Advice and ideas needed for new hair...

[MiffleTheIntrovert]

First off, I do not belong in Style and Beauty but lovely peeps here were very helpful (different name) when I lost my hair and eyebrows previously.

Well, it had all grown back and I finally appreciated it, I actually did something with it every day instead of shoving it in a messy bun

Hair was down to small of my back, thick, straighter than it was and a lovely purple colour. I tend to wear it in plaits coiled on top of my head. Last month it started falling out again when I had a flare up the bastard.

Currently - it was coming out in handfuls but seems to have stabilised. So it's much more thin and wispy, I have what appears to be a receding hairline but it's just slightly bald patches at my temples and along top of my head. With cunning, it can be disguised and look OK but takes time and makes me fed up. I have been too scared to dye it so it is brown with an attractive grey badger stripe of about two inches.

At the moment I am wearing scarves and am severely tempted to just get it all chopped off into a pixie and maybe wear a wig but fear they will be too hot. I also love my hair long and worry how long it will take to grow back.

I was thinking about maybe getting it cut into a chin length bob and wearing a head scarf (with the rabbit ears) over my bald bits.

So any advice welcome... We don't have any much money but it needs sorting so will have to pay. I think my face is a normal shape, I am very small generally and tend to wear 50s/60s shift dresses and little cardigan type clothes. I am very very pale, have freckles, wear glasses, don't really wear make up, am very very close to 40.

Disclaimer: for the last couple of years I have trimmed it myself with the kitchen scissors Will the hairdresser even touch me if my hair is falling out? I imagine they won't dye it so a pixie might be better for taking it back to grey IYSWIM.

I will throw yourself at my knowledgeable feet...please help as I know it's shallow but it's really getting me down now, to the point where I won't let DH see me without a scarf on.

[MiffleTheIntrovert]

God that was long

[raininginspringtime]

Do you feel brave enough to put a photo up? :)

[MiffleTheIntrovert]

No

I did think about it but I have a sleep cap over it atm and reluctant to disturb it, plus then I would have to NC and I like this name!

[MiffleTheIntrovert]

Oh dear. I'm worried what that ^^ was now.

[MiffleTheIntrovert]

DH suggested "cutting it short then sort of pulling it forward from the front to the back".

So thanks for that DH although I'm not sure I should be taking style advice from someone with a shaved head though...

[botemp]

Direct DH to a picture of Trump who uses that exact technique and see if he'll make that statement again...

Don't worry about the deleted message it was a spammer, nothing to do with your thread.

[MadSprocker]

Would you have to have it chopped to all the same length when the patches start growing back? A pixie would suit your style, think Edie Sedgewick or Mia Farrow. You could accessorise with hair bands. I will find pics.

[MadSprocker]

Like these.

[ILostItInTheEarlyNineties]

If you are brave and quite handy with scissors, you can do the bob cut yourself. There are loads of tutorials on You tube but the easiest way is to put it into a pony tail low at the base or your neck and hold the scissors vertically pointing down to the floor whilst cutting the ponytail. You will need sharp scissors and 2 mirrors to see the back. This will give you a graduated bob which you will need to even and tidy after the initial cut.

If you hate it, you can get the hairdresser to cut it shorter but I think a bob can be versatile, parted in loads of ways and looks great with a headscarf.

[MiffleTheIntrovert]

botemp at Trump, definitely not a look to emulate. Have PMed you btw, thank you so much.

Mad both those photos are lovely, the only problem I can see is that those people are stunningly beautiful and the effect might not be good on me

Ilost is that the infamous MN haircut last time I took the kitchen scissors it didn't look great to be honest...my (very fluffy) cat and I resembled each other for a good few weeks :)

I have bitten the bullet and booked an appointment for tomorrow (will take mad's photos) and thinking I may well get it cropped and then I can wear a wig anyway...

Thank you so much for replying it has cheered me up today

[botemp]

Couldn't figure out how to PM pictures, sorry for the shoddy quality the weather was working against me this morning and the camera on my phone has seen better days (also ignore the botched nose job on the head ). It's shoulder length in the back and it's a bit more mahogany than I remembered but definitely still brown. Let me know if you like it and I'll send it your way, it'll need a good brush and a wash probably. Bonus points: I found a single grey hair!

Good luck with the appointment later today!

[MadSprocker]

If you haven't already gone, check Pinterest for more pics, that's all I did. I tried to find pics of people with a wider expanse of hair band IYSWIM? The trouble with these websites is that all the people are photogenic! If it helps I can send pics of me with my pixie ( not photogenic at all).

[MiffleTheIntrovert]

Botemp I have PMed you but thanks again, you are very kind. I love Mumsnet

Mad I have had a good look and also found these cuts which I like - I think with my weird sparse patches and inability to dye it, whatever I have done will have to be be-wigged anyway but at least I might feel better with a bare head at home. I have asked the hairdresser if they will dye it but they won't, which I understand. I shall take your pics and mine and show them - fingers crossed!

Two hours until hair appointment! I am very nervous, will feel funny to take my scarf off.

I will post an update, thank you, you have all been so kind

[FeliciaJollygoodfellow]

Hope it went well Miffle.

Could you maybe try henna, for the colour? Not sure how well it takes on grey but I know Lush do a brown option.

[Queenbean]

I love the search you did for those images "hairstyles for older women with glasses" :)

They both look lovely and a gentle henna colour shouldn't be too harsh on you. Good luck with your appt

[MiffleTheIntrovert]

Queen how embarrassing :) all the pics I found were of beautiful 20 somethings so I was trying to find something more...realistic

Well I am back!

Hairdresser said there wasn't really enough hair for a pixie as it would look a bit bald on top so she has bobbed it, chin length at front and shorter at back, lots of layers for volume. It certainly looks better, will be easier to wear a wig and will be fine in the house but it still looks thin and wispy.

I have, however, a selection of scarves and also a very kind offer of a wig from a MNer so feel a lot better about it all today.

(Well I did until dd2 helpfully said "it's nice...you look like the mother from Home Alone" )

Felicia the hairdresser said henna might be too harsh at the moment, as that was my thought too, but they can dye it for me when it stops falling out.

My head feels very light! This thread has really cheered me up, I couldn't sleep last night as nervous, and the very kind offer of a wig has made me feel very grateful and much happier.

(DH has also spotted a long purple £13.99 cosplay wig he thinks will look nice on me...next he will be trying to get me to accompany him and DS3 to comic-con ! )

[MadSprocker]

Glad you are feeling better, and took the hairdressers advice on a suitable style. Purple wig sounds fun