improving damaged hair

Oh, I couldn't agree with Lea (crap I can't remember how she spelled it now!!) enough. A good diet will help so much. I have a friend who's a doctor who says that fat girls always have the best hair and skin, because you almost have to eat too much to get everything your body needs. Think Omega 3 fatty acids.
Please try MSM. It's a harmless mineral supplement, extremely cheap, that works with the calcium in your diet to improve your eyes, hair, skin, nails and joint function. Seriously, this is like a $7 investment.
On another note, everybody here has good intentions, and if there have to be misunderstandings occasionally, I for one think it's worth it to have everyone telling it like it really is for their own head of hair.
So, you know,, don't go changin.....to try and please the hair extensions message board....we like you just the way you are.

SEE! THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!!!!!!! I'm not mad at anybody! And as far as being warned about Great Length's and Hairloc's, I had both of them in my hair long before every coming onto this site, and therefore "had not been warned " as you put it". I posted the pictures that I had. I'm sorry that they weren't more explicit, but like I said "those were the only pictures I had. I guess I thought they really showed a difference of how my hair looked after removal of the extensions, but apparently not. I'm certainly not here to make anybody mad or start anything. There have been several times when I have posted threads on this site and it seems like some people have been kind of insensitive. I'm sure that I haven't had as extensive damage as some people and I don't feel that I'm comparing myself to anybody. Just stating the facts about a bad experience, and nothing more! Actually, I thought I was possibly helping somebody.

Wow! I seem to have really offended people concerning hair extensions. I can't believe how defensive some people have gotten towards the thread I posted. I guess I should clarify what I was trying to explain.
First of all, I simply wanted to answer a question from somebody who had gone through similar problems with hair extensions and tell them about my experience. She specifically said that the hair extensions ruined her hair,and that is why I told her that she shouldn't keep them in, and that she should just get a cute hair cut and try to get her hair healthy again. I don't remember stating anywhere in that thread that extensions are horrible and NOBODY should put them in their hair, but in this case she is flat out stating they ruined her hair, and unless she is going to wear them for the rest of her life, the problem is not going to go away and her hair is gonna get worse. Obviously her hair can't handle the weight of the extensions, for whatever reason, and they don't work for her. I too have my hair highlighted with bleach (and have had for 20 years), however, I don't feel that had anything to do with the damage.
I know alot of it has to do with the stylist who puts them in, and with that in mind, I have tried 5 different stylists and had the same results each time. I have spent probably over $6000.00 since I started this venture, and have come to the conclusion that they just don't work FOR ME. I went as far as to purchase a starter kit from hairpiece.com so I could save $ and put the bonds back in myself when they came out, well those microlinks were slipping out just as fast as the Hairloc's.
I will be the first to say that I felt prettier than ever when I had the extensions in my hair, however, it just wasn't worth the hassel, time,money, or damage being done to my hair. Sherry made a comment about the fact that she doesn't like her hair and never has, so having the extensions really hasn't been an issue as far as doing damage to her hair. If you think about it, the fact that I had nice hair before, made this even more devastating for me. And although the medication did some thinning to my hair, the extensions did most of the damage. I have been soooooo tempted to have the extensions put back in, because I CAN'T STAND how my hair looks now, but there is gonna come a day when I have to deal with my hair and try to get it healthy again. Jenny RR also made a comment about how my hair didn't look that damaged after the extensions were taken out, and that it just looked a little thinner on the ends. Ok! I didn't take close up pictures, but I had quarter size bald spots all over my scalp, and the texture of my hair is horrible. I have no shine, no bounce, no body. My hair is just like straw, and no matter what hair products I use or how I try to style it, well........ it's useless. I feel as though people on here are questioning my integrity, and I'm having to justify everything I say by detailing everything. I mean really, if I say extensions thrashed my hair, then they thrashed my hair. Whether it shows up in pictures or not, they thrashed my hair. If extensions work for other people "THAT'S FANTASTIC"! but for those of us who have had bad experiences, we should be able to let others know about it and give suggestions without feeling like we need to defend ourselves, as in this case.

so sorry - got thrown off by lisa lisa's comments/confused myself....

i think the comments about rogaine and supplements are really really sound... kind of expensive, but it's all relative, yes?...but there (in my opinion from a scientific background) is not any other proven over the counter medication or treatment that will reverse the thinning or do anything other than camouflage and prevent more damage...there are thickening and smoothing serums like frizz ease like you mentioned, etc that really helped my hair look more smooth and shiney when i have overbleached in the past...
i know it isn't what you want to hear (at least i'm guessing), but when i kinda fried my hair what really helped was a new shaggy-type haircut...i told my stylist what i wanted, she cleaned up the kinda ratty ends...and the cut really helped restore lots of volume, my shorter thicker hair looked much more aestetically pleasing than my longer kinda ratty and tatty hair...and the way my ends were, it wasn't a good start for regrowth..pantene has a new leave in treatment that the claim repairs up to 80% of damage..i haven't tried it myself though...

hi there -

sorry to hear your situation; it may be helpful to know what medication you were/are on? sorry if i missed this, and are you still on it? if you aren't comfortable posting that BM me....i'm a vet pathologist and we do lots of derm stuff (for animals :) ), but sometimes the principles are the same....knowing why you hair began to thin may be critical for understanding how it will return and how to help that....
cheryl

DITTO

Hair is our "crowning glory". I can't think of anything that impacts a person's appearance as greatly and thusly their self-esteem...that's not to say we are all so narcissistic we have to look good to feel good, but there's a reason people use the term "I'm havin' a bad hair day."
I've only worn extensions for about a year and I'm still experimenting with what works best for me. (I accredit this board for a lot of what I've learned) I've had some bad experiences (all attributed to my technique & the quality of hair) but the more I learn, the better it gets.
I, personally, would sacrafice some hair damage for a "flowing mane"...because there's no way I could produce one on my own. Not only do I enjoy the end product, but I love fiddling with applying...some people knit, some sew, and I stick in hair.
I agree with Sherrie, you weren't a candidate for extensions initially. Best of luck growing your hair back...everybody deserves "good hair days"...regardless how they choose to achieve them.

LISA LISA...I personally for one will never be sorry that I got extensions! I had crappy hair before extensions and Im sure Ill have crappy hair after extensions. I dont intend to take them out anytime soon. Some of us were not blessed with great or even good hair, some of us were cursed with awful hair and for people like me, extensions are a great way to have beautiful hair. I have worn extensions for 5 years or more and my hair is no worse, no better than before.

Youve said yourself that you were on medication that caused hair loss, so extensions was not entirely to blame for your hairloss, and also the fact that you used two methods that are quite well known for being damaging surely contributed to your hairloss as well.

I am very sorry for your bad experiences and am sorry what you must be going through with the hairloss issues, but hair extensions are not all bad experiences for all of us. I believe that with proper care and proper application and removal that extensions will cause little to no damage. ANd for myself, the little damage that Ive had is no worse than the other harsh things that Ive done, such as color and bleach. I am no worse off than before extensions after 5 years.

One question that I have for you is why did you get extensions in the first place? Your hair looked beautiful in the picture that you said was before extensions.

Okay friend, here's what i know. If your doctor says it's ok, rogain for women works really well. My mom uses it and it's made a world of difference to her. You need to buy special products to care for the hair.. I think Nioxin is formulated for rogaine use, because the rogaine makes it really ****y, and be sure to not color or do so only with a pro.

If that's not for you, the mineral supplement msm is really really good for growing stronger hair. A good diet is immeasurable in it's value. With MSM, you won't notice a difference for three monthes but then you'll really be happy. In fact I recommend this harmless supplement in conjuntion with whatever you try.

I have a client who swears by the laser brush from Bliss catalog. But... She paid like $600 for it. It supposedly stimulates the follicle. She has had regrowth, so who knows.
That said, how are the shrinkies working for you? Best Wishes