Hair Pictures - Not Particularly Nice Ones Either! - And A Question

[busnutmedic]

Hiya folks :)

I have been here again after what seemed to me a long break (a few months, maybe?) and I'm just starting to become serious about hair again.

Now in the "off" time, I wasn't rough on my hair, I didn't change my routine much except I got a little lazy about washing it and figured the less I wash the better - which I don't really believe is good for me anyhow, but I've been washing about twice a week. I basically forgot about it.

I braid my daily. I stopped putting it in buns with either my ficcare or fakkares because I could see breakage- which is still evident, apparently. I sleep with it out pulled above my head so it gets rubbed against the pillow as little as possible. I rarely wear it out, so it doesn't really get caught on things much.

I don't have massive tangles, I barely get tangles at all now that I've trimmed off what amounts to about 8" in the past year - the really broken pieces at the very ends are gone.

So on to the pictures, I decided to document progress, and I figured the best time to start doing that is when you know it's the worst - so you'll have progress almost no matter what! So tonight I took pictures and as I was looking through them I noticed that it looks like my hair is a lot thicker on the edges than in the middle. Am I imagining things?

http://www.longhaircommunity.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=660&pictureid=14802

http://www.longhaircommunity.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=660&pictureid=14801

Now in this last one, it doesn't quite look as empty in the middle. Am I just getting that big chunk in the middle missing just because of the way my hair happened to lie, or is it possible something is causing major breakage in the middle????

http://www.longhaircommunity.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=660&pictureid=14800

Sigh. I'm starting to get sad about my hair. It used to look like this:

http://www.longhaircommunity.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=1245&pictureid=14803

The more I look at it, the more sad I feel :( I have started thinking about cutting it to above midback - I've never had short hair before and I got to thinking how it might feel to have it shorter. But I know that won't make me happy!!!

The biggest changes that have happened are that I started exercising more and developed a nasty case of acne that has been on and off since, although it's been a lot better the past few months. Those are the only health changes. And I'm 20 now, I was probably 15 or 16 when I joined here (I need to check the date).

Waaaah. Thanks for putting up with this rant. I just don't know where else to go :(

Bonnie

PS. I did change my shirt for the pictures. I think I thought it was going to show better on a lighter color, since I'm not looking to make my hair look nice, but to be honest with myself and see what is really there.

[Teacherbear]

Bonnie, if the thought of cutting your hair makes you sad, then don't do it! *I* think it looks thin in the middle because of how your hair was brushed/combed/placed in the first 3 pictures. Your hair doesn't appear thinner in the middle in the last photo.

I think your hair is beautiful, more importantly, you have such a beautiful spirit. I hate that your hair is making you sad. ((((hugs to you))))

[MoldyCake]

Well honey, I am very sorry that your hair is making you sad. To be honest with you it is looking pretty rough. :( If you don't want to lose your length though, and just need some fullness, I think I know something that can help you.

Hair extensions (http://youtube.com/watch?v=Ki9d5GVNyKo) without the use of glue or anything that harms your hair. It can add quite a bit of thickness to it for you without damage.

If you choose to cut though, I supports it.

[spidermom]

Some thoughts:
1) something is breaking it off, and/or
2) you've reached terminal length, longest hairs have been shedding out, regrowth is lagging behind.

It looks like you've got thick growth down to somewhere between APL and BSL.

Two things that I've noticed about my own hair. I can't wear braids loose because they swing around and the shorter hairs that poke out all over the place take a lot of friction. They catch in buttons and zippers. The hair at my nape becomes a hopeless snarl. To wear braids, I must pin them up, which is hard for me, so I don't wear braids very often.

Putting my hair above the pillow or in a top-of-head bun means that I toss and turn across my nape hair all night, and it takes a beating. A lot of it has broken off too short for me to pull forward for S&D, but what I can see of it is broken, fairy-knotted, and split. So now I bring my hair over one shoulder in one braid most nights. When I move, I'm aware of that braid and move it with me.

Maybe you have similar issues?

As I've told you before, the hair that you have is very pretty - gorgeous color and shine. If it were me, at this point I think I'd cut it back to where it looked and felt thicker and more even. But that's me. I'm not sure that any of your current options, which I see as cut back or maintain as is, are going to make you happy, and I'm really sorry about that. The whole time I've been in this community, you have been a caring and supportive presence. If I come across anything else that might be useful to you, I'll send it out to you immediately.

[Mitzy]

Sorry to say that yes, it does look a bit damaged and thinner in the middle. I do think part of it is the way your hair is laying as the pictures lower down don't look as bad as the first one. And am I understanding correctly that the last picture, in the blue shirt is from several years ago? Because if that is true, I definitely see a difference.
Are you on any meds for the acne that might be causing breakage, etc? Because that is what it looks like to me. I don't have very long hair, but have in the past. I had a perm when I was at waist length before (I know, stupid, but I was 19, newly married and pregnant, so was not at my best!) and it made my hair break off like that, more in the middle. A spiral perm on hair that long and old was not a good idea.
I would trim it back, but that is just me. You need to figure what is/has caused it, though, because otherwise it might happen again.
I do think you color and overall condition seem good, it's just the last 4 inches or so.
Good luck, the ladies here will help. They all know a lot more than I do about hair that length.

[hurricane_gia]

It could be the acne meds (the worst case of shed I ever had in my life was after only two weeks of prednizone. I started shedding and didn't stop for several months, and by the time I stopped I had nothing but chicken fluff on my head).

It could be friction-breakage. Maybe you could section your hair and try to see if the damage is localized all in one area. For example, my currect trouble-spot is my temples. The hair there is only thick to my chin, and then there are maybe five whole hairs that go all the way to the hemline of the rest of my hair. I suspect this is leftover ponytail damage. Even after I stopped doing the damaging thing -ponytails- the hair continued to break off at the damaged spot, even as the damaged spot grew out, again causing me to continue 'losing' hair for several months. If you have damage that started out near the nape of your neck, but didn't break right away . . . it grew out first and then broke off . . . that may be why it all seems to be in the center. But the one way to tell for sure is to section the hair from different areas of the scalp and check it for taper.

Things you can do:
-stop doing whatever it is that is damaging your hair, if you can figure this out.
-trim it all to the level where it all looks thick and start over.
-or, keep it as is, but start trimming it to stay at this length until all the shorter hairs have caught up.
-apply cassia or henna to strengthen the hair shaft and prevent further damage.
-if you haven't already, get a silk pillowcase, stop wearing shirts with collars that stand up, alternate buns and braids every couple of days to change the location of stress, take good vitamins, and talk to your dermatologist (I believe hair is covered by dermatology).

I'm sorry your hair has done this bewildering and frustrating thing. I really do feel your pain!

[tiny_teesha]

My hair has the opposite problem, it is thinner at the sides and has one thick chunk in the middle, check out my photo albums for pictures.
How did your hair change? what changed since the last photo and the others? If you had a baby it would cause a great degree of shedding, same with thyriod problems, or stress and illness.
I would definately not cut it shorter then BSL if you were looking for that route. Does your hair shed when it is oily? If so you may want to start washing it more. Also taking the pill can cause hair loss.
Hmm...It could very well be seasonal type shedding when a bunch of your hair sheds, i read it happens every 7 years on average. And now you just have to wait for all the hairs to catch up. I at the moment am just triming my monthly growth so that in time my hemnline will get thicker. Eresh grows her hair like yours, the sides longer.
Perhaps you can start eating more protein or some multivitamins or hair and nail vitamins?
:( It always makes me unsettled when hair throws such difficulties at us.

[katiana]

Bonnie,
I can't see the link you placed ( maybe because I am new to the forum ) but in the aviator you hair looks beautiful..I really enjoyed reading about your family as well..loved the yodeling!

[Moiraine]

I'm wondering if any harsh hair toys or clips have damaged your hair. You did mention a ficcare. I know drug-store clips have this metal part underneath that tears your hair out. I don't use them anymore. Right now I am only using scrunchies and those claw clips, making sure there isn't any sharp edges. Either way I am sorry you are unhappy with your hair. I hope you can solve this problem straight away and things improve for you. I myself would just wear buns of any description and put my hair away for the summer. This will reduce stress on it and I am sure by fall the thinning part will have grown down some and then you could even the hem up slowly. Meanwhile do hair treatments that will help it to get in the best condition. Hun please don't fret too much just take the summer and wear your hair up and treat it like old lace....good luck:grouphug:

[manderly]

Wow, I'm sorry hon, but yeah, there's a pretty significant difference in your hair before & after. You definitely have some issues going on with the middle bit.

Honestly, if it was my hair, I would cut it off until it's much more even, but of course, this is YOUR hair and do what makes you happy.

The others have given good advice, hope you find your happy hair place again soon!

[HappyKarin]

It seems that you hade a major shed, I don’t think that your hair is damage.
If you don’t wont to cut your hair you shouldn’t! Cut an inch or two now after that you do regular small trims every month. Where hair up in buns you don’t have to “see” your hair.
I now how it is to loose much hair I have done some big trims and between smaller trims.

[jessie58]

Hi Bonnie, I'm sorry to hear about your hair troubles. I can only suggest that it is temporary and I have been through similar positions several times, but it always comes back. Are you going through a lot of stress? Are there any health or hormonal issues?

Do you notice a shed? Or is it breakage? There are so many things that this could be. Perhaps you should check in with the doctor to rule out any thyroid issues, health issues or diet changes you may need.

I wish you the best of luck and perhaps you could check out the Essential Oils for Shedding Hair thread too.

[Cinnamon Hair]

My hair started out the way yours looks now. Mine was due to not knowing about LHC, never trimming (at all, ever for about 3 years or so), and rough handling. Since yours has taken the opposite path, going from looking great to thinning, I think your problem could be medical in nature Obviously it's not from rough handling or not trimming, and I very seriously doubt a ficcare or any jaw clip could do that much damage... if something ate that much hair, you'd notice it every time you removed the clip.

If I were in your situation I would print out the first and last pic and take them to a dermatologist. Best case is it's one of your medications causing the fallout and you can change to something else. Worst case is it's a sign of a more serious health problem. Please get checked!

[goldenwaves]

Oh that's such a shame. I can't really give much advice, just good luck :). Maybe you should cut it and let it grow again. Up to you :)

[eadwine]

Aww.. yeah I can see what you mean, I am so sorry about that!

Everyone has said so much about meds, and health and all.. no need to rehash that..

If this were ME, I would cut it until just above the thinned out spot and regrow. You can also just put it up and trim regularly till the thinner bits fill up. I personally wouldn't do that, but if you don't want to lose the length, then by all means!

Hopefully it will grow back in soon!

[Joliebaby]

I'm sorry too.. There definitely is a difference in the before and after pictures.
I think a lot of good advice has been given here already.
Taking the before and after pictures to your doctor is a good idea. You could also ask her if she could look at it and tell if it's breaking off or shedding. Have you noticed a lot of shedding? That could be because of medication.
Also maybe trying to sleep with it differently - maybe the neck area getting rubbed is causing damage?
To trim or not is up to you.. You could keep it braided so the damage wouldn't show so much, if you want to keep it long.
Hang in there hon! You will get much support here.

[Guenever]

I'm so sorry to hear about your hair troubles :(
I have thinning problem as well starting at APL.. I have see-through ends from BSL and down.. it's a bit confusing though: since I joined my pony circ. has increased by approx. 0,4-0,5" - but my ends have gotten thinner :suspect: strange.. I was on the Pill until December 2007, but I don't know if that could have any influence on my shedding etc.. besides that - I'm on no meds..
I don't want to face the possibility of terminal length (*shiver*), so the 1st of May I started trimming off my growth to (hopefully) regain a decent hemline..
I never wore it down anyway - so it's not really making any difference for me.. I considered chopping off 13" to get back to BSL, but I know that it wouldn't make me happy.. and what if the same thinning happened again as I regrew..? It wouldn't be worth it..

I know what you're going through - and I'm sorry! I wouldn't wish it for any longhair!
I hope you'll find a solution that works for you!

((Hugs)) :grouphug:

[Loreyanne_H]

I've no advice to give but a lot of huggs. I can't imagine how sad you can feel now, comparing your hair...I just have one suggestion: never give up! Check your hair routine, your medications, your alimentation... check everything and you'll find out the cause of your sadness.

[Alley Cat]

Hugs for you, yes it does look thinner in the middle than the sides :grouphug: If it was me I would probably cut it back to where it was even but it is your hair and you have to live with what your comfortable with.
Have you seen your doctor to see if you have any health issues that may be causing this? :flower:

[Juliet's Silk]

Bonnie you got excellent advice already. I just wanted to add my own thoughts:

Try to pinpoint a timeframe for the changes - when did you first notice that your hair got thinner (only in the middle from APL down or did your nape circumference decrease as well?)? When was the last time your hair looked like it did in your last picture?

What did you do differently back then? I think you don't have a hair journal, is that right? Still, you can go back to the archives and search for all threads that you ever started, and just have a look through them to see if you forgot problems you did have or things that you did differently.
I know that I tend to forget things that seem unimportant at first, but tend to be crucial if you see it in comparison.

Are you on hormonal birth control? If you are, do you take the same medication now that you took several years ago already? Have you had your thyroid levels checked lately? Any other health conditions that might contribute to this? Did you change your diet? Is your diet healthy enough to support the increased exercise? Do you have enough protein intake?

What about damage - do you think the thinning can be caused solely by damage? If your nape circumference did not decrease at all, only the hair in the length got thinner, this does speak for thinning caused by damage although it does seem a little extreme to me.

My hair tends to grow in a ^ shape as well, meaning that I have an area at the end that is shaped like an ^ with thicker hair at the sides and very thin in the middle. I don't know where this comes from as the hair that grows from my temples is very fragile and tapers so much that almost none of it even reaches waist length, so you'd think that my hair would be thinner at the sides.
I think if you had a massive shed that contributed to thinning it might show more in the middle part of your hair as this area usually consists of more hair... eh.. am I making sense here?
If I were you I wouldn't chop it off but maintain the length you have - chopping it off won't make it thicker by itself, you know? Try to find the cause for this - printing the before & after pictures out and taking them to a dermatologist (or to an endocrinologist) seems to be an excellent idea.

And last but not at least: :grouphug: I hope you find the cause of this.

ETA: I found this thread (http://archive.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=46289)for example - it shows your hair braided. The picture was taken almost exactly two years ago. Braid your hair now and compare - thicker, thinner, the same? It is easier to search to causes if you know at which timeframe you're looking.

ETA II: This thread (http://archive.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=62763) is interesting as well - what came out of it? Food sensitivities can have severe impact on your body.
I'm sure that you'll find other interesting stuff you posted about in the archives.

[busnutmedic]

Oh, thank you so much for the support and the kind replies! You have got great ideas that I'm going to make into a list of things for me to do. Excellent idea about comparing braids, Julliet's Silk, and I will check into that thread :) Thank you for finding them for me.

Regarding medicine, I'm not on any medication for acne and the only prescriptions I've taken as far as I can remember are short term antibiotics for teeth issues (2 or 3 times, 10 day runs I think) and painkillers for tooth problems (hydrcodone, and I used them sparingly). My diet changed for a while to mostly protein/carb portion every 3 hours, little or no sweets/white flour during the week and a cheat day. Now I eat all sorts of junk :(

Life has gotten a bit more stressful. Now that I think of it I do recall a big year-long (or so) issue happening a year or so ago. It made me get up really early in the morning sometime and I remember crying and being nervous about it for a long time.

I haven't been checked for any medical problems. I have had a very irregular period that has just come back to normal the past 2 or 3 cycles since I've stopped weight lifting and running.

I need to look through my pictures and find out exactly where this happened, as you guys have suggested. I do remember having my sister take a picture and when I looked at it I was like "What, that's my hair!!??" so it's possible things changed quickly. I can't believe I used to complain about thin hair before!!!! I"m fairly sure that my nape has thinned some, but I never could get an accurate measurement so I didn't bother to measure. I do realize now that I have been shedding very little lately compared to what I used to shed on a regular basis, so it is possible that I just had a big shed going on for such a long time it felt normal.

I guess the hardest thing about figuring this out will be the very nature of hair, and that if it does grow back in it's going to take months to see. All I can think of is to keep track of nape measurement (I'll try to get someone else to do it) and to watch for baby hairs coming in. But then, if it's breakage then that won't necessarily happen.

The somewhat strange thing is that my 23 year old sister has experienced thinning also. I think it might have something to do with an accident with a drill that took out a chunk, but I would have thought it'd completely grown in by now. I should compare notes with her - but she doesn't really have a lot of back-of-the-head pictures because she isn't on here. But I'll try to find some.

Oh, as for the hairtoys. I have some plastic fakkares that I wore a LOT, almost every day. So I stopped about 6 months ago and said I was going to try to go a year without using them and I'd put my hair up in with 3 bobby pins bent open a little so they didn't pinch my hair so much. There hasn't been any significant increase in hair, and the problem seems to have only gotten worse. I have one real ficcare but I almost never wear it because it's metal and scares me! I wear a hair toy maybe twice a month when I'm in a pinch and I can't figure else what to do with my hair.

This has helped me so much, just to read your replies and then come up with responses to your ideas! It gives me a better understanding of what is actually going on.

So my game plan now:
1. call doctor and bring printed comparison pictures
2. vitamins - I'll have to do a search here and find out what is most important
3. stop using fakkares for the next 6 months
4. alternate styles every day
5. get a silk pillowcase - I have a satin one, will that work as well?
6. wash before scalp gets gunky
7. massage every night
8. evaluate and take pictures every month! This is a must, because I don't think I'll be able to tell what's going on otherwise.
9. clean up diet some. I can never discipline myself to totally cut things out, but I can make up my mind to refuse things that I don't want really bad. I don't want to lose weight though, because I'm afraid my period will go irregular again. Well, I do want to be thinner, but these days I'm trying to realize that my body is more or less happy here.
10. Keep really good track of cycles and make sure they don't go irregular

Here's a question - if my hormones have fluctuated in the past and caused hair loss but they're back to normal now, will that be apparent to the doctor? I'll definitely tell him that my cycles were irregular for a long time.

Trimming wasn't listed there. At the moment, I don't feel like trimming. Not until I figure out what's going on. When I do, though, I think I'm going to feel like trimming. I can't really explain that!

Bonnie

[Carina]

I'm so sorry Bonnie:wail:.It is really heartbreaking to look at those pictures.Don't do anything drastic for at least two weeks.If you feel it might be a health issue maybe a visit to the doctor is the best thing to do.I really hope it works out for you and that you can solve your problem:grouphug:

[Juliet's Silk]

Satin is just the weave technique used. Satin can be made out of silk or cotton or polyester or anything else - it's just the technique. So, your satin pillowcase can already be a silken one ;) I'd recommend using a satin sleepcap as well, this has really helped me.

Regarding hormones, I strongly recommend you to start charting your cycles. If you want you can come over and have a look into the FAM thread. Charting your cycles helps much if you're searching for health problems, as fertility is usually the first thing that the body turns off if there is a problem. So, start taking your temperature and track your cervical fluid to see if you ovulate. It can be that you don't ovulate regularly, even if your cycle seems regular.
If your doctor knows what your talking about (most doctors don't and most gynecologists don't as well! go to an endocrinologist if you want to have your hormones checked out!) it might help him find the problem.
If there is something wrong with your cycles that does hint at thyroid problems. I'd strongly recommend having them checked (again, go to an endocrinologist).

[Silver Strands]

I'm so sorry you're going through this.

Hopefully a Dr. will be able to run tests and determine
the problem.

If your cycles were irregular while you were running and lifting weights
perhaps you didn't have enough body fat?
That will throw your hormones off balance.

I hope you find out and restore yourself and your hair back to health.
Take Care

[n3m3sis42]

I haven't been checked for any medical problems. I have had a very irregular period that has just come back to normal the past 2 or 3 cycles since I've stopped weight lifting and running.

Not that I'm a doctor, and I definitely think you should still see one. But the fact that you've been having problems with your periods that normalized after you cut back on exercise gave me an idea. Is it possible that your caloric intake wasn't sufficient for your body's needs given the exercise you were doing?

[MissHair]

Thats odd that it breaks in the middle. I feel for you and Im so sorry. :( DONT cut it. Have patience, it will get better. :)

[SylphideNoir]

Is it possible that your caloric intake wasn't sufficient for your body's needs given the exercise you were doing?

I was thinking the same thing!

[busnutmedic]

I had been down to my lowest weight but I was eating enough to support muscles to do 40 pushsups and 8 pull ups in a row. That is definitely a possibility for me to keep in mind though, and if my weight drops I'll try to eat more.

Now I was reading on the food intolerance thread (that I started, a while ago!) and I'm pretty close to deciding to go off of gluten for a while. A month, maybe. My mom has a gluten intolerance and is already off gluten (and corn bothers her, also).

Failing to take a multivitamin couldn't be causing this, could it? My dad saw my pictures on here and he is so sweet, I know he is sad for me. But he asked if I was taking a multivitamin, and I realized that I haven't for about the past year except for maybe a handful of occasions. I need to start a sheet so I can check off that I've taken everything I'm supposed to - at the moment, licorice, zinc, and a multi.

I feel more in control now, I just have to have the patience to deal with this long term and not get frustrated! I am so looking forward to seeing a thread here in a few years where y'all say "Oh yeah, I remember you had really thin hair before but it's improved so much" :) Hopefully!! If I am not able to clear this up in a few years though (as in, show improvement), I think I'll go with slightly shorter hair. But that's to be decided as a last resort.

I forgot it was Sunday this morning when I posted about calling the doctor, I'll have to wait till tomorrow and make an appointment. At least this is an ailment that you can see, so I dont have to worry about being a hypochondriac!

Thank you bunches everyone :) You are all so kind and I'm so glad I have you to help me.

*here's to the improvement thread in 2 or 3 years!*

Bonnie

[FrannyG]

I'm very late getting here, but I'm so happy to see such good advice has been given. It's good to know that you'll be going for a checkup, just to be sure that you're good and healthy.

Your plan looks like a very good one, and well thought out. I'm looking forward very much to those improvement photos. Be well and happy, Bonnie! :flowers:

[n3m3sis42]

I had been down to my lowest weight but I was eating enough to support muscles to do 40 pushsups and 8 pull ups in a row. That is definitely a possibility for me to keep in mind though, and if my weight drops I'll try to eat more.

It's sort of a mystery to me how the body reacts to overtraining and/or underfeeding while lifting weights. I've seen it seem to manifest differently for different people. And sometimes it's a more a question of what you're eating than how many calories.

I knew a woman through another online community who had started lifting after being in recovery/remission from an eating disorder. She got to a point where she was working out more than was probably healthy and not eating nearly enough fat and "good carbs" to support her level of activity. She *did* have tons of muscle but I saw pictures of her, and was pretty much nothing but sinew, muscle and bones. It was scary, and if I remember correctly, the only reason she realized there was even a problem was that she and her husband wanted to have kids and I think there were complications (temporary in her case, fortunately).

Please understand that I'm not accusing *you* of having an eating disorder or anything like that. That would be sort of rude since I don't know anything about you beyond what you've shared in this thread. I guess my point here is that it can be all too easy to throw off your body's balance and sometimes it reacts in strange ways.

I'll get off my soapbox now, because you seem amenable to doing whatever is necessary to figure out the source of your problem and therefore probably don't need me lecturing you. :D

I really hope that you find insight into the cause of your hair problems soon. *hugs*

[vidgrl007]

I am glad you have a plan.I just wanted to say I support you and ((hugs)):).

[Shell]

I'm so glad to hear that you are going to go to the doc. I have had dramatic hair loss recently due to anemia, and someone else here (I'm sorry, I don't remember who) has lost a lot of hair due to zinc deficiency, so getting a blood work up may really help you pinpoint the cause of your hair loss. I cannot tell you how relieved I am to know why this is happening and how nice it is to feel more in control and to know that things will indeed get better soon.

Take care, and hang in there. I've decided not to cut my hair by the way, because then it would just be short and thin, and I'd rather it be long and thin.

[eadwine]

Good!! I am very glad to hear you are going to see the doc.. do keep us posted on the results.

*many hugs*

[ladystar]

I really hope everything works out for you XOXO!!

[Xandergrammy]

I think you've received alot of good advice and I don't really have much to add except this- if you were exercising so much that your periods were irregular, then you could have experienced some hair loss too. I have a feeling that you'll start to see thicker hair as your system adjusts.

[girlcat36]

Wow, Bonnie, those are pretty dramatic. Definately something going on. My hair does that, but on the sides, and I haven't figured out why. I do a microtrim(think millimeters) every 2 months to slowly make it seem thicker. I have learned over the years that a big trim doesn't necessarily make it look any better(just short and thin).
Sounds like you have a good plan--keep us posted!

[Speedbump]

Bonnie, I'm really glad you've got a plan laid out and that even if your actual situation isn't better, you FEEL better about it and feel more in control about it. I knew *exactly* what you meant about not trimming until you knew what was going on. I too feel like I am in a holding pattern in situations that I don't know the cause of. I too always wait until I know what's going on before making big choices. People are often surprised because I'll "hold, hold, hold" and then suddenly one day "just do it" when I feel I have enough information to act. So yes, I recognize that! :lol:

I hope that you get to the bottom of things and I am looking forward to that progress thread! :cool:

Many hugs,

Speedy

[Flaxen]

Bonnie, you still have lovely hair, and I don't think you should cut it if you don't want to. :grouphug:

I know someone whose hair came to look very similar to that. It was the result of a too strong chemical lightener (I know you don't do that ;) ) Anyway, her normal style is a French twist, and the center hair, being pulled and pinned the tightest inside the twist, broke off quite short.

I think you've got some mystery damage happening, but nothing in your routine sounds like it could be the culprit. How did you wear your hair at night at the time of the last picture? Have you changed products in that time, too?

Here is to getting it figured out. :flower:

[Ms Monnie]

You have an excellent battle plan :P.

On point 10, I find this site - http://www.mymonthlycycles.com/home.jsp really excellent in helping me keep track of my cycle. Once they get a vague idea of your pattern, they'll send you an email when you're due!

[hurricane_gia]

9. clean up diet some. I can never discipline myself to totally cut things out, but I can make up my mind to refuse things that I don't want really bad. I don't want to lose weight though, because I'm afraid my period will go irregular again. Well, I do want to be thinner, but these days I'm trying to realize that my body is more or less happy here.

Try not to think of improving your diet in negative terms. When I say negative terms, I mean, don't tell yourself "I have to STOP doing thus and such. I CAN'T eat what I want. I can NEVER have this again. I SHOULDN'T be eating cake." That's negative and can give you cravings.

Instead, think of positives. "I NEED to eat a cup of leafy green veggies every day. I MUST take my multivitamin. I WILL fill up on vegetables before I think about dessert. I CAN eat a piece of cake if I eat an apple first. I GET TO make my own fruit smoothies anytime I want a treat." Whee, good nutrition is fun!

Whatever the culprit turns out to be and whatever plan you decide on for hair-improvement, proper nutrition never hurts!

You mentioned gluten in another post. That's really interesting, that your mother is gluten-intolerant. I don't know much about gluten intolerance itself, but I have friends who are Celiacs. All of my Celiac friends have said that they were horribly ill, lost a lot of weight, and had thin hair before they were diagnosed. After they went off gluten, their health improved within one week. There may be something similar with gluten intolerance. After you've been off gluten for a month, if your health doesn't change at all, it may be that gluten is not the culprit. But keep looking -- you could still be intolerant of some other food. Corn allergy is pretty common and pretty insidious . . .

You also talked about going through a period of intense stress. There are a lot of LHCers who can tell you that stress-related hair loss is common, and sometimes it is delayed (you don't notice that you've lost hair until the stress is long gone). So that could be it.

It could be a little of everything!

I think monthly progress pictures (braided and loose), monthly nape measurements, and starting a Hair-Journal are all good ideas. Hopefully your hair will turn around and start recovering, and at least with monthly pictures and a journal, when you feel impatient you'll be able to look back and see that progress is happening. And, if anything else goes wrong, you'll spot it right away and be able to intervene.

[hurricane_gia]

On point 10, I find this site - http://www.mymonthlycycles.com/home.jsp really excellent in helping me keep track of my cycle. Once they get a vague idea of your pattern, they'll send you an email when you're due!

Yes, but will they email my doctor so he stops asking me "what was the date of your last period" every single time I see him? Because I don't just carry that info in my head all the time and if I'm visiting the doctor because I have double pneumonia, I don't really care about my period and that question just annoys me!

[birthmarkie]

Maybe it is just that you are washing less? I know that I have to wash my hair before I like how it looks down. You could try WO if you have soft water, and that way, you wouldn't be stripping your hair of oil if you are worried about that. Do you CO? S&C? You do have lovely hair!

[lilalong]

Bonnie,
are you sure you are not somehow breaking off that middle part of your hair? I think it's strange that you would shed hair only in the back of your head due to stress or malnutrition.
Also, i looked through your albums and even in the older pictures you have this little part going on, which looks a bit like a strand of hair that's shorter than the rest. And it's exactly the same spot where your hair is thinner now.
So I was thinking, do you do something to your hair, that is maybe a very old habit? Maybe braiding it when wet, or twisting it always the same way? Breaking it off when you sleep?

Anyways, I hope you figure out what's going on. I'd drop by the doctor in any case.

[morningstar]

Bonnie I am so sorry about what happened to your beautiful hair. I feel you are right on track going to a doctor armed with your pictures. I probably is not one thing but a few things causing this.
I had this mystery short hairs under the mantle in the back along my nape, until I discovered that my chain necklaces were eating my hair. I stopped wearing chains when my hair is down. I now have a hair 5 inches shorter than my length under layers.

I hope you get the answers. :flowers:

[Tangles]

I'd suggest cutting just a few inches off and see what happens. Sometimes a small change can magically plump up the whole hemline. ?

[Tangles]

Also, try Biotin. It really thickened up my hair after I sort of damaged it with chemical dyes.

[TheSpottedCow]

Although a lot of people are pointing out health problems, it really looks like breakage to me... Up at the top it's thick.. At least thick enough not to be see through or non existent, and the sides are still just as long.

I could be wrong, but it really looks like breakage, unless the thickness at your upper back and neck is an illusion in the pictures.

I used to twist my hair as a kid and one side got shorter than the other from the repeated unintentional mechanical damage. I did that until I was in my teens and actually noticed..

[biggeorge]

If you don't want to lose your length though, and just need some fullness, I think I know something that can help you.

Hair extensions (http://youtube.com/watch?v=Ki9d5GVNyKo) without the use of glue or anything that harms your hair. It can add quite a bit of thickness to it for you without damage.



I find it strange that you recommend hair extensions here, yet start another thread saying you are thinking about them and wanting to know if anyone has any experience with them. How can you recommend something when you are trying to get info from others on the same?

[chrissy-b]

Oh. I'm so sorry this is happening to you. This post will echo what everyone else has already said and add that I hope you find a remedy and feel good about your hair again very soon.

Good luck, and do let us know how it turns out for you. :flower:

[Joliebaby]

Your plan sounds very good.
We are all different in the way our body reacts. My period was completely missing for 3 years because I have a benign brain tumor. I have also been slightly underweight for years, because of Crohn's disease. The illnesses in themselves never caused any hair trouble. The only time I saw significant hairloss was when I was on cytostatic medication. I lost about a third of my thickness, but it was from all over my scalp, not in spots. After a few months the hair started growing back (a bit darker and curlier, but it's gone back to what it was before). It grew back when I was still on the meds.
I have also seen anorexics' hair. Some I've seen with incredibly healthy-looking, long hair, and some with thin, dry hair.

I hope you find out why it's happening... It could be that your health hasn't been optimal and the hair has been weaker, thus making it susceptible for breakage..
But I'm pretty sure that it WILL get better, now that you realize this is happening and can take action!

[honeybunch]

Bonnie, if the thought of cutting your hair makes you sad, then don't do it! *I* think it looks thin in the middle because of how your hair was brushed/combed/placed in the first 3 pictures. Your hair doesn't appear thinner in the middle in the last photo.

I think your hair is beautiful, more importantly, you have such a beautiful spirit. I hate that your hair is making you sad. ((((hugs to you))))

That was my first thought as well. Even in her avatar *to me* it just looked like a result of coming/brushing and not necessarily thinning.

If you do want to cut, I'd say only do a few inches like Tangles suggested. I may have to do the same to thicken up my hair.

[Islandgrrl]

Hi Bonnie.... I'm sorry you're having to deal with this hair issue! I know if it were me, I'd be pretty freaked out, too.

I don't know that I have anything constructive to add to the suggestions already made, I just wanted to let you know I'm thinking about you! I hope you get to the bottom of it soon. I'm not sure that I'd be an any rush to cut - you can always use that as a last option, but once it's done, it's done. Baby it, wear it up...all that good stuff...

[Blueneko]

All is not lost! There is hope still!

I would go with a seriously trim of 4". A nice blunt trim does wonders for the ends and will give you happiness. That would be below BSL, or just at the bottom of the strap.

[Sana]

Aww Bonnie, I am sorry that your hair has thinned for some reason. Also I think that you should ask someone else to comb your hair & take a pic so that you know for sure if it's only the middle. I would start with evaluating what are the causes-damage from what you are doing to it like combing, updos etc., or it's something to do with your health. Either way it's a good idea to make sure u have a doc checkup your thyroid, hemoglobin, cortisol. As for the immediate solution, I wouldn't go off & cut all the hair since you say you have never had short hair. I would start with small trims & try to increase the thickness. Also just wondering if the circumference of your ponytail has changed too?

[Paniscus]

Sorry to hear about your hair dilemma. Obviously, I have no clue if it's caused by damage or a health issue, but I just read in another thread about your excercise/diet routine. YOu mentioned doing a lot of Fasting back in April. Something about *Stop-Eat-Stop* method? Are you still using this method? This could be the culprit to your hair dilemma, maybe you were lacking nutrients? And then couple this with no vitamin intake... Just a thought.

It's great that you're going to the doctor. I'm sure they'll ask all kinds of dietary questions and such. I know a healthy diet is optimal for healthy hair.

I hope you find an easy answer and all will be well for you again soon :) :flower:

By the way, even with the sparse middle, your hair is pretty! Very pretty color and shine.

Keep us posted!

[joyful373]

Hi Bonnie,
First, a big hug to you. You have gotten a lot of great insights and advice. I think you're on track with your "to do list" and thinking things through. After you mentioned your diet and health changes, gluten intolerance was something that popped into my mind. Not that I'm a doctor or anything, but I just thought I'd mention it too-especially if it runs in your family. I just want you to know that I'm here if you want to talk, and you're on your way to taking care of whatever is causing the problem. :grouphug: I know things seem off right now, but you still shine and are a tremendous inspiration.

:flower: joyful

[Ms Monnie]

By the way, even with the sparse middle, your hair is pretty! Very pretty color and shine.

Keep us posted!
I have to agree. Despite the flaw, the beauty of it still shines through.

[spidermom]

It really looks to me like you've had a lot of shedding and/or breakage in the middle-back. I second the suggestion that you get someone else to comb it all straight down and take another picture so you can tell for sure if it's truly loss of hair or your hair clumping off to the sides.

[busnutmedic]

Thank you again for the advice.

I hope I don't overlook replying to vital pieces of info/questions that everyone has given.

Someone mentioned that I mentioned an odd diet pattern of eat-stop-eat, and I did spend at least 4 or 5 days total fasting spread out over a few weeks. But I didn't do it for very long. However, that may have exacerbated the situation, if it is indeed that I'm not eating enough (which seems impossible, seeing as I'm a size 10 or so now, but I was a few inches thinner 'round the hips a little while ago when I was eating less). I've been off gluten for two days except I forgot this evening and ate a serving of apply crisp that had flour in the topping. But I have it in my sheet to check off that I ate gluten that day or not, and I'm going to try to make it a substantial amount of time off gluten and see if anything in my general health changes at all.

I do bun in the same direction every time, so that could be contributing. I asked my sister to look for breakage and she said she didn't think there was much, but there was some.

Asking someone else to arrange my hair and take pictures is an excellent idea!

I have been wearing my hair out because I can't think of anything else to do with it. I'm careful to take it over my shoulder when I sit down and rub up against a chair, and I'm trying to be extra cautious with it. Eventually I will have to put it up or braid it as it'll get damaged more when I do housework and such.

I'm thinking that loosely coiled (without twisting) and then held with a fakkare that has had the edges sanded down will be better than coiling it tighter and holing it with bobby pins. So I will have to try that when it comes down to really needing it out of my way.


You all are *so* supportive, thank you very much :) The past few days before I posted these pictures in this thread I had been contemplating what it would be like to "leave" the community on account of leaving long hair behind me :( And I'm so glad I didn't! And thank you for all of your help :)


Bonnie

[birthmarkie]

Oh my heavens. Was someone monitoring you during that fasting? That is way too long to fast without proper supervision. You are scaring me!

Is your sister sure it is breakage? It is usually difficult to tell, but ends with tapers aren't broken. It could be new growth from shed hairs.

Also, we have a gluten-free/Celiac thread. I haven't seen you on it that I can remember, but you might find it has some useful information.

Anyway, good luck and let us know how it goes! We'll be waiting for pictures with your hair "remanipulated!" :D I'm sure it is going to look even more wonderful than it does now (if that is even possible; your hair is very pretty) with a little TLC.

[busnutmedic]

Oh my heavens. Was someone monitoring you during that fasting? That is way too long to fast without proper supervision. You are scaring me!

Is your sister sure it is breakage? It is usually difficult to tell, but ends with tapers aren't broken. It could be new growth from shed hairs.

Also, we have a gluten-free/Celiac thread. I haven't seen you on it that I can remember, but you might find it has some useful information.

Anyway, good luck and let us know how it goes! We'll be waiting for pictures with your hair "remanipulated!" :D I'm sure it is going to look even more wonderful than it does now (if that is even possible; your hair is very pretty) with a little TLC.

The fasting was in 24 hour periods, I should have clarified that :)

For sure my hair is already *feeling* better. I have been massaging twice a day, washing every other day and oiling every night before washing. I'm starting to like my hair just because of the feel factor - I'm wearing it out and sort of doubled over my neck or in from of me, and now I actually feel my hair much more often than before. So whether or not it's looking nicer, it's been encouraging so far :)

Thank you again and I will keep y'all updated! :D

Bonnie

[birthmarkie]

The fasting was in 24 hour periods, I should have clarified that :)

For sure my hair is already *feeling* better. I have been massaging twice a day, washing every other day and oiling every night before washing. I'm starting to like my hair just because of the feel factor - I'm wearing it out and sort of doubled over my neck or in from of me, and now I actually feel my hair much more often than before. So whether or not it's looking nicer, it's been encouraging so far :)

Thank you again and I will keep y'all updated! :D

Bonnie

Oh!

I am so glad your hair is feeling better. You painted such a lovely image of it and I can only imagine how soft and wonderful it feels. :flowers:

[Stagecoach]

Life has gotten a bit more stressful. Now that I think of it I do recall a big year-long (or so) issue happening a year or so ago. It made me get up really early in the morning sometime and I remember crying and being nervous about it for a long time.

I haven't been checked for any medical problems. I have had a very irregular period that has just come back to normal the past 2 or 3 cycles since I've stopped weight lifting and running.


Bonnie

Hey Bonnie, first I want to say how sorry I am that your hair is causing you problems right now. :hug:

Secondly, this really caught my eye and I wanted to address it quickly.

I don't know how long your period has been irregular but it's very very likely that the irregularity of your period + apparent hair loss + lots of exercis means that you were under your body's healthy weight. This is something I learned from the midwife in Kansas... when a womans period stops or gets very irregular (and menopause is not the question) then the first thing to check is weight. If the body thinks it's under weight (or if it's majorily over weight) one of the first signs is period issues. It could be that with weight training and exercising, your body weight was staying higher, because of muscel, but your body fat content was too low, and you weren't getting enough calories or nutrition.

So basicly, I'm seconding the recomendation to go to the doctors. Your hair is thinner now than when I first met you a couple years ago... and at your age, that probably means something is wrong.

Anyway, I hope this makes sense! If you have any questions e-mail or call me! I hope everything gets worked out and you can recover your beautiful hair.

[psvzum]

Sending you hugs. You've got such lovely hair, it's just a shame what happened to it. Do what YOU are comfortable with and don't listen to anyone else.

[Alethia]

Hi there,

It does look thin in the middle - just like the nape hairs were being rubbed or broken off. If you are wearing your hair in a single braid or in an updo at the base of your skull while exercising, it could be that this is causing acne or skin irritation at the nape leading to you scratching and rubbing off new hair as it grows? Either that or you're wearing something with a high collar which rubs the nape hair off? Your pillow case is another possible offender, though why it should start doing it now rather than before, I do not know.