We are in the land of the dreaded comb-over here, ladies...

I have thick curly hair. When I was a small child, it was bright and bouncy and wavy and wonderful to behold, all of its own accord. However, when I say thick hair, I mean thickety-thick - try dragging a comb through it! As I grew up, I would often let my hair grow to an unmanageable state. In school photos it looked curly and okay, but it was hell to deal with. So I was actually somewhat pleased when I developed a thinning patch at the age of 14; as my father hadn't lost most of his hair at that stage, I thought it would be okay to have thinned-out long curly hair.

Only in this last year have I finally figured out a good combination of shampoo and conditioner, how often to wash my hair, how I can manage my hair long, etc. And my thinning patch is well on its way to being a bald spot, and my mother commented on my receding hairline, and okay I stretched the truth there a bit it effectively is a small bald spot.

My hair is long enough for a nice little ponytail if I had straight hair, and almost long enough for the look I want as a woman - collar-to-shoulder length, wavy, bouncy, brush it forward and I can hide my hairline and cover the lack of piercings in my ears. If I grow it out a little more, my hair will be the way I've always wanted. Maybe by the end of this year, if thje hair loss doesn't get to the immediately noticeable stage.

So, what to do, what do I do?

I guess I could wear a fashionable hat, or a headscarf, or something like that. Or shave it all off and start buying wigs.

But I'd really like to enjoy long hair while I can.

Melissa
You are young enough for Rogain to work on the "bald spot" (sorry to blurt that out). You're about the same age are a family member who has the same problem - its working for him.
As for the receeding hair line - you're out of luck -unless you want to go through the transplant bit. I had a friend who fought the receding hair with transplants but then he lost hair with the bald spot. Go figure!
I don't have that problem - any more - lost most of my natural "beauty" a while back.
They make Rogain for women too.
hugs
Gracie

Grace,

Thanks - I'll look for Rogain next time I'm out shopping.

The 'thinning spot' is smaller than the palm of my hand, and would be entirely covered if I could get a ponytail to sit properly. Not an easy thing with curly hair, I must say. I've been thinking of a ponytail-and-headband combination, it looks very nice on some of the women I see at the local shops.

Mainly I want to enjoy long hair while I still can

Thanks again everyone for your advice! Plenty for me to ponder and do

Hey Melissa,

I can totally relate to the hair! If you look at my main photo, it was taken last June and my hair is now over my collar, very thick and can happily snap a lesser built comb.

It's also very very frizzy.

And a little thin on top and at the front.

But no matter how long, how thick, how curly or how frizzy your hair is - it does'nt have to be unmanageable!

First of all, I never comb my hair first thing unless I've stuck my head in the shower. Combing towel dry hair is so much easier. I use a wide toothed comb. They work really well. Avoid hairbrushes with those silly little bobbles on the teeth. They just steal your hair.

I have'nt bought one yet, but intend to buy a tangle brush soon. They are excellent. They cost less than £10 and work amazingly well. Just google 'tangle teezer' and you'll find them. My sister has one she uses on her hair and her daughters. Being mixed race they have hair that makes mine look skinny. So believe me, tangle brushes are definately worth buying!

Looking after very curly hair is easy. Generally speaking, if you shampoo / conditioner it twice a week thats at least once too often. Less is better.

I tend to use one of two products on my hair. I hate anything that makes it feel stiff and run the risk of breaking my nails if I run my fingers through my hair. I'll either use McAdam Anti-Frizz - which keeps everything in place and looking natural or I'll use my sister's concoction.

That is, in a water spray bottle, pour in some conditioner, add water - say a ten to one mix of water to conditioner (no need to be exact) - and about half a teaspoon of olive oil. Shake well. Spray on to towel dry hair and comb through. It's cheap, it nourishes your hair and it works. And you may want to just towel off any excess...

If you really want straight hair then you can use relaxers on it. But, and its an area I'm weak on, I think it's either something you have to keep up or certainly has a knock on effect to what you can do with your hair. Sorry to be vague. I'm sure google can help though!

Your next options cost money. But I don't know what your budget is so I'll say them anyway then offer a low cost idea at the end. Just in case.

Wigs. You definately get what you pay for. And a decent workable wig will be into three figures thats for sure. And the top of the line are into four and five figures... And they need to be maintained and cared for. But I'm talking enhancements you can wash, dye, shape, use curling tongs on etc not something that just gives a passing effect on a dark night. These, properly cared for, would last you a lifetime.

But you don't need to cut your hair off! You just get it put in a 'corn row' or 'cane row' which is tightly plaited to your head. I've had it done to me and it works surprisingly well - with the amount of hair I have!

Depending on your hair, extentions or weaves can work. But the person doing it has to be good. A bad weave shows.

The last option - which I'll be having done shortly - and I'm damned if I can think of the term, is to have extentions glued directly to my hair. This is done strand by strand. Again, it rests on the skill of the person doing the work.

Any one of those latter options can cost you handsomely - but you do really get what you pay for. They are worth every penny.

My tip, though, is a simple one which is often overlooked. If you live near a college that teaches health, beauty and hair care - get in contact. They always need volunteers and it should'nt cost you a dime...

Hope something out of this mega post may be of use.

Much love

rae x

Curiously having ahead of thick pretty curls as a baby seems to be quite a feature of transsexualism especially if the rest of the extended family don't ...my mother still has the lock of mine and it is gorgeous...by about 4 the curls had disappeared...they look a bit odd on a woman my age though...

Rogain may help...hard to say as hair loss can be heerditary...

I find brushing mine with one of those BRUSHES WITH THE BOBBLES is actually better than a plain comb or brus..just use a the end of the brush to comb out a few strands at a time...

My hair was thinning and receding a bit too much to get a satisfactory look when I started to transition then as I passed the two year mark of RLE with no sign of a start at gender clinic I started getting depressed and the hair started to brush out in handfulls...

So I went for hair transplants..only to find that they take a big wide strip of the back of the head and as they stitch it closed it pulls the front back to make it recede more! OMG! I'm happy with the transplants on the bald patches but I wish I'd been able to hev a vertical slice taken out to preserve the widows peak...winds really do annoy me...

I've never thought of hairweaves or glued on extensions...sounds messy and fragile and I'm sure it would embarrass me by all falling off in public...

Lol, Rose. Is'nt it just true that what does'nt work for one person is bound to work for another? More than happy to donate my hair stealing bobbly hairbrush to you...

Weaves and extensions are'nt messy and can last quite a while [months as opposed to years I think]. But - and, as always it's a big 'but' - they have to be done professionally for best results.

Much love

Rae