I am ITCHING to cut

[madamdot]

OK, I dont know what is happening with me but I am itching to lop my hair off. Maybe a bob up to my chin.

I am so frustrated with my thin ends. BTW I know cutting them wont make my hair thicker since I have done this before and I am where I was before (please see siggy photo . . . I trimmed aggressively for about a year after taking that photo and my hair looks the way it does in the photo just a little bit longer). I know what I am suppose to do is ignore it, keep my hair healthy and when it is ready it will catch up to itself. Thank God I have a stylist who will check 3 or 4 times before cutting.

Maybe its the new year and wanting something new that is making me feel this way.

Please talk me out of it

PS. I got some wigs and ordered the wrong color. Maybe what I should do is get moving and order to the right color and put my hair out of sight.

 

[BlkOnyx488]

Cut up the wig first. I get frustrated with my ends as well keeping them out of sight does help. You have droil worty hair!

 

[Guitarhero]

DON'T DO IT! I know exactly how you feel and I almost did the same this past week. What I did was buy some castor oil and I'm going to check how much faster it pushes out my hair. Hold on!!! Cuz I do know how nice bobs feel...it's addicting and just what I said I would never do again. It's so tempting!

 

[SmileyNY]

I know it's frustrating, but you already know that cutting won't help. Healthy hair doesn't mean thick blunt ends for everyone.


Sent from my iPhone.

 

[Nonie]

OP, you say you trimmed aggressively but your ends never got better. The only way I can see this happening is if you were not removing the damaged ends with each trim but where taking off just part of the damage and leaving some to continue to wreck havoc on your ends. Once damage has set in, sometimes a dusting or a small trim will not "cut it" (pun intended). If you cut at C, notice how much damage you leave behind on all the strands? You'd have to cut way to the left of A to even have a prayer that you have gotten rid of splits:

You need to make a big cut. I usually dust 1/4 inch or so every 8 weeks and when I went just 4 months (double the time w/o dusting) I didn't just take off double the usual, ie 1/2 inch. Noooooooo....I had to take of 2 whole inches to get rid of the damaged hair and see my hair thrive.

I don't know who started the rumor that hair catches up. "Lead hairs" are BS. All hairs continue to grow at the same rate (meaning the long skinny ones continue to grow too) and what happens is because they have been growing the longest, they shed and are gone or they break off because worn ends are so weak they have one foot in the grave. So then what you're left with is the shorter hairs which continue to grow along with the ones that just lost their weak ends...and the fullness you see is simply the same thing that you'd have seen if you'd just cut off the weak ends. The difference between letting nature take it's course and cutting with a sharp pair of scissor is the former means, you end up with rugged ends that will continue to previous damage. If you use sharp scissors, you leave a strong end that isn't so easy to start wearing away.

If I were you, I'd get a good cut. Not a baby one, but one that leaves you with strands that are the same thickness from base to ends like I did here:

Another thing to consider too is what it is you do that may be making the wear/tear happen faster--if that's the case. Do you use heat a lot? Do you use brushes? Do you wear your hair down all the time? Also once you make this cut, you must MAINTAIN your ends. That means not waiting till you see damage before you consider trimming, but trimming before damage happens. When you trim before you see damage, you create a strong end that isn't frayed and that is harder to wear down. So you give your strands some strength and you help with retention.

The one thing you need to realize is hair isn't made of steel. It's delicate and will wear and tear whether you like it or not as long as it continues to be organic. The ends are the oldest part and will be the first to be worn out. And just like a tear notch, splits make tearing up the strands so much easier. If you cut them off, you will save your hair, and the sooner you get to them, the more likely you will prevent further damage of your hair.

 

[Chaosbutterfly]

^ Normally, I would agree but idk...since she already spent a year cutting and a year later, it's the same, maybe that's seriously just how her hair grows.
Her hair is nice and she's been here for a while, so it's not like she doesn't know how to take care of hair. And I'm sure that not everyone' hair grows at the same rate all over their heads all the time.

 

[madamdot]

Cut up the wig first. I get frustrated with my ends as well keeping them out of sight does help. You have droil worty hair!

Aww thanks! I feel like its not as pretty as it looks in the pretty. But I am definitely going to get a wig and be serious about it.

 

[madamdot]

DON'T DO IT! I know exactly how you feel and I almost did the same this past week. What I did was buy some castor oil and I'm going to check how much faster it pushes out my hair. Hold on!!! Cuz I do know how nice bobs feel...it's addicting and just what I said I would never do again. It's so tempting!

Guitarhero The castor oil is a very good idea (I'd forgotton about that). It's the best non-smelly oil that will help keep it out of sight and hopefully give it something to work with. I appreciate the help.

 

[madamdot]

OP, you say you trimmed aggressively but your ends never got better. The only way I can see this happening is if you were not removing the damaged ends with each trim but where taking off just part of the damage and leaving some to continue to wreck havoc on your ends. Once damage has set in, sometimes a dusting or a small trim will not "cut it" (pun intended). If you cut at C, notice how much damage you leave behind on all the strands? You'd have to cut way to the left of A to even have a prayer that you have gotten rid of splits:

You need to make a big cut. I usually dust 1/4 inch or so every 8 weeks and when I went just 4 months (double the time w/o dusting) I didn't just take off double the usual, ie 1/2 inch. Noooooooo....I had to take of 2 whole inches to get rid of the damaged hair and see my hair thrive.

I don't know who started the rumor that hair catches up. "Lead hairs" are BS. All hairs continue to grow at the same rate (meaning the long skinny ones continue to grow too) and what happens is because they have been growing the longest, they shed and are gone or they break off because worn ends are so weak they have one foot in the grave. So then what you're left with is the shorter hairs which continue to grow along with the ones that just lost their weak ends...and the fullness you see is simply the same thing that you'd have seen if you'd just cut off the weak ends. The difference between letting nature take it's course and cutting with a sharp pair of scissor is the former means, you end up with rugged ends that will continue to previous damage. If you use sharp scissors, you leave a strong end that isn't so easy to start wearing away.

If I were you, I'd get a good cut. Not a baby one, but one that leaves you with strands that are the same thickness from base to ends like I did here:

Another thing to consider too is what it is you do that may be making the wear/tear happen faster--if that's the case. Do you use heat a lot? Do you use brushes? Do you wear your hair down all the time? Also once you make this cut, you must MAINTAIN your ends. That means not waiting till you see damage before you consider trimming, but trimming before damage happens. When you trim before you see damage, you create a strong end that isn't frayed and that is harder to wear down. So you give your strands some strength and you help with retention.

The one thing you need to realize is hair isn't made of steel. It's delicate and will wear and tear whether you like it or not as long as it continues to be organic. The ends are the oldest part and will be the first to be worn out. And just like a tear notch, splits make tearing up the strands so much easier. If you cut them off, you will save your hair, and the sooner you get to them, the more likely you will prevent further damage of your hair.

Nonie I made a big cut and little cuts (I am at the point in my hair journey that I dont really worry about length so much). I've grown it long already so I know I can do it (if that makes sense). Anyway I tried the smaller cuts and was not getting the results so I made some BIG ones and I loved it initially. I made sure to trim for every relaxer for a year after that and here I am. I didnt get a trim the last time (3 weeks ago)because I was peeved that when I do cut I end up in the exact same spot. Even my darn bangs grow like this.

I left out a little bit of information - I have Hashimoto's disease and I think it makes my hair extra thin. This is another reason my hair is not longer I cut a lot of it when I was really sick - this disease is a BEAST. I watch it like a hawk because if I shed more than the normal amount I know my meds are off. But I dont know why it would make my hair grew so unevenly. It's been a while since I have had any of that kind of trouble. Maybe it just hasnt recovered all the way as yet. It does catch up to itself (I know you dont agree with this) but in the meantime I DONT want to see.

I dont use heat or brush or anything like that. I dont wear my hair down because I mostly dont care for it. I do low manipulation. My hair is not damaged. My stylists even agrees with me on this and you know how they are (although to be fair she is not an overly agressive cutter). Trust me, I cant baby this thing anymore.

I guess I started this thread to work out my frustration. I know what will happen is: I will cut my hair to a bob and in a year I will be back here saying the same thing because it has happened before.

I henna (which helps with thickness) and take chlorella (though not for hair).

I get so jealous of the big beautiful hair I see here all the time.

 

[Guitarhero]

Nonie

What brand of scissors do you recommend? I'm due for a dusting and I know the cheap ones can further fray the ends. I need to invest in a good pair of sheers.

 

[madamdot]

^ Normally, I would agree but idk...since she already spent a year cutting and a year later, it's the same, maybe that's seriously just how her hair grows.
Her hair is nice and she's been here for a while, so it's not like she doesn't know how to take care of hair. And I'm sure that not everyone' hair grows at the same rate all over their heads all the time.

Chaosbutterflynope it doesnt grow at the same rate all over my head. It never has. But I want a BIG beautiful bun just like yours!

 

[Nonie]

^ Normally, I would agree but idk...since she already spent a year cutting and a year later, it's the same, maybe that's seriously just how her hair grows.
Her hair is nice and she's been here for a while, so it's not like she doesn't know how to take care of hair. And I'm sure that not everyone' hair grows at the same rate all over their heads all the time.

Chaosbutterfly, but it depends on how long she'd wait before cutting. You saw my hair deteriorate in just 4 months and I hacked off 2 inches. If I had only taken of 1 inch, I'd still have thin ends so I'd spend the whole year cutting off 1 inch and leaving frayed ends that continue to give me thin ends.

Saying you cut it repeatedly doesn't answer the question of how long you waited to cut or how bad your hair was at the time of cutting. The attached photo shows damaged hair that has even broken off at chin length in the front. This chick could swear she trims 2 inches every month but IMO, her hair needs much more than that. She has let it wear away so much that it's beyond redemption IMO.

OP, I just saw your post and I promise I'll be back to read carefully and then respond. Gotta run to a meeting.

 

[madamdot]

Chaosbutterfly, but it depends on how long she'd wait before cutting. You saw my hair deteriorate in just 4 months and I hacked off 2 inches. If I had only taken of 1 inch, I'd still have thin ends so I'd spend the whole year cutting off 1 inch and leaving frayed ends that continue to give me thin ends.

Saying you cut it repeatedly doesn't answer the question of how long you waited to cut or how bad your hair was at the time of cutting. The attached photo shows damaged hair that has even broken off at chin length in the front. This chick could swear she trims 2 inches every month but IMO, her hair needs much more than that. She has let it wear away so much that it's beyond redemption IMO.

OP, I just saw your post and I promise I'll be back to read carefully and then respond. Gotta run to a meeting.

I cut from BSL to just above APL and kept it there for about a year trimming once every 3 months or so (when I get a touch up). I try not to get a touch up more often than that. At the end of that cycle I looked at it and it look exactly the same as it does when I am doing less aggressive trims (see the attached photo).

 

[Nonie]

Guitarhero, I'm cheap so I don't invest in a good pair. I argue that any hair scissors will be sharp at the time of purchase and I can just replace them when they get blunt. I imagine the more expensive ones are more long-lasting and stay sharp longer so it's really up to you. I once asked the girls at Sally's what the differences were in price and they didn't have a clue (Do they ever know anything? Once I was told at a Sally's that they didn't sell Curlformers and then I went through the aisles and found them inside the store--this was a different Sally's. And at yet another one, they told me they didn't have human hair in the specs I was looking for (color and length) and I discovered for myself that they did. You'd think they really didn't care to work there or sell stuff.) So yeah, I'm not fussy. I usually get a pair that falls somewhere in the middle just so I'm not getting really cheap or having to sell a kidney.

 

[Nonie]

Sorry madamdot, I keep being pulled away while I'm in the middle of responding to you.

I do think Hashimoto's disease would make your hair look thin but not just at the ends but throughout its length. It's hard to really say if 3 months was too long to wait. There are people who can go 6 months w/o trimming and not suffer any damage. Anything over 2 months for me leads me to thin ends, so I know if I waited 3 months, I'd have thin ends and I'd have to keep cutting them off if I continued to wait 3 months. People with fine strand tend to need more frequent dustings than those with thicker strands. There are people who trim every 6 weeks let alone 8. Heck, I know when I started regular dusting that's what I did. I would do it at 6 or at 8 weeks, and sometimes at 7. I still was able to retain about 4.5 inches a year so I know that the sooner I do it, the better for my hair.

Hair growing unevenly is a common thing even in people who don't have any ailment so don't be so hard on yourself for that. There are posts of people having slow growth in nape or crown or temples.

I just want to reiterate what I said: I know to many who read how you kept cutting your hair to APL every 3 months and it'd still look the same it seems like cutting/trimming isn't the answer, but how about if I tell you I did the same thing when I was relaxed. Got a trim at every touch up. And I got a touch up every 2-4 months. And yet my hair stayed at the same length because the story was always the same: bad ends that need trimming. I mean, it sounds like your story doesn't it? Only in my case, I didn't get beyond SL. And if I didn't trim, I still didn't get beyond SL. I changed that thanks to Wanakee and Brenda (www.blackwomenrejoice.com) and started to put scissors to my hair sooner than my stylist did and it was only then that I saw my hair make huge strides.

In 4 months at the regular growth rate of 0.5 inches, I would gain 2 inches, but that's how much I had to cut off because I waited 4 months. When I dust every 2 months, I take off only 1/4 inch or so...so after 4 months, I retain 1.5 inches...but I lost much more than I normally retain when I waited so long to dust.

Seriously we could speculate and guess, but you will never know what will work unless you try something different. You have realized waiting to dust during the touch up at the 3 month mark doesn't work for you. I told you that for me, anything past 2 months will cost me retention; and there are others who've tried my suggestions of trying to beat splits at their game by dusting earlier that before and found it helped their retention. Insanity is to keep doing what you've been doing and expect different results. You aren't gaining anything from the current schedule you're following so what have you got to lose trying something different?

I would say do the cut you want and then just dust sooner and adopt any other suggestions that have been given like wigging it so you can give your hair a rest and enjoy bobs all you want. Low mani I know is another thing that works for me so perhaps your hair would appreciate that too.

Do you take garlic supplements? I once recommended Garlinase Fresh to someone with Lupus and she told me it really helped her hair loss. Perhaps you could try that too? Also ever had a food sensitivity test? Another friend with an autoimmune disease found that the meds she was on were making her ill and a food sensitivity test is what led her to this. Ironically, at the time she told me about food sensitivity tests (www.immunolabs.com) I had experienced hair loss and noticed my bald patches would itch when I ate, so I ended up going to her doctor and getting the tests, and sure enough, some healthy foods I was eating turned out to not agree with me. I stopped eating them and my hair grew back (I did also use a topical concoction, but the itching stopped after I ate the minute I cut out those offensive foods).

So you may find that your solution will come from a combo of things...and you have nothing to lose by combining several things that are good for your overall health.

 

[Supergirl]

I go through this 1-2 times a year, but end up just wearing a wig that mimics the style I'd like. One day, I may opt for a weave and get it cut into a cute bob.

 

[madamdot]

Nonie thanks for the advice. I do low manipulation now. With my fine hair this is the only way I can stretch relaxers to 3 months without damage. I also do it because I can be a bit lazy with hair care. I have done deep cuts (as I mentioned before) and before that I did regular trims (yup, I have been here a long time so I know all the tricks) neither or these seem to be working to my satisfaction. I am a slow grower so every 6-7 weeks for me means almost no hair growth. So I had no real hair growth with thin ends - maybe I need to decide if I want thick or long.

I have done a food allergy test and I am allergic to a number of things but nothing in the medication (I do know this happens though). I need to take another one because I have found that people with Hashimoto's actually develop new allergies every few years. I have become allergic to things that were negative on the allergy test I took a few years ago. I have one at home right now. My doctor gave it to me a few weeks ago.

I have taken garlic but it makes me sick. I also tried garlic shampoo etc when I was in the midst of hair issues. It did not help. Nothing helped me until I got my meds straight. I now take corticosteroids. I wonder if this might be an issue? I will go do some research.

Do you think excessive shedding in the past can lead to thin ends. There was a point where it was really bad (about 3 or so years ago). Back then I also aggressively trimmed because it was pretty bad. I wonder if this is left over effects and I just need to trim off everything up to that point. Of course issues can arise at anytime and this can cause the shedding to come back.

I am definitely going to try to castor oil to see if it helps. I am also going to do the new allergy test to see if I have anything new that I don't know about.

Thanks again for your help and advice.

 

[madamdot]

I go through this 1-2 times a year, but end up just wearing a wig that mimics the style I'd like. One day, I may opt for a weave and get it cut into a cute bob.

But Supergirl you dont suffer from thing ends. Look at all that thick luscious hair:droolings

 

[madamdot]

So my stylist is booked for the holidays. Maybe I will pick up some shears and trim myself.

 

[Rocky91]

So my stylist is booked for the holidays. Maybe I will pick up some shears and trim myself.

DON'T DO IT.
Seriously, if you are going to cut (which I'm not sure if you should yet), you should go to a stylist.
I don't quite have any other advice since it seems as though you covered all the bases. Good luck, hun! I hope someone comes in this thread and offers a solution.

 

[Supergirl]

madamdot

cutting the thin ends would be okay, but don't do anything drastic

 

[Nonie]

@Nonie thanks for the advice. I do low manipulation now. With my fine hair this is the only way I can stretch relaxers to 3 months without damage. I also do it because I can be a bit lazy with hair care. I have done deep cuts (as I mentioned before) and before that I did regular trims (yup, I have been here a long time so I know all the tricks) neither or these seem to be working to my satisfaction. I am a slow grower so every 6-7 weeks for me means almost no hair growth. So I had no real hair growth with thin ends - maybe I need to decide if I want thick or long.

@madamdot The bold would only be true if you're cutting off as much as you're growing. Some people say they dust only a 1/8 of an inch every 2 weeks. Do you know how much that is? _. <---That's it, from the line to the dot. And do you know how much a 1/4 inch is (which is what I believe Brenda suggests) you cut? __. That's it, also from the start of the line to the dot. I know you don't trim that much if you're losing your growth; you have to be trimming a lot more and that's the mistake you're and many people make. No one says you have to trime a lot.

Here's an image of one of my hair's ends.

You can see how the strand goes from being a full thick strand to a skinny strand end. I have magnified the image a lot because my thumb nail isn't that huge (left image) so you're probably looking at about a millimeter of my hair or two that is skinny. Also notice that's not a split end; it's what's left after the split has broken off. The second image (right) shows my hair after I dust off 1/4 inch which is a little more than 5 millimeters. Notice how whole the strand is left. So by me dusting early, I can afford to remove an insignificant amount that doesn't affect my slow growth. What i think you are doing is what stylists do, which is take off a lot. Why you do that could be coz you wait too long to do it (3 months) or coz even when you do it in good time, you still take off more than you should. If you're honest, you do take off way more than this __. at each dusting right? Probably more than this _____.. too which would be about what you grow in one month. And if your ends are already worn out, your hair is also doing it's own natural trimming by the weak ends breaking off...so you're really not retaining anything.

I have done a food allergy test and I am allergic to a number of things but nothing in the medication (I do know this happens though). I need to take another one because I have found that people with Hashimoto's actually develop new allergies every few years. I have become allergic to things that were negative on the allergy test I took a few years ago. I have one at home right now. My doctor gave it to me a few weeks ago.

BTW food allergies and food sensitivities are two different things. I went for a food allergy test and it didn't show things like dairy, gluten, yeast, bananas, lettuce, eggs, pineapple...some of which I knew I was intolerant to and some of which were the reason for the bald patch itching. Allergy tests do not tell you about the foods that slowly become poison to you. Allergy tests tell you about the foods that you react to right away. And yes, while I don't have an autoimmune disease, I have gone yearly for food sensitivity tests and each time, the report has been different. If I overindulge in any food, I develop an intolerance to it. I don't feel sick when I eat it; in fact I could go for months not even knowing what harm it's doing to me. But each time I follow the restricted diet determined by each test, the difference in my health is like day and night. So yeah, food allergies may be something autoimmune conditions bring about, but food sensitivities...are different in that the reaction is delayed and it takes months for your body to start really reacting to the toxins these foods are to you. And I can tell you that if I had only gone by the results from my allergy test, I might've still had my bald spot because as you can see, the foods listed are not harmful...but they were to me. The allergy test didn't catch that; the food sensitivities test did!

I have taken garlic but it makes me sick. I also tried garlic shampoo etc when I was in the midst of hair issues. It did not help. Nothing helped me until I got my meds straight. I now take corticosteroids. I wonder if this might be an issue? I will go do some research.

I hate to say this but STEROIDS have never been a good thing IMO. If anything they just turn you into a junkie and make your even worse than you were. There are alternatives to steroids, and while I may not know what they are in your case, I know that even when I dealt with systemic candidiasis and psoriasis, I avoided all steroids like a plague and the years of never getting better became a thing of the past the minute AFTER I stopped using them as a crutch or a temporary solution only to need more of them later when my condition got worse. My friend with Lupus who is also on nutritional healing and seeking out alternative remedies to the hardcore orthodox meds that docs are so quick to prescribe as if just sweeping dirt under the carpet so as to forget about it. My doctors over the years have learned that I refuse to take meds that make me sicker than I was by bringing in side-effects. Check this out:

What are the side effects of oral corticosteroid drugs?



Oral corticosteroids are prescription drugs that reduce inflammation in the body. Doctors prescribe oral corticosteroids for many conditions, including arthritis, asthma, psoriasis, multiple sclerosis, and severe allergic reactions. Examples of oral corticosteroids are prednisone (brand name Orasone), prednisolone (Prelone), and methylprednisolone (Medrol). The most common side effects reported with the short-term (days to weeks) use of oral corticosteroids include a bigger appetite, weight gain, upset stomach, headache, mood changes, and trouble sleeping. [For all you know, maybe your reaction to garlic is due to the meds since they can cause an upset stomach] Some people may also have upswings in blood sugar and blood pressure. In general, all of these side effects go away after you stop taking corticosteroids. These side effects occur less often if you take smaller doses of the drug. Take corticosteroids with food to reduce stomach upset. Side effects associated with long-term (months to years) oral corticosteroid therapy include weakening of the immune system[Food sensitivities do affect your immunity and vice versa--a low immunity can lead to your body reacting badly to foods so clearly you're not helping your system taking steroids], elevations in cholesterol levels, and weight gain. These side effects usually improve when you stop taking corticosteroids. Long-term use of corticosteroids may also cause brittle bones, fat deposits on the face and back, thinning of the skin, and cataracts in the eyes. These side effects may improve but usually don't go away completely after stopping the drug. In children, long-term use of oral corticosteroids may cause stunted growth. You should contact your doctor right away if you experience rare side effects such as a skin rash, blurred vision, sweating of your feet or legs, muscle cramps or weakness, severe stomach pain, blood in vomit or stools, or increased thirst or urination. If you've been using an oral corticosteroid long-term, it's important not to stop using it suddenly. Stopping too quickly may result in serious side effects such as headache, fever, vomiting, joint and muscle pain, loss of appetite, fatigue, and low blood pressure. Oral corticosteroids usually have more severe side effects than inhaled corticosteroids or corticosteroid creams. Most healthcare providers monitor their patients closely when they're on corticosteroids. Sources: Drug Facts and Comparisons. Facts & Comparisons, 2006.Pharmacotherapy: A Pathophysiologic Approach. Appleton & Lange, 1999.Micromedex® Healthcare Series. Thomson Micromedex, 2006. Medline Plus. Medline, 2006.This answer prepared 2/8/2001.This information updated 3/15/2007.

(Source)

Post got so long so continued in next post (sorry)

 

[Nonie]

Do you think excessive shedding in the past can lead to thin ends. There was a point where it was really bad (about 3 or so years ago). Back then I also aggressively trimmed because it was pretty bad. I wonder if this is left over effects and I just need to trim off everything up to that point. Of course issues can arise at anytime and this can cause the shedding to come back.

Maybe not excessive shedding but if for some reason your hair follicles were "malnourished"--as would happen when you're unwell since hair is the least of your body's concern when it has to fight to keep your alive; it's the main organs that the focus is on as far is nourishment is concerned--your hair may have not been in the best of condition since none of the nutrients needed for healthy growth were getting to the follicles. And as you got better, the new growth would benefit for the nourishment it may have started to get stronger/thicker so your ends will look thinner than the base just coz they missed out on this.

@Supergirl is always telling people that when they start a healthy hair journey, they will not see the fruits of the good practices for months because the hair they had previously has already missed the boat and so will not be a good representation of the work they're putting in. One must wait for months to actually see the improvement, so you bring up a very good point that indeed you are probably looking at hair that wasn't getting the "nutrition" it needed, hence why it's thin. Remember it's not so much eating right, but it's also that the good nutrients must reach the hair. If your organs need them more, then your hair will never see them...so yes that hair will be thin and weak. I do think that hiding your hair and only bringing it out to dust then hide again (See Wanakee's regimen) may really help you start to see progress. That you bring up this point makes me realize that it may not just be the dusting that isn't done on time, but rather because you only know of allergies and not the sensitivities, perhaps there's something in your diet working against you and thwarting your progress by canceling out all the positive stuff you're doing. :scratchch And if you consider how sensitivities change, maybe the back and forth may be causing you to see progress then you don't, then you do, then you don't, yanno?

I am definitely going to try to castor oil to see if it helps. I am also going to do the new allergy test to see if I have anything new that I don't know about.

Thanks again for your help and advice.

Yes, but please check out the Immunolabs test and see if that's the test you got done; I share more about it in this thread. Some doctors scoff at it, but they can scoff all they want; I scoff at them throwing meds at people like it's candy...and I give them the side-eye because ever since I stopped trusting them like they were the truth and nothing but the truth, but started doing my own research and taking my health into my hands, and getting these tests done, I haven't been as ill as I used to be and I don't even need them like I used to need 'em. I don't even need the meds I used to be so dependent on. And doctors who care and aren't lazy or all about making money actually have bothered to look into integrated medicine and incorporatee naturopathy/alternative remedies into their treatments and it's such doctors that have made a world of difference in my life and that of people I know (I mean, look Cancer Centers of America for starters!). Even my cats' doc is about integrated meds...and I've seen the difference this has made to their lives, when other doctor saw no other solution but a grim prognosis. (<---That last line sounds like a script for those ads for CCofA, doesn't it? And it's no wonder!)

 

[Guitarhero]

Guitarhero, I'm cheap so I don't invest in a good pair. I argue that any hair scissors will be sharp at the time of purchase and I can just replace them when they get blunt. I imagine the more expensive ones are more long-lasting and stay sharp longer so it's really up to you. I once asked the girls at Sally's what the differences were in price and they didn't have a clue (Do they ever know anything? Once I was told at a Sally's that they didn't sell Curlformers and then I went through the aisles and found them inside the store--this was a different Sally's. And at yet another one, they told me they didn't have human hair in the specs I was looking for (color and length) and I discovered for myself that they did. You'd think they really didn't care to work there or sell stuff.) So yeah, I'm not fussy. I usually get a pair that falls somewhere in the middle just so I'm not getting really cheap or having to sell a kidney.

Yeah, Sally's is just a retail shop ...hardly anybody knows all there is to know about even one product. I keep getting this "advice" from white women who think they know what I do to my hair.

 

[madamdot]

Nonie . . . wow lots of info!!!

On the steroids . . . yes I need them but I am weaning because I hate hate hate taking it. My doctor is not crazy about it either. I am very familiar with the note on side effects of steroids its the first thing I check when I am feeling crazy for no apparent reason.

I will check the doctor for food sensitivities too. I am dont really care much if they scoff but I have a pretty good guy who likes stuff like this. I will also do it not for my hair but for my health. I find that my hair is better when my health is better.

I think you hit the nail on the head with the diet part of it. I was eating a clean diet but my body was not absorbing the nutrients properly. My doctor insisted that I do a full panel of blood work and ALL of my vitamin level of dreadful. I remember crying when I saw the result because they were so awful.

DH and I went out to the mall today and I feel a little better about my hair. It doesn't look terrible and I get lots of compliments on it I just cant get it the way I want it.

Armed with all the suggestions here I am sure 2012 will be the year of beautiful hair (and body) for me.