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LauraLongLocks
May 24th, 2014, 09:41 PM
Do you measure around the base of the ponytail over the top of the elastic, or do you slide your measuring tape out just a bit so that you measure only the hair coming out of the ponytail? I'm confused, and have been told more than once that my hair is thick?! I never thought it was thick before online hair forums. So, help me out here, because when I take the measurement over the top of the elastic, it's 9.0-9.5 cm circumference, but when taken without the additional thickness given by the elastic, it is 7.0 cm.

Larki
May 24th, 2014, 09:45 PM
I measure the hair, not the ponytail with the hairband added. It wouldn't make sense to do it with the hairband included in the thickness.

Valkyriejae
May 24th, 2014, 09:56 PM
Ditto on not including the hairband - I put the tapemeasure just below it.

ooglipoo
May 24th, 2014, 09:56 PM
The thicker the ponytail holder, the thicker your circumference would be, and that doesn't really seem fair.

You'd be cheating if you used the measurement with the holder...

Aderyn
May 24th, 2014, 09:57 PM
I also measure only the hair and don't include the elastic, as part of the measured thickness would thus be the elastic, which is not actually hair.

Also, ponytail circumference isn't the sole indicator of thickness. Since your hair tends to be on the finer side, you probably do have relatively thick hair.

LauraLongLocks
May 24th, 2014, 10:25 PM
Alright, so the verdict is in... my ponytail circumference is 7.0 cm, a very solid ii, not anywhere near a iii thickness, lol. I didn't think mine was thick!

ETA: I moved the ponytail to the front/top of my head so that I could include my bangs. It's 7.5 cm, not 7.0 cm. Yay! An extra half centimeter. I'll take it.

divinedobbie
May 24th, 2014, 11:36 PM
See, I told you your hair looked thick! I'm not going crazy :). I noticed you haven't been on the "fine and thin" thread, I hope it's not because of what I said. Do pop in :flower:

P.S. I slide my elastic up and then measure right underneath it.

Toffeemonster
May 25th, 2014, 12:31 AM
Thanks I was confused about this myself!

Dessi
May 25th, 2014, 12:35 AM
I measure ONLY the hair. But I've seen people that measure hair+elastic and claim that's the right way to do it.

Wosie
May 25th, 2014, 03:12 AM
Measuring one's hair with an elastic on top of it would add a noteable amount of circumference that isn't really there. I've never heard of anybody doing that before. :hmm:

Marika
May 25th, 2014, 04:16 AM
I also measure just the hair. My ponytail circumference is 9 cm and not a single soul (myself included) would say that my hair is thick. For me it's just another classifier, it really doesn't tell that much. Other people look mainly the hair length. I have lots of taper which makes my hair look thinner than it is. Laura, you have practically no taper and your hair does look thick! :)

MINAKO
May 25th, 2014, 05:05 AM
I think measuring with the tape around the hair is wrong in itself, I tie a loose pony on top then bring a piece of dental floss or stron yarn around the base and pull like mad as close to the scalp as i can get, so all the air is out of the hair. Then i ask someone to mark with a pencil where the yarn overlaps. Take it out, but on a table to measure, it hardly varies for me and has always been very close to 12,3cm (4.85") ever since i started doing this.
Biringing a tape around an elastic sure is not way to classify hair, neither is it to count the actual air from curly or poufyness as circumference.

two_wheels
May 25th, 2014, 05:21 AM
I measure around the hair alone too. For me it's a measure of thickness x compressibility rather than thickness alone, and useful for guessing what sort of updos are possible at what length. Mine is 3.25" but I don't have that many strands, sort of the opposite of "fine but lots of it"!

You can measure however you want, but at the end of the day your hair is what it is.

florenonite
May 25th, 2014, 05:53 AM
I measure around the hair alone too. For me it's a measure of thickness x compressibility rather than thickness alone, and useful for guessing what sort of updos are possible at what length.

I just gather my hair into a ponytail in my hand and squeeze the tape measure around it for this reason. I always come in at between a little over 4" and 4.25", which seems about right, considering I'm 2" above waist and I have enough hair for, uh, a disc bun. Perhaps if I squeezed it with dental floss I'd come in at under 4", but if I did that then I'd be constantly disappointed at how much more length I need to do certain styles. Considering myself as a iii, well, I just know I'm going to have to wait.

Weewah
May 25th, 2014, 06:09 AM
I think we should figure out an equation to measure thickness that takes our hair types into account. Like the fineness/coarseness of your individual strands will determine a multiplier for you to multiply by your ponytail measurement to give a more accurate estimate of your true thickness/density.

duchess67
May 25th, 2014, 06:23 AM
I measure only the hair. Bring the pony holder down a bit, I then tighten the tape measure around the hair. Measurement remains the same, never budged which is around 3" to 3.1". It varies a bit on freshly washed hair, measures a bit more. I have thin/fine hair and lots of taper, growing out layers is a pain.

Laura, hardly has any taper which makes it beautiful, looks thick too.

two_wheels
May 25th, 2014, 06:57 AM
Laura's hair is beautiful and I love the shape. To me, iii hair with as little taper as that tends to look like a cape at that length. I guess there's a difference between iii and "thick-healthy"- Laura, yours looks beautiful and thick-healthy to me :blossom:

Henna Girl
May 25th, 2014, 08:42 AM
I measure under the pony holder also. You have to keep into consideration that fine hair tends to be more dense especially if it is straight, when I curl my hair the circumference gets bigger than when I leave my hair straight. In my opinion, the circumference classifier is only a number and doesn't really say much about the real thickness of the hair. I agree that your hair really looks thick - and beautiful! ;)

MINAKO
May 25th, 2014, 09:22 AM
I personally think it says alot, but texture and taper has to be considered as well.

LauraLongLocks
May 25th, 2014, 01:58 PM
So, it's the lack of taper that makes it seem thick to others? Okay, I'll go with that. Thank you, all, this wasn't intended as a way to rake in compliments, though I do appreciate them very much. When I take down my hair tonight, I'll remeasure by sliding the ponytail holder down a bit and going right at the scalp, AND I'll include my bangs. :)

MINAKO
May 25th, 2014, 02:10 PM
I think hair tht has nextto no taper at least in the upper 3/4 is generally percieved as healthy and therefore full enough, the balance fits as opposed to someone who has insanely thick hair at the roots and hardly any at the bottom, or someone with very sparse hair but extensions for days somewhere down the length. As long as it covers the back when you brush it out its fine i guess, and bexond that we it's impossible to tell anything from a picture, especially when it hangs very straight and doesn't fan out. So i really think the circumference classifier makes sense for comparison, the problem is not the number, it's always wanting more in reaction to someone with way beyond average thickness. Sometimes i wold look at someone with an inch less and think, "wow, so much hair!" being worried about keeping up, it's not actually the case, i just rarely take pictures to see it from the back, lol.

Remi
May 25th, 2014, 03:19 PM
You only measure the hair-not the pony holder. That way it accurately measures the hair and you are not measuring the hair band.

divinedobbie
May 25th, 2014, 05:51 PM
Some people mentioned that tightly wrapping floss or yarn, marking it off and then measuring the distance between the pen marks might be more accurate. I tried that and I got exactly the same number as when wrapping the tape measure. I'm relieved I haven't been living a lie for the past months :lol:

longhairedlady
May 25th, 2014, 08:00 PM
I measure just my hair. Also when my hair is greasy and dirty its about 4 inches. When its clean and not greasy, I am about 5.75 inches. My hair is mostly course strands. It was wavy when it was shorter, but now the longer it gets the straighter it lays. I think alot plays into the circumference. How dry/oily it is, the spot where you measure (if you have bangs). I am sure other stuff can change your circumference that I havent thought of.