Why have long hair if it's always hidden?

[WoolSweater]

Hello,

I have a question. I'm very curious about it, and would love to hear different people's opinions. Also in my title I said women, but men of course can comment. I just rarely see men wearing buns and hair clips.


What I'm wanting to know is, why do you not wear your hair down? You spend many years growing it long, but then always have it up so no one can see the length. I'm not meaning this question as an insult at all, I am very curious why! I see a lot of postings with women who do not wear their long hair down. I understand this is in part due to protecting it, but don't you ever want to leave your hair down? Sometimes I wonder why knee length + is desired if never worn down. Again, I'm not upset or meaning to insult anyone, just interested! I guess in my mind, I'd always want it down if I had long, gorgeous hair. ;D But I've also read that some women, as well as leaving it up during the day, don't even have it down for the night! Seems the only time it is left down is for a shower, or a length shot. Now I always wear mine up, but that is because it's at an awkward length and not so healthy looking. I dream about the day I can proudly wear it down. And I also understand wearing it up at work, or with children, etc. But besides that, why? Thanks for reading! :)

[FireFromWithin]

It is a personal choice and many wear their hair down for special occasions or just around the house. For many updos are not only protective but decorative and the amazing updos possible with very long hair are one of the major reasons I'm growing mine. Remember that hair growth can be a very personal choice, and that although someone personally loves their hair long even if they love the feel of it long and flowing around them they may not like the hassle of going outside in the wind with it or simply they are not growing their hair for others to look at so it doesn't matter to them. But I'm only at waist so I can't really say. I've started to wear my hair down more the closer to my goals I get (not that I'm all that close but I've also become lazy) as it needs less protecting since I will soon be able to trim.

As for night time even at waist my hair can get in the way. Especially when I share the bed with my other half who is convinced my hair is haunted by some kind of tickle monster and can get into his mouth and eyes. Besides, I like the waves and curls I get from having it up at night and it reduces the chance that I lie on part of it and get caught.

I'm sure some of the really long hairs will comment with answers too but I hope this helps with the general idea. Just remember everyone is different and go from there...

[leslissocool]

Hair tangles. Knee+ hair tangles after a day at the park? Yeah, I'd rather wear it up and I'm not even there yet. Add small children to that and well it's not something I want, even when my hair was shorter!


Wearing hair down also brings out attention. People stare, some want to touch it, they comment and it's not always good. I grow my hair for me and I dislike that kind of attention. It's the same exact reason why people get tattoos in places that can be cover up, for privacy.

[WoolSweater]

It is a personal choice and many wear their hair down for special occasions or just around the house. For many updos are not only protective but decorative and the amazing updos possible with very long hair are one of the major reasons I'm growing mine. Remember that hair growth can be a very personal choice, and that although someone personally loves their hair long even if they love the feel of it long and flowing around them they may not like the hassle of going outside in the wind with it or simply they are not growing their hair for others to look at so it doesn't matter to them. But I'm only at waist so I can't really say. I've started to wear my hair down more the closer to my goals I get (not that I'm all that close but I've also become lazy) as it needs less protecting since I will soon be able to trim.

As for night time even at waist my hair can get in the way. Especially when I share the bed with my other half who is convinced my hair is haunted by some kind of tickle monster and can get into his mouth and eyes. Besides, I like the waves and curls I get from having it up at night and it reduces the chance that I lie on part of it and get caught.

I'm sure some of the really long hairs will comment with answers too but I hope this helps with the general idea. Just remember everyone is different and go from there...

Oh yes, so sorry if my original post made it sound like everyone should be one way. I guess since I am not this way, I am curious to talk with those that are! And I don't know any "long hairs" in real life, so I can't ask them. :( I totally forgot about the braid waves at night, thanks for mentioning that. That makes sense to wear it braided if you want no heat curls.

[furnival]

For a lot of people, the only way they can grow their hair to such lengths is to wear it up.

Also, wearing knee-length hair down must be a right pain in the @rse, as doing so with my waist-length hair certainly is. It gets caught in stuff, it goes in my food, in my eyes, it forms instant dreadlocks, gets trapped in doors, takes hours to detangle and invariably gets damaged. I can't imagine the hassle of going about with loose hair of extreme length, not to mention the damage it would incur.

The only reason my hair has got to waist is because I wear it up every day, and at night too. It's thin and fine and damages easily- easily enough that wearing it down or in a ponytail resulted in a stall of several years at shoulder length. Some people have no choice but to wear it up if they want it to grow. Alas, I'd love to run around trailing a luxurious mane, but that's not going to happen. :p

[Aliped]

I agree with all of the above, but probably the biggest factor in my always wearing hair up is peoples weird attitudes to very long hair. I like it, most LHC members like it, but a lot of people in real life think its gross. Plus it just gets in the way a lot and tanges, and I love a nice braided bun!

[Kherome]

Because:

You don't get to KEEP beautiful long hair if you don't protect it. It'll be a tatty mess in no time if you don't keep it up and watch out for it.

Creepy jerk guys oogle you in public, and it's gross. And not everyone wants to be oogled.

It takes AGES to carefully pick through long hair to detangle at night.

It gets in the way. You sit on it, you close doors on it, you drag it through stuff, people grab at it, etc.

Personal reason:

I think it's immodest. (Wearing it down that is)

[WoolSweater]

I agree with all of the above, but probably the biggest factor in my always wearing hair up is peoples weird attitudes to very long hair. I like it, most LHC members like it, but a lot of people in real life think its gross. Plus it just gets in the way a lot and tanges, and I love a nice braided bun!

I understand this and I don't. I think long hair is beautiful, and I sometimes wonder where all these LHC faeries with their flowing locks live, because I don't know anyone past BSL! Haha. I feel like I am in an imaginary world. 8) I like it though. But day to day, I don't see long hair, and the rare times I do, I hear people make comments or look at them funny.


(I just changed my icon and I don't recognize my posts anymore haha I thought "wait, but I just said that...")

[jacqueline101]

People wear it up to protect the ends. Protected ends will allow hair to grow without tangles and splits. Tangles are a pain to get out and when hair reaches a certain length I'd guess since I'm not there you would have to wear it up due to it being in the way. To protect it from being sat on and so on.

[heidi w.]

I don't have long hair now, but I used to have nearly ankle length hair. It was generally around knee length, but a bit longer. I cut it off. It tangled so badly I couldn't get it out, so I cut it off.

I used to wear my hair up ALL of the time. All of the time. Literally. I wore it up to avoid it getting caught in a lot of stuff and to avoid tripping on it, and to take care of the ends. Tucking the ends in a bun is the best way to avoid tangling, which my hair is very easily.

I advise wearing it up. I didn't really care if anyone saw it. It's in an art video, and I know a lot of people saw it. I strongly advise knowing hair buns and wearing it up a lot.

heidi w.

[kaydana]

I tend to think of it as like wearing nice underwear. You probably don't walk around outside in just your underwear, but that doesn't stop you wearing nice underwear under your outfit. Wearing nice underwear can make you feel special even if no one but you gets to see it. As a general rule, I wear my hair up when my underwear is covered, and down when my underwear is visible. There are exceptions, because wearing hair down and walking around in just underwear aren't the same thing, and I don't really care if people see my hair down (whereas I would mind everyone seeing me in my underwear), but I just don't feel like I'm dressed properly unless it's up.

[Chromis]

Because I want to.

No really.

Actually I wore it up even when it was bsl and in ponytails before that while it was growing since that was pre-LHC and I didn't know how to put it up properly. Once I learned how to use sticks and clips I never wore a pony again. I hate having hair in my face and getting caught in things or tangled. To me part of the reason for growing it out was to be able to do more with it. At knee I have a plethora of options and quite a many pretty hairtoys to mix and match with my outfits. Aside from inconvenient I personally would find having my hair down all the time to be rather boring.

[makeminea99]

^^^ What they all said!! Having said that, I do wear my hair down for nights out (not very frequent when one has young children!) and if it's not a windy or rainy day I'll wear a half up. But as a long haired acquaintance of mine said, wearing long hair up is like having the convenience of short hair without the long term commitment! ;) I like the versatility of being able to change the way I look so dramatically - just by manipulating my hair! Plus, sometimes it doesn't have to be down to impress people with the length - I've had surprised comments on a French braid before - the commenter obviously realised that my hair had to be decently long to make a good length braid! It's quite satisfying, I think. Good question, though. :)

[Amapola]

I'm with Chromis - I love having long hair because it is MUCH easier to put up! Plus you can wear it in a ton of different ways!

I got asked this in real life, and I was puzzled... I don't think you have to have your hair down if it's long. Now that it's finally down to tailbone I can do some really cool braids. I'm looking forward to tomorrow (Christmas) because I'm going to make a fancy updo with it. I think I'll put an accent rope braid on top of a braided bun... and let's face it, you can't do that so easily with a pixie cut.

[makeminea99]

I'm with Chromis - I love having long hair because it is MUCH easier to put up! Plus you can wear it in a ton of different ways!

I got asked this in real life, and I was puzzled... I don't think you have to have your hair down if it's long. Now that it's finally down to tailbone I can do some really cool braids. I'm looking forward to tomorrow (Christmas) because I'm going to make a fancy updo with it. I think I'll put an accent rope braid on top of a braided bun... and let's face it, you can't do that so easily with a pixie cut.

YES!! Funny you should say that, I've just been watching a tutorial on Youtube on Bebexo's channel, there's a pretty half up I might do for tomorrow - now am I allowed to post links yet, let's try: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwvhOPcoUFw&feature=share&list=UUAHwt1nKYd543jwO1ICh87A&index=2

[Sharysa]

I only wear it down for special occasions, or if the weather is right. Literally--I have 1c/2a hair, and it will frizz the heck up if I try to wear it down during humidity, rain, or general moist-ness. And even when my hair wasn't waist-length, it was even WORSE trying to wear it down because my hair's so thick and unruly that it gets EVERYWHERE.

I tend to compromise with half-ups whenever I want my hair down, but at least a little contained.

[neko_kawaii]

My hair is long because I am lazy and dislike having hair in my face. Hair is almost always up and out of the way.

[Madora]

Hello,

I have a question. I'm very curious about it, and would love to hear different people's opinions. Also in my title I said women, but men of course can comment. I just rarely see men wearing buns and hair clips.


What I'm wanting to know is, why do you not wear your hair down? You spend many years growing it long, but then always have it up so no one can see the length. I'm not meaning this question as an insult at all, I am very curious why! I see a lot of postings with women who do not wear their long hair down. I understand this is in part due to protecting it, but don't you ever want to leave your hair down? Sometimes I wonder why knee length + is desired if never worn down. Again, I'm not upset or meaning to insult anyone, just interested! I guess in my mind, I'd always want it down if I had long, gorgeous hair. ;D But I've also read that some women, as well as leaving it up during the day, don't even have it down for the night! Seems the only time it is left down is for a shower, or a length shot. Now I always wear mine up, but that is because it's at an awkward length and not so healthy looking. I dream about the day I can proudly wear it down. And I also understand wearing it up at work, or with children, etc. But besides that, why? Thanks for reading! :)

One word: tangles! Some strands of my hair are at knee and if I left my hair down it would tangle like nobody's business. Untangling that length tries my patience. While it is true that I waited a long time to reach my goal of knee, I've always been very careful to keep tangles at bay. Wearing it up works for me!!! It is braided every day and still looks nice.

I know flowing long hair is a beautiful sight...and I've seen many beautiful heads here and in real life. But for me it just doesn't work. There are too many obstacles out there in the world and if I can avoid them by keeping my hair up, all the better. Even when I was younger I very rarely wore it down...for one thing it was very, very thick and wearing it down was like wearing a horse blanket...and in spite of hair bands it never stayed in place. Constantly falling forward, getting in the way, getting stuck on things...a royal pain. Detangling was not fun...and besides, although I was very careful when detangling, there were broken hairs to deal with. Not worth it to me to keep it down.

[ravenreed]

I wore my hair down every day right up until waist. I still wear it down every so often or I wear a high pony, but past TB or so it starts catching on EVERYTHING. It also tangles if you so much as look at it funny. At fingertip, even in braid I kept dragging it on the ground when I would bend over, or sitting or kneeling on it. I had pretty much stopped wearing it loose at all. I went back to classic and am having fun wearing it down again.

[Islandgrrl]

I haven't worn my hair down since it was long enough to put up. My hair needs to be out of my way. It drives me bonkers if it's in my face or in my way. Now, at mid-thigh length, it's just impractical to wear it down. As others have mentioned, it gets into everything and it tangles fiercely. It's literally been years since I've worn it down....since 2008, I think!

[spidermom]

Long hair for me was a nuisance and always in the way if left down, but I still enjoyed taking it down at night and combing it out before braiding and going to bed.

I want to wear my hair down more often these days and had it cut shorter.

[trolleypup]

I like having it down, blowing in the wind, etc. etc. But...it is up most of the time. Usually in my regular lazy bun. I work around heavy equipment/machinery, so not risking that. When I am hiking or doing trailwork, it is impractical to have it down (or anything but up AND contained (yay! ponyscrub)). I don't care to have it down when I am in crowded locations for obvious reasons.

At calf length, I've gotten very good and holding and moving my body so that my hair doesn't catch on things or get stepped on, etc, but those are very real and painful hazards.

That said, I do sometimes let it down at home and in public...when I am at leisure, going out on minor errands/eating/walks I often have it down. I'm willing to pay the price of this in damage...balancing protection vs. accumulated damage. Of course it tangles when it is down, but it is coarse and tough enough that I can keep the long lengths without 24/7 protection. Which is not to say that I don't need to spend 12 hours in a sunny window doing S&D. :(

I like having it down, I like doing stuff when it is down. Yes, I get a certain amount of attention, but in SF it is mostly positive, and presenting as a healthy straight male, I simply don't get the pernicious negative attention that others get, so I can also be an example for others that anyone can have long hair, and it is OK.

[Crumpet]

In addition to what others have said...the TOUCHING!

I took my hair down briefly (upon request) on Friday. Immediately, a stranger started stroking my hair. Ewwww! On Saturday, people again asked me to take my hair down briefly. I did so and as I did, I was telling the Friday touching story...as I was doing that a friend started stroking my hair...he was a good friend and I didn't mind *him* doing it (and he apologised!) but that is a standard reaction.

Yup...lots of creepy guys out there who just want to stroke and roll around in our hair. I'm not having it.

[AspenSong]

For me, I wear it up for many reasons. One of my biggest is of course, protection. My hair is super fine and thin, it's very floaty and flyaway and wearing it down for very long when I'm out and about just results in terrible knots or it getting caught in things I walk by. There's not enough weight to it to weigh it down at all. So it's all over. I wear it up, so I can keep it long. And one of the reasons I keep it long is for me. Just because I like it and enjoy it. It's like protecting or caring for anything pretty I like to wear or have...I take precautions to keep it safe.

I wear it up also because I do like the look of a lot of the buns I do.

In hindsight, unless my hair was ever at such a short length I couldn't put it up....I've always worn my hair up anyway. Maybe it's changed from being in a ponytail everyday or a claw clip but I've always drawn to keeping it styled in that sort of way anyway.

[BlueMajorelle]

I once made the mistake of wearing my hair down in college for a party. It was finally to my waist. It made friends with a candle and badly singed the ends, so I had to cut most of it off. Luckily there was enough where I could donate the non-singed bits but it goes to show. I also teach art to children and it would be covered in paint and clay and glue of I wore it down. Messy!

I agree with these ladies, although you might be able to put your hair down once and awhile for special occasions, you risk damaging it by wearing it down. You don't get knee length hair by letting it make friends with candles!

[Ferryl]

Putting my hair up during the day and down at night for my husband makes it feel special. ^_~

[jasper]

I started wearing my hair up. It got a lot longer during those years of being up all the time. Now if I wear it down, it irritates the heck out of me by getting caught on stuff. :shrug:

[dulce]

I wear it up a lot but sometimes down,am getting close to classic and at 61 years old,I get a lot of stares and sometimes very disapproving verbal comments from strangers when it is loose due to my age.

[BlueMajorelle]

I wear it up a lot but sometimes down,am getting close to classic and at 61 years old,I get a lot of stares and sometimes very disapproving verbal comments from strangers when it is loose due to my age.

Pish posh! They should tend their own gardens. My grandmother is 91 years old and has hair down to her waist and it's the most beautiful snow white so I'm hoping my hair ages like hers. Yasmina Rossi is a beautiful mature model and has gorgeous long silver hair. Just because a person is older doesn't mean they need to get a granny cut.

[Cheyne]

I work with commercial chemicals and fertilizer, along with spinning machinery. I would be scalped and not have to worry about any hair if I wore it down at work! :o

My hair is thick and curly, if I wear it down in warmer weather (anything above 70 degrees) it feels like I have an animal pelt on my back.

I am almost TBL and at 51 in the same boat as dulce. Many people hate seeing older women (who aren't models) with long hair-and they don't mind telling you so! I don't care what they think, but if they catch me at the wrong time they may lose some teeth.

[MandyBeth]

Minion in training - prior to the disrupted adoption, she was in an EE orphanage and wasn't allowed long hair. So, she wants to keep her hair. But, it always falls forward, she's an active kid and it's annoying down usually.

Adorably evil minion - similar need to keep her hair, but her issue is that her hair was the only thing that wasn't easily taken from her and it always moved with her. But, she's half spider monkey with knee+ in braid waves, yet mid back curly. So her hair just velcros to everything because she's got a huge amount of hair that likes going east west. Plus, the blasted tangles. Also, her riding helmet doesn't fit right with loose hair, but even in braided pigtails made from three braids each, her braids hit her ponies and when she goes to jump, her braids whap her POA in his face. Her other pony isn't jumping yet, but they'll get there. POA didn't blink with that, but it's not safe at all.

From "I'm the diabolical dictator" (aka me) stand - Simple answer is school requires hair to be tied back and not at risk for wrapping around anything. For my real reason. - safety. The length can wrap into chain, or get sucked into a fan, or fall on a hot burner on our gas stove, plus all the various issues.

Now, at concerts, adorably evil wears her hair down - it's not fun to headbang in a bun, Daddy won't let her perch on his shoulders and headbang in a braid, and loose means she gets to headbang enough to get bands to actually notice her. But, she'll put up with the 3+ hours of detangling then. Concerts are worth the tangles, day to day is not.

[DweamGoiL]

When I had TBL hair years back, I always wore it up. Honestly, it felt rather restricting to always have to have it up and it was quite heavy. Now, it's almost back to WL, but layered to diminish the weight of it. I enjoy wearing it down most of the time, and once it's too long to wear down, I will cut it down to a more manageable length. Don't get me wrong; I do get why you want to protect it and the high tangling factor...I really do, but I don't want to go down the road of the hair limiting my choices again.

[maborosi]

It's mostly because it is a pain in the butt to wear down everywhere once it starts to get really long.
I'm hardly at BSL and my hair doesn't like being down. It finds its way into some uncomfortable situations that always get worse the longer it gets.

I face a new problem this time around- my hair color is really red, so people do touch it when it's down and make comments.
My coworkers ESPECIALLY do this and it's sometimes okay, but sometimes really uncomfortable.

So usually, I just keep it up to avoid issues. ^^

Hope that helps!

~maborosi~

[CurlyCap]

First thing I do when I get home is take off my bra and let down my hair. I PREFER to wear my hair down.

But up it goes at work because:
1. My hair is as wide as it is long and is frequently called "distracting" or "inconvenient to others"

2. The rest of the day I can work with gross or dangerous chemicals so the hair is put up for my sake and safety.

My hair is no more tangly up than down and is going to catch on things either way. On vacations, it's always down and I'm a much happier camper.

[LauraLongLocks]

I don't think my length is VERY long yet, but I've been wearing it up since shoulder length. It's just easier to keep it out of the way. As a mom, I'm bending over to pick things up off the floor, to reach for a small child, to re-boot laundry on my front-loading machines, to look for a shoe under the couch, to load the dishwasher, and to put a casserole into my oven for dinner. I also own a microdairy, and milking the cows and mucking out the stalls is not the sort of job for long, flowing hair.

However, if there is no wind, and it's not too hot, and I am not going to have young children with me, I will wear my hair down for a date night or other special occasion. I really look forward to these occasions, since I so rarely wear it down. It's fun to "wow" people who have no idea how long my hair is because they never see it.

I love how wearing my hair up has made tangles a non-issue for me, has made my ends stay healthy, and has given me so many options for styling.

[KittyBird]

I wear it up for protection and for fun. To me, wearing my hair down all the time is terribly boring and annoying. I usually wear it down when I'm relaxing at home, but if I'm doing anything that requires moving around, I'll put it up. I love wearing my hair up. It keeps it looking nice, and I get to have fun with various buns and toys. The longer my hair is, the more buns I can do.
Also, wearing it up means that nobody can see how long it is. Co-workers and others who have only seen me with my hair up, usually thinks my hair is around shoulder length. I prefer that people don't know I'm a longhair. ;) I hate the attention I get when I wear it down, people touching it and asking when my last cut was, why I don't cut it, etc. I'm not good with compliments either, so if people say my hair is beautiful, I just get awkward.

[Flor]

I'm only planning to grow mine until the mark where I can still enjoy wearing it loose whenever I want to. If it starts catching on things or tangling badly, forcing me to wear it up all the time, I'll cut it shorter. So I'm not seeing myself going much past waist, maybe I'll settle on something a bit shorter.

I guess I do want people to notice how long it is ;) Where I live it's mostly only teenage girls who have long hair. Women 20+ are between shoulder and APL mostly, very rarely at BSL. Whenever I spot someone my age with loose long hair, they always seem like such rebels to me, I like it!

[Eniratak]

I have knee+ hair and I frequently wear mine down - mostly special occasions, but sometimes when I go out to run a few errands.
However, it really just depends on what I'm doing that day. Tangling does happen, but I don't worry about it so much. What really bothers me is having to throw it out of the way if I'm shopping and have to bend down or if I'm trying on clothes and it gets all tangled up in the tag of the shirt.
It's more for convenience when I wear it up.
I also get people who love to think that my hair is public property.

But my fiance really likes it down, so if I wear it down, it's mostly for him or for me, if it's especially pretty that day.

It's funny because I used to ask this question when my hair was TBL because I was obsessed with wearing it down and showing it off and I couldn't understand why people with longer hair didn't feel the same. Now I get it. Hahaha.

[0xalis]

I want reactions!! I like wearing it up all the time because when I let it down people are like "wow your hair got so long" or "it looks better down" lol.
Also it gets really hot in the summer, and wind is annoying.
When I was a child I NEVER wore my hair up and it still got to waist, but nowadays it's just easier to wear it up and I want to keep it nice and healthy.

Indoors [rarely], sleeping, or on a really nice mild day, I'll wear my hair down. I plan on braiding more often once my hair gets longer, though.

[Quixii]

I tend to wear my hair up because it's so easy, especially when it's long. I have a whole arsenal of buns that keep my hair up that I can accomplish in less than a minute. People with short hair don't have that advantage, and I enjoy it! Plus it keeps it out of the way, off my neck, and protected.

Hair at my length does tend to get in the way. I find myself sitting on it or it getting caught on things or it just gets in my face or something. Plus because mine is curly if I have a "bad curl day" or something it just looks awful and nothing can save it at that point, so up it goes.

But I do love my hair and how it looks down (most of the time), so when I feel like it, down it goes. But wearing it up most of the time makes it feel even more special and beautiful when I choose to wear it down. :)

[Bene]

I did a big chop so I'm growing it back out. BUT, I did manage to hit tailbone and I wore it up all time, except for maintenance (washing, detangling, braiding, etc) and length shots. Why? Because my hair is for me, not for anyone else to see or appreciate. I wasn't interested in whether or not other people liked it or thought it was gross. The protection aspect was the last thing on my mind.

[redtuss]

I'm with all the posters that say it's about tangling and getting it out of the way-issues.

Sure, everynow and then I let it be loose but I hate the thought of getting split ends or the tangles I might get.. It's not that long yet so I don't sit on it or anything but it can get caught in things. Thank goodness it's kinda heavy for fine hair so it rarely blows into my face when windy outside. Most of the days I decide to have it loose I "cave in" and put it up or braid it after a while.

But the wow-factor is great as well :)
I think it's fun with the eventual length-bomb! My mom especially loves when I have it loose since it's almost always up - she loves my hair and like to see it down! And I do too, some days it just behaves so well that I want to enjoy the feeling of loose ends on my body and not just braids!

[embee]

When I was young, I thought my terminal length was BSL. It was always down, always curled (not heat, just foam rollers) with the curls falling straight in an hour or so, and always getting tangled. Breakage, major, also. :(

When I had children it drove me nuts, getting in my face, getting pulled by nursing babies, falling forward onto dirty diapers, getting into baby food... *chop* to really short. Really short was ugly on me, and I couldn't afford the upkeep trims.

After my divorce I hadn't the money to do anything but grow it out; I was a grown up and was working and needed to look somewhat professional. So up it went. It grew and grew and grew - and one day was at waist! What a shock. :)

I cannot stand hairs tickling me on my face. I hate hair in my food. Hair getting caught on/in things really bugs me. Strangers petting my hair squiks me something fierce. Long loose hair really doesn't look very good on me, my face is long and thin, my forehead is high. My hair is long and thin and straight - and it tends to be stringy, rat-tails is what my mom called it.

An updo is comfortable, neat, and probably about as attractive as I'm likely to be at my age.... neat and clean being a reasonable goal for 70+. :D Plus, it's a snap to care for - and I have tons of other things I'd rather do than style my hair.

I always wanted Long Princess Hair, so now I can pretend that's what I've got - and it *is* long, just not very princessy. ;)

[LadyCelestina]

It is a ritual for me.Just like some people have a ritual of applying make up only on work days,I put my hair up.Also,it looks neat.
Letting it down later is also a ritual,connected with scalp massage.

And then,in my free time,I sometimes like to wear it up for practicality or the exact opposite,to make complicated hairstyles I don't have time for in the morning.

[lapushka]

What I'm wanting to know is, why do you not wear your hair down? You spend many years growing it long, but then always have it up so no one can see the length. I'm not meaning this question as an insult at all, I am very curious why! I see a lot of postings with women who do not wear their long hair down. I understand this is in part due to protecting it, but don't you ever want to leave your hair down? Sometimes I wonder why knee length + is desired if never worn down. Again, I'm not upset or meaning to insult anyone, just interested! I guess in my mind, I'd always want it down if I had long, gorgeous hair. ;D But I've also read that some women, as well as leaving it up during the day, don't even have it down for the night! Seems the only time it is left down is for a shower, or a length shot. Now I always wear mine up, but that is because it's at an awkward length and not so healthy looking. I dream about the day I can proudly wear it down. And I also understand wearing it up at work, or with children, etc. But besides that, why? Thanks for reading! :)

That's not the first time we've had that question asked, and it probably will not be the last.

For me? It's comfort. It's a lot easier to wear your hair up once it gets past a certain length. My hair's worn up 6 days out of 7 (except on wash days - and it gets in my way then).

[LadyLongLocks]

The longer my hair got the more I wore it up. As soon as I started sitting on it it got annoying to wear it down. So from classic length I mostly wore it in a bun. Now at floor I MUST wear it up. To me, floor length is impossible to wear down. I will be going back to knee in the near future. I do wear my hair down to sleep though. I never wear my hair down in public. Its always in a bun. At knee length I will wear it loose a little more around the house.

[trolleypup]

I'll note that the unconscious hair protection reflexes take longer to develop than the speed that hair grows.

Also, I'll add to the hair up/down rituals...since hair is virtually always UP at work, one way I mark the transition from work to not work is letting my hair down. I don't do this as often as I used to, I enjoy being at work more, and there are times when I can have it down at work (both in the office and on the streetcars. Sometimes the bun gets loose, and I'm either too busy to redo it, or just leave it down for a while.

[EdG]

One consideration in wearing long hair loose is that it is a real attention-getter.

I regularly receive hair complements whenever I go out with my hair down. People seem amazed by long hair.

You may not want that amount of attention. I don't mind. Hair's purpose is to get noticed - it works, perhaps too well. :lol:
Ed

[Ashlbee]

Well, I am a recent college grad still looking for work, so being unemployed and at home most of the day, I just throw it up and out of the way, usually in the lazy wrap. I have a lot of hair toys and enjoy using them and playing with styles anyway.

For me, I associate having my hair down with a 'getting ready day'. Like I get dressed in nice clothes, put on my makeup and contact lenses, and keep my hair down. This is my 'out with people' look. I of course put my hair up sometimes too in an updo with a cute hair toy, but that is usually because A) the toy really matches my outfit or B) it is only up periodically though the day (like when eating) in an otherwise hair down sorta of day. I enjoy wearing my hair down and get lots of compliments on it. I am at hip and live in Southern California where long hair is in style (I know some live in parts of the world where beyond APL/BSL is consdidered weird and for some that may be a barrier), so I never get odd looks (not that I think that would stop me from wearing it down if it were considered odd.) But also, being 22 and single, I wear it down because I think that's how I look the most attractive and I would like to meet someone :shrug: When I was dating my ex-boyfriend, I wore it up a lot more, especially at work, because he would see it down at night in his apartment anyway and I was less actively 'hunting' lol. He really loved my long hair (well... the look of it, he hated finding its shed everywhere, rolling on it at night, etc. but he oggled it when it was down and played with it in the shower, etc.) and due to hi adoration of it and compliments I've received from other guys, I've sorta just started associated having it down with 'I'm in dating mode'.

Also, even though I'm only at hip, my hair does tangle and I do worry for mechanical damage, so hair up is just easier when I'm either lazy or more interested in professional and less interested in, 'do I look my most appealing'.

[inertia]

As so many other people have said, it's just really hard to deal with having it loose after it reaches a certain point. I just cut it back from below TB to waist because I realized I was never wearing it loose any more, and although I liked my hair when it was down, I hated the way I looked the other 99% of the time. It had long since stopped being fun enough to make up for the amount of trouble it was causing me. For me, waist seems to be about the maximum length I can tolerate while wearing it loose regularly; beyond that it quickly starts having a lot more manageability issues.

[Foxylocks]

Because:

You don't get to KEEP beautiful long hair if you don't protect it. It'll be a tatty mess in no time if you don't keep it up and watch out for it.

It takes AGES to carefully pick through long hair to detangle at night.
It gets in the way. You sit on it, you close doors on it, you drag it through stuff, people grab at it, etc.
Yes. Exactly. My hair is hip length, and I always wear it in a braid. Otherwise, it flies in my mouth, nose, and eyes. People, for some reason, disrespectfully run their hands through it and yank at it, which I will never understand. The braid prevents that. My hair will probably still be in its English braid at fingertip length :D

[chen bao jun]

A friend asked me this the other day. I was all confused and didn't answer. But now that I have had time to think:
1. My hair is thick and heavy and even at shorter than shoulder length was in my eyes, my face, making me hot and uncomfortable. I've really only ever worn it loose for church, going out with hubby, special occasions.
2. I'm with the group that my hair is not going to grow beyond a certain length if its down and out. For me, that's brastrap. I want it longer. Like, waist, TB or therabouts.
3. I don't have the hair type like the women in movies and commercials whose hair looks good swinging and blowing around. My looks like an unholy mess very quickly when windblown and it never 'swings' no matter how long it gets. I can't just hair brush it back into place, either, because I can't brush my hair. I have to untangle a process that looks unattractive (and is tedious).
4. I DO have a hairtype that people simply cannot keep their hands out of. Sproingy curls.
5.Men seem to associate messy loose curly hair with bedroom hair--and are not shy about making remarks about me have 'sexy' hair, etc. I'm a married woman. I don't like this.
6. All my role models for long hair--grandmother, aunts, cousins wore buns and/or braids so I actually associate long hair with these hairstyles and not with the actresses and models mentioned above whose hair type is really different than mine. And on me, buns and braids look tidy and lovely while loose hair at least makes me feel messy--and I don't like feeling messy.

[DweamGoiL]

I am shocked that some people feel it is ok to stroke your hair in public without even asking. I guess because in my City long hair is not that unusual that people don't do that, but I have never experienced that; looks, yes, comments, sometimes, but never unwelcome touching. That is akin to being fondled in my book.

[spidermom]

Another consideration - the longer a hair gets, the more it is noticed when it sheds out. When you visit other people, they aren't likely to be pleased with finding your shed hairs stuck to their furniture, etc. People really get creeped out by finding a long shed hair in their food. Because of that, my husband doesn't want me to have loose hair in the kitchen even now (since I had it cut shorter).

[Hootenanny]

Men seem to associate messy loose curly hair with bedroom hair--and are not shy about making remarks about me have 'sexy' hair, etc.

I have also found this to be the case, and it's one of the main reasons I wear my hair up. My hair is nowhere near long, but the curls attract this sort of attention sometimes, and in my case it's not welcome.

[Theobroma]

Because I want to.

No really.

This, exactly.

I second everyone who's mentioned the protection aspect, but I started wearing my hair up all the time well before it was long enough to need protecting. I just like wearing it up.

[DarkSunny]

I'm one of those that prefer to keep it down. Preference is key here though, and doesn't always need a reason behind it.

I'm growing it so that I can enjoy the feeling of having it down. I'm lucky in that I have relatively fine hair, so it it doesn't weigh me down at near tailbone length. If it starts becoming too much of a hassle as it gets longer, I'll just cut it back to this length, since I find it to be a comfortable one.

I'll wear it up when I'm sleeping, when I'm sitting in a car, or when it's really windy out. In winter, I'll keep it up a bit more to keep it from getting caught in zippers or tangled by hats. Otherwise, I prefer to have it down for my own enjoyment. I think it looks nicer on me that way, and updo's tend to either pull or constantly threaten to come loose in my hair (therefore actually becoming more of a hassle than just letting it stay loose).

I personally don't care about any perceived immodesty on my part by letting it hang loose. If anybody I walk past or encounter happens to think that way then that is their own personal issue to deal with and not my job to worry about or pander to them.

What I have lucked out on so far would be that people haven't attempted to touch my hair without permission. That would be a violation of my personal space and not okay. People have told me that I can be a bit intimidating, so maybe that's what stops strangers in my case. If somebody attempted it though, they would quickly be confronted about it. I usually have too long of a fuse, but unwelcome violations of my personal space are one of the few things that can set it off immediately.

[NuclearApple]

When I had bcl hair I used to wear it down 2 or 3 times a month,because of tangles too but mainly because of the boring factor.
Long hair become boring if you always see it down,you never enjoy it and it doesn't draw that much attention.
It's better wearing it down in special occasions and not that often,very long hair is rare nowadays and it feels better to be diffrent from the mass.
After this you gotta protect it from breakage and tangles,which is not easy with hair that long (like classic and beyond).
I agree with all the girls above (and below if there were XD) btw.

[me_random]

Mine's usually up, except when it's not :P Jokes aside, it's really up most of the time, as sometimes my hair (about hip-length now) gets a fair amount of attention, mainly from people that want to buy :agape: or touch/ogle it, and it tangles/gets stringy/poofy/into everything fairly easily...

i do like to have it down around the house though, since it's like a blanket :D

[chen bao jun]

Yeah, curls don't have be long for this to happen to you. My hair isn't long yet either.
Another 'curly girl' of my acquaintance (actually a 45 year old married woman) was shocked once in a ladies' bathrooms by some completely strangers that started to admire her 'party hair' or 'club hair'. They were much younger women who kept telling her that her curls were perfect for 'going clubbing' (something that isn't on her radar, she has 6 kids)

I have also found this to be the case, and it's one of the main reasons I wear my hair up. My hair is nowhere near long, but the curls attract this sort of attention sometimes, and in my case it's not welcome.

[Shell]

I agree with the majority of reasons given here for wearing it up. I would like to add that wearing hair in braids or up is a "style." It's a certain look, and it can be really pretty, cute, business like, earthy, or what have you. My updos are generally going for a specific look--anything from Audrey Hepburn to a messy bun.

My hair is currently an inch shy of tailbone, but it used to be almost fingertip. I wear it both up and down, but length isn't the only determiner--I just like the look of updos--glamorous to cute. :grin:

[Calaelen]

Most of the previous answers apply to me, plus, I am a hair toy addict with a huge collection of ornaments for my hair. I think half up hair styles look immature, and half done, at least on myself. So up it goes with my hair toys on display. I DO wear it down, but only in good conditions where I feel the risk of damage is low. I love my long hair, but I am happy with wearing it up 90% of the time just for the awesomeness I feel when it is loose.

[Arciela]

Almost all my life (Except a couple years ago) I've had my hair classic length or so...and hardly wore it up. I would sometimes for school when I felt lazy...but I always prefer it down. Even now...I still wear it down. It just feels more comfortable to me. My hair is so heavy it always hurts when I put it up...>.< even when I part my hair and wear a low bun...nope. A braid though I can handle :)

I usually only put it up when I eat or when I am doing something like house chores, etc.

[door72067]

for 2 years I wore my hair up everyday because I was growing out color and I could *hide* the demarcation better that way (well, I felt like I was hiding it, anyway)

I cut to shoulder length last month (I can pony and BARELY do a bun with sticks) so I am wearing it down (as "down" as shoulder-length is) and honestly, it feels freeing, in a way (I had grown tired of HAVING to wear it up,or, feeling like I had to because of the color lines) but it is also a bit annoying knowing I have to *do* my hair in the morning rather than just twisting it up in pretty sticks

as it grows out now, I will do a combo of up/down depending on my mood or activities for the day

I'm not too concerned about being uber-careful or maybe needing a trim to take care of splits at some point

someone once said here "I take care of my hair as well as I am willing to" (something to that effect) and I agree...I want my hair to be a whim, not an obligation I feel enslaved to (just my own opinion about my own hair...everyone is free to care for their hair as they wish)

[WoolSweater]

All of you are hyping me up on buns, I'm excited for the length where I can do the pretty ones. Which means, yes, I've been checking out most of your profiles and your bun photos, haha. ;)

[Sillage]

I only have waist length, but the entire reason I grow my hair is for updos! I don't like wearing my hair long at all but love love LOVE buns and other up hairstyles. I really only care about the length in so much as it gives volume to my updos. About the only time I have down is to sleep.

[walterSCAN]

I wear it up a lot but sometimes down,am getting close to classic and at 61 years old,I get a lot of stares and sometimes very disapproving verbal comments from strangers when it is loose due to my age.


I work with commercial chemicals and fertilizer, along with spinning machinery. I would be scalped and not have to worry about any hair if I wore it down at work! :o

My hair is thick and curly, if I wear it down in warmer weather (anything above 70 degrees) it feels like I have an animal pelt on my back.

I am almost TBL and at 51 in the same boat as dulce. Many people hate seeing older women (who aren't models) with long hair-and they don't mind telling you so! I don't care what they think, but if they catch me at the wrong time they may lose some teeth.

I hate that people do this!! How is the length of your hair any of their business?? Grrr. I think you should have the hair that makes you happy. (and I hope to have such beautiful hair when I get to be your age!)

[YamaMaya]

With greater lengths comes the possibilities for different hairstyles and updos, also, in the classic and beyond groups I've heard that you get bothered quite a bit in public over it, especially in the states. Plus older ends are more prone to environmental and mechanical damage. I only wear my hair down at home now since I reached waist, and then I have it over my shoulder so it doesn't rub on the couch.

[ladyfey]

Before kids, I wore it down most of the time. With kids, there is no way. Too much constant motion, when I leave it down to let it dry a bit, I end up stepping on it! The longest it was before was knee, now it's ankle.

[PrincessBob]

I wear it up to keep it from snagging on things as I move around (I have a tender scalp) Also to keep it from getting tangled, matted knotted, caught between the strap of my purse and my body, keep ti from wrapping around doorknobs, and buttons. I wear it up all the time to keep my kitten's claws out of my hair. I wear it up to avoid damage, and so that I can do something new with it all the time, so I do not get bored and decide to cut my hair from frustration. When I do wear it down I get oohs and ahhs from folks who "didn't realize it was so long" and that can occasionally be fun, but the tangling is too damaging to the extra length. I can decorate it with a variety of hair sticks, combs and forks when it is pulled back and up. I cannot use hair ties to ponytail my hair anymore, so it is much easier to keep it out of my face while working on things if I keep it up.

[Mainesongbird]

My hair isn't super long, I'm at waist =D. I wear mine up because I like updos. I get compliments when they see all the different braids I do. It makes me feel pretty. =)

[Sharysa]

Most of the previous answers apply to me, plus, I am a hair toy addict with a huge collection of ornaments for my hair. I think half up hair styles look immature, and half done, at least on myself. So up it goes with my hair toys on display. I DO wear it down, but only in good conditions where I feel the risk of damage is low. I love my long hair, but I am happy with wearing it up 90% of the time just for the awesomeness I feel when it is loose.

Just wondering why exactly you think half-ups are immature, since most people find them a nice compromise between "up" and "down."

[makeminea99]

My hair isn't super long, I'm at waist =D. I wear mine up because I like updos. I get compliments when they see all the different braids I do. It makes me feel pretty. =)
YES!! It's great when you've gone out with an updo/braid you've tried and you get compliments on it, isn't it? I always tell people, 'go look on Youtube! That's where I learned to do this one!' :)

[MeowScat]

I wear mine up for the typical reasons:

1. I'm almost at Classic, so it tangles so easily. Less combing = less damage and less hassle.

2. It protects it beautifully, so I can grow it longer with no damage / breakage.

3. It's so easy to throw it in a bun and forget about it, no fiddling with it throughout the day.

4. When I do wear it down, it's a surprise to see how long it grew.

[Angela_Rose]

Hi! Good question.
I'm at mid-thigh, having recently done a quality-over-quantity cut back from knee. My hair is up 95% of the time, and it is up for a few reasons:
Modesty- my hair is there for ME to enjoy. Same reasons I do not expose my beloved and very large breasts (with rare exceptions, she said, referencing her profile photo with MUCH cleavage and loose hair featured).
Privacy- people touch pretty hair. I don't know where their hands have been and I don't want some unwashed miscreant running his filthy paws through my locks.
Protection- long hair worn loose gets caught on stuff, sat upon, tugged, whipped about in wind, etc. All of these things can cause damage, and you don't get to knee length (for example) but shutting your braid in a car door and letting the tail whip about in 65MPH wind on the highway.
Security- I once had my braid yanked very, very hard by a particularly troublesome classmate. It was enough to pull me off balance and cause a fall. I whacked my head pretty hard and was later diagnosed with a concussion. Also, I drive a forklift at work and I wouldn't want my hair getting snagged in the machinery. I would die.
Convenience- I work in retail around a lot of stuff that shouldn't have hair dragged through. Just gross.

So... yeah. Up it goes! Plus, there are so many pretty things you can do with long hair and the methods we employ to secure it.

[Tini'sNewHair]

My hair is NOT long by my tough standards but i remember when i was in school and my hair was about classic, EVERYONES eyes were on ME each time my hair ended up being down and the attention was overwhelming because i was a timid child and I was very sad (horrible parents!). I remember one time during sports sessions, i had to do this high jump and somehow my hair came lose, EVERYONES hands was in it to touch it and to ask me a billion questions but as soon as i had it up i was happily left alone to be the invisible poor kid again.

Fast-forward to present day, my hair is MBL-ish, since it reached to BSL i found it to be getting in my way and my biggest reason to having it up its my KIDS. The only time i leave it down now is if i go out with a friend for a coffee and the kids aren’t with me (AND if the weather permits!). I also want to protect it and care for it the best i can because i love my hair and this time im growing my hair out for me, no matter what others think (I already had a relative say that classic length is "creepy" but whatever!!!!)

[HintOfMint]

When I was far more obsessive about damage, I wore my hair up all the time to protect it from tangles. I would get massive nape tangles that would split like crazy and were the source of most of my damage. Now I'm just more careful about detangling and I take the risk to keep my hair down. But damage was my main consideration. The way I saw it, I wouldn't wear my favorite silk dress every week, I'd only bust it out for special occasions.

[Mishka_84]

Two words: dirty diapers.

Hair down falls directly into the diaper when I'm wiping dirty bums. :D No thanks!

Plus, I just really like wearing a variety of updos, and doing something different every day.

[Mainesongbird]

YES!! It's great when you've gone out with an updo/braid you've tried and you get compliments on it, isn't it? I always tell people, 'go look on Youtube! That's where I learned to do this one!' :)

That's where I learned how to braid, but I like when they think I am just a braiding whiz! LOL =)

[saskia_madding]

I agree with what everyone here has said - less attention, better protection, and I like the look of updos and HAIR TOYS.

I think this is a factor that has to do with my super fineand thin hair. If I had a lot more of it and it was robust and indestructible (and heavy!!), I'd probably wear it down a lot more often.

http://i997.photobucket.com/albums/af97/Saskia_Madding/Hair%20toy%20challenge/challenge%202013/DSC09898_zps9605d41e.jpg

http://i997.photobucket.com/albums/af97/Saskia_Madding/Hair%20toy%20challenge/DSC08841.jpg

[kaydana]

saskia_madding - I love your hair slide in the first photo!

[tigereye]

This is probably the only real hair-question I get routinely asked here if I wear my hair down on occasion (most people know me for a year or so before ever seeing me with my hair down since it's such a rare occurrence, and even then it's usually in a half-up)
The simple answer is: I have long hair almost purely BECAUSE I can wear it up. I can't stand hair in my face. There are so many beautiful and varied updos to try, all of which perform the vital tasks of keeping my hair out of my face, and safe from lab-equipment such as chemicals, bacteria cultures, Bunsen flames, machinery etc. I couldn't cope with hair that was too short to bun. Or stuck to me all sweaty when exercising or sleeping. I braid it at night because it stops me getting too hot (I'm the kind of person who needs to keep the heating off at night when it's -10C outside, so if I don't keep my hair up, I can't sleep in summer).
I guess I'm just an odd-ball who couldn't put up with the hassle and annoyance of keeping my hair down. For other folks who can - rock it girl! ;)


*mumbles something about being addicted to pretty hair-toys...*

[MidnightSunlite]

Well my hair isn't super long, it's almost hip. I love to wear it down even if it tangles (they aren't bad just a few). The only real problem for me is that my hair may get poofy/curly/wavy depending on if it was never flat ironed and was braided then taken out of braids for a wavy look or.. if it's been flat iron and never had any touch ups (my hair starts to curl/wave after a week or two maybe longer). If my problem occurs I just wear it in a bun or a braid. And sometimes I wear it down when it's windy, I enjoy seeing my hair whip around in the wind, makes me feel like I'm in a movie.

When my hair does get longer, I might wear it up, but I'll guarantee you that I'll wear it down any chance I get xD

[DragonFlyPie]

My hair is about tailbone length & I HATE wearing it up, unless I'm doing major physical activity where it would absolutely get in my way (strenuous cleaning, gardening, working out.)

I have to wear it up at work, because I don't want it getting into things (work in a lab.)

When i'm home, my hair is down. When i go out, it's down. When i go to bed, it's down. I HATE updos. I think they look awful on me most on the time, as they are not flattering whatsoever to my face, so prefer long hair framing my face.

I've had long hair for most of my adult life. Did hack it all off once because I was mad at a significant other. But it's grown out since & I keep it long. As long as I trim the ends like once or twice a year, my hair is in amazing condition & I do not have any issues with tangly knots or splits.

I've also never once experienced any negative or creepy feedback from a single person in public, in my entire life (not that I can recall, anyway!) Usually I get "Omg your hair is so beautiful!" or "Wow! I just love your hair!" and 99.9% of the time that's from mature women.

[gossamer]

What I'm wanting to know is, why do you not wear your hair down? You spend many years growing it long, but then always have it up so no one can see the length. I'm not meaning this question as an insult at all, I am very curious why! I see a lot of postings with women who do not wear their long hair down. I understand this is in part due to protecting it, but don't you ever want to leave your hair down? Sometimes I wonder why knee length + is desired if never worn down. Again, I'm not upset or meaning to insult anyone, just interested! I guess in my mind, I'd always want it down if I had long, gorgeous hair. ;D But I've also read that some women, as well as leaving it up during the day, don't even have it down for the night! Seems the only time it is left down is for a shower, or a length shot. Now I always wear mine up, but that is because it's at an awkward length and not so healthy looking. I dream about the day I can proudly wear it down. And I also understand wearing it up at work, or with children, etc. But besides that, why? Thanks for reading! :)

I almost never wear my hair down now that it's getting close to ankle length. I actually haven't worn it down much since it got to around knee length, actually.
There are a number of reasons why, let me try to state them simply:
1) The detangling afterwards is a huge chore.
2) It gets everywhere and in the way.
3) It drags on stairs when I walk down them, thus getting dirty and damaged.
4) There are too many questions from total strangers about it. Even braided but down, acquaintances feel they can touch it without asking me.
4a) Too many people telling me I should cut it for the kids with cancer.
5) I've stopped traffic before when someone pulled over to comment on it. That's ridiculous.
6) I'm not taken seriously with it down, all people notice is my hair.

As for your question about not taking it down at night, I think it's nearly impossible to sleep without my hair contained. I'd probably strangle my SO and get all tangled in it myself. Sitting at my desk right now, since my hair touches the floor when I'm in my chair, I'm in danger of catching it under the legs of the chair if I scoot back. That's painful!!

Does that help to answer your questions?

[LisaButz2001]

I teach, so having my hair up is professional. Usually, if my hair is up, it's for functional or practical purposes. It's easier to do day to day errands or household chores, if it's up. It's very hot here, having i up is comfortable. When my hair was long enough to sit on, it was a huge hassle, getting in the way and being damaged. Wearing it down at waist length is easy, tailbone is "I can cope". I get mostly positive reactions, when it's down. I have a handful of people wanting me to cut it. I have a handful of people who touch it, but they aren't random strangers. I get compliments-most recently in July, while at a wedding.

I cannot conceive of ankle, calf, knee or floor length hair. I admire anyone with that dedication, as much as I like having long hair; it was a relief to cut 12 inches off and return to waist. I didn't wear it down more often, but I liked its appearance better, when I did. Sometimes, I wear it up, because it looks healthier, and I haven't had time to get a trim.

[blue_eyes]

Hello,

I have a question. I'm very curious about it, and would love to hear different people's opinions. Also in my title I said women, but men of course can comment. I just rarely see men wearing buns and hair clips.


What I'm wanting to know is, why do you not wear your hair down? You spend many years growing it long, but then always have it up so no one can see the length. I'm not meaning this question as an insult at all, I am very curious why! I see a lot of postings with women who do not wear their long hair down. I understand this is in part due to protecting it, but don't you ever want to leave your hair down? Sometimes I wonder why knee length + is desired if never worn down. Again, I'm not upset or meaning to insult anyone, just interested! I guess in my mind, I'd always want it down if I had long, gorgeous hair. ;D But I've also read that some women, as well as leaving it up during the day, don't even have it down for the night! Seems the only time it is left down is for a shower, or a length shot. Now I always wear mine up, but that is because it's at an awkward length and not so healthy looking. I dream about the day I can proudly wear it down. And I also understand wearing it up at work, or with children, etc. But besides that, why? Thanks for reading! :)

I'm glad you asked this because I've often wondered the same thing! Personally, I love having my hair down and flowing all around me, and I only wear it up when I'm around the house, or at the beach, or if it's really windy outside. I also hate the way I look when my hair is up, and I don't know how to do any beautiful updos, so that might have something to do with it too. Plus I've never encountered anyone creepy who started stroking my hair :P At it's longest my hair was just reaching waist, so it wasn't super long and catching on anything, which I guess made it less of a nuisance for me.

[WoolSweater]

I agree with what everyone here has said - less attention, better protection, and I like the look of updos and HAIR TOYS.

I think this is a factor that has to do with my super fineand thin hair. If I had a lot more of it and it was robust and indestructible (and heavy!!), I'd probably wear it down a lot more often.

http://i997.photobucket.com/albums/af97/Saskia_Madding/Hair%20toy%20challenge/challenge%202013/DSC09898_zps9605d41e.jpg

http://i997.photobucket.com/albums/af97/Saskia_Madding/Hair%20toy%20challenge/DSC08841.jpg

Gorgeous hair toys, oh wow!!! Incredible.



Thanks to everyone for the responses, I am reading each one! You all are really making me want to have super long hair to put it up in beautiful styles. :)

[dulce]

At 61,I wear it up a lot,loose I do get negative comments as it is not deemed appropriate by many people for an older lady like me to have very long hair and to wear it loose and flowing but if I put it up ,or do a French braid or a pony with a ficcare the comments are much more favourable.Whether people get rude comments or not,I think , depends on the age of the long haired person.The public is much more tolerant with long hair on younger people[under 50 years old]

[kganihanova]

I'm only at BSL/MBL right now but it's just easier to deal with it up. Its less of a hassle and I feel like a princess with it up :) It also makes hair care easier. When its up all day, you don't have to swipe it out of the way all the time. That said, if I'm sitting in a car/at home/not moving significantly, heck yeah my hair's coming down!!

[TheVegan6]

My hair isn't long yet, but I wear it up all of the time. I am growing my hair so that I can wear my hair up in different buns. My hair is just so annoying when it is down.:taz:

[spidermom]

Funny, the first time I reached the longer version of BSL, it was the longest my hair had ever been, and it bothered me so much that I started wearing it up all the time to keep it from annoying me by falling in my face, etc. Now that I've had classic length hair and had to deal with it, my current length of lower-BSL at the sides, hip length at the longest point in the middle of the back, I can wear it down easily and it doesn't annoy me at all unless I'm busy (house-cleaning, working out, etc).

[catamonica]

I wear my hair in a braided bun 4 1/2 days to protect it. On Friday afternoon, I wear it in a braid. On weekends I take the braid out in the morning.
And wear it down. I wear it down for my husband. You have to let your hair breath. It needs oxygen. Everyone should wear it how they like.

[honeybunnie8]

I can't believe so many of you have had strangers touch your hair. No one has ever tried to touch my hair when its down and I don't even get comments unless its from family.
I do live in a city with a lot of East Indians so I see them out and about with long loose hair and long braids all the time. So my WL/hip hair isn't strange. If anything it's short.

I keep my hair up a lot because I have a 2yr old son. He gets annoyed with my hair attacks him and it gets in the way when we are doing things. It also gets really dirty with food and other sticky things around a toddler magically.

[FuzzyBlackWaves]

I sleep with my hair in a braid because I roll on it in my sleep otherwise and cause friction, split ends and breaks, plus it doesn't need to look especially stylish when I'm asleep. I also usually wear it in a braid at home to prevent it from rubbing on my clothes or getting caught in things. I wear it down for things like parties, dates, nights out. I don't get a lot of damage from wearing it down when I'm awake since I'm very careful with it but it's easier to keep it out of the way - plus it seems to grow quicker if I'm not watching it all the time. I actually do love letting it down because it's more comfortable, it looks better and I have to admit I enjoy the male attention.

[Sarahlabyrinth]

I wear mine up because it protects the ends and seems to prevent me from getting split ends ( I have fine hair and so far have found 2 split ends, at present am not far from WL). It also keeps my hair pretty much tangle free, which is wonderful. Plus on the rare occasion when I do wear it loose and brushed out, it is always noticeably longer than the last time I did it.

[jextxadore]

As a male, I've never had problems with creepy people staring or trying to touch it (creepy friends aside, but we all have them), and I very often get mistaken for a female whether my hair's up or down.

I do a single braid for my daytime hair every day, mainly because I used to do ponytails (and ended up with a whole ring of breakage) and I haven't figured out how to use a hair fork comfortably (and securely) yet. If I leave it down (and I have before, because I went through this phase where every time I went to a party my hair tie would fall out), it'll take hours to sort out when I get home; in winter, it gets worse, because wool coats really love to tangle hair. In summer…it's just too hot.

Oh, and hair getting tangled up in bag/camera straps —*torture.

Also, if it's already braided, people don't usually ask to braid it.

Oh, and I can eat without looking like I have a severe back and neck injury that involves wearing a brace. Soup may be good for you, but only when it's ingested.

At night, I do double braids to sleep (unless I'm too tired even to do that, in which case I just unbraid my hair and sleep. Or I'm completely drunk, which means I'll be too gone to even take my jacket off (it's happened before)) to avoid tangles and to keep hair out of my face. Although I do sometimes wake up feeling like I'm lying on a strange bump, which always turns out to be that I'm lying on the lump where I've (loosely) tied off the braid (loose enough that it sometimes slips out when I'm sleeping).

[WoolSweater]

Also, if it's already braided, people don't usually ask to braid it.

Oh, and I can eat without looking like I have a severe back and neck injury that involves wearing a brace. Soup may be good for you, but only when it's ingested.




Hahaha you're funny; love the braid bit, because it is so, so true! People love to ask to braid other people's hair. x)

[Bombadillo]

I must be keeping the wrong sort of company. No one has offered to braid my hair yet…maybe with more length if that ever comes.

[Immera]

I have gotten the question of why have it long if I wear it in a bun 90 percent of the time. Because it is easier than short hair. I don't pay somebody to keep it in a short style, I don't blow dry, I don't heat curl or straighten. I don't use hair spray, mousse, gel or other stickiness.

I just braid, sometimes bun, and go.

My hair tangles easily, so braiding is more of for convenience and also protection. I enjoy trying out new braids and styles.

I have worn it long most of my life, would find it hard to imagine not having long hair. Agreed that most people I encounter think it's unhygienic because they've never experienced long hair themselves, and may not know very many people who keep their hair long.

Bottom line is my hair is for me.

[Seeshami]

If I keep the psycho killer in jail he won't hurt any one.

The Naughty Mess says, "psycho killer eh?"

You're merciless mess, don't act like you're not dedicated to destroying EVERYTHING.

[vanillabones]

I wore mine up for a good 2 years straight, and started wearing it down more from APL-BSL. With my hair type I need to start wearing it up almost always besides for washing and detangling if I want to get anywhere near my goal. I have been told I look better with my hair up... it sounds like an insult to me but is probably the truth. I have fairy thin fine hair and scalp cleavage is always a challenge. I doubt my hair will grow to waist if I continue wearing it down just because I finally can without being embarrassed by it. I like the idea of it being a personal achievement and people not worrying how long my hair is. It probably looks shoulder length (if that) when up in a bun. I'm about 2 inches past BSL in reality.

[leslissocool]

I must be keeping the wrong sort of company. No one has offered to braid my hair yet…maybe with more length if that ever comes.

No one wants to braid my hair either! But I end up braiding EVERYONE's hair!

[HumanBean]

I wear it down and up (not quite at waist, goal is hip). I wear it up at work mostly because I think my natural hair texture with very loose waves just looks messy and unkept down because it's neither here or there. So unless I bother to straighten it or curl it for work it goes up, with a nice hair toy and that way I know I look professional.

That's exactly why I think when I reach my goal length (or sooner) I will end up with a deep v hemline and lots of layers. The longer my hair is the more the mild waves are pulled straight, but I don't want super long hair, and the shorter my hair is the more the waves curl, so I think ultimately I will need to do something that embraces my natural texture so that I can wear it down more often.

[sarahthegemini]

I've wondered this too. It makes me think, if having long hair is that much of a hassle (that you can't wear it down for 5 mins for fear of tangling and whatnot) then what's the point? But hey. I only have almost-apl, but I wear it down because I enjoy it. I don't see the point in putting so much effort into my hair if I can't enjoy it. But then, I'm not a fan of up-dos so obviously my point doesn't apply to those that actually enjoy updos. What I also wonder, is why do some have their hair heavily oiled 24/7?

[Panth]

For me it went like this:

1) Got job in lab. Thus, hair needs to be up all day.
2) So, hair getting less mechanical damage, it grew past what I now know to be a false terminal (TBL). It's now at knee and still going...
3) Hair got longer and in better condition.
4) Now, hair is too long to comfortably wear loose (it tangles lots and is long enough to just GET IN THE WAY ALWAYS).
5) Also, I've become rather accustomed to having better-quality, less damaged looking hair than I did when I wore it down 24/7.
6) Also, I can't do more than microtrims or my buns won't work so nicely and be as pretty (blunt ends and buns... not good). And if I have to be in buns 90% of the time, well, I don't want them to look awful.

As to why I don't just keep it short if I'm going to wear it up all the time (which is usually the corollary question to the one the OP asked):

1) Short hair requires hairdressers and thus regular outlay of money.
2) It also requires product and maybe straightening/curling, resulting in more monetary outlay.
3) It gets in your face all the time (unless you use about 1 billion clips).
4) You never get to have an occasional long, loose hair day.
5) You can't do coronet braids (my favourite style, and the one that gets most compliments).
6) You also can't do Freida Kahlo braids.

And finally (and most importantly) 7) You don't have medieval hair to go with the medieval dresses (even if you like super-authenticity and would usually style that hair and cover it in a veil anyway... *ahem*).

[Hiriel]

My hair is long because I am lazy and dislike having hair in my face. Hair is almost always up and out of the way.
Yeah, I like having the option of showing off a pretty hairtoy, a great updo, or wearing my hair down for wow factor, but most of the time having my hair this way (TBL-ish, and held up with a plain hairstick) is just so very, very convenient. I detangle in the morning and at night, and wash it once a week. Low maintenance!

[Chromis]

I've wondered this too. It makes me think, if having long hair is that much of a hassle (that you can't wear it down for 5 mins for fear of tangling and whatnot) then what's the point? But hey. I only have almost-apl, but I wear it down because I enjoy it. I don't see the point in putting so much effort into my hair if I can't enjoy it. But then, I'm not a fan of up-dos so obviously my point doesn't apply to those that actually enjoy updos. What I also wonder, is why do some have their hair heavily oiled 24/7?

I keep my hair well oiled because it makes my updos look better. Less frizz=more sleek! I don't super saturate it and could wear it down although I do oil it just a little heavily for that. Would still look fine down, but I would oil slightly less if I were planning to wear it down. I love updos though and especially love to coordinate them with my outfits. I hated short hair (like with the clothing threads, I don't care what others do, but don't like it on *me*). Not enough options and most of them involve "products" because of my massive cowlicks and centre part.

[UP Lisa]

Yes. I have the same hair type as you, and I totally agree.



For a lot of people, the only way they can grow their hair to such lengths is to wear it up.

Also, wearing knee-length hair down must be a right pain in the @rse, as doing so with my waist-length hair certainly is. It gets caught in stuff, it goes in my food, in my eyes, it forms instant dreadlocks, gets trapped in doors, takes hours to detangle and invariably gets damaged. I can't imagine the hassle of going about with loose hair of extreme length, not to mention the damage it would incur.

The only reason my hair has got to waist is because I wear it up every day, and at night too. It's thin and fine and damages easily- easily enough that wearing it down or in a ponytail resulted in a stall of several years at shoulder length. Some people have no choice but to wear it up if they want it to grow. Alas, I'd love to run around trailing a luxurious mane, but that's not going to happen. :p

[Dovetail]

I Love love love to wear my hair down! But, I am liking it up more now at work, since when I bend down to the drive through it'd blow out towards people, or get caught in my hands. I also wear a blazer at work and the collar was causing matting (this would happen though regardless of length)

I still wear it down at home, and my husband especially likes it. I'll also wear it down to the bar sometimes, or if I want to stand out a bit.

I agree that it's like nice underwear! I know it's there, and I love it, but not everyone needs to see it :) I don't find it immodest to wear it down though!

I'm currently wearing it up all day, so that when I go on my cruise I can feel like a princess <3 I think i'll wear it up maybe on the islands so no one tries to cut it off! :o

[emilyann]

I'm growing long hair so I could make all the pretty buns, actually! I have spent soooo much time on youtube looking at pretty hairstyles that I couldn't get if my hair were shorter.

I also have really tangle-prone hair. It's gotten to the point where I'm afraid I'll have to cut a bunch off because it's so damaged on the ends...but if I can put it in a bun and forget about it, I don't mind keeping the damaged length until it's a bit longer.

Also, I HATE hair in my face. If it isn't past my shoulders, it's in my face...

[ErinLeigh]

I've wondered this too. It makes me think, if having long hair is that much of a hassle (that you can't wear it down for 5 mins for fear of tangling and whatnot) then what's the point? But hey. I only have almost-apl, but I wear it down because I enjoy it. I don't see the point in putting so much effort into my hair if I can't enjoy it. But then, I'm not a fan of up-dos so obviously my point doesn't apply to those that actually enjoy updos. What I also wonder, is why do some have their hair heavily oiled 24/7?

I have often wondered the same thing. I have never had truly long hair so I have come to determination I will never understand unless I do. I read about tangles and mechanical damage stress, worry about leaving down for a day etc and wonder ...what's the point? If its up all the time you may as well have shorter hair that is easily managed because if its up no one knows how long it is anyway. I thought a lot about things when I joined here. Strangely my own hair goal length changed when I realized the effort long hair would take because I like to wear down when going out. At home its always up just for comfort, but that's not a hair style to me. It's just tossed up in a clip. Perhaps if it was long enough to do cool things with my attitude would change.

I think at a certain point , but this is only a guess, that it just becomes a personal thing. Something found you enjoy sharing with only a select few, pride in accomplishing something with hair many cannot, or a comfort to some. Plus getting those thrilling moments of unveiling when you choose to. Or you are a simple long hair enthusiast who just really enjoys long hair

i wonder if you and I are still here years from now what we will be thinking ;)

as far as oiling every day. I do it. But I do it as a replacement for cones. Applied the same way. Just a few drops. But for overnight I do heavy oilings pre wash as I found it produces a better effect after washing. I am a near daily washer so need all the protection I can get!

[ErinLeigh]

No one wants to braid my hair either! But I end up braiding EVERYONE's hair!

I would think people would beg to braid your gorgeous hair!

[vanillabones]

ErinLeigh I can relate because before I joined the site hair was just hair to me and I cut it however and how much I wanted whenever I was cycling through emotions. Now I can easily seeing it become a 'security blanket' to me and something I'm attached to just because this has become a healthy hobby for me and it has taken all of the patience I have. I never thought this would be for me. I enjoyed damaging my hair for the volume, and I miss teasing it more than anything else. I feel like I'm hooked and committed to growing and don't want it to stop. It really is a lifestyle change for me even though it is 'JUST HAIR' I'm using it to practice inner self control. I'd love to have it down all the time but I'll enjoy those special moments even more when I pull out the hair toy and swish it around and down.

[ErinLeigh]

I only have waist length, but the entire reason I grow my hair is for updos! I don't like wearing my hair long at all but love love LOVE buns and other up hairstyles. I really only care about the length in so much as it gives volume to my updos. About the only time I have down is to sleep.

Now that I truly understand. I was just watching some YouTube videos and didn't realize how long hair had to be for certain looks. I always assumed big buns were made with hairpieces so its cool to see it some with ones own hair!

I feel I do not look good in updos but I think if mine were more substantial it would change the whole look for me making it look good on me. I have a little pea sized bun which I think is the true reason i don't like updos on me. It would be way cool if I could have something huge and full to give it some flair.

[Panth]

I've wondered this too. It makes me think, if having long hair is that much of a hassle (that you can't wear it down for 5 mins for fear of tangling and whatnot) then what's the point? But hey. I only have almost-apl, but I wear it down because I enjoy it. I don't see the point in putting so much effort into my hair if I can't enjoy it. But then, I'm not a fan of up-dos so obviously my point doesn't apply to those that actually enjoy updos. What I also wonder, is why do some have their hair heavily oiled 24/7?


I have often wondered the same thing. I have never had truly long hair so I have come to determination I will never understand unless I do. I read about tangles and mechanical damage stress, worry about leaving down for a day etc and wonder ...what's the point? If its up all the time you may as well have shorter hair that is easily managed because if its up no one knows how long it is anyway. I thought a lot about things when I joined here. Strangely my own hair goal length changed when I realized the effort long hair would take because I like to wear down when going out. At home its always up just for comfort, but that's not a hair style to me. It's just tossed up in a clip. Perhaps if it was long enough to do cool things with my attitude would change.

I think at a certain point , but this is only a guess, that it just becomes a personal thing. Something found you enjoy sharing with only a select few, pride in accomplishing something with hair many cannot, or a comfort to some. Plus getting those thrilling moments of unveiling when you choose to. Or you are a simple long hair enthusiast who just really enjoys long hair

i wonder if you and I are still here years from now what we will be thinking ;)

as far as oiling every day. I do it. But I do it as a replacement for cones. Applied the same way. Just a few drops. But for overnight I do heavy oilings pre wash as I found it produces a better effect after washing. I am a near daily washer so need all the protection I can get!

I think you have both answered your own questions...

Also a few other ideas/reasons:
- the whole "oh, no, what a hassle, stressing about it ... you can't wear it down for a minute without tangles ... constantly worried about damage" thing ... it's only a problem if you actually do all that stuff. If you are happy to wear updos (for whatever reason - liking updos, liking having your hair more private, work needs, laziness, whatever) then none of that is a constant stress, hassle or worry. You just, e.g. comb out, plait and bun (or just bun) in the morning, take down the bun at night. Daytime bun = no tangles or damage, so combing out in the morning is easy (easier even, depending on the hairtype, than having worn maybe even shoulder-length hair loose).
- I think another reason is a bit of laziness (ok, wrong word - desire to focus on other personal attributes not hair). Most of the super-long haired have very minimal, low-stress, low-fuss, benign neglect-type routines. One big reason for me to keep long hair is that daily it is very low maintenance (whilst short hair on me looks crap without massive quantities of time-consuming styling). For the same reason, I don't wear make-up. I prefer to use that time sewing or something. ;)
- A related reason is expense - short hair is expensive, because of the regular maintenance cuts that nearly always need to be done by a stylist. Then, there's quite possibly added expense of styling tools and/or lots of extra product to make it presentable. Long hair can be expensive (and often is on the LHC) if you want/let it be (hairtoys being a big one), but particularly at super-long lengths when benign neglect is the usual method, it can be as simple as cheap S&C and a £10 pair of scissors (or, even more simple if you are WO or SO and don't trim...).
- A related one again is control. With long hair, if you muck it up it's your fault. You don't have to trust stylists.. (I think many people here can relate to this one...)

[Panth]

(Sorry - double post.)

[Chromis]

I think you have both answered your own questions...

Also a few other ideas/reasons:
- the whole "oh, no, what a hassle, stressing about it ... you can't wear it down for a minute without tangles ... constantly worried about damage" thing ... it's only a problem if you actually do all that stuff. If you are happy to wear updos (for whatever reason - liking updos, liking having your hair more private, work needs, laziness, whatever) then none of that is a constant stress, hassle or worry. You just, e.g. comb out, plait and bun (or just bun) in the morning, take down the bun at night. Daytime bun = no tangles or damage, so combing out in the morning is easy (easier even, depending on the hairtype, than having worn maybe even shoulder-length hair loose).
- I think another reason is a bit of laziness (ok, wrong word - desire to focus on other personal attributes not hair). Most of the super-long haired have very minimal, low-stress, low-fuss, benign neglect-type routines. One big reason for me to keep long hair is that daily it is very low maintenance (whilst short hair on me looks crap without massive quantities of time-consuming styling). For the same reason, I don't wear make-up. I prefer to use that time sewing or something. ;)
- A related reason is expense - short hair is expensive, because of the regular maintenance cuts that nearly always need to be done by a stylist. Then, there's quite possibly added expense of styling tools and/or lots of extra product to make it presentable. Long hair can be expensive (and often is on the LHC) if you want/let it be (hairtoys being a big one), but particularly at super-long lengths when benign neglect is the usual method, it can be as simple as cheap S&C and a £10 pair of scissors (or, even more simple if you are WO or SO and don't trim...).
- A related one again is control. With long hair, if you muck it up it's your fault. You don't have to trust stylists.. (I think many people here can relate to this one...)

Yes, yes! I agree with all of this. I don't "worry" over my hair. It is hair. I don't like tangles, no, but I didn't like tangles when it was much shorter either! Long hair is much faster and less fuss for me, even at knee.

[Nenyath]

One word: tangles! As my hair got to waist length, I had grown accustomed to wear it up for protection (when I wore it loose it always tangled and had tons of split ends!). Nowadays, I let it down for special occasions; it is a bit like putting on a fine dress - it looks fantastic but it is also unpractical!. If I bend, my hair comes tumbling down into whatever it is I am dealing with, or it gets caught bag straps, or if I am outside and it is windy, it will grab for whatever is within half a meter's radius :) And at night, it is always up, either under scarf, braided or both! Else it will pin me down and start teasing my boyfriend, not good! To be honest, I do not think that it would be this length unless I mostly kept it up!

[EvelynMay]

this thread has been very helpful in changing my thoughts about this, as I had always wondered the same thing! "why have it so long if you're just going to wear it up?" but reading these responses let me know that that is precisely the reason why for some of you, so you can achieve really gorgeous updos with ease! I had never thought of it that way before. Probably because I'm so the opposite, for some reason I don't like wearing my hair up... sure, i'll occasionally throw it up if I'm baking or crafting, but I've never liked "doing" my hair up. I like the look of it down, I even kept it down for my wedding! But if I could accomplish the amazing hairstyles that I see some of you do, I probably would wear it up every once in a while, but still wouldn't convince me to do it every day. I guess the only thing related to that that I can think of was that I had a friend in college once who had hair down to her hips (at least) and she always wore it up but didn't really do any "style" with it, she just would throw it into one of those pony tails that you half pull through so it's like a bun, but not like a nice bun, but the kind of pony bun we all first learn when we are little. And she did this every single day. And I always wondered why she kept it long if she never wore it down and never did fun things with her hair. Still her choice completely, but she didn't seem to have the same reasons as you guys do for having it long to make nice hairstyles.

[chen bao jun]

I just read something that speaks to me--laziness!
To sum it up: short hair can't be pulled up quickly and kept out of the way
short hair needs hairdressers, at least occasionally
I like my hair out of the way and quickly done each morning
Short hair is not for me
(Plus, I think when you have curls, long is honestly even more important for lazy people as the length drags them out a little and makes them easier to deal with, at least that's what I've found though I'm only bra strap)

[kaydana]

this thread has been very helpful in changing my thoughts about this, as I had always wondered the same thing! "why have it so long if you're just going to wear it up?" but reading these responses let me know that that is precisely the reason why for some of you, so you can achieve really gorgeous updos with ease! I had never thought of it that way before. Probably because I'm so the opposite, for some reason I don't like wearing my hair up... sure, i'll occasionally throw it up if I'm baking or crafting, but I've never liked "doing" my hair up. I like the look of it down, I even kept it down for my wedding! But if I could accomplish the amazing hairstyles that I see some of you do, I probably would wear it up every once in a while, but still wouldn't convince me to do it every day. I guess the only thing related to that that I can think of was that I had a friend in college once who had hair down to her hips (at least) and she always wore it up but didn't really do any "style" with it, she just would throw it into one of those pony tails that you half pull through so it's like a bun, but not like a nice bun, but the kind of pony bun we all first learn when we are little. And she did this every single day. And I always wondered why she kept it long if she never wore it down and never did fun things with her hair. Still her choice completely, but she didn't seem to have the same reasons as you guys do for having it long to make nice hairstyles.

I think you've missed a lot of the points that have been made. Why do you assume that hair is something that exists simply for other people to look at? I don't have long hair for you, I have long hair for me. The only difference between my hair and all the other things I own, is that I have to carry my hair around with me all the time. Just because I have it, doesn't mean I want to show it off all the time. To me, suggesting that I should wear my hair down or in spectacular updos all the time is like suggesting that I gather together some large, transparent plastic bags and fill them with my favourite belongings every time I go out in public so that everyone else can admire them too.

[EvelynMay]

I think you've missed a lot of the points that have been made. Why do you assume that hair is something that exists simply for other people to look at? I don't have long hair for you, I have long hair for me. The only difference between my hair and all the other things I own, is that I have to carry my hair around with me all the time. Just because I have it, doesn't mean I want to show it off all the time. To me, suggesting that I should wear my hair down or in spectacular updos all the time is like suggesting that I gather together some large, transparent plastic bags and fill them with my favourite belongings every time I go out in public so that everyone else can admire them too.

I did not mean to offend, I apologize :( I didn't assume anything, I was simply thinking out loud :( I had just wondered the same as the OP and after reading many of your responses that they needed longer hair to do their hair up in the ways that they wanted it suddenly made sense to. I didn't necessarily mean spectacular, I just meant fun hairdos like I see on this forum for daily wearings. I just simply wondered since the longer the hair the more it takes to wash it and care for it and that you didn't need very long hair in order to achieve the style that she wore everyday, so me personally I wondered since I didn't see any responses here that fully matched that. I was only curious as to her reasonings, which I can't know now, so I was just thinking out loud :( People could wonder the same about me because all I do is wear it down and never do anything to it, and if asked I would explain my reasonings also that I don't like my hair up and I like the natural look of my hair :) And then they would know. I thought it would be ok to put out there something that I was pondering, I apologize. We all think differently, that's why it helps to calmly discuss and learn from each other! :)

[ErinLeigh]

ErinLeigh I can relate because before I joined the site hair was just hair to me and I cut it however and how much I wanted whenever I was cycling through emotions. Now I can easily seeing it become a 'security blanket' to me and something I'm attached to just because this has become a healthy hobby for me and it has taken all of the patience I have. I never thought this would be for me. I enjoyed damaging my hair for the volume, and I miss teasing it more than anything else. I feel like I'm hooked and committed to growing and don't want it to stop. It really is a lifestyle change for me even though it is 'JUST HAIR' I'm using it to practice inner self control. I'd love to have it down all the time but I'll enjoy those special moments even more when I pull out the hair toy and swish it around and down.

That's a really well thought out nice post. Thanks for sharing. I respect the commitment.
I think after being here I learned it comes down to the fact everyone has their own reasons for why they choose their hairstyles. Our journeys are all so unique it would be silly to make assumptions on anyone for anything. Its funny how something as simple as hair can teach you so much about yourself. I understand what you mean by the post. I know haircare has changed me. I think about what I eat, I think about what is touching my skin, etc etc. It IS a commitment to self and I think one thing to learn from this is patience. I liken it to tending a garden almost. Reaping what you sow.

[leslissocool]

I did not mean to offend, I apologize :( I didn't assume anything, I was simply thinking out loud :( I had just wondered the same as the OP and after reading many of your responses that they needed longer hair to do their hair up in the ways that they wanted it suddenly made sense to. I didn't necessarily mean spectacular, I just meant fun hairdos like I see on this forum for daily wearings. I just simply wondered since the longer the hair the more it takes to wash it and care for it and that you didn't need very long hair in order to achieve the style that she wore everyday, so me personally I wondered since I didn't see any responses here that fully matched that. I was only curious as to her reasonings, which I can't know now, so I was just thinking out loud :( People could wonder the same about me because all I do is wear it down and never do anything to it, and if asked I would explain my reasonings also that I don't like my hair up and I like the natural look of my hair :) And then they would know. I thought it would be ok to put out there something that I was pondering, I apologize. We all think differently, that's why it helps to calmly discuss and learn from each other! :)

I make one braid, down my back, and bun that or leave the braid down (depending on what I'm doing). So I'm like your friend.

I think the most accurate assumptiong to make when hair is tied or up is that you want it out of the way. I don't really like hair on my face 24/7. Have you ever grown out bangs and they annoy you? Short hair feels that way to me, so long hair in one braid is easy, as lazy as to not do anything with it and wear it down, and as natural too. You don't need long hair to feel that way, when you work out do you tie your hair? Most people do no matter the length, it's the same in every day even if you think "it's school I can wear it down!".


I don't think you offended at all :). I don't do anything spectacular with my hair either.

[Panth]

I did not mean to offend, I apologize :( I didn't assume anything, I was simply thinking out loud :( I had just wondered the same as the OP and after reading many of your responses that they needed longer hair to do their hair up in the ways that they wanted it suddenly made sense to. I didn't necessarily mean spectacular, I just meant fun hairdos like I see on this forum for daily wearings. I just simply wondered since the longer the hair the more it takes to wash it and care for it and that you didn't need very long hair in order to achieve the style that she wore everyday, so me personally I wondered since I didn't see any responses here that fully matched that. I was only curious as to her reasonings, which I can't know now, so I was just thinking out loud :( People could wonder the same about me because all I do is wear it down and never do anything to it, and if asked I would explain my reasonings also that I don't like my hair up and I like the natural look of my hair :) And then they would know. I thought it would be ok to put out there something that I was pondering, I apologize. We all think differently, that's why it helps to calmly discuss and learn from each other! :)

Common misconception. (Depending on hairtype) longer hair is actually very often LESS hassle to deal with.

E.g. for me, a 1b/F/ii with a small widow's peak, high forehead and two cowlicks (one smack on my centre parting on the hairline at the front, one on the left of my crown):

Short hair (the shortest I've had is a "long bob" thing at between jaw-length and shoulder-length) = looks crap without daily styling e.g. loose waves from curling iron; needs to be blow dried or air-dried very carefully to hide the cowlicks; needs a professional trim every 2 months at a minimum; quite possibly would need leave-ins, mousse, gel, etc. to look best; needs combing/brushing multiple times a day to prevent its natural tendancy to form into stringy 'tentacles'; quite possibly would require more regular washing.

Knee length (the longest I've had, and what I have currently) = looks nice in my everyday braided cinnabun, almost always gets compliments on my coronet braid (both are <10 mins jobs and that's because I read forums when I do my hair...); can be dried in a towel-turban and/or just left loose inside my sleep stocking overnight to dry - the weight and the updo hides the cowlicks; no trims needed (I was growing it out) and now that I'm maintaining I can trim myself easily; doesn't need anything more than cheap S&C; gets combed once a day maximum (in the morning, when re-styling), tentacles are not a problem as is in updos; can wash 1.5-2x week only and still look good.

Yes, the daily time to comb out long hair vs. short hair is (obviously) longer, but not that much longer. The time per wash is a little longer (though the number of washes per week are likely to be less). However, once you add in all the other time-consuming things needed then it really is less hassle to have long hair. Of course, like anything you can make it time-consuming if you like, e.g. by doing complex updos or complex washing and treatment schedules. But that really isn't necessary!

[chen bao jun]

Seconding the above. It is really amazing how much more time I have to spend with my hair when it is shorter. The longer it gets, the easier it gets, very definitely.

[kaydana]

I did not mean to offend, I apologize :( I didn't assume anything, I was simply thinking out loud :( I had just wondered the same as the OP and after reading many of your responses that they needed longer hair to do their hair up in the ways that they wanted it suddenly made sense to. I didn't necessarily mean spectacular, I just meant fun hairdos like I see on this forum for daily wearings. I just simply wondered since the longer the hair the more it takes to wash it and care for it and that you didn't need very long hair in order to achieve the style that she wore everyday, so me personally I wondered since I didn't see any responses here that fully matched that. I was only curious as to her reasonings, which I can't know now, so I was just thinking out loud :( People could wonder the same about me because all I do is wear it down and never do anything to it, and if asked I would explain my reasonings also that I don't like my hair up and I like the natural look of my hair :) And then they would know. I thought it would be ok to put out there something that I was pondering, I apologize. We all think differently, that's why it helps to calmly discuss and learn from each other! :)

You didn't offend. I'm sorry if I sounded a bit snippy.

I don't need hair the length mine is now to do the hairstyle I wear every day. I've been able to do this since BSL. I wear it longer than BSL because that is the length at which I can put it up properly, but the extra 9-10 inches have nothing to do with the way I wear my hair on a daily basis. They're there simply because I want them. Their existence has nothing to do with the general public, they are there for me, and me alone. Maybe your friend was the same? Maybe she just wanted long hair because she wanted long hair. Seems a perfectly valid reason to me.

[EvelynMay]

i could have worded it better too so that I didn't sound so judgey about my friend and her hair, just like everyone she has her own reasons too, I just wondered what hers was. I know it sounds silly, but sometimes it's amazing how everyone has their different reasons for having the same thing, including hair :) My perspective is for some reason I do not like to wear my hair up, I've always been that way. I'm not even sure why! So to come across those that think the exact opposite of me and adore putting their hair up is almost "foreign" to me. I do have to admit that when my hair was the shortest at chin length I did "have to" style it more or else it looked funny, so it was a lot more work! But when my hair was shoulder length it was easier than what I have now at nearly elbow length in terms of duration of showers and care to condition and detangling. But my hair looks "the same" everyday too as it's down and nothin' done to it, and for some people that would drive them batty too! "why have long hair if you're not going to do anything with it" I suppose would be the general thinking people would have about me and my hair. Maybe even some people would think my hair was "boring." But I like it. So yep, it's all relative! To each their own. :)

[spirals]

I've thought about this and I think longer hair looks good on me because it balances my large frame. I don't consider myself fat, but I am curvy, and I really do have large bones. My wrist and finger measurements are in line with those of men my height. On top of that, my curls complete themselves at longer lengths. At APL or I had to fiddle with my layers so much to get it to look good and not be in my face. Longer hair stays behind my shoulders.
I do wear mine down 30% of the time, usually on wash day because it's curly then. The rest of the time it's up for convenience and because I like hair sticks. I guess I like to have options. I can do several buns and braids or just wear it down or in a half-up. When it was APL there was only one style. Longer hair affords more styles and more styles=more fun.

[Venefica]

I do not wear my hair down since if I did, well you know cooking, yeah hair caught in the oven door, hair falling into wash water, hair caught on car doors, hair getting tageled into anything. I have hair almost to my knees, and from the time it was a little ways down my butt I always wear it up or braided out and also usually around the house or it will tangle, get dirty and be a mess. Now I have very strong hair and it can take a beating, but for many their hair can just not take the wear and tear long hair get if worn loose on a regular basis, keeping it up protects it. Also one reason to have your hair up, you do not need to wrap it around your neck to avoid it falling into the toilet when answering nature's call. It is just clear and easier to keep it up.

[Chromis]

i could have worded it better too so that I didn't sound so judgey about my friend and her hair, just like everyone she has her own reasons too, I just wondered what hers was. I know it sounds silly, but sometimes it's amazing how everyone has their different reasons for having the same thing, including hair :) My perspective is for some reason I do not like to wear my hair up, I've always been that way. I'm not even sure why! So to come across those that think the exact opposite of me and adore putting their hair up is almost "foreign" to me. I do have to admit that when my hair was the shortest at chin length I did "have to" style it more or else it looked funny, so it was a lot more work! But when my hair was shoulder length it was easier than what I have now at nearly elbow length in terms of duration of showers and care to condition and detangling. But my hair looks "the same" everyday too as it's down and nothin' done to it, and for some people that would drive them batty too! "why have long hair if you're not going to do anything with it" I suppose would be the general thinking people would have about me and my hair. Maybe even some people would think my hair was "boring." But I like it. So yep, it's all relative! To each their own. :)

Ah, this still depends on your hair! At shoulder length I still had to "style" my hair because there was not enough weight yet to overcome my cowlicks but I still had trouble tying it back. Otherwise I had triangle head....on one side and it flipped in on the other. Super goofy looking! It doesn't behave well until bra strap length at least, and really I notice no difference in the time that took to wash and now. This is probably *because* I like to wear it up, so I don't have any extra detangling time. :disco:

[MeganE]

OP, I had an idea for you last night. I was doing a treatment using my heat cap, which is electric, and I had it plugged into an extension cord so that I could be not trapped next to an outlet. The cord is long enough to give me movement throughout my apartment, and it trailed behind me and caught on everything.

I suggest getting some rope, or cord, or ribbons, or anything, and just tying it to your ponytail. Let it be as long as you think you want your hair to be, and just... wear it at home for a day. And then imagine the wind blowing in it. And then imagine driving with it. And then imagine some crazy person grabbing at it. Think about how long it would take to gently detangle it once it does have knots in it.

You might love it, you might hate it, you might gain some understanding of why the super long hairs wear it up (I know I did).

Just because one wears their hair up, does not make it the equivalent of being short.

[MeganE]

I think you've missed a lot of the points that have been made. Why do you assume that hair is something that exists simply for other people to look at? I don't have long hair for you, I have long hair for me. The only difference between my hair and all the other things I own, is that I have to carry my hair around with me all the time. Just because I have it, doesn't mean I want to show it off all the time. To me, suggesting that I should wear my hair down or in spectacular updos all the time is like suggesting that I gather together some large, transparent plastic bags and fill them with my favourite belongings every time I go out in public so that everyone else can admire them too.

You hit the nail on the head there sister. BAM!!!!!

[Gaelle27]

I dont have very long hair, it's just a litle past waist, and I never go out with my hair down.
Why? because I like it, to protect it and because I dont like show off. I grow my hair for me. For that time at nigth, when I let it down and comb/brush it. For feeling it brushing against back and my arms. Plus, updos are great to have your hair out of the way and tangle free.
Whit shorter hair, about APL, I didn't understant the "up every day" thing. But now I do. And if you let your hair grow longer, you may get it too :)

[Dark40]

Hi all,

I know that wearing your hair up all of the time is a good thing, and it is a protective-style but I feel like this, "What's the since of having long hair or super long hair?" if you're going to wear it up all of the time? I can see wearing it up for sleeping but when going out in public or during the day why not wear it down? Right now, my hair is 2" below WL, and I haven't had any problems with loosing hair. Or, having it getting caught into things. That's because I always keep it detangled. I just wanted to ask the question.

[lapushka]

My question is, what is the sense of having super long hair and having it out for the elements to destroy? ;)

[lithostoic]

Your hair is barely long that's why you don't have any problems. I dare you to ask that question again after you hit classic length.

My hair is hip length, so not even that long, and there is no "keeping it detangled" unless it is in a braid or bun. I wear it up so it doesn't get matted. So it doesn't get caught under the straps of my bookbag. So it doesn't fly in front of my face and block my vision when there's a breeze. Etc etc.

Also I live in Florida where it is hot most of the year and wearing it up keeps it from getting drenched in sweat from touching my face/neck.

[hollygolightly]

I do it because sometimes it annoys me a little bit and I need to get it out of the way, or because it's hot. But when I feel like it I wear it down.

I read a response to a question like this from a girl who has floor length hair an she said she wears it up because her hair is for her and for nobody else.

[AmaryllisRed]

At waist, I still wore mine down a lot. It didn't start getting in the way until about hip length. Now I'm past tailbone and I can't do ANYTHING without it getting in the way. I've even started sitting on it. Every time I sit on it or it gets caught in my car seatbelt or my coat zipper or purse strap, that's damage and breakage. If I wore it down all the time, that would be lots of damage day to day.
I will occasionally wear it down for church or if I'm going to see out-of-town relatives, but even then it's only for two hours or so.

[Chromis]

We've had lots of threads about this...

(If anyone is bored and wants to make a list-o-links, I am happy to merge them into a mega-thread because seriously I am pretty sure most of us are just repeating ourselves endlessly in these)

[Ylva]

Waist length hair is still mostly out of the way.

I wear my hair up to avoid tangles and matting and to protect the ends. Otherwise they would constantly rub on something, and I don't need any more damage than what is inevitable as a result of my hair practices. If I wore my hair down outside and wanted to "keep it detangled", I'd have to brush it every few minutes, and every little breeze would cause tangles. Wearing it up is really handy, easy and hair-healthy.

I don't care if people see my hair or not. If I want to show it off I'll do that, but my hair is for me and I choose to preserve its health as much as possible.

[Dark40]

Oh, I'm sorry if there is already a thread on this.

[spidermom]

There are a lot of threads on this. I've gone through quite a few different feelings about wearing long hair up vs wearing long hair loose, and here are some of the highlights.

1) Hair has to be long to be able to do a variety of buns and braids. Some people grow hair out for this reason alone.
2) It makes a good transition to wear hair back and up for a work day, then let it down when the work is done.
3) Hair left down can shed all over the place. I'd rather have my hair secured at a friend's house than leave my shed hairs on her tables, furniture, dishes, etc.
4) Some hair may be better behaved, but even at its current length of BSL, my hair misbehaves. It gets caught on things, it sheds into food, it gets stuck in the creases of my neck and cuts me when I pull it loose.
5) It can be a hazard. I've seen more than one "hair caught on fire by a candle" story.
6) What good is showing off your long hair when it invites comments like "you should donate that to locks of love" or "your hair looks straggly and thin" or "you look like you belong to one of those weird religious cults where the women aren't allowed to cut their hair"?

[milosmomma]

I wear my hair up as much as possible now at bsl and have ever since i could get it up at all even at short lengths. I do it because damage from friction and the elements is cumulative and permanent and I would like to retain as much length as possible.

[MusicalSpoons]

We've had lots of threads about this...

(If anyone is bored and wants to make a list-o-links, I am happy to merge them into a mega-thread because seriously I am pretty sure most of us are just repeating ourselves endlessly in these)

I actually quite liked the subject line, as a kind of 'what's your main reason for doing it?' type question, a different angle on the topic. Then I read the first post, and ... yeah, less impressed. A mammoth megathread might be quite satisfying to see :grin:


My question is, what is the sense of having super long hair and having it out for the elements to destroy? ;)

Baahahaha AWESOME answer :hifive: :laugh:


My actual answer is: the main reason I started wearing it up was because I hated brushing out knotty hair. It hurt and I lost hairs I would rather have kept on my head, so putting it up was a logical response. Then it turned out to be convenient having my hair out of the way so it didn't get caught in/on/under things, and didn't shed all over my schoolfriends all the time (seriously, those polyester school jumpers were like nesting material for my hair - I used to get hairballs under my armpits and my friends frequently ended up with my shed hairs *inside* their shirt, etc). So it was kind of protective without realising, except I only had it in a braid or beebutt bun because I didn't know how to do anything else.

Years later I came here, learned how to put it up in actually protective styles, without destroying the ends, and got from a very raggedy tailbone length to knees (and still growing, obviously). So my overall response now is: why on earth would I not?!?! It's annoying enough when it's down to start drying in the hour or two between washing it and going to bed. Oh! And when I've had it down more often over a few days, for measuring or oiling or playing with different styles, my ends dry out so much quicker than when I just bun it once a day. I prefer for that not to happen :p

[blackgothicdoll]

I wear my hair up as much as possible now at bsl and have ever since i could get it up at all even at short lengths. I do it because damage from friction and the elements is cumulative and permanent and I would like to retain as much length as possible.

This is me. Not even APL, but my ends immediately split when rubbing against my clothing. I'll continue to wear my hair up as long as it gets - I wanted to be able to do more braided bun type styles to retain more length to grow longer hair. And I don't really want long hair so others can see it. Its something I want personally for myself, so I have no problem keeping it tucked away :p

[cjk]

Two reasons. Well, three if you count protection.

It keeps it out of my face, and it gives a much more polished style than flowing loose in the wind.

I have a particular love for highly controlled styles, be they buns or braids, or even a curly ponytail. And wearing it in an actual style makes it look like I care...which I do. The controlled head-hair provides a nice stylistic contrast to my free flowing beard, too.

[Dark40]

I wear mine up sometimes. But I prefer to wear it down when I'm in public at no matter what length. When I reach hip length or beyond I will still wear it hanging down in public. Even when I reach classic length. And, you can protect your hair from the elements but wearing a scarf or a hat. Or, just don't go out in them.

[*Wednesday*]

... Or, having it getting caught into things. That's because I always keep it detangled. I just wanted to ask the question.

😒Are the two mutually inclusive? Keeping it detangled thus doesn't get caught on things? Maybe I'm misunderstanding this?

If I wear my down, it's getting tangled to some extent. I'd have to be grooming it at an alarming rate to stop it. In an entirely different event will get caught on things.

[ExpectoPatronum]

I know I wear mine up to keep it off of my face. I do like wearing my hair down though, and often opt for half updos.

[milosmomma]

��Are the two mutually inclusive? Keeping it detangled thus doesn't get caught on things? Maybe I'm misunderstanding this?

If I wear my down, it's getting tangled to some extent. I'd have to be grooming it at an alarming rate to stop it. In an entirely different event will get caught on things.

I lost it reading this because I picture someone walking in a hurry through an outdoor mall vigorously finger detangling.

[Dark40]

��Are the two mutually inclusive? Keeping it detangled thus doesn't get caught on things? Maybe I'm misunderstanding this?

If I wear my down, it's getting tangled to some extent. I'd have to be grooming it at an alarming rate to stop it. In an entirely different event will get caught on things.

Yes, their both mutually inclusive. Yes, that is true that mine do get caught on things but I don't have any issues with breakage or it getting damaged. Well, when I'm wearing mine down it's mostly indoors or outside, and I do keep it groomed so that it doesn't get tangled.

[Dark40]

My question is, what is the sense of having super long hair and having it out for the elements to destroy? ;)

Well, the elements are going to get to the hair anyways whether you have up or down. ;)

[Crystawni]

My main reason for wearing my hair up is because I can, which also means I get to spice up my everyday look with swirly updos and hairtoys (practically the only jewellery/accessory I change around).

And it's hot--always.

And windy weather is not the friend of my lengthy, webby finies.

[neko_kawaii]

Quite simple, I have long hair in order to wear it up.

[Dark40]

Well, I feel that if you're going to wear it up all of time then why have long hair then? You might as well cut it short if you want it out of your face or to keep it from getting caught on things. It doesn't make sense to have long hair or super long hair to wear up all of the time.

[Dark40]

I had a girlfriend that had thigh length hair in high school and her hair type of 1a or 1c, and it was between wavy/straight, and she always wore her hair hanging all of the time, and she never had any issues with it getting tangled, caught onto things or getting destroyed from the elements. :)

[blackgothicdoll]

Your hair is still there even if it's up, it's not the same as it being short. You can't do intricate buns and updoes with short hair, either. You can't really wear short hair up at all. :/ It's a huge difference.

Why should you have to wear it down just because it's long?

[Crystawni]

Which brings to mind: I like big buns and I can not lie. :laugh:

We all have our likes and preferences. Long hair certainly offers a lot of variety, and is awesome (to me) however it's worn. And if anyone has no issue with wearing their rather long hair down, lucky them!

[milosmomma]

This is me. Not even APL, but my ends immediately split when rubbing against my clothing. I'll continue to wear my hair up as long as it gets - I wanted to be able to do more braided bun type styles to retain more length to grow longer hair. And I don't really want long hair so others can see it. Its something I want personally for myself, so I have no problem keeping it tucked away :p

I don't want to sound like a hair ad but have you heard of eden bodyworks the almond marshmallow split end line in particular? It's cone free but has great natural slip from I am assuming the marshmallow root. I had very fragile ends and prone to friction splits but have been seeing great results and less splits. Granted I have only been using it for 3 weeks but so far I plan to repurchase.

I agree with you on growing out for yourself and that shorter hair is actually harder to restrain and tame. longer hair can be elegantly braided back and held with a single stick while short is always bobby pinned spiky mess :D

[*Wednesday*]

...and I do keep it groomed so that it doesn't get tangled.

When your hair is down, you have absolutely no hair movement? I'm envisioning "Lego" hair.

[illicitlizard]

Well, I feel that if you're going to wear it up all of time then why have long hair then? You might as well cut it short if you want it out of your face or to keep it from getting caught on things. It doesn't make sense to have long hair or super long hair to wear up all of the time.

Where did this idea of short hair being easier to keep out of one's face come from? I've never understood. Once hair is bun-able it's so much easier to get up and off the neck.

Not to mention, some people just like having long hair. And not necessarily for the same reasons as you. Just because one person wants long hair to wear it down and happens to not experience damage, doesn't mean every person will have the same preference/hair type that allows for that.


When your hair is down, you have absolutely no hair movement? I'm envisioning "Lego" hair.
Hahahaaa, that's the only way I can imagine tangle free long hair. Just a static block of hair in a massive chunk.

[bokeh]

I do love long hair worn down on others but my crazy hair must be controlled in some way. I don't like short or medium length hair on me so that is not the answer. Since I have grown my hair longer (almost armpit length at the moment) and learned some styles such as updos, braids and ponytails I look forward to styling it every morning and I feel put together for the first time in my life. Then at the end of the day sometimes I like to wear it down around the house. I call it my "full-witch-mode" but I love it. It's really lovely in it's own unruly and not socially acceptable way. I am convinced that it will get better-and-better as it grows longer and I am looking forward to wearing big buns and sometimes a nice long braid one day soon. In short; it's fun, I enjoy it, I never have a bad hair day when I can put it up or back, and I feel confident when I go out with my hair styled into an updo.

[trolleypup]

Well, I feel that if you're going to wear it up all of time then why have long hair then? You might as well cut it short if you want it out of your face or to keep it from getting caught on things. It doesn't make sense to have long hair or super long hair to wear up all of the time.
And that is YOUR opinion. Which is about as relevant to me as someone saying that it doesn't make any sense to have any hair at all.

If you still don't understand why, after several dozen people have responded, I'm not sure we can help you with your question.

(my hair is up or down as appropriate for the situation or as it pleases me)

[Stray_mind]

Quite simple, I have long hair in order to wear it up.

This, hahaha. I am growing my hair so i can put it up in awesome buns and braids.

[Stray_mind]

I wear mine up sometimes. But I prefer to wear it down when I'm in public at no matter what length. When I reach hip length or beyond I will still wear it hanging down in public. Even when I reach classic length. And, you can protect your hair from the elements but wearing a scarf or a hat. Or, just don't go out in them.

Well, if you grow your hair only for the public, that is understandable. Most ladies and gentlemen here grow their hair for themselves and that is All the "sense" they need. :shrug:
My hair is prone to clumping together and tangling, so i wouldn't be wearing my hair down outside a lot, and i prefer up do's anyway, especially if they have an amazing hair stick or fork in it. :)
Long hair is so versatile and you can make so much with it that wearing it down all the time sound very boring and not creative at all to me.

[Kattt]

I wear mine up to get it out of the way. I'm not very good at doing any fancy braids, and it's not quite long enough to do more than simple buns, but there's nothing like getting it out of your face and eyes. There's also nothing like letting it out of the bun and shaking your hair out to fluff it up after getting done with whatever job you're doing. I wear it up (braided) to sleep so it doesn't get in my way. Again, it's not long enough that protecting the length has become a major concern yet for me, but there is also that added bonus. Things like windy weather just are not conductive to happy hair!

[Aerya]

There's a huge difference between long hair worn up and having short hair. Honestly one of the things I look the most forward to with longer hair is the variety of updos you can do. It's practical and it looks so much better on me with far less effort than short hair ever would, even if I did have the patience to style it into oblivion every day. I like the bunned look.

Besides, I live on the coast of Norway. That means harsh weather, tons of downpour and heavy winds. Wearing my hair down outside means damage, no matter how sleek and detangled it is. And my hair is barely APL! With my hair down I end up tucking it down in my jacket which is just such unnecessary damage.

And at last, I don't grow my hair for others to look at.

[Estrid]

Well, I feel that if you're going to wear it up all of time then why have long hair then? You might as well cut it short if you want it out of your face or to keep it from getting caught on things. It doesn't make sense to have long hair or super long hair to wear up all of the time.

Why can you only justify having long hair if it's worn down? I find this very confusing.

With long hair, you can make many many many different types of buns, braids, combination of the two (in many different variations), you can make twists, nice half ups, and many more intricate styles.

What could I ever do with short hair? On top of my hair not wanting to look decent when short (meaning I would have to battle it every day), I couldn't really do anything with it. Also, my hair was way more in my face when it was shorter, now I can actually take it away from my face. The only other length where I could get it out of my face was when I was 14 and had a 2 cm long pixie cut, and exactly how much can I do with a pixie cut?


I think hair actually looks better when it's up in some way, and you can't put up your hair easily when short, at least I never could, my hair is still too short for most styles I want to do.

[Sarahlabyrinth]

Mine would be in the way if it wasn't up. And I like it this long because I can wear it in lots of interesting styles and buns. And the longer my hair is, the bigger buns I can wear - and I love big buns! Plus, I can wear it down - on carefully chosen occasions. So I get most of the benefits of short hair, plus all the benefits of long hair.

Also, wearing it up gives it so much more protection from damage and tangling. Plus it looks tidy, as opposed to hair loose and everywhere getting into everything.

[ArabellaRose]

I have hip length hair (on me that's not a whole lot longer than waist length) and I've taken to wearing it up all the time to prevent damage. It's winter here and, whilst winters in the south of England don't get too cold, wearing it down is still harmful to my hair. It's windy here and my hair gets caught in the zip of my coat easily so I wear it up. When the weather is warmer and calmer I'll probably happily wear it down and I wear it down for special occasions regardless of the time of year (going to a birthday party next week, looking forward to leaving my hair free!).

[gustavonut]

Literally the only reason I wear it up when it’s long is to protect it and that’s it. If I didn’t have to wear it up I wouldn’t.

[browneyedsusan]

Well, I feel that if you're going to wear it up all of time then why have long hair then? You might as well cut it short if you want it out of your face or to keep it from getting caught on things. It doesn't make sense to have long hair or super long hair to wear up all of the time.

Ive had both, and loved both; but with short hair my style options were limited. Now, I can wear my hair in a conservative bun, viking braids, or down; in very quick succession. None of those were possible with a pixie. I also like having something different from most people. The pixie gave me that, as does TBL hair. :)

[lithostoic]

Did you create this thread to learn or to argue? o.e Don't ask questions you don't want answers to.

[cestlavie]

When I had short hair, above shoulder length, I had to brush it multiple times a day because it tangled like crazy because of clothing rubbing against it. Also the wind caused many tangles. These brushing habits caused my hair to get greasier much quicker plus it caused damage too.

I grow my hair long because I want to wear all sorts of buns and braids since I could never do that before when my hair was short and always in my face. When I'm at work I hate getting hair in my face, it annoys me. Since I wear my hair up I have less damage and it doesn't get greasy as quick like before. Letting my hair down and brushing it with care is more relaxing for me now. I only let my hair down when I'm at home because it is my personal thing and for nobody else (except loved ones of course). Therefore I feel more like myself with longer hair and I just like the look of long hair.

[Katsura]

I wear my hair up almost all the time. I guess it's mostly because of convenience, I don't have to worry about it getting caught under my bag's strap or seatbelt or rubbing against metallic zipper-teeth or something. When it's up it's under control. :D

[MusicalSpoons]

It doesn't make sense to have long hair or super long hair to wear up all of the time.

:ponder: actually it does - I *want* long hair. I also *want* to wear it up. I've had long hair since childhood, never wanted short hair, so I have long hair. Simple.


You might as well cut it short if you want it out of your face or to keep it from getting caught on things.
What a ridiculous thing to say! It would still be in my way and in my face if it were short but anything longer than a pixie, but once it got long enough to put up and out of the way by your reasoning it's too long to not be worn down? Why not just tell us to buzz it all off and be done with it?

Maybe we do need that 'what's the point of having long hair if you wear it up all the time?' megathread :shake:

[Entangled]

Is the point of hair to wear it loose? Is that the ultimate goal? I started wearing my hair up to protect it because I liked the aesthetic of long hair and feared not to reach it with loose hair. I’ve always hated the sensation of hair on my neck and in the way. I have now found I am so much more comfortable with my hair and it is so much easier to wear up and deal with now that it is long and I wear it up. My reasons have changed. I don’t see the sole or primary purpose of hair as to be worn down. As far as I can tell that’s a fairly modern trend, anyways.

[Milady_DeWinter]

Everything has been said. I don't like to give arguments to people that is not going to listen, as seen. May be just wear your hair down if you please, as it's your hair, and left the rest of us alone? :)


Yeah - please merge the thread, mods :o

[SwanFeathers]

The real question is: why did the OP come to a long-hair forum just to argue with its inhabitants about their reasons for keeping long-hair? Seriously, I dont know why anyone entertains these questions anymore, a simple search would have yielded plenty of threads that are exactly the same, and nobody would need to be stirred up again. Unless that was the point in the first place.

[lapushka]

Well, the elements are going to get to the hair anyways whether you have up or down. ;)

It's not quite the same having FTL out loose vs having it in a bun. Let's be real here. :)

[lapushka]

I wear mine up sometimes. But I prefer to wear it down when I'm in public at no matter what length. When I reach hip length or beyond I will still wear it hanging down in public. Even when I reach classic length. And, you can protect your hair from the elements but wearing a scarf or a hat. Or, just don't go out in them.

Just wait until you in effect go beyond waist and reach hip, and then classic. We'll see what you think then.

[spidermom]

Well, I feel that if you're going to wear it up all of time then why have long hair then? You might as well cut it short if you want it out of your face or to keep it from getting caught on things. It doesn't make sense to have long hair or super long hair to wear up all of the time.

1) There isn't much variety in short hair.
2) You can't completely get it off your neck or face unless it's ultra-mega short (like buzzed). In that case, see #1.

[almostghost]

Well, I feel that if you're going to wear it up all of time then why have long hair then? You might as well cut it short if you want it out of your face or to keep it from getting caught on things. It doesn't make sense to have long hair or super long hair to wear up all of the time.

That's just not true, having short hair so different for so many reasons. I look good with short hair, but I hate having to keep getting trims and I always miss being able to do braids. I like braids.
Anyway, it's not about "making sense." I could just as reasonably ask you, "why bother growing it long enough to do various updos if you aren't going to ever wear it up?" It's a body part, and people don't have to justify what they do with their own bodies to you or me or anyone else. :)


I had a girlfriend that had thigh length hair in high school and her hair type of 1a or 1c, and it was between wavy/straight, and she always wore her hair hanging all of the time, and she never had any issues with it getting tangled, caught onto things or getting destroyed from the elements. :)

Well, good for her. We don't all have magically tangle-free hair of steel, though. I think even if I did, I still wouldn't wear it down all the time because I don't want to. I just like how it feels in a bun or braid so much more.

I'll be honest, with some of these answers you're giving, it kind of feels like you're just calling all of us silly for doing what works best for our hair, and/or wearing it the way we individually enjoy wearing it. :(

[Ylva]

Well, I feel that if you're going to wear it up all of time then why have long hair then? You might as well cut it short if you want it out of your face or to keep it from getting caught on things. It doesn't make sense to have long hair or super long hair to wear up all of the time.

I honestly hope you're not this narrow-minded. Wearing your hair up is not the "second best choice" or a punishment of some sort. It's enjoyable. Updos are beautiful, and many of them cannot be achived with short hair. You NEED long, sometimes VERY LONG hair for them.

[ArabellaRose]

I wear mine up sometimes. But I prefer to wear it down when I'm in public at no matter what length. When I reach hip length or beyond I will still wear it hanging down in public. Even when I reach classic length. And, you can protect your hair from the elements but wearing a scarf or a hat. Or, just don't go out in them.

Heh, I said exactly the same thing a year ago. "I'll always wear my hair down, up isn't a good look on me". Even when I started posting here I didn't wear it up much because my hair wouldn't tolerate it.

Now that it's getting longer, is better cared for and well moisturised it tolerates being up in a bun much better. I've find myself wearing my hair up daily, if someone told me a year ago that I would be I'd have disagreed.

[Tinyponies]

Dark40 has someone been giving you a hard time about your long hair? You certainly don’t have to wear it any way to please anyone else unless we are talking a health and safety situation that you have chosen to be in.

Another thing is a 40+ years old person’s hair is most likely going to behave differently to a teenagers hair - mine certainly does. It’s finer, cobwebby now and knots up a lot more. Add to that the wildly variable manes we have through genetics alone. Mix in a little historical damage...

If you have the kind of hair that doesn’t suffer through being down a lot, then that’s fabulous. Enjoy what you enjoy.

I love having my hair all tucked away in a bun.

ETA I prob would have fought to leave my hair down when I was younger if someone had advised me to bun it. My hair wanted to be free at that age. Now I’m 37.

[Dark40]

When your hair is down, you have absolutely no hair movement? I'm envisioning "Lego" hair.

Well, sometimes I'll have some movement but not a whole lot. That's because I use products to hold it down.

[Dark40]

Tinyponies Well, as I discuss this topic with my mother she also wonders the same question? "If you want super long hair, why wear it up?" She just feels that it doesn't make sense. Now, I do love buns and updos but not all of the time.

Ok, I see. And, I'm 40+ years. Plus, I apply products on my hair to keep it under control so it doesn't fly all over the place and get tangled or damaged.

[Dark40]

I honestly hope you're not this narrow-minded. Wearing your hair up is not the "second best choice" or a punishment of some sort. It's enjoyable. Updos are beautiful, and many of them cannot be achived with short hair. You NEED long, sometimes VERY LONG hair for them.

Yes, I know that you NEED long, sometimes VERY LONG hair to wear buns and updos. Me and my mom just always felt that when you when your hair up it feels like it's short. No, I'm not that narrow-minded. Don't get me wrong, I also love a few different updo hair-styles but not to wear all day long 7 days a week. Me and my mom always felt like "If you're going to grow out your hair very long" "Then, why not show it sometimes?"

[Chromis]

Yes, I know that you NEED long, sometimes VERY LONG hair to wear buns and updos. Me and my mom just always felt that when you when your hair up it feels like it's short. No, I'm not that narrow-minded. Don't get me wrong, I also love a few different updo hair-styles but not to wear all day long 7 days a week. Me and my mom always felt like "If you're going to grow out your hair very long" "Then, why not show it sometimes?"

Why do we need to show you our hair all the time? I wear my hair in a manner that pleases me. If that means long hair "admirers" don't get to see it down all the time, well tough cookies to them, not my problem.

[Estrid]

Yes, I know that you NEED long, sometimes VERY LONG hair to wear buns and updos. Me and my mom just always felt that when you when your hair up it feels like it's short. No, I'm not that narrow-minded. Don't get me wrong, I also love a few different updo hair-styles but not to wear all day long 7 days a week. Me and my mom always felt like "If you're going to grow out your hair very long" "Then, why not show it sometimes?"

Why do you need to show it?

[Dark40]

And that is YOUR opinion. Which is about as relevant to me as someone saying that it doesn't make any sense to have any hair at all.

If you still don't understand why, after several dozen people have responded, I'm not sure we can help you with your question.

(my hair is up or down as appropriate for the situation or as it pleases me)

No, it's not that I don't understand why about this question, I was just wondering why? You all have helped me with my question. Yeah, that's the same goes for me as well. I wear my hair up or down during whatever situation or as it pleases me as well.

[Dark40]

Why do you need to show it?

To show it's beauty. What's wrong with showing it's beuty? If you have beautiful super long hair, why not show it?

[Dark40]

Why do we need to show you our hair all the time? I wear my hair in a manner that pleases me. If that means long hair "admirers" don't get to see it down all the time, well tough cookies to them, not my problem.

I'm not looking for you to show me your hair down all of the time. That is not what I'm looking for. So, stop misinterpreting my question. I did not say you had to show me your hair all of the time.

[AmaryllisRed]

Isn't this akin to saying, if you have a beautiful body, why not show it? Should people with "ideal" body types be expected to wear form-fitting, low-cut, revealing clothing because hey, they've got it, and why have it if you don't flaunt it?
Maybe people with lots of money should go dropping it on sidewalks, too.

[Estrid]

To show it's beauty. What's wrong with showing it's beuty? If you have beautiful super long hair, why not show it?

There's nothing wrong with showing its beauty, but why does one *need* to show it? Why can't a person keep that for themselves? Not everyone is out to impress the world, not everyone care how others see them.

This thread is just getting more and more absurd.

[blackgothicdoll]

Isn't this akin to saying, if you have a beautiful body, why not show it? Should people with "ideal" body types be expected to wear form-fitting, low-cut, revealing clothing because hey, they've got it, and why have it if you don't flaunt it?
Maybe people with lots of money should go dropping it on sidewalks, too.

I'd love that. I will be right behind them, supporting them at every step ;)

[MusicalSpoons]

Isn't this akin to saying, if you have a beautiful body, why not show it? Should people with "ideal" body types be expected to wear form-fitting, low-cut, revealing clothing because hey, they've got it, and why have it if you don't flaunt it?
Maybe people with lots of money should go dropping it on sidewalks, too.

I thoroughly support this!! :D And there'd be a tangible benefit for others too - unlike showing off one's hair :confused:

[Ylva]

To show it's beauty. What's wrong with showing it's beuty? If you have beautiful super long hair, why not show it?

I have beautiful legs, but I don't feel like going outside in shorts or a miniskirt in the winter. It's just not practical, nice nor beneficial for my health.

Why am I wearing a long dress in my avatar photo, if I have beautiful legs? Because other things can look nice, too, and I don't need to feel like showing them to anyone.

[*Wednesday*]

No one here suggested there was anything wrong with wearing the hair down. There is a reason why updo’s can be essential and helpful on a hair journey or keeping its quality resilient (aside from liking hair up for aesthetic reasons). It is a consensus on LHC and even Black hair care forums keeping the hair contained to preserve the ends and quality of hair is shown effective.

I think what you are reaching for is just wearing it down because it’s long and proving so to other people. Hair is “personal” for many people. Other people don’t have a right to say, “Wear it down, or just cut if off.” That is offensive and unjustified.

This “friend” with thigh length hair is not here to testify her hair experience so nothing can be validated that she wore her hair down with no issues. You mentioned she was “thigh” and I’m assuming it remained that length (you refer to her so frequently) so she probably kept it trimmed to remove elemental damages and splits. That is simply not believable about her hair not becoming caught in anything. You mentioned in the thread “Dangers of Long Hair” yours gets caught in a purse at WL. Imagine thigh length hair. It just doesn’t make sense Dark40. I’m sure her hair was flowing all over the place at 1b/1c. I’m sure she had her fair share of fairy knots that she never reported back to you.

[almostghost]

I have beautiful legs, but I don't feel like going outside in shorts or a miniskirt in the winter. It's just not practical, nice nor beneficial for my health.

Why am I wearing a long dress in my avatar photo, if I have beautiful legs? Because other things can look nice, too, and I don't need to feel like showing them to anyone.

This! I know for sure that a lot of people here (including me!) think braided updos are very beautiful too, so even when such longhairs do feel like "showing their hair's beauty" it may still be put up.

[Dark40]

I was not implying in my first comment why should you wear your super long hair hanging down. All I was implying, "Why not wear your long hair hanging sometimes not all of the time?"

[blackgothicdoll]

This! I know for sure that a lot of people here (including me!) think braided updos are very beautiful too, so even when such longhairs do feel like "showing their hair's beauty" it may still be put up.

I think these styles are a way of showing its beauty. You just can't do that with short hair. And of course it keeps it safe too, so it's a double function.

[Dark40]

I think you all for your comments. :)

[MusicalSpoons]

I was not implying in my first comment why should you wear your super long hair hanging down. All I was implying, "Why not wear your long hair hanging sometimes not all of the time?"

No, not in your first comment. But then you said this:

Well, I feel that if you're going to wear it up all of time then why have long hair then? You might as well cut it short if you want it out of your face or to keep it from getting caught on things. It doesn't make sense to have long hair or super long hair to wear up all of the time.
Make your mind up :shrug:

[Joules]

It started off as protection, now it's a habit. When I wear my hair down I feel like I just got out of bed, messy and disorganized. The only place I would want to feel like that outside my house would be beach, everyone's a mess at the beach, and it's fantastic :D When I put it into any sort of an updo, whether a braid or a bun, I feel more put together and ready to take over the world, metaphorically speaking.


I have beautiful legs, but I don't feel like going outside in shorts or a miniskirt in the winter. It's just not practical, nice nor beneficial for my health.

Why am I wearing a long dress in my avatar photo, if I have beautiful legs? Because other things can look nice, too, and I don't need to feel like showing them to anyone.

I would bring up boobs in this situation :lol: no one asks me to show off my boobs all the time, why is hair any different? I have a right to put it up and leave something to the imagination, so to speak.

I don't think I get this question very often. When I wore a simple cinnabun every day to school, some of the girls asked me "why are you wearing buns all the time?", not even in a rude way, just out of curiosity. When I wear braids to work, all I get is compliments. My friends don't even care, and I try to wear braided updos whenever I go out, just to impress everyone and avoid comments like "but it's not as beautiful".

[Dark40]

No one here suggested there was anything wrong with wearing the hair down. There is a reason why updo’s can be essential and helpful on a hair journey or keeping its quality resilient (aside from liking hair up for aesthetic reasons). It is a consensus on LHC and even Black hair care forums keeping the hair contained to preserve the ends and quality of hair is shown effective.

I think what you are reaching for is just wearing it down because it’s long and proving so to other people. Hair is “personal” for many people. Other people don’t have a right to say, “Wear it down, or just cut if off.” That is offensive and unjustified.

This “friend” with thigh length hair is not here to testify her hair experience so nothing can be validated that she wore her hair down with no issues. You mentioned she was “thigh” and I’m assuming it remained that length (you refer to her so frequently) so she probably kept it trimmed to remove elemental damages and splits. That is simply not believable about her hair not becoming caught in anything. You mentioned in the thread “Dangers of Long Hair” yours gets caught in a purse at WL. Imagine thigh length hair. It just doesn’t make sense Dark40. I’m sure her hair was flowing all over the place at 1b/1c. I’m sure she had her fair share of fairy knots that she never reported back to you.

Ok, I understand that no one here suggested anything was wrong with wearing the hair down. Oh yeah, I also love many beautiful updos as well! Yes, I've also seen it on the Black Hair care Forums too. Well, I'm not reaching to wearing it down all of the time just sometimes. Well, I didn't know that hair is "personal" with some people.

About my, "Friend" I know she's not here to testifty her hair experience but believe me. When I met her with BSL hair in college I would see her hair every single day, and she did not have one hair moveable out of place. No, it wasn't thigh length anymore. But I'm sure when she was in high school it would often get tangled a lot and maybe perhaps caught into things, and she never reported back to me about it. I also bet that she had her share of fairy knots as well. :)

[Joules]

Well, I feel that if you're going to wear it up all of time then why have long hair then? You might as well cut it short if you want it out of your face or to keep it from getting caught on things. It doesn't make sense to have long hair or super long hair to wear up all of the time.

That's exactly what my Mom says, and she has short hair. This is what I call "long hair mentality", you either get it, or you don't. It's impossible to explain.

[almostghost]

I think these styles are a way of showing its beauty. You just can't do that with short hair. And of course it keeps it safe too, so it's a double function.

Yes. Personally, I think my hair looks prettiest in a braid or bun, because being neatly aligned makes it look shinier. :)

[Ylva]

I would bring up boobs in this situation :lol: no one asks me to show off my boobs all the time, why is hair any different? I have a right to put it up and leave something to the imagination, so to speak.

Oh yes, boobs. I have boobs that draw a lot of attention, a lot of which I feel very uncomfortable with, thus I always hide them under very baggy t-shirts. :D

[redsiren]

I wear it up or in a braid all the time, because it annoys me when it's down. It looks a bit stringy when it's tangled and I hate brushing it out.

[almostghost]

I wear it up or in a braid all the time, because it annoys me when it's down. It looks a bit stringy when it's tangled and I hate brushing it out.

Me too. I've never been able to tolerate a very light, "tickly" touch, so if I leave it down and loose it's always lightly brushing my skin and it drives me crazy. I occasionally sleep with it loose, but in waking hours a braid down my back is as "down" as my hair generally gets when it isn't air drying.

[lunalocks]

1. At hip it became uncontrolled. I had to start wearing it up most of the time to keep it, and me safe.

2. The more I wore it down, the more splits I had. You can't grow long (super long) hair with the ends continually breaking off.

3. Wearing it down weakens the individual hairs since hair rubs against clothing, car seats, furniture etc. At one point, upon close examination, I discovered that the hairs that were contained in the middle of my ponytail were pristine whereas the inner most hairs (against my body) and outer most hairs (against the elements) were damaged a good deal up the hair shaft.

4. I occasionally wear it down, but it has followed my hands into my pockets, followed the seat belt up into its enclosure, followed laundry into the washer/dryer, gets caught on doorknobs - you get the picture.

For most of us, in order to have super long and in good shape hair, we stop hot drying, curling, straightening, coloring and wearing it down in order to protect it so that it can grow long.

You are free to wear yours long if you wish.

[Dark40]

That's not true that wearing your hair down weakens the hairs if & when it rubs against clothing, car seats, furniture etc. I've heard the opposite on www.youtube.com

I've heard that if you wear your bun or ponytail in the same place day-in and day-out it causes friction, breakage, or damage. So, I also wear my hair down whenever I'm out in public just to switch up wearing different hair styles.

That's not true that in order to have super long hair you should wear your hair up all of the time in order for it to be in good shape. I have a "girlfriend" that had ankle length hair, and every week I saw her at church always wore her hair down, and it always looked beautiful and healthy in good shape, and she was also relaxing and dyeing her hair at the same time. I know 2 good examples of people with super long hair that always wear their hair down, and that is, "Crystal Gayle" and "Jane Seymour." And, Crytal Gayle's hair in more on the fine/thick side, and she has never reported any issues with tangles, breakage, or damage, and she said she does her beautiful long tresses every single day.

[Ylva]

That's not true that wearing your hair down weakens the hairs if & when it rubs against clothing, car seats, furniture etc. I've heard the opposite on www.youtube.com (http://www.youtube.com)

I've heard that if you wear your bun or ponytail in the same place day-in and day-out it causes friction, breakage, or damage. So, I also wear my hair down whenever I'm out in public just to switch up wearing different hair styles.

That's not true that in order to have super long hair you should wear your hair up all of the time in order for it to be in good shape. I have a "girlfriend" that had ankle length hair, and every week I saw her at church always wore her hair down, and it always looked beautiful and healthy in good shape, and she was also relaxing and dyeing her hair at the same time. I know 2 good examples of people with super long hair that always wear their hair down, and that is, "Crystal Gayle" and "Jane Seymour." And, Crytal Gayle's hair in more on the fine/thick side, and she has never reported any issues with tangles, breakage, or damage, and she said she does her beautiful long tresses every single day.

Yes, it absolutely is true. It's friction damage. Some friction damage will always occur, but it's definitely lesser if the hair is up and not in contact with as much rouch surface. That which you have heard about bun positions is about damage to the follicles, not to the hair strands. If you have heard the OPPOSITE, would you mind telling how having your hair rub against clothing strengthens it? The hair is dead, it's not going to go through any "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" development.

These people are random examples who probably were able to grow their hair long while wearing it down all the time. Yes, you can do that, but that doesn't make it optimal or mean that every person can do that. Most people think their terminal length is way shorter than it actually is, because they wear their hair down and experience breakage because of that. Crystal Gayle appears to be a singer, so I don't see why she would "report issues with tangles, breakage or damage" to her hair in any particular manner. Most people don't go around reporting their hair damage, but that certainly doesn't mean it doesn't exist!

Waist length hair isn't that long, so I'm sure you are still able to grow on at that point, but we will see when you reach longer lengths and how you feel about it then. It's fine that you wear your hair loose, but I really don't get what you are trying to achieve with this conversation.

[Stray_mind]

Op seems to have a lot of friends who have indestructable hair. :ponder:

I have yet to see a single person with hair longer than waist who wears their hair down every single day and has great looking hair with perfect hemline.

[Dark40]

When I was in high school back in the mid 1980's I have a "girlfriend" that had a beautiful head of HL hair, and she was wearing her hair down at school every single day, and she always had a perfect hemline. You may not see anyone wearing their hair down that has longer than waist these days.

[Ylva]

When I was in high school back in the mid 1980's I have a "girlfriend" that had a beautiful head of HL hair, and she was wearing her hair down at school every single day, and she always had a perfect hemline. You may not see anyone wearing their hair down that has longer than waist these days.

There are also random people whose hair won't grow past their shoulders even though they try hard to protect it.

Most people fall somewhere in the middle. Using random people as some kind of rule doesn't make any sense. Let people do as they see fit with their hair. And none of this definitely relates to "what's the point of long hair if you don't wear it down".

[BerrySara]

When I was in high school back in the mid 1980's I have a "girlfriend" that had a beautiful head of HL hair, and she was wearing her hair down at school every single day, and she always had a perfect hemline. You may not see anyone wearing their hair down that has longer than waist these days.

The way it looks to me is that you have formed an opinion based on specific instances or personal examples (that would never fly in any kind of scientific community) and you are convinced that your thoughts/opinion is truth. Which is totally okay, we are all entitled to our thoughts and opinion.

But what is odd to me is your fixation to want to control every one else's opinion and thoughts to be similar to yours. If you believe that what you perceive to be true is serving you, then by all means continue thinking that way. All power to you.
But if others have based their thoughts on other things such as long standing wisdom through trial and error from this forum dedicated to long hair or through polls and guidance over many years for people of various hair types or because they choose to do so then that is within their right to do so.

One thing to keep in mind is many of the members of this community have longer hair than the majority (and longer hair than you) and have been members for many years. They have witnessed, learned and guided many others through this journey for years. Their experience does speak volume because frankly they have achieved the very thing you (and I) dream of; Long Hair.

Your strong need to control others opinion is striking. You might want to dig a little deeper into why you feel so strongly that you must convince others to be in line with your perception.

The advice and wisdom here is free, it is entirely up to you to take or not. That is the beauty of it.

[spidermom]

O.k., well, I have a relative who had thigh-length hair when I met her, and it was always down or in a single french braid. That same relative now has very straggly looking tailbone length hair, and one thing that has shortened it is wear and tear from wearing it exposed all the time. I'm sure there are other factors, too, like she's older (aren't we all?).

Anyway ....

When my hair is loose, it tickles my neck and drives me crazy. Today I washed it and it wasn't dry when I needed to go grocery shopping, so I put a scarf around my neck to keep my hair from tickling. It's dry now but still loose because I don't have anything active that I need to do, and I'm rather enjoying having it down. I'm sure most of us wear it loose when we feel like it and put up when we don't feel like having it loose for whatever reason. Wearing it loose to "show it off" is a rather weird concept to me because there has been no shortage of threads by people who got a rude comment about their long hair or the suggestion to cut it off and donate it, as though it's somehow selfish to grow long hair for your own enjoyment. One way to avoid these situations is to have it up.

[milosmomma]

Down = friction(unless you are sleeping with it thrown over your pillow or doing the mannequin challenge) and friction = damage. It is just the scientific truth. Hair can with stand different amounts of damage depending on thinkness/fineness but it will eventually add up and hinder the growth after it accumulates.

[lithostoic]

Why can't this thread just die already smh. It's clear OP just came here to troll.

[Dark40]

Yes, it absolutely is true. It's friction damage. Some friction damage will always occur, but it's definitely lesser if the hair is up and not in contact with as much rouch surface. That which you have heard about bun positions is about damage to the follicles, not to the hair strands. If you have heard the OPPOSITE, would you mind telling how having your hair rub against clothing strengthens it? The hair is dead, it's not going to go through any "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" development.

These people are random examples who probably were able to grow their hair long while wearing it down all the time. Yes, you can do that, but that doesn't make it optimal or mean that every person can do that. Most people think their terminal length is way shorter than it actually is, because they wear their hair down and experience breakage because of that. Crystal Gayle appears to be a singer, so I don't see why she would "report issues with tangles, breakage or damage" to her hair in any particular manner. Most people don't go around reporting their hair damage, but that certainly doesn't mean it doesn't exist!

Waist length hair isn't that long, so I'm sure you are still able to grow on at that point, but we will see when you reach longer lengths and how you feel about it then. It's fine that you wear your hair loose, but I really don't get what you are trying to achieve with this conversation.

Yes, they are random examples who probably were able to grow their hair long while wearing it down all of the time, and they probably didn't wear it down all of the time, and I know and understand that it's not meant for everybody to be able to wear their hair down all of the time. All I was trying to achieve out of this conversation was an understanding of the question I asked in my first post. I also know that everybody wear their hair as they are please, and so do I.

[blackgothicdoll]

Op seems to have a lot of friends who have indestructable hair. :ponder:

I have yet to see a single person with hair longer than waist who wears their hair down every single day and has great looking hair with perfect hemline.

I'm not really in this argument, but I actually did meet one girl at my last job. Bone straight, perfect blunt hemline, I almost never saw her wear her hair in a ponytail. I think it was shorter than hip, but past waist if that gives you a visual. I would always just stare at her, but never had the guts to ask her about her hair. Seemed like she just had perfect hair. *shrug*

ETA: To be fair, she was a former marine, so for at least 4 years she had her hair up all the time. Lol :p

[lapushka]

That's not true that wearing your hair down weakens the hairs if & when it rubs against clothing, car seats, furniture etc. I've heard the opposite on www.youtube.com

I've heard that if you wear your bun or ponytail in the same place day-in and day-out it causes friction, breakage, or damage. So, I also wear my hair down whenever I'm out in public just to switch up wearing different hair styles.

That's not true that in order to have super long hair you should wear your hair up all of the time in order for it to be in good shape. I have a "girlfriend" that had ankle length hair, and every week I saw her at church always wore her hair down, and it always looked beautiful and healthy in good shape, and she was also relaxing and dyeing her hair at the same time. I know 2 good examples of people with super long hair that always wear their hair down, and that is, "Crystal Gayle" and "Jane Seymour." And, Crytal Gayle's hair in more on the fine/thick side, and she has never reported any issues with tangles, breakage, or damage, and she said she does her beautiful long tresses every single day.

I'm about 100% sure that Crystal Gayle and Jane Seymour wear/wore their hair up when not showing it off for pictures.

I have my hair down in my signature picture as well, but you bet I put it up straight after the picture was taken.

It's not always how it seems!

[MusicalSpoons]

I've heard that if you wear your bun or ponytail in the same place day-in and day-out it causes friction, breakage, or damage. So, I also wear my hair down whenever I'm out in public just to switch up wearing different hair styles.

If you wear it pulled tightly in the same place, perhaps secured tightly with a hair elastic always, then yes that is damaging. Simple solution: wear it in a non-damaging style secured with a non-damaging accessory. Which is what the vast majority of us here do. You've been a member here far longer than me so you already know this.


That's not true that in order to have super long hair you should wear your hair up all of the time in order for it to be in good shape. I have a "girlfriend" that had ankle length hair, and every week I saw her at church always wore her hair down, and it always looked beautiful and healthy in good shape, and she was also relaxing and dyeing her hair at the same time. I know 2 good examples of people with super long hair that always wear their hair down, and that is, "Crystal Gayle" and "Jane Seymour." And, Crytal Gayle's hair in more on the fine/thick side, and she has never reported any issues with tangles, breakage, or damage, and she said she does her beautiful long tresses every single day.

That may be so, but maybe she only wore it down for church and wore it up the rest of the time to keep it protected. Especially if she dyed and relaxed it - getting to ankle length whilst doing those two chemical processes is pretty miraculous anyway!

And how do you know these celebrities "always" wear their hair down, not just when they're in public. For that matter, how do you know their hair really truly is totally healthy?! Again, spending time on LHC will tell you quite quickly that damage can be disguised, and who of us get close enough to Crystal Gayle or Jane Seymour to inspect their hair and pronounce it thoroughly healthy?

You can't grow super long hair if you always have to cut off damage or are determined to have a thick, perfectly blunt hemline and have to keep trimming to keep it that way. Wearing it down will make such trims necessary.

I'm not sure it's worth spending my limited brainpower on this thread any more :ponder:

[TreesOfEternity]

That's exactly what my Mom says, and she has short hair. This is what I call "long hair mentality", you either get it, or you don't. It's impossible to explain.

You said it perfectly Joules! Long hair mentality that’s it :flower:

[lunalocks]

That's not true that wearing your hair down weakens the hairs if & when it rubs against clothing, car seats, furniture etc. I've heard the opposite on www.youtube.com

I've heard that if you wear your bun or ponytail in the same place day-in and day-out it causes friction, breakage, or damage. So, I also wear my hair down whenever I'm out in public just to switch up wearing different hair styles.

That's not true that in order to have super long hair you should wear your hair up all of the time in order for it to be in good shape. I have a "girlfriend" that had ankle length hair, and every week I saw her at church always wore her hair down, and it always looked beautiful and healthy in good shape, and she was also relaxing and dyeing her hair at the same time. I know 2 good examples of people with super long hair that always wear their hair down, and that is, "Crystal Gayle" and "Jane Seymour." And, Crytal Gayle's hair in more on the fine/thick side, and she has never reported any issues with tangles, breakage, or damage, and she said she does her beautiful long tresses every single day.

Jane Seymour no longer has super long hair. it has gotton shorter through the years, and she dyes it.

Crystal Gayle has said her hair grows an inch a month, so that's a foot a year. She can trim more than the rest of us can. Also, she has her hair pampered at Madorra's in NYC (I know, I've been there and had the deep moisturizing treatment from the stylist who does her hair) so her hair gets the best of care, and, it is not always down.

Everyone's hair is different. You will have to see how your hair handles being down a lot of the time. There is no wrong or right for everyone. You asked and we are telling you our reasons and stories.

[Dark40]

Jane Seymour no longer has super long hair. it has gotton shorter through the years, and she dyes it.

Crystal Gayle has said her hair grows an inch a month, so that's a foot a year. She can trim more than the rest of us can. Also, she has her hair pampered at Madorra's in NYC (I know, I've been there and had the deep moisturizing treatment from the stylist who does her hair) so her hair gets the best of care, and, it is not always down.

Everyone's hair is different. You will have to see how your hair handles being down a lot of the time. There is no wrong or right for everyone. You asked and we are telling you our reasons and stories.

Yes, I knew that Jane Seymour no longer had super long hair. It's still kinda long. Because, I saw photos of her recent looks on www.facebook.com, and it was like to her waist I think. I also always knew that she had been dyeing it as well ever since she starred on Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman. Oh yeah, that's right. I did read somewhere on the internet that Crystal Gayle was getting her hair done at Madorra's in NYC. I bet she is getting the best of care done to her hair these days, and she doesn't always have it down all of the time.

Yes, that is very true that everyone's hair is different. Yes, as it is getting longer I will see how my hair handles being down a lot of the time. I strongly appreciate you saying There is no wrong or right for everyone. Yes, you are right I did ask, and I do appreciate you guy's responses and telling me yall's reasons and stories.

[Crystawni]

Honestly, the rose coloured glasses need to be taken off. Second or third hand information about other people with long hair (friends from years ago, people in a youtube video, a random person in the street, whatever) doesn't float it for me. It's all subjective, lacking detail, limited in time, and is not based on personal, first hand experience.

To me, it sounds creepy to be encouraged to show off your assets to random strangers.


And I think when it comes to any of this, this comes to mind:

I'm not here to decorate your world.

[Dark40]

Honestly, the rose coloured glasses need to be taken off. Second or third hand information about other people with long hair (friends from years ago, people in a youtube video, a random person in the street, whatever) doesn't float it for me. It's all subjective, lacking detail, limited in time, and is not based on personal, first hand experience.

To me, it sounds creepy to be encouraged to show off your assets to random strangers.


And I think when it comes to any of this, this comes to mind:

I'm not here to decorate your world.

I'm not expecting you to decorate world. To each is own.

[Dark40]

Yes, it absolutely is true. It's friction damage. Some friction damage will always occur, but it's definitely lesser if the hair is up and not in contact with as much rouch surface. That which you have heard about bun positions is about damage to the follicles, not to the hair strands. If you have heard the OPPOSITE, would you mind telling how having your hair rub against clothing strengthens it? The hair is dead, it's not going to go through any "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" development.

These people are random examples who probably were able to grow their hair long while wearing it down all the time. Yes, you can do that, but that doesn't make it optimal or mean that every person can do that. Most people think their terminal length is way shorter than it actually is, because they wear their hair down and experience breakage because of that. Crystal Gayle appears to be a singer, so I don't see why she would "report issues with tangles, breakage or damage" to her hair in any particular manner. Most people don't go around reporting their hair damage, but that certainly doesn't mean it doesn't exist!

Waist length hair isn't that long, so I'm sure you are still able to grow on at that point, but we will see when you reach longer lengths and how you feel about it then. It's fine that you wear your hair loose, but I really don't get what you are trying to achieve with this conversation.

BTW, waist length hair is consider long in my book. I know it's not super long but it is considered to be in the long group. It is a lot longer than shoulder length or BSL. Yes, I'm also sure that I can still grow more at that point too. Yes, we will see when I reach longer lengths and how I feel about it then.

[Wendyclaire]

I feel bad for you because of these responses to your question. I got somewhat of the same thing because I personally hate updoo’s and buns. Not a good look for me as it makes me look older. Waist length hair is considered long hair by most people. Mine is close to that length and I do the same thing as you. Ponytail when I need it out of the way, cooking, working out etc and pile on top of my head for sleeping. But jeez, if buns, braids are your thing, great. It’s not for everyone. I also think it’s not protective of hair either. So, lighten up on us who like our long hair down and free!

[lapushka]

BTW, waist length hair is consider long in my book. I know it's not super long but it is considered to be in the long group. It is a lot longer than shoulder length or BSL. Yes, I'm also sure that I can still grow more at that point too. Yes, we will see when I reach longer lengths and how I feel about it then.

Haven't you been WL for a number of years now though? :hmm: Just curious. :)

[lapushka]

I feel bad for you because of these responses to your question. I got somewhat of the same thing because I personally hate updoo’s and buns. Not a good look for me as it makes me look older. Waist length hair is considered long hair by most people. Mine is close to that length and I do the same thing as you. Ponytail when I need it out of the way, cooking, working out etc and pile on top of my head for sleeping. But jeez, if buns, braids are your thing, great. It’s not for everyone. I also think it’s not protective of hair either. So, lighten up on us who like our long hair down and free!

We aren't saying you can't wear your hair however you want, but the fact is, up and out of the way is still a better choice if you want to grow it *very* long lengths, and I'm not talking WL, but knee or ankle or some such.

[Dark40]

Awwwww, you are so sweet Wendyclaire. :) You got the same thing because you personally hate updo's and buns? Wow! I agree that they do make you look older, and you are definitely right that waist length is considered long hair by most people. Yours it close to that length? Ok, cool. Yes, you keep doing the same as I am doing. I also wear a ponytail when I need it out of the way for, cooking, working out etc too, and for sleeping I wear it in a half-bun. Yes jeez, if buns, braids are your thing, great. It's not for everyone is right. Yes everyone, lighten up on us who like our long hair down and free!

[Dark40]

Haven't you been WL for a number of years now though? :hmm: Just curious. :)

No, I haven't been WL for that long now. I was able to reach WL spring of last year but I had trimmed back a cm because it was dry looking, and now since I've relaxed it has stretched to 2" below WL. :) That's okay, no problem. :D

It's been BSL for so long I guess because of a stall.

[Ylva]

Waist length is long, but not that long. I think it's shorter than the average hair here on the LHC, the average being maybe BCL?

If your hair is now the longest it's been to date, you have a very different perspective to this than people who have reached longer lengths. You're basing your assumptions about this on random people like friends and celebrities, and have no personal experience about whether or not you'll actually need to protect your hair/ends at some point or not. It might very well happen that you do need that later.

[milosmomma]

No, I haven't been WL for that long now. I was able to reach WL spring of last year but I had trimmed back a cm because it was dry looking, and now since I've relaxed it has stretched to 2" below WL. :) That's okay, no problem. :D

It's been BSL for so long I guess because of a stall.

From my understanding relaxing can be quite damaging. That combined with wearing down and all the friction could be causing a stall. No?

[lapushka]

From my understanding relaxing can be quite damaging. That combined with wearing down and all the friction could be causing a stall. No?

There are quite a number of relaxed ladies on here, also bottle blondes (and that's a chemical process too). I once had a few curly perms while growing my hair out on here (which I did from shoulder to hip no issue).

It's not always as "simple" as that.

Any chemical process has its issues!

[Dark40]

From my understanding relaxing can be quite damaging. That combined with wearing down and all the friction could be causing a stall. No?
Yes, relaxing can be quite damaging if you don't do it correctly. But I let my mom do my relaxers. So, I don't have any issues with breakage or damage. I really wish that I could go natural but my curls are entirely too thick to go natural. They are unmanageable. No, my hair isn't stalled anymore. Thank goodness! And like I said, I don't wear it down all of the time. Only sometimes when I'm going out.

[Dark40]

Waist length is long, but not that long. I think it's shorter than the average hair here on the LHC, the average being maybe BCL?

If your hair is now the longest it's been to date, you have a very different perspective to this than people who have reached longer lengths. You're basing your assumptions about this on random people like friends and celebrities, and have no personal experience about whether or not you'll actually need to protect your hair/ends at some point or not. It might very well happen that you do need that later.

That is true waist length isn't that long but it is still considered long. I've been doing my hair since 10 years old, when I had MBL as a child I never had to wear that length up all of the time to protect. Because, it never broke off, and my mother was the one taking good care of it. What do you mean I have a different perspective to this than people who have reached longer lengths? No, I do have personal experience knowing what my hair can handle and what it cannot handle whether it's down or up. I always keep my ends protect by the hair products I use. That's what oils and moisturizers are there for.

I know from my personal experience with extensions I used to wear. I know what it's like to have hip length and classic length hair, and with my extensions during the day when working I would wear it in a ponytail or a bun, and for sleeping I would braid it but there times when I wore it down. I know when it gets longer I won't have to always wear it up all of the time to protect it. It will always be protected by the hair products I use. That's what those kind of products are there for. What do you mean I have a different perspective to this than people who have reached longer lengths? I know that once I reach hip length and longer I won't need to always wear my hair up to protect it for length retention.

Wearing your hair up all of the time is not for everyone.

[Ylva]

That is true waist length isn't that long but it is still considered long. I've been doing my hair since 10 years old, when I had MBL as a child I never had to wear that length up all of the time to protect. Because, it never broke off, and my mother was the one taking good care of it. What do you mean I have a different perspective to this than people who have reached longer lengths? No, I do have personal experience knowing what my hair can handle and what it cannot handle whether it's down or up. I always keep my ends protect by the hair products I use. That's what oils and moisturizers are there for.

I know from my personal experience with extensions I used to wear. I know what it's like to have hip length and classic length hair, and with my extensions during the day when working I would wear it in a ponytail or a bun, and for sleeping I would braid it but there times when I wore it down. I know when it gets longer I won't have to always wear it up all of the time to protect it. It will always be protected by the hair products I use. That's what those kind of products are there for. What do you mean I have a different perspective to this than people who have reached longer lengths? I know that once I reach hip length and longer I won't need to always wear my hair up to protect it for length retention.

Wearing your hair up all of the time is not for everyone.

The extensions weren't always there. They just "hopped in". So that's not AT ALL comparable to real hair that you've grown out of your head.

What I mean about the perspective thing is that caring for waist length hair is way different than caring for hair that you can sit on. Hopefully you'll come to see this difference at some point.

Funny you should say "wearing your hair up all of the time is not for everyone", yet you made this thread about why people do x. I think you answered your own question there.

[spidermom]

I feel bad for you because of these responses to your question. I got somewhat of the same thing because I personally hate updoo’s and buns. Not a good look for me as it makes me look older. Waist length hair is considered long hair by most people. Mine is close to that length and I do the same thing as you. Ponytail when I need it out of the way, cooking, working out etc and pile on top of my head for sleeping. But jeez, if buns, braids are your thing, great. It’s not for everyone. I also think it’s not protective of hair either. So, lighten up on us who like our long hair down and free!

Well yeh, I think some of us have started to feel rather defensive. I've been a member here for more than 10 years, and never once have I seen a thread with a title like "why have long hair if you're never going to wear it up?" But there have been dozens of threads that ask "why have long hair if you always wear it up?" So let me get this straight - you're asking those of us who have long hair and choose to wear it up to lighten up? I think you down and free long hairs need to lighten up! Most of us have learned through experience that keeping it up and tucked away IS protective against common causes of damage.

[Ylva]

Yeah, I don't think anyone replying is saying that you're not allowed to wear your hair down or loose, or questioning it, or asking "why have long hair if you're always going to wear it down?". The up-doers were the ones in the position of needing to "defend" themselves and their choice.

[Crystawni]

And to flog the dead horse, there's the safety issues, and/or workplace requirements, and health issues (like I'd die of heat exhaustion if I wore mine down. :lol:). Oh, and dealing with grabby-hand babies while having long hair? Ouch. And of course, long hair worn down can be an unwanted distraction.

[milosmomma]

And to flog the dead horse, there's the safety issues, and/or workplace requirements, and health issues (like I'd die of heat exhaustion if I wore mine down. :lol:). Oh, and dealing with grabby-hand babies while having long hair? Ouch. And of course, long hair worn down can be an unwanted distraction.

LOL yes I can attest to grabby hand babies having a 1 year old son. And I can attest that sometimes said grabby hands are sticky and gross!
Thank you lapushka and dark40 for explaining relaxers a little better for me.

[Dark40]

LOL yes I can attest to grabby hand babies having a 1 year old son. And I can attest that sometimes said grabby hands are sticky and gross!
Thank you lapushka and dark40 for explaining relaxers a little better for me.

You're welcome milosmomma! You see, I have found this wonderful conditioning relaxer for my hair. It doesn't damage it or anything. It really relaxes and straightens my curls very straight, and I only relax my hair 3 or 4 times a year. I don't do it that often. I also color or dye as well but my hair is in top condition. Because, it condition it and use conditioning masks and deep conditioners a lot.