Greying and growing long hair
Printed From: HairBoutique.com
Category: Long Hair Happenings
Forum Name: Long Hair Support
Forum Description: Growing it long takes commitment and support.
URL: https://talk.hairboutique.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1043
Printed Date: September 30 2024 at 4:22am
Topic: Greying and growing long hair
Posted By: Unregistered Guest
Subject: Greying and growing long hair
Date Posted: August 11 2004 at 12:07pm
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Greetings, This looks like the place to come to for support of long hair in general. I'm in my mid 50's and have felt the urge to just let my hair grow. It is now about an inch below my shoulders. Doesn't look at all the way one is led to believe by some hairdressers and folks who think the solution to aging is a hair cut. I wear it up most of the time and find it much easier to care for long than it was short. And it just feels right for me. My next move is to stop coloring and allow it to show its true color(s) -- a mix of grey, auburn and brown I think. (I don't recall, its been so long). Any ideas on how to resist temptation to cut it all off and let it grow, or to go back to coloring it. My hairdresser tells me there is no easy way to make the transition and those are my two options. I am thinking of wearing headcoverings during the winter -- but am also looking for positive ideas and feedback from others who have done this; Thank you!! Deeanne |
Replies:
Posted By: nygal
Date Posted: August 11 2004 at 1:07pm
Hi Deeanne! Well, you can't tell by my avatar because when I wear my hair down you really can't notice it, but when I pull it back, I'm fairly gray. It's all underneath, and I'm not sure why. Anyway, I'm 36 and for the longest time I was always thinking that I'm too young to have so much gray on my head. But, I decided to stop coloring and I haven't for years. Suprisingly, I get lots of compliments on it. I'd say to overcome the urge to color or to cut is to just realize that gray is beautiful and so is long hair. If you like it on yourself, then just let it go to it's natural state. Is your hair all one length? If it is, then it should be easy to keep on letting it grow. And, there are shampoos out there that are designed to make grays look shiny and bright! And, the biggest factor for me to just let it go natural is that when I see women who color their hair for the longest time finally decide to stop all you see are gray roots, and I don't like that. Letting your hair turn gray naturally will blend them in and over time, you'll just have a wonderful head of shiny, beautiful, long gray hair! Was that long winded, or what? I'm not even sure if this answered your question. I feel like I just rambled! Kathy  ------------- I bought some batteries, but they weren't included. .....Steven Wright |
friendlyspirit wrote:Posted By: deeanne
Date Posted: August 11 2004 at 1:20pm
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Greetings - (I went and signed up and am using deeanne instead of friendly spirit). Kathy, your words are very helpful. My "root" issue is that my hair has been a light red for years. My real hair color is probably a mix of grey, dark brown and auburn tones. I picture my hair growing in with dark greying roots and inches of the light red. I do not want to cut anything off (aside from trims) and figure it will take years for the light red to grow out. This may just have to be something I bear until it has grown out. Hard enough to have long hair at over 50, without it being that blatantly growing out coloring. I have a somewhat public position in my place of worship, where long gray hair is seen as a good thing -- colored hair is not approved, so I think part of my dread is stepping forth in that community. Thank you for your words of support! ** Oh, just came back in to edit -- my hair is layered with bangs and shaping as it looks pretty awful in one length only (my head it just too small -- or my body is too big!). Length of my hair now is 17 inches (from forehead to longest in the back) -- I will look for those supportive shampoos. But, alas, I am one of those people you mention, who have been coloring their hair and now all you can see are roots!  ------------- Deeanne --************If this is what over the hill is like, , I wish I'd started out here... |
Posted By: nygal
Date Posted: August 11 2004 at 1:38pm
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Hi Deeanne.. Welcome officially! You'll find on these boards that many people are very helpful and my reply won't be the only one. I do wish that I had better ideas for you, but I really don't. But, like I said, someone will come and give you good ideas. If they're not what you're exactly looking for, at least you can make the decision to try to implement them some how. good luck! ------------- I bought some batteries, but they weren't included. .....Steven Wright |
Posted By: deeanne
Date Posted: August 11 2004 at 4:49pm
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Thanks for the official welcome! Just having a place where I can come and post - or just read posts -- while doing this is very helpful! I felt kind of out there and alone with this notion that it is OK to have long hair when you're over 50... now I see this is not that unusual an idea; even if it is, there's lots of support. I am thrilled to have found you all! Deeanne ------------- Deeanne --************If this is what over the hill is like, , I wish I'd started out here... |
Posted By: AnaisSatin
Date Posted: August 11 2004 at 4:57pm
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I am not greying yet... at least not officially : ) ... some show up here and there. but I've sworn to myself to not dye my greys when they arrive. Long grey tresses at old age just looks and sounds a lot more elegant than permed "helmet hair". Anais ------------- http://anaissatin.livejournal.com">  my LJ , 40 inches long
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Posted By: nygal
Date Posted: August 11 2004 at 6:45pm
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I actually just saw two women the other day at one of our local malls who must have been in their 60's. I noticed one of them because she had long straight hair past her shoulders and it was completely white. At first I thought that she was bleaching it, but when I took a closer look at her hair when she was walking in front of me, I noticed that it wasn't bleached, it was her natural white and it looked beautiful. I was also impressed by the fact that she didn't chop and perm it. ------------- I bought some batteries, but they weren't included. .....Steven Wright |
Posted By: SpookyDonna
Date Posted: August 12 2004 at 12:10am
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I love to see long grey, silver hair on a man or woman. Just demands respect from me. I have stopped coloring mine, I have the slat and pepper going but less pepper. ------------- |
Posted By: hairalways
Date Posted: August 12 2004 at 5:18am
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Hi- A thought is have the red taken out and dye your hair as close to your natural color as possible, with some lighter highlights at the top that will help transition the new growth to the rest of your head...so you don't see the "line" of grey? then as the color fades, it will hopefully blend in with the rest? Just a thought. Good luck jacqui ------------- |
Posted By: deeanne
Date Posted: August 12 2004 at 5:36am
Posted By: nygal
Date Posted: August 12 2004 at 2:36pm
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Let us know what happens? ------------- I bought some batteries, but they weren't included. .....Steven Wright |
Posted By: Viktoria
Date Posted: August 12 2004 at 3:21pm
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I have to confess, I´m slightly envious. I am 38 and no sign of grey anywhere. I thought I had one in my brow once, but I think I was hallucinating, cause it never came back! I think grey long hair is beautiful and so dignified. ------------- The more you complain, the longer God lets you live. |
Posted By: deeanne
Date Posted: August 18 2004 at 8:28pm
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Greetings -- So far so good -- hairdresser was just fine since long hair is in -- I did explain that's not why I'm doing this -- I've been looking at women even older than me and wondering how I want to look when I'm 60, 70, even 80 . Anyway, now I have to battle my own mixed feelings about coloring my hair. He warns that I will be soooo grey and the growing out phase will be skunk-like. Yes, well.... I wish I could just wake up with white hair. Some of my reluctance is because I have a 13 year old still at home -- I'm old enough to be his grandmother, though no one has said that thanks (I think) at least partly to my coloring my hair. I go back in a month for 'color' (didn't get any this month) and will try to be strong in what I want. I am weak....vanity vanity. ------------- Deeanne --************If this is what over the hill is like, , I wish I'd started out here... |
Posted By: Bob S
Date Posted: August 19 2004 at 3:44pm
 The idea that women at a given age MUST wear a Q-tip 'do is simply crap. It's wonderful to hear from women determined to buck that crazy notion, and do that which makes them feel pretty and feminine. Thanks! Bob------------- |
Posted By: deeanne
Date Posted: May 17 2005 at 7:03pm
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It seems like a looong time since I was here - I changed computers, got lost and got busy.... This forum helped me so much in my hair growing escapades -- It seems my hair is growing so slow, but it is growing (I can tell by the amount the color is growing out). My hair has only grown about 2 inches since last I posted here. I have been getting it trimmed every other month, but I think in my family, hair doesn't grow fast or even get very long. (My sister just about never cuts her hair - 10 years she's had it long, but it isn't even to her waist). Is this diet? Genetics? Lack of fresh air and exercise? (only half kidding with these questions). Also could be hormones, as my sister and I are both over 50 ...me more so than she. Oh, well. The gray is coming in, but there isn't nearly as much of it as my hairdresser used to claim when I'd go in for a color. It doesn't look horrible growing out, most people don't even notice. Anyway, a late thanks for the support for older, graying women having long hair. I feel so much better. And have had some folks tell me I look great.
------------- Deeanne --************If this is what over the hill is like, , I wish I'd started out here... |
Posted By: Susan W
Date Posted: May 19 2005 at 7:28am
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Diet, genetics and lack of exercise could all play a role. The
best thing to do is go for balance. Eat balanced meals, drink
lots of water, don't overdo the coffee, take a multivitamin if you
don't already (but don't take too many vitamins because too much can be
bad). Hair does seem to grow a little faster if you
exercise. Lightly massaging the scalp before shampooing works
wonders for some. All of that would just rule out anything you
may be missing. I have to say I wish I would get some nice long
gray, I so wanted my hair to be like my mothers with some silver
streaks in it (which she got when she was younger than me)...still
waiting!
------------- Making metal barettes/concord clips hair safe, long hair style how to: http://alonghair.wordpress.com |
Posted By: eKatherine
Date Posted: May 19 2005 at 3:05pm
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How much do you get it trimmed every other month? That could be enough to keep you from getting longer. ------------- 
Just looking for a few good hair slaves - is that too much to ask? |
Posted By: deeanne
Date Posted: May 19 2005 at 4:14pm
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<<How much do you get it trimmed every other month? That could be enough to keep you from getting longer.>> Interesting question -- I just got back from the hairdressers (taking my 13 year old, not me) where I decided to go without any trim -- it has been 5 weeks since my last trim and I wasn't paying much attention. I'm going to run this for a bit and see what happens. Also follow Susan W.'s advice on eating balanced and lots of water. (Coffee. Hairdresser greated me with "I don't like you with greying hair" and I said "I do..." remembering a post about hairdressers and their need to sell something. Looked around and everyone there has colored hair, women in their 60's and 70's - good for them, but not for me. I am so much happier with my long greying locks, it fits who I am much better.
------------- Deeanne --************If this is what over the hill is like, , I wish I'd started out here... |
Posted By: DaveDecker
Date Posted: May 19 2005 at 9:06pm
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Welcome back, Deanna! Hmm... 5 weeks since your last trim? You may want to consider going much longer between trims (and learn to "dust" your own hair to remove split ends). Time to tell your hairdresser "no thanks" to too-frequent trims and to the unhelpful criticism. 
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Posted By: deeanne
Date Posted: May 19 2005 at 10:13pm
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"dust' ??? ------------- Deeanne --************If this is what over the hill is like, , I wish I'd started out here... |
Posted By: DaveDecker
Date Posted: May 21 2005 at 1:01pm
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"Dust" is a term used to describe the remains of a session (duration of
your choosing) of sifting through your strands in search of split-ends
which you carefully trim off (strand-by-strand) with a sharp pair of
scissors.
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Posted By: deeanne
Date Posted: May 22 2005 at 7:31am
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Thanks -- will have to study dusting.... I am definitely going to give the hair trimming a rest for awhile -- We have really hard water where I live -- I went out yesterday and got stuff to make it softer (after reading elsewhere in Long Hair Support about negative effects of hard water). At some point I'll get a real photo instead of my sketch -- I love the way people 'document' hair lengths, styles, conditions by using photos... Will start a new topic about conditioner, too... ------------- Deeanne --************If this is what over the hill is like, , I wish I'd started out here... |
Posted By: DaveDecker
Date Posted: May 22 2005 at 11:21am
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My hair has endured fairly hard water (Florida). Using a diluted
vinegar rinse (about 1 tablespoon in 20 ounces of water) helps rinse
away the minerals and leaves hair feeling softer. ------------- |
Posted By: Viktoria
Date Posted: May 23 2005 at 7:15pm
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Well, I´m certainly happy I´m not in a profession where selling my craft and my services means having opinions about other people´s appearances and perhaps deflating their self-esteem! ------------- The more you complain, the longer God lets you live. |
Posted By: Amazing Grace
Date Posted: May 24 2005 at 1:49pm
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I have hard water where I live and started using a vinegar rinse - 2 Tbls vinegar in 2 Cups of water. It has made a definite difference in the softness and managability of my hair.
My husband thinks it's absolutely ridiculous (but he's mostly bald, so what does he know about hair. *grin*), so I only do this about every two or three weeks when he's not around. |
Posted By: deeanne
Date Posted: May 24 2005 at 1:59pm
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I put water softener pellets in the water softener equipment (novel idea!) and noticed a big difference in my hair (and the dishes in the dishwasher). I know its silly to run out, but I often do... Nobody sells the pellets here in the village I live in, which seems ridiculous, so I have to load up when I can...I now have 200 lbs in storage, so I shouldn't run out again.
------------- Deeanne --************If this is what over the hill is like, , I wish I'd started out here... |
Posted By: DaveDecker
Date Posted: May 24 2005 at 7:47pm
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I don't know why I didn't think to mention this before... but you may
also want to get a showerhead filter. I've heard great things
about them and they're inexpensive (about $20) and can be easily
installed.
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