Hair at front wont grow/has a different texture to the rest

[fortymiletown]

I have always had a decent head of hair which has been thick and curly. Over the past two years I have been growing it (prior to this it had always been short, like maximum 3 inches). Over the past year or so the hair at the front of my head has grown about 2 inches in the same thickness as the rest of my head, but then stopped. There are far fewer hairs that have continued to grow the same length as the rest which are barely visible, so it looks like the front of my hair has been cut short (I will include photos). It is also not really curly anymore and sits there awkwardly. It may be worth noting that I have a very typically male hairline that recedes slightly behind the temples, but I am not balding (at least I hope!). This causes a visible divide between the hair at the sides and the hair at the front, which looks horrible.

Essentially I want to have a fringe as I feel my forehead is quite large but it's impossible when the hair at the front wont grow the right way. I also want to take attention away from the 'inny bits' caused by my front hairline.

Here is an album of a few photos showing what I tried to explain - http://imgur.com/a/Zh155

[UltraBella]

I see exactly what you mean. It's so interesting that just a bit has grown so long when the rest is much shorter. I have no idea if there's a solution for you, sorry I'm not more helpful.

[Kaelee]

That IS odd. I have hair at the front that's finer/more prone to damage and also lighter (a natural highlight) but it grows just like the rest.

[Syaoransbear]

Are the ends tapered? If so, it looks like the hair's anagen phase has become much, much shorter in that area than anywhere else.

[fortymiletown]

What does tapered hair look like? I haven't had it cut properly for about 2.5 years now, I had it trimmed/tidied up a little about a year ago.

[Anje]

Unfortunately, my first thought is wondering if the hairs are getting affected by testosterone and the growth cycle is shortening.

It could also be that those hairs get a lot more handling and are simply drying out and breaking more readily. I know the front hairs on my head get a lot more wear and tear. As others have said, try to look at the tips of the hairs, see if they're broken or tapered. That'll at least give you some idea of what's going on.

[Syaoransbear]

What does tapered hair look like? I haven't had it cut properly for about 2.5 years now, I had it trimmed/tidied up a little about a year ago.

I suck at describing it so here's a picture I drew hehe:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v509/Syaoransbear/hair-1.png

[fortymiletown]

It's hard to tell exactly, but I would say it's slightly more tapered than cut. I should mention I am fairly certain I have high levels of testosterone in my body.

[sharoleb]

So tapered ends may mean the anogen phase is shortened? Thanks. :)

[Syaoransbear]

It's hard to tell exactly, but I would say it's slightly more tapered than cut. I should mention I am fairly certain I have high levels of testosterone in my body.
I don't know much about balding or how it begins, but I think if the anagen phase has shortened so much in that area that you may be starting to bald, or maybe you have some health issue that is affecting your hair. I'm not really sure.


So tapered ends may mean the anogen phase is shortened? Thanks. :)

In this case yes, but really it just means the hair has never been cut so the OP's short hair isn't the result of cutting or breakage but the result of the lifespan of the hair being shortened for some reason.

[WaitingSoLong]

I just want to say that my front hair grows slower than the rest of my head hair. The hair at the temples and where my "bangs" would be if I had them, over the last 2.5 years have grown about 10", whereas most of the rest of my hair has grown about 15". I know because of my demarcation line from when I used sun-in last, 2.5 years ago. I have a decent widows peak, too, as you seem to.

[cathair]

Bit of a long shot, but I just wondered if you wear hats much? Put your head in your hands much? I know a guy who's hair is fine enough that it seems to rub off when he wears hats. He wears hats all the time now, since it seems to be a cycle of breaking it off then not wanting to show the broken bits.

[WaitingSoLong]

Bit of a long shot, but I just wondered if you wear hats much? Put your head in your hands much? I know a guy who's hair is fine enough that it seems to rub off when he wears hats. He wears hats all the time now, since it seems to be a cycle of breaking it off then not wanting to show the broken bits.

Ooh, that is like the acne/make-up cycle. Wear make-up to cover acne, make-up makes more acne, wear MORE make-up.......

[melusine963]

The very front bits of my hair seem to have a very short terminal length. I've never managed to get them to grow more than a few inches, even with LHC care. They're not damaged, they just won't get longer. Coconut oiling helps them to lay a little flatter, but there's not much else I can do. Maybe your hair is the same?

[fortymiletown]

Well I never wear hats, so it can't be that... Maybe this is just as long as it gets. I am just really hoping I am not going bald, but looking at the roots it is very thick, as thick as the hair elsewhere on my head. Could it be because I haven't had it cut for so long? If I were to have a few inches taken off, might it grow back more?

[WaitingSoLong]

I doubt you are "going bald" per-say, but you may have permanent thinning hair there. My husband has this and has since I have known him. He was 30 when I met him, I don't know how long before that his hair had been thinning there.

But it seems to be a short terminal length. Due to the thickness of the base of the hair v. the thin ends, I would be inclined to wonder about nutrition, or perhaps a traumatic even that occurred in the last 6 months to year that could have affected your stress levels enough to cause hair related problems, or even thyroid issues, etc. However it is odd it is just in the front there, you would think it would be all over.