Hair Care

[WeddingJean]

Alright ladies, this question is for you. I am just starting on this trip of Chiari dx and I'm afraid it will be some time before I get the answers I need. In the meantime, do any of you have any tips regarding hair care. By the time I get finished with my shower and washing my hair I am exhausted and hurting. The next step is the hair dry (ouch, ouch) and then the flat iron (more ouch, ouch). I know vanity shouldn't probably be in the equation under the circumstances, but I am cursed with naturally curly and very frizzy hair. Fortunately, I am still working and performing wedding ceremonies, so I need to be presentable. Hair care has become a chore and one that leaves me in even more pain afterwards. Maybe someone could offer techniques or even products that would make this easier.

Thanks, Jean

[WeddingJean]

Yes, I'm 'this close' to going wig shopping. The falls & extensions sound like a great idea too. And thank you for the "you will still be beautiful" statement. Sometimes one loses that "beauty comes from the inside" belief when they walk leaning to the left, squint because the light hurts or their eyes just don't want to focus, sit like they have no neck & their heads are just sitting on their shoulders ready to fall off, and they have really really bad hair days!!!!

Thanks for the ideas & encouragement - Jean

[selmaS]

I can also agree with E...to try and do something with what u have ...there r so many hair products to help restore curl....u might try that...but whne u have a day u just can't get it to listen or don't have it in u ....a small fall will do wonders.....even the clip in extensions...get curly ones and slip a few in...it will make ur hair look fuller and curlier too

[n40066]

jean, aside from the wig idea, the best bet is to work with what God gave.  go natural and put a little goop in it.  you will still be beautiful!

[selmaS]

After reading ur thread I had the same idea as Shannon.....add a fall to ur head.....my DD had those for dance...when in the Nutcracker she had to go from long hair to a bun in short order....so she had this hair piece and it looks great...there is a photo in my profile.....she has on a blue dress in the party scene.....those curls are fake!! and I think it looks sooooooooo good I am getting something like it to disguise my hairy krishna do.

"selma"

[shanmomof3]

My mothe in law had part of hair fall out - unexplained reason - so she started wearing wigs...... which I now wear on occassion - its great because you can style it before you put it on!!! Just make sure you get a good quality one..... if you get one to match your coloring and style.......most people will not notice!

Just an idea! The only other thing I can think of is havin a close friend come fix your hair before a wedding.

--Shannon

[WeddingJean]

Thanks ladies for your suggestions. My hair is chin length & no longer has any body or thickness. Actually I have almost bald spots in several areas. My hairdresser puts some layers on the underside to try & give me some extra volume, but I can't blow dry & flat iron it like she does...so it flatter after I do it. The hair shafts themselves started thinning after my hysto & I was told it was my body's response to the hormone pool being so after-out-balance so quickly. Then I was on a med about a decade ago (d*mn I'm old) that caused a terrible skin rash & more hair loss. During the last 3 yrs at least every other shower results in a bathroom-sized Dixie cup full of fallen/pulled out hair. I try to not scratch or rub my scalp when the creepy-crawlies set in. And yes, the curl is pretty much yuckie waves (not really curls or waves), but it's the FRIZZY part that drives me mad!!! Living one mile from Lake Erie in NEOhio sure doesn't help much either. Oh, the joys of being women in today's society & the images we are brainwashed to be...gotta love it & laugh.

[n40066]

hey jean!
i have had nc hair all my life.....until symptoms started progressing.  now, i have only enough curl left to look straggly.  if your hair is long, leave it curly and pin it up.  if your hair is long, there are a million possibilities!  french twist, french braid, bun, sweep over bun, pony tail.  i don't know if it's because of chiaris or not, but my hair has lost almost all of its body and curl.  i've gone from tight corkscrew to straggly almost over night!  when i use hot rollers, the curl falls within an hour.  so whatever you do, don't complain about your hair....it may hear you and go straight!  lol!

[selmaS]

Hi Jean....since ur hair is curley...find a hairdresser that specializes in curley hair and have them cut it so the shape is easy to maintain.....special curl goop and all u do is schrunch it in.....(my sister has curley hair)

I wish I had a solution like this....but I just tie what I have left into a pony tail...no curling irons or flat irons...and I refuse to get my hair cut short which would cause me to use the flat iron every day.....too much work.

A good stylist should be able to work with what the hair does naturally and it will be easier to keep a professional look.

"selma"