Growing my post-chemo hair is a bit trickier than I thought it would be
About 2.5 weeks ago, I shared that I was on a mission to grow my hair out. Read: I want to grow my hair...but first these edges.
Well, this is a quick update.
I have noticed very little growth. It might be there but I can't see it yet. I have been scouring youtube for videos about what to do with my natural hair. It seems that my hair texture has changed... once again. It is more tightly coiled than it used to be.
Immediately following chemotherapy, my hair grew back straight and very soft. Very much like baby hair. From there it had a soft wave and then a solid curl pattern. But still very soft; very very soft. Over the years, it has changed textures a few times... getting more coily and curly each time. It is still soft - if I don't put anything on it - and pretty fragile. But now, it is really tight. I'm not used to so much shrinkage.
I'm not sure how to handle the tightness now. At any rate, that's why I can't tell how much its grown in these two weeks. But I have been drinking my water, taking my biotin and multi-vitamins and keeping up with the LOC method of keeping it moisturized.
LOC method = Liquid, oil, cream.
After reading a bit and watching a few youtube videos, I decided to create my own liquid to use regularly on my hair.
My recipe is simple: water, leave-in conditioner and tea tree oil. I don't measure anything but its just a few drops of tea tree oil, maybe 1 ounce of conditioner and water to fill my bottle. That's it.
I use just a light spritz of liquid to make it easier to manipulate. My hair is not dripping wet when I do my LOC. It is clearly wet, but not soaking wet. I then put just a bit of oil on my hands (about the equivalent of a quarter-sized amount) and rub it through. I finish with a creamy hair dressing and then I either wrap it up in a silk scarf or I brush coil it and then wrap it. Depends on whether or not I plan to leave the house.
The silk scarf has really been helpful. I don't see as much breakage on my pillow and its not as frizzy and crazy looking when I wake up.
**And the boyfriend doesn't mind my scarf at all. He said it was sexy. I think he was lying... but I'll take it. **
Letting go of biotin
I was taking 5000mg of biotin daily. I was told by a facebook friend that using 10,000mg would speed up my hair growth. I didn't think that I had an issue with biotin because I never experienced the breakouts that some women have complained about. However, after about a week... I started having to run to the bathroom all the time. It seemed like I was going to the bathroom every 10 minutes honestly. At first, I thought it was just because I was drinking my water and I didn't think much about it. But after a couple of days, I started wondering. So I stopped the biotin but kept everything else the same... and now my urination seems more normal.Not sure if there is a connection or not... but I'm just going to cut back on the biotin. I think instead of 5000mg daily, I might do 5000mg per week. I've read a lot of information about biotin, and nothing I've read has been terrible. I just want to be sure I'm not doing too much.
...and I "dusted" my ends... gasp!
- One, hairdressers are paid for a reason.
- Two, trimming your own hair is not that much fun.
- Three, it does help my hair feel better.
I wasn't thrilled with seeing the little curls on the bathroom counter but I will admit that my hair feels better and is a bit less frizzy. One day soon, I'll have to go and have it professionally trimmed but I want it to grow a bit more first. (I'm afraid I'll tell the stylist to break out some clippers and buzz away).
That's my update. I don't have any pics to share yet but next update I'll be sure to take a few. I guess I'll do a post with all of the different products I'm using. Yeah... that might be cool.
Take care everyone. Talk to you soon.
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Here's some information on the LOC method: The LOC routine every curly should know (Curly Nikki)
A little information on dusting: The art of dusting/trimming natural hair (Curly Nikki)
