badly damaged hair- shave head?

I've been trying to grow my hair long for over two years. It hasn't gotten any longer though. Maybe like and inch or 2 at first but then it stopped. I went a year and a half without trims and straightened it everyday and dyed it a lot. I got it trimmed this summer but continued straightening everyday and it didn't get any longer. Recently I stopped straightening my hair and I haven't dyed or straightened it in 3 months and I got a half inch trimmed off the ends about two weeks ago. The problem is there is still damage. The ends still feel dry in some places and I can see white dots (which I heard means a split end is forming) and they go almost all the way up to the root in some places.

I don't know what to do now. Do I have to cut all my hair off for it to start to grow. It's already only like shoulder length and I just got a trim, so I dont want to cut anymore, but I don't want to have short hair forever. I've been using moisturizing conditioner a few times a week and stopped straightening it, so is that good enough to get it grow or do I have to shave it all off and start fresh. I'm a female btw so I really don't want to do this.

Ya damage hair is the biggest problem today but don't worry i give here some suggestion. With new hair growth, the short hair shaft will be more noticeable, since it now has a blunt tip due to shaving, as opposed to the normal tapered tip. This may make your re-growth seem thicker than your former mane, but your hair won't acutally be thicker than it was before. In addition, the new hair will be healthier and undamaged, because it has not been exposed to the elements, chemical treatments, blow drying, or normal day-to-day wear and tear. By avoiding or limiting the risks of hair damage such as these, you can have an increased possibility of having a healthier head of hair. If you shave your head to allow new hair to grow in, you will have a bald or buzzed look temporarily. Baldness or a cleanly shaven head was once viewed as a lack of virility in men, as in Samson's hair being equated with his strength, or unfeminine among women.
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Karen Shelton2012-07-21 09:08:57

Many people have damage from heat appliances I doubt you have to shave your head or cut off all your hair. In time as you take care of your hair it can re-grow healthier and stronger but you do have to have patience.

 

If you see split ends you do need to cut them because if the split travels higher the entire hair shaft will split and the hair will become thin, fragile and break. If you do not want to keep getting trims and losing length you can always invest in a pair of professional scissors or shears. This way when you see a split end you can trim off just the end before it starts to escalate and that way you will not lose any length.

 

Keep doing what you are doing with regards to conditioning treatments and laying off the heat.

 

 

Good luck

Karen Shelton2014-10-06 03:00:40

Don't cut all of your hair off. Is the damage from split ends or just dry locks throughout? If you've already gotten a trim, try looking for new ways to add moisture and seal the cuticle until you can get it to grow out more. Here's a few tips:

* Avoid washing with sulfates
* have you looked into co-washing? It works
* at a minimum, use sulfate-free shampoo
* moisturize hair with oils (cococut, almond, jojoba)
* if it's chemical damage, try a protein treatment followed by a deep conditioning mask
* apple-cider vinegar rinse is good for restoring the pH balance in hair and sealing the cuticle.
* Rinse hair in cool water