Pre-emptive haircut

I got a haircut – it’s very short!

I’ve written a lot about how hard it’s been to grow my hair, because one trait of the Ichthyosis I have (Netherton’s Syndrome) is brittle hair. As a child and young adult especially, it was very slow to grow, and broke off at the scalp. I had patches and sore spots on my scalp for years.

I cut out using shampoos with sodium laurel sulfate, and started to adopt the curly girl method – conditioning more than I wash. I use a silicone scalp brush and fine tooth comb in the shower to remove the scale on my scalp. I let my hair air dry and occasionally dry it with a hairdryer and diffuser. I sometimes use gels, oils and creams to style it but mostly there’s no product in it. All of this has led to much thicker, healthier, longer and stronger hair, and a calm scalp. My hair has recently been below my shoulders, which is a record for me!

When I was told that my hair will fall out from the chemo, I was scared. Not about how I’ll look, because I’ll always be proud pf my visibly different appearance – and lots of people with Ichthyosis are bald or have sparse hair, and they rock it. I was scared of how my scalp will feel and heal, and how long it will take for my hair to grow back. And I didn’t want it to fall out in long strands, reminding me of how long it’s taken me to grow it.

So I took control and got a short haircut – the shortest it’s been in many, many years. I love it, especially my curly fringe.

Maddy at Earth to Betty always makes me feel great when I get a haircut – yesterday was no exception.

Adam said he’s never seen my hair this short!

I know it will fall out soon, but now it will be a little easier to manage.

💗

Images: 1. Carly, a woman with a red face and short dark curly hair, wearing a black dress with colourful spotted dress, and yellow and purple spotted scarf, with a blue fish brooch pinned on to her scarf, and brown slippers. She’s standing near a brick wall smiling. 2. Carly near a pink wall in the hairdressers, wearing a mask and a neon leafy print puffer jacket over her dress and scarf. 3. A collage of four photos showing my hair getting shorter in the hairdresser chair and near the pink wall.