Month 9 of growth, and again, good lighting is so essential – I look like I’m glowing, which is not my normal look

Not that kind of late! No, I’m not pregnant. I missed a month of blogging about my gray transition. Sorry. I was going through a bout of hypothyroidism, which made me not want to leave my bed, and when I did, not want to do anything after that. I just did my yearly blood work and now understand why I felt increasingly draggy over the summer. So the doctor increased my meds, and I am feeling better. Enough to do a quick blog, anyway.

I have to admit I thought my hair would be showing more gray by this point. But it’s still kind of getting covered up by the dyed hair, so that’s part of the problem. It does look quite a bit longer overall, though, so why am I not showing more? Alas, this is a long process, and now I get why people say growing out your gray can take two years from beginning to end, give or take.

But I’m still keeping on, and the look is definitely growing on me. Ha, ha. I recently purchased some Clairol Shimmer Lights shampoo to help alleviate some of the yellowing effect. I tried the vinegar route, but didn’t think it helped much. Of course, I didn’t try very hard (I’ll call that a symptom of my hypothyroidism, and will try again later). I think the shampoo is working, though it’s rough on my dyed hair. I also think I could better tell how well it’s working when I no longer have any dyed hair, since I think the dyed hair affects how the white looks. We shall see.

At any rate, here’s to another month on my journey to silver land. Yeeha!

Seven months of growth (I need lighting like this on me all the time)

This past week my younger sister and her two kids came to visit from Missouri so I was able to see her gray hair in person. As it turns out, she’s actually not too gray, more salt-n-pepper, but it looks good on her. I’m three years older, so I’m pretty sure I’ll have more gray when all is said and done. Hmmm… Apparently I’m viewing this as a contest, but I’m not sure if I’m winning it or losing.

Anyway, I seem to have settled into the process. I don’t care so much about how I look with the gray, though I think it helps that my hair is longer now (I can wear it in a ponytail again!). I’m not a big fan of short hair on me, but I’m envious of those people who do look good in short hair – so much easier to take care of. But my long Norwegian face just isn’t made for short hair. Which is a darn shame, I tell you.

No real words of wisdom this time around, just noticing that I’ve come to be more accepting of the gray. Will that change next month? We shall see!

Six months growth

It’s been six months of grayness. That’s half a year – 26 weeks – 182.5 days. To sum up, a lot of time. And yet…I’m still not very far along. Why, oh, why can’t I have hair like those growing hair dolls (that’s what they call them on ebay)? The ones where you pull their ponytail and out comes more hair?! That would make this process go so much faster (though possibly more painful).

Actually, it’s not that bad, mainly because I don’t spend much of my day looking in the mirror. So I can pretty much forget I’m even doing this (which I’m pretty sure means something good, don’t you agree?). Basically, at this point, I simply want to get enough gray grown in so I can make an adequate assessment of whether or not I like the look on me. Not there yet.

As of this date, no one has made any rude remarks about my hair. No comments at all, actually. That might be a combination of my being a hermit, my being prepared for rude commenting (if you’re ready, it won’t happen), and the fact that people rarely say anything to me anyway. Win-win?

I’ve included two pictures this time because I don’t have much more to tell you that’s any different from what I’ve already said. I’m still going. I’m still not sure if I like it. Still curious.

See you next month!

Six months – side shot

Five Months of Growth

I no longer have to hold my hair back to show my gray in my photos! Should I be excited about that? Too late. Already there. There are even some parts that if I cut them a little shorter would be all silver (like my bangs). Though I think it might be weird to have gray bangs. I’m not sure why I feel that, but there it is.

Re-reading this last paragraph, it’s obvious how uncertain I still am about going gray. Continue reading

Four Months of Growth

Well, growing out my gray isn’t the most exciting thing I’ve done, I can tell you that, though it certainly causes a lot of angst for being such a non-essential life issue. I’m still divided. I love how healthy my new hair is, and sometimes I really like the white look (not under a florescent light, though). I don’t love how salt and peppery-ish the hair towards the back is. I also don’t like how crazy gray hair can get, single strands sticking out like unicorn horns. But that’s not the end of the world, so I don’t fret too much about it. I continue to look at other people’s gray hair pictures, before and afters, that sort of thing. Sometimes it helps.

Sometimes it doesn’t.

Continue reading