Tired of waiting for my hair to grow

[aforestfae]

I'm getting impatient with my hair, I was so close to waist and have ended up going back to bsl cause my hair needed shaping, it took me 7 months to go from just above bsl to 3" above waist and although I love the cut and my hair feels much better I really miss that bit of length I've lost. What can I do to avoid needing to get it cut too often and stop obsessing over length.
What does everyone do when they get tired of waiting to reach goal length?

[Larki]

I deep condition, I use pre-poo hair masks, I try new styles and new braids...all kinds of things!

[jacqueline101]

I practice benign neglect to keep me from worrying about it.

[NikitaRM]

I have the same thing! I'm trying the inversion method, today is day 1.

[Monkshood]

Put it up and forget about it. I have not gotten a haircut in ~three years, thanks to updos (and judicious S&D). Don't take pictures, don't measure. Just put it up. One day you'll take it down and you will have reached your goal length without even realizing it.

[hairpleasegrow]

I am in the same boat so I don't have much advice for you. When am I going to learn that if I want my hair to grow I need to stop cutting it. If it makes you feel any better at least you aren't SL like me! I would love to have bsl . I am sure your hair looks amazing. For me I am going to try wearing my hair up in different ways , I think having it down only makes me obsess about it. I say try to change one thing in your routine maybe that would help? You can't keep doing the same things with your hair expecting a different result

I need to look up this inversion method I keep hearing about!

[meteor]

I think waiting for hair to grow is one of the worst things one can do to one's sanity, since it's such a long-term project.
I agree with everyone else: benign neglect, putting it up and forgetting it, experimenting with new deep treatments and styles when I get bored with it are pretty helpful on this looooong road.

[MeowScat]

The best thing you can do is wear it up...all day and night. I've worn my hair in a bun for a few years now and it has helped tremendously. The only time it's down is when I wash and air dry it. I wear the bun on top of my head, it's easy to sleep with the bun resting on the satin pillowcase..

You'll only have to detangle once or twice a day with a wide tooth comb which saves you a lot of damage. Experimenting with different oils and conditioners might be a good idea. Maybe try a deep conditioning treatment every week or so.

I stopped checking the length because every time I did, I hated it. You're not alone in your frustration! :)

[julee]

I usually distract myself by buying a new hair-toy (that is perfect for my current length), stalking my favourite etsy shops, plan custom orders etc. Or I just immerse myself in real life and allow myself to become busy with all things non hair related :)

[RapunzelKat]

I would also recommend either benign neglect, or learning some new styles. If you really enjoy styling, maybe challenge yourself to try to do a different braid, bun, or updo every day for a week. I've done that a few time to help with hair boredom and it can be a lot of fun. :)

[LongCurlyTress]

Put it up and forget about it. I have not gotten a haircut in ~three years, thanks to updos (and judicious S&D). Don't take pictures, don't measure. Just put it up. One day you'll take it down and you will have reached your goal length without even realizing it.
This is probably THE BEST advice anyone could give! Thanks for the reminder that, "A watched pot never boils!" Good commonsense advice! ;) Cheers!!! ;)

[hairpleasegrow]

I hope you don't mind I am indulging myself here…

THE WAITING PLACE

by Dr. Seuss

Waiting for a train to go or a bus to come,
or a plane to go or the mail to come,
or the rain to go or the phone to ring,
or the snow to snow or waiting around for a Yes or No
or waiting for their hair to grow.

Everyone is just waiting.

Waiting for the fish to bite
or waiting for wind to fly a kite
or waiting around for Friday night

or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake
or a pot to boil, or a Better Break
or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants
or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.

Everyone is just waiting.

###

Excerpt from Oh, The Places You’ll Go! by Dr. Seuss

[spidermom]

I switch my focus to something else, like sewing or gardening. Watched hair doesn't seem to grow, although of course it is growing. It's just that you never see growth if you're checking out the length 9 times per day. Try not to look at the length for at least a month. Then you will see that it is growing.

[Johannah]

Put it up. And you can join this challenge (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=102). It did wonders for me.

[CindiAnnwynbri]

What if your length hasn't grown in a month?

[Dreams_in_Pink]

I can totally understand how you feel. My hair's waist length but i have an extreme case of tapering ends due to a salon experience three years ago. My natural thickness is at around APL and it makes me sad :( My solution is to get some pretty hair toys to keep it up all the time.

[StellaKatherine]

Takin photos is the worst thing anyone can do when growing hair... Everytime I look at photos I see I need to cut 2 inches off to get the hemline look thicker and healthier..... Best to just let it grow and not give any attention to it :)

[browneyedsusan]

Put it up and forget about it. I have not gotten a haircut in ~three years, thanks to updos (and judicious S&D). Don't take pictures, don't measure. Just put it up. One day you'll take it down and you will have reached your goal length without even realizing it.
Do this ^^^^ :)

[aforestfae]

Thank you :)
I will start wearing it up more, I have a huge list of hairstyles to try and this seems like the perfect opportunity. My hair is currently up in a braided bun inspired by the Elling woman bun but I'm having trouble keeping it in a braid, my hair just slips out.

[RapunzelKat]

What if your length hasn't grown in a month?

Put it up for another month then check again :) If you have a slower growth rate and wavy or curly hair, it can take more than a month for the growth to really be visible.


Thank you :)
I will start wearing it up more, I have a huge list of hairstyles to try and this seems like the perfect opportunity. My hair is currently up in a braided bun inspired by the Elling woman bun but I'm having trouble keeping it in a braid, my hair just slips out.

Have fun! :D New styles are always enjoyable, and the more you practice the easier it will get it get them to stay the way you'd like.

[queenovnight]

I think the best thing you can do is toss it in a bun, and forget it's even there. For me, providing extra care just makes me even more impatient. Also, RapunzelKat has the right idea.

[Inconella]

I switch to hanging out on skin care websites and worrying about my rosacea. Funny how my hair grows when I'm busy with that.

[Adiro]

Make sure that you have or discover a good hair care routine for yourself, and stick to it. Buy good tools, good brushes, good combs, good shampoo and conditioner, etc. and Then just care for your hair, but try to wear it down often ,because that leads to much damage, from wind, and styling, and friciton in general. so wear it up as much as you can, and ALWAYS up when in the house, or when sleeping. It does grow, problem is that it wears itself at the ends all the time

[missfaroe]

I know how you feel:(

I just challenged myself to wear my hair up for the next 6 months.. :o

[Sarahlabyrinth]

Just put it up and forget about it. That's the easiest way to make it grow. If LHCers chopped their hair off when they got impatient, then none of them would have long hair! So, the LHC solution - put it up and forget about it!

[Arete]

What if your length hasn't grown in a month?

Hair has a mind of it's own. Mine was growing in excess of an inch a month sept-dec, and then come january. my longest layer just was not growing, but my other layers continued to though a t a slightly slower pace. I was worried that my hem line was going to be in a lower case "n" shape because that stupid layer would. not. grow. It finally decided to start growing again in April, and I'm at hip length now.
Don't stress about it.

[Nadine <3]

Just put it up and forget about it. I find that when I put it in braids and buns and only washed it when it got dirty, and stuck it back into a braid or bun it seemed to grow so much faster because I just wasn't messing around with it and watching it... The last couple weeks I've been watching it to much and checking the length a lot and it has led to frustration and being hyper focused on it, so than I start putzing with it to much and doing more harm than good. I like wearing it down on wash day so it can dry, but the next three days it is up and out of the way until wash day again!

[skeletonous]

I can't put my hair up yet :lol: it's hard not to focus on it when I want it to get to shoulder length, and then eventually to classic and perhaps knee! :o Bandanas sort of help, but I don't wear one everyday.

[LongHairTalk]

Put it up and forget about it. I have not gotten a haircut in ~three years, thanks to updos (and judicious S&D). Don't take pictures, don't measure. Just put it up. One day you'll take it down and you will have reached your goal length without even realizing it.

This. I recently took down my hair and was surprised at how long it had gotten.

[cat-lady]

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[lapushka]

I'm getting impatient with my hair, I was so close to waist and have ended up going back to bsl cause my hair needed shaping, it took me 7 months to go from just above bsl to 3" above waist and although I love the cut and my hair feels much better I really miss that bit of length I've lost. What can I do to avoid needing to get it cut too often and stop obsessing over length.
What does everyone do when they get tired of waiting to reach goal length?

You can always take part in a no trimming challenge for the year. There's one going on every year on this forum. Join it! :)

[DancingGirl]

Focus on a hobby or something you really enjoy. That's what I've been doing to take my mind of of hoe slow my hair grows.

[aforestfae]

You can always take part in a no trimming challenge for the year. There's one going on every year on this forum. Join it! :)

:) I will have to try that, I did attempt not cutting my hair for a year after I ended up having too much cut off and only managed 7 months before i got bored with it

[skeletonous]

I too get impatient when I think about how long it's going to take me to get to TBL at least :hmm: ...I don't really regret cutting my hair to pixie, since I did have fun with it and was able to start fresh, but thinking about how long my hair was before cutting it makes me a little sad :lol: once I can bun it up I think it'll be a little easier to forget about.

[peachyleshy]

It is hard and frustrating to be impatient go hair to grow. The thing that's helping me right now is wearing it up; to either get my mind off the length or when I have the time to try out new hairstyles. And when I do wear it down I'm going to enjoy it. It might not be long, but it's still nice.
So you should enjoy your shaped and newly cut, fresh hair! I'm sure it's nice :) and since you almost got to waist length before you know how long it will take you to get there again.
Also I think getting a little cut here and there isn't so bad (as long as it doesn't take you too far from your goal) just to freshen your hair and your mind!
And then on a more negative note: waiting for your hair to grow longer is like wishing time would go by faster. It already goes fast enough! But I probably won't be 27 till I have waist length hair... And I don't wanna be 27 or wait till then to have long hair! Grr!

[catamonica]

You could try original mane & tail horse shampoo. From Wall Mart in the pet section. Or certain grocery stores. My hair grew fourteen inches. after years of no growth. I added two capfuls of olive oil to the shampoo. It took about ten months. June 09 to March 2010. It doesn't work for everyone. But it's worth a try.