In my family, at least four generations of maternal ancestry grew old with a full head of dark hair. They came from Romania, and all around Eastern Europe well before the definition of the current borders. Even back in what was the Pale, they had dark hair that stayed that way through old age. I have photographs to prove it.
So here I am, one of the first to make it into the 5th decade relatively unscathed by stuff that should kill me, unless you count the economy, children, and really bad Comcast service. But what amazes me the most is that my head of hair is disappearing. Not that I am losing hair per se, but that it seems to turning into a non-color. Since I had all these ancestors of the female kind with full heads of dark hair, I presupposed that I would as well.
What a wimpy assumption. It isn't that I can't go get a box of hair color and splash it on. I can and I have. But I thought I would let it go to its natural color, thinking a nice progression of dark mixed with some haughty silver. The gods must be laughing.
Every morning the progression gets more frightening. I am into the 10th week of no color, and by the 13th week I expect my hair to be all but invisible. Lost! Like invisible thread. You know it is there but you just can't see it.
Once, in a fit of trying to act like I was Candy Spelling (please forgive me) I went to a high end spa/salon and let them take over. Picture a giraffe with spots and stripes. I had lightened dark hair with stripes of gold and spots of lighter gold. I looked ridiculous to start with because the color came before the hair cut (don't call it a haircut in a salon like that though!) and once they were done with thechopping styling, the symmetry of the coloring was totally gone. Cutting curly hair is not easy. You don't want to cut layers and end up with a pyramid look. Pyramid + giraffe = oh so amusing.
From that $600 lesson forward, I used the drugstore box and paid $6 to look more like a fluffy dark poodle which is way more acceptable than the giraffe deal. I trim my own hair now too. You seriously cannot mess up curly hair if you just trim it with nail scissors. It just looks the same all the time now, and frankly I don't much care about the back since I can't see it. And it just curls up so who can tell anyway? I keep telling myself that story.
But this invisible non-color is perplexing. It isn't even a kind invisible non-color. You'd think that a natural brunette would turn silver or gray, but no. This is turning into a tiny yellow color first as it gets invisible. The yellow is not even a happy blonde color either. More like the color of something in the refrigerator that screams toxic science experiment.
Vanity will win here. I am meeting up with friends I have not seen in ages for Sunday brunch. I don't want the whole time together to be taken up by them staring at my head wondering where my hair went.
So I will wind this up now because I have successfully talked myself into running out to buy a $6 box of dark hair color this minute. I must get it done today. Everyone knows that it takes three days to get the spots off the skin where it slinks while the stuff is working it's toxic magic.
Plus, that gives me three whole weeks to not think about my hair when I look in the mirror in the morning before the fading begins. Perhaps, in the meantime, I could pay attention to the extra carry-on baggage under my eyes that seems to have arrived last week.
So here I am, one of the first to make it into the 5th decade relatively unscathed by stuff that should kill me, unless you count the economy, children, and really bad Comcast service. But what amazes me the most is that my head of hair is disappearing. Not that I am losing hair per se, but that it seems to turning into a non-color. Since I had all these ancestors of the female kind with full heads of dark hair, I presupposed that I would as well.
What a wimpy assumption. It isn't that I can't go get a box of hair color and splash it on. I can and I have. But I thought I would let it go to its natural color, thinking a nice progression of dark mixed with some haughty silver. The gods must be laughing.
Every morning the progression gets more frightening. I am into the 10th week of no color, and by the 13th week I expect my hair to be all but invisible. Lost! Like invisible thread. You know it is there but you just can't see it.
Once, in a fit of trying to act like I was Candy Spelling (please forgive me) I went to a high end spa/salon and let them take over. Picture a giraffe with spots and stripes. I had lightened dark hair with stripes of gold and spots of lighter gold. I looked ridiculous to start with because the color came before the hair cut (don't call it a haircut in a salon like that though!) and once they were done with the
From that $600 lesson forward, I used the drugstore box and paid $6 to look more like a fluffy dark poodle which is way more acceptable than the giraffe deal. I trim my own hair now too. You seriously cannot mess up curly hair if you just trim it with nail scissors. It just looks the same all the time now, and frankly I don't much care about the back since I can't see it. And it just curls up so who can tell anyway? I keep telling myself that story.
But this invisible non-color is perplexing. It isn't even a kind invisible non-color. You'd think that a natural brunette would turn silver or gray, but no. This is turning into a tiny yellow color first as it gets invisible. The yellow is not even a happy blonde color either. More like the color of something in the refrigerator that screams toxic science experiment.
Vanity will win here. I am meeting up with friends I have not seen in ages for Sunday brunch. I don't want the whole time together to be taken up by them staring at my head wondering where my hair went.
So I will wind this up now because I have successfully talked myself into running out to buy a $6 box of dark hair color this minute. I must get it done today. Everyone knows that it takes three days to get the spots off the skin where it slinks while the stuff is working it's toxic magic.
Plus, that gives me three whole weeks to not think about my hair when I look in the mirror in the morning before the fading begins. Perhaps, in the meantime, I could pay attention to the extra carry-on baggage under my eyes that seems to have arrived last week.
Comments
Hair has a mind of its own. I used to be a blonde. Then the hair went non-color. It's not brown. It's nothing. I'm waiting for white, but that might be another few years. I feel your aggravation.
Aging sucks! I'm starting a blog on going on bio-identical hormones to reverse the madness. I'll let you know how it works out! Maybe it gives you 30 year old hair!
MY hair is both straight and curly. Sturly I guess. When I attempt to grow it out, which I am right now, it's straight with curly/wavy ends.
My wife likes me to grow my hair out, my employer does not. I like it longer. It de-emphasizes the massive size of my head.
As far as color goes, I had blonde (sandy) hair and blue eyes until High School when my hair finally, gradually started darkening. My eyes are now green with a hint of blue. Yes, they changed that late. I have photographic proof. Both of my parents have/had jet black hair, so for a long time, I had to wonder...
Funny story, Rated
My wife likes me to grow my hair out, my employer does not. I like it longer. It de-emphasizes the massive size of my head.
As far as color goes, I had blonde (sandy) hair and blue eyes until High School when my hair finally, gradually started darkening. My eyes are now green with a hint of blue. Yes, they changed that late. I have photographic proof. Both of my parents have/had jet black hair, so for a long time, I had to wonder...
Funny story, Rated
Oh, thy hair issues, I feel for you! I cuss under my breath each time I have to buy those boxes too. Might I suggest a little vasaline along the hair line before application to help with those nasty skin stains?
Hair stains: Get a bottle of Sea Breeze face cleaner, original. That stuff takes off hair dye better than anything else I've ever used, including some "hair dye removal formula" I got from Sally's that basically just defoliates it off your skin.
Funky sort-of-blonde non-color: Go to a beauty supply store--a real one, not a drug store--I recommend Sally. They have several different products to decrease the non-happy-blonde tones, and to brighten up silver/white/grey hair.
Why yes, I have spent a lot of time at Sally, why do you ask? ;)
Funky sort-of-blonde non-color: Go to a beauty supply store--a real one, not a drug store--I recommend Sally. They have several different products to decrease the non-happy-blonde tones, and to brighten up silver/white/grey hair.
Why yes, I have spent a lot of time at Sally, why do you ask? ;)
Mum - yeah, hair does seem to have its own brain. I would settle for white, but this non color is awful
Deborah - let me know!
Blue - guys with curly or wavy hair always look great with longer locks. Your wife, as usual, has excellent taste!
Crayons - I do know that trick. I am always forgetting (another sad sign of getting old)
Mer - There is a Sally's nearby. I only like the box stuff cause I don't have to mix it, but there is a downside to that too. The gloves are made for a child. I guess my fingers, like my feet, are way too big....
Deborah - let me know!
Blue - guys with curly or wavy hair always look great with longer locks. Your wife, as usual, has excellent taste!
Crayons - I do know that trick. I am always forgetting (another sad sign of getting old)
Mer - There is a Sally's nearby. I only like the box stuff cause I don't have to mix it, but there is a downside to that too. The gloves are made for a child. I guess my fingers, like my feet, are way too big....
I feel your pain. I am not only descending into colorless hair - yes, not even gray - but I am apparently develooping alopecia under my longish black locks. That is to say, what is left of my hair.
My father's side of the family has always had women who kept, like your relatives, deep dark healthy full heads of black hair. I don't know what is causing me to lose my hair, but soon it will be a choice between spray-on hair in a can or a wig.
I think I favor the wig.
PS - the hair color works great while you still have hair!
My father's side of the family has always had women who kept, like your relatives, deep dark healthy full heads of black hair. I don't know what is causing me to lose my hair, but soon it will be a choice between spray-on hair in a can or a wig.
I think I favor the wig.
PS - the hair color works great while you still have hair!
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