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View Full Version : Thin, fine, wurlies . . . are you out there?



Pixna
December 11th, 2009, 09:43 AM
I'm discovering that my hair has gotten much thinner the past few years (as I've gotten much older). Also, my grays, erm, silvers are very, very fine. Figuring out what to do with my hair has been an enormous challenge, especially as I'm letting it grow long again.

I am attempting Wurly Girl-type techniques, but my thin hair seems to be falling a bit flat. My husband likes my hair worn wurly, rather than combed, as he thinks it gives it more "style." I like it, too, but it's quite a different look for me, so it's somewhat of an adjustment. I'm neither straight nor curly, and I don't have the thickness I used to (which is depressing). I'm feeling really blah about my hair right now, and kind of down due to its thinness and betwixt-between texture.

Anyone else out there in texture limbo land? I could sure use a few wurl-friends!!!

Boudicca
December 11th, 2009, 11:40 AM
I have fine hair that wants to be curly. It can be difficult, becuase most curly girls seem to have very thick hair. Also, the products which help curly hair strut its stuff can often weigh down fine hair.

One thing I tried recently was using bendy foam rollers (with no product). This controlled the curl (while letting it happen, if you see what I mean), and made the hair seem fuller by lifting it from the scalp a little.

Give it a bash. It only took four rollers for my hip-length hair, and you can always wash it out if you don't like it.

pelicano
December 11th, 2009, 11:44 AM
Mine is fine, curly in places, only wavy in others, and prone to frizz/extreme dryness. I use coconut oil on mine, and drip dry it. This gives me some decent clumpy curls (ringlets really), but does mean the top is very flat.

Pixna
December 11th, 2009, 11:47 AM
Hi, Boudicca! Thanks for the reply. I've got the same issue -- fine hair that wants to be wurly (or wurly-ish), but finding the right products and the right amount to use is a challenge. Thank you for the roller suggestion! I probably won't try them, mainly because I'm too lazy and impatient to hunt them down and put something like that in my hair, but you never know -- I might get so fed up with my hair that I'll give it a go.

I really appreciate your response. Your hair looks nice and curly from your siggy pic. Have you typed it yet?

Pixna
December 11th, 2009, 11:50 AM
Hi, Pelicano! Yep, mine is getting really flat on top, too. Yesterday I tried gelling my hair when it was dripping wet, and raking in the gel with my fingers with my head upside down and then scrunching. It definitely helped to lift my hair at the roots, but I think I put in too much product and now the rest of my hair is flat and stringy. *Sigh* Oils don't seem to work for me at all, unfortunately, so I need to stick with something relatively light and oil free. We definitely have challenging hair types, don't we?!

Arctic
December 11th, 2009, 12:13 PM
I don't have any concretic advice, just wanted tot pop in to say that I LOVE how fine, thinner curly and wurly hair looks, it's so angelic and weightless and ethereal :inlove: Something a very thick, blanket-like curly hair can never be!

Pixna
December 11th, 2009, 12:15 PM
Thank you, Arctic! I'm not feeling that way about myself right now, but your kind and encouraging words are very helpful and just what I needed to hear! :flower:

Shanarana
December 11th, 2009, 12:16 PM
Not sure if this is what you want to hear, but for me it works. I still color my hair and find that when I do my grays are more thicker. I usually do just my roots.

Rusalka
December 11th, 2009, 12:23 PM
Hi :waving:

I am in a limbo world too, especially now that I am growing out bleach:brainbleach:, colour, etc. (back to LHC after 5 years of chemicals). I am happy to meet others with a similar hair type :smile:

I've been experimenting with natural products and recipes found on the boards for the past while. I am currently on CWC every other day. I use a variation of AGO with no oil for styling and my hair is springing into more defined wurls and the top is not weighted down. That might change with the length increasing but for now: less product is the best for my hair :cheer: Air drying seems to really give it a lot of body too (perhaps, it's also the absence of blow frying)

Pixna
December 11th, 2009, 12:25 PM
Hi, Shanarana. It's great that coloring your hair makes it thicker. I'm an "all-natural" kind of gal and a Renegray, so you're right, that's not something I'll be doing. But I do find it interesting that it makes your grays thicker -- that's really cool! I think that post-menopause, many women experience thinning hair, even if they were somewhat gray before then, just due to the drastic hormonal changes. In the last year or two, I seem to have suddenly caught up to my age -- I always looked much younger than my actual age in the past. Sadly, no more. And my hair seems to be a "victim" of that as well. :cry:

SpinDance
December 11th, 2009, 12:37 PM
My hair feels thinner these days, too. It definitely isn't as thick as it used to be. I'm pretty confused as to how to handle it, since it doesn't want to be straight, and doesn't want to be curly.

Pixna
December 11th, 2009, 01:03 PM
Hi, Rusalka and SpinDance! Even if we don't have any great advice to share, it's comforting and reassuring to know we are not alone. How old are you both?

I use only products that are chemical free (I have done so for decades), and I only air-dry my hair. I think there's something about being the in 2 hair-type category that almost automatically puts us in Limbo Land. But having thin (or thinning or thinner) hair only adds to our frustration (at least it does to mine!). I used to have a lot of body in my hair, and now it's just limp. I'm glad I'm not alone, though. Not that I want anyone else to suffer -- but it's good to know that I'm not an anomaly. :p

Shanarana
December 11th, 2009, 01:12 PM
Hi, Shanarana. It's great that coloring your hair makes it thicker. I'm an "all-natural" kind of gal and a Renegray, so you're right, that's not something I'll be doing. But I do find it interesting that it makes your grays thicker -- that's really cool! I think that post-menopause, many women experience thinning hair, even if they were somewhat gray before then, just due to the drastic hormonal changes. In the last year or two, I seem to have suddenly caught up to my age -- I always looked much younger than my actual age in the past. Sadly, no more. And my hair seems to be a "victim" of that as well. :cry:

I totally understand...I would just let my grays go, but I'm not ready for that yet.

Shanarana
December 11th, 2009, 01:14 PM
Have you tried products like Aloe Vera gel for scrunching? I find that helps me as well.

Clarisse
December 11th, 2009, 01:21 PM
I have the same hair type, though I don't have any grays and probably won't have for many years. I have started wearing my hair up in a split bun, an it makes my hair go from all poofy, dry, unruly, tangly and messy S-waves to this:

http://i.imagehost.org/0141/mit_haar_dec09.jpg

Yay for bun waves! The down side is, that it makes my past-BSL hair look shorter than APL.

Pixna
December 11th, 2009, 01:34 PM
Shanarana, yes, I've tried aloe vera for scrunching (well, actually, products that are mostly aloe vera with a few other things added), and it does work well. For me, the challenge is figuring out how much to use and when to put it in (when my hair is sopping wet or when it is just damp). I'm experimenting. Too much of it makes my hair look stringy and flat, which, with my thinner/thinning hair, doesn't help! But I think once I sort out the right amount and technique for me, it will be a boon.

Clarisse, your hair is gorgeous!! It looks so voluptuous in that shot of you, although your hair is a ii/iii, which is much thicker than mine. The buns waves suit you beautifully!

pelicano
December 11th, 2009, 01:45 PM
It's the weightlessness of mine that drives me mad. I am so envious of people who can actually feel their hair!! That's one thing the coconut oil does help a little with, at least.

Lamb
December 11th, 2009, 02:02 PM
Here I am. :) In limbo between 2c and 3a, growing out my hair from pretty short. :rolleyes:

What works for me is occasional CO washing, and a slightly modified version of Neoma's hybrid wash:
http://www.forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=97
What I do is apply a thick conditioner, leave it on for a few minutes, than rinse for 10 seconds. Apply shampoo. Rinse the whole thing.
I like to do it with a 2-in-1 shampoo in the second step.

Also, leave-ins hide a multitude of irregularities in the wave-pattern. They seem to make unruly hairs blend in more.

Clarisse
December 11th, 2009, 02:13 PM
Thank you, Pixna :flower:

My hair was actually ii before doing a cassia treatment. Cassia can stain silvers golden for about a month or so, though, so perhaps it's not for you...
My grandmother got thinning hair about your age too, and the same thing happened to my mother a couple of years ago (she is about 5 years younger than you). The good news is, that their hair god thicker again - perhaps something hormonal.
And even if it stays the way it is right now, thinner and finer hair can look gorgeous too! The wind can play with too thick and heavy hair. And it will never look light and flowing the way finer hair types do. Some people get migraines from long and thick hair too - a problem that us fine haired people won't ever get, no matter how long we grow our hair.
And to be honest, your hair looks a lot better than what the average 55-year-old head of hair looks like where I live. If it wasn't for the grays, you could easily be mistaken for someone a lot younger, when being seen from the back :)

dolcevita
December 11th, 2009, 02:14 PM
I have the same hair type, though I don't have any grays and probably won't have for many years. I have started wearing my hair up in a split bun, an it makes my hair go from all poofy, dry, unruly, tangly and messy S-waves to this:

http://i.imagehost.org/0141/mit_haar_dec09.jpg

Yay for bun waves! The down side is, that it makes my past-BSL hair look shorter than APL.

Wow Clarisse! I agree that your hair is beautiful!! You have a lot of fine hair and that's what creates this beautiful look. I have not a lot of fine hair that's wurlyish but not in an organized fashion... so I have troubles making it look as gorgeous as yours! I will keep checking in on this thread for more advice!

Pixna
December 11th, 2009, 02:40 PM
My grandmother got thinning hair about your age too, and the same thing happened to my mother a couple of years ago (she is about 5 years younger than you). The good news is, that their hair god thicker again - perhaps something hormonal.

And even if it stays the way it is right now, thinner and finer hair can look gorgeous too! The wind can play with too thick and heavy hair. And it will never look light and flowing the way finer hair types do. Some people get migraines from long and thick hair too - a problem that us fine haired people won't ever get, no matter how long we grow our hair.

And to be honest, your hair looks a lot better than what the average 55-year-old head of hair looks like where I live. If it wasn't for the grays, you could easily be mistaken for someone a lot younger, when being seen from the back :)

Clarisse, your comments really lifted my spirits (and hopefully my follicles, too!). It's VERY encouraging to know that your mother's and grandmother's hair got thicker again!!! Wow, I am going to be hopeful that my hair will follow that course. My mother's hair (she's in her eighties) looks pretty good, considering that she has colored it for almost her whole life and goes the beauty parlor route. She is not bald (thank heavens!). And my grandmother's hair was similar to hers, so I'm going to try to stay optimistic.

And, you make some good points about the weight of thick hair. At least there are some positives in all this! :) And, well, how could I NOT love your comment about my looking younger (at least from the back) than a lot of other women my age. Thank you!!! :crush:

Lamb, that's an excellent suggestion about the hybrid wash. It's so great to see you posting in this thread. I adore your hair, by the way -- it really is beautiful, Lamb. Good point about the leave-ins! Thank you for the tips!

Boudicca
December 11th, 2009, 03:24 PM
Hi, Boudicca! Thanks for the reply. I've got the same issue -- fine hair that wants to be wurly (or wurly-ish), but finding the right products and the right amount to use is a challenge. Thank you for the roller suggestion! I probably won't try them, mainly because I'm too lazy and impatient to hunt them down and put something like that in my hair, but you never know -- I might get so fed up with my hair that I'll give it a go.

I really appreciate your response. Your hair looks nice and curly from your siggy pic. Have you typed it yet?

They're pretty easy to use. I've massively impatient and clumsy when it comes to updos and things, but I managed these. The only difficulty was the length (hip when dry and braid waves, but mid thigh when wet).

I havn't got round to typing yet. I think I'm a 2C. The signature pic is pretty old now.

I think the key for fine curly hair is to give the curl a structure. Airdrying and scrunching doesn't work for me, because the hair is to lightweight and won't hold a curl. Bun waves, braid waves and ringlets, on the other hand, all work much better.

Babyfine
December 11th, 2009, 04:17 PM
Oh yes, thin, fine and wavy-wurly. And tends to look messy, unkempt,ect. My ends tend to separate and get stringy looking when I wear it down.
Bun waves help my hair look better, (though not as thick and nice as Clarisse's!)
I totally know what you mean when you say you've suddenly started looking your age.
People used to think I was younger, too, when I was 35 they thought I was 23, and when I was 40 they thought I was 27, and even in my 40's they thought I was younger-but no more-now people seem to have no problem believing I'm in my 50's. Oh well, I AM in my 50's, I guess.
I'm getting a bit greyer and gotten a few lines, so I look my age.

My hair gets weighed down very easily even though it also needs lots of moisture.

Pixna
December 11th, 2009, 04:24 PM
Thanks, Boudicca! Wow, I didn't know your hair was that long. Rolling it MUST be easy to do if you can do it with your magnificent length!

Babyfine, so nice to see you here. Sounds like we're a lot alike! :) My hair is SL now, too, and I am SO not used to the messy look, and, like you, my hair gets weighed down so easily these days. It's hard to have this strange, unmanageable hair type that defies being categorized. It's also a relief to know I'm not the only one who seems to have aged overnight, despite looking so youthful previously. Yep, no one mistakes me for anything under 50 these days (darn it!). If only glue and duct tape could hold me together, I'd be in great shape! ;)

Tinose
December 11th, 2009, 04:40 PM
I should probably keep an eye at this thread for advice! To be honest, a large part of why I always wear updos is that my hair's pretty much presentable down only when I wet my hair once a day, which I hate doing more than absolutely necessary during winter. Does anyone have any ways around that?

InTheCity
December 11th, 2009, 07:36 PM
Yes! I'm so totally in limbo land as well.
I have hair that waves and curls (curls on the right side only) when wet and just dries like a pouf. A few hours later, the waves fall out, but not enough to look good "straight."
I have no idea how to encourage waves because when I try to just let my hair dry in a non "plastered-to-dry-straight" way, I end up with clumpy, stringy looking hair that isn't really waved.

Last night after I washed, I scrunched a little to encourage the waves and had DBF snap a pic from behind. It looked like my hair ended and a few little ropes hung down 3 more inches or so. It was horrendous!

Good to know I'm not the only one in limbo land. (And for some adventure, my hair tosses in ringlets behind my right ear. Random.)

Pixna
December 12th, 2009, 05:15 AM
Hi, Tinose and InTheCity. Tinose, I don't have any tips for you of my own, but it looks like others here might.

InTheCity, it sounds like you have the very same issues I do. We're not straight, we're not curly, and our hair "ropes" or gets stringy when we try to encourage our wurls. My husband is actually liking this "ropey" look on me, so I'm trying to adjust to it. From my perspective, it just looks messy and unkempt, but maybe it's more my mindset and perception than what others actually see. When I use product in my wet hair and scrunch, the wurls look fantastic, but they don't stay in -- they "drop," droop, and go flat and stringy once my hair dries.

Hopefully, we'll obtain some good tips from those who have found some workable solutions (like the roller idea from Boudicca!). If not, we can just enjoy a comforting group hug! :grouphug:

pelicano
December 12th, 2009, 06:10 AM
I should probably keep an eye at this thread for advice! To be honest, a large part of why I always wear updos is that my hair's pretty much presentable down only when I wet my hair once a day, which I hate doing more than absolutely necessary during winter. Does anyone have any ways around that?

Mine is better when it has been wet too. When I don't have time to get it dry, I spray it with water with some glycerine added to it, which seems to help a bit regenerating some curls and reducing the frizz a bit. It dries pretty quickly, as it isn't drenched.

hennared
December 12th, 2009, 07:44 AM
How did I miss this thread?? I belong here! I'm a wavy by nature; my hair, especially the underlayer in the back of my head, has gotten more wavy with age. My hair had gone through several months of thinning when I took my avatar picture; after 19 months of continuous shed, it is a good bit thinner than that, now. (and shorter... I got so mad at my pathetic thin fairytail ends - shed hair catchers! - that I chopped off about 6 inches a few months ago).

I have sworn to myself that unless my hair gets noticeably thinner, I am not cutting it again!

I find if I do the 'plopping' technique, it enhances my waves - and what thickness I have left - nicely. I have major problems with hair washing/conditioning products, though - my hair texture seems to change dramatically from day to day, week to week, with the same products! I really am at a loss to figure it out. So, some days it looks nice, other days, it looks like floaty cobwebs, especially in the front, where it is quite thin :(

Thanks for starting this thread.

Hennared

Pixna
December 12th, 2009, 02:06 PM
Hi there, Hennared! I'm glad you found this thread. You know, I am having the same exact problem. One week certain products will work well on my hair, and the next time I use them, they don't. I am totally baffled, too! I haven't quite figured out the plopping technique. Oh, I know what to do, but I just can't get it to work for me. Plus, I don't like having a towel on my head for very long. Guess I'm a tough customer. The thing is, I never used to be -- my hair and I got along just fine (before the big chop two and a half years ago). Now, it's like we're strangers -- it refuses to talk to me anymore. ;)

pelicano
December 12th, 2009, 02:56 PM
Plopping gives me huge amounts of volume but awful thin stringly curls. I find that drip drying gives me a lot less volume, but nice clumpy ringlet curls.

Rigani
December 12th, 2009, 03:44 PM
Plopping gives me huge amounts of volume but awful thin stringly curls. I find that drip drying gives me a lot less volume, but nice clumpy ringlet curls.

Same here. Plopping gives me some kind of rumpled, crinky, irregular waves ... if I allow them to dry open and down there appear harmonic, curly waves ^^

My problem is a fluffy one - I can't wear my hair down/not braided for three days after washing, because they are so fluffy and tangling. Other products (milder tensids, oils) weigh my hair down too much (so no waves) or leave them straggly. So, I feel with you all ;)

luluj
December 12th, 2009, 05:05 PM
Thanks, Boudicca! Wow, I didn't know your hair was that long. Rolling it MUST be easy to do if you can do it with your magnificent length!

Babyfine, so nice to see you here. Sounds like we're a lot alike! :) My hair is SL now, too, and I am SO not used to the messy look, and, like you, my hair gets weighed down so easily these days. It's hard to have this strange, unmanageable hair type that defies being categorized. It's also a relief to know I'm not the only one who seems to have aged overnight, despite looking so youthful previously. Yep, no one mistakes me for anything under 50 these days (darn it!). If only glue and duct tape could hold me together, I'd be in great shape! ;)

I am giggling here PIXNA and Babyfine!! Yes, no denying my age anymore either, in fact, since letting my silvers come in there is NO problem getting the Senior's Discount when I go out to dinner with my husband. I always got asked if I was indeed a senior before I stopped coloring my hair, now they just say "So, two senior dinners tonight?" LOL!! My hair is much less curly now that I am growing it long again, in fact it is more wavy and it is also fine but I love it! After I wash my hair I wrap it in a T-shirt (white cotton) and leave it for 30 plus minutes. Then I just bend over and shake it out and air dry....no comb or brush....just my fingers to separate it. This helps to add some fullness. Occasionally I diffuse on low with no heat to add body.

Pixna
December 13th, 2009, 10:14 AM
Hi, Rigani! I'm discovering that with my (our) type of hair, less is indeed more. Sometimes even a small amount of leave-in product weighs my hair down, leaving it looking oily (even though it isn't) and straggly. Sounds like we're in the same boat with this!

Hey there, Luluj! I know EXACTLY what you are referring to! We recently got senior's entrance into a museum, and the "kids" at the front desk didn't bat an eye. So disheartening! I don't think it's my slvers, because although I have a fair number of them, my hair still has a goodly amount of pigment. Still, as you said, there's no denying our age anymore. :bigeyes:

Armelle
December 13th, 2009, 10:23 AM
I will start by saying that I have heavy wavy hair. If I want to encourage the curly bits and add some lift to the scalp area, I sometimes braid my hair upside-down for the night (french or english, from back of neck around to the front and down to ends.) I have found that, while it looks silly in the meantime, this really helps lift the hair a bit. I'm guessing this needs to be done after air-drying washed hair but without combing it straight.

jojo
December 13th, 2009, 10:27 AM
I am too a fine haired wurly. Try scrunchie bunning high up on your head when hair is damp for more volume, works lovely. I do this occassionally and just finger comb after, I think thats the main secret with fine wurly hair to comb as little as often and just use fingers to rake it through.

Rigani
December 13th, 2009, 10:35 AM
Hi, Rigani! I'm discovering that with my (our) type of hair, less is indeed more. Sometimes even a small amount of leave-in product weighs my hair down, leaving it looking oily (even though it isn't) and straggly. Sounds like we're in the same boat with this!

Yes, we definitely are! It's hard to find the perfect middle curse ... there are not many things, that are not too heavy but moisturizing enough to please my hair. Oiling works perfect for me, but it's really difficult to catch the right amount of it. And every oil is different ... it needs pratice.

It's the F hair, it isn't able to soak up too much oil, although I have plenty of it (iii).

jojo
December 13th, 2009, 10:38 AM
Yes, we definitely are! It's hard to find the perfect middle curse ... there are not many things, that are not too heavy but moisturizing enough to please my hair. Oiling works perfect for me, but it's really difficult to catch the right amount of it. And every oil is different ... it needs pratice.

It's the F hair, it isn't able to soak up too much oil, although I have plenty of it (iii).
I disagree with this, I daily oil and do a heavy oil once a week and my hair which is fine soaks it up lovely, plus I have noticed less breakage since doing this. Everybodies hair is different of course but in my case oil is good.:)

Rigani
December 13th, 2009, 11:03 AM
Lucky you! So your hair behaves much kinder than mine ... the only oil they soak up really good is coconut oil. Other oils are more difficult to apply on it esp. if I don't want to wash after oiling (just to avoid tangling and add shine).

When I'm oiling before washing I need to pay attention to the amount of oil, too, because otherwise it'll stay in and make my hair look greasy. I can't get the stuff out of my hair again ... but they like it and I noticed less split ends! :cheese:

Pixna
December 13th, 2009, 11:07 AM
Oil doesn't work for me at all. That might be because my hair isn't dry or thick or coarse. I need very, very light products, and, I'm finding, in very, very small amounts.

I think the 2 category of hair is so unpredictable, with so many variants from person to person (and even day to day with the same person). My mission is to figure out how to get my "fluff" back, deal with much less hair than I used to have, and figure out what will work for my fine, thin hair without weighing it down and making it look scraggly. Thin hair (I used to be more of a ii/iii and now I'm leaning more toward a i) is a whole different animal than a solid iii or even a ii, I am realizing. Nothing can hide in your hair when it's thin, and almost everything weighs it down. It's an interesting but very frustrating "adventure," as my hair is not at all like it used to be, and is acquiring an entirely new identity.

rags
December 13th, 2009, 11:59 AM
. Thin hair (I used to be more of a ii/iii and now I'm leaning more toward a i) is a whole different animal than a solid iii or even a ii, I am realizing. Nothing can hide in your hair when it's thin, and almost everything weighs it down. .

This is my hair exactly (except I'm quite solidly a i). While I'm typed as 1c, that's because I always, always comb my hair wet. If I leave it to airdry, I'm a solid 2a (even did a hairtyping thread - everyone agreed either 2a or 2b)

That said, I try to straighten mine as much as possible, because while it will make absolutely gorgeous wurls/curls, my hair is so thin it just looks like I have a few ropes hanging down. :( So I always comb it while it's drying, and it ends up straight.

Sorry, Pixna. I tried everything I could think of or had heard of on here to make mine look good wurly. It wasn't happening - it's just too thin.

However, it looks fantastic braided while wet and with the ends curled up on a roller and slept on. When I take it out, the waves I get from that are gorgeous! I'm just too lazy to do it very often!:p

Pixna
December 13th, 2009, 12:18 PM
Rags, I'm so glad you posted here!!! Do you know what caused your Great Shed? What was your hair like before that? Has it been a big adjustment for you? What have you needed to do differently than what you did before?

Babyfine
December 13th, 2009, 01:05 PM
Pixna- I think your hair looks great in your avatar picture! It's very full at the ends-is it all one length?

Luluj I'm glad you got a smile- I think your hair looks great with the silvers coming in- I'm just not ready for that yet- but I'd like to get away from coloring someday-I really would, and just go natural. I might have to cut some off to do that.

Plopping hasn't worked for me- the few times I tried it my hair looked a stringy mess. It might work if I had shorter hair.
Oddly, straightening makes my hair look lifeless and thin-even when short. Just doesn't suit me. Even my stylist doesn't like straightened hair on me. So
I'm glad I have some natural wave-but I wish I was a 3a- I use to perm my hair regularly to get more body and curl but it's definetely damaging, for my hair especially.
I set my hair on goody rollers sometimes to get some body and curl.

Pixna
December 13th, 2009, 03:44 PM
Hi, Babyfine! Thanks for your very sweet compliments. Yes, my hair is all one length (after two and a half years of growing out a 1-inch pixie). Although my hair looks relatively full in my avatar, it isn't quite as full-looking in person (IMO), and far from the thickness I used to have. I think hormones take over (or sputter away) when we women hit our mid-fifties (earlier for some, later for others).

It seems that a lot of us in this category suffer from the stringy look. My hope is that my hair will look less stringy and more, um, "stylish" the longer it gets (well, maybe that will happen once I get another foot of length!). When I'm feeling this blue about my hair, I get terrible temptations to just shave my head and be done with it. :brains: But I know if I hang in there a while longer, this will pass (hopefully!!) and it will look a lot (or at least a little) better.

rags
December 13th, 2009, 08:11 PM
Rags, I'm so glad you posted here!!! Do you know what caused your Great Shed? What was your hair like before that? Has it been a big adjustment for you? What have you needed to do differently than what you did before?

Yes, I was quite ill, and the medications they gave me caused the Great Shed. I knew it was a possibility going in, but didn't have much choice.

Before the Great Shed, my hair was tailbone and probably a ii. (didn't know about LHC then - but it was about twice as thick as now, so at least a ii) And it was straighter, probably 1b. It grew back wavy and I've been befuddled ever since! :p

I have needed to learn to do everything differently!. I changed my brush, as the bristles went through and hurt my head. I had to learn now hairstyles, as you really can't do certain things with less hair (well, you can, but they don't look very good!). I had to change my products, as they were weighing down my hair. And I had to learn to love the "cobweb" look! :D

Please don't shave your head, Pixna! I for one think your hair is gorgeous! I too had those days when getting used to my new hair (and still have them occasionally ) but as I've learned to work with it and not against it, I am happier with my hair.
Advantage: You'll be able to do updos sooner.
It takes much less time to dry
It's not hot
It will never give you a migraine
It can be absolutely beautiful

Try to remember this when you next want to shave your head. And then come remind me, because I still feel like it occasionally myself! :rollin:

Pixna
December 14th, 2009, 07:32 AM
Thank you, Rags!!! I appreciate all those advantages you listed, and I will look at them often. My husband said he will strangle me if I ever cut my hair short again, so that's sufficient incentive to keep the clippers locked away! :laugh:

I'm sorry you had such a traumatic effect from the medication you were on, even though you knew about it in advance and really didn't have any choice. I suppose there are worse things, though. My one sister had been on a medication many, many years ago and was not warned about the potential side effects. She ended up with PERMANENTLY blue "whites" of her eyes, blue teeth, and blue ears (yes, a living Smurf). It was devastating. In comparison, thinner hair is a small price to pay for improved health and a longer life.

Last night I combed out the product from hair and most of my normal fluffiness returned. So although my hair isn't any thicker, it looks fuller without the product in it weighing it down. I guess I'll just have to wear it marginally wavy rather than wurly, as the stringy, scraggly look is too depressing for me to handle.

Katze
December 14th, 2009, 08:37 AM
well, my hair is thin and sort of wavy, not sure what you mean by wurly. It tends to go straight at the crown and spirals on the length if left alone.

My biggest problem has been knowing how much to comb or brush and how much to leave it alone. I like the way my hair looks in the front untouched, but in the back I have horrible, horrible scalp cleavage and my hair also tends to get stringy fast, so I do have to style it in some way no matter if I wear it up or down. Looking at the back in the mirror helps!

the seethroughness of most of my length really gets me down. I am trimming and hoping my hair eventually looks thicker, because, to me, see through hair looks unhealthy.

After years of bleach I am finally mostly virgin again which makes me really happy. :)

Pixna
December 14th, 2009, 08:54 AM
Hi, Katze! By "wurly" we mean wavy hair that is close to being curly but not quite -- usually a solid 2b or 2c. Wurly hair tends to get nice curls, and even some spirals, but they don't usually stay in well or for very long. For that reason, it's hard for us to figure out how to deal with our hair, since it has a bit of a split personality -- sort of curly, sort of not. With thinner hair, it's even harder to deal with.

rags
December 14th, 2009, 03:18 PM
Hi, Katze! By "wurly" we mean wavy hair that is close to being curly but not quite -- usually a solid 2b or 2c. Wurly hair tends to get nice curls, and even some spirals, but they don't usually stay in well or for very long. For that reason, it's hard for us to figure out how to deal with our hair, since it has a bit of a split personality -- sort of curly, sort of not. With thinner hair, it's even harder to deal with.

Hmm, this makes me wonder. "Officially" I guess I should be a 2a, but I get spirals! Only in the front - it's weird. But no matter how much gel or mousse or product I use, they won't stay. Or if they will, they look like little drowned rat curls......
Hmm, wondering about my hairtype again now.

Pixna, that's what I have to do - not use any styling products. The products just weigh thin hair down too much, and if you get that wonderful "clumping" going on, it looks bad because there aren't enough clumps! So I've give up on products or wearing mine wavy.

Pixna
December 14th, 2009, 03:40 PM
Drowned rat curls??!! LOL!! Too bad that I know exactly what you mean, Rags. :smirk: Yep, it's no styling products for me, too. I think my hair looks 1000% better without them!

luluj
December 14th, 2009, 05:02 PM
Drowned rat curls??!! LOL!! Too bad that I know exactly what you mean, Rags. :smirk: Yep, it's no styling products for me, too. I think my hair looks 1000% better without them!

I agree with you PIXNA and RAGS.......the less product the more co-operative the hair!!;)

luluj
December 14th, 2009, 05:13 PM
Thanks babyfine! Going silver at your age (or any age for that matter) can be a tough decision, you will know when you are ready!;) If I had it to do over I would not chop my hair off, instead I would keep as much length as possible and just enjoy the ever-changing look!:)

Cherry_Sprinkle
December 14th, 2009, 05:17 PM
The only thing that has helped my hair has been the Curls Rock! curl cream and leave in moisturizer if you're a cone user, and aloe & evoo if you are no-cone.

I use both pretty much the same way, except I mix the aloe and evoo in my hands and apply.. I apply both to damp, towel dried hair, in a scrunching motion until it has been well mixed in my hair and allow to air dry. If it feels overly stiff and crunchy, I apply more oil.

Pixna
December 15th, 2009, 07:52 AM
Thanks, Cherry Sprinkle. Now, if my hair could look as fabulous as yours when I use aloe vera and EVOO, I'd try your method in a heartbeat. Unfortunately, my hair doesn't like oils of any kind, and even aloe vera leaves my hair looking stringy and scraggly. Perhaps when I gain more length it will work better for me. It certainly works for YOU -- your hair is stunning! :thud:

Boudicca
December 15th, 2009, 09:09 AM
Maybe a tip for other wurlies - do a practice run with setting lotion if you ever plan to use it. I tried it at the weekend with foam rollers and looked like something from a Whitesnake video :shocked:

dolcevita
December 30th, 2009, 02:27 PM
Hey Everyone!

I had an amazing before-and-after this morning when I went to a curly hair specific salon for a trim and a bit of a cut. I bought the Curly Hair Solutions products that they used. The products are actually made by the owner of the salon I went to!!:D

Here are a couple pictures, and the link to the thread if you are interested!

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4010/4227942583_1ab7d5a96b.jpg

Before and after:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2548/4228737786_5c536cec0b_m.jpg

My thread here: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=39552

Pixna
December 30th, 2009, 03:15 PM
Dolcevita, your hair turned out BEAUTIFUL!!! The curls frame your face perfectly. You must be thrilled to have finally found someone you can trust and who took such good care of you and your hair and did just what you wanted. FANTASTIC!!! :cheer:

Elenna
December 30th, 2009, 03:25 PM
Hi, Katze! By "wurly" we mean wavy hair that is close to being curly but not quite -- usually a solid 2b or 2c. Wurly hair tends to get nice curls, and even some spirals, but they don't usually stay in well or for very long. For that reason, it's hard for us to figure out how to deal with our hair, since it has a bit of a split personality -- sort of curly, sort of not. With thinner hair, it's even harder to deal with.

My hair is wavy. I can get pretty wurls, but these always fall out. Then it looks messy no matter what I do. So I usually settle for somewhat presentable with a barrette or hair stick/fork.

Although my hair is thicker since joining LHC, the silver hair shows the scalp easier.

girlcat36
December 30th, 2009, 03:58 PM
Hhmmmm...I'm definately a curly, but watching this thread with interest. My hair is thin and limp most days.
I actually(horrors!) diffused my hair for the first time ever in my life yesterday! It did help with volume.

Babyfine
December 30th, 2009, 05:16 PM
When I diffuse my hair upside down it gives me much more volume and curl.
But I can't heat style everyday-even with a diffuser,or my hair gets damaged.
On air dry days I clip my hair up at the roots, can't do it right but it does help whatever I do.

Pixna
December 31st, 2009, 06:59 AM
I must say that I'm horrified at how thin my hair has become. I realize now why "older" women cut their hair so short -- it is very frustrating to deal with thinning hair as we get older, especially if we are used to hair that is thicker and fuller and now just falls limp and flat. It really changes one's appearance . . . not to mention the loss of self-esteem and self-confidence.

I've never been one to spend a lot of time primping with my hair -- I'd rather it be just "wash and go" (or rather, "wash and air dry"). Color me sad and frustrated.

Babyfine
December 31st, 2009, 09:33 AM
I must say that I'm horrified at how thin my hair has become. I realize now why "older" women cut their hair so short -- it is very frustrating to deal with thinning hair as we get older, especially if we are used to hair that is thicker and fuller and now just falls limp and flat. It really changes one's appearance . . . not to mention the loss of self-esteem and self-confidence.

I've never been one to spend a lot of time primping with my hair -- I'd rather it be just "wash and go" (or rather, "wash and air dry"). Color me sad and frustrated.
I, too, Pixna., I, too.
My hair seems to be laying much flatter and limper than it did even last summer and I hate it. I've actually been comtemplating a bob, a collar-bone length bob with bangs/fringe. Fringe looks good on me and actually makes my hair look thicker, at least in front. My temple areas are thin, and the fringe gives it a fuller look.
I had to grow the fringe out as it gets longer, though, as my pony circumference is 2" or less with full bangs/fringe but I can bump it up to 2.5" with all my hair in there. Yes, I DO understand why some older women cut their hair.
THe only thing holding me back is I don't want to give in to what every older woman does in this area (uppermidwest USA) when they get past 40 and certainly past 50. I like being different and bucking the trend.
I color, which probably doesn't help as well, because I hate the grey on me. Maybe if I quit coloring my fine hair would be healthier and "hang" better.
The problem is is I love long hair and think I've always looked prettier and more feminine with longer hair. The super-short haircuts many women my age sport around here, including the inverted bob- don't suit me IMO (or my husbands) opinion. I have a square jaw line for one thing. But shoulder length hair might be better for me.
I could still do most of the styles I do now. (French twist, sock bun, Half up, ponytail.) I don't wear braids or ponytails out in public because they really just showcase how thin my hair is.

Babyfine
December 31st, 2009, 09:43 AM
Plus-if I cut my hair shorter I could probable get away with diffusing more, too, for volume. MY goal has been healthy waist length hair but I've been re-thinking that goal of late. My stylist notices my thin hair around front, too, and I use Nioxin, but I also bought some emu-oil product to see if I can fill in thin spots.

treesandcoffee
December 31st, 2009, 10:26 AM
Hi Pixna! While my hair is on the fine side, it is rather curly. I've been working loads of new techniques since I started doing research a couple of months ago. Recently I've tried a couple of these on my mother, who has very fine, very thin wurly hair. Her hair has reduced in thickness over 50% in the past 10 years, and understandably, she's been devastated. What I tried help so much, so I will share with you!

First, I had her wet her hair which she had washed the day before. Then I saturated it with a heavy conditioner and combed softly with a wide-tooth comb. She thought it would weigh her hair down, but I wasn't finished yet. I then had her turn her head upside down, then I scrunched a dime sized amount in and immediately plopped with an old t-shirt.

The cotton shirt soaked up a lot of product, so it didn't weigh her hair down. She plopped for a half hour, then took her hair out and I instructed her to not touch it!

While it was almost dry, I had her flip her hair over, and we tousled the roots, scrunched more, and flipped back and no more touching!

The result was the curliest, most voluminous hair I've ever seen on my mom! She looked fantastic!

She did say her hair 'felt heavy' but I think it's cause she's used to blow drying and brushing it out, and frizz is definitely 'lighter' than curls in this respect.

:pSo I hope these tips might help you or anyone else!:D

treesandcoffee
December 31st, 2009, 10:28 AM
...then I scrunched a dime sized amount in and immediately plopped with an old t-shirt.


Sorry, I meant dime sized amount of gel!

Pixna
December 31st, 2009, 10:30 AM
Babyfine, I like to buck the trend, too. I was such an idiot for cutting my waist-length hair to a pixie two and a half years ago. That's what a post-menopausal meltdown (and hot flashes) will do to a woman! :brains:

Although I'm past all that now, the physical fallout from the hormonal changes seems to have grabbed hold. I think if my hair were short now, it would look even worse, and I'd have to spend a ton of time (and a lot of money on products) just to get it to look halfway decent. For me, that's not an option. I also would look dreadful with bangs, and I don't have the patience to diffuse. So, I will just have to hang in there a while longer and hope that in another year my hair grows a lot longer and gains a little thickness (even a little would help!!).

In the meantime, though, I'm feeling so unattractive. Bah!!!

Pixna
December 31st, 2009, 10:39 AM
treesandcoffee, thank you for your kind post and suggestions -- that was so very thoughtful of you!! Sounds like your mom is in the same boat as babyfine and I are!

I've actually done the procedure you described, except for the plopping part (because I just haven't gotten the hang of it). It has worked for me, kind of, sort of -- for about an hour. Then my hair droops again. Additional product makes it look worse (rather than holding it better). I'm sure if I tried stuff with polymers in it, it would help, but I prefer to go with more natural products. And, products are SO expensive! With what I've spent on various brands over the past month or two, I could probably feed and clothe a small country. It's pathetic, really.

But, thank you very much for your input. I may very well try it again soon!

Babyfine
December 31st, 2009, 12:20 PM
Tres and coffee that sounds like a good idea. I already use a tiny amount of gel but plopping juwst doesn't work for me, alas! Makes my hair look "messy" rather than volumized-but maybe I"m not doing it right.

Pixna, I love your hair in your avatar! Pixies look terrible on me, and I ,too, have to spend a lot of time and heat styling to get my hair to look volumized, and straighten out the weird cowlicks, with a short cut. Unless I were to perm it(Now I can see why some older ladies cut their hair and perm it) But That's a look I DON"T want!!
Short permed hair!!
I'm thinking in 2010 of trying Cassia, letting it sit for dye release and then applying it for a couple of hours to stain my greys golden- and maybe it will look like salon highlights without the drying and damage. Plus maybe it will thicken and strengthen my hair-without the permanancey of henna- if I decide I don't like it.

Pixna
December 31st, 2009, 01:31 PM
Hi, Babyfine! I haven't used cassia -- I'm letting my silvers "glow." Surprisingly, they sort of look like "highlights" (at least in my mind they do!), except at my temples and the edges where they're very white. I hope the cassia works for you!

Yes, I think we've figured out why old ladies cut and do those poodle perms. I guess they believe the perm gives their hair more volume. I imagine all that perming makes the hair even thinner, though.

Thank you SO much for your kind words about my avatar pic. My hair is combed in that shot, but my husband prefers my hair wurly and not as tidy (combed only once after washing, and then air-dried and not combed again until the next washing). Wearing it that way is a real psychological adjustment for me, but I'm giving it a go. To me it looks messy and bedraggled, but he thinks it looks more "stylish." With my thinner hair, I feel like I look like a scraggly, scruffy mutt, but maybe it's just because of my "expectations" of what I WANT compared to what I actually HAVE. *sigh*

Here's hoping that 2010 gives us thick, lush wurls and a LOT more length!!!