surprising changes as hair grows longer

[chen bao jun]

Ok, so I found this old thead.
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=110147
to my surprise and embarrassment it is full of advice from ME to some poor soul. The reason I was surprised and embarrassed was because I found the thread while doing a search on what a person could do about their hair braiding itself at the bottom while they french-braided, because this is now happening to me.
I didn't realize when I wrote all the advice in the thread copied above that it wasn't happening to me because my hair at APL was too short to have ends to wrap around themselves. Now, at a bit below BSL, the ends are long enough to do that and they DO.
While I can handle this problem, especially after reading advice on that thread from Madora and Curly Cap (who actually knew what they were talking about)what other things that you never thought could happen now happen when your hair is longer?
I am just waiting for split ends to appear--I've never had those, but on the other, when you've never had long hair, you actually don't know anything about long hair problems.

[Aurum]

This is an interesting thread. I too had trouble keeping braid sections apart when my hair started getting longer.
So many day-to-day things have to be considered now that I have long hair that were never a problem before. I have to make sure all of my hair is in the car before closing the door. When I dry my hair I have to put it over my shoulder so my back isn't soaked when I sit on the couch. When I go to sleep, I have to arrange my hair perfectly or braid it to contain it. Don't want to get strangled in the middle of the night. :) Not to mention the pains of backpack straps, purses, coats, clothing in general... you get my point. When you become a "long hair," your entire way of life changes!

[meteor]

* Self-braiding is a problem... and it only gets worse. But at the same time, braided buns are so good for staying tangle-free.
* Also, as hair grows longer, sectioning along the scalp becomes harder (crown braids, French/Dutch braids, etc).
* More generally speaking, all hair manipulation becomes a bit cumbersome and produces more tangles.
* Tangling is an issue, but texture is probably a more important factor than length.
* The weight of hair when it's wet is going to become more and more problematic (hair absorbs 30% - 45% of its weight in water).

But overall, they are really not serious problems at all and I find long hair AMAZING and totally worth it, regardless! :D

[chen bao jun]

Oh, yeah, I love my longer hair (its not actually LONG yet) and want it to grow more. But some things are definitely different and I didn't expect them. Not only don't I have long hair but I really know very people who do.
The only one that really bothers me is that my hair takes so very long to dry now.

[molljo]

For me, I think the whole idea of it getting caught on things will really take me by surprise, even though I hear that problem echoed here all the time. I've never had long hair, so I think the first time this happens I'll feel like I've really *arrived* you know?

[AmyBeth]

A change that surprised me is feeling the weight of my hair. Pre LHC, I had waist-ish hair but it was so fine and thin with raggedy ends, and I never felt it on my back, even when it was wet. About a year ago, with good care (and henna) my hair got to hip length and I actually felt the weight of it in the shower for the first time. I was so euphoric! A couple of days ago(at just shy of BCL), I took it out of an updo and actually felt the weight while dry. I never thought I could experience that feeling. I actually long for the self braiding to happen, because, try though I did, I could never get my thin damaged hair past my waist pre LHC.

[Kina]

Ok, so I found this old thead.
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=110147
to my surprise and embarrassment it is full of advice from ME to some poor soul. The reason I was surprised and embarrassed was because I found the thread while doing a search on what a person could do about their hair braiding itself at the bottom while they french-braided, because this is now happening to me.
I didn't realize when I wrote all the advice in the thread copied above that it wasn't happening to me because my hair at APL was too short to have ends to wrap around themselves. Now, at a bit below BSL, the ends are long enough to do that and they DO.
While I can handle this problem, especially after reading advice on that thread from Madora and Curly Cap (who actually knew what they were talking about)what other things that you never thought could happen now happen when your hair is longer?
I am just waiting for split ends to appear--I've never had those, but on the other, when you've never had long hair, you actually don't know anything about long hair problems.

Well, I've been meaning to send you a message thanking you for some advice you gave me a while back on managing my hair (which has been below bra strap for most of my life) because of you, i can get up in the morning, shake my hair out of it's clips and go on about my day.

You suggested wetting my hair, putting whatever product I liked in and putting it up for the night. Because of that, my curls are refreshed and my hair looks nice when I take it down in the morning.

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE I CAN DO THIS!

Huge change and improvement for me.

now, I can't french braid my hair anymore because of the length and the resultant tangles, but I can look at least as a normal as possible for me again and don't have to run around with "despeinada" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DCBSI5m8fY) as my theme song any more.

[browneyedsusan]

For me, I think the whole idea of it getting caught on things will really take me by surprise, even though I hear that problem echoed here all the time. I've never had long hair, so I think the first time this happens I'll feel like I've really *arrived* you know?

:agree:

I think it's a bit bothersome when it gets trapped between my back and a chair back, especially when I'm driving. I didn't see that coming. :)

[Cheyne]

*Sigh* I was hoping chen was going to tell us about super strength or invisibility that comes with longer hair. :magic:

I never thought that my braid would get caught in my belt when I was getting dressed, or that I would have to hang my hair over the top of the chair back and let the fan dry it enough so the back of my p.j.'s aren't soaking wet after washing.

[LauraLongLocks]

* Self-braiding is a problem... and it only gets worse. But at the same time, braided buns are so good for staying tangle-free.
* Also, as hair grows longer, sectioning along the scalp becomes harder (crown braids, French/Dutch braids, etc).
* More generally speaking, all hair manipulation becomes a bit cumbersome and produces more tangles.
* Tangling is an issue, but texture is probably a more important factor than length.
* The weight of hair when it's wet is going to become more and more problematic (hair absorbs 30% - 45% of its weight in water).

But overall, they are really not serious problems at all and I find long hair AMAZING and totally worth it, regardless! :D

The part about ALL hair manipulation becoming more cumbersome and producing more tangles, and the one about sectioning... I think that's why I keep going to the same bun over and over again lately. It's just easier and less tangly.

If I forget and take my hair down before changing clothes, I am learning to put it right back up until I am done. Getting caught in the bra all the time, or having to arch my back and lean my neck way back to keep it off my back while I'm putting on my bra is not fun. It's nearly to my pants waistband, and as I go through my pregnancy and pull out all my full-panel maternity pants, I will definitely have hair to my pants, lol. Soon I'll have the waistband as another problem while getting dressed. So, yes, keep my hair UP while changing clothes.

[woodswanderer]

I have to have a hair stick or something available at all times in case of unexpected wind.

[Sarahlabyrinth]

Just wanted to interject here and say Woodswanderer that you new siggy is awesome! (again:)). How did you do that updo on the right?

[darklyndsea]

The first time I had long (classic+) hair, it was how irritating it eventually got to move it out of the way all the time.

This time, it's how easy it is to keep out of the way. I don't even have to put it up! I can just drape it over my shoulders! It also gets curlier after it reaches a certain length, which is pretty strange.

[CurlyCap]

Chen, it's a bit frustrating but also very cool. And I think as long as a person give the best advice they know on a thread, all is forgiven with time as long as no one person INSISTS that they know everything.

For instance, I've posted a LOT in the kinky 4 thread about my difficulty maintaining twists, even though people said again and again that they were a great way to keep very curly hair from tangling without having to do a lot of manipulation. I did not believe them and said otherwise.

Now, I'm at BCL and have been consistenly wearing my hair in twists for about 2 weeks. It IS easier that way.....when my hair reached the right length for it.

Things like this is why we have a forum and not gurus. :flower:

[MINAKO]

Well, i don't wear it down often, but being in the shower and having my hair down my back running along with the water is now soooo weitd, because you can imagine where it gets between at past tailbone... like whaaat? :confused:;)

[PerkyCurlz]

* The weight of hair when it's wet is going to become more and more problematic (hair absorbs 30% - 45% of its weight in water).


So I should weight myself before showering - especially if I plan to ger my hair wet. :cool:

[ravenreed]

Length really does make a difference! I just trimmed six inches off my hair and the difference in ease of handling is insane. My buns and braids don't pull as much and braiding is a dream now. Also, my hair was looking so slicked back because the bun was so heavy, and now it looks more normal. I might trim back even further. I think I got wrapped up in the quest to see how long I could grow but I stopped enjoying the process at some point and didn't even realize it.

[MINAKO]

Length really does make a difference! I just trimmed six inches off my hair and the difference in ease of handling is insane. My buns and braids don't pull as much and braiding is a dream now. Also, my hair was looking so slicked back because the bun was so heavy, and now it looks more normal. I might trim back even further. I think I got wrapped up in the quest to see how long I could grow but I stopped enjoying the process at some point and didn't even realize it.

That's great you realized that happyness should be the most important result to our hard work! Glad you love your hair even more after the trim. I'm sure it's super healthy now (not that it wasn't healthy before, but you know, awww freshly cut ends do feel great indeed)

:slap: I do want to try fairy tale ends at my current legth but keep dusting simply because it feels so awesome and tangle free. Just have to make sure its still softly tapered and gradually turns into a V shape.

[PraiseCheeses]

Ok, so I found this old thead.
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=110147
to my surprise and embarrassment it is full of advice from ME to some poor soul. The reason I was surprised and embarrassed was because I found the thread while doing a search on what a person could do about their hair braiding itself at the bottom while they french-braided, because this is now happening to me.
I didn't realize when I wrote all the advice in the thread copied above that it wasn't happening to me because my hair at APL was too short to have ends to wrap around themselves. Now, at a bit below BSL, the ends are long enough to do that and they DO.
While I can handle this problem, especially after reading advice on that thread from Madora and Curly Cap (who actually knew what they were talking about)what other things that you never thought could happen now happen when your hair is longer?
I am just waiting for split ends to appear--I've never had those, but on the other, when you've never had long hair, you actually don't know anything about long hair problems.

:lol: This made me chuckle - I have a distinct memory of posting updo advice when I first joined - to someone with iii thickness hair. *facepalm* Oy! I didn't read the thread you linked, but after having been here a while I'm deeply appreciative of all the different perspectives represented here - especially those of the newcomers who haven't become as entrenched in LHC thought. And I've always enjoyed your posts; they are consistently interesting and articulate and I learn something nearly every time you set fingers to keyboard. :)


Just wanted to interject here and say Woodswanderer that your new siggy is awesome! (again:)). How did you do that updo on the right?

:agree: Ditto! I love your hair. And I'm very curious about the updo in the center.... :popcorn:


Chen, it's a bit frustrating but also very cool. And I think as long as a person give the best advice they know on a thread, all is forgiven with time as long as no one person INSISTS that they know everything.

For instance, I've posted a LOT in the kinky 4 thread about my difficulty maintaining twists, even though people said again and again that they were a great way to keep very curly hair from tangling without having to do a lot of manipulation. I did not believe them and said otherwise.

Now, I'm at BCL and have been consistenly wearing my hair in twists for about 2 weeks. It IS easier that way.....when my hair reached the right length for it.

Things like this is why we have a forum and not gurus. :flower:

BCL!?!?! Seriously?!? You have some speedy (and lovely!) curls there! Congrats!


As far as my own surprises go... it was really strange when it got to hip length and started getting caught between my elbows and body when it was down. I'm very surprised that washing upside-down (provided I thoroughly detangle first) still works best for me. Buns work differently for me now - they have gone in and out of being comfortable. A one-stick lazy wrap is very stable and comfortable now, but it went through a phase when I couldn't get it to work. A nautilus bun with two sticks is awesome at present - but one stick is very uncomfortable. Getting my hair caught in my chinrest barrels while in rest position in rehearsal is admittedly career-specific, but no less a surprise. Not so much a surprise: due to the fineness of my hair, the weight pulls out my 2c/3a texture from APL up. It's not even particularly heavy!! I have 1b hair to APL, then 2lol hair to waist, and then 3a to the ends. WTF. On the bright side, braid waves are finally starting to look decent.

[chen bao jun]

Kina, I'm so glad if something I said helped you!
Curlycap, I'm glad you're enjoying twists. I'm another type 3 (though much tighter than you) and I have trouble with twists too. I was able to do some a couple of days again as 'rope braids'. the extra twisting really helped it to stay (and I was able to do my first rose bun--yay!) It's interesting that you can do them at hip length, maybe if I ever get there....
Praise cheeses, thanks for the nice compliment.
It's definitely a journey of discovery, not only do different things work at different lengths but also different hairtoys. Fascinating.

[Beborani]

For me it is rediscovery of weight while gaining length this time around as I have had long thin hair a few times in adulthood--it was practically weightless even beyond tailbone-and nothing like long thick hair I had as a teen. I am still a long way away from there but even this thickness at this length is 'new' for me and I am relishing it. The surprising challenge came last couple of times while washing--now getting to the scalp through the hair has become difficult and for the first time I understand what my mother used to complain about when she used to wash my hair. Ah this is not really about long hair but more hair.

[Dragon Faery]

I love threads like this! The practical day-to-day aspects of long hair are always what interest me the most. Is that weird? :cheese:

I'm getting to the length (BCL+) where I MUST have it up while sleeping. I forgot last night, until I was too tired to braid it, and ended up wearing a figure 8 bun with a slippery knitting needle all night, which meant it slipped out several times and got a bit tangled. I didn't expect my hair to ever aspire to the legendary grabbiness and hunger of some of the ladies on here (whose hair can eat small children and all manner of unsuspecting office supplies), but when I stood up from the couch just now my hair decided to take a throw pillow with it.

And that's a milestone, so here I am to post about it. :cheese:

[Madora]

Not exactly surprising but anyway...combing and brushing knee length hair takes a bit of doing..because I like to do it in one swipe only. However, I've found a few stragems that worked, so I'm a happy camper.

[MaryRose]

I have heard about knots appearing at the ends caused by sheds that tangle with the still attached hair. I have never had to deal with this until recently when my hair hit waist. And splits, I didn't even know what one looked like. The surprise with long hair is the ease of care. No styling is needed now that my hair has past BSL. I just finger comb and put my hair is a pony tail or bun.

[chen bao jun]

Laughing at the hair picking up the pillow.
I still don't have split ends. However fairy knots drive me crazy.
Madora, want to share your stratagems?

[Hele]

I have heard about knots appearing at the ends caused by sheds that tangle with the still attached hair.

ha, i had forgotten how bad this gets when my hair gets long enough! I'll think i'm combing out a simple tangle and this massive hairball comes out that was causing the tangle (this is especially true since i'm washing my hair less than i used to). And shower sheds look insane...i've always been a heavy shedder so i assume it's not more hair, just longer hair that makes it look like a rat drowned in my shower as opposed to the drowned mouse i used to find.

[meteor]

ha, i had forgotten how bad this gets when my hair gets long enough! I'll think i'm combing out a simple tangle and this massive hairball comes out that was causing the tangle (this is especially true since i'm washing my hair less than i used to). And shower sheds look insane...i've always been a heavy shedder so i assume it's not more hair, just longer hair that makes it look like a rat drowned in my shower as opposed to the drowned mouse i used to find.

Goodness, yes! :) I get one of those every other day! I'm kind of used to it now, but it didn't happen in shorter hair... it's amazing to produce a tangled hair ball out of hair when you are combing. :lol:

[PraiseCheeses]

I have heard about knots appearing at the ends caused by sheds that tangle with the still attached hair. I have never had to deal with this until recently when my hair hit waist. And splits, I didn't even know what one looked like. The surprise with long hair is the ease of care. No styling is needed now that my hair has past BSL. I just finger comb and put my hair is a pony tail or bun.

This has happened to me a few times! It was quite a surprise.

I may or may not have swished my head back and forth a few times, thinking "I have one hair at knee length!" :lol:

[CurlyCap]

I have heard about knots appearing at the ends caused by sheds that tangle with the still attached hair.

THIS. This is entirely new to me and driving me CRAZY.

[CurlyCap]

Double post.

[Caraid♫]

what was most surprising for me was how hot long hair is (in the summer at least). Of course you hear people say they have to keep their hair up in the summer because of this, but you think they're exaggerating or something until you have hair long enough to experience it. when my hair is down in summer, it literally feels like I have a sweater or blanket on my back and I can feel the sweat down my back! Ickkk
And the the amount it gets caught in things was truly unforeseen! In between your elbows, in fans, people will start walking away with your hair stuck to something they're carrying.. It's crazy!
Also, going outdoors with my hair down makes it so tangly it's almost never worth it!
But on a positive note, I was surprised when I found that hair forks actually can hold an updo securely, I guess I just needed more length. Also I was surprised at how much bigger my bun really did get from more length, and how amazing it is to watch thickness travel down my braid!
(my hair is almost tbl btw)

[LadyCelestina]

Hehe,chen bao jun,I immediately thought about that thread when I read your post.The small things I actually remember...and the important things I forget then.


I'm also a bit embarrassed since I can French and Dutch braid relatively well now and found my way around the tangle issues (i claw clip it so it doesn't unbraid and detangle).It also helps that I
no longer have as much damage at the ends

[chen bao jun]

Hey, Lady Celestina, that's good to know.
I don't get the hair ball coming out when I detangle--yet (see I'm learning). I jsut get single shed hairs right now.
I always found that my hair made my head hot in summer, because it's thick. that's one reason I 'need' long hair--it has to be at least long enough for me to put up so that I don't get heat stroke.

[RandiLynn]

The biggest surprise for me has been the discovery of (slight but still there) waves- I'd always lamented having straight hair that refused to take and hold any kind of heated curling. My ends are now so much lighter than my roots too, which I'd not noticed any other time. Also I've gone to pull a hair out of my mouth that I thought was a shedder and turned out to still be attached. That one was fun.

[LauraLongLocks]

Something that has bothered me since my hair was long enough to bun... head rests causing me to have to look downward so that my bun doesn't get mushed. I hate head rests! I get a neck ache from them.

[LongHairLesbian]

Those sheds that hang down past the rest of your hair but are tangled up and won't come free are THE WORST. I know they are no longer attached to my head, but the little suckers insist on hanging firmly on, like they don't want to go down without a fight. Praise Cheesus you had me laughing with that "I have one hair at knee length!" line, haha. :D I'll have to remember that light hearted perspective next time I find a tangled shed.

Full disclosure, I don't shave my legs very often... with that said, does anyone find that they are starting to find hairs that are stuck to your knees or calves? I'm nowhere near knee length, but I find that the longer my hair gets, the more likely I am to find sheds that get stuck to my legs. It is the weirdest feeling in the world, like when you get a hair stuck on your arm and can't find it (blonde and fine problems) except it's your LEGS :confused:

[PraiseCheeses]

Those sheds that hang down past the rest of your hair but are tangled up and won't come free are THE WORST. I know they are no longer attached to my head, but the little suckers insist on hanging firmly on, like they don't want to go down without a fight. Praise Cheesus you had me laughing with that "I have one hair at knee length!" line, haha. :D I'll have to remember that light hearted perspective next time I find a tangled shed.

Full disclosure, I don't shave my legs very often... with that said, does anyone find that they are starting to find hairs that are stuck to your knees or calves? I'm nowhere near knee length, but I find that the longer my hair gets, the more likely I am to find sheds that get stuck to my legs. It is the weirdest feeling in the world, like when you get a hair stuck on your arm and can't find it (blonde and fine problems) except it's your LEGS :confused:

Oh goodness, this! I'll be in the shower and suddenly there'll be an invisible hair wrapped around my leg and I'm swatting and scraping at my body all "GERROFF ME GERROFF ME AT LEAST SHOW YOURSELF YOU STUPID HAIR!!" Ah, so this is what it feels like to go crazy. :p

I was thinking about this thread the other day, and I remember being really surprised that I couldn't maintain the same growth rate I had when I joined at collarbone. My hair grew more than an inch the first month I was here, and I was all excited and calculated I'd be at knee by the time I was 30. Yeeaahhhh... about that. I had a couple long stalls and now, at BCL, my gain rate is about 1/4 inch a month. It's perfectly obvious in retrospect, but growth rate =/= gain rate, and gain rate typically slows as more hairs shed out upon reaching their particular terminal. Hemline maintenance is a lot harder. Grumble.

[chen bao jun]

Laura LL, I do that untwisted bun when I have to ride in a car with a headrest, especially for a long time. I got such a neck ache that I had to do physical therapy so I had to think of something! There's a video around from Cinnamon hair that shows how to do it, but basically you do not twist your bun and pin it to your head with little claw clips and it stays super secure and its soft enough to lean your head back. I'll see if I can find a link for you.
It's seen me safe through 7 or 8 hour car trips.

Something that has bothered me since my hair was long enough to bun... head rests causing me to have to look downward so that my bun doesn't get mushed. I hate head rests! I get a neck ache from them.

[chen bao jun]

I can't find the video, it's not by Cinammon hair. But basically you give your hair one twist, secure it to your head with a small claw clip and keep pinning the hair down with more claw clips without twisting it any more. Making sure the claw clips are on their sides, so that you can lean against them. You don't need many claw clips, I can use two, but my hair isn't long, you might need three or four. I did learn it from a video somewhere. Maybe someone else can chime in.

[LauraLongLocks]

I would love to see a tutorial on it if anyone finds it. Thanks, Chen.

[Adiro]

The longer my hair gets, the less i think about its color and the more i think about its texture