Need advice on my hair...

[honeyshrimp]

hello,
Sorry to take up a post and please let me know if I should post this elsewhere.
I am fairly new here and have perused a lot of information and learned a lot.
I would really like some advice from you about my own hair if that is ok. If you will kindly instruct me on posting a picture I would appreciate it....I am usually fairly capable but I can't seem to do it. Do I need to host it elsewhere?
If I can get it posted I will explain what I would really like your opinion about.
thanks so much!
Amanda

[Svenja]

Host your photo on a provider site such as f.i. photobucket.com and then post it here via direct link. Make sure it's not too big.

Hope this helps,
Svenja

[jane53]

I think you need to make 25 posts on the forum before you can post a picture.

And I think I used photobucket for my pictures--unless there's an "upload from your computer" capability.

Post some comments in other threads, and very soon you'll be able to post pictures~!

[Gumball]

You need 25 posts and mod approval to create a user album on this site, but you can post pictures from the start if you host them elsewhere (such as the aforementioned Photobucket (http://www.photobucket.com) site). I use Photobucket.

When you upload pictures to there they often have an tag with the image URL alongside the uploaded product, which is the one you'd want to use for posting on this forum.

Other than that you could find the direct link to your picture, click on the landscape icon above the post input box, and pop the URL in there instead. It pretty much ends up being the URL of your image to post the pic. :)

[honeyshrimp]

thanks! I did find a thread about picture posting. I should have checked that before.
Hopefully you can see my picture of my hair.
I have grown my hair out because my husband is very traditional, loves long hair, etc. He also likes my hair red. My natural color is dark brown.
I am using henna instead of chemical dye but it does not lighten my roots. I think he is willing to live with that because of the damage and health risks of chemical dyes.
So I do have damage from dyeing it for three years. My main problems are first that my ends seem raggy although they feel healthy and there are no split ends. Next, I am worried that I am at terminal length because of the V shape. Finally, my hair seems between wavy and curly, it can never decide what it wants to be, and that annoys me. I usually wear it up but still lol.
I am curious what length I am actually at, and if I should just give up and cut a few inches off and start over. It feels pretty healthy most of the time but it looks raggy. If I am going to have long hair I would rather have beautiful hair like the pictures I have seen here. I have been washing with conditioner only since I was a teenager, before I read about it in Curly Girl and elsewhere.
I am very frustrated with it, although is certainly is much easier than the shot cut since I was spending hours straightening it .
thanks so much! Amanda
http://<a href="http://s670.photobucket.com/albums/vv65/aminarik/?action=view&current=100_0938.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i670.photobucket.com/albums/vv65/aminarik/100_0938.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

[honeyshrimp]

http://i670.photobucket.com/albums/vv65/aminarik/100_0938.jpg

[SpinDance]

Hair grows each on its own schedule, so the hemline does get uneven after a while. Some people are fine with this, some prefer to keep it even by trimming. I'm personally one who prefers a more even hemline, so I've been keeping it evened up. You say the hair is healthy, so it's just a matter of preference. Do what makes you happy. :)

[spidermom]

I think that a gentle trim of the ends - not much, maybe an inch - will add to the beauty of your hair. Or not - it's up to you. I usually trim regularly, but not since January this year since we're poor and the ends are in really good shape right now.

[Tiina]

So I do have damage from dyeing it for three years. My main problems are first that my ends seem raggy although they feel healthy and there are no split ends. Next, I am worried that I am at terminal length because of the V shape. Finally, my hair seems between wavy and curly, it can never decide what it wants to be, and that annoys me. I usually wear it up but still lol.

Most likely you are not yet at terminal length. If your ends are damaged then it may be that your tips break off and it doesn't appear to grow longer. Also, the taper of the V could be because you have not trimmed. When hair grows out of your scalp, the tip of it is naturally thinner than the rest of the strand. Cutting the hair makes strand ends blunt and they appear to be thicker. Not all hair grows at the same speed either which means it will take some kind of shape on its own when you simply let it grow.

Both the damage and the wispy ends can be fixed by giving yourself regular trims until the damage is gone. You can do this and maintain length at the same time. How often and how much you need to trim is very individual so I cannot give you precise advice. You have to find out what works best for you. Taking care of your ends by oiling is a good idea as it stops the damage from getting worse.

As for the waves/curls and washing, there is a very long and informative thread about CO here in the mane board and I am sure you will find some help there. :)

[Angeletti]

I guess it just depends on what your goal is when talking about length. are you happy with the current length? if so then maybe you could get monthly trims and take like 1/2" or less off and eventually your hemline will even out. If you could live with going shorter then maybe cut an inch or more off. If your planning on growing it out longer and don't want to lose so much length then maybe just get a small trim every three months so you don't feel like your losing all your length. I'm like you in the fact that I'm trying to even up my ends but it just takes time and patience : )

[honeyshrimp]

thanks so much. i am still getting used to the length since i had it short for years. it took 3 years to grow from my chin to here. my hair seems to grow slow.
i will trim it and see what i think. i do oil the ends with coconut oil. I would guess that I am between bra strap and waist?
its amazing how much there is to learn.
Amanda

[Yozhik]

You seem to be doing a lot of good things to your hair :)
(wearing it up most of the time, not using harsh chemical dyes, doing conditioner only washes)

You say that your ends are damaged, though -- but from my understanding, henna is supposed to actually improve the condition of your hair. Or did you previously use chemical dye?

As for the tapering, that could just be from mechanical wear (from rubbing against your clothing or from hairties/clips). Maybe you need to experiment with different updos? How do you usually wear your hair? A trim could revitalize your ends if you think they don't feel good, even if they don't have any visible signs of damage.

Welcome to the community :)

ETA: I would agree -- you're somewhere in the mid-back length abyss ;) Definitely way past BSL, though -- I'd say the very tips of your longest hair definitely reach waist.

[honeyshrimp]

yes i did use chemical dye for years. i usually wear my hair in a french or fishtail braid with the tail tucked under and secured with a scrunchie.....i am afraid that elastics are damaging but I don't know how else to hold it? my scrunchie is thin and not too poufy lol. otherwise i put it in a high ponytail with the scrunchie, tuck the ends under around it and secure them with claw clips.
i lived in Paris for a few years, back when I was married to my ex, who preferred my hair short, and the stylists there are all very happy to chop off plenty. and i needed it due to the dye. i was so ignorant back then and not just about how to take care of my hair!
Amanda