BellaOnline Forums Beauty and Self Hair Big Mistake

<img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />Last summer my hair was just below my shoulders, salt and pepper, good wave, fine but lots of it. I wore it up alot and had much breakage at about chin length, so i blunt bobbed it. I became bored with it and while traveling I made the mistake of lettign a hairdresser i didn't know cut my hair. The back was sort of one length and the sides were a mess. I went to someone I know and she tried to repair the damage and instead of just living with it i had it all cut off. Ouch, i hate it and i'm thinking of getting a wig until it grow some. I wonder if wearing up in schrunchies and butterfly clips caused the damage or my age. Don't cut your hair, i hate looking at my self right now. <img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

So sorry to hear about this horrible story. I almost never get a haircut, because most hairdressers only think about cutting hair like it's their way of life. Sometimes, they have good reason for it (which most the time, they don't explain) most of the time, they don't. Either because they think a style will work good on you while YOU don't like it, or they can't understand what you want and try to do their best, but keep their own preference in mind.

I'll add one tip of my own: if I try out a hairdresser, I always go there in person and ask for an appointment to just wash and condition my hair. Sometimes, making the initial appointment is enough for me to know whether the hairdresser is good or not. (I've had one who replied after my request with: "what? no cutting?" I cancelled the appointment one day later)
Sometimes, they way they treat you and talk with you makes all the difference. Most of the time, this is enough for me to know if there will ever be a second appointment.

Wearing your hair up isn't that much damaging as in letting it hand and rub against your clothes or wearing it in a pony-tail. Damage can be from various sources, like heat, stress, bad nutrition, sunrays, bad combs, etc.

I know when I travel, my hair acts a lot differently than when I am at home, mostly because I live on the West Coast and my hair is used to lots of ambient moisture in the air. Almost anywhere I go and it starts to dry out.

I've had short hair (nearly crew cut) and long hair (below my shoulders) and I think that both long and short have their own advantages and qualities. I've also done my share of wigs and they can be fun, but are often harder to take care of than natural hair. Wigs can be very hot to wear and when your wig has a bad hair day, it's just nasty.

I'd say hang in there, try and have some fun with your shorter hair while you have it and let it grow back.

That's too funny, Rae... when I go to the West Coast from Louisiana, my hair is suddenly dry as a stick... I've always thought of the West Coast (particularly the Bay Area... Berkley and Marin, where we have friends) as super-dry. I'm one of the rare few curly girls whose hair does extraordinarily well in heavy humidity. I've never been to Arizona or New Mexico, but I shudder to think what would happen....

Short hair can be totally fabulous. One of my best friends has gone through a number of short hairstyles in her life, and she just always looks SO good and put together.

Maybe you should seek out a salon and have a stylist simply STYLE your hair for you, and tell you how to do it yourself! Don't have them cut it, just style it.... it could make a huge difference! They can also provide tips on letting it grow out.

Yikes, sorry about your experience. Its one of those hair horror stories we hear about too often.

Wearing your hair in a pony tail and even in scrunchies can cause breakage if your hair is fragile and if you are very active or sleep in it. Friction from normal activity can cause the breakage.

Megan made a good suggestion. Since you have short hair, make the most of it until it grows out. You will be able to try out many styles by the time you get your long hair back.

Thanks everyone! I tried a Paula Young human hair wig yesterday and it is not me. I guess it is terribly vain but I didn't realize how sad I could be without my hair. Maybe instead of thinking my long hair made me older it is time to try some color. Thanks so much for your support, it is a great find to stumble into this site.
Jenna

I'm dealing with growing my hair out right now, and it's terrible! Hate it! What I've done to deal with it is to use some clips. Don't like them too much, but do use them on really bad hair days. I also purchased a wig to wear when I just can't stand my hair anymore. It's fun, and I can have the hair I want to eventually have, which helps me to stick with it. I've been in your shoes, and it's not a fun place to be. My recommendation is to hang in there, as your hair grows it will go through stages of horrible, to not so bad, and you just go with it. Dont' fight your hair, let it do what it does naturally, and you'll be more relaxed with it. Not necessarily happy, but it will be easier. After four months, I've got my hair almost all to the same length. I still hate it, but can see progress. I am tempted to cut it at least once a week, but remind myself that I'll hate it more if I do. Hang in there, and good luck!

That's too bad about your hair...
It will grow back, but it will just take some time...
Since, it happened last summer and we're almost in March I'm sure it will be growing back before you know it and that will just be a thing of the past...
Try not to think about it too much! What length is your hair right now?

franny

Actually, the cutting and shortening tok about six months until i finally made the unwise decision to make it super short, like an inch, what was i thinking. On the upside i'm having fun with more make-up and earrings have a new appeal. If time allows i may just bop into a salon with wigs and try some more on. The one I tried was rather long, shoulder length, an unnatural color for me, human hair, but the part was very wiggy. Friends have told me the short hair looks good and i thank them for being so nice, just like the kind folks here.
Jenna

When I go to the salon I make it very clear what length I want etc. I've even made them measure to make sure they were getting it right. Since your hair is so short adding an inch will make a big difference and it wont take long to grow that inch. My hair is very short and I wear it spiky - it's great for showing earrings and I feel more feminine this way than I did when I had waist length hair so go figure. Good luck to you