Hi friends, my name is Shay. I'm very new to this site, just joined last night!! I joined because I came across the longlocks list of how to care for you hair..I have ruined my hair!! I started dying it (blond highlights and a few times even blond on the roots!!) when I was in my 20's..I'm 38 now. Anywayz..once I did the bleach thing, about 15 years ago..it fell out in bunches!! I literally had a chemical hair cut from that. I left it alone for a while after, cut it really short..and let it grow. Then, of course..had to color it again, but this time, using no bleach..just did the roots and a few lighter highlights..as the years went on, more damage..etc. I moved to Florida about 5 years ago..and did the whole blond thing all over again, but this time, no bleach on the roots, just highlights and color on base. (my natural base color is about a level  4 or a 5, and I bring it up to about a 7) THEN, stupidly..I tried extensions!! The ones with glue on the strip to your scalp, that was about a year or more ago..those totally ruined my hair thickness and gave me a layered hair cut by pulling some of it out. Recently, I have grown some of it back, and about 4 weeks ago my friend told me about these totally "safe" hair extensions which were done by doing a loose braid with a track of hair, and little clips to hold in place..so, I tried those, and now my hair is back to square one!! It is sooo thin, damaged from the coloring all these years..and I had to go get it cut short (right at my shoulders). I am sooo upset, because before I put these last extensions in, it was really growing back nicely..even though I was still coloring it.
My question is this..to start completely over..how much hair do you need to cut off?? I am already at shoulder length, and petrified of leaving the house..as I don't like how I look;( ALSO, wondering how I am going to deal with dark brown hair growing in..I look terrible with dark hair!! If anyone has any advice, please help!!

Thanks in advance for your friendly advice and expertise with hair!!

~sha;)

I completely agree that you probably don't look "terrible" in your natural hair color.  Either it doesn't fit your image of yourself, or it doesn't fit the image of what society thinks is beautiful.  

In terms of your self image, you have two choices.  You can continue changing your hair and getting the result you have been, or you can change your self image.  I understand that is far easier for me to type (only four words) than to do.  Believe me, if changing your self image was easy, my ticker would have a different topic!  

However, if you are attempting to conform to a societal image, look society straight in the eye and say "Pbbbbbbbbbt!"  Then enjoy your beautiful hair.