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View Full Version : How important is it to have healthy hair when growing it?



Seducts
June 7th, 2010, 04:42 PM
Hi everyone. I've been lurking here for a while and decided to post :) I'm trying to grow my hair but at the same time, get it in good condition. I had tons of split ends and the bottom of my hair was really thin, dry and wispy, so today.. I chopped it off! I went from BSL to below shoulders. It feels like a step in the wrong direction because I'm trying to grow my hair but did I do the right thing?

My story.. I've always highlighted my dirty blonde hair, blow dried and straightened every day and it kind of wreaked havoc on it, when I started getting in to hair care I decided to dye it brown and get it in better condition. It was so soft and strong after lots of treatments but then I saw a picture of myself with brown hair and no make up and I looked SO pale. This made me want to go back blonde but it didn't turn out so well. After 3 sets of bleach it was still kind of orange and totally fried. So fried, in fact, that I can't highlight it any further because it will fall apart :( So I'm back where I started, hair dyed brown, trying to get it in better condition and grow it too.

I've been doing lots of research but do you girls have any secrets or top tips to growing your hair that I might not have read?

Danielle

JenniferNoel
June 7th, 2010, 04:48 PM
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=39

You may find some of this stuff useful!
Remember, that growing long, healthy hair is more about what you don't do to your hair than what you do. I've been in a similar situation and can relate. Good luck! :)

May
June 7th, 2010, 04:50 PM
This site is FULL of hair growing tips! I guess if I was to offer you some personal hair growing advice I'd say learn to love your brown hair and when you feel pale get a tan instead!:p I mean, if you're going to bleach you WILL damage your hair and it will NOT be healthy especially at great lengths. I would advise to ease up on the heat styling as well but I think bleach is the one to worry about the most in this situation. Good luck and happy growing;)

spidermom
June 7th, 2010, 04:52 PM
You did the right thing in cutting off the worst damage. It would not allow you to gain length because it would split and break off, traveling up the hair shaft. I don't know what you do now so I don't know what to advise except don't bleach or heat style and make peace with dark hair. Cosmetics can correct the "too pale" problem.

Seducts
June 7th, 2010, 05:18 PM
Thanks ladies :)

At the moment, I'm doing CWC wash and air drying, no heat at all! I do a deep conditioning treatment once a week too. I'm just sticking with that for now! I'm thinking about using a henna dye because my brown has faded back to my nasty dirty blonde and I'm going to look in to some good make up and bronzer to help with my paleness!

spidermom
June 7th, 2010, 05:23 PM
When you get an empty shampoo or conditioner bottle, try diluting your shampoo by shaking it up in some warm water. Good distribution and very gentle; this is what I do.

missfortune9335
June 7th, 2010, 06:19 PM
I'm sorry to hear about your hair crisis, I've been there before :( The good news is, it grows back.
I actually think dark hair on pale skin is very attractive, learn to play up your best feature (great eyes? learn to conture them with eyeshadow and liner, pouty lips? try some darker shades of lipstick) and accentuate the drama and contrast between your dark hair and porcelain skin :D

Carolyn
June 7th, 2010, 06:28 PM
I think you did the right thing. There comes a time when damaged hair has to go. Often we can baby damaged hair along while you grow and gain length but then it will finally have to be trimmed off. Now you can concentrate on growing nice health hair and gaining length. Try to enjoy the fun styles you can do at this length. All too soon your hair will be too long for them.

Domino
June 7th, 2010, 06:35 PM
Just wanted to add: I'm paper white and everyone around me says PALE IS BEAUTIFUL :cheese: Quitting bleach is one of the nicest things you can do to your hair. Good luck!

ladylovecraft
June 7th, 2010, 06:35 PM
Though I can't tell you what is the perfect routine for your hair (you'll have to figure this out through tips on this site & much trial and terror), I can tell you that I experienced something like this last year. After playing a bit of musical dyes with my hair, it was damaged. One too many bleaching processes I guess. This time last summer, I was around the length I am now; but I lost quite a few inches of hair (I'm guess about 6-8ish) to get rid of the damage.

Yes, I was hysterical, and cried & cried, but it was necessary. It's extremely important to have healthy hair when growing it out. If you have split ends from damage, they will travel up the hair if you don't cut them off.

One small recommendation I will give you is this; if you can't stand the natural color of your hair (I can't!), pick one color and stick to it. This way, you're just updating your roots every so many months versus dyeing the entire length of your hair.

ladylovecraft
June 7th, 2010, 06:36 PM
OMG! I meant "trial and error", not trial and terror! HA! What a typo.. o.0

countryhopper
June 8th, 2010, 08:02 AM
In addition to frequent trims, have you stopped using heat styling tools? These can make your hair's condition worse.

FrannyG
June 8th, 2010, 09:46 AM
Cutting off damaged hair is never a step in the wrong direction. There are few things more frustrating than trying to grow hair that is fried. You did well to get rid of the worst of the damage.

It does sound like you're doing the right things now. I might suggest that you have regular small trims, so that you can gain length, but still slowly get rid of the remaining damage.

Don't worry; many of us have been down the road you are. I'm currently trying to slowly get rid of some damage as well.

The great thing about hair is that it grows. :)

xoxophelia
June 8th, 2010, 10:02 AM
I think if you love the blonde hair then what you should do it grow out your damage and then when your hair is healthy enough got enough highlights to brighten your skin up. If you put moderate highlights on healthy hair it won't be as big as a deal as everything you had been doing. It will just take a little bit longer to get there :)

If you look in my album I have some pictures of myself with darker hair and fair skin which might give you some ideas (not many though).

Lilac eye shadow looks great or pale pinks on the cheeks. Also red lipstick is killer. Wearing more pastels will help as well

Lykaios
June 8th, 2010, 10:19 AM
Good on ya, cutting off the worst damage, it was probably much needed.

Also, embrace your paleness! It's not a bad thing!

Annalouise
June 8th, 2010, 10:22 AM
I had one stylist tell me "you can fake it..but.."

So, either you keep it long and try and make it have an appearance of healthiness. Or you cut it and make it truly healthy.

Anna:)

Chestershire
June 9th, 2010, 06:26 AM
don't worry about the paleness, i'm also very pale and my natural hair color is a very dark brown, but no one has ever given me strange looks or anything :D

Linnykinz
June 9th, 2010, 08:13 AM
You def. did the right thing i cutting off the damage, I'm at SL and wish I had the courage to chop it all off..but it would look like I just battled chemo..:// Embrace your paleness, dark hair and light skin is a beautiful look ;)

Also, before you go and henna your hair like you said you were considering...make sure you realize that it is a permanent thing. You can't go back and just bleach it out, otherwise your hair will do CRAZY things. Just a word of warning, it gives beautiful and healthy results, but it is a commitment :)

BelleBot
June 9th, 2010, 09:03 AM
Sounds like you did the right thing cutting off the damage. My hair felt much better and has been growing much better since I cut off a couple of inches of damage.

In terms of colour, if you like being blonde, perhaps you could try honey lightening to create a few natural looking highlight in your hair. http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=61 It's much gentler than conventional lightening methods. It'll only create a subtle change, but might worth a try to brighten up dishwater blonde.

Only go for the henna option if you're 100% sure you want to be a redhead as it's very very permanent. It does lovely stuff to hair, but you can't get rid of the colour. Cassia might be worth a try and it's relatively colourless and has similar effects to henna.

Good luck, there's so much stuff on here to read up on and learn.

greyTraveler
June 9th, 2010, 11:26 AM
OMG! I meant "trial and error", not trial and terror! HA! What a typo.. o.0

Your typo goes nicely with your user name though (as in H.P. Lovecraft) :). (and from what I've seen on some of the threads regarding oiling, sometimes it is trial and terror).

Miuku
June 12th, 2010, 03:41 PM
Hi everyone. I've been lurking here for a while and decided to post :) I'm trying to grow my hair but at the same time, get it in good condition. I had tons of split ends and the bottom of my hair was really thin, dry and wispy, so today.. I chopped it off! I went from BSL to below shoulders. It feels like a step in the wrong direction because I'm trying to grow my hair but did I do the right thing?


It depends, but for the most part the people who choose to cut the damaged ends off are doing what's right for them, and the people who choose not to do it are doing what's right for them as well.

Most people (there are probably some exceptions) can grow healthy hair with or without fried ends, so usually it comes down to what feels right to you.