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Thread: Explain the terminal Length concept to me

  1. #11
    Member pixiedust's Avatar
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    Default Re: Explain the terminal Length concept to me

    Quote Originally Posted by ilovelonghair View Post
    So if you'd wax your legs 20 times (with letting the hair grow back fully each time after) would mean you can get rid of leg hair forever? No wait, that wouldn't make sense, leghair doesn't even grow that long so each phase is much shorter, that would mean you'd run out of leghair pretty soon in life. Not true!

    I'm trying to calculate something and I am terrible with numbers, so if anyone can help please :
    the average person (man or woman) can grow their hair 45", I assume thats LHC lenght and not the actual lenght of a single strand. From what I could find out from Google, average hair grows 70-90 centimeters (27.6"-35.4") before it falls out. And most hair grows 1 centimeter a month. So wouldn't an average person 'run out' of hair before they die, if you calculate how often a hair can grow, how many years it grows and the phases in between? (using the numbers provided)
    I read a while back on some informational page (from some sort of 'scientific' source if I remember correctly) That it was about 20 times each follicle goes through this cycle. I would agree with you that it wouldn't make a lot of sense because I know many women who have waxed their legs AT LEAST 20 times, and still wax their legs because the hair grows back. However, The kind of hair that grows from your head opposed to other body hair are not necessarily the same kinds.

    I got the 45" statistic from these forums, so it's probably LHC length, as in length from the front hairline to the longest length of the hemline. That makes 27.6"-35.4" sound pretty much correct (give or take of course).

    I am unfortunately also really bad with numbers, so if anybody likes to figure out these types of calculations, please let us know!

    Meanwhile, I'll edit the top post a bit.

    nearly bangs-less! 10/19/11.

  2. #12
    Member pixiedust's Avatar
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    Default Re: Explain the terminal Length concept to me

    Quote Originally Posted by spidermom View Post
    Once a hair stops growing, it doesn't start growing again. It sheds out.

    The 3 phases of hair growth have already been explained very well. You will notice that most of the people who have terminal length hair have a lot of taper at the ends. Sometimes there is one longest hair because that one either has a longer growth cycle than other hairs, grows faster than other hairs, or both.

    I did have a roommate in the past whose hair never got longer than BSL in all the 8 years that I knew her. She didn't cut it and she didn't abuse it, so I can only conclude that most of her hairs had growth cycles that ended at about 3 years. She didn't have much taper either. It was kind of strange, and she was so frustrated because she wanted to have really-really-really long hair. It just wasn't in the genes for her.
    Quote Originally Posted by WildEagle View Post
    Thanks Pixiedust for all that helpful info...the OP got me very curious about this!
    I understand a whole lot more now, thanks
    Quote Originally Posted by Kiwiwi View Post
    @pixiedust

    That was super interesting, thank you so much! ^_^
    Quote Originally Posted by Juicematic View Post
    Very interesting! I've seen terminal length on some members stats and wondered about it. Thanks to everyone for the excellent explanations.
    Thanks guys, and you're welcome Always happy to share as much hair information as possible!

    nearly bangs-less! 10/19/11.

  3. #13
    Member Chetanlaiho's Avatar
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    Default Re: Explain the terminal Length concept to me

    Quote Originally Posted by pixiedust View Post
    Estrogen (female hormone) has a lot to do with having healthy, thick hair. Certain male sex hormones (both men and women have them, in varying amounts) like Androgens (sometimes called DHT) in excess in the body can cause hair to fall and not grow back, for some reason; More often than not, it seems to be a lack of estrogen rather than an excess of Androgens that causes hair to fall prematurely. This is why you see a lot of little girls with baby fine, super thin hair. This premature hairfall is called Loose Anagen Syndrome, where hair falls or can be pulled out in all growth phases. Usually, this corrects itself with age. If it doesn't, things can be done about it to reduce premature shedding (ie, careful handling, birth control, etc etc):
    Hmm, I suspect I might actually have a lack of estrogen (no scientific proof, just some theories I read that apply to me) would that contribute to me having thinner hair? (Does anyone know if there's a way to test this?)

    I've been afraid to go on birth control because of what I've heard about thinning hair but from what it sounds like it might actually help? xD

    Also major thanks for typing all that out! I enjoyed reading it a lot ^_^

  4. #14
    Member Mesmerise's Avatar
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    Default Re: Explain the terminal Length concept to me

    Quote Originally Posted by Chetanlaiho View Post
    Hmm, I suspect I might actually have a lack of estrogen (no scientific proof, just some theories I read that apply to me) would that contribute to me having thinner hair? (Does anyone know if there's a way to test this?)

    I've been afraid to go on birth control because of what I've heard about thinning hair but from what it sounds like it might actually help? xD

    Also major thanks for typing all that out! I enjoyed reading it a lot ^_^
    I am also thinking that I could be low in estrogen! Especially as the front of my hair seems noticeably thinner and patchier. I wonder if there's something one could take that would help the body produce a normal amount???
    Starting over short and working towards virgin hair!

  5. #15
    Member pixiedust's Avatar
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    Default Re: Explain the terminal Length concept to me

    Quote Originally Posted by Chetanlaiho View Post
    Hmm, I suspect I might actually have a lack of estrogen (no scientific proof, just some theories I read that apply to me) would that contribute to me having thinner hair? (Does anyone know if there's a way to test this?)

    I've been afraid to go on birth control because of what I've heard about thinning hair but from what it sounds like it might actually help? xD

    Also major thanks for typing all that out! I enjoyed reading it a lot ^_^
    Quote Originally Posted by Mesmerise View Post
    I am also thinking that I could be low in estrogen! Especially as the front of my hair seems noticeably thinner and patchier. I wonder if there's something one could take that would help the body produce a normal amount???
    There's a lot of controversy on birth control and people losing some hair when they go off it. I personally am scared to death of taking it.

    It's been said that eating soy is good for hair growth, maybe it has something to do with the estrogen it contains?

    nearly bangs-less! 10/19/11.

  6. #16
    Member ilovelonghair's Avatar
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    Default Re: Explain the terminal Length concept to me

    Quote Originally Posted by spidermom View Post

    I did have a roommate in the past whose hair never got longer than BSL in all the 8 years that I knew her. She didn't cut it and she didn't abuse it, so I can only conclude that most of her hairs had growth cycles that ended at about 3 years. She didn't have much taper either. It was kind of strange, and she was so frustrated because she wanted to have really-really-really long hair. It just wasn't in the genes for her.

    That's where the 20 times gets really scary: with such a short cycle she'd run out of hair real quickly! The people I know who have short cycles are seniors now and have a lot of hair, so I think we shouldn't worry too much

    Quote Originally Posted by pixiedust View Post
    There's a lot of controversy on birth control and people losing some hair when they go off it. I personally am scared to death of taking it.

    It's been said that eating soy is good for hair growth, maybe it has something to do with the estrogen it contains?

    When I went off it nothing happened, but I loose hair from stress. Hair would of course grow back. I think that with going off the pill it might be a bit similar as a post natal shed? And it will grow back. But I know enough people who never had any hair loss after stoping the pill, so there's hope
    And what about our older members here with lovely hair who are in their menopause? I think there must be so many more factors regarding hair loss/no hair loss than just hormones.

    If we worry about it all: we'll loose hair! better not to

  7. #17
    Hiding in plain sight spidermom's Avatar
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    Default Re: Explain the terminal Length concept to me

    Quote Originally Posted by ilovelonghair View Post
    That's where the 20 times gets really scary: with such a short cycle she'd run out of hair real quickly! The people I know who have short cycles are seniors now and have a lot of hair, so I think we shouldn't worry too much

    Hmmmmmmmm; I didn't think of it that way, but it's a good point. 20 x 3 is only 60. It sounds like she could end up with very thin hair, if any hair at all.

    Or she could have very slow growing hair. Maybe it takes her hair 6 years to get to BSL, and 20 x 6 would mean she wouldn't run out of hair until she's 120. I think most of us won't have hair after 120 years.

  8. #18
    Member ilovelonghair's Avatar
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    Default Re: Explain the terminal Length concept to me

    I think the 20 isn't true, plus it would be different for each person AND for each single hair on someone's head. Some people past hundred still have some hair left.
    I try not to worry about running out of hair, there are always wigs! Now those can be fun: a different hair color each day of the week!

  9. #19
    Hiding in plain sight spidermom's Avatar
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    Default Re: Explain the terminal Length concept to me

    I have seen a few old women around with more scalp than hair. But I'm pretty sure you're right that 20 is an average, not an absolute.

  10. #20
    Member Cowgirl16's Avatar
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    Default Re: Explain the terminal Length concept to me

    Thank you pixiedust, great information

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