Literally SICK of my hair!!!!

[Dollygirl2008]

I just don't know what to do with it! Am late 40's and it's just awful! It's limp, lifeless, fine - just won't do ANYTHING! I had lovely hair until I had my daughter but that was 12 years ago! I've tried several different thickening products, have it trimmed regularly but still awful. It never grows past my shoulders and just breaks. I'm a serial straightener but throughout the lockdown and summer, I gave it a total break so nearly 6 months but it made no difference!!!

First world problem I know but it genuinely makes me feel shit!! Has anyone got any advice?!

No silicones and no sls

6 months of hair growth is about 3inches. So only’ll only notice the difference of not over straightening on the top 3inches of your hair. The rest is already heat damaged so will already be prone to breaking. Olaplex should help with that to some extent but I don’t know what it’s like on fine hair.

@parlourpalm

No silicones and no sls

Which shampoo do you recommend? I'm looking for no sls or silicone and bought a faith in nature one but not loving it (literally only used it once though, granted!) I will persevere until the end of the bottle to give it a good go but I'm not optimistic!

Sorry to jump on you post op, I'm in a very similar boat.

What are sls?

The reason I don't think the no-straigtening has helped that much is because my roots hardly grew out during that time - I was I had 3 inch roots!!!! I gave up bleaching a few years ago but do still have highlights

You'll get good advice here and on the style and beauty beauty board. Don't give up hope

not at all Plonque - the more advice we can gleam, the better!

The type of cut might help?. A blunt edged shorter style would make it look thicker.

Or take the plunge and get a short crop?

Sometimes low iron levels cause thinning hair and breakage. It might help to take multi vitamin and iron tablets and get iron levels checked by doctor if you have other symptoms. ( fatigue, brittle nails, pale skin, light headed or headaches and a general lack of energy.)

My iron levels dropped very low in pregnancy and never quite recovered (14 years later) so supplements help me.

Garnier Whole Blends and Ultimate Blends whole foods.
Will take a while of not using silicone products to make a difference.

Your hair sounds rather like a very straggly and wayward hydrangea bush that we had and so we cut it right back, virtually to the ground, and it came back really thick and re-invigorated. Could you try something like that?

(Don't use secateurs like we did though...)

If you have a build up of silicone in your hair that can make it limp.

If you want to try silicone free, then start by stripping all residue out first before starting your new shampoo and conditioner rather than waiting for it to gradually wash away. A good clarifying shampoo will do this. Then you're starting with silicone free hair.

I actually hate my hair without silicone. It's less shiny, frizzes and gets static but other people love it. I do clarify with Vosene shampoo once a week to prevent build up though.

Hahaha love the hydrangea comparison! I often wonder what my natural hair would be like if I shaved my head! I don't think I've seen it for 30 years!

Really interesting about this silicone stuff - will read up on that. Now's the time whilst I'm not going into work as much!

Multivits on the list. Does anyone have any experience of specific hair supplements?

Biotin supplements for hair.

I've just cut mine back in to a pixie cut because of this. I grew it after ditching the dye and over lockdown but it was lifeless and seemed really fine looking.
It looks much thicker shorter and with layers.

I have this and I don't straighten my hair nor do I curently dye (though I may do so in future)- I'm trying clarifying shampoo and silicone free and then losts of moisture as it's also frizzy plus when I can get to one a good cut.

MIL told me it's just something that happens in your 40's but she has really thin hair in her 60s and was always fine while I've always had really thick.

There's also a whole thing about protein and moisture balance in hair. Like you can have too much or not enough of either and it will do bad things. Obviously I know next to nothing about it but worth looking into.

I would clarify hair with a strong sls shampoo to get rid of silicone build up.

Then use a silicone free shampoo and conditioner. Noughty and Shea Moisture have really good ranges.

Then google protein/moisture balance.

I can now go a week without washing my hair (very fine).

I went to the hair dresser the other day and let her use siliconey stuff and after a day my hair felt awful. Goes to show!

Vitamin D is key for hair. I use one of the spray in your mouth ones and it makes a big difference to my hair.

I went for a grade 2 all over. I no longer hate my hair.

are you under stress? if so try to do something about it (not always easy I know)

take a daily vitamin b complex

wash a lot less often if you can bear it

get your iron and thyroid levels checked at the GP

use a scalp stimulating brush e.g. silicon shampoo brush

avoid SLS in shampoo

use cold water on hair at end of washing to flatten the cuticle down and prevent frizz and make it shiny

eat better food if you don't already (healthier etc). For example, if you have blood sugar issues or are overweight it can mean more hairloss due to inflammation

Your age is not in your favour. Sorry. Blunt and brutal but true. Saying that, Olaplex 0 and 3 for home use has transformed my 50 year old barnet. It's not necessarily thickened it up but it's turned my frazzled bleached birds nest into silk.

I use Avalon Organics and had it cut into a 1920's style bob without a fringe.