What do you think?

[Pixna]

I'm at a crossroads with my hair and feeling kinda down about it. I've been wearing it up daily for the past few years, and I like that look on me. However, I've been shedding a TON, and I've wondered whether wearing my hair up all the time is contributing to that. So yesterday I did a light hemline reshaping to go from blunt to mild U-shaped (since I don't want to take off much length, I didn't go crazy, and I'm not sure anyone could tell the difference, but I can), and am trying to wear my hair au naturel -- no combing except right after I wash and condish, and no leave-in (except Kimberlily's DeFrizz Spray).

Without combing, my hair seems much flatter and thinner (because when I comb out the waves it gets straighter and fluffy, making it look thicker than it really is), but my waves clump together and are more apparent. (Bunning kills my waves.) What do you think? Does my hair look weird (ugly) or okay down like this?

If it's passable, I'd really like to try wearing it down most of the time. My hope it that it will look better like this once it gets longer. Opinions? (Please don't be too brutal -- I'm already feeling inadequate as it is.)

http://i715.photobucket.com/albums/ww160/Pixna/Photoon2011-11-18at0853-1.jpg

[indiana]

Your hair is so pretty. I wish I had those waves! Wear it down and enjoy it!!!!!

[AndreaPetrea]

I really can't see any weirdness - I think your hair looks good :)

[Annalouise]

Hi Pixna!
I love your hair its gorgeous! It looks fantastic.
I'm sorry to hear your having hair loss though...that is a drag.
I think people should not comb their hair while its wet because when I do that I loose a lot of hair.

Also, I would switch shampoo and conditioner. Just in case it is somehow contributing. I always think a person should stop doing what they are doing if they start to lose a lot of hair. And do something different. See if the shedding rate slows when you change products. I think that natural products are not always well forumlated, and A.O. does not have a lot of preservatives and I have noticed that they go rancid pretty fast. That is why they put SOO much scent in them is because they start to go rancid fast.


Make sure you are not eating Gluten!:D And take vitamins.

[LaceyNg]

i totally agree! your hair's beautiful! not too thin at all! be proud of that hair! :)

[katienoonan]

They're so soft and shiny... there may be more curl in there than you think.. try plopping (the curly girl method)

I know you may not believe me, but I have no reason to lie or embellish.. your hair is beautiful, and I genuinely think many of us here on the LHC have a specified body-dysmorphic view of our hair... It is stunning, you have nothing to worry about :crush:

[Pixna]

Indiana: Thank you! Your bun is HUGE ... and gorgeous!

AndreaPetrea: I appreciate your comment. My main concern is that my hair looks stringy (aka ugly). :shrug:

Annalouise: Thank you for those suggestions. I'll give another shampoo and condish a try. Any suggestions? I'm definitely not having ANY gluten (I'm totally gluten-free), and I'm taking my vitamins (I'm a good girl :D).

[duchesswannabe]

I'm at a crossroads with my hair and feeling kinda down about it. I've been wearing it up daily for the past few years, and I like that look on me. However, I've been shedding a TON, and I've wondered whether wearing my hair up all the time is contributing to that. So yesterday I did a light hemline reshaping to go from blunt to mild U-shaped (since I don't want to take off much length, I didn't go crazy, and I'm not sure anyone could tell the difference, but I can), and am trying to wear my hair au naturel -- no combing except right after I wash and condish, and no leave-in (except Kimberlily's DeFrizz Spray).

Without combing, my hair seems much flatter and thinner (because when I comb out the waves it gets straighter and fluffy, making it look thicker than it really is), but my waves clump together and are more apparent. (Bunning kills my waves.) What do you think? Does my hair look weird (ugly) or okay down like this?

If it's passable, I'd really like to try wearing it down most of the time. My hope it that it will look better like this once it gets longer. Opinions? (Please don't be too brutal -- I'm already feeling inadequate as it is.)

http://i715.photobucket.com/albums/ww160/Pixna/Photoon2011-11-18at0853-1.jpg

Frankly, your hair is enviable. I see nothing wrong with it; you live with it every day, so naturally you going to see things that others may not see. We all wish our hair would "do" or "be" a different way, when others may have the opposite opinion. A friend of mind did not understand why I would complain about my hair (she has a completely different hair type) until my aunt, who I resemble somewhat, explained to her the trials of our hair type. I laughed inwardly when auntie told my friend that conditioner could make thick hair feel "like a wet noodle." (I believe it was still the eighties when everyone wanted curl to their hair; I used to use large foam rollers, and my mom herself used to complain that her hair wouldn't curl as much after having used conditioner.) That's not to say don't use conditioner; I have changed my ways! My hair will wave a little because I get good haircuts from my hairdresser, even when I want to maintain long hair.

[Pixna]

Lacey: You're so sweet. Thanks!

Katie: I've tried plopping before and could never get the hang of it. I've also tried Curly Girl methods and using product, and it just drives me crazy. That's why I thought I'd try just going natural. I probably do have some dysmorphic view of my hair, but when I wear it wavy/curly, it just looks so straggly to me, and I wonder if it looks like that to everyone else, too. Thank you so much for your kind words and support!

[ellen732]

I think your hair is very pretty. You should wear it down.

[holothuroidea]

I recognize you as the starter of the "Super-shorties" thread and the length of your hair makes me very happy! :D

Your wave pattern is beautiful in that picture, I love it! I love the hemline, too, it's very soft and feminine. I do see a lot of what I will call curl-flyaways, is this frizz? Sorry, I'm completely ignorant on the subject but it does look a little messy.

I'm sure there are ways to tame it without breaking up your gorgeous waves and I hope some curlies will come and give you tons of advice. :) I would definitely wear it down, though, it's very pretty.

[Pixna]

Thank you, Duchess. I'm sure I do zero in on things others don't see. (But they sure seem very real to me!)

Ellen, I appreciate your encouragement!

[Pixna]

Hi, holothuroidea! Yep, I'm the starter of that thread. Goodness, it seems like ages ago that I thought of myself as a super-shortie, but it really has only been a few years. Yes, my hair is frizzy -- always has been. I'm a major frizzball. The only way for me to manage the frizz is to comb my hair. It's definitely a Catch-22. I'm glad the hemline looks okay. It's a bit wonky in the photo. Soft and feminine is good, though -- thank you!

[holothuroidea]

My main concern is that my hair looks stringy (aka ugly). :shrug:

It doesn't look stringy at all!


I've also tried Curly Girl methods and using product, and it just drives me crazy. That's why I thought I'd try just going natural.

Have you tried aloe gel? I used to use it to calm my flyaways and it worked really well for me.

[luluj]

Pixna, you have one of the most enviable heads of hair on this forum, it is long, wavy/wurly and the color is beautiful! I have followed your growth journey since I joined TLHC in August of 2009 and you and your tresses have been such an inspiration to me. :crush:

Sorry for my brutal honesty, I just had to say how I feel. :D:p

[SpinDance]

Pixna, your hair is beautiful. I wouldn't be at all surprised if you couldn't do the curly girl type stuff to increase your waves/curl even more. I wish I had as much wave as you. I get the fuller after I comb, but my wave interval is longer and starts lower. It feels weird and looks different to let it go into the natural sections at first, and without the random distribution of each wave of each hair it seems to be 'thinner' when in fact there are still the same number of hairs, doing the same things, just together instead of all over the place.

A number of people have mentioned seasonal shed, perhaps you are having one? Or if you had something stressful happen a few months ago this could be a side effect of that.

Wear your hair down if you are comfortable doing so, it's stunning. Just remember that you'll get mechanical damage from doing that, so you may not get as much length increase as you would wearing it up. It's your hair, though, wear it like you want!

[vanity_acefake]

I think your hair is beautiful. I totally sympathise with your shedding worry. I've lost 1" from my ponytail circumference with shedding due to anaemia. I'm on a mega dose of iron from dr and I take MSM and silica which seems to have helped.

[Madora]

Pixna, your hair looks lovely with all those waves.

How you wear your hair is up to you. Just remember that wearing it down means tangles to deal with afterwards, and that usually leads to breakage of some sort.

Congratulations on your progress!

[Pixna]

holothuroidea, yes, I've used aloe gel, and that's what's in the Kimberlilly's DeFrizz Spray. If I use to much aloe, though, then my hair starts to look greasy. Good suggestion, though -- thanks!

Lulu, you are the best! I can't imagine my hair being an inspiration to anyone, so your comment really surprised and delighted me! I esp. appreciate that coming from you, since I admire your curls so much.

SpinDance, I keep hoping it's a seasonal shed, but the season seems to go on and on. I don't think I have any health issues (my blood work, including thyroid panel, came back fine). I've always shed quite a bit, but it just seems/feels like more lately. Maybe that's because it's getting longer so the strands are longer and just look like more hair. Or maybe it's because I'm getting older. I dunno. My hair does feel thinner to me, though. I do worry about mechanical damage wearing it down, but I worry about hair loss wearing it up. Six of one, half a dozen of the other I suppose. I'm pretty careful, though. And combing seems to do more damage or at least pull out more hairs (no matter how gentle I am -- and I'm always super gentle and my Madora comb is as smooth as can be). So maybe, if I'm lucky, this will be better for my hair in the long run (if I can tolerate how it looks).

[Yozhik]

Pixna, truly, sincerely, I think your hair is very beautiful! :flowers:

Your wave pattern and curl and color all contribute in an elegant and classic overall look. I would definitely encourage you to wear it down if that is what you want to do, and I think it looks beautiful down.

Also, I'm wondering if you don't have more curl than a 2b. I consider my hair to be 2b/c, but it has fewer, more spread-out waves than yours. From that picture it definitely looks as though you have spirals forming. :)

[Daisygc]

I think your hair looks lovely, it's a great length too :)

[Pixna]

Thank you, Vanity. I'm sorry to hear you've been going through quite a shed too! It's the pits, isn't it?! I hope yours improves soon.

I'm going to see how the tangles go, Madora. I might possibly have fewer tangles than when I comb my hair straight. I'm not going to deal with them until the next wash day, when I am slathered in conditioner. That will be the moment of truth. :)

[Pixna]

Yozhik, you are so kind. I do indeed have some spirals. But my wave/wurl pattern is so wonky. There's no rhyme or reason to it. One part of my head is so different from another part. Whenever I start thinking of myself as a curly girl, I start to get into trouble, because then I try all kinds of products and techniques my hair never ends up being actually curly. Then I get disappointed and frustrated and depressed. But you're right, I'm probably closer to a 2c than I'm comfortable admitting, if that makes any sense.

Thanks, Daisygc. I'm hoping it will get a LOT longer (and real soon, but that's wishful thinking).

[Mannaz]

That colour...those waves...that texture...your hair is very beautiful, definitely wear it down more if it makes you happy, I know I would! Maybe try half-up's too?

[Yozhik]

FWIW, Pixna, I don't really treat my hair as if it's curly; I don't really think that 2s need to unless they want to enhance their curls. :)

My routine is really basic: SLS shampoo with a heavy, non-cone conditioner, then either gently detangle while wet (to get straight hair) or leave to dry naturally (to get wavier hair). I also sometimes add coconut oil to the ends. :)

This seems to work fine for me, and if I want more waves, I'll add either coconut oil or aloe vera on damp hair. If I want straighter hair, I brush and go. :)

[Pixna]

Thanks, Mannaz. I just might try some half-ups! :)

Yozhik, I appreciate what you said. I find that when I treat my hair as if it's curly, it gets less so (strangely enough) and frizzier. Do you really use a shampoo with SLS? I'm surprised. Do you have a particular brand that you like? We do have that advantage of having wavy or straighter hair, whichever we're in the mood for. I'm really trying to embrace my waves, at least for the moment. I just wish my hair were longer, as I think the waves might look better (but I don't want to wait till then to free them).

[Amber_Maiden]

I think your hair is lovely! Wear it down!!

[Pixna]

:) Much appreciated, Amber Maiden!

[moxamoll]

I think your hair is simply lovely. I wish mine had any kind of curl so that it would form defined sections like yours! LOL It's not lumpy - it's visually interesting!! Enjoy it.:agree:

[starshade]

Hi Pixna,
As everyone here has already said- you have lovely hair, it looks thick to me, despite your shed. I believe some people go through a shed during specific seasonal phases, or it could be some diet deficiency or simply stress. You would know best, and you could rectify the cause.
That apart, your natural wave pattern is so pretty. The plopping method will make it even nicer, it's worked for me, making it far less frizzy than before, but with nicely defined curls. All I do is rub my curl-defining cream into my hair, comb through with a wide-tooth comb, scrunch and then plop for about 15mins. There are youtube videos explaining the plopping, which is how I figured out what to do. Though my hair is nowhere close to as long as yours. It is way frizzier than yours without this routine though!
I don't every comb or brush my hair when it's dry, except when I do a heavy oiling.
I'm constantly amazed by all the beautiful hair I keep seeing on LHC, yours included, I couldn't imagine you being unhappy with it :)

[Yozhik]

Yozhik, I appreciate what you said. I find that when I treat my hair as if it's curly, it gets less so (strangely enough) and frizzier. Do you really use a shampoo with SLS? I'm surprised. Do you have a particular brand that you like? We do have that advantage of having wavy or straighter hair, whichever we're in the mood for. I'm really trying to embrace my waves, at least for the moment. I just wish my hair were longer, as I think the waves might look better (but I don't want to wait till then to free them).

I do use SLS, although for a year or so I went off it in favor of shampoo bars. When I buy a new shampoo, I think I'll go for a low-sulfate option (one I'm using is a couple of years old), but not completely SLS free, because I get frustrated with SLS-free shampoo and always end up using too much. What I use is the Suave tropical coconut shampoo, and I try to dilute it (but just in my hands with some water).

If you're frustrated with your own wave pattern at your current length, you could try damp braiding. I find with our hairtype I can easily get my hair to "set" with curls/waves. :flower:

[pepperminttea]

Your hair is amazing. :crush: If it were on my head, I wouldn't feel a jot of worry about how it looked down. And I have to agree with Yozhik, there's definitely a case to be made for your hairtype being nearer 2c than 2b. Beautiful wurls!

ps. Wouldn't "stringiness" be a good thing for wurly hair? So the curls and waves clump together nicely and look defined? :)

[Pixna]

moxamoll, I like that -- "visually interesting." Well, that it is! :)

Starshade, I'll see if I can find a good video on plopping and try it again. I appreciate your comments -- it's always good to get input and advice from someone in the same general hair-type category. What brand of curl-defining cream do you use?

Thanks, Yozhik. That's a good point about damp braiding -- our hair type can hold various patterns. For now, I'd like to explore my natural waves, but if I get frustrated, I might give that try. Thanks for the suggestion. I'm also going to look into some alternative shampoos.

You are very kind, pepperminttea. Yes, "stringiness" does go along with this hair type. It's just SUCH a switch for me, since I'm used to combing out my waves and not having it be so piecey. It's a bit of a psychological adjustment, and I'm not sure I'm seeing my hair as others might be.

[girlcat36]

OMG!!!!! Your hair is beautiful!!! I remember when it was neck length, and it doesn't seem like that long ago!

[bunzfan]

I had no idea your hair was so beautiful:crush: it doesn't look thin at all to me it looks lovely and thick wish my wave patten was as lovely as yours.

I have wavy hair and even though i would love to wear it down it tangles terribly and yours is much longer than mine, if it makes you happy to wear it down just do it and the end of the day we have to do what makes us happy. Maybe you think its shedding a lot because you wear it up so much:shrug:

[starshade]

You're most welcome!
As for the brand I use, I live in India where there isn't a lot of choice for the curly-haired, but the one I've been using, which I'm reasonable happy with is Cottonseed Curl Boost by TBS. I also sometimes add a teensy bit of coconut oil to it if the weather is really dry and that helps as well.
I'm a 3a apparently, but I looked more like a really frizzy 2b/2c before I started caring for my curls.

[lapushka]

Those waves are amazing. :D

[Pixna]

Girlcat, I'm so glad you responded here. I know -- it seems like just yesterday that I was a super-shortie, doesn't it?! I'd really love to know what your full routine is, since I know you go pretty natural too. Which shampoo and condish do you use? Do you plop? Do you use any leave-in? I adore your curls and aspire to have them (though I don't think my hair is quite as curly as yours).

bunzfan, your message was so uplifting -- thank you!! Yes, my thought is that maybe wearing it up so much is contributing the excessive shedding. It really seems so thin to me (in person), but I'm glad it looks thicker in the photo! :)

Starshade, I'm going to have to look for some special products (since I don't believe the ones you use are sold here, but I'll scout around). It's really interesting how caring for your curls made your hair less frizzy and more curly. Maybe I'll have the same luck! (I hope, I hope!)

lapushka, thank you, thank you!

[pinupdancer]

My gosh, seriously I would give anything for waves like yours. Your hair is beautiful, don't worry. :)

[Pixna]

Thanks so much, pinupdancer!

[jacqueline101]

I think your hair is pretty.

[lizdini]

I think it looks wonderful!

[torrilin]

You've got really lovely hair :). Lots of wave definition! The only thing that worries me is this:


However, I've been shedding a TON, and I've wondered whether wearing my hair up all the time is contributing to that.

After all, hair is a barometer of our general health, and at this point your hair has been long for a while, and you're pretty used to the amount you'd shed from wearing it up. So this makes me wonder if maybe something is medically wrong? The other posters are right that it could be a seasonal shed, or a bit random. But if it seems rather new and sudden, I'd definitely check with a doctor. Especially if you've noticed any other changes, like softer nails or being tired more than usual.

I'm looking at a similar thing myself. For pretty much my entire adult life, my ribcage has measured 33". I'm not one to play games with the tape measure, and I've got a pretty good record of my measurements from about age 14 on... and just this week I took another set just to be sure before ordering clothes, and I came out 32". It was a real eep moment, since bones are not supposed to shrink, and my ribs contain important things like my LUNGS. I'm definitely seeing a doctor if there is any more shrinkage in that area. Lungs are important. I like my lungs!

[Pixna]

Thanks, Jacqueline and Lizdini!

Torrilin, I appreciate your reply. I've been a heavy shedder for a long time -- it's not really new. But my hair does seem thinner to me. I've had a recent checkup, and everything seems fine, so I don't think it's my health (my age, maybe, but not my health). A shrinking rib cage would concern me, but maybe it's the flesh (weight loss) and not the bone that's shrinking?

[AndreaPetrea]

Indiana: Thank you! Your bun is HUGE ... and gorgeous!

AndreaPetrea: I appreciate your comment. My main concern is that my hair looks stringy (aka ugly). :shrug:

Annalouise: Thank you for those suggestions. I'll give another shampoo and condish a try. Any suggestions? I'm definitely not having ANY gluten (I'm totally gluten-free), and I'm taking my vitamins (I'm a good girl :D).

Oops, late reply, but no, it doesn't look stringy at all! I would love to have hair like yours :o

[BlazingHeart]

The combination of length, color and waves is both striking and beautiful.

[girlcat36]

Pixna, I am just amazed at your hair. The length and the wave pattern, why have you been hiding this hair from us? I agree with the others that you might have more curl than you realize.

My routine:
I avoid cones like the plague. I try to avoid sulfates as well.
My hair is fine so I need to use shampoo, but I dilute it quite a bit with water. I never use a conditioner that is advertised as a'leave-in'(too many cones in those), but I always put regular conditioner in my hair as a 'leave-in'.
My conditioners: Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose, Biolage Conditioning Balm, VO5 Blackberry Sage Tea
When I wash I coat the length in VO5 condish, let it sit, then pour diluted shampoo over my head, rinse, then comb through one of the heavier conditioners as a leave-in. I drip dry, plopping doesn't work out too well for me, but I think you ought to give it a try.
I tend not to use styling products because my hair is so fine they build up on it, but if you want to try a curl enhancing cream two I have had luck with are Sebastion Potion 9, and AG Re:coil.

I have to clarify every 2-3 weeks, my hair builds up quickly even though I am cone-free. Build up causes curls to go flat. I use baking soda to clarify, but that seems pretty controversial here at LHC.
For oiling I use coconut oil(mostly in summer), olive oil, and castor oil. I don't oil as often as I hould out of laziness.

I have been experimenting with adding olive oil to my conditioner lately(just a teeny bit!).

I hope you try to encourage more curl; can't wait to see more pics!

[girlcat36]

Oops, I'm just reading that you are gluten-free so perhaps my product suggestions won't work for you!

[jeanniet]

Pixna, seems like I've been waiting forever to see a new hair pic from you. I can't believe how much more length you've gotten! It looks fabulous, really. I think as you go along with having it down you'll start figuring it out better (I mean as opposed to having it up, which obviously is a whole different thing in terms of styling and how you look at yourself). You kind of have to get used to wearing it down if you've been in the habit of having it up all the time. I try to wear my hair down at home so I don't get too much stress on it from updos. Hard to find a balance, isn't it?

And does this mean you'll be selling more of your fabulous collection? :eyebrows:

[Lissandria]

Gorgeous hair!

[Pixna]

AndreaPetrea, that's quite a compliment -- thanks so much!

You are so very generous, BlazingHeart. Thank you!

Girlcat, you are so incredibly sweet. I appreciate the details of your routine! It's really rockin' for you, and I hope I can find something similar that works for me too. Truth be told, I'm really lazy in terms of spending a lot of time on my hair, so I need something pretty basic: shampoo, conditioner, and preferably just one product after that. I believe you're right that I might have more curl than I realize. But I've spent so much time in the past (and money on products) to coax it out that I'm not sure I'm willing to invest that again. What you see now might be the best I've got. :smirk: But, I'd really appreciate any and all encouragement and mentoring you can give me!

jeanniet, you sweetie, you! You're so right that it's going to be an adjustment seeing myself this way, and figuring out a new routine, etc. I hadn't thought about the "psychological" affects of such a drastic change in my appearance. I'm sure it will take me a little while to get used to it. And, figures you'd ask about my hair-toy collection! :gabigrin: If/when I'm ready to part with more, you'll be tops on my list of inheritors!

Thank you, Lissandria! :)

[Pixna]

Well, I went to a business party last night, and two of my colleagues told me (unsolicited!) that my hair had gotten SO long since they last saw me, and that they really, really liked it. One of them said it twice and told me that it really suited me well -- she loved it. I couldn't believe it! This is a very attractive woman with naturally curly hair (and the other woman has gorgeous long red hair, also naturally curly). I was thrilled beyond belief. It's so rare to get a compliment out of the blue, and this was particularly amazing, since I was feeling so down and unsure about my hair. Just wanted to share! :D

[jeanniet]

That's great! Just goes to show how different perspectives can be. I hope this made you feel a lot better about having your hair down. Personally I think that wearing hair as many different ways as you can (including down) is probably the best because it avoids wear patterns, so it'll be interesting to see what your results are down the road.

[papera]

Pixna, you have gorgeous hair, no need to worry that it looks ugly or something unreasonable like that :D I really love your waves/ curls!!
If you have the feeling they look stringy, maybe just pamper them a bit more, e.g. oil them, use hair masks or anything else that you think may do good to your hair! Or just decorate them with a nice hair toy. Put simply, just enjoy your hair!! :D
(if you have an aloe vera plant you can make one of the best moisturizing hair masks with it!! simply cut a bit of a leave, remove the inner gel of the leave and mix it with a conditioner or hair mask of your choice, leave it for 30min to 1hour, rinse it and then enjoy the softness of your waves! dunno if this works with the gel though ...)

[Pixna]

Hi, jeanniet. That's good advice. I've worn my hair up for so long over the past few years, that I'm really starting to enjoy it being down (though it's only been a couple days). I'm wearing kind of "free form," so I don't think I'll run into any wear patterns. If it seems like I am, I'll try to move it around a little before it dries so it won't fall into the same pattern over and over.

Thanks, papera. I do use aloe in several different ways, though I don't have my own plant (I use organic aloe gel). If I use too much of it, though, it leaves my hair flat, greasy-looking, and lifeless, so I need to be very sparing when I apply it.

[weddy]

I have cousins with straight, silky hair, and they were always touching me and my brother's hair (my brother says he didn't mind, because it felt like a head massage LOL). I'm sure they'd be playing in your gorgeous hair if they could, with it being so thick and looking so soft ^_^

[Pixna]

That's so sweet of you to say, Weddy. Thanks so much! (And welcome to LHC!)