Wednesday, March 14, 2012

It Can Always Grow Back

My motto about hair – It can always grow back.  I’ve used this motto everytime I’ve done anything adventurous with my hair.  I’ve had my hair permed straight twice.  Color weaved in – only to turn my hair orange, mangled bangs, home-done haircuts.  You name it, I’ve probably had it.
The first time, the stylist over processed it and my hair was soooooo messed up.  First it was like rubber where it would stretch.  Then it broke off at the scalp as I ran my hands through it.  This attempt at having my hair permanently straightened was because I had just had my first child and wanted no fuss hair.  Well I ended up getting much to fuss about hair.  I waited about one and a half months and then went to a very expensive stylist (who I trusted) and she cut my hair really short so that I’d have less damage to fuss about.
The second time I had my hair straightened it was done ala the Brazilian blow-out.  The guy that did this perm (which was about 10 years after the first attempt) was highly recommended.  My hair looked so beautiful, healthy and straight… for about a week.  Then after that as my hair grew out, it had a crimp in it near the scalp where the perm started.  I still had to put in a good amount of work in my hair to make it look decent and it felt like straw.  To say I wasn’t pleased is an understatement.  Did I blame the stylist?  No.  Because I was lucky enough to have a head that just rather be wild then tamed.
Needless to say, I also had my hair chopped off the first chance I could.  The shortest I went during this adventure was about an inch short all around.  But I made that pixie work. 
My hair also doesn’t like color in it.  Every time I’ve tried to do something trendy to my hair – you know highlights, lowlights, peek-a-boo, full head color (but lighter) - my hair just turns orange: like a bad peroxide job.  I’m Hispanic and orange is not a good color for me.  I mean really… it is neither a winter nor a summer color.


But again, it will grow out.  I think my ability to just adjust is the fact that my dad used to cut my hair when I was in high school.  He used to be a barber in the Navy and believed that cutting civilian hair would/should be easy.  One benefit of him cutting my hair was that I could tell him the crazy cuts I’d want and he’d attempt to cut it.  If it didn’t come out well, “it would just grow back.”   The downfall was that he never cut my hair right and it always took about 2-3 hours to cut my hair. 
Well, now I’ve done it again.  I had a special request to grow my hair out.  In my attempt to do this, I’ve been taking 5,000 mg of biotin everyday.  My hair has grown wonderfully too!  But now I come to my disappointment.  It has nothing to do with my hair growth.  See, I started to develop welts on my scalp.  They were scab like at first and then became open sores.  At first I thought it was my wonderful WEN.  I cried out to WEN to ask if they had hyper allergenic conditioning creams.  Sadly they don’t.  So, I stopped using my WEN for a few days, but noticed that my welts weren’t going away.  I shouted from the roof tops because it wasn’t my beloved conditioning cream.  But then what could it be?  It couldn’t be the biotin could it?  Well I did some research and found out that the highest dosage a person should even take is 2,500 mg.  What?!?  Then why do they sell the stuff in the higher dosage??? 

I did some research and discovered that some people get acne.  Nope I don’t have acne, but I am prone to rashes all the time.  And… let’s not forget that my hair is very sensitive.  So, by simple deduction I realized that the Biotin is wreaking havoc to my head.  I’ve since stopped taking it.  I’ve also been applying a topical cream on all the battle wounds and Neosporin every chance I get.  They are subsiding and drying out.  That is a good sign. 

I’m resigned to the fact that I can only color my hair black, and never try to style my hair in any style other than curly.  I’m okay with that.  And if I change my mind in the future, it can always grow back.

4 comments:

  1. That's the exact biotin I am using. Fortunately, no welts on my head. Just lots of flowing, gorgeous hair.

    Btw, I totally remember you getting your hair cut in the bathroom. I never thought you actually wanted it...I thought he was making you be his guinea pig. His Vidal Sassoon guinea pig.

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    1. At first, I was his guinea pig. Then when I realized there was no fighting it because they (parental unit) weren't ever going to take me to get a professional haircut, I tried to make the most of it.

      Bah! Vidal Sassoon. He wished!!!

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  2. I've never heard of this Biotin stuff. But based on the side effects described here, I think I'll pass.

    Re never being able to style your hair any way but curly- you could always put the legwork in and flat iron, like I do. :)

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    1. Shouldn't be an issue unless you use the 5,000 mg. plus, you never have any hair issues.

      I work in a warehouse, where the optimum look is no-fuss. I look out of place enough with my curls being uniform and my face made-up. Plus, I just don't have an hour and a half everyday to kill just on doing my hair. I'd much rather sleep. LOL!

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