Growing as long as it will go! (The Terminal Goal Thread)

**auburntressed** · May 7th, 2012, 06:05 AM

Well... I think that I have decided to grow my hair to terminal length, but only IF my terminal length is shorter than knee length. If it turns out to be longer than knee length, then... well awesome, but I don't know if I will be going for terminal at that point. I'll have to decide at that point.

I am really hoping that my terminal length is at least past classic... as I would like to maintain my hair at classic with a full hemline after I have discovered my terminal length.

For the most part, I am just curious about my genetics. No one in my family has ever been known for long hair. All of my old family photos that go back several generations show women with bobs - for both sides of the family. I haven't the slightest clue what terminal could be for me.

I am curious to know how many people have grown their hair to terminal only to find out that their terminal length is less than Classic.

**ravenheather** · May 7th, 2012, 07:25 AM

Originally Posted by auburntressed

Well... I think that I have decided to grow my hair to terminal length, but only IF my terminal length is shorter than knee length. If it turns out to be longer than knee length, then... well awesome, but I don't know if I will be going for terminal at that point. I'll have to decide at that point.

I am really hoping that my terminal length is at least past classic... as I would like to maintain my hair at classic with a full hemline after I have discovered my terminal length.

For the most part, I am just curious about my genetics. No one in my family has ever been known for long hair. All of my old family photos that go back several generations show women with bobs - for both sides of the family. I haven't the slightest clue what terminal could be for me.

I am curious to know how many people have grown their hair to terminal only to find out that their terminal length is less than Classic.

I don't know of any longhairs in my family either. And my immediate family doesn't even think I'll be able to grow to waist. I'm out to prove them wrong. I've never had hair past apl so I don't know how I'll handle it or what it will look like on me. My secret fear is that it will only grow to bsl.

**Chromis** · May 7th, 2012, 07:27 AM

Originally Posted by WaitingSoLong

I am concerned about braiding once it my braid gets past FTL. I have a paranda and was braiding it into my hair yesterday and towards the end I could no longer keep tension on it to braid because of its length. I read somewhere a couple years ago here on TLHC that hair past knee has its own set of needs because you cannot just brush it out in one stroke due to the length. I am sure you learn to cope as it grows.

Braiding knee length and past is not much harder than shorter hair, just more tedious. What I do is loop the braid around my neck like a scarf once I have braided down far enough. Voila! Tension! I've seen that some folks wrap it around an elbow or hold it in their mouth, but that sounds like it would take much more concentration to me.

I rarely wear mine down for long, but if I want to do something like use a toilet or sit on the floor I use the same trick again. Just wear it like a scarf to keep it out of the way. Otherwise I neatly coil it in my lap while seated. Again though, I don't like wearing it down for long. (This is nothing new, I have preferred keeping it up ever since I found Ficcares and hair forks/sticks)

**Curly Hermione** · May 7th, 2012, 07:52 AM

I'm aiming for terminal. It will take ages, and, knowing my luck, not be very long, but I can still try! I can't wait to see how long I can go

**hairconvictions** · May 7th, 2012, 08:02 AM

I have never seen my mom with long hair or any pictures of family either... I am insanely curious to know where my hair is going to stop! I have a fear that it will stop at waist or something

Is there a thread somewhere where people have posted their terminal lengths? That would be a fantastic read!

**ravenheather** · May 7th, 2012, 08:07 AM

Originally Posted by hairconvictions

I have never seen my mom with long hair or any pictures of family either... I am insanely curious to know where my hair is going to stop! I have a fear that it will stop at waist or something

Is there a thread somewhere where people have posted their terminal lengths? That would be a fantastic read!

Totally agree!

**rowie** · May 7th, 2012, 08:26 AM

Originally Posted by ravenheather

Totally agree!

Good call. I've always had mixed impressions of the term "terminal." Some people I've met here thought that they were at terminal because their hair stop growing for five years, and then it started to grow again on the sixth year. Do you think it would be safe to assume that if you wait like 10 years of non-growth then that would determine terminal length? The fact is everyone is different, so I sometimes feel like terminal is a very subjective topic to determine.

**rowie** · May 7th, 2012, 08:32 AM

Originally Posted by WaitingSoLong

My aunt has terminal length hair at just above TBL. She has fine, straight, medium to dark brown hair and FTE's and has had the same length hair for years and wears it down ALL THE TIME. My Mom told me the other day that I have a great or great-great grandmother who was known for her long hair but no picture and no actual length. How interesting to be known down the generations for your hair.

I find genetics to be such an interesting topic. I always thought scientist bases that men should look at their mother's side of the family. But that side of my family all have straight hair. I find it funny that I ended up with wurly hair compared to both my older sisters.

**DreadfulWoman** · May 7th, 2012, 08:37 AM

Originally Posted by hairconvictions

I have never seen my mom with long hair or any pictures of family either... I am insanely curious to know where my hair is going to stop! I have a fear that it will stop at waist or something

Is there a thread somewhere where people have posted their terminal lengths? That would be a fantastic read!

Wouldn't it be nice if there was some way to know. For a long time I thought I had reached terminal at BSL back in high school (makes me think I must have been so mean to my hair back then...). I was really shocked when I brushed my dreads out and found that I had hairs that were past classic. I had no idea my hair was capable of growing that long.

Originally Posted by rowie

Good call. I've always had mixed impressions of the term "terminal." Some people I've met here thought that they were at terminal because their hair stop growing for five years, and then it started to grow again on the sixth year. Do you think it would be safe to assume that if you wait like 10 years of non-growth then that would determine terminal length? The fact is everyone is different, so I sometimes feel like terminal is a very subjective topic to determine.

The tricky thing with terminal length is that not only is everyone very different, but that one person's growth rate/ growth cycle changes over their lifetime as well, and sometimes in unpredictable ways. So theoretically, if someone reaches terminal it could be possible for their hair to gradually become longer or shorter over time.

**Dragon Faery** · May 7th, 2012, 10:36 AM

Originally Posted by rowie

Good call. I've always had mixed impressions of the term "terminal." Some people I've met here thought that they were at terminal because their hair stop growing for five years, and then it started to grow again on the sixth year. Do you think it would be safe to assume that if you wait like 10 years of non-growth then that would determine terminal length? The fact is everyone is different, so I sometimes feel like terminal is a very subjective topic to determine.

There is a factor I've wondered about, but never heard anyone mention. Say I start growing my hair today, and seven years from now (give or take a few years) I reach terminal. The catch is, I've been trimming it all my life to get rid of splits. Lots of Splits. And I intend to keep fishing them out of my hair as needed. [That's not the thing I'm ultimately getting at; I have heard people mention that factor before.] Trechnically, it should take me LONGER than that time to find my true terminal, as I have to wait for hair that's never been cut to make it all the way down and past my current "terminal" length.
Here's the real factor I've been wondering about:
What if, several years after I begin growing on my quest for Terminal, I change my routine? For example, when my hair was at APL I started castor oil and rooibos treatments, as well as CO washing. Regardless of whether it grows any faster with those changes, the hair that has only known this treatment is a lot healthier and stronger than the hair I had before. So the top 6-8 inches of my hair have a much better chance at actually reaching terminal than the hair currently almost at waist. But what if, several years from now, I improve my health somhehow, and my hair starts growing faster? It will take whatever new hair comes in at that time YEARS to catch up with the rest. Any change I make 2 years from now will be 3-4 years behind the rest of my hair, depending on how much I've trimmed. And by the time I've grown for 7-10 years, I may have forgotten about making that change. So, conceiveably, I could see no growth for 4 years or more (depending on what changed when), and then suddenly start growing again.

I don't know if I made that understandable or not, but it's something I've been wondering, especially since *trolleypup's* hair started growing again recently.