Please don't judge me.

[Die]

I've been sick. Seriously sick. I am normally sick, but usually not this sick. It started on Christmas Day. I've been hospitalized twice (A day each time), I've had one surgery.

The reason this is relevant is because at Christmas time, my hair was to my waist, and when gathered in a single braid, as thick as my wrist.

But I was too sick to brush my hair. For about a month I was too sick to do even normal brushing. I braided my hair and twisted it up into buns, but it got worse and worse.

After a month the worst of the sickness was over, but I still wasn't "healthy." I was able to do basic "maintenance" brushing, but longer than five minutes, and I was exhausted. I washed it twice a week, and put conditioner in it, but I just wasn't up to brushing it. I twisted it up into a bun, jabbed a stick into it, and left it. Most people didn't notice how bad my hair was, and to be honest, I wasn't up for much socializing.

I've slowly been building up my strength over the last five months, two weeks ago I finally took on the project of brushing out all of the horrible tangles in my hair.

It was painful, but I did it. I had to work really hard to get out all of the "shed" hair that was trapped in the epic snarl. Toward the end, I sat in the tub, and poured water and conditioner on my hair over and over again while I got out the worst of the tangles that were set against the base of my scalp. I was pathetically happy when I touched my scalp with the comb for the first time. . .

So now it's detangled, clean, conditioned, oiled, and it smells good. It's soft, and split-end free. I'm scheduled for a cut of all the scraggly ends in three weeks.

But I've lost roughly five inches in length, and it's half as thick.

Seriously. My hair has NEVER been this thin.

I realize that I'm a disgusting person for ever letting it get that bad in the first place--trust me, I am disgusted with myself. I have re-dedicated myself to long hair, and hygiene.

But does anyone have tips for hair-care that might help my hair grow out faster?

I eat a pretty good diet--with all the blood-work I've had done, all my doctors are impressed with my nutrition. There were a few months where I couldn't eat much, but what I ate was balanced.

I plan on returning to my routine of a light coat of Moroccan oil after my hair is wet for any reason, and a heavy oil treatment (coconut oil) before washing it.

I plan on keeping up my washing and conditioning of my hair with a sulfide free shampoo and conditioner two or three times a week, as needed.

I will brush my hair with a wide tooth comb to detangle it when I get up in the morning, do about 50 strokes with a boar bristle brush at night, and de-tangle with my fingers when my hair is wet.

Is there anything else that I can do to recover from my stupidity?

Sadly, this is pretty much getting back into my normal routine for me. Do scalp massages really help?What about monistat?

[miss_asimov]

I don't think anyone will judge you for letting your hair routine slide when you were ill. Your health is paramount and if you were too exhausted, you were too exhausted. It is, after all the love and attention we give it, still only hair. Glad to hear you are feeling better and I am sure ladies with longer hair than myself can give you tips on how to spruce your mane back up. Just take it easy an don't be too hard on yourself! :flower:

[winship2]

Are you kidding me??? Who could judge someone who's been through such a difficult time? I'm new to longer hair myself, but I'm guessing other might say to practice all the good hair care habits you would anyway-- gentle washes as necessary, maybe CO, maybe CWC, whatever's right for you. Then careful detangling, the right oil, wearing it up; sock buns might help bulk your hair's appearance and be an easy, comfortable, protective updo. Ultrabella and many others swear by scalp massages, and there are articles in the articles section if you want technique advice. Maybe a trim to thicken yiur hemline if you would like. Otherwise, eat well, rest, and do all the things that are good for your whole body's health. Oh, and maybe an SMT? Perhaps a friend would help you woth that or even a henna treatment to shine and protect your hair. May your health continue to improve!

[Jing]

Dear me, you're certainly not a disgusting person for being too sick to care for your long hair. Since you want to regain your natural thickness rather than increase it, I don't think you really need to do anything but wait and treat your hair well, but if you're impatient, there are threads on (off the top of my head) castor oil, monistat, rooibos, essential oils, scalp massages, horse shampoo, and cassia (and other things) that either increase growth (speed or new hairs) or reduce shedding. Or both. All of them work well, but not for everyone. Monistat is one that seems to often cause people to shed a lot once they stop using it, so it might not be your best option.

[henné]

Nobody will judge you. Maybe some stupid insensitive people would - but to those you should never apologize.

I had a huge 'natural dreadlock' form in the undergrowth and I just ended up cutting it off ... now I have a layer of short hair that is barely shoulder length under my nearly waist length hair :rolleyes: and guess what - I don't even think it's that strange or weird or gross - it just happens sometimes (this is the second time for me and the first time I cut it off too - it hurt too much and just wasn't worth the bother). I have a one year old and some days I don't even look in the mirror, so what.

I'd say - having a good nutrition, maybe adding more biotin and silica (hair supplements) and oiling at least once a week + massage will help your hair, but I personally do not for a second believe in any 'magical' hair solutions. Good luck!

[spidermom]

What an ordeal!
I have no good suggestions for increasing hair growth, though.

[Die]

Supplements ordered. I take prenatal vitamins, but I also ordered a biotin, silica, and L-cysteine supplement to complement it.

Thanks. Sorry. My sisters lecture me about this kind of stuff. Or maybe they just love me, worry about me, and don't want to admit how sick I am. My husband has volunteered to brush my hair for me the next time I get that sick. This is a really big sacrifice for him, because he's terrified of touching my hair, other than to run his fingers through it or to pet it. And I had to coax him into doing that. He never had sisters and none of his brothers had even "longish" hair. He's always afraid of hurting my hair or pulling it and causing me pain. We've been together for 12 years. I thought it was really sweet the first time he came up behind me while I was playing on the computer and played with my hair. He loves my hair.

Of course he has lied his @$$ off and told me that he thought I would look better with short hair and he likes short hair the time that my head-aches were debilitating, and it needed to be cut. He cajoled me into that barber's chair over the course of weeks, and lied for all he was worth about how my hair looked "so much better" after.

Now the head-aches aren't a problem because I can wear my hair down when I want to. So my hair is long again. Or it used to be before this.

But my husband is being sweet and lying to me. "Your hair looks beautiful."

My stylist (I love her, and would sacrifice small animals on a shrine to her if she would let me. She's very Christian, though, so I doubt that would fly.), however has shaken her head and said "We'll do what we can to cut off the minimum to get the split ends and even the 'hem-line.' It's not horrible, but it's not as beautiful as it was. It should recover pretty quickly though." And she referred me a to a nurse-practicioner who could get me on a regiment of supplements for my hair and skin.