LHC:A double-edged sword?

[Hairbear]

I love this place. I have learned so much from being here. I think my hair looks better for being here, however, I do have a problem with it.

I'll elaborate and perhaps you will understand the thread title. since getting 100 posts and being able to browse the photo journals I have been feeling a little inadequate and frustrated. Inadequate because there are just so many great heads of hair. Frustrated because my hair has so far to go to get to a decent length. I also worry that the longer my hair gets the worse it will look.

I guess what I am really trying to say is that I look at people like Styg, Autumn, Saoirse, Winter, Sian100 etc who have similar hairtype to me and I think why bother, it will never be that good. So sometimes I'm really inspired and others I am really disheartened. Anyone else feel the same way sometimes?

[justgreen]

Before I found LHC, I was just about to cut off my hair. I felt like you did. Then I found this place and some of the people had long gorgeous hair and most of the people had hair troubles like me. You are not alone and if you have the desire for your hair to grow longer and be healthy, then you can make it happen. Plus, you have hundreds of willing folks here to help you any way they can. Please don't be afraid to ask.
ETA: BTW, I think your hair is very pretty and the color is so rich. I've had to learn to like my hair.

[Autumn]

Try not to feel discouraged. My hair was about the same langth as yours only a couple years ago. When I first joined here, I had bsl length hair. I still feel like a shorty in comparison to a lot of people here. It will take a while for your hair to grow out, and yeah the ends probably aren't going to look as healthy as the hair near the scalp (mine don't), but you'll get there. If you don't like your hair long, you can always cut it.

It looks like your hair is your natural color, and you say you take good care of it, so it will probably look good longer. No one's hair is perfect. Be as accepting as you can about the hair you have.

justgreen is right, lots of people are in the same boat, and most of us are in the process of growing their hair and dealing with its changes, whatever their hair length.

[kimberlily]

(((hugs))) Sometimes I have bouts of hair inadequacy, but I find that visiting the photo threads and seeing some of my hair-idols in their early LHC (or pre LHC) days makes me feel better, and helps me to realize that one day, my hair may be coveted too

I think you have lovely hair, and it looks very healthy!

[Hairbear]

Thanks guys.

I suppose a lot of my frustration comes from the silly "haircare" methods I employed before coming here. The colour is not my natural colour. It is damaged hair colour. I'll get my SO to take some pics at the weekend and post up a better sig pic. But look carefully at my avatar and you can see dark hair going to a lightish brown colour. That light brown is all a result of damaging "care". So you see, I feel frustrated that it will be so many years before LHC bears real fruit for me.

[Juliet's Silk]

Why do you think that your hair won't be beautiful when it's long? You have a vast amount of hair care tips on your hands, and while your hair grows, you'll learn so much about it so that it gets easier and easier to care for.
When your hair reaches your goal length, it will be just as beautiful as the hair of other members.
We all started short. Maybe try to search for the various "hair history" threads around here to get some encouragement.

While the photo journals were a great encouragement to me (hairstyle wise) I also felt a bit inadequate sometimes. My hair was so short, and frizzy and not shiny at all - I was a bit jealous and felt... left out. My hair felt thin compared to the incredible thickness of some people here, not shiney at all compared to some people's hair, I felt that the color was boring compared to some people here... you get the point I don't know. But then I started a photo journal of my own. The thing with the photo journals is that most of us show only the good pictures of the hair (where the shine is enhanced by the flash most of the time), while when we look at our own hair, we're discouraged because it doesn't look like the pictures most of the time. Everybody has bad hair days.

So my advice would be to make your own photo journal. Even if you think that your hair isn't worth it or something - do it. Show the styles you can manage, your hairtoys, show your monthly comparison pictures. It'll help and when you have a bad hair day just browse through your journal, look at the nice pictures you posted, how long your hair has gotten and read all the nice replies there.

[Hairbear]

Kimberlilly-Thank you so much, such kind words. But if you could sit next to me IRL and look at my hair close up you would really see the difference between pre_LHC and LHC hair. This is the cause of my frustration. Don't worry, I'll get over it, but I'm having a bad day today!

[lh1299]

I havent even made it to 100 posts. Just looking at signatures and avatars I get frustrated thinking to myself "why bother?" but sometimes it's my inspiration to keep going on a bad day when im thinking of shaving my head.

[Hairbear]

Juliet-Danke schön. Ich kann ein bisschen Deutsch aber schlecht! Es kann besser sein!

Your hair is beautiful. I'm talking about the damage I have done to my hair, in this thread. Something I cannot reverse.

BTW I am visiting Germany in September, Freiburg im Briesgau, really looking forward to it. Any hair product/toy tips?

[Hairbear]

I'm totally with you on that one. Just not today!

[Hairbear]

lh1299-I'm totally with you on that one. except today I'm not really that inspired.

[justgreen]

OH we all have bad hair days! When I have one, I just put it up in a bun and forget about it.

[getoffmyskittle]

Your hair looks beautiful in your signature to me. It's so shiny and silky-looking!

Try small, regular microtrims to help get rid of the damage. Your hair will take a longer time to get really LONG, but you'll be able to see the benefits of all your new healthy hair habits sooner.

Good luck!

[Forever Long]

I know how you feel too! When I see the gorgeous thick heads of hair here and then my fine, thin, scraggly locks, I get discouraged. I think you have very pretty shiny hair, and it can only get better as you apply what you learn here and find out through trial and error and LOTS of patience what your hair responds best to. Don't give up on your hair yet, I've seen an improvement in mine and you could end up being very surprised and happy at how good your hair looks as it grows longer too. You probably don't notice it as much because you see it every day, a lot of times someone you maybe haven't seen for a while will mention how nice your hair looks. Good luck!

[hollybell]

Hairbear, I can certainly relate to what you are saying. When I was younger I always thought that I had the uglist hair ever but looking back, my hair was gorgeous. Now that I'm older and age, elements and hormones have taken their toll, I realize how unappreicative I was of my hair. I would give anything (well almost anything) to have that hair back.

I have always, since I was very little, just loved long, long hair. I was mesmerized by it then and I am still today.

My hair is only shoulder length now. When I told my sister about this site, she asked me if I even qualified to be on here. I told her that this is a sisterhood that supports each other and I have been welcomed, but still that feeling of being inadequate pops up every now and then.

But being on here and reading what everyone has to say really does help. I had my husband take my picture last week but with it just being shoulder length, I am a little embarassed about posting it.

I couldn't believe it when I read that justgreen didn't like her hair when she first came here. I love, love her hair. Of course, I like a lot of peoples hair on this site. I guess I am gulity of "coveting" hair:}

Anyway, the few weeks I have been on here, I have stopped straigtening my hair and embraced my curls/waves. This has been a big step for me since I have always fought against my hair and tried to straighten it. Now I look forward to long (gulp, dare I say it) curly hair. I just want to thank everyone on here for all of you insipration. It really has changed my out look on things, especially on accepting myself for who I really am.