Is it possible....

[going gray]

I've FINALLY make a decision to stop coloring my hair & getting it washed & blown straight each week. After over 25 years of this, it's certainly time! Since menopause, I've lost about one-third of the volume of hair, especially in the back! Just hope it doesn't get any worse!

My question to you very knowledgable ladies, is it possible that since I've stopped the torture of my locks, could I maybe see my return of some of my volume, even if it's slight? I used to literally curse my full thick head of hair back in the day, what a foo, just grateful now I had that hair!!!

Thank you for all your help & encouragement, it's SO much appreciated.....

[jacqueline101]

You might be able to get what you've lost back.

[Madora]

You might try a little scalp massage every day, bent at the waist, or lying on your bed with your head over the edge of the bed.

Grasp your scalp with your fingerpads and work from the front hairline to the back, and from crown to nape. You'll find it easier to manipulate your scalp while the head is down, rather than massaging in the upright position.

Treating your hair gently will certainly help it regain its health. Try and avoid blow frying/hot curlers/straighteners/bleaching.

Use hair friendly products and elastics.

You might also like to try using a silk pillowcase to protect those delicate ends at night.

Wearing your hair up will definitely help protect it as you grow it out.

Small trims every 3 to 4 months might be a good idea, with interludes of S and Ding (Search and Destroying split ends) in between (be SURE your shears are SHARP!)

As the shorter hairs grow longer, they will help "thicken up" your hair volume. It just takes a lot of patience and TLC while waiting for those hairs to grow.

Some folks here have benefitted from using castor oil to help hair growth.

Good luck!

[spidermom]

I think it's possible you might regain some thickness. Fingers crossed!

[going gray]

Thanks ladies, you are the best!!!

[Torrin Paige]

It'll come back - at least a decent portion of it will. However, you need to be prepared for the new growth "fly-aways" that you'll have. My mom had this happen to her. After many moons of outright torture, she decided to leave it straight and beautiful and in about 4 months she noticed an appalling amount of "fuzz" like a halo. I told her that was her hair growing back and to just put a dab or two of oil on it and she'd be fine. She IS fine...and her hair is now 3/4 of the thickness she had in her youth - since it was about 1/4 - that's a very good thing. :) (P.S. My Mom's 52 and is aiming for classic. I could not be more proud of her.)

[SchnauzerMom]

I hope that you get some of the thickness back. Taking better care of it is bound to help.

[BlazingHeart]

I'll second Torrin and say you're likely to get a bit of a halo. I prefer a dab of pomade to tame my halo, oil really doesn't cut it for me. In a pinch, you can use a bit of lip balm (especially if you've got a cocoa butter or beeswax based balm) - just rub a bit on one hand, warm it between your hands, and smooth over your hair.

~Blaze

[Kelikea]

My mom is close to your age and she still has a full, thick head of hair that grows pretty quickly. She is even surprised at how fast it grows. She only started having wavy hair after menopause, in her younger years her hair was very straight. This is a pic from last fall, she says her hair is now at her bu** crack.
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=9576&pictureid=124158

Hopefully your loss of volume was just from stress, either emotional or the physical stress of blow drying. With some tlc, it should come back better than ever. Happy Growing!

[proo]

Oh yeah, it'll be back with a vengeance.
But you'll have to endure the purgatory of growing out damage.
Could take awhile.
Time to learn protective updos and involved yerself with displacement activities for a couple of years.

[going gray]

Thank you lovely ladies for the replies. Now that I'm much older, my hair is even MORE important to me! It's our crowning glory after all!