Short terminal length ?

[Servana]

I usually have waist-length hair, & sometimes when they trim it (even though I ask for 1/2 an inch) they cut it to BSL or mid-back *Sigh*. However, whenever this happens (I swear, I am not exaggerating) my hair grows back to almost waist-length within 2 weeks. It sounds crazy & impossible, but it's the truth. My hair grows like crazy, it took me 6 months to grow my hair from above shoulder to waist. Although, one should note that i'm short.

Anyway, once my hair gets to waist, it hardly grows at all. I don't use any heat on my hair & I have no tapering or split ends. It just doesn't seem to grow. I got it to almost hip length, when it started massively shedding for what seemed like no reason. I'm pretty sure hip-length is my terminal length. My hair grows like crazy until it gets past my elbows. Then it grows extremely slowly & starts shedding. I don't mind, though. I like my hair at waist-length.

Note: My mother has an even shorter terminal length. She gets it half an inch past shoulder-length & it just stops growing. No split ends or tapering, it just stops. Like me, but a shorter terminal length. It must be genetics..

[bte]

Do you get splits? Do you search and destroy? I'd like to not trim anymore and I'm curious if it's possible long term without damage.

Apologies for not replying before. I don't S&D, but I only get a few splits, so don't bother about them. I'd rather use plenty of conditioner and try to look after my ends. Try it for a bit and see if it works for you!

[bumblebums]

I usually have waist-length hair, & sometimes when they trim it (even though I ask for 1/2 an inch) they cut it to BSL or mid-back *Sigh*. However, whenever this happens (I swear, I am not exaggerating) my hair grows back to almost waist-length within 2 weeks. It sounds crazy & impossible, but it's the truth. My hair grows like crazy, it took me 6 months to grow my hair from above shoulder to waist. Although, one should note that i'm short.

Anyway, once my hair gets to waist, it hardly grows at all. I don't use any heat on my hair & I have no tapering or split ends. It just doesn't seem to grow. I got it to almost hip length, when it started massively shedding for what seemed like no reason. I'm pretty sure hip-length is my terminal length. My hair grows like crazy until it gets past my elbows. Then it grows extremely slowly & starts shedding. I don't mind, though. I like my hair at waist-length.

Note: My mother has an even shorter terminal length. She gets it half an inch past shoulder-length & it just stops growing. No split ends or tapering, it just stops. Like me, but a shorter terminal length. It must be genetics..

Well, I saw in another thread that you never wear your hair up. This could be responsible for your hair not growing past waist. When the ends of your hair reach BSL, it starts rubbing on the backs of chairs, backpacks/bags, car seats, etc. If you wear it up, you might see more growth.

[Katze]

Anyway, OP, are you talking about most of your hairs being terminal at BSL, or are most of them terminal higher up? I have one of those unfortunate hair scenarios where many, many of my hairs are terminal at maybe six inches. A lot of my hairs are terminal at APL or BSL. And then a few reach waist. I will know more when I've had a chance to maintain at my goal length, but I am pretty sure I have a fairly short average terminal length when you look at the entire scalp.

I think my nape hairs are definitely terminal at shoulder/APL. I have a layer of 'nappy, kinky' (more like 2c, M) curls at my nape, which are only now, with years of good care, reaching APL. My crown hair seems to be terminal at about shoulder; that hair, in contrast to that at my nape, is baby fine, light, and straight, and gives me 'natural layers' whether I want them or not.

The middle of my hair - the part that actually grows - seems to mostly be terminal at about BSL, or maybe a bit longer. It is BSL where my hair starts radically thinning out, and, again, that is after YEARS of good care.

Perhaps one or two of my hairs will reach waist, but with my overall unpredictable texture and wave and majority of fine hairs, this look is not one I can enjoy; on me, it looks like damaged, broken ends, since those few stragglers have no weight and float around. IT ends up looking ratty, unkempt, and unhealthy even if it isn't.

I think I am going to delete the pictures in my album here of my hair during my last pregnancy, because they are totally unrealistic. Also, i vow not to measure.

You know we should all keep in mind that on here what is wow hair is really very extreme in the world at large. And for everyone that thinks their hair is blah, it is probably someone elses dream hair. Also there is a cost for really long hair. Harder to wear down. Sometimes style limitations. Harder to prevent damage.

That being said, I still want really long hair. LOL. But most importantly I want the best, longest hair that I can grow.

That's sweet, Ravenheather. But my hair is no one's dream hair - never will be. Most of the time it's my nightmare hair, and friends with effortless BSL or waist just seem to pity me. And as I indicated above, the cost (straggly ends) is not worth getting a few hairs to reach my original goal of waist.

But yes, the best and longest that WE can grow!

[Mesmerise]

I think my nape hairs are definitely terminal at shoulder/APL. I have a layer of 'nappy, kinky' (more like 2c, M) curls at my nape, which are only now, with years of good care, reaching APL. My crown hair seems to be terminal at about shoulder; that hair, in contrast to that at my nape, is baby fine, light, and straight, and gives me 'natural layers' whether I want them or not.

The middle of my hair - the part that actually grows - seems to mostly be terminal at about BSL, or maybe a bit longer. It is BSL where my hair starts radically thinning out, and, again, that is after YEARS of good care.

My underneath hair is also curlier than the rest (2b/2c) AND definitely has a short terminal length. I've had hairdressers ask why my underneath hair was short and suggesting that I damaged it in some way. Well, it's actually healthy hair... doesn't split or anything and looks fine (on its own) it just doesn't grow long!!

Oooh and I have short wispy bits at the sides and over my ears too... they're always too short to fit in a ponytail, and have this stupid habit of curling up and making my hair look messy... argh...particularly bad if it rains!

[Katze]

My underneath hair is also curlier than the rest (2b/2c) AND definitely has a short terminal length. I've had hairdressers ask why my underneath hair was short and suggesting that I damaged it in some way. Well, it's actually healthy hair... doesn't split or anything and looks fine (on its own) it just doesn't grow long!!

Oooh and I have short wispy bits at the sides and over my ears too... they're always too short to fit in a ponytail, and have this stupid habit of curling up and making my hair look messy... argh...particularly bad if it rains!

I always thought this was from damage, too, because it would get caught in necklaces. Now that I rarely wear any kind of chain those hairs have reached about shoulder length, after 6 years of LHC...!

Side wisps, yep, I could never figure these out, thought I was doing updos 'wrong'. My sister's hair grows at all one length and hangs like one smooth curtain...not mine. So although my ponytail circumference is over 3 inches now, my length looks thin.

[Silverbrumby]

Update 11/18/12 - I measured my hair and it's back to 26.5 inches. The ponytail is 3 inches and some of the longer hair is just past BSL. It's see through for the last 2 inches. I trimmed back from 26 to 23 and then took another 2 inches off during this year. I'm back to 26 inches (not bad growth 5+ inches) but the hemline has not thickened up at all. It's thick and full at 23 inches then becomes see through.

I did trim a lot this year to see and I'm not doing anything to harm my hair. Bumming, oiling, sulfate free, gentle handling etc. A tiny amount of split ends.

So my terminal is short. I'll keep growing it btw and I'm chuffed it's past BSL but we are only talking about 1/5 of my original hair volume reaching that lengh. Viva la short terminal! hehe

[Katze]

Update 11/18/12 - I measured my hair and it's back to 26.5 inches. The ponytail is 3 inches and some of the longer hair is just past BSL. It's see through for the last 2 inches. I trimmed back from 26 to 23 and then took another 2 inches off during this year. I'm back to 26 inches (not bad growth 5+ inches) but the hemline has not thickened up at all. It's thick and full at 23 inches then becomes see through.

I did trim a lot this year to see and I'm not doing anything to harm my hair. Bumming, oiling, sulfate free, gentle handling etc. A tiny amount of split ends.

So my terminal is short. I'll keep growing it btw and I'm chuffed it's past BSL but we are only talking about 1/5 of my original hair volume reaching that lengh. Viva la short terminal! hehe

Silverbrumby, your growth sounds a lot like mine. I'm at BSL now too at 3" ponytail, 27' long at the ends, but with severe taper. I'm S and D ing regularly so I don't feel the need to cut. Maybe if I don't get postpartum shed after this baby is born I can actually start hoping for longer than BSL again.

I know there must be more people out there whose hair 'just doesn't grow...'!