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View Full Version : LHC has made me paranoid



ellen732
September 8th, 2011, 01:42 PM
I have been brainwashed I'm afraid. In the not too distant past I would think nothing of wearing my hair down and if it got caught in the seat belt or under the strap of my bag and pulled out, that was just part of my day. Now, I can't imagine wearing it down outside of my house, and for the most part I wear it up there too. I can no longer sleep with it loose either, it has to be braided or in a sleep cap, or both. I am also now worried that I sometimes treat it roughly with my hair sticks and toys. I sometimes think I hear it snapping, and I start to feel guilty. What has happened to me?? I think about wearing it down but I just can't. :wail:

I must admit though, it has never looked better. :D

Anje
September 8th, 2011, 01:49 PM
It's a hyperawareness phase you go through. (It's kinda funny to watch microbiology students go through something similar as the become aware that everything is covered in bacteria. They often get paranoid for a while.) In my experience, that awareness never really goes away again, but you do settle down after a while, no matter whether you're aware of hair damage or creepy-crawlies. You have to live, and that requires finding the balance of risks and payoffs that works for you.

ellen732
September 8th, 2011, 01:53 PM
It's a hyperawareness phase you go through. (It's kinda funny to watch microbiology students go through something similar as the become aware that everything is covered in bacteria. They often get paranoid for a while.) In my experience, that awareness never really goes away again, but you do settle down after a while, no matter whether you're aware of hair damage or creepy-crawlies. You have to live, and that requires finding the balance of risks and payoffs that works for you.

I don't think I could wear my hair down again on a daily basis, and the funny thing is I never thought I could wear my hair up on a daily basis. I am amazed at how one year at LHC has really changed how I view my hair and with that how my style has changed.

Toiréasa
September 8th, 2011, 02:03 PM
I know what you are talking about,I feel the same way the only time I let my hair down is when I first get home from work and I'm sitting here at the computer as soon as I get up I go put it up again.

ellen732
September 8th, 2011, 02:08 PM
I know what you are talking about,I feel the same way the only time I let my hair down is when I first get home from work and I'm sitting here at the computer as soon as I get up I go put it up again.

Me too. When I get home from work I take it down to give my follicles a break and in the morning I take it out of the braid I slept in for a little while. I think the real test for me is going to be when winter comes, I always like how it keeps my neck warm in the cold but I think I am still going to wear it up. Now I just have to figure out how I am going to wear a winter hat. :)

gthlvrmx
September 8th, 2011, 02:36 PM
Thisis me right here, but it's going down a little. I prefer up now! It's easier to manage and doesn't get tangled. I have to go real light with my hairsticks, im so paranoid with the smallest "snaps" i may hear. It scares me.

wooliswonderful
September 8th, 2011, 03:03 PM
I've been feeling a bit paranoid too & wearing my hair up/braided most of the time. Just a few months ago it was almost always down or in a pony tail.
Last night the baby wanted to brush my hair. I wanted to say no but hey, she's cute. :) I dealt with the tugs and then we moved on to ponies.

ellen732
September 8th, 2011, 04:04 PM
I used to wear a low ponytail quite a bit too. But now when I think about it I am afraid if I wear one my hair will tangle and I will create splits from combing out the knots. It is nice that wearing it up or in a braid keeps it tangle free.

HairFaerie
September 8th, 2011, 04:37 PM
When my hair was longer (BSL+), I put it in a loose ponytail at night. The rest of the time I wore it down because updos give me a headache. I really didn't have a choice but to wear it down, I hate headaches.

racrane
September 8th, 2011, 05:34 PM
I was the same way. I now feel guilty for even wearing it in a basic ponytail anymore. I'm trying to let the phase pass though. Because it's just a phase.

jaine
September 8th, 2011, 05:37 PM
I feel paranoid about ever getting my hair colored, after reading here about chemical burns. :(

Foxy_Booker
September 8th, 2011, 05:38 PM
I am the same. Growing my hair out and LHC has definitely created an obsession where everything I do normal in a regular day I have to relate to my hair. Like I will opt out of swimming because of chemicals or choose what I eat depending on how beneficial I think it will be for growing hair.

I really miss not caring as much and not being aware of all the things that I was doing that were bad for my hair. I feel like its to the point where I am so paranoid its hard to actually enjoy having long hair. Its always up so I don't get to show off how long it is.

Lianna
September 8th, 2011, 05:49 PM
Care for the hair, yes, but don't need to be that paranoid. Where I live 90% of girls have waist+ hair and wear it down most of the time (not to mention all the heat some use).

ellen732
September 8th, 2011, 05:54 PM
I feel paranoid about ever getting my hair colored, after reading here about chemical burns. :(

Don't be afraid of hair color, if it is done correctly it is fine. Henna isn't for everyone.

ellen732
September 8th, 2011, 05:59 PM
I know that wearing it up and being kinder to it has really made the difference in my hair. I have had my hair this long many times before, but not this healthy. Henna, oiling and wearing it up has made a difference for me. I guess I know that benign neglect never really worked for me which now is making me overcompensate. It also bugs the heck out of me when it is down.....

Lianna
September 8th, 2011, 06:00 PM
Don't be afraid of hair color, if it is done correctly it is fine. Henna isn't for everyone.

Pretty sure she meant bleach though (according to her posts in another thread).

supbanana
September 8th, 2011, 06:07 PM
Same here. My hair has grown just fine and healthy all these years, but after reading about hair care on this forum I have it in my head that if I wear my hair down I'm bound for miles of breakage. :p I'm not super aggressive about keeping it up, but I definitely oil more often than is probably necessary, shun brushes and combs with seams, and wince when other people yank through or over-dye their own hair.

It's apparently working though, because I have a lot more flyaways and for some strange reasons the new hair is growing out very curly. Hmm. :hmm:

spidermom
September 8th, 2011, 06:11 PM
I certainly I hope you let it down from time to time and enjoy it. I like to wear mine up during the day and then comb it out at day's end. It's a nice transition time for me: "I'm done with work; this is me-time."

Then I braid it and go to bed.

But sometimes I miss how I used to straighten it or curl it. It feels so limiting. I don't really buy into "there's so much you can do with it!" I can bun it, braid it, or wear it loose. That's it. Oh no, wait - and I can pin-curl it into a pinned-up, pseudo-40s style.

luxepiggy
September 8th, 2011, 06:15 PM
I don't think I could wear my hair down again on a daily basis, and the funny thing is I never thought I could wear my hair up on a daily basis. I am amazed at how one year at LHC has really changed how I view my hair and with that how my style has changed.

Ironically, I'm experiencing almost the opposite effect; I used to wear my hair up nearly all the time pre-LHC. After I found LHC, my hair's condition improved so much that I wear it down all the time to show off the shine! (^(oo)^)v

luluj
September 8th, 2011, 06:25 PM
I like to wear my hair down as often as possible, although I never leave the house without a hairstick, flexi or fork in my purse or my pocket. I joined TLHC in 2009 with a very short crop and now I am solidly past APL, all accomplished with the knowledge I have gained from two plus years as a member here. While I'm not paranoid in regard to my hair, I am very vigilant in doing whatever it takes to keep it healthy and happy. Perhaps someone should start a thread titled "Wear Your Hair Down Challenge" just to see how many of us would join in the fun!:p;)

TrudieCat
September 8th, 2011, 06:37 PM
Perhaps someone should start a thread titled "Wear Your Hair Down Challenge" just to see how many of us would join in the fun!:p;)

Haha, I could join this challenge! My hair never looks like I want it to look when I wear it down and I want to be more accepting of it in its natural state, down and free. :) On bad hair days I put it up before I leave the apt. and leave it up all day; on good hair days I wear it down for like an hour, catch a glimpse of it in a window or the bathroom mirror at work, freak out about the frizz, and then put it up immediately. :o Wearing my hair down would honestly be a mental challenge for me!

LHC has made me paranoid that my frizz is breakage. I never even cared about breakage before I came here, since I flat ironed every hair into (very temporary) submission.

Quetiepi
September 8th, 2011, 06:47 PM
I wear mine down most of the time. I grew it out so I could enjoy it, not hide it. Call me a dare devil if you like!

ellen732
September 8th, 2011, 06:57 PM
. Perhaps someone should start a thread titled "Wear Your Hair Down Challenge" just to see how many of us would join in the fun!:p;)

I think that is what I need so I won't be so conservative. I'm going to try to wear it down sometimes. I am getting tired of people saying to me "don't you ever wear it down?".

islandboo
September 8th, 2011, 07:01 PM
I find that it isn't so much a matter of being paranoid (except in wind - I don't think I can stand my hair being windblown anymore) as much as being so used to having it up that I forget how to deal with it when it is down. When I do wear it down to give my scalp a break I find it doing things like getting trapped in the crook of my arm or under my elbow when I lean on the table - things I always used to anticipate and prevent that now I am apparently clueless about.

AcornMystic
September 8th, 2011, 07:33 PM
I wouldn't say that LHC has made me paranoid. I will say though, that it has made me appreciate having my hair up more, with the benefits of doing so, since I used to hide my face in my hair because of my underbite. I embraced being an orc about a year ago XD:p but had the courage to expose it when I chopped my hair to a pixie for grad in '07, and I like the feeling of my hair pulled back. I will say though, it has made not want to dye the majority of my hair and dip dying is pretty much the only thing that appeals to me. I'm not worried so much about dying my ends because of the wonders of oil and if I want to rid myself of dye entirely can just chop off the ends. I guess I can't really say much on paranoia because my hair is only a couple inches above my shoulder. *shrug*

Foxy_Booker
September 8th, 2011, 07:45 PM
I would say i'm more vigilant about wearing my hair up because a lot of it is fine so its delicate and I don't want to sacrifice length if it gets in bad condition by wearing it down. Its also kind of debilitating when its down because I'm constantly thinking about it and whether its getting tangled so I'm constantly aware of it which is annoying, though I do wear it down and styled once every few weeks, so its not never.

PixxieStix
September 8th, 2011, 08:06 PM
I currently have to wear my down most of the time because of how short it is (two inches above the shoulder) and can barely manage a pony snub because of the various lengths (growing from a majorly layered short bob), and sadly the only way to get it out of my face when needed has been elastic hair bands, and ever since I joined LHC I cringe just a little and try to not make them too tight or put them in the same spot twice in a week.

When my hair gets long again though, I do plan on wearing it down as much as possible because I'm going to be so proud to show it off. Albeit, I'll be a lot more wary of what happens to it when it is down.

Neneka
September 8th, 2011, 10:16 PM
I can't comb my hair anymore like I did before. I get anxious if I hear my hair snapping. I am obsessive about my hair health, I have been for a year, since I joined LHC. I don't think it's going away mainly because I am prone to develop obsessions. This will be harder when my hair grows longer. Now I have a pixie cut and I am like this!

wtchmel
September 8th, 2011, 10:27 PM
I think this is a natural occurance when you start coming here or other hair boards. I too was like this for a number of years. Once I said 'F' it, my hair actually is so much healthier.(that and stopping the dye). I honestly never really noticed a difference in growth, breakage or the like by trying to 'be careful' with the hair. Just do some basics and don't worry about things. Cut out some basic stuff like blow frying and plasitic ball brushes, and i think that's all you need. Just my opinion.

WinterButterfly
September 9th, 2011, 12:00 AM
I get a little obsessive sometimes too. The last 2 weeks I havetried different styles leaving my hair part way down. But I keep getting it caught on stuff, so I'm going to bun it more. I caught it in a fence gate today. And heard a few snaps. Super cringe. But one or two scenarios every once in a while won't cause too much of an effect. Iloke to show off my past waist length hair. :)

Eolan
September 9th, 2011, 12:08 AM
It's a hyperawareness phase you go through. (It's kinda funny to watch microbiology students go through something similar as the become aware that everything is covered in bacteria. They often get paranoid for a while.) In my experience, that awareness never really goes away again, but you do settle down after a while, no matter whether you're aware of hair damage or creepy-crawlies. You have to live, and that requires finding the balance of risks and payoffs that works for you.

I can relate to this. I think my hyperawareness is settling a bit. You have to live, as Anje so wisely said, and you also have to ENJOY stuff. Such as your hair. :)

Amarante
September 9th, 2011, 12:15 AM
I never wore my hair up before I found LHC, and now it's up most of the time. I never even knew what hair sticks were or how to use them. I won't allow any sort of brush or comb to touch my hair except for my wooden one from the body shop. And of course, I'm a henna convert. But, I think the paranoia is totally worth it for me because my hair has never been so delightfully healthy, shiny, and soft before. :D

Venefica
September 9th, 2011, 01:11 AM
LHC have made me rather paranoid to, no matter how good I take care of my hair I just can not take as good care about it as some of the folks here do and I constantly feel I am not doing a good enough job, however I do get good advice to do as good as I can with.

kamikaze hair
September 9th, 2011, 01:26 AM
i'm still too chicken to return to my hairdresser yet and get my roots done. I have to get a nice solid colour put in because i have a few colours through it, some which are really right and require more work and damage to the hair. Then i can just maintain the one colour and only have to colour it every now and then, and im scared to actually get it cut as well. Its decently long and i'm heaps worried she might cut off more than i want her to. (seriously a girl could start shedding like crazy over this amount of worrying!)

Amarante
September 9th, 2011, 01:39 AM
LHC have made me rather paranoid to, no matter how good I take care of my hair I just can not take as good care about it as some of the folks here do and I constantly feel I am not doing a good enough job, however I do get good advice to do as good as I can with.

Don't be too hard on yourself. We all do the best we can to help our hair be its healthiest, but I don't think anyone has the "perfect" way to do it. Routines are different for different people. :)

Dragon
September 9th, 2011, 02:36 AM
I have found LHC have made me a lot more aware of what’s good and bad but I haven’t found myself becoming over obsessive about it. I’ve heard you should treat your hair like delicate lace but I prefer to treat it like an item of clothing. I take good care of my clothes, keep it clean but not washing them in just anything, wash it in cool or warm water since hot water is bad, let it air dry and enjoy wearing it while being careful not to get it ripped. I do the same with my hair. And on lazy days which is most days, and when it’s hot I just wear plaits since it’s the most comfortable hairstyle I have found. If I hear a snap, I remind myself to be more careful and if I'm being ruff from stress, I calm myself while combing by playing some music.

Mírien
September 9th, 2011, 03:44 AM
Oh, my... Same thing happened to me after a few weeks on the LHC. :p I learned how to use sticks and a dozen of other ways to put my locks up and thought letting it down would only result in damage. I was excessively paranoid about what to do with my hair when I do some exercise - jogging especially.
But after some months of such obsession I realized that it is no point in having long hair if it is a constant nuisance... ;) And now I do not worry about it too much. I do put it up in the morning, but I forget about it during the day. Moreover, my main reason for keeping it up is not preventing damage... :rolleyes: It's been nearly a year since I last let down my hair in public. I will wait one more year to get the "wow, your hair is sooo long!" effect from friends... :D That is simple, pure vanity.
Until then the untamed beauty of my locks is preserved for DBF. :)

Mannaz
September 9th, 2011, 07:27 AM
The way i see it, some amount of damage is inevitable no matter what you do (or should I say don't do), and sometimes the damage is just worth to have!Sounds weird? I'll try to explain...

Like yesterday, I really wanted to do a rope-braided lacebraid although I know that all the sectioning would cause tangles and detangling the tangles while braiding would propably cause some hairs to break, and it did. But, now I have a beautiful lacebraid which doesen't have to come off for a coulpe of days ---> so no damage for those days as opposed to me changing the up-do all the time and the mechanical damage from that...

I do know what the OP means though... I'm pretty sure the paranoia will mellow down.

ellen732
September 9th, 2011, 07:28 AM
I am so glad to hear I am not the only one. :) I am going to give it a go today and after it is dry I am going to where it in a low ponytail to work. Hopefully I will return home with the same amount of hair I left with and in the same condition. :D

chachagrace
September 9th, 2011, 09:43 AM
Yes, it's amazing that there are so many people wearing ponytails out there who still manage to have long hair :)

ellen732
September 9th, 2011, 11:45 AM
Yes, it's amazing that there are so many people wearing ponytails out there who still manage to have long hair :)

I was being sarcastic, I guess you were too. ;)