I'm sorry you're sad.  It is always a tough decision to cut-damage cannot be repaired.  Since this is making you so sad, perhaps you could take an inch or two off at at time until the damage is gone.  Start taking care of your hair with regular deep conditioning treatments.  When you shampoo your hair, apply conditioner from the ears down to protect the length from drying out and getting more damaged.  After you rinse, apply more conditioner and after you rinse that out you might want to use a leave-in to keep the moisture levels high.  If you don't have a leave in, try a drop or two of oil instead.

Good Luck!!

oh how frustrating for you!   

Sakina and Juri's suggestions are good ones.  The best thing you can do right now is try to take care of the hair you have and prevent further damage.  Unfortunately the bleached hair is probably going to have to be cut off eventually.  If it is breaking off now, adding moisture (conditioners and/or oils) will help retard the breakage and allow you more time to grow in healthy hair.

Good luck and I hope it all works out for you.

I started at the same place you are at now.  Same hair frustrations, and badly bleach damaged ends.  I too was not willing to do the big chop for quite a while.  What I did was deep conditioning treatments of olive oil, honey, and egg--mixed together then slathered on my hair for at least a half hour, sometimes longer then rinsed out.  It brought back shine and moisture to my hair that got me through the worst of growing out those ends.  I eventually did cut about 10 inches off (in about 3 separate trims), but not until the very ends were at tailbone, and I was left with waist length hair still.  In retrospect I probably would have done the cut at the beginning and started treating my hair nice from the start, but I just couldn't at the time and this worked out well for me.

My hair isn't fine, so you'll want to experiment with different kinds of deep conditioners to find the one that is right for you.  I think my mixture could get a little heavy for your hair.  (If you use egg, make sure to rinse in cold water).  I don't use that conditioning treatment very often anymore because my hair isn't nearly as damaged and it can be too heavy for mine now too.

Good luck!  Let us know what you decide to do.

The others have given good advice- my hair is also very fine and delicate. I found that with gentle care and handling, I actually had waves and even a stray ringlet.
I though my hair was not curly or straight, either, but I brought our my natural waves with very gentle handling.
I wouldn't cut off 5-6 inches yet, I would just trim off maybe 1/2" at a time and start taking good care of your hair and you may fine that you can continue to grow your hair.

I am too going through the same urge to cut; I still have a little bleached ends left from long ago.  I keep changing my shampoo and conditioner and am trying to find some good way to put my hair up-I have chin-length growing out bangs so it is hard.  Fine hair is sometimes tangley and yet slippery.  Whatever you decide, know that we are all here for you.  And you can have long, beautiful hair!  It is a journey, sometimes a long one  (no pun intended).  I agree with all the advice given above.  This will probably horrify some but I use Prell shampoo and Biolage Conditioning Balm both before and after shampoo.  I coat the hair with the conditioner, leave it in, then shampoo over it, then apply the conditioner again leaving some of the conditioner on the ends or on the hair below the ears down.  I find that I get a lot of body this way and the Prell rinses easily and lathers well removing any oil.  Then I oil the ends with just a drop or two of jojoba oil, usually on dry hair but sometimes on the wet ends also.  Hang in there.  It will get better.  And hairstylists generally love to cut.  I know; I used to be one.
Good luck and God Bless,
SF

i would not wanna cut it either *hug*
now i am trying 2 grow out mine.
my hair is about 20" but i want it longer. its not that thick either and gets frizy. it is naturaly wavy. does anyone have any advise how 2 make it healthier???

hello robe0488,

I didn't think I could have long hair because my hair is fine and kind of stringy, but now it looks great and i am getting compliments on it every day!

I decided to cut off all my dyed and bleached hair--opted for this instead of little trims every month.  I had it cut in a cute razor-cut crop and then conditioned my hair like cray while growing it out.

All those layers grew into a style that looks thick when really it's not at all!  I trim only the ends that are split--myself--I don't trust salons any more due to several horrifying experiences with dye and bleach--and I looked older instead of younger--IMHO.

I never use a hair dryer.  I use no styling appliances.  I shampoo and condition with Pantene every other day.  It took me 2 years to get it mid-back length and now another year later--I consider it long--the very back tip can touch my waist.

I prefered to cut it all off and suffer being a short-haired gal, and i consider it well worth it because I stayed completely out of salons for 3 years!  It has saved me a lot of money, although I spend a bit more on conditioners and barrettes, hairbands, while it was growing out and now.

When it was so short, I made sure to really play up my eyes with lots of cool eye shadows, eye liner, and mascaras.

Good luck to you--hang in there--you and your locks are well worth the wait.

Tinselhair