I think I have hair anorexia, and I'm going crazy - why cant I see my progress...

[foxieroxienyc]

Do you guys ever feel like you're LOSING your mind... Like the things you see in pics doesnt look like what you see in the mirror. Well for me suddenly I've been going through this and it's literally driving me crazy, I'm kinda sad about it.

I dont know what it is, for some reason this past month was hard for me. I stopped checking the boards so much, and stopped looking at fotki's and stopped taking pics because I just felt really down and felt like nothing positive was/is happening with my hair. I feel like I obsess over breakage and shedding hairs, I'm finding that as my hair grows longer it sheds more during washes etc. I got some hair shears and it's taking EVERYTHING in me not to "dust" or S&D everyday or every week. I've been good but tonight I had an hour long S&D mission and found a few splits to cut, nothing much to write home about. I noticed that the back of my hair grows a lot slower then the rest. Like the bottom 1/8 of my hair. So I cut it all to even it out and now it's like neck length back there... It never was really that long at the very bottom, I'm not sure if that's normal but it annoyed me and now it's annoying me so much I want to cut all of my hair to that length just to keep it all even. But it's soo little hair at that length that it wouldnt make sense. Then I noticed how my hair grows in unevenly, and now I'm obsessing over that... My best friend reminded me that this is normal... So why do I feel like a freak? My regi is on point, I do everything right, but I think my mind and thoughts is what the biggest culprit is here.

Here are a few pics of my hair currently, and a comparison shot from the end of Jan to today. Keep in mind on the 1st of Jan my hair was at the 1.5 inch mark. It's now at the 2.5 to 3 inch mark. APL on my shirt is around 4 - 4.5 inches. What can I do to get over this? By the way I am protective styling almost everyday now. I keep my hair tucked away in part because I feel almost ashamed that I'm not at APL or BSL...

Please help.

 

[Dposh167]

ur hair just looks as if it's ready to take on that 'V' shape...but if ur ends are on point(even tho ur ends aren't all the same length) then i wouldn't worry too much.

 

[KAT25]

your hair looks pretty and healthy to me!! I would love to trade with you but don't get discouraged maybe you can try using some growth aids to get you over the hump maybe you can do a semi-permanent rinse or something to give you something new for the spring.

 

[Traycee]

........

I felt this way last week...I know how you feel...I feel better now ...but I still can only see my length in pics. .....Your hair is healthy and pretty....but it takes time to reach goals....Try a new hair style or something

 

[Tallone]

Sure do! But keep doing your regi. it takes time. It is frustrating but in the end your hair will thank you

 

[foxieroxienyc]

Thanks so much ladies for the support. I dont know what has come over me. I've been stressed lately and I feel like my hair is getting the metal beating.erplexed I'm sticking to my regimen no matter what though, I'm changing things as needed. I think I needed to add my Elasta QP mango butter back in and my hair is a bit more co-operative today, sealed with coconut oil. I can ignore it all when I leave my hair up, but when I take it down, I FREAK OUT. But anyways, maybe something new IS in order... Maybe I'll have a rinse done at some point this month....

Poochie what you said about my hair doing the V thing makes a lot of sense too. I noticed that this is how it grows and shapes up, especially as it gets longer. And I've seen ladies here with the V shape and I do like it, it's just in an awkward stage right now. I'm like half way btw SL and APL.

 

[Cleve_gryl]

I see progress!! In the first pic your ends are at 2...now you're clearly at 3 . I feel this way ALL the time. I can't see my own growth, but others tell me...I still don't believe it when I see pics either

Feel better, its growing!!

 

[JustKiya]

Okay - if you look at your two pictures, in the first one (which is on the RIGHT) your hair is just BARELY crossing the '2' line. On the left - its clearly WELL past the 2.5 line, and knocking on '3' lines front door.

Then, in the side pictures, they were both taken on the same date! Did you upload the wrong pic?

 

[Jade Feria]

I know exactly how you feel! I was like that in December with finals, job hunting, and moving. DON'T STRESS!! That's one of the worst things you can do to your hair. Make sure your iron and B-vitamin intake is on point.

Your hair is so pretty, and you definitely gained some length. Continue with your regimen...it'll come.

 

[beautifulisaunderstatment]

You arent anorexic but there aint but so much progress you can get in 2 months. I think you got a fair amount of progress but to expect BSL hair in 2 months ... it aint gonna happen. You gotta start somewhere. Nip your anorexia before it gets worse (Im BSL but IRL I feel shiny balderplexed) You dont wana be the person cutting non existant damage or doing aphogee treatments 3 times a week for 2 strands of shedding.

 

[Serenity_Peace]

Girl, you trippin'!

Your hair is GORGEOUS. It's growing so very fast and looks very healthy. Whatever you're doing, keep doing whatever you're doing because it's working very well for you!!!

 

[naturalmanenyc]

Ditto! I check your fotki for new hair ideas all the time Whatever you are doing, it works.

Girl, you trippin'!

Your hair is GORGEOUS. It's growing so very fast and looks very healthy. Whatever you're doing, keep doing whatever you're doing because it's working very well for you!!!

 

[Knowledge is Power]

I totally understand your feelings. My pics are like, "Oh yeah, I can definitely tell it's growing." But my mirror says, "Yeah right...you're trippin!" Confirmation comes from the individuals that say, "Girl, your hair sure is growing." Then, this is you: So, believe it when we tell you it really IS growing...and it looks healthy, too!

Helpful hint: If you really want to "see" the growth, try stretching your relaxers. This is the only way I can physically see a difference in the lengths.

 

[onyxcabelo]

I know exactly how you feel - I still have moments like this now. I'm not sure if it ever ends. The longer your hair gets the more you will notice little things about it that you probably didn't notice before. For me, every time I see a short hair in the sink I'm ready to lose it - I start wondering what I'm doing wrong, whether I'll start losing all my hair, lol. I don't always react this way - but some days -whew - it's a struggle. I know now that I'm only reacting this way because I'm passionate about my hair, and I really want it to grow so I'm more conscious of every little thing that's going on with it.

Others have already pointed out that your hair is definitely growing and your photographs are what you should use to keep you encouraged. Just tuck it away and try to think about something else if you can. Just know that you're doing what's right for your hair. Before you know it, you will have more excellent pictures to take which will again prove that you're making progress.

I think most of us go through this from time to time - you're gonna be just fine:Rose:

 

[pazyamor]

I know exactly how you feel; my solution? I got twists, and my reasoning was this: if I can't see it and touch it and measure it every other day and bother myself about it. SOOO I'm at peace and I can already feel the new hair shooting out from under my twists. But on the real, sometimes my hair infuriates me at times and I just want to hack it off; but I take a deep breath and remember that all of these ladies have been growing they're hair for years and that in a few years I'll be a SweetCashew or a Macherieamour!

 

[skyborn09]

I go through the same thing. Even today as I was combing through my hair and i had alot of breakage and shedding I screamed. Because I stretched to long to like 15 weeks and my hair had had enough....but hearing all you ladies responses it makes me feel better that I'm not the only one. And that it is ok...its just hair and since I'm obsessed with it every little thing Ithat goes wrong I NOTICE.

 

[curlcomplexity]

I'm feeling the exact same way right now. Coming from a trim, I had 2 inches of new growth and just relaxed, but I still think I'm at BSL...which isn't possible (i think). You however have made alot of progress in this short time A watched pot never seems to boil, I think that because alot of us check our hair so often...we really don't notice the growth unless it's in pictures.

 

[Kurlee]

I'm sorry to say it, but u HAVE SEVERRRRRRRRE hair anorexia. I rember ur siggy pics and jus as i scrolled down i was like . U have made serious progress in a short period of time and ur hair looks real healthy. Maybe u need a break from the board

 

[SerenavanderWoodsen]

You are crazy LOL, your hair grew alot... what are you seeing??,, could be that its thinner and that somehow makes you feel like youve got less hair,, you could even it up if you like,, that always somehow makes happy even though its shortened...

 

[Jetblackhair]

Girl, I think you have made some serious progress. I'm looking at your Dec.'97 siggy picture to now and it's like wow!

I think you are just itching to reach the next stage which I totally understand because I'm going through the same thing.

 

[*Happily Me*]

You have beautiful hair!! and you've made GREAT progress. If there was a newbie great hair and progress award, I would nominate you!

and V shaped hair is SEXXAY!

 

[foxieroxienyc]

Thank you guys soooooo much for the support!It's just a relief knowing that others have gone through this weird stage and thought patterns, and I guess we all have our good days and bad. I can clearly see the difference in pics, but it's sorta like a body dismorphic disorder in that what you see in the mirror doesnt reflect what everyone else sees. But ok, I'm taking a step back and breathing and going to stop obsessing. Actually this is the first time since Jan that I did a pic with my progress t-shirt. I made myself refrain from doing it as to not drive myself crazy! lol. Go figure. I dont however think I should be APL/BSL now, I totally know and understand that it takes time and patience. It was more that I felt unworthy to wear it out because it wasnt at my goal. I actually made myself wear it down today as to enjoy it, and I feel better, I've been wearing it up A LOT! I had rollerset and saran wrapped the other day, so it's nice and bouncy. I've been stressed lately because I'm preparing for a major surgery AND prepping to move to LA in Aug, so a lot of things happening! Maybe I should take yoga, lol.Thanks so much!

 

[hothair]

Do you guys ever feel like you're LOSING your mind... Like the things you see in pics doesnt look like what you see in the mirror. Well for me suddenly I've been going through this and it's literally driving me crazy, I'm kinda sad about it.

I dont know what it is, for some reason this past month was hard for me. I stopped checking the boards so much, and stopped looking at fotki's and stopped taking pics because I just felt really down and felt like nothing positive was/is happening with my hair. I feel like I obsess over breakage and shedding hairs, I'm finding that as my hair grows longer it sheds more during washes etc. I got some hair shears and it's taking EVERYTHING in me not to "dust" or S&D everyday or every week. I've been good but tonight I had an hour long S&D mission and found a few splits to cut, nothing much to write home about. I noticed that the back of my hair grows a lot slower then the rest. Like the bottom 1/8 of my hair. So I cut it all to even it out and now it's like neck length back there... It never was really that long at the very bottom, I'm not sure if that's normal but it annoyed me and now it's annoying me so much I want to cut all of my hair to that length just to keep it all even. But it's soo little hair at that length that it wouldnt make sense. Then I noticed how my hair grows in unevenly, and now I'm obsessing over that... My best friend reminded me that this is normal... So why do I feel like a freak? My regi is on point, I do everything right, but I think my mind and thoughts is what the biggest culprit is here.

What can I do to get over this? By the way I am protective styling almost everyday now. I keep my hair tucked away in part because I feel almost ashamed that I'm not at APL or BSL...

Please help.

Well that's the only thing I can empathise with. When I take pictures of my hair from the back I'm happy (usually) but the front and sides... My front hair grows oh so s....l.....o........w............l.........y PLUS I have a widow's peak so my front hairline- well its there i guess. When i start moaning my sister tells me to shut my mouth - I had a TWA this time last year and now I can think of APL (still shoulder though) aside from mini dustings I'll not be cutting any hair to match up with nothing before I get to BSL

 

[song_of_serenity]

Do you guys ever feel like you're LOSING your mind... Like the things you see in pics doesnt look like what you see in the mirror.

ALL the time. You have great progress though! Hair anorexia sucks.
~*Janelle~*

 

[Crystalicequeen123]

Oh yeah, I have hair anorexia...BIG time! Girl...you are NOT alone!

I always feel like my hair is soooo thin. Especially on my edges and nape! Now its' true, my hair is very fine in texture and everytime I get my hair relaxed, I freak out at how thin it looks.

My stylist keeps saying: "Crystal...Your hair is not that thin! Your hair is thickening up..." blah blah blah... But do I hear her? NO! When I look in the mirror all I see is fine, thin hair.

So yeah...hair anorexia is a blip! I know from experience however, that most of the time I don't even realize that my hair is growing until OTHER people remark to me and tell me that it has grown, or that "I didn't know your hair was so long". So, have faith! Your hair IS growing!

 

[Christa438]

A lot of us have hair that grows uneven. Your hair looks full and healthy. Everyone hair isn't going to be ultra-thick you know. Your hair looks beautiful to me and I definitely wouldn't cut it unless you're absolutely sure. I think you did good by just trimming some of the hair underneath even. I have known a few women to do that with their hair. I think your regimen is working fine.

 

[SerenavanderWoodsen]

Girl, I think you have made some serious progress. I'm looking at your Dec.'97 siggy picture to now and it's like wow!

I think you are just itching to reach the next stage which I totally understand because I'm going through the same thing.

LOL, that scared me!! i think you mean 2007