SPILL IT! YOUR LOWEST HAIR POINT...

[melodee]

I'm in the hair dumps now , but I refuse to let it get the best of me.

My general well-being is not the best, and I have some thinning around the hairline and at the nape. I have not yet been diagnosed with anything.


I am loving my hair texture as I am transitioning. I am in my 13th month!!!! Yippee, I've gone a year!!!!

But I would like to get the thin areas thickened up.

 

[jrae]

GIRLLLL, add me to the RIO list too! I was 15 and I went from thick and healthy APL to short, broken ear length in two months because of all the breakage.

How long ago was that now.... I've blocked out the timeframe...10-12 years? Painful memories... You know how when your hair is jacked up, you just feel jacked up all over. You have to learn how to feel good about yourself, in spite of how insecure you feel about how you look.

 

[GoGoChik]

How long ago was that now.... I've blocked out the timeframe...10-12 years? Painful memories... You know how when your hair is jacked up, you just feel jacked up all over. You have to learn how to feel good about yourself, in spite of how insecure you feel about how you look.

That was about 10 years ago. But, I still remember vividly having to start high school with only 10 hairs of short hair on my head. It really sucked. Those RIO people really suck too.

 

[MonaLisa]

I'm too traumatized to discuss the details, but I'll just say: RIO!
Hair was coming out in mad clumps for weeks!

*Aw man, sorry *

I can relate to the hair coming out in clumps for weeks though.
Mines happened years ago....and the trauma/memory has not left me.

 

[prettypuff1]

My hair has never been longer than it is now. I had always blow fried it, and flat ironed daily... I didnt really see that much breakage but it know it wasnt in that great shape.
Well my own lowest was something i had done to myself... I had grown my hair out to just about APL in Spring 04 due to pregnancy and i realy wanted micro braids bad I had them before and they broke my hair off bad and i still didnt learn... so i got them... BIG MISTAKE. My hair broke off so bad... i had thin spots and areas where there was NO HAIR. I kept getting weave until i could BC all the relaxed hair... I didnt really know how to care for my natural hair so i went to texlaxed where i am today.

 

[Divine Inspiration]

Wow. Sounds like you guys have had a lot of coloring+relaxing mishaps. That's a risky combination. Anyway, I feel weird because my stories aren't as dramatic as the ones you guys have. I'll share anyway.

Fortunately, I don't have any traumatic stories to tell. I guess my lowest point would have been when I moved to CA and had a hard time adjusting to the dry air and hard water. My hair was used to the humidity and soft water in the South, and it was VERY uncooperative that first year. I dealt with tons of shedding and a little breakage. I tried 20+ stylists in Metro LA before I started giving up. In February '05, I was going to a stylist who could never really answer my questions about my hair to my satisfaction. Plus, I noticed that with my stylist in AL, my hair grew to BSL all the time, and I'd trim it back to APL or get layers, etc. When I got here, my hair was making NO progress (it hovered at APL but wasn't growing the way it had always done--can we say too many trims?! ), and I didn't think it was as healthy as it could be. Anyway, I went on a hunt for information and found LHCF. After trying to tweak my regimen and encountering objections from that stylist, I dropped her arrogant behind and started doing my hair myself.

 

[Amarech]

Wow I cant believe it's been only a year since my low point!. When I joined in Nov 04 I really had the cards stacked against me anyway. Well, in Aug of 05 I decided to jump on the Christmas stretch challenge (any takers? ). I sacrifced 5 long months of hair fun to stretch my relaxer. No problem. I just knew that at the end, I'd have major growth. Well I did. I hadn't seen my hair that long in years!! Actuallly it was about as long as it is right now (i'm practically at shoulder length). Imagine my joy! Yes it was nice---for about 1 day. Then thats when trouble started.
The first problem: I didn't realize how protein works. So I took my prefoundation conditioner that has 5 protein complexes in it and put that in my hair. I put that stuff in my hair with 5 months of new growth and left it in overnight!!! Yeah, you know. When I woke up the next morning to perm my hair, guess what I couldn't do? Thats right. Talk about a detangling nightmare!! And I couldn't wet it because---yep I'm about to perm. It was so sad!!! I got major breakage but my hair still looked decent.

Then I moved. This being my first time on my own, I didn't do my research. I liked the apt and the area wasn't too bad. I could afford the rent so I moved in. Yeah....I moved in and discovered that the water was so hard, it smelled like eggs!!! Yes eggs!!! sulfur probably. Well, silly me, I washed my hair in it anyway because I didn't realize what hard water could do. Well after a couple of days I noticed something funny about my hair. It felt really hard no matter what conditioner I put in it and when I blow dried it it looked like hay. All this on top of my protein fiasco did me in. I also discovered that I had a patch of hair in the middle of my hair that didn't appreciate the Christmas Stretch challenge. It broke off to about 2 inches. I also ended up losing most of the length I'd gained during the challenge. And to top it off, I couldn't even wash my hair in my own home. I tried everything. I appealed to the slum --oops I mean land lord to change the rod in the water heater. I bought two water filter systems (Pur) one for the faucet and one of those water holders. I even tried buying bottled water and at least rinsing my hair. My lowest of the low point was when I didn't wash my hair for a whole month!!! Finally I said "enough!!" I started looking for a new place, found one ( with nice soft city water ) and told my sorry excuse for a land lord buh bye!!!

As a consolation for all my troubles, when I permed again in April, it was the best self perm ever!! In may I decided to even out my hair by cutting it all to one length. And now a year later, I'm consistently reaching my goals and my hair is in the best of health. So to all the newbies who are at your low point, take heart. Most of us LHCF ladies have been where you are and we are very sympathetic. We may have slammin hair all down our back and it will look shiny and healthy and we may be the envy of many; but we are humble because we know what we had to go through to get to where we are now and what we do every day to maintain. It will be OK!!

 

[yodie]

My lowest point was recently. I had grown my hair out in a natural style for about four years. Well, in my attempt to have manageability, I tried the Bodiphier. My hair was very dry, felt like it had been fried, became a tangled mess and OH... fell out!!

 

[jrae]

I'm in the hair dumps now , but I refuse to let it get the best of me.

My general well-being is not the best, and I have some thinning around the hairline and at the nape. I have not yet been diagnosed with anything.

Melodee, you look the picture of health in your siggy. Take care of yourself.

 

[Treasure2k6]

My lowest of the many low points was my experience with sew in weaves! I used to get them ALL THE TIME!! Yes, my newgrowth was crazy thick....but no one taught me how to maintain the older hair and keep my length!! I could nto figure out why everytime I took the weave out and unraffled the braid it was sewn in to, I had sooooo many hair balls and clumps all over!!

The last time I had it done i decided that was the grand finale. I had enough hair balls and breakage to make a nice sized wig with.It was ridiculous! Silly me, i kept getting it because i had tons of newgrowth...saying to myself, well, my hair "is" growing...just clueless. If I had all the hair I lost over the years rom doing getting that done, man i would be waist length by now! Not to mention, loads of lent that was mushy and nasty. Piling products on top of products....yukky! We live and learn.

 

[karezone]

My low point was U breakage. It started about September 2005 and ended January 2006. I have no idea where it was coming from but my nape and the back just kept breaking and the front was looking good long and healthy. I went to a beauty school for a trim wash and set. She really did a good job, and she did a good job she evened it out and everything. Two weeks later I was at work and started feeling the back of my head and guess what it had broken even more and I hadn't even noticed. I took my mirror out and went into the women's bathroom and almost cried. I spent two hours at work trying to find a salon that stayed open late and would take a walk in. JCpenney master stylist saved me and my hair. She cut it short and deep condtioned. It was all the hair color I had been using to keep my hair the deep black that love so much. Since then I have had 1 major trim(splits).

 

[Frostipuff]

we all came to this board with a hair sob story in dire need of help and information about how to grow it back. when my hair fell out, i was heartbroken and didn't notice while it was happening. what was your hair's doomsday?

I'm living my hair nightmare right now....first time in my life
to be exact. I have posted the long version of it on a previous
post but the short verson is I let several unprofessional idiots
ruin my hair. Of course, I have to take responsibility since I let
them do thier deed.

My hair is now half the thickness, very fragile, and my entire hair line
is broken off and thin. This is all due to one person using a permanate
hair color after a relaxer, and another putting a relaxer on my hair
that was too strong for my already fragile hair.

I'm doing all I can to keep what I have and have greatly appreciated
all of the tips I've gotten from LHCF. I just wish I could shake the
feeling that I'm so much more unattractive with my jacked up
hair. I just wish I had really understood that hair is a womans
glory and taken better care of my hair in the past-not letting
idiots put their hands in my hair. From now on I'll do my own
hair-with the exception of trims.

Hopefully, two years from now I'll be posting beautiful pictures
of my hair.....

 

[GlamourGirl]

So to all the newbies who are at your low point, take heart. Most of us LHCF ladies have been where you are and we are very sympathetic. We may have slammin hair all down our back and it will look shiny and healthy and we may be the envy of many; but we are humble because we know what we had to go through to get to where we are now and what we do every day to maintain. It will be OK!!

Yes! I couldn't of said it better!

 

[jellynote]

When I first joined this board my hair was short and within a year and a half my hair was 4 inches from my bra strap. I came back to the USA in 2005 and I've lived in Arizona ever since and the heat and the dryness here has really tore up my hair. I went from 4 inches from bra strap to just below my ears and some of that is due to a bad hair cut. I has taken me about the same time to find the best products and methods that will work for my hair. I went back to CO washes in between my regular pooing's and deep CO against my stylist recommendations. Because no matter where I go here in AZ all the stylist say the same thing wash my hair once a week. I did this for over a year and I just decided @ the end of last year to go back to what worked for my hair. Granted I can't use all the same products that i use to use due to the change in climate, but I'm finding my way back.

 

[MzOptimistic]

we all came to this board with a hair sob story in dire need of help and information about how to grow it back. when my hair fell out, i was heartbroken and didn't notice while it was happening. what was your hair's doomsday?

My hair was damaged very bad and I had major split ends. I NEVER washed my hair (I was scurred, didn't want to mess up my do), never moisturized my hair,never deep conditioned, never even heard of a protein treatment, and I had major little pieces of hair on my clothes and in the sink everytime I combed my hair The worst part was in the back. I guess it was broken off/damaged because I never washed it but constantly put grease and hair spray on my hair and flatironed it EVERYDAY ooooh my hair was a HAM...can you imagine having long hair on the sides but damaged hair in the back so when the wind blew EVERYONE could see that HAM oooh I'm so glad I found this board.

 

[MzOptimistic]

Yes! I couldn't of said it better!

OT-you're just as cute as a button in your siggy

 

[prettypuff1]

My hair was damaged very bad and I had major split ends. I NEVER washed my hair (I was scurred, didn't want to mess up my do), never moisturized my hair,never deep conditioned, never even heard of a protein treatment, and I had major little pieces of hair on my clothes and in the sink everytime I combed my hair The worst part was in the back. I guess it was broken off/damaged because I never washed it but constantly put grease and hair spray on my hair and flatironed it EVERYDAY ooooh my hair was a HAM...can you imagine having long hair on the sides but damaged hair in the back so when the wind blew EVERYONE could see that HAM oooh I'm so glad I found this board.

oh that was me too

 

[MzOptimistic]

oh that was me too

Girl, I don't know why I was scared of h20 now I can't get enough of it and I can't wait til the warmer months so I can co wash like crazy

 

[danimani]

I NEVER washed my hair (I was scurred, didn't want to mess up my do), never moisturized my hair,never deep conditioned, never even heard of a protein treatment, and I had major little pieces of hair on my clothes and in the sink everytime I combed my hair

Make that three of us! Oh my gosh, I wash every day now--a far cry from the 6+ weeks that I used to go! I even told my white friends "black girls got it lucky, we don't have to wash our hair, our sytlists do that when we get it done." They used to give me looks...I imagine now I sounded STUPID to go with my toa up from the floa up do that I was rocking like it was waistlength!

 

[knottyaaverage]

damn. we have really all been there. thanx so much for your stories guys. i'm happy for all of you that have made it back and beyond and hopeful for all of you just finding your way. i'm getting there as well

 

[taraglam2]

Lowest Hair Point

October / November 2004 --- Hair dry as the Sahara, breaking off like crazy, hair all over the bathroom floor, bedroom floor, my shirts, tops--everywhere.

What was it from ? A "hairdresser" was relaxing my hair every 4 weeks and putting in highlights and color all the time, never ever deep conditioning my hair.

It was my faut as well --- I relied on her to take care of my hair, I went to her every week like clockwork and she just "slammed" my hair. She made money--my hair got to a terrible state---broken, dry damaged, severe breakage in crown area resulting in her "cutting" my hair every 3 weeks and always being a scissor happy stylist. Bad wet to dry flat iron experience with another scissor happy stylist after I left the weekly "hairdresser".

Found hairboards in December 2004 and took my hair into my own hands---Started doing my own hair and found a 2 great haircare artists that believed in healthy long hair and were not scissor happy.

Lessons learned---No matter what I will never be a once a week salon person again. My haircare depends on me. I will never rely on someone else to "take care" of my hair---when I am going to the salon---it is for style purposes only and that is at the most once a month.

 

[ShaniKeys]

My last relaxer was in october 2005, after that I started using my flat iron about every day, no protective styling, no deep conditioning, no sleeping with a silk scarf (I did use heat protectants however), the results were desastrous, I experienced some severe breakage. After that I began my third and LAST attempt at going natural, and here I am.

 

[mango387]

Wow. Sounds like you guys have had a lot of coloring+relaxing mishaps. That's a risky combination. Anyway, I feel weird because my stories aren't as dramatic as the ones you guys have. I'll share anyway.

Fortunately, I don't have any traumatic stories to tell. I guess my lowest point would have been when I moved to CA and had a hard time adjusting to the dry air and hard water. My hair was used to the humidity and soft water in the South, and it was VERY uncooperative that first year. I dealt with tons of shedding and a little breakage. I tried 20+ stylists in Metro LA before I started giving up. In February '05, I was going to a stylist who could never really answer my questions about my hair to my satisfaction. Plus, I noticed that with my stylist in AL, my hair grew to BSL all the time, and I'd trim it back to APL or get layers, etc. When I got here, my hair was making NO progress (it hovered at APL but wasn't growing the way it had always done--can we say too many trims?! ), and I didn't think it was as healthy as it could be. Anyway, I went on a hunt for information and found LHCF. After trying to tweak my regimen and encountering objections from that stylist, I dropped her arrogant behind and started doing my hair myself.

Divine Inspiration: Before I understood that moisture is our friend, I hated the humidity in Alabama! Since being in CA, I am like "the grass always looks greener..."

 

[Proudpiscean]

My hair was damaged very bad and I had major split ends. I NEVER washed my hair (I was scurred, didn't want to mess up my do), never moisturized my hair,never deep conditioned, never even heard of a protein treatment, and I had major little pieces of hair on my clothes and in the sink everytime I combed my hair The worst part was in the back. I guess it was broken off/damaged because I never washed it but constantly put grease and hair spray on my hair and flatironed it EVERYDAY ooooh my hair was a HAM...can you imagine having long hair on the sides but damaged hair in the back so when the wind blew EVERYONE could see that HAM oooh I'm so glad I found this board.

Girl, that was me too! I finally got fed up with all the shedding & breakage, went to google to do some research- and thank God LHCF popped up!