Advice on involuntary Pixie Cut

[IdaBWells]

I am in recovery from cancer and my hair is growing back in after chemo. I am quite pleasantly surprised that it doesn't look too bad as I have never worn it this short in my life.

It is very similar to this but not quite as long . I finished chemo at the end of October to give an idea of rate of growth. It is also grayer as I had hair past my shoulders with blonde highlights for years before my diagnosis this summer so hadn't seen my natural hair colour for decades.

So I am looking for advice, what looks good with very short hair in terms of style? I am thinking of getting myself some ginormous earrings, maybe some hoops and chandeliers. What about necklines and things to avoid?

Also how long will it need to be before I can blonde up again and do you have advice in terms of colouring very short hair?

If I want to grow it out what is the best way? How long will it take and what might be good in-between styles to aim for?

Thank you!

Congratulations on completing chemo OP. I'm glad you like your new hair! I was going to suggest earrings...big or small. Tiny silver dangly ones look lovely too...very delicate and great with short hair as you can see them.

Necklines...depends on your build.

As for dying it, speak to a colourist...they know best.

You can see how you like it at different lengths as it goes. Take pictures regularly so you can refer back to the lengths and you might find that as it gets longer, you will see a length you realise was most flattering and can get it cut that short again.

Thanks FortinesFave that's a great tip about taking pics of different hair lengths. I'm trying to guesstimate how much it will grow this year. I'm actually finding it quite fun to have a radically different style than I would normally have.

Before this crazy illness I was apparently in great health and very active, I would go the gym at least 3 times a week and loved weight training. I was a 10 in trousers, 12 in tops and in proportion. With the illness I was losing weight (not good) I stabilized and have since put on about a stone. I'm not too worried but it has affected my build as I currently have a tummy and bigger legs than usual .

Unfortunately I'm not well enough yet to do much exercise but just started Physical Therapy for rehab last week. From very active and busy I was bedridden for months this summer.

I am doing so much better now though and I want to figure out how to adapt to my new look and get myself some cute things!

How old are you? I ask that because I can give you some style models....I look to actors who are the same age as me when I need inspiration...see what they're wearing.

Congrats on being over chemo.

I had a pixie crop although a much longer one. I’d suggest very regular trims as it’ll all grow at different rates so will look uneven. I agree with big earrings and maybe bright lipstick?

Congrats on your recovery.

I used to wear my hair very similar to that - I lost a lot through stress and ended up having it all whacked off at the hairdresser. It was really liberating!

I found I needed to ramp up "being feminine" in other ways, or I could look a bit butch. (Which is absolutely fine, it just wasn't the look I was going for.) I always wear red lipstick anyway, but found my face being so exposed meant that I needed a bit more eyemakeup, and I had to pay more attention to my skin, whereas now I would just live with a spot or whatever. I felt like there is no way of hiding when your hair is that short!

I probably wore skirts and dresses more than trousers, but anything frilly or fussy just jarred. I'm not a floral person, but if I had been, I would probably have ditched those. I never wear heels, so I wore a lot of dresses with opaque tights and brogues - it was quite a "Cos" look overall.

I actually wore more delicate jewellery than I do when my hair's longer.

I used to have it cut every five weeks, and it grew super quickly. I think you notice it a lot more when it's short. When I grew it out (initially into a blunt Louise Brooks bob, so a kind of interim goal) I kept getting the back cut up and letting the top and sides grow down, so I avoided the mullet.

(Apologies if this sounds really trite when you're recovering from such a serious illness.)

Hi op, congratulations on coming through chemo.

I would find a hairdresser you like and trust who is happy to do a consultation on colouring your hair - short hair is ideal for bleaching but if you are wanting to grow it you may want to discuss options so it is as undamaged as possible, and as people have said you may find it grows crazy fast so you'll want to factor in roots and regrowth management. your hair may also surprise you by coming back in curlier or straighter than before so personally I would hang fire until you have a good bit of regrowth so you can see what it's doing properly colour and texture wise.

A good style for transitioning from a pixie to a bob is an Eton crop, here's Louise Brooks rocking one, you can see how keeping the back short and growing the top and sides will be an easy transition to a graduated bob, then a longer one. It's about managing your sideburny bits and creating definition so you feel confident and like you have a hairstyle and not just a 'I'm waiting for my hair to be in a style' kind of look.

Short hair looks incredibly stylish imo and I would go bold like you say with earrings and big necklaces and maybe some big old vintage bakelite or fakelite bangles to kind of play up a bit of a 20s type vibe to go with your cropped hair. I'd go bold with clothing silhouettes as well, wide legged trousers with skinny polo necks or big tunics over slim legged trousers, have a look at the Monki website because not only are their clothes super nice, their sales are banaynay so if it's something you're unsure about you can give it a go for not much £££. get a big cosy cocoon coat; and splurge on a nice bag and boots/shoes (if you don't already have those) because if your body shape has changed and will likely change again as you get back to what's more normal for you, you can still continue to get joy from them even if other stuff stops fitting or looking right.

Hi, I've been in pretty much the same position except I finished chemo just a bit over a year ago.

Regarding greys my hair grew through pretty much silver grey. Liked it when it was very short but not so keen on very short hair on me. When I started growing it the grey made it look very unruly. Pictures of Einstein come to mind...Anyway so after been scared of all the warnings about allergies on box dyes I decided to make my own hair dye with natural ingredients. I brew up 6 camomile teabags, 2 redbush teabags, half a teaspoon of instant coffee and a tiny pinch (less than quarter of a teaspoon) in a teapot and when cool enough pour it over clean dry hair. Leave it in and dry it. I do this every time I was my hair. However it does not fade completely after one wash. This turns my grey hair dark blonde.

As for growing the short hair, I just keep getting the back of it cropped so it grows into a bob shape. Stops it growing into a mullet.

Wash my hair not was my hair.

Oh, the tiny pinch is of turmeric. Sorry for that omission.

Regarding exercise I started firstly with at least half an hour's walk everyday. Then I added in this easy work out

Then I did Niko Niko running:

Unlike any other running in how easy it is. I was never a runner before! I still am running and do 45 minutes just about every day.

Thank you everyone! Congratulations leafgrass how are you doing a year later?It really affected my back and "ravaged" my bones as the doc said on Friday. So I am not strong enough yet for half an hour walks and visits to the hairdresser or to go shopping. I can't drive yet. I can walk, but slowly. The PT said do very small amounts of walking so I think I will be going down to the end of the driveway and back for a while!
I am 50 and until this summer felt like a young 50!

leafgrass do you mind me asking what kind of cancer you had?

I had breast cancer Ida. I don't think my cancer/treatment experience was half as gruelling as yours sounded, though. I have had a dodgy back for a while but bone scans have come back normal. When it was bad I found an electronic muscle exerciser for my stomach helped. I didn't get a six pack but it did help my mobility. I suppose anything you can do to strengthen you core will help the back. I did half hour walks throughout my chemo and radio, though. My motto became 'Something is better than nothing,' exercise wise. YouTube even has routines you can do seated. I think building up very short walks is also a very good start.

Oh and relatives of mine who had cancer and were immobile found a lovely mobile hairdresser who visited them at home.

That is a really good idea about the mobile hairdresser, although I really haven't got much hair to be worrying a stylist with . Hopefully my strength and fitness will come back at the same rate as my hair and by the time it needs professional help I'll be driving and can get there under my own steam.

So, so good to know you are recovering so successfully! I am so happy for you

here's wishing you a good recovery!

Ida can you post a pic with your face blocked out so we can see your natural hair?

I personally love very short pixies. Very stylish. Here are some good ones 🙂

RE earrings I love quite large hoops and funky silver ones - but with a drop/ a bit of length.

PaulHollywood my hair is almost identical to the second pic but more silver grey than blonde!

My hair is almost exactly the length of the second picture as well. I'm in my early 50's and have it dyed a challenging red. Start with temp colours that will wash out if you don't like them. Because your hair is so short, you'll find you only need about a third of a packet if you use box colours and do it yourself.

Whenever I cut my hair I always feel the need, for about a week or two until I'm used to it again, for big earrings and red lipstick.

As a pixie wearer I need to use the right product, a soft wax/gel to make it look a bit messy and hold the shape.
Agree: lipstick and earrings with a bit of interest, I prefer studs.