The reason my hair is short...

[holothuroidea]

...is because this is what it looked like long.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/holothuroidea/DSCF0681.jpg
Notice the shock on my face as I realize someone is taking a picture of me with my hair in a pony tail (I always had it in a bun, this picture was very difficult to find).

Yes those are my ends. Yes, all of them. It was a bit longer than APL at the time, you can't tell because the very end of the length doesn't photograph but those stragglers were indeed past my armpits. What you can't see in this picture is my "breakage halo" of many, many shorter hairs that had broken that sort of floated around my head all the time. I used to glue them down with aloe.

My hair care routine at this point was S&C daily, rake through it violently with a plastic brush for 10 minutes (wet), put it in a bun, glue down my halo and pretend like my hair wasn't embarrassing. It was a really sad time in my life, the care I gave to my hair was about the same as the care I gave to myself. Both me and my hair were mostly limp and dead.:(

When I finally came out of the fog, I realized I needed a haircut pretty bad so I got it cut to ear length and I have kept up with it. When I cut it I grew in waves (childbirth can do that some times). The longest I ever let it get since then was about mid-neck. You can see in this picture that it's much thicker and wavier even with a fringe. At this point I still S&C'd daily but I switched to a very mild shampoo and it was short enough to not need a brush.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/holothuroidea/SAM_0450.jpg

The impetus for growing my hair out again is two fold. One reason is that I found LHC when I was researching no-poo methods. I was very much inspired. I've always wanted long hair but never thought I could achieve it and now I wonder if it was just the way I abused my hair that made it the way it was. Another reason, get ready for another bad hair picture, is THIS HACK JOB
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/holothuroidea/SAM_0519.jpg
I was traumatized by it and I never ever want to go to a salon again! :mad:

Since joining here I've stopped using combs, brushes and towels. I air dry and finger-detangle. I've started WO and am currently trying to cut down on washes. I've started oiling to help with the dryness.

So I'm going to ask all of you, whom I respect very much, for your honest opinion. Do you think I can grow my hair out and have it look nice this time?

[holothuroidea]

Ack! Sorry for the giant pictures, guys. Does anyone know how to resize them so they aren't so annoying?

[Nae]

Yes! You can grow it out. With your short cut do be prepared for a few awkward stages, but you can muscle through it. There is a huge WO thread floating around here somewhere and we are a great community for support when you are having days when your hair is driving you nuts.

You can do it!

P.S. Adorable baby! Awwwww.

[longhairedlady]

Yes you can grow it out! I have seen many pictures of people with i/ii hair and it was very long and beautiful! The one thing that stood out to me as the worst was violently brushing your hair for 10 minutes. I try and imagine that every single hair will determine the thickness and health of my hair and try and treat each strand as delicately as possible. But i see you are now doing all the right things with your hair! Keep babying your hair, keep it oiled and conditioned and it will grow! I grew out for a very short bob as well. Once my hair was long enough wear up I put it up and wore it like that 24/7 and tried my best to forget about it and let it grow.

[Hypatia415]

You can do it! There are many members here who have grown/are growing out pixis or short hair! It will take a few years but you sound like you're taking much better care of your hair and yourself now. Soon your long hair will show all your efforts!

[tarn]

:) Absolutely you can do it! And if you do decide to wear it in a bun again on the odd day then you are in good company because boy are there some awesome buns on here! It sounds like you are already on the right track to having a glorious mane of hair :)

[Mesmerise]

I certainly see no reason you can't grow it out! It could even surprise you and be thicker than you think once it gets enough growth for you to measure your pony circumference properly!

Is that your natural colour in the first pic, or did you highlight it? I wonder because often colour damages hair heaps, which could be one of your problems.

(And if not you have a very pretty natural colour ;)).

The only real way you'll know if your hair grows well long or not, is to actually just grow it and look after it as you're growing!

[holothuroidea]

@Nae, thanks! I've been hanging around the WO and super shorties threads for a while. All the posters in both of them are just the best. :)

The babies are there in hopes that the cuteness will distract you from my ratty looking hair, LOL.


Yes you can grow it out! I have seen many pictures of people with i/ii hair and it was very long and beautiful! The one thing that stood out to me as the worst was violently brushing your hair for 10 minutes. I try and imagine that every single hair will determine the thickness and health of my hair and try and treat each strand as delicately as possible. But i see you are now doing all the right things with your hair! Keep babying your hair, keep it oiled and conditioned and it will grow! I grew out for a very short bob as well. Once my hair was long enough wear up I put it up and wore it like that 24/7 and tried my best to forget about it and let it grow.

Thanks for the encouragement! I list my hair as i/ii because the pony tail circumference when I cut it off was just over 2", but the taper was really incredible. It literally tapered into 4 or 5 very fine strands.

Something that concerns me when I look at my shed hairs is that individually they taper as well. They are much thicker (I'd say twice as thick) at the roots then they are at the ends. Is this normal?

[spidermom]

That second picture is really cute.

Good care will go a long way toward giving you lovely hair. I know you will be able to grow it longer, but of course I can't predict how it will look. We'll have to wait and see.

[holothuroidea]

Is that your natural colour in the first pic, or did you highlight it? I wonder because often colour damages hair heaps, which could be one of your problems.

(And if not you have a very pretty natural colour ;)).

In the first picture the ends are dyed but the roots are virgin. I used to dye my hair for the "plumping" effect but after a while I just stopped though. I imagine that really contributed to the damage.

My hair is lightened slightly in the second picture, too. I like my natural hair color though so I don't plan on dying it anymore.

Thank you for the kind words!

[Lici1209]

I think it will grow wonderfully since you are starting mostly fresh and treating your hair well :]

[Mairéad]

The fresh start will certainly help. Growing from short will take so long (and I'm right there with you) but the good part is you won't have to go through a lot of issues that others come here with when they have damaged hair.

So, find the magic routine and mix of potions and you'll be joining the ranks.

[Juneii]

Not gonna lie, your hair in the last photo does not suit you at all. But your hair looks to be in good health and it will grow out! Do keep in mind that since you didn't take care of your hair up until you found LHC most of the length you have now will always have the prior damage so seeing results from good care will take a while to show. Don't give up and good luck!

p.s. cute baby :3

[jeanniet]

Absolutely! My hair was about BSL in high school and never grew any longer because I was so hard on it. I just assumed that was as long as it could get. I was never any easier on it in my 20s and 30s. In my 40s I started learning about hair care and gradually began to get my hair healthier. Now I'm 53, at waist and on my way to hip, and my hair is in better shape than it's ever been at a shorter length. You just have to have patience, use the information you learn here, and you can do it! :)

[holothuroidea]

Thank you so much everyone for all the encouragement and advice!

@Juneii, I know how horrible it is. I don't think that "look" would suit anyone. I have no idea what that woman was thinking and I'm never letting anyone come near my head with scissors again (Except for DH, he trimmed off my first mullet growth and he did a really good job, you can see in my sig picture. :) )

@Mariead & Lici, I've often thought about that and I'm really grateful to have a fresh start.

@Tarn- I will do buns, but never out of embarrassment again! I see all the ladies with cool hair sticks and I could never use those. My bun was the size of a golf ball. LOL

@Hypatia- Taking care of myself makes all the difference. I'm willing to make a statement that depression makes for bad hair. You can always tell how people feel by how they look, two people with the same hair type and length will look completely different if one cares for themselves and the other does not. That to me is the difference between pictures one and two, regardless of hair length.
ETA: No amount of caring for myself is going to make the haircut in picture 3 doable. None. LOL

@Spidermom- Your honesty is appreciated. I won't know until it grows. I wish I had a crystal ball though because I'd hate to go through all those awkward phases and find out I can't maintain length. It doesn't matter, though, I have to try.

[holothuroidea]

Absolutely! My hair was about BSL in high school and never grew any longer because I was so hard on it. I just assumed that was as long as it could get. I was never any easier on it in my 20s and 30s. In my 40s I started learning about hair care and gradually began to get my hair healthier. Now I'm 53, at waist and on my way to hip, and my hair is in better shape than it's ever been at a shorter length. You just have to have patience, use the information you learn here, and you can do it! :)

Your story is particularly encouraging for me. Thank you for sharing. :)

[JessiBird89]

Hello there!
I know how it feels to have very thin/fine hair and how frustrating it can be to grow it out. I think it will look lovely long, so don't worry! Your hair care routine when it was previously long was so radically different than your current one - you will notice a big difference in thickness, strength and your hemline, this time around.

A trick I discovered since I joined LHC (and some people may not agree) is that I went against what my hairdresser always told me: that fine hair needs to be layered to gain volume. I found that my ends (which used to be shrivelled, straggly and VERY thin when it was layered) have gotten a lot thicker since I got it cut to all-one-length. Getting my hair trimmed when the ends are in poor condition and putting a stop to hairdyes every few months helped so so much too.
If WO doesn't work for you, please don't get disheartened. There's so much hair care info on this website, you will soon know exactly what works for you/does not work for you. Its all about trial and error! Happy hair growing and the very best of luck!



Also, the baby is adorable! :D

[W2]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/holothuroidea/SAM_0519.jpg


That is a very beautifull wrap - is it a Girasol?

[infinity_girl]

Aw, your baby is so cute - gorgeous!

As for your hair, I am sure it will grow. It looks like it has the potential to be long and thick. I know from experience that pregnancy and post-partum, hair can do strange things. Just stick with the LHC health protocols and you will have longer hair in no time.

[jasper]

We probably have similar hair. Mine might be a little wavier, but I didn't know about the waves until I stopped drying with heat. You might find more waves with more length.

I think you can get the length. You will achieve healthier looking hair with more gentle care. But if your hair is really like mine, you may not keep the volume at longer lengths. I have hip length hair, but I feel like it is better in terms of volume around BSL.

[Katze]

Hi hairtwin! I just hacked off 15 inches or so for just this very reason.

IMO fine, wavy hair is really, really hard to deal with. And if it's not super thick (ii is NORMAL thickness) it can look stringy, messy, get dry easily etc. In my case, I also have natural taper so my ends are always thin - look at my photo album to see what hair like this looks 'long' (I got to about BSL, but with see-through, straggly, ratty-looking ends). I also lost at least half my hair after my DD (2 1/2) was born and the new growth is now at about chin.

There are members here with fine long hair that they are happy with. There are members with wavy fine hair that's long. There are more than a few THIN (i) haired members with long hair they are happy with, too (remember ii is NOT thin - your hair does NOT look thin at the roots in any of your pics).

My DH has wurly, thick, wavy hair and his gets dry and tangled even more than mine, but it's naturally thick, so he can get away with the abuse. Mine still won't get long and look healthy, and I am forced to accept the fact that it may not ever get past APL and not be thin at the ends.

I used to think that just with good care, my hair would finally be beautiful. It is MUCH nicer looking than it was bleached and heat-treated...most of the time. ;) But it might not ever be long in a way I can be happy with. And there are other LHCers, though you don't necessarily see it, who have similar problems.

[Tota]

Three years from now your hair will be amazing. Just wait, you'll see. I know it! Being on the TLHC will make all the difference for you.

[MJheals]

What a hair journey! It takes some moxie to power through terrible cuts (as I know from repeated personal experience). I started growing from a buzz cut and had about a bajillion awkward stages to grow through. Luckily for you, you won't have to go through as many of those, because it's already in a style that grows out better than most. I think you definitely have the ability to grow your hair long. LHC is a fantastic resource, since I found this forum two years ago, my hair has gone from fried at almost shoulder length, to soft and almost waist! :) It seems like you already have a handle on how to take proper care of your mane. Now the only thing to remember is, detangle carefully! ;) (<advice that took me almost a year at LHC to fully follow) You'd be surprised how much mechanical damage (rough brushing, twisting buns too tight, wearing the same hat all the time) can break and thin your hair (especially if it's fine and delicate).

I think you have the potential for a luscious wavy mane, can't wait to see how your journey progresses! :)

[andrea1982]

I'm sorry you had some haircuts you weren't happy with. I've definately been there! I think you looked cute with short hair too though.. and beautiful baby! (and nice wrap! Yay babywearing!). I'm sure with some babying you'll be able to grow long hair that you are happy with.

[Violettwin]

Yes you can do it! The advice on the LHC really made a difference to my hair but the thing that really helps is the support & encouragement :)
Your babies look like they have good hair! so so cute :D

[Amber_Maiden]

You should be fine growing it out. You know how to keep it healthy this time around.

[holothuroidea]

@JessiBird- That's crazy that your hair is thicker when it's not layered. It's like your ends miss their hair friends! I'm going to grow it straight out with trims and if I find it's not looking nice the first thing I'm going to try is layers but it will be a last resort before I chop, which I sincerely hope I won't need to do!

@W2- It's a Maya woven wrap. :D It's my favorite.

@infinity_girl- Thank you! The word "thick" really sounds like a pipe dream but we'll see. I'm just expecting it to not look like it did 3 years ago.

@jasper- Thanks for your honesty and your story. I agree that I probably won't have volume at longer lengths. I don't really expect to be able to get any longer than BSL, and hip is a very optimistic goal for me. As long as the ends are healthy, I might not mind, though. Your hair is beautiful!

@Tota- Your confidence in my hair makes me :cheese: Three years. I can do that. :)

[ladonna]

I have no advice... just wanted to say I loved BW and that pics almost brought tears to my eyes. He's one lucky little baby!

[McFearless]

Awww sleeping baby. :D Couldn't really focus on the hair because of it. :p I like your cut in the second pic, and I think you hair will look beautiful grown out.

[girlcat36]

Yes, you can!!!! It's a lot harder for those of us with thin, fine hair...but it can be done. I have also sworn off hair salons; from my experience they truly don't understand how to cut fine, thin hair. Let it grow out until it is long enough for you to self trim. In the meantime, get lots of cute hairtoys and treat it gently!

[Tota]

@Tota- Your confidence in my hair makes me :cheese: Three years. I can do that. :)

I know that because three years ago (actually I think it was two and a half) my hair looked almost exactly like yours on your signature picture. I was devastated, but now I know it was all my fault. A good thing is that we learn from our mistakes and will not repeat them again.

All your hair needs is a bit of love and tenderness :thumbsup:

[Tota]

I have also sworn off hair salons; from my experience they truly don't understand how to cut fine, thin hair. Let it grow out until it is long enough for you to self trim.

I couldn't agree more. Hair salons never ever did anything good to my hair also, I had to stop going completely to get some growth and make my hair healthy. They always discouraged me to grow them long (because they're baby thin) and encouraged me to dye and dye and dye ... They're not gonna see me for a long time :)

[holothuroidea]

Hi hairtwin! I just hacked off 15 inches or so for just this very reason.

IMO fine, wavy hair is really, really hard to deal with. And if it's not super thick (ii is NORMAL thickness) it can look stringy, messy, get dry easily etc. In my case, I also have natural taper so my ends are always thin - look at my photo album to see what hair like this looks 'long' (I got to about BSL, but with see-through, straggly, ratty-looking ends). I also lost at least half my hair after my DD (2 1/2) was born and the new growth is now at about chin.

There are members here with fine long hair that they are happy with. There are members with wavy fine hair that's long. There are more than a few THIN (i) haired members with long hair they are happy with, too (remember ii is NOT thin - your hair does NOT look thin at the roots in any of your pics).

My DH has wurly, thick, wavy hair and his gets dry and tangled even more than mine, but it's naturally thick, so he can get away with the abuse. Mine still won't get long and look healthy, and I am forced to accept the fact that it may not ever get past APL and not be thin at the ends.

I used to think that just with good care, my hair would finally be beautiful. It is MUCH nicer looking than it was bleached and heat-treated...most of the time. ;) But it might not ever be long in a way I can be happy with. And there are other LHCers, though you don't necessarily see it, who have similar problems.

I think the waviness will give me more of an advantage because it adds some volume. Although this will probably make less of a difference the longer it gets. My hair from my last pony tail was just barely a ii and the taper was severe. My hair looks thicker now but I haven't been able to put it in a pony to measure. I'm going to assume it's thin and then be very excited if I find that it's not. Either way I'm keeping my expectations realistic and if I find myself struggling with long fragile hair and can't find a way to keep it healthy I will probably cut back. I want to enjoy the hair that I have.

I've seen some gorgeous F/i hair here. It seems to me that those ladies have a place in their hearts for every hair they have. It's very inspiring to see. Some times those thin ends look very wispy and romantic. :)

[arielágua]

For me growing hair is all about patience + good care + eating well and a lot. LOL
If I have these, long hair will come! ;D
I started growing my hair from chin length and it's armpit now, actually is like passing 2cm of the armpits...going to bra strap pretty soon. My hair grows pretty fast, I blame it to the food.
I am i/ii now, but I used to be ii/iii. I had some major shed this year due to lots of reasons, but I am already recovering, actually I look like I electrify myself every morning, my head is full of spiky hairs all around.
If I can do it and I am i/ii like you, you can do it too, sister! ;D

p.s.- i am also Fine haired :)

[ktani]

There is absolutely no reason why not.

I have no current pictures posted (I hate having them taken or taking any) but I have thin, wavy, fine/medium textured hair and it grew out long well.

I as you may or may not know use catnip, no conditioner and I shampoo. Catnip makes my hair look thicker and it for me prevents split ends and most (except mechanical - my being rough on my hair, damage).

Find products and a routine that works for you and go for it! The worst case scenerio? You can cut it back if necessory or you do not like it long.

[holothuroidea]

@MJheals- Since I've been on LHC I've noticed mechanical damage comes from very benign-seeming sources. Towel drying was a big thing for me to stop doing. I used to fluff it up like crazy. I have a little tuft of hair in the front of my part from bobby pin damage. I had to learn to TAKE OF MY RINGS before putting my hands in my hair. LOL Thanks for the kind words and advice.

@andrea1982- Except for the one time I grew it long my hair has mostly been short all my life. I do think I look good with a short hair cut. Long face, you know. Of course as a kid I had a disney princess complex and lamented over my fine short hair. I think it's a sweet sentiment that loving the hair that I've got is the only way of getting the hair that I want.

@Violettwin- LHC has been so wonderful to me :D The support and encouragement is important, but there's so much inspiration, too. For the first time I appreciate how beautiful long fine hair can be.

My first baby has gorgeous hair. She's 3 now, and she's got waist length golden waves that movie stars would be jealous of. I hope she decides to keep her hair long as she gets older, especially now that I can teach her how to properly care for it. :) My second baby, though (sleeping in the wrap), we call her "baldilocks." :D She takes after me and has no hair. I didn't grow hair until I was 3.

@Amber_Maiden- Thank you. I'm hoping that it will make a big difference.

@ladonna- Babywearing is the best! She is now a year old and walking and doesn't like to be confined in the wrap. I really miss those days I wore her all day even though at the time I was like, "My baaaaack." :)

@McFearless- They are very distracting aren't they? I never get anything done. ;) Thank you.

@girlcat- Thanks! I was thinking about trimming off the last bits of colored hair. It's only about an inch and only on the longer parts next to my face. Do you think I should wait? I've been itching to get rid of them.

I think unfortunately most hair toys will be out of the picture for me. The ones I get though, are going to be the best most gentle ones I can find. I'm excited for when my hair is long enough to use them and I can search for some really excellent ones. :D

@Tota- If my hair ends up like yours I will cry rivers of joy. Your hair is beautiful!

I've had the same experience at salons. "Oh, you have to dye your hair because it needs 'a boost,' you need layers, you need fringe, you'll never be able to grow it out. You're coming back in 4 weeks, right, let's just schedule another appointment today." Looking back, it's all a set up, isn't it?

@arielágua- Yes, eating is good! I've been trying to eat more whole food and less junk food. I do take a spoonful of coconut oil for myself when I use it in my hair because I figure if it's good for the outside it's got to be good for the inside, too (plus it's delicious, it totally grosses my DH out, though, lol). Thank you. :)

@ktani- That's the second recommendation for catnip I've had and I think I'll have to try it. Where can I find info on how to use it? TIA :)

Your right about the worst case scenario just being to cut it back, but I have really bad associations with myself and long hair so I get discouraged. All of you have made me realize, though, that it's going to be much different this time around. Thank you all so much!!

[girlcat36]

I would wait to trim the ends until they are long enough for you to do it yourself. Unless you have a very trusted friend who can take off a teeny bit.

[holothuroidea]

I would wait to trim the ends until they are long enough for you to do it yourself. Unless you have a very trusted friend who can take off a teeny bit.

I think I can do it myself now. They are just on the hair around my face. If you look at the last picture you'll see what I mean, around my face is long but it's pixie-length in the back :rolleyes: Seriously, worst haircut ever. lol I honestly think there's nothing I can do to make it worse if I trim it myself at this point, but I've been wondering If I should just keep the length because I'm growing it anyway. It would be nice to have all virgin hair again, though. I'm torn!

[ktani]

Here you go, http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=118

and http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=476

[girlcat36]

I think I can do it myself now. They are just on the hair around my face. If you look at the last picture you'll see what I mean, around my face is long but it's pixie-length in the back :rolleyes: Seriously, worst haircut ever. lol I honestly think there's nothing I can do to make it worse if I trim it myself at this point, but I've been wondering If I should just keep the length because I'm growing it anyway. It would be nice to have all virgin hair again, though. I'm torn!

I think I would leave that hair and just pin it back with little barettes or something.

[Lissandria]

There are plenty of others on here with a similar hair type to yours who have grown enviable, beautiful, healthy, long locks. It is easy to have self-doubt at times, don't let it discourage you. You are doing all the right things for your hair now, and that will make the world of difference. Goodluck and keep us posted :)

[holothuroidea]

@girlcat- You're probably right. I think my long pieces in the front will help me get through some awkward stages. Still, I feel like I have "frost tips." Remember those?

@lissandria- Yes! There is so much beautiful hair here. I obsessively check hair types to see if they're like mine. I can't be the only one, right? I love the wispy looking long fine hair. :D "I think I can..."

And I'll be around for a while, I've got a lot of hair to grow! :)

[Katze]

Hi, again,

if your hair is the length in your sig pic now (sleep deprivation, sorry) you can do a lot with barettes, headbands, twisting little bits etc. to vary your hairdo. At that length I used to play with kind of fake Marcel waves around my face (pincurls and LOTS of gel) - I really like retro looks.

Soon you might be able to do little braids, too - I managed to have them look punky and manga with the platinum streaks I had in my hair back then.

And ARE those bleach streaks I see? I ask because your hair looks a LOT like mine did at that length - color too - and I would say get rid of the bleach ASAP. Just asked my (trusted) stylist what she thought about going lighter and she said she would strongly, strongly advise AGAINST any form of bleach at all for my hair if I want to get it long. A lot of other fineys here have that experience.

When I first came here people would tell me to be patient, and I couldn't, and I guess I am paying for it by having to start my hair journey all over. :) So if you can be patient, ignore it, ha ha, keep practicing the gentle treatment you are using, maybe you can have enviable, healthy, and really LONG hair!

There are a lot of 'fine haired wavies' threads floating around too.

And who knows, maybe in three years you will be my hair idol! :flower:

Katze

[MonaLisa]

Hey, I have same hair type as you, just a little thicker.. but it's hard to compare that with your hair still being short!

Fine hair that's neither straight nor with defined waves/curls does seem tricky...but it's possible to grow it long, and being fine it feels super soft and shiny...and texture gets surprising :)

Just don't give up!! find what work for you and stick with it, at good and bad times, you will definitely have results!

I don't think my hair type is easy or nicest, to go with long hair..I admire other types a lot. I can't say i feel envy, cause i LOVE long hair and therefore can't have even a bit of 'negative' feelings. But I also learned how to love and appreciate my own. Always try to notice positive stuff more!

LHC has made huge difference for me!

[Niphredil]

If you focus on quality over quantity, then I'm sure you will grow lovely hair.
How long it will be? Only time will tell and it is largely determined by your genetic make-up and there is nothing you can do about that.
Happy growing, enjoy the process and embrace whatever length your hair will grow to.

[holothuroidea]

Hi, again,

if your hair is the length in your sig pic now (sleep deprivation, sorry) you can do a lot with barettes, headbands, twisting little bits etc. to vary your hairdo. At that length I used to play with kind of fake Marcel waves around my face (pincurls and LOTS of gel) - I really like retro looks.

Soon you might be able to do little braids, too - I managed to have them look punky and manga with the platinum streaks I had in my hair back then.

Yeah I took that signature picture just a week or so ago. It's a nice length because I don't really have to do anything with it except keep it out of my face. Doing WO has made my hair texture so that it pretty much stays where I put it. In anticipation of my hair getting longer I started a thread getting recs for gentle hair toys and I've put a lot of pretty things on my Christmas list. :D
I figure that the less messing with it I do the better, though, so I'm not going to start putting things in it until I can put it up to prevent tangles.

Also in that thread they suggested silk pillowcases! I think it's a brilliant idea, I ordered some silk from NearSeaNaturals and I can't wait to get it. :)


And ARE those bleach streaks I see? I ask because your hair looks a LOT like mine did at that length - color too - and I would say get rid of the bleach ASAP. Just asked my (trusted) stylist what she thought about going lighter and she said she would strongly, strongly advise AGAINST any form of bleach at all for my hair if I want to get it long. A lot of other fineys here have that experience.

No bleach! I've never bleached my hair because I could always get it light enough to put crazy colors in it by using peroxide-free drug store dyes. I imagine if I bleached my hair it would turn to dust and blow away.

You are seeing ends from a dye I used about 6 months ago. I'm not going to dye my hair again at all while I'm growing it. I can't wait to trim those ends off and have all virgin hair. :)


When I first came here people would tell me to be patient, and I couldn't, and I guess I am paying for it by having to start my hair journey all over. :) So if you can be patient, ignore it, ha ha, keep practicing the gentle treatment you are using, maybe you can have enviable, healthy, and really LONG hair!

Only time will tell! Thank you for sharing your story though, it's always better to learn from other people than to repeat their mistakes. I have hard time just leaving my hair alone. I used to get bored with it very easy, but I know if I want long hair I can't change it every 3 months.


And who knows, maybe in three years you will be my hair idol! :flower:

Aww! :o I personally wouldn't mind having the hair you have now!!

[FrozenBritannia]

...is because this is what it looked like long.

Notice the shock on my face as I realize someone is taking a picture of me with my hair in a pony tail (I always had it in a bun, this picture was very difficult to find).

Yes those are my ends. Yes, all of them. It was a bit longer than APL at the time, you can't tell because the very end of the length doesn't photograph but those stragglers were indeed past my armpits. What you can't see in this picture is my "breakage halo" of many, many shorter hairs that had broken that sort of floated around my head all the time. I used to glue them down with aloe.

My hair care routine at this point was S&C daily, rake through it violently with a plastic brush for 10 minutes (wet), put it in a bun, glue down my halo and pretend like my hair wasn't embarrassing. It was a really sad time in my life, the care I gave to my hair was about the same as the care I gave to myself. Both me and my hair were mostly limp and dead.:(

When I finally came out of the fog, I realized I needed a haircut pretty bad so I got it cut to ear length and I have kept up with it. When I cut it I grew in waves (childbirth can do that some times). The longest I ever let it get since then was about mid-neck. You can see in this picture that it's much thicker and wavier even with a fringe. At this point I still S&C'd daily but I switched to a very mild shampoo and it was short enough to not need a brush.


The impetus for growing my hair out again is two fold. One reason is that I found LHC when I was researching no-poo methods. I was very much inspired. I've always wanted long hair but never thought I could achieve it and now I wonder if it was just the way I abused my hair that made it the way it was. Another reason, get ready for another bad hair picture, is THIS HACK JOB

I was traumatized by it and I never ever want to go to a salon again! :mad:

Since joining here I've stopped using combs, brushes and towels. I air dry and finger-detangle. I've started WO and am currently trying to cut down on washes. I've started oiling to help with the dryness.

So I'm going to ask all of you, whom I respect very much, for your honest opinion. Do you think I can grow my hair out and have it look nice this time?

I think it will look lovely long this time! :) You are taking much better care of it.

And can I just say, how cute is that sleeping baby on your back?? I love the elbow dimples!! It's so sad when they outgrow those... My baby doesn't even have pudgy hands anymore :(

[holothuroidea]

@MonaLisa- I can't wait to find out what my waves do when they get long. I'm also curious to measure my pony circumference, but I have a hunch it's going to be about the same. I just need to keep that taper under control. :)

I'm still in the process of finding my routine. I'm trying a lot of different things. It's probably not good to try them all so close together but I can't help myself. I may be having too much fun :D

Thank you for the encouragement. :)

@Niphredil- Thank you for the excellent advice. It is important to remember to love what you have whether it is long or not.

@FrozenBritannia- Thank you! Yes it is so bittersweet when babies outgrow their chubbies. That little one is walking now and all her leg rolls are gone. I miss those leg rolls!

[Lilli]

I would focus on nutrition - pregnancy and nursing can do a number on your hair.

Then, I would never ever dye, perm, straighten, layer, or razor your hair. I would try trimming the layers out as they grow... for some reason, it is easier for my hair to grow when it is all one length.

I would also temper your expectations... can you get it to a bob without too much taper? Then can you get it to shoulder length? Then collarbone? Then APL?

[holothuroidea]

I would focus on nutrition - pregnancy and nursing can do a number on your hair.

Then, I would never ever dye, perm, straighten, layer, or razor your hair. I would try trimming the layers out as they grow... for some reason, it is easier for my hair to grow when it is all one length.

I would also temper your expectations... can you get it to a bob without too much taper? Then can you get it to shoulder length? Then collarbone? Then APL?

I think my nutrition is ok. At least I don't plan on investigating the issue unless I run into discernible problems. I had a huge post partum shed, but I think that's pretty usual.

I've vowed that the only things that will touch my hair are: my fingers, hair-friendly herbs and oils, gentle toys for up dos and my soon-to-be silk pillowcase, and very sharp scissors for trims. :)

I haven't worked out exactly how I'm going to trim yet. I'm still trying to figure out a care routine and then I'm going to move on to a trim routine. I think my hair is going to need regular trims but I'll evaluate that when I get there. It will eventually need to be all one length but that's a couple months in the future.

You are exactly right about expectations. Thank you for your advice.

[newbeginning]

It looks a lot healthier in the second picture. I think you can grow it out but like others have said they'll be awkward stages and it'll take a lot of patience.

[holothuroidea]

It looks a lot healthier in the second picture. I think you can grow it out but like others have said they'll be awkward stages and it'll take a lot of patience.

Thank you!