Figuring Out My Original Hair from Childhood

[SerenavanderWoodsen]

My hair is extremely heat damaged as can be evidenced in the crappy shots in this thread...http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=478108&highlight=

Every so often I see hair that I believe my hair was like as a child before it had any chance to become heat damaged. I ponder and ponder, what was my hair like? I know what the back of my hair was like because that doesn't seem to incur the heat damage the way the sides and front do. I always end up looking at lhcf member Pokahontas's hair to try to understand my own (sorry to call you out but we're old hair board friends) because I feel that my hair looked most similar to her's when I was a child, although I think her curls are more defined than mine ever were. Then I go and dig through the photos I have on my computer which are few, all the actual photos are 200 miles away at my family's apartment lol. These are the only pre heat damage photos that I have on my computer. I can vaguely make out some things about it which fascinate me such as the appearance of phantom heat damage on one side caused by stretching into a ponytail....I also for the life of me cannot figure out what hair type I might be. I'm guess I'm trying to deepen my understanding of my hair because it is so bipolar and bizarre. I think it may have always been that way....

I was maybe 4 here.....

Here about 7 in the schoolyard, I think it was in a loose ponytail or I may have loosened my hair when my teacher took this photo, thanks Mrs. Prunty lol.....

And here about 11 with my brother.. and this is the one that appears heat damaged even though it's impossible that it could have been. My hair looks stretched esp on the left, it acts like that now and I attribute it to heat damage.....

 

[Janet']

Heat damage can only come from excessive heat...Maybe your hair wasn't heat damaged as a child, perhaps the wrong products were used. I know that depending on what I use in my hair will make my hair look unhealthy even though it's not...

How often, as an adult do you use heat? Have you looked into protective styling, low manipulation styling, etc? Are you willing to trim a few inches to get your hair back into optimal shape? I'm just trying to see where you are right now to see what direction you might want to take...

 

[NikkiGirl]

The pictures as a child reminds me of 3a/3b hair. It just seems like your hair might have been a little frizzy. I agree with what Janet says. It is most likely the products being used on the hair. When I was younger, my mom didn't know what to do with my hair so it was always a frizzy mess, but I know now that there are products that i can use to define curl and lessen this. In any case, you hair is very pretty.

ETA: your curls do look more defined as a kid. Your hair looks fine and may be really prone to heat damage. Have you tried a no heat reggie for a while to see if the new growth grows in with a tighter curl?

 

[SerenavanderWoodsen]

Thanks for the replies. Janet, I use heat VERY often as much as twice a week and have been doing so for many years, pretty much since 15 years of age. Just this summer I decided I wanted to stop and at least alternate between straight and and curly and try to accept my curls for what ever the heck they were. I have been trimming but it seems like my hair incurs heat damage at the slightest provocation in some areas. I feel it's a lost cause because my front and back will never match . I don't feel comfortable in protective styles because I don't think they flatter me. I also spent all of elementary school and most of junior high in a pony tail and I didn't feel pretty. I understand that my parents didn't know what else to do because my hair would blow up if it were left loose, definitely not the right look for school lol.

 

[SerenavanderWoodsen]

Nikki, I have lessened the heat usage but I guess it's not enough to really gauge my texture. in the heat damaged spots. I guess I really need to find a way to give up the heat. It's not like I'm happy with my hair even in it's straightened state anyway.

 

[BostonMaria]

Your hair is and was very pretty

if it does have heat damage you'll have to cut it gradually and stop using so much heat. I know you said you don't like protective styles, which is too bad because a loose curly ponytail sans heat would do your hair good. If you know how to rollerset I would highly reccomend it, but I'd cut out flatironing.

If you're ok with your hair as is then I wouldn't worry about it too much. If you have heat damage you might eventually have split ends so be careful.

 

[FlowerHair]

Your hair looked like a 3b to me and very cute!!

Anyhow, I think you would find that your hair is much more cooperative nowadays when you have access to all the great products on the market. My hair was a million times frizzier and less defined as a child because my mother only used shampoo on it. As time has past and I've learned what my hair likes it's really changed the way it looks.

The right products make a world of difference.

You have to stop straightening so often if you want the heat damage to go away... Perhaps you could start roller setting instead?

 

[Vshanell]

That first pic is so cute! Thanks for sharing your childhood pics. My mom never let my hair out when I was a child so I don't have many pics.

My curls are more defined because i've learned how to define them very well through product and technique but naturally they are not defined. They are very frizzy. I don't know if you saw my naked hair pics.....http://public.fotki.com/Pokahontas/2009/my-naked-hair/naked-hair-033.html

Any type of product actually makes my hair curl up tighter...it's weird.

I agree with what everyone has said about reducing your heat use if you want to see your natural curl pattern return. Is it that you're just not fond of more natural styles or roller sets? They can be very beautiful and I'm sure some big hair would look great on you.

I used to be obsessed with having my hair pin straight but I don't even like straight hair anymore.