honeybunch1
Cathlete
I second the Buzz It notion.
Just Do It!
Just Do It!
Wig or GI-Jane Look? What to do?!
- Thread starter Aquajock
- Start date
Buzz it. Hair is overrated! Occasionally I see a woman with a stunning head of long hair, but much more frequently I'll admire the spunkiness of a short or close cropped do.
I'm growing my hair out after wearing it super short for a couple of years, and I must admit that it looks like s***!
I'm growing my hair out after wearing it super short for a couple of years, and I must admit that it looks like s***!
Aquajock
Cathlete
RE: THANKS TO ALL OF YOU!
For your opinions and kind wishes. I have decided to go the Buzz Route if it gets to that point; I'm still raining hair every morning in the shower, so there's no end in sight to this. It feels good to have a plan of action.
BTW, I'm the luckiest duck in the world to have cyber-friends like you in my corner, and to have the hubby I have. Last night when we got home, after I'd survived Day One with the Raquel Welch Signature Collection Chaos design hairpiece, I put my briefcase away and began to set the table for dinner. Phil, bless his heart, came up behind me, put his arms around my waist and said tenderly, "Dolly, why don't you go take the squirrel off now? You're home now - just get comfortable."
I still can't stop laughing.
Thanks again, friends! You're great!
A-jock
For your opinions and kind wishes. I have decided to go the Buzz Route if it gets to that point; I'm still raining hair every morning in the shower, so there's no end in sight to this. It feels good to have a plan of action.
BTW, I'm the luckiest duck in the world to have cyber-friends like you in my corner, and to have the hubby I have. Last night when we got home, after I'd survived Day One with the Raquel Welch Signature Collection Chaos design hairpiece, I put my briefcase away and began to set the table for dinner. Phil, bless his heart, came up behind me, put his arms around my waist and said tenderly, "Dolly, why don't you go take the squirrel off now? You're home now - just get comfortable."
I still can't stop laughing.
Thanks again, friends! You're great!
A-jock
Aquajock
Cathlete
RE: Dml / Denise
An especial thanks to you for your comments and suggestions. How are you faring these days?
Re children, DH and I have chosen not to have kids, but I had this funny, humorous daydream last night that I was sitting in the middle of a circle of kids letting them draw pictures on my head. Body art, as it were!
Best thoughts to you -
a-jock
An especial thanks to you for your comments and suggestions. How are you faring these days?
Re children, DH and I have chosen not to have kids, but I had this funny, humorous daydream last night that I was sitting in the middle of a circle of kids letting them draw pictures on my head. Body art, as it were!
Best thoughts to you -
a-jock
JMFRANE
Cathlete
Annette,
Your DH sounds like such a great guy! I agree with everyone else, buzz it off. You are one of those naturally cute gals. You will look great. Also, I agree with the poster that said it will probably be better for your scalp to breath instead of being covered up. Take care.
Joanne
Your DH sounds like such a great guy! I agree with everyone else, buzz it off. You are one of those naturally cute gals. You will look great. Also, I agree with the poster that said it will probably be better for your scalp to breath instead of being covered up. Take care.
Joanne
RE: Dml / Denise
I'm doing great, thanks for asking. Coming up on 2 years cancer free. Yeah!!!! I met a lady who was waiting for all her hair to fall out so her grandkids could decorate it like an Easter egg!!!! FYI When hair comes back, it usually comes back nice. Mine was always thick, but really really straight. Now I'll never need a perm again!!! It didn't come back curly, but it does have a lot of body. I know yours will be just beautiful too!!!! Whenever anybody complains about their hair, I put life in perspective for them. Any time you have hair it is a good hair day. You'll have many great hair days to come! God bless,
Denise
I'm doing great, thanks for asking. Coming up on 2 years cancer free. Yeah!!!! I met a lady who was waiting for all her hair to fall out so her grandkids could decorate it like an Easter egg!!!! FYI When hair comes back, it usually comes back nice. Mine was always thick, but really really straight. Now I'll never need a perm again!!! It didn't come back curly, but it does have a lot of body. I know yours will be just beautiful too!!!! Whenever anybody complains about their hair, I put life in perspective for them. Any time you have hair it is a good hair day. You'll have many great hair days to come! God bless,
Denise
hi AquaJock ~
i'm african-american/filipino and had very thick, nappy hair that i always kept short but back in 1997 i had it shaved very close to my head and I will never go back to having to relax my hair all the time just to get a straight look. it was so unhealthy for my scalp and costly.
i get so many compliments on my short hair cut. so even though i don't know you, i think you'd be happy with it since your already thinking about it. Good Luck to you!
Luz
i'm african-american/filipino and had very thick, nappy hair that i always kept short but back in 1997 i had it shaved very close to my head and I will never go back to having to relax my hair all the time just to get a straight look. it was so unhealthy for my scalp and costly.
i get so many compliments on my short hair cut. so even though i don't know you, i think you'd be happy with it since your already thinking about it. Good Luck to you!
Luz
I'm all for the buzz look as well. You are one of the first people I really noticed when I came to this forum - you are super funny and had a wealth of great advice. I even searched for messages responded to by you because I enjoyed your messages so much. My point is -- you have personality plus, hair is secondary anyways!
Keep the sense of humour!
Take care,
Jodi
Keep the sense of humour!
Take care,
Jodi
Aquajock
Cathlete
RE: Feeling very cared for right now
Thank you all again for your responses and opinions, as well as your thoughts of concern. I continue to rain hair by the day, and I may be crossing the rubicon as early as next Saturday 03/01 when DH and I go to our hair-cutter.
Stanley The Squirrel and I have reached an uneasy accommodation, but I dearly want this thing to be resolved so I know what I've got to work with. That's precisely the thing I won't get, I know, because one of the characteristics of alopecia in all its forms is unpredictability, especially when it's later-adult-onset like me. May be cruising the malls this weekend looking for some cool hats. Darn the luck - gotta do more shopping.
Thanks again to all of you!
A-jock
Polka-Dot Head
Thank you all again for your responses and opinions, as well as your thoughts of concern. I continue to rain hair by the day, and I may be crossing the rubicon as early as next Saturday 03/01 when DH and I go to our hair-cutter.
Stanley The Squirrel and I have reached an uneasy accommodation, but I dearly want this thing to be resolved so I know what I've got to work with. That's precisely the thing I won't get, I know, because one of the characteristics of alopecia in all its forms is unpredictability, especially when it's later-adult-onset like me. May be cruising the malls this weekend looking for some cool hats. Darn the luck - gotta do more shopping.
Thanks again to all of you!
A-jock
Polka-Dot Head
Amysue
Cathlete
RE: Feeling very cared for right now
Annette,
I'm sorry that I missed this post a few days ago. I just wanted to let you know that I have you kn my thoughts and prayers. It sounds as though you have a positive attitude which will outshine any adversity. I'm with everyone else. The buzz cut is only something that few of us would actually dare, and you have an excuse! We've all at one time or another wanted to just shave our heads! Here's your chance! And with the fabulous support of your husband, who do have to worry about other than how you feel about it?
It's not the same as losing your hair, but I'm kind of getting a small dose of reality myself right now. I have a spider bite under my right eye that has been getting worse for over a week! Talk about self-conscious...I won't go anywhere. I look like a prize fighter. I did get some good drugs from my PCP yesterday and they seem to be helping. Although a small problem, it's giving me infinate perspective. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, right? In my case, just don't take too long a gander at the eyes!
Good luck to you and I know you'll look fabulous, elegant, alluring, self-confident and beautiful.
Amy
Annette,
I'm sorry that I missed this post a few days ago. I just wanted to let you know that I have you kn my thoughts and prayers. It sounds as though you have a positive attitude which will outshine any adversity. I'm with everyone else. The buzz cut is only something that few of us would actually dare, and you have an excuse! We've all at one time or another wanted to just shave our heads! Here's your chance! And with the fabulous support of your husband, who do have to worry about other than how you feel about it?
It's not the same as losing your hair, but I'm kind of getting a small dose of reality myself right now. I have a spider bite under my right eye that has been getting worse for over a week! Talk about self-conscious...I won't go anywhere. I look like a prize fighter. I did get some good drugs from my PCP yesterday and they seem to be helping. Although a small problem, it's giving me infinate perspective. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, right? In my case, just don't take too long a gander at the eyes!
Good luck to you and I know you'll look fabulous, elegant, alluring, self-confident and beautiful.
Amy
RE: Feeling very cared for right now
Hi Annette, (sorry for the long post!!)
I just wanted to say that I wish you well with your struggle with alopecia. I have been having major frustrations with my own edges which appear to have some thinning, so I can't even imagine your pain. Big cyber hug to you (((((((hug))))))). I have found a thread on a hair forum I frequent and have listed it below. I don't know the actual merit of the study, however, many (the thread is 7 pages long) of the women have tried the regimine and have found some success, and you can research it yourself to see if it appeals to you. I have even jumped on the bandwagon and ordered some of the oils described.
HERE IS THE POST
A full head of beautiful hair and an attractive appearance are highly desirable things. For some people, losing their hair can cause them a great deal of stress and anxiety. Among the causes of hair loss are heredity, hormones, aging, poor circulation, a poor diet, and illness. While drugs can be used to regrow a bit of hair, they also have side effects. Many health-minded people have spent some time searching for a natural treatment solution that could regrow hair. Their search just may be over.
Alopecia is a general word that means loss of the hair on the head or baldness. Loss of all of the scalp hair is known as alopecia totalis. Loss of all body hair is termed alopecia universalis. Alopecia areata occurs when the hair falls out in patches.
Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils to achieve therapeutic health benefits. It dates back thousands of years to the time of Cleopatra. Essential oils are highly concentrated extracts which are derived from the flowers, leaves, bark and roots of various plants. They contain the plant’s active “lifelike” properties and are said to be the “blood” of the plant. Among these essential oils are cedarwood, lavender, rosemary and thyme, all of which have been used to treat alopecia for over a hundred years. However, no scientific study has been conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of these substances until now.
A revolutionary aromatherapy study was recently published in the Archives of Dermatology (1). Isabelle C. Hay and co-researchers from the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary in Scotland studied 86 people with diagnosed alopecia areata. The trial lasted seven months and while the trial took place, the participants stopped using topical (skin) and oral alopecia medications. Instead, half of the people used a blend of cedarwood (2 drops), lavender (3 drops), rosemary (3 drops) and thyme (2 drops), in a carrier oil mix of jojoba oil (1/2 teaspoon) and grapeseed oil (4 teaspoons). The placebo group used just the carrier oils. Patients were taught to massage the oil into the bare areas of their scalp for two minutes each evening and then wrap a warm towel around their head to enhance absorption.
At the beginning of the study, and again after three and seven months, professional photographs were taken of each patient’s scalp. Changes as seen in the photographs served as the primary outcome measure. Mapping and measuring of the bald patches was also done to determine results.
An impressive 44 percent of the group using the essential oils significantly improved. The average area of hair regrowth with the essential oils was 104 square centimeters, compared with nearly zero for those using the placebo. According to one intriguing photograph provided by the researchers, considerable hair regrowth occurred with one male patient who had both alopecia areata and severe male pattern hair loss.
These results show aromatherapy to be a safe and effective treatment for alopecia areata. The researchers were proud to have successfully applied an evidence-based method to an alternative therapy. Evidently, one or more of the essential oils is able to promote hair regrowth. And unlike standard medical therapies, the essential oils have a very low risk of side effects and are not nearly as costly.
__________________________________________________________________
If you do have an interest in trying it, two of the sites where you can order oils from are http://www.cedarvale.net/essentialoils.htm and http://www.pennherb.com/cgi-bin/herbstore.cgi .
Someone on the forum also did research to see which exact oils were used in the study and found the following....
cedarwood (Cedrus atlantica)
lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
thyme (Thymus vulgaris)
Take care of yourself and stay positive!!
PS. For the record - my vote is definitely for the buzz cut - it will allow your scalp to breath and is great for the spring/summer!!
Hi Annette, (sorry for the long post!!)
I just wanted to say that I wish you well with your struggle with alopecia. I have been having major frustrations with my own edges which appear to have some thinning, so I can't even imagine your pain. Big cyber hug to you (((((((hug))))))). I have found a thread on a hair forum I frequent and have listed it below. I don't know the actual merit of the study, however, many (the thread is 7 pages long) of the women have tried the regimine and have found some success, and you can research it yourself to see if it appeals to you. I have even jumped on the bandwagon and ordered some of the oils described.
HERE IS THE POST
A full head of beautiful hair and an attractive appearance are highly desirable things. For some people, losing their hair can cause them a great deal of stress and anxiety. Among the causes of hair loss are heredity, hormones, aging, poor circulation, a poor diet, and illness. While drugs can be used to regrow a bit of hair, they also have side effects. Many health-minded people have spent some time searching for a natural treatment solution that could regrow hair. Their search just may be over.
Alopecia is a general word that means loss of the hair on the head or baldness. Loss of all of the scalp hair is known as alopecia totalis. Loss of all body hair is termed alopecia universalis. Alopecia areata occurs when the hair falls out in patches.
Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils to achieve therapeutic health benefits. It dates back thousands of years to the time of Cleopatra. Essential oils are highly concentrated extracts which are derived from the flowers, leaves, bark and roots of various plants. They contain the plant’s active “lifelike” properties and are said to be the “blood” of the plant. Among these essential oils are cedarwood, lavender, rosemary and thyme, all of which have been used to treat alopecia for over a hundred years. However, no scientific study has been conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of these substances until now.
A revolutionary aromatherapy study was recently published in the Archives of Dermatology (1). Isabelle C. Hay and co-researchers from the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary in Scotland studied 86 people with diagnosed alopecia areata. The trial lasted seven months and while the trial took place, the participants stopped using topical (skin) and oral alopecia medications. Instead, half of the people used a blend of cedarwood (2 drops), lavender (3 drops), rosemary (3 drops) and thyme (2 drops), in a carrier oil mix of jojoba oil (1/2 teaspoon) and grapeseed oil (4 teaspoons). The placebo group used just the carrier oils. Patients were taught to massage the oil into the bare areas of their scalp for two minutes each evening and then wrap a warm towel around their head to enhance absorption.
At the beginning of the study, and again after three and seven months, professional photographs were taken of each patient’s scalp. Changes as seen in the photographs served as the primary outcome measure. Mapping and measuring of the bald patches was also done to determine results.
An impressive 44 percent of the group using the essential oils significantly improved. The average area of hair regrowth with the essential oils was 104 square centimeters, compared with nearly zero for those using the placebo. According to one intriguing photograph provided by the researchers, considerable hair regrowth occurred with one male patient who had both alopecia areata and severe male pattern hair loss.
These results show aromatherapy to be a safe and effective treatment for alopecia areata. The researchers were proud to have successfully applied an evidence-based method to an alternative therapy. Evidently, one or more of the essential oils is able to promote hair regrowth. And unlike standard medical therapies, the essential oils have a very low risk of side effects and are not nearly as costly.
__________________________________________________________________
If you do have an interest in trying it, two of the sites where you can order oils from are http://www.cedarvale.net/essentialoils.htm and http://www.pennherb.com/cgi-bin/herbstore.cgi .
Someone on the forum also did research to see which exact oils were used in the study and found the following....
cedarwood (Cedrus atlantica)
lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
thyme (Thymus vulgaris)
Take care of yourself and stay positive!!
PS. For the record - my vote is definitely for the buzz cut - it will allow your scalp to breath and is great for the spring/summer!!
Annette,
I bet you'd look beautiful bald!
Seriously, though, do what feels comfortable. If the wig ain't 'you', it ain't you. No sense making a half-hearted effort if it feels 'fake' or 'funny' (...of course if you've had a change of heart and want to try the wig for awhile, more power to you! and there are some very cool wigs available!). I am all for you doing what is most comfortable, and I think you sound at least like you want to explore the G.I.Jane option. Goodness, you might like it so much that you decide to keep the look even when your own hair returns. As an aside, I keep my hair very short, and you definitely do save money on hairdressers! I still like to use products, but I have my own buzzer, so it was a one-time $25 for many haircuts! Every time I think I might want to grow it out, I change my mind. It is 'my look' and I am very comfortable with it! My DH loves it too
Kathy
I bet you'd look beautiful bald!
Seriously, though, do what feels comfortable. If the wig ain't 'you', it ain't you. No sense making a half-hearted effort if it feels 'fake' or 'funny' (...of course if you've had a change of heart and want to try the wig for awhile, more power to you! and there are some very cool wigs available!). I am all for you doing what is most comfortable, and I think you sound at least like you want to explore the G.I.Jane option. Goodness, you might like it so much that you decide to keep the look even when your own hair returns. As an aside, I keep my hair very short, and you definitely do save money on hairdressers! I still like to use products, but I have my own buzzer, so it was a one-time $25 for many haircuts! Every time I think I might want to grow it out, I change my mind. It is 'my look' and I am very comfortable with it! My DH loves it too
Kathy
TarHeelMom
Cathlete
Annette,
I, too, have been out of pocket (flu, ugh) for several days and just saw your post. I'm so sorry you're having to deal with alopecia -- it is truly such a pain. A close friend of mine's daughter developed the condition suddenly and inexplicably at age 12 and they went through everything you're going through. A year later her hair had grown back lush and gorgeous -- which does seem to happen often with alopecia, as I understand it.
I'm with the majority here -- you are so darned cute and buff, I say go for the buzz. You'll look great and feel stylin'!
Since the squirrel doesn't seem to be making you real happy <grin>, I have one other suggestion for you re: a wig for those "hair needed" occasional events, stemming from my friend's daughter's experience --
My girlfriend saved a pretty good sampling of her daughter's hair as it was falling out, then they took her to a hair salon here in Atlanta that has a wig gallery and makes really beautiful custom wigs, primarily for oncology patients. I went with them as the salon happens to be where I get my hair done and I know the owner well. The salon has a nice private room for wig consultations. The owner (who is, of course, a hairdresser) looked at photos of my friend's daughter's hairstyle pre-alopecia, the little girl tried on various sample wigs, and together they all decided on a wig style that looked very similar to her "natural" hair style and that made her very excited. The stylist took measurements of her head for the cap, kept the sample of her hair, and three weeks later the wig was ready -- and just gorgeous. I don't know if it was human hair, but it sure looked like it, and the exact color of her hair. If you hadn't known this child was wearing a wig you'd never have suspected it.
It's been a few years since this took place but I'm pretty certain that the wig cost around $350 - $400. I know that's a chunk of change and the cost has probably gone up a bit, but the wig was truly worth every dime. It was just beautiful.
So -- if it's in your budget and you think there might be occasions or just days when you'd like to wear some hair, I'd look for a place to have a custom wig made. And ditch the squirrel!!
And hey, Annette, please let us see a pic of you in the GI Jane look -- I just know you're going to look fabulous that way (and so few of us could, girl!!!)
Cyberhugs to you and your DH, who sounds like a truly wonderful fella!
http://www.clicksmilie.de/sammlung/sport/sport003.gif Kathy S.
I, too, have been out of pocket (flu, ugh) for several days and just saw your post. I'm so sorry you're having to deal with alopecia -- it is truly such a pain. A close friend of mine's daughter developed the condition suddenly and inexplicably at age 12 and they went through everything you're going through. A year later her hair had grown back lush and gorgeous -- which does seem to happen often with alopecia, as I understand it.
I'm with the majority here -- you are so darned cute and buff, I say go for the buzz. You'll look great and feel stylin'!
Since the squirrel doesn't seem to be making you real happy <grin>, I have one other suggestion for you re: a wig for those "hair needed" occasional events, stemming from my friend's daughter's experience --
My girlfriend saved a pretty good sampling of her daughter's hair as it was falling out, then they took her to a hair salon here in Atlanta that has a wig gallery and makes really beautiful custom wigs, primarily for oncology patients. I went with them as the salon happens to be where I get my hair done and I know the owner well. The salon has a nice private room for wig consultations. The owner (who is, of course, a hairdresser) looked at photos of my friend's daughter's hairstyle pre-alopecia, the little girl tried on various sample wigs, and together they all decided on a wig style that looked very similar to her "natural" hair style and that made her very excited. The stylist took measurements of her head for the cap, kept the sample of her hair, and three weeks later the wig was ready -- and just gorgeous. I don't know if it was human hair, but it sure looked like it, and the exact color of her hair. If you hadn't known this child was wearing a wig you'd never have suspected it.
It's been a few years since this took place but I'm pretty certain that the wig cost around $350 - $400. I know that's a chunk of change and the cost has probably gone up a bit, but the wig was truly worth every dime. It was just beautiful.
So -- if it's in your budget and you think there might be occasions or just days when you'd like to wear some hair, I'd look for a place to have a custom wig made. And ditch the squirrel!!
And hey, Annette, please let us see a pic of you in the GI Jane look -- I just know you're going to look fabulous that way (and so few of us could, girl!!!)
Cyberhugs to you and your DH, who sounds like a truly wonderful fella!
http://www.clicksmilie.de/sammlung/sport/sport003.gif Kathy S.
running2bfit
Member
I would definitely go with the buzz cut!! I am sure you will look absolutely BEAUTIFUL!!
I wish you the best!
I wish you the best!