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After overwhelming feedback to sway me away from getting a perm, I decided to try some alternatives. Today I went to the store and got some thickening serum, an ionic hair dryer with volumizing finger diffuser, some "all natural" volumizing shampoo and conditioner and some "self-holding" rollers/curlers. My hair looked pretty good - FOR A FEW MINUTES. Not as curly as I wanted, but it had a lot more volume, albeit briefly.
Although a perm would be an "easy fix" and likely give me the volume and waves or curls I want, you guys gave me plenty of reasons to reconsider. There's still a little part of me that wants to get a perm even though I know about the damage and potential tangling issues it can cause.
Since I used all of the above-mentioned products at once, it's hard to tell which product was responsible for what. But here's a basic summary:
1. The "self-holding" rollers were AWFUL! They knotted my hair and I practically had to rip them out, taking a lot of hair out in the process. I'll either return them or exchange for "clip-on" type rollers which should be better for long hair.
2. The "ionic" hair dryer is a pretty fancy model. I rarely use a hair dryer, but this one can use hot, warm or cold air (I'll avoid the hot air setting). If the negative ions are turned on, it's supposed to dry the hair faster. The positive ions, which I used, are supposed to be for hair conditioning. The volumizing finger diffuser attachment is probably what gave me the volume and "big hair" although it was rather short lived and got rid of my natural curls leaving me with more straight hair (not the effect I was hoping for). But, I'll keep the hair dryer for occasional use.
3. The "all natural" volumizing shampoo and conditioner, like many others I have tried, promised amazing results but didn't deliver. At least it's all natural. It's worth buying just for that.
4. The thickening serum may have helped add a bit of volume and definitely made my hair feel softer. I'm anxious to try it again if/when I get different curlers or rollers.
I forgot to get the Biotin and MSM supplements/vitamins. I'll get them when I go back to return the curlers. Sorry for such a long message but I didn't have time to write a shorter one (if that even makes sense). Plus, I felt I owed you guys a quality reply for all of the time and effort you took to reply to me in the previous thread. Here's a few more pictures from today:
Although I will lose a few inches of hair, I definitely think I should get a blunt cut at the back to even out the hair and have it at one length. I got that done once and it looked good. It didn't last more than a few months though.
Peter, your mane looks great! Please stop beating yourself up over this. We all have our good hair days and our bad hair days. Trying to "fix" a bad hair day usually screw up months (or years) of growth. Enjoy what nature has given you.
I myself have a blunt cut and while I do get many compliments on my hair I sometimes wish I had left the "V" shape. Make sure the salon knows you only want a small smount trimmed to "even up" the back and nothing more. Tell them your goal is waist length (even if it isn't) so they understand that your hair is very important to you.
If I may say so, I think you look very handsome and sexy with your long hair and facial hair. I think you are doing everyting right!
Here's to a longer mane in 2009!
Karsten
Hi Karsten, I know I've been obsessing over this lately. I just hate how thin and limp my hair looks. At least these were only temporary fixes, so no long-term damage done. I appreciate the compliments too. I'll feel better about my image when my hair looks a bit better (should be looking good in a couple of weeks when I go for the maintenance trim). I'll tell them what you suggested. Then all I have to do is lose weight and get back in shape!
But I must say, for a few minutes I was very excited when my hair looked so full and thick, and then almost as quickly as it got like that, it went back to the way it was before. Oh well...
Hi Peter,
Wow, that was quite a post and it looks like you went on a spending spree.I do appreciate your enthusiasm for long hair but in the end you are dealt a certain card and that's what you get.In your case your card is not all that bad,maybe not perfect,but still you have some great hair.The only thing that I do is rotate product as what seemed to work for the last month all of a sudden doesn't.So I switch things around and sometimes it does help.I must have a draw full of shampoos and conditioners!LOL.Anyway I'm glad you are ruling out the perm and possibly the blunt cut may give you what you want.Karsten gave you a great response so I would listen to him.Now I know you didn't want to have this brought up but since you did it again in this post I'll add my thoughts.You mentioned needing to loose weight.Well that is something you have power over whereas your hair you don't.I really think if you do the blunt cut and also work on weight lose that will give you so much more self esteem.The fact that you acknowledged it means you know it needs to be done.Anyway not to get too long winded here myself, you have a lot going for you Peter and you can make it happen.Believe me its not really that bad as you think.Good luck my friend and do let us all know how you make out.
Mark
Yes, I figured if I wasn't going to get the perm, might as well put that money towards something good for my hair! A blunt cut certainly has its advantages, but the drawbacks are that my hair grows so slowly and appears to have reached terminal length already. I would have really wanted it longer. The weight loss will take a while and I'm working on it. Both a being in better shape and having good looking hair are goals of mine.
