Lynne,
I didn't always wear my hair long and curly, and used to think that doing a bunch of stuff to it was better. But I've found other ways of dealing with my hair, and this is what is working for now.
Here is my hair from June 1999, when it was last super short:
As you can see by my avatar, taken June 2002, it's quite a bit longer now. My hair grows pretty slowly. When it's uber short, it acts straight. Everything from that point out, until it starts to get down below my ears, is wavy. Longer and it starts to turn into lovely long curls. Like one of my favorite old viney office plants.
So that's what I'm trying to encourage now. I have to say, since quitting my job at the end of last year, I have noticed that the thinning area in front is regrowing. When I lift up my long bangs, there are all these little curly shorter hairs along the hairline.
- Rae