Warning - hideous photo.

[HowsTheSerenity]

It's time.
2014 was my Annus Horribilis.
I'm going to recreate myself and find the elegant person I used to be.
But..
The Clomid and IVF caused me to gain 15kg (30lbs or so?). I stopped exercising so am now fat and flabby.
Plus my hair resembles a birds nest made up of horse hair.
This is my hair 48 hours after being washed, air dried and in a pony tail.
Do I grow it? Cut it shorter?
It's very thick, wavy and frizzy.

Well the fantastic news is you have gorgeous lips and amazing blue eyes. How hot are you !!!

I have hair that's slightly like yours but bigger. Have you a hairdresser who gets wavy crazy hair? Do good layers at the right length. I would grow it a little. Each time it grows an inch see how you feel about it. My hair is tamer just going over my shoulders with the right length layers (not too short for me) And it's in better condition.

I have recently found my woolly hat tames it and makes it shinier. But not a good look for summer.....

You don't look slightly fat but I know body shape is personal. So good luck to the newer you.

Mine is a similar length but bit shorter. Also thick and prone to frizz and to make matters worse curly too. I have to wash every day and as when I wake it looks like a clown wig. I have to use a product such a frizz ease to counter frizz. Have you tried anythibg like that? I also get it cut every six weeks to maintain shape. I realise this is a luxury - I blame the curl. I never blow dry either....adds frizz!

I am more worried about your make-up!

It also looks very dry. Have you tried a deep conditioning treatment? Also agree tiu don't look fat.

I'm a UK 16-18.

I deep condition it weekly. I use friz ease and luxe oil (omg best stuff ever and smells divine) when I remember too.
I am thinking of keratin straightening. I like my hair straight but curly too. Curly turns into an electrocuted afghan dog look after a while. Not sure what to do.
My hair was longer, about shoulder length, but I had a mad moment and had it cut to just below my ears.

I've seen worse brows about. Seriously.

Like this!

I suggest you need a babyliss big hair!! I would also ask the hairdresser to use a nice gloss colour on it to make it look really shiny and healthy.

I would get a Brazilian blow dry treatment. Life changing!

I like your hair - it's very 'Laura Fantacci' or Caroline Flack. Maybe just use a deep conditioner once a week to make it a bit more managable.
You don't look large at all to me.......

I have no right typing on a S&B thread - I need the help, not to be dishing out advice, but a couple of thoughts:

I very, very rarely have my hair down - it is tied back (ponytails high and low, bun, twisted up - so variety, but always back), which reduces the frizz.

This stuff and straighteners are the only thing (other than the hairdresser) that can contain it.

Could you bare to take up the exercise again? Maybe the shred or C25k? You don't look that large, but then we've only really got a head and shoulders shot.

Good luck with 2015 being the year you become comfortable with yourself.

Condution mate.

Plus. Make it a bit less curtain like

Have you brushed your hair? My hair looks like that if I brush it! If you comb through a little bit of gel when wet, scrunch it and leave it to dry naturally then it should be more curly/wavy rather than frizzy. Try reading about the curly girl method.

I'm another one who should be taking the advice not giving it out, but here goes. My hair has been a bit like yours since I gave birth. I never let it air dry. I hairdry it, brushing all the time with a paddle brush in different directions- across, up, down, always really long strokes around my head. Not only does it smooth it, it also, as a hairdresser once told me, uses the actual shape of the head to turn it under and give it nice form. It works for me. I don't brush it when wet- just start gently brushing and drying at the same time.

Love that lipstick!!

I think the air drying and tying back are not helping. I have a babyliss big hair and it's changed my life. I can make my hair all swishy and shiny. You would need the smaller barrelled one though.

I have a babylis big hair. I should start using it again.
I will get my hair thinned out again. A gloss is a good idea.
If I brush my hair it gets super frizzy and big!

As for weight loss and fitness then I'm starting swimming again. I'm going another round of IVF so more fatness should occur from that.

I second quiet, I started using handmade non SLS, non silicone shampoo and conditioner from "Curl Harmony" and it had a massive impact on my hair and scalp.

My scalp condition cleared up and it no longer resembles an explosion in a snow globe factory when I brush my hair and my hair is passable even if I air dry it (looks better if I use the Babyliss Big Hair though). It is also shiny and the colour is brighter if you ignore the strata's of grey.

You don't look big at all.

Bbh should do great job on your hair.

I think you could go a little darker with the hair colour.

Leave in conditioner or something similar as your hair looks very dry. Maybe put an oil treatment on it once a week too.

I was inclined to say have it thinned out but think that the loss of weight of the hair might make it look frizzier as it won't fall as much (hope I am making sense).

Just keep trying different things you will eventually find what workd for you.

I'm sure you have a lovely personality! Have you tried some statement jewelry? Perhaps something glitzy or tribal to draw attention away from your problem areas? I find popping a tiara on and carry a scepter does wonders for my self esteem..and remember, you are never really dressed without a SMILE!

Better?

Definitely DON'T use Frizz Ease or any similar product with silicone in it! What happens is that it coats your hair and stops moisturising products, eg conditioner, from getting through. So you will reach (may already have done so if you have used Frizz Ease for several years) a point where your hair will go into crisis, as shampoo and conditioner you have been using on it won't have been effective for quite a while and your hair will be a nightmarish scarecrow situation (I speak from personal experience unfortunately).

Only use silicone-free products - within a few weeks, you will not believe the difference. I would highly recommend Superdrug coconut conditioner, which is currently on offer for 98p for a really big bottle. I also use hair oil, again from Superdrug, and a curl cream. I wash my hair most days, and leave it to dry naturally, except the front which I dry a bit to avoid frizz.

Do you have any layers in your hair? If not, I would recommend some - they make my hair manageable and easy to handle, which is definitely not its natural state!