Does anyone miss having long swishy hair?

[rurbane]

This probably means I'm a bit shallow but I really miss the hair I used to have in my 20s. I'm 56 and it's grey, frizzy and thin at the front. The only style that suits me is short, not quite pixie, which makes me look a bit stern and joyless. If I try and grow it long I look unkempt.

Daft and shouldn't matter, normally I'm happy to be scruffy and a bit of a wall flower but life/fate has found the one thing that I'm a bit vain about. <<sulky face>>

Feel free to mock me, it might make me see sense.

Oh god yes. I had lovely hair that didn’t require much effort, and I took it for granted. Now I have what you have - grey, frizzy and thinning in the front. Have you ever considered a few extensions?

I’m 53 and menopausal and my hair is as good as ever. I do take HRT, so maybe that helps matters?

I do still have pretty long hair, dyed red, at 64 but some may say is wrong but I don't care as I like it. For balance. I gave never taken HRT. I do understand OP as I will be sad if I have to change.

Thanks everyone. I hadn't thought of extensions, they could get me through the growing it out stage which would 100% not suit me. It needs to be either short or long. I'm on hrt which has helped. Short hair means very regular hairdresser appointments whereas my son, who has very long hair, hardly ever needs it tidying up.

I have long swishy hair at 52. I take collagen supplements for hair, nails, skin. I am also on HRT. Before HRT / collagen I was losing hair by the handful every day and it was getting really thin. My hairdresser mentioned a few bald areas. But now it is back to being thick and loads of it.

Yes! The back of my head is completely dry and wirey but front still ok! Ive had to cut it off

I’m 59 but only recently through the menopause. My hair is exactly as it’s always been, just dyed a lighter colour now, I got sick of the grey roots. I did try going grey but I looked bloody awful, like a ghost. I’ve always had masses of hair though, always commented on by hairdressers, lol

If its any consolation I'm 56 and currently bald from chemo. Before I lost my hair it was thick and in good condition. It was also mid brown (I didn't dye it and don't take HRT). I'd love to have any hair at all right now.

From what I've read there's a fair chance it will grow back grey and frizzy so in a years time I might be equally frustrated with mine!

I am 59 and have the same amount of hair I’ve always had - loads! I keep mine short and spikey as it grows like weeds. It’s also grey as I got sick of dying it but I like it, it’s kind of punky. I’ve also never been on HRT. I dislike long swishy hair anyway.

I’m 52 and have very long hair. I’m on HRT but what really helps is collagen!

I feel the same.

I'm 39 so not quite at the same stage as you, but all I can say is, your hair makes a huge difference to how you feel.
I've always had LONG long hair that reaches my bum, except a few years ago I was having serious sensory issues with it, so got it cut "short" so it was easier to manage. "Short" being bra strap level. I started to miss the length about a year ago, so am trying to grow it back now. I don't feel like "me", and suspect I won't until it's LONG long again.
I fully expect I'll be the same in my 70's.
If long hair makes you happy, do what you need to do to get it there, and bollocks to whatever anyone else might think 🥰

Thanks everyone, good to hear a range of views and experiences. I'm grateful to you all for sharing and realise I'm grumbling over something minor. As Poddy86 says "your hair makes a huge difference to how you feel", perhaps I need to ponder on that.

Currently dealing with chemo hair from hell. Before it fell out, it was long, dark and shiny. Now, it’s short, wirey, grey and horrid. Before anyone says I should be grateful to have hair, that’s not the point. I don’t look or feel like me.

@whereswilsonYou have described my hair. If it was a car it would be called a cut and shut. I feel like I have two people’s hair. The front is thinner but looks normal and in great condition, the back is darker and frizzy - think Arthur Scargill texture (not colour). Even if I try and use straighteners on the back it is the same. It looks like a halo of fuzz. I gave up using straighteners for 3 years to see if it improved the fuzzy back - it didn’t. This is my hair now and I am done trying to improve it. I have spent so much money on different hair products- from cheap to luxe - still the same. I also have a scalp condition which doesn’t help.

Yes my mum is in her 70s and has lovely long hair, very healthy

I don’t know how anyone could say it’s wrong! My mum is mid 70s and still rocking long hair, and I will be too!

Not me!!

My hair has always been mad..... too thick, I got it cut short at 14 and have never looked back, it is almost silver now (I'm 49), I am not to be trusted with dye!! The result would be awful! I am v jealous of my 88 year old aunt who has the most beautiful blonde hair (natural), waist length that she wears in the most elegant French pleat, stunning (I've always wanted to play with her hair but never got the courage to ask her!) She was a brilliant source of info when my dds were little and I didn't have a clue what do do with their ridiculously thick, long hair!

Look up Claire Osborne on Facebook/tiktok. She is a wig fanatic and has an army of followers. I started with one after a (really) bad haircut which was too short to do anything with, and now even though I have thick bio hair I still chose wigs for nights out. They are not the wiggy looking monstrous things from the 80s- they are so realistic. You 20 year old hair dream is an option for you!

Yes. As a child my mum insisted on me having short hair as she said it would grow 'thicket' (it didn't). So from when I could decide myself I mostly let it grow long, no style nothing

I had to have it cut short a few years ago as it was just breaking and had a chunk missing in the back

I'm 50 and have long swishy hair and planning to keep it that way. I only have about 20 grey hairs which is just good genes, so not in my control. I do have a very nurturing hair care routine to keep it in tip top condition for the things I can control. I am careful how I brush it (no pulling, start at the bottom), absolutely no hair dye, no heat styling, no hair dryers, no products other than shampoo and conditioner. This helps to keep it lovely and shiny and in great condition, so I can keep it long

I'm 62 and still have longish hair, bra strap length. Its going grey, but I like it, I stopped dying it years ago. I don't suit short hair, and hate having it cut, so I just get it trimmed twice a year.

I will admit to being a bit obsessive about my hair. I'm 63 and like it just at or right below shoulder length and it's still fairly shiny, swishy and thick, but I do have it keratin straightened, coloured and highlighted. I'm a pale brunette and I look washed out when I let the grey come in. I'm on HRT and take collagen, do a little home micro needling on my scalp once or twice a week and use a bit of minoxidil liquid on my scalp at night.

Good thoughts to those out there dealing with chemo ❤

I used to have really thick dark hair. Now I'm post menopausal its all migrated to the chin area! Normal head hair is grey and whispy....sigh