure you are getting enough protein and nutrients before looking at anything else... Stress is another big one. I always went through sheds when I stressed out, but now that I work out regularly I never have major sheds.

I'm not sure about the effects of birth control on hair, I was on Seasonale for a long time and went off it, but didn't see any major change in my hair. I'm sure someone with more knowledge on that will come along. Just don't stress and eat healthy and I'm sure your hair will thicken up again.

And welcome to LHC! :)

Anna86
September 28th, 2009, 03:11 PM
I ony use heat on my hair once a week, if that. When I do heat style, im very gentle, i use a sedu flat iron, set at 260 and I use protector. But I really dont heat style all that often.

I really colour my hair maybe once a year and i use a semi. I will colour it darker and than it just fades all over into my natural colour so im very sporadic with the colouring, i dont think i've coloured in the last year and a half...

My hair seems to love the moroccan oil (and other cones) I do clarify once a week. I can try and cut out the cones, any recs for good products that will keep my hair smooth? Thats why i love MO, it makes my hair look wonderful...

Anna86
September 28th, 2009, 03:13 PM
I dont eat horribly, but I could probably eat better. I workout about 3-4 times a week.

I wouldnt doubt stress is a major factor.... it is getting better though.

I really believe that yasmin is what started this for me. I stopped it and actually had some growth (about an inch) but has grown since than.

Anna86
September 28th, 2009, 03:14 PM
And thank your for the welcome!!! :)

pilateschick7
September 28th, 2009, 03:21 PM
My sister took Yaz for a year and noticed her hair did not need trimmed from a bob cut or highlighted as frequently. I remember her commenting on it several times this summer.

Since she switched BC methods her hair has grow to shoulder length. Her hair care regiment is similar to yours minus the Biotin & pregnancy.
HTH

Fractalsofhair
September 28th, 2009, 03:23 PM
If your hair looks unhealthy with out cones, chances are your hair is breaking from weekly heat styling. 260 is still pretty darn high, given that some people can't wash their hair with hot water without it breaking. My own hair broke off horribly when I used to use a blowdrier on it. Are you washing your hair daily? That can lead to breakage as well. I do think stress is a huge factor, but the heat styling could be part of it. Yasmin, it's up to you if you want to continue to be on it. There are other birth control options out there, they just aren't the seasonal periods, so you'd get a period every few weeks.

spidermom
September 28th, 2009, 03:36 PM
I used to flat iron only once or twice a month, and it totally trashed my hair. Have you observed your roots after dyeing? If you're seeing roots, your hair is growing, but it could be breaking off as fast as it grows.

Anna86
September 28th, 2009, 04:37 PM
If your hair looks unhealthy with out cones, chances are your hair is breaking from weekly heat styling. 260 is still pretty darn high, given that some people can't wash their hair with hot water without it breaking. My own hair broke off horribly when I used to use a blowdrier on it. Are you washing your hair daily? That can lead to breakage as well. I do think stress is a huge factor, but the heat styling could be part of it. Yasmin, it's up to you if you want to continue to be on it. There are other birth control options out there, they just aren't the seasonal periods, so you'd get a period every few weeks.


My hair actually looks good without any product at all, i just dont like leaving my hair naked lol

I shampoo my hair twice a week, and co-wash in between.

I stopped yasmin 3 months ago.

Anna86
September 28th, 2009, 04:39 PM
I used to flat iron only once or twice a month, and it totally trashed my hair. Have you observed your roots after dyeing? If you're seeing roots, your hair is growing, but it could be breaking off as fast as it grows.


Im not seeing roots, thats whats really freaking me out. I went to the doc and theres no problems (thyroid etc) but its still not growing... :confused: at first I thought it was breaking off at the ends thats why i stopped heat styling, but its still not growing. I've never had this problem, my hair used to grow like crazy

Madame J
September 28th, 2009, 04:45 PM
I ony use heat on my hair once a week, if that. When I do heat style, im very gentle, i use a sedu flat iron, set at 260 and I use protector. But I really dont heat style all that often.

Have you checked out the article on damaged hair? Even at 260 degrees, water inside your hair shaft will boil and cause the hair to burst, split, and break off. Heat "protectors" are, for the most part, snake oil. Not much, short of wrapping your hair in thick insulation, will keep the heat from affecting it -- that's the point of heat styling. It uses high heat to deform your hair.

You might also keep a lookout for hidden sources of breakage. One user thought she hit terminal length at waist, only to find out her office chair was catching her hair and snipping her ends off at waist everyday. Seatbelts, bra straps, and chairs are some offenders.

maxzeen
September 28th, 2009, 04:51 PM
hmm.. if you feel like your hair is naked or what not.. instead of using cones on your hair, try putting oils in it instead such as jojoba. Jojoba works for a lot of people, or try and experiment with other oils to see what your hair likes. Hth!

Anna86
September 28th, 2009, 04:56 PM
Thanks Maxzeen, i will try jojoba, can you recommend a brand or will any do?

Madame J- does hair always have water in the shaft? the iron doesnt touch my hair when its wet... I dont think that heat is my problem though, I went through a phase where I let it be wavy all the time and I didnt touch a blow dryer/iron for like 6+ months and it still didnt grow

little_acorn
September 28th, 2009, 05:16 PM
Thanks Maxzeen, i will try jojoba, can you recommend a brand or will any do?

Madame J- does hair always have water in the shaft? the iron doesnt touch my hair when its wet... I dont think that heat is my problem though, I went through a phase where I let it be wavy all the time and I didnt touch a blow dryer/iron for like 6+ months and it still didnt grow


Hi Anna86 - most health food stores carry jojoba oil. I use this and my hair loves it. The way I apply it is to use a very small amount rubbed between my palms and smoothed over the length of my hair. I hope tthis helps a little :flower:

lirael
September 28th, 2009, 05:18 PM
I've never taken Yasmin, but when I tried another BCP (I can't remember the name anymore) I shed a lot more than usual and my hair became noticeably thinner during the three months before I could get another kind of pill. I think it's quite possible for your problems to be caused by the BCP.

kdaniels8811
September 28th, 2009, 05:42 PM
My hair would not grow until I stopped heat styling at all, quit shampooing with soap, and bun it every day. It used to break off and I just assumed it would not grow long. I use indian herbs every 4-5 days to wash and catnip tea to condition. This combination has caused my hair to grow from my shoulders - where it has been for 15 years - to several inches longer than in my siggie in less than a year. My hair is fragile and just cannot take any heat styling, could yours be the same? Oh, I color with henna, that helps strengthen it a LOT.

That is my two cents, welcome to LHC! where you will find more information than you want (smile!) and a lot of friendly, helpful folks to go with on your hair journey.

Anna86
September 28th, 2009, 07:39 PM
Thank you little acorn! im going to get some tomorrow :)

Wow kdaniels, how do you wash with herbs? I would definitely like to try what your doing and see if it helps. I dont see much breakage when straightening my hair, and my ends look pretty good, but im at the stage where I will cut out heat styling, I just want my old hair back so bad i'll do anything lol

How exactly do you colour with Henna? i've never used it before :)

Thank you for the great advice and warm welcome xoxo