Frustrated with my hair.

[evampr18]

[quosiorpew'ap'ote][/quote]q U O T E

[Carena]

Here in Russia everyone seems to like Burdock oil. They use it for the scalp and say it speeds up hair growth and takes care of scalp problems too.

Here's a wikipedia on it http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arctium

[christine1989]

I know what you mean about not seeing growth. I have wavy hair so sometimes I don't see it but when I measure I realize that it really has grown quite a bit. The fact that you are the one looking in the mirror everyday can make it seem like it never grows but I bet your friends notice. You might just be going through a period of slow growth right now (from what I hear most peopl's growth pattern is irratic). Hopefully a period of fast growth is just around the corner :). If you really want to boost your growth right now I have had a lot of luck with both biotin and castor oil. It dosen't work for everyone but they have been giving my growth a boost since using them.

[Aleria]

BSL length is evil. I've only been considerably past it once. Just keep at it, maybe look at oiling or COing, and don't chop! If you really feel like your hair needs a change, practice updos or get bangs.
I've been growing for a year, starting at shoulder length and I'm still only at BSL. So you're not alone :D

[janedoe0]

I like the policy of benign neglect. It was only when I stopped being so obsessive about my hair that it finally seemed to make some length progress. Like they say, if you watch a kettle, it never boils. Likewise, if you are too obsessive with the growth of your hair, it will seem like it's not growing. Your hair will continue to grow whether or not you pay attention.

[Cupofmilk]

I know exactly what you mean. I wish my hair grew at 1 inch per month. Sadly it doesn't. I am amazed as some people seem to go from shoulder to TB within a couple of years. I wish!
Thebest advice I was given is put your hair up and stop looking at it. I haven't measured or had a proper photo done for 3 months and now I can see some growth.

[naereid]

You've been a member for 5 months. You're still in a vulnerable phase. I know when I found LHC I went totally beserk. :grnbiggri The peak of my obsession was actually this spring, so 6-8 months after joining! I kept buying oils and conditioners and pills and measuring my hair like three times a day.

Now I'm close to a year of being here, and I've become a lot more at peace with my hair. I haven't gained a lot of length because I kept trimming it, but I know it's coming... slowly but surely, it's coming along. :)

[hmmm]

You've been a member for 5 months. You're still in a vulnerable phase. I know when I found LHC I went totally beserk. :grnbiggri The peak of my obsession was actually this spring, so 6-8 months after joining! I kept buying oils and conditioners and pills and measuring my hair like three times a day.

Now I'm close to a year of being here, and I've become a lot more at peace with my hair. I haven't gained a lot of length because I kept trimming it, but I know it's coming... slowly but surely, it's coming along. :)

I completely agree.
I also bought lots of oils and conditioner and thought about my hair all the time!

Hair grows. By itself. You don't need to do anything to it except make sure it doesn't break off. It might take you years to realize it, but in the meantime you can complain here :D

[Bene]

For me, BSL was awful. It felt like an eternity. That was the time when I worked on the condition of my hair. SMT's, cassia treatments, deep conditioning, etc. Anything to keep me from worrying about the length.

I also experimented with monistat, megatek, oils on my scalp, and that helped a bit. The time between BSL and waist seems like forever, so distracting yourself might help. Check out the BSL to waist thread, and you'll see you're not alone in the wait.

[Othala]

Hmmm...I think we should all concentrate very hard on wishing your locks to grow long. Maybe, like magical fairy godmother wishes, your hair will have a growth spurt.......

[kitten1986]

Oh my god... I dont mean to take anything away from your hair struggles but I would KILL to have BSL hair :p

I would suggest (with my limited hair knowledge) to do a good thorough S&D then wear your hair up for 3 months and do abit of benign neglect then I am SURE you will notice abit more length :D

[Phexlyn]

I remember seeing your feb-july growth comparison pic, and there definitely *is* growth! I can see you're frustrated, but since you've only been around since March, it's natural that you can't have made so much progress.

BSL is a difficult length because you don't see progress well at that length. Keep growing, you will see improvement, but don't obsess about it please :flower:

I second the advice of benign neglect. Or maybe just give yourself a certain time during which you don't measure and don't check for length progress.
If it makes you happier to check for length, though, maybe try taking photos with a striped shirt on? You can see the length better because of the stripes and should be able to spot progress more quickly.

[redneckprincess]

I suggest taking pics every so often, (in a striped shirt) that really helps me. I feel like my hair hasn't grown at all since June (my last length pic) but I know it has, the measuring tape, styles, and henna grow out has proved otherwise. I can't hardly wait to take new pics in Oct. To really see what growth I have achieved.

[Arianwen]

I like the policy of benign neglect. It was only when I stopped being so obsessive about my hair that it finally seemed to make some length progress. Like they say, if you watch a kettle, it never boils. Likewise, if you are too obsessive with the growth of your hair, it will seem like it's not growing. Your hair will continue to grow whether or not you pay attention.

What she said! I totally ignored my hair for 16 months and it grew like a weed. I didn't have the greatest diet, I had too much caffeine, I had epic exam/assignment/finals stress in college etc. The only good of it is that I rode my bike a LOT. I started cycling (again, after a 10 year hiatus) in like May of 2009.

I know it is hard but, find something to occupy your mind and quit obsessing over how your hair is growing.

[UltraBella]

I think I liked my hair at BSL the best actually. I have been contemplating cutting to that length again. So, I totally understand that you are feeling frustrated but BSL is quite enviable, from shorter and longer haired people :)

[Juneii]

the only thing I can think of is to just forget about it. A few months ago I felt I was stuck at midback for AGES because I kept measuring and measuring. And finally I got so frustrated I gave up and left my hair alone and by my perception it grew faster because I didn't obsess over it. Now I obsess over hair things and conditioners. Which makes the whole journey more enjoyable.

[Arianwen]

I think I liked my hair at BSL the best actually. I have been contemplating cutting to that length again.

Don't you dare. :p

[restourceful]

I like the policy of benign neglect. It was only when I stopped being so obsessive about my hair that it finally seemed to make some length progress. Like they say, if you watch a kettle, it never boils. Likewise, if you are too obsessive with the growth of your hair, it will seem like it's not growing. Your hair will continue to grow whether or not you pay attention.

This.


You've been a member for 5 months. You're still in a vulnerable phase. I know when I found LHC I went totally beserk. :grnbiggri The peak of my obsession was actually this spring, so 6-8 months after joining! I kept buying oils and conditioners and pills and measuring my hair like three times a day.

Now I'm close to a year of being here, and I've become a lot more at peace with my hair. I haven't gained a lot of length because I kept trimming it, but I know it's coming... slowly but surely, it's coming along. :)

And this.

Once I quit looking at my hair every five minutes wondering if it might have slipped up and grown a millimeter, stopped obsessing with my ends that were not splitting so I could feel productive by doing S&D which I didn't need, began to wear my hair up 99% of the time so I couldn't see it and obsess about it, it just grew. :shrug: It happened when I had been here about 6 months. I started delving into new styles and updos, new hairtoys (can you say "enabled?") and new non-hair friendship threads, and I have some awesome new friends to go with the originals I met when I came here. And I've even started regularly blogging and reading blogs. It's a great way to get to know others, get some good information, and forget about your hair for a while. Then, when you least expect it, you suddenly have more length, or you passed that milestone you never thought you'd reach, all because of benign neglect. :happydance::joy:

[UltraBella]

Don't you dare. :p

I am going to hit tailbone, then I am cutting ! I think I am two or three inches away right now. Seriously, BSL can be wonderful, make the most out of it. It's a great length :)

[spidermom]

The best way to see growth is to get a shirt with horizontal stripes and have a picture taken once per month or even less often. If you check your length like I used to do - about 9 times per day - you will never ever see progress. I even went through a period of hurryupquick put my hair up without looking at it so that I'd be sure to see progress when it came time for that every-month picture. Now I have a picture taken every 3 months.

[Arianwen]

I am going to hit tailbone, then I am cutting ! I think I am two or three inches away right now. Seriously, BSL can be wonderful, make the most out of it. It's a great length :)

I love you loooooooooong hair though :P

I know it's your hair...though....

[going gray]

I like the policy of benign neglect. It was only when I stopped being so obsessive about my hair that it finally seemed to make some length progress. Like they say, if you watch a kettle, it never boils. Likewise, if you are too obsessive with the growth of your hair, it will seem like it's not growing. Your hair will continue to grow whether or not you pay attention.

This is SO true....try hard to ignore your hair! It will grow........

[Evie]

I can so sympathise with this. I'm going through a similar feeling at the moment, I am just about at shoulder length, with some layers (I don't mind the layers, I like them).

But the other day I started thinking about chopping because I was:

a) bored with the length (it is in an uncooperative phase!)
b) not happy with the colour
c) not happy with the condition
d) only able to do a cinnibun

I trimmed the really damaged bits and ended up with face framing layers, which has made a change, did an SMT, and started to feel better. But stopping measuring it and sticking it up helps a lot.

I agree with everyone who says that LHC mania affects anyone new - I obsessed like you wouldn't believe! But that does fade too, I was away for ages, during exam stress, forgot about my hair, and now coming back I have found I am less frantic about growth rates, length photos, and the like!

Don't do anything rash, or make any snap decisions - that is the main thing I have learnt......long hair does not suit snap decisions :)

[ArienEllariel]

I can relate. I've been growing for a while now and while my hair is now 21", I had to trim and inch or two in July.. so it seems like my hair hasn't grown. From October/November of last year to now I've gone from 18" to 21" if you include the trim. It's just not that much and I have a lot more damage to trim off still.. *facepalm*

I envy the people on this forum who's hair grows like a weed and who barely get any breakage. I can't seem to avoid splits no matter how much S & D I do.

[PrincessBob]

I envy the people on this forum who's hair grows like a weed and who barely get any breakage. I can't seem to avoid splits no matter how much S & D I do.
Yeah, I'm noticing this trend myself. My spouse says that if I start getting any "worse" he'll have to put a stop to it. This was said because I noticed a split end on one of his beard hairs and asked if I could trim it off for him (his beard is 6-7 inches if pulled straight- he's going for the wizened old man look).:magic: but knowing our luck he'll end up looking like...:xmas:

[Kristin]

I think you just have to ignore it and let time pass. I was completely obsessed with my hair after joining LHC and measured every week. My hair grows sloooowly, so it was not helpful to have a constant reminder that nothing was happening. Take your vitamins, learn some new hairstyles, wear it up, and baby it. Try to ignore it until Christmastime. I bet you'll be shocked at how much it has grown. (Also, try not to compare your hair to others' on this board in terms of growth rate or anything else. There is a lot of nice hair here, but you have to live with what God gave you.)

[evampr18]

Every single one of you is right. I have been wearing my hair in a braid every day. My bangs wont stay or look good in up-dos because of they're million time mentioned thickness. :( I tried monistat and I thought it was working but I stopped. I should try vitamins too.

The only braids I have been able to make are french ones and regular ones. I should youtube "braids for dummies" or something along those lines. Thank you everyone for being so sweet and helpful. I didn't think I'd get more than 2 responses and you all made me feel so much better. I will try to not let my little green demon get the best of me hair wise. ;p

[KittyLost]

I know how you feel, last time I was at BSL I didn't see growth at all so I heat-styled it to keep it straight and looking "longer" than my usual waves and then had to cut it to shoulder.

Just hang in there and try to forget about your hair for a while, do some updos and get it out of your mind and then you'll suddenly find yourself at waist! Just like all the lovely pictures on here.

[jasper]

I couldn't perceive any gain in length and I couldn't measure a gain either for months. And I was taking photos and trying to use my measuring tape on the first of every month. But after enough time had passed that I could compare photos 10 to 12 months apart, I could see that it had been growing all this time and there was visible evidence. I put the measuring tape away.

[enjay]

My hair grows incredibly slowly, like 3 or 4mm per month. Right now it is horrible, layered shoulder length on fine straight hair (hairdressers are convinced layers make your hair thicker aren't they?) but I know with certainty that if I treat my hair nicely in a couple of years it will look considerably longer. I'm largely ignoring the fact I have hair until then. I've even bought a wig for special occasions!

[growing2shine]

:cheer: Grow ha-air, grow ha-air :cheer: