I'm desperate for help here!!!!

[Pandora.]

Well, basically, I've been bleaching my hair bright blonde for the past year (probably once every 2-3 months), and I've noticed my hair has become LOTS thinner. My hair used to be very thick as well. Luckily, my hair doesn't look that damaged, as it's quite sleek and smooth with not much more split ends than the average person.

I've decided to quit bleaching my hair. So, will my hair get thicker overtime? I know you can't really determine these kinds of things, but roughly how long do you think it will take? As advised by a hair care expert, I'm taking Cod Liver oil capsules daily at the moment - and I'm planning on taking Biotin with a multivitamin pretty soon too.

My hair feels as if it's still growing okay, and it's still rather long - thankfully! :p

P.S. Oh, and please don't suggest I get it trimmed every 6-8 weeks; I find that method is totally useless to me, as it doesn't speed up the growth at all. Once you constantly cut it at the same length, your hair gets used to being that length - since I've found that out with my own hair. Besides, I can't face getting my hair cut - not ever!

P.P.S. Don't tell me to use Castor Oil, I know so many people that have used that stuff, and I'm not prepared to go round with a head drenched in grease for a long period of time.

Thanks guys! :D

[Ravenne]

It sounds like you're already on the right track. I doubt you'd find many here who will tell you to trim every 6-8 weeks. Many people here only trim once a year or less! So yeah, there's no need for you to trim unless you feel like your hair needs it. However, eventually you will need to cut the damaged bleached part off, but that's a long ways away. :) You could try looking into different washing methods to see what your hair likes. Conditioner only is usually what people try first.

To answer your question, yeah, your hair should thicken up over time. It just depends on how fast your hair grows. That's hard to say. But as your new growth and less damaged hair grows out, it will be much thicker than the thinned ends.

[LaurelSpring]

I think the general idea is similar to taking a cloth or something and bleaching it. Over a period of time the cloth will begin to thin and fall apart. The bleach breaks down the bonds in your hair in a similar way. If you stop bleaching, you will stop adding to the damage and with good care may be able to at least keep your hair from getting too much worse. Your new hair will be virgin and should be fine.

Supplements are usually a good thing and cant hurt. They wont fix the damage but my help with the new healthy hair. Damage is damage and there isnt alot you can do but try to really protect the hair and be gentle with it and take as much care with it as possible. I just love Nightbloomings Panacea Hair Salve. She sells it on etsy. I think it has helped my ends alot. Doing some SMTs and other conditioning type things may help also. Staying away from heated appliances and protective updos may also help. There is alot of good advice here that may help you.

[frodolaughs]

As Ravenne said, your hair will get thicker over time. People here do lots of different things with their hair because everyone's hair has different and individual needs, and everyone has their own set of hair goals. What it boils down to, for most people, is a combination of TLC and patience. There isn't any way to make your hair thicker overnight, but you can certainly pamper what you have while you wait for new hair to grow in. Your existing hair will probably be fragile and prone to breaking, even if you haven't seen a lot of damage at this point, but whatever shape it's in there will be people here who've grown out beautiful and healthy long hair from a similar starting point, and others and various stages of the journey. Welcome.

[Dreams_in_Pink]

I know you stated that you won't do it, i'm inclined to ask you why because castor oil is famous for promoting hair growth. You can leave it on only for an hour before wash, for example. If it's too sticky, you can dilute it with a lighter oil.

If that's a complete no-no for you, i have other recommendations. You can exercise if you aren't already. Scalp massages are good to decrease shedding and increase growth. Stay away from very tight hats and hairdos that pull hair too tightly. Don't yank at hair while combing.

These are all i know of. And oh yes, they will grow back if you stop using chemicals :)

[Pandora.]

Thanks guys. You've all been very helpful. :)
Hmm, I might consider Castor Oil; I am prone to changing my midn frequently anyway!

I was quite scared when I first posted this thread, just in case I got some: "omfg you've ruined your hair and it's just going to all fall out and make you bald forever and ever."
I'm such a paranoid person, people tell me that my hair is fine the way it is and that it's already super long...but I'm just a obsessive perfectionist that notices each and every little thing on me, which sucks lol.

[JenniferNoel]

Thanks guys. You've all been very helpful. :)
Hmm, I might consider Castor Oil; I am prone to changing my midn frequently anyway!

I was quite scared when I first posted this thread, just in case I got some: "omfg you've ruined your hair and it's just going to all fall out and make you bald forever and ever."
I'm such a paranoid person, people tell me that my hair is fine the way it is and that it's already super long...but I'm just a obsessive perfectionist that notices each and every little thing on me, which sucks lol.

Hey hey. It's all good - I admit to being a bleacher of several years myself, and I was able to save 90% of my M/iii hair - little trimming involved. Just go with the flow, like everyone else said. Only trim when your hair really needs it, and baby it. Good luck.

[GoddesJourney]

It's just a matter of growing it back out. No big deal. You may find that coating it with silicone poducts makes it a seem little thicker and probably protects your hair from too much more wear. The bleach ate your hair's thickness.

[justgreen]

I'm a regular highlighter (i have dark brown hair), every 4-6 weeks. Been doing it as long as I've been a member here (almost five years) and longer. The key is knowing how to treat your hair, as in, gently and give it tons of moisture, like honey, water and conditioner. I went two years between hair trims. There are others here like me, who get regular salon highlighting. My hair is 40+" now and I intend to keep growing it, but keeping it trimmed to BC length. Oh and I also dilute my shampoo, that has really been a key factor in taking care of the hair and the scalp.

[jera]

I hate to tell you what you don't want to hear, but castor oil really can help increase thickness. :o Emu oil would be another choice. Otherwise it sounds like you're beginning to do all the right things for your hair. :toast:

[Pandora.]

The bleach ate your hair's thickness.

That sentence in particular frightens me! Lol. :p
It makes me think that my hair will never ever get thicker again, even though it probably (or hopefully) will.

I do use conditioner in my hair really well these days. I straighten my hair LOTS too - but I always ensure I cover my hair in heat protection spray. I would say I eat healthy and do exercise somewhat regularly (if you count walking 30mins a day as exercise. Generally, I try to do what I can to take care of my hair.

Just wondering, is castor oil expensive? If anyone here lives in the UK, do you know where I can get it from for a reasonable price? Thank you. =]

[Fractalsofhair]

Heat styling, IMO, on a daily basis, is more dangerous than bleach, regardless of heat protection sprays. Many people here do color their hair, only doing their roots as needed, and with the lowest volume peroxide that will work for them as well. As so far as hair growing back thicker, I've had a few hair dye disasters myself, and when my hair broke off a few inches from my scalp, it grew back just as thick after(now making ponytails difficult! xD). Castor oil, at least in the US, can easily be found in a laxative section of a drugstore.

[countryhopper]

Now, because i don't know your hair's texture, this could or could not be true for you:

bleach+ daily heat damage = thin hair prone to breakage.

If your hair is coarse and thick, then maybe you can get away it more than I could, a fine haired person of medium thickness. As a previous poster said, the bleach is eating your hair's thickness. And then when you use heat daily on top of that, you fry the little moisture that's left in the hair strand.

I'd suggest reading two articles in the haircare section of the articles on the top of the page. One shows you what hair looks like that has heat damage (the strand looks like it exploded), and another one tells how to grow out and baby damaged hair.

This is not to scare or lecture you in any way :) Everyone here has the common goal of wanting to grow long, healthy hair. In doing so, many go through great lengths and sacrifices (maybe giving up blowdryers and straighteners, hairsprays, etc) in order to acheive that goal.

There's great advice here on this site, look around, don't feel overwhelmed, and have fun!

Hope that helps!! :D

[SimplyViki]

Your hair will thicken up - as your roots grow out and join your length, that is. The individual hairs which have been stripped and damaged will not magically thicken up. The follicles will most likely continue putting out healthy hair at your normal, healthy thickness, though, and as it grows out, will be at that thickness unless it's damaged again by some means.

I am a proponent of regular trims, not because they will help the hair grow faster (they won't), but because the damaged hair is the hair you want to be rid of. You can keep the length you have, but gradually trim off the damaged hair as it grows. You can even grow longer while still trimming - you just have to trim off less than your growth (if you grow a half inch each month, you can trim off a half inch every other month, or a quarter inch each month, etc). The trims, to me, are important when growing out damaged hair, because the damaged parts will not heal - they have to be cut off if you want to be rid of them. You don't have to cut it all off at once, though; regular trims will suffice to gradually cut the damage off as the healthy hair grows in.

Hope that helps! I never bothered with castor oil, so I won't be suggesting that one. It's not expensive, though, you can find it in the laxatives section in the drugstore, in a little brown bottle like hydrogen peroxide comes in.

[jaine]

I wonder if cassia would help?
I haven't used cassia but I read it is similar to henna minus the red color, and henna made my hair feel less damaged after highlighting.

[ChloeDharma]

That sentence in particular frightens me! Lol. :p
It makes me think that my hair will never ever get thicker again, even though it probably (or hopefully) will.

I do use conditioner in my hair really well these days. I straighten my hair LOTS too - but I always ensure I cover my hair in heat protection spray. I would say I eat healthy and do exercise somewhat regularly (if you count walking 30mins a day as exercise. Generally, I try to do what I can to take care of my hair.

Just wondering, is castor oil expensive? If anyone here lives in the UK, do you know where I can get it from for a reasonable price? Thank you. =]

Castor oil is cheap, most chemists sell it for about 2 quid, sometimes you have to ask for it though, i know in my local boots they keep it behind the counter.

As has been said, straightening is extreemely damaging and is likely to cause breakage and therefore thinning of the length. This is because hair contains roughly 8-10% water (moisture) those straighteners often reach temperatures of 200 degrees C and water boils at half that temperature.....so rapid steam is produced, the water expands and tries to find the fastest way out of the hair. if there is an opening nearby the water rushes out of it, if there is no nearby opening then the steam creates one by rupturing the shaft. So you have 2 problems there......one, a rupture in the shaft which then becomes a weak point, allows moisture to exit and is weak so breaks easily, 2....hair thats been heated to a point of bringing the water content to below the 8-10% ideal.....creating dry hair.
Heat protectors cant prevent that damage, they just coat the hair with silicone so that the heat is more easily distributed along the shaft and not in spots, but the heat is still there, still causing rapid swelling and weakening the structure of the shaft.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news here, hopefully you can grow back healthier hair and regain your thickness.

[Rapunzal2Be]

That sentence in particular frightens me! Lol. :p
It makes me think that my hair will never ever get thicker again, even though it probably (or hopefully) will.

I do use conditioner in my hair really well these days. I straighten my hair LOTS too - but I always ensure I cover my hair in heat protection spray. I would say I eat healthy and do exercise somewhat regularly (if you count walking 30mins a day as exercise. Generally, I try to do what I can to take care of my hair.

Just wondering, is castor oil expensive? If anyone here lives in the UK, do you know where I can get it from for a reasonable price? Thank you. =]

The bleach ate the thickness of the length of your hair that has been bleached multiple times. It doesn't mean it will affect your new growth, if you give up - or cut back on - bleaching your new growth. You could try doing a coconut or argan oil soak before bleaching as suggested here (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=10495&highlight=peroxide+damage).

Straightening may be an even bigger issue if you do it often. Covering your hair in heat protection spray really isn't doing much but sealing it and maybe making it shinier for the time being. Consider this - your flat iron can cook a piece of bacon. Imagine coating that piece of bacon in heat "protection" spray before cooking it - it's still gonna cook. Essentially, that flat iron is cooking your hair as well. Every time you use it. Just something to think about. That kind of damage causes breakage and weakness over time, which is why your length is thinning out. Doesn't mean you aren't growing as much hair as you always did - you may still be - it just means you are losing more hair to damage and breakage.

I live in the US, so I can't say for where you live, but castor oil here is inexpensive.

[spidermom]

Bleach and daily flat-ironing; oh my!

I used to occasionally flat-iron, and it really caused a lot of damage. My hair is much better without it.

[Crazycatlady]

I'm a regular highlighter (i have dark brown hair), every 4-6 weeks. Been doing it as long as I've been a member here (almost five years) and longer. The key is knowing how to treat your hair, as in, gently and give it tons of moisture, like honey, water and conditioner. I went two years between hair trims. There are others here like me, who get regular salon highlighting. My hair is 40+" now and I intend to keep growing it, but keeping it trimmed to BC length. Oh and I also dilute my shampoo, that has really been a key factor in taking care of the hair and the scalp.
Justgreen...I've been wondering this for a while and thought you might be able to answer this question about shampoo, how do you dilute yours? Do you keep some shampoo mixed with water in a spray bottle or just mix a little in your palm each time you wash? I would like to know and thought it may help Pandora too. Thanks!!! :)

[Pandora.]

Reading all these replies, I'm now terrified of picking up a set of hair straighteners! Lol. :O

The thing is, I'm going to find it incredily hard to give up flat ironing, because I would look such an ugly mess without some kind of styling. My natural hair is just frizzy waves and uneven - I don't want to look like a complete geek. :(

But, I'm absolutely scared out of my wits for my hair, I often have nightmares about my hair (as in having dreams of being bald, my hair physically shrivelling up in front of me, and having just only 2 or 3 strands on my head). The other night I was actually crying! Ahaha.

[contradiction]

I for one have defenitely been in your position. I used to bleach and flatiron my hair daily because I thought I looked so ugly with my 'natural' hair. LHC for one has really taught me the value of keeping your hair healthy, 5 months on this site and I haven't touched a flatiron in a month or bleach in 5 months. My hair is still recovering but feels a lot better. At least your hair is already long (I had to cut a lot off) , if you start taking care of it and maybe trying some stuff on this site, making friends etc. it will get a lot healthier and you'll learn to see the beauty in your healthy hair. Good luck!

[Fethenwen]

Hmm, well you might want to consider some other methods of styling other than straightener, as it is to most peoples hair very damaging (talking also from my own experience). Working with curl is of course easy without heat tools, if you're up for it.
But giving up bleach already is gonna improve your hair for sure :) But you may not have to give it up completely, like some have already pointed out, adding highlights may be a solution. And babying you hair ^^

Maybe you will have to dye you're hair a bit more near your own color to avoid roots showing up, I think low lights might be a solution and then highlights. Personally I think that look is awesome compared to a head full of platinum hairs (if it's long that is). A combination of highlights might also make it easier for you to style it without straighteners, because highlights will work nicely with hair that isn't super straight and bring forth some liveliness.

I also recommend castor oil for thickness and also coconut oil for softness. It takes a little fiddling to figure out how to use oils, but it is totally worth it :flower:

[florenonite]

Reading all these replies, I'm now terrified of picking up a set of hair straighteners! Lol. :O

The thing is, I'm going to find it incredily hard to give up flat ironing, because I would look such an ugly mess without some kind of styling. My natural hair is just frizzy waves and uneven - I don't want to look like a complete geek. :(

But, I'm absolutely scared out of my wits for my hair, I often have nightmares about my hair (as in having dreams of being bald, my hair physically shrivelling up in front of me, and having just only 2 or 3 strands on my head). The other night I was actually crying! Ahaha.

Have you heard of the Curly Girl method of haircare? I don't know much about it, as my hair's pretty straight, but essentially it involves extensive moisturising in order to discourage frizz and encourage your waves and curls.

A lot of the time, straightening just perpetuates the problem. Your hair is a bit dry, so it's frizzy and unruly. You straighten it to fix it. This dries and damages it even further, so you have to straighten it more. Is your hair long enough to tie up? Perhaps if you wear it in nice buns and updos the frizziness will be less noticeable, and you can moisturise it and encourage your natural waves.

[Fethenwen]

Have you heard of the Curly Girl method of haircare? I don't know much about it, as my hair's pretty straight, but essentially it involves extensive moisturising in order to discourage frizz and encourage your waves and curls.

A lot of the time, straightening just perpetuates the problem. Your hair is a bit dry, so it's frizzy and unruly. You straighten it to fix it. This dries and damages it even further, so you have to straighten it more. Is your hair long enough to tie up? Perhaps if you wear it in nice buns and updos the frizziness will be less noticeable, and you can moisturise it and encourage your natural waves.
Omg, I have so been in that situation myself :p I so second this.

[SimplyViki]

Do you wear bangs or front-layers? If so, maybe you could just straighten those bits and put the rest up. A little gel or aloe vera gel (I dilute both by wetting my hands with water before rubbing a small dollop of either one between my hands) to smooth down any flyaways on the rest of the hair won't be nearly as damaging as flat-ironing the whole bulk of your hair. The bangs/front layers will add interest to updos (I'm only suggesting that because it can be a major adjustment to go from mainly wearing your hair down to wearing it up, and having some hair loose in front can ease the adjustment), and the rest of your hair will be protected.

[spidermom]

Justgreen...I've been wondering this for a while and thought you might be able to answer this question about shampoo, how do you dilute yours? Do you keep some shampoo mixed with water in a spray bottle or just mix a little in your palm each time you wash? I would like to know and thought it may help Pandora too. Thanks!!! :)

I saved an empty shampoo bottle and mix a squirt of shampoo with about 1/2 cup of warm water each time I wash my hair. (I don't really measure the amount of water; I'm guess-timating).

[Pandora.]

After some serious consideration, I am actually going to challenge myself with giving up flat ironing. :p

I do have bangs, and I think I'll straighten them when I really think I need to. Sometimes, my hair can actually go nicely wavy (when it's not frizzy), so I'll have to pray for a good hair day every day, ahaha. ;)

Would you recommend me using hair serum to tame frizz? Or is this just going to damage my hair, as well?

[Fethenwen]

Well, hair serum isn't that damaging, but I'm sure after a while of being nicer to your hair you might not need that :)

Straightening your bangs is fine, they don't really have the time to get much damage as the damage is cut out every now and then.
Edit: Depends on how long your bangs are of course.

[Pandora.]

My bangs are short, so I guess it will be okay.

I'm starting to be less worried about not straightening my hair. I think the first morning when it's super frizzy and curly I will be in such a panic...but we'll see how it goes. :D

You guys have all been so helpful. When I first came here, I thought I would get really plain and non-informative posts because I'm asking such strange questions; but here almost every post has been detailed and thoughtful. Thank you so much! :)

[spidermom]

Using something like alcohol-free gel combed through your hair can tame the frizzies without damaging your hair. Personally, I love my CHI Silk Infusion coney serum, but it really doesn't do a lot to hold down my frizz, which I get because I have lots of shorter, newer, curly hairs that go crazy all over the surface. Gel helps, also styling wax, putty, or pomade (but I'm out of my favorite Natures Gate Styling Putty and can't find it locally - boohoo).

[Calaelen]

I have a feeling I am about to get "hated", but I have some tips, and some info.

I'm a hairstylist, and so I know a lot about the structure of hair and proper hair care. That said, I do not work in a salon, and never have, so you will not get traditional salon advice from me such as "trim often", "use professional product" or "heat styling isn't that bad for your hair".

The first piece of advice that I can give anyone on here is to not use castor oil on your hair, even if you have extremely curly or dry hair. It is not good for it, nor is mineral oil. At first, you may find it moisturizes your hair and leaves it feeling soft. After continued use, you may even have thicker hair because less of it is breaking off, but after using castor oil for a very long time it will actually dry and damage your hair even more than it was before. (This is because of its higher concentration of acids different from other what other veg oils have.) Castor oil will not do anything more for your hair than say coconut, jojoba or grapeseed oils(some of these oils do have far greater benefits). It is the same principle-oil for moisture to avoid breakage. However, castor oil is more expensive, it is very dangerous to harvest, and after prolonged use will have a negative(drying) effect on your hair.

The second piece of advice is to consider colouring your hair back as close to your original colour as you can, or go even darker. This will put pigment back into hair, thickening and strengthening the stripped shafts(this will mean you need less of the damaged hair cut off in the future). Doing this will also result in a less noticable line of growth (avoiding the want to either cut off your ends, or bleach the roots to match). using any over the counter colour to deposit colour into the shaft will have a positive effect on your hair at this point, it will not damage it any further, because bleaching has removed so much of the pigment, and dried the hair so much that putting something back into it can only help. (this is fact, not a stylist encouraging you to use a service.)

The third piece of advice is to consider curling your hair using cold methods like sock buns, or rag curls if you don't like your natural wave, instead of straightening. There are some tutorial vids on youtube from a girl called YaYaLifestyle that may give inspiration. This will give you a new style, some great body and will make it easier on you to transition in to no heat styling.

Hope this helps,

(anyone wanting more info on Castor oil just search on wiki, it doesn't specifically say it is bad for your hair, but it does describe the toxic elements of castor beans, and it explains about how castor oil is used in so many industrial areas that it sounds scary to use for people.)

[Pandora.]

The thing is, when my roots start to BADLY show up, I'll probably still dye my roots to match. My roots ONLY though.

Sorry, but I refuse to go round with half a head of black roots, and I'm not dying my hair a different colour because it would look AWFUL, due to the previous colour on my head and the fact that it wouldn't suit my colouring. My natural colour is light brown/very dark blonde (more brown than anything) and I look extremely dull and plain with that hair...

Besides, I heard that if your roots are super greasy and you use certain methods to prevent damage, it might be okay.

[Calaelen]

Of course continuing to bleach your roots to match, is a choice you're free to make. Having very greasy roots will not protect it very much at all, because of the way that bleach works it is the harshest thing you can possibly do to your hair. If you're happy with the colour it produces, and are willing to live with the damage to achieve that colour that's great.

One thing I wonder is, what is your goal length? If your aren't going for super long hair, and are planning to maintain it about where it is now, then the bleaching wont be as much of a problem in the future. Then you can just take measures to protect/baby your ends. If however very long hair is your goal you'll have to choose between the length or the colour, that or suffer with badly damaged very long hair.

Did you ever try using just a very light blonde hair colour to lighten your hair? Or did you bleach right from the get go? One thing you could try to get the lightness you want is using a very light blonde hair-colour. Hair-colour can lighten virgin hair, and that might be a healthier option for you to do your roots with.

[SimplyViki]

Calaelen, I'm curious to know if you have actually seen those effects from castor oil, or if you are basing that assessment on the industrial uses on Wikipedia. I know of at least one person for sure that has used castor oil for years and loves it. No ill effects so far, and she has a very delicate hair type, so I'm pretty sure any potential damage would have shown itself by now.

As far as ingredients that have industrial uses, there are many ingredients that have valid uses in both the industrial world and the cosmetic world. Water, for one. SLS, of course. I'm sure there are many more, but those are two that come to mind. Just because something has an industrial use does not mean that it is bad for cosmetic use.

Castor oil is not poisonous like castor beans are. Castor oil is safely ingested to be used as a laxative, so it's almost certainly not toxic.

[Pandora.]

Of course continuing to bleach your roots to match, is a choice you're free to make. Having very greasy roots will not protect it very much at all, because of the way that bleach works it is the harshest thing you can possibly do to your hair. If you're happy with the colour it produces, and are willing to live with the damage to achieve that colour that's great.

One thing I wonder is, what is your goal length? If your aren't going for super long hair, and are planning to maintain it about where it is now, then the bleaching wont be as much of a problem in the future. Then you can just take measures to protect/baby your ends. If however very long hair is your goal you'll have to choose between the length or the colour, that or suffer with badly damaged very long hair.

Did you ever try using just a very light blonde hair colour to lighten your hair? Or did you bleach right from the get go? One thing you could try to get the lightness you want is using a very light blonde hair-colour. Hair-colour can lighten virgin hair, and that might be a healthier option for you to do your roots with.

Luckily, my hair is already BSL and looks and feels sleek and smooth, apart from when I've just air-dryed it. I have been babying my ends a lot recently (besides the straightening, lol).

At first, I used a very light blonde colour, but it didn't work. I started to use bleach on my thick hair and I was so impressed with the colour, but now my hair is a lot thinner, so I'm doing what I can to get my hair healthier again before it's too late.

I was going to ask my hairdresser if they could dye my roots with absolutely no bleach, but just a very light blonde colour (if that's even possible).

[Calaelen]

Calaelen, I'm curious to know if you have actually seen those effects from castor oil, or if you are basing that assessment on the industrial uses on Wikipedia.

Castor oil is not poisonous like castor beans are. Castor oil is safely ingested to be used as a laxative, so it's almost certainly not toxic.

I've read articles about how it works on the hair years ago, articles that cited it as drying and damaging over time, but I don't have the info to site these sources. I have seen these effects on several different heads of hair most notably my cousins who are mulatto, one thing I can say is that they had coarse thick hair and so absorbed more of the oil then someone with fine hair would..although, I used to use it on my own hair, and have noticed a marked imjprovement since I stopped and switched to other oils(I have fine hair). After reading that castor oil is drying to hair over time I recommended that my cousins stop using it and I stopped it as well, all of our hair has improved.

The Ricinoleic acid in castor oil is what makes it drying over time.
Also, I know it isn't toxic as oil, but harvesting it it is very toxic, and some people make the choice not to use it based on that. People are dying in order for this stuff to be manufactured. I could have made that point more clear.

[SimplyViki]

Fascinating. Thanks for answering! I hadn't thought about the harvesting process being harmful to the workers. That is something I'll be keeping in mind.

[Calaelen]

Luckily, my hair is already BSL and looks and feels sleek and smooth, apart from when I've just air-dryed it. I have been babying my ends a lot recently (besides the straightening, lol).

At first, I used a very light blonde colour, but it didn't work. I started to use bleach on my thick hair and I was so impressed with the colour, but now my hair is a lot thinner, so I'm doing what I can to get my hair healthier again before it's too late.

I was going to ask my hairdresser if they could dye my roots with absolutely no bleach, but just a very light blonde colour (if that's even possible).
Getting a stylist to try to colour it without bleach is worth a shot. I have seen even very dark brown hair lightened to a dark blonde using a very light blonde colour with a higher level of peroxide. This method is certainly far less damaging than the bleach, and will most likely give the results you want.

Also, I recommend trying coconut oil in your hair to baby it even further, it is a light oil that used on just the ends will probably remarkably help your hair. I find it doesn't make my hair greasy at all, and that it has helped with breakage (which is your issue) more than anything else I have done for my hair.

[Rapunzal2Be]

I suggest soaking your hair in coconut oil overnight before coloring - whether at home or at a salon and whatever color/bleach you choose. It should help. And it is a great idea to try to achieve blonde without the bleach, which will be much less damaging!!

Also, I'm so glad to hear you are going to try giving up the straightener!! Embracing your natural texture is a big way to help get healthy hair. Also, you may very well find that once you start to give your hair a break and treat it very kindly, its natural texture will become something you are happier with. Dried, fried hair isn't happy, pretty hair.

I think if you start oiling, do some SMT's or other deep treatments, baby your ends and focus on growing in thicker, you're going to end up really happy!

[ktani]

Coconut oil should help preserve your hair's protein as well. Here is the thread on using coconut oil before colouring and bleaching, http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=10495

Here is the quick version, from my blog, http://ktanihairsense.blogspot.com/2009/11/part-1-of-3-part-series-on-innovative.html

[klcqtee]

I bleached my hair a few times (not quite as blonde as yours), and dyed it way too much. My ponytail circumference has gone from 4" to 6"over the last 2 years. It'll regrow.

[Pandora.]

This is all realy reassuring to me. :p

Luckily, my hair looks quite nice right now, but I'm just SO happy I've stopped doing the "bad" stuff before it was too late! If I hadn't of known any of this, I would have probably continued to bleach and flat iron daily, because I would've been certain that I'd be ugly without it. I think it's time to embrace my natural-ness now (apart from my make-up; ahaha!). I'm feeling quite happy about all this now.

Lots and lots of people have been recommending coconut oil, so I think it's about time I start pampering my hair with that too. ;)

[Angeletti]

I know your pain, when I was younger I bleached my hair and now that I'm growing it out I have to deal with it being damaged at the ends, but what I'm doing is waiting till it gets to my goal length then I will start trimming regularly to thicken the damaged part up again, you could try doing that as well and in the mean time just take good care of the damaged portion

[Pandora.]

I know your pain, when I was younger I bleached my hair and now that I'm growing it out I have to deal with it being damaged at the ends, but what I'm doing is waiting till it gets to my goal length then I will start trimming regularly to thicken the damaged part up again, you could try doing that as well and in the mean time just take good care of the damaged portion

That's probably what I'll do - I just couldn't face chopping off the length right now! :p

Just wondering, how old were you when you started bleaching your hair, and how often did you bleach it?

[Angeletti]

2005 is when I bleached it completely blonde, but I only kept it that way for six months then went back to my natural color with just blonde highlights, so I would say 2007 is when I stopped bleaching

[TrudieCat]

I am recovering from flat iron overuse, and I just want to say, please don't get discouraged if you see frizzies at first when you stop flat ironing! When you have been using a flat iron to flatten out frizz, then it's hard not to go back to it right away when you see a bit of frizz here or there. It just seems so... easy! :) But it takes time to damage hair, and it takes time to mend it. You will see a difference once you start babying your hair, it just might take a couple of weeks.

Also, you have to just do what works best for you. I have not broken entirely with my flat iron, I am just using it much much much more infrequently. I've still seen major improvement in my hair.

[Rapunzal2Be]

On frizzy days you can always take the opportunity to deep condition and wear your hair up!

Oil your ends and either wear a bun or a twist and get some fun, hair friendly octopus clips or hair forks and you'll be able to beat the frizz without flat ironing, baby your ends, AND have a pretty up-do!

[TrudieCat]

Ooooo, I love that idea, Rapunzel2Be. What a great reason to look forward to inevitable frizzy days! Yay for re-framing - from "frizz = bad" to "frizz = great opportunity to improve hair!" :)

[Pandora.]

I am recovering from flat iron overuse, and I just want to say, please don't get discouraged if you see frizzies at first when you stop flat ironing! When you have been using a flat iron to flatten out frizz, then it's hard not to go back to it right away when you see a bit of frizz here or there. It just seems so... easy! :) But it takes time to damage hair, and it takes time to mend it. You will see a difference once you start babying your hair, it just might take a couple of weeks.

Also, you have to just do what works best for you. I have not broken entirely with my flat iron, I am just using it much much much more infrequently. I've still seen major improvement in my hair.

You're definitely right.
Giving up heat styling is going to be an extremely tough challenge, but I think it's just best to remember that you're doing the right thing for your hair. The best way to look at it is that fact that your hair is never going to get any worse if you stick to it. :)

Besides, I think I will use heat styling for special occassions, like once every 2-3 weeks, but I'll try to do it less as time progresses.


On frizzy days you can always take the opportunity to deep condition and wear your hair up!

Oil your ends and either wear a bun or a twist and get some fun, hair friendly octopus clips or hair forks and you'll be able to beat the frizz without flat ironing, baby your ends, AND have a pretty up-do!

Good idea! :)
My hair is normally only frizzy the day after I wash it, so putting it up seems a more sensible idea. Although, sometimes my hair doesn't go frizzy at all...it's just luck I suppose. =P