Is this my terminal length?

[mamaherrera]

I was looking at some of my shed hairs, don't we all??? And I noticed a lot of mine shed out terminal (not cut) at 12-13 inches. Does that mean that's my terminal length? I also shed others that were 4-7 inches, but I figured those were from my edges, but these ones??

[gthlvrmx]

Every hair has their own terminal length. All hairs have different terminal lengths. Some hairs shed out when they are short, and some shed out when they are really long which is why people can grow to really long lengths (like classic or TBL). I doubt the most you can grow is 12-13 inches. Maybe those hairs that you notice shedding out at those lengths are from closer to your edges?

[Anje]

I've always shed some long hairs and some short hairs. I imagine that if you're shedding 12-13 inch hairs, it's because that's all the longer your hairs are right now, not because you're at terminal.

[mamaherrera]

I always do the range of sheds too, from 1 inch hairs to lots of 4-6 inch hairs, and I'd say like half my sheds are 12-15 inch hairs, (a total guesstimate) but my hair is not at waist length. I must have large areas of "short terminal" hairs.

[MINAKO]

my shed hairs are usually the longest. the ones i lose from close to the hairline are so little in number, i probably dont even notice them.

[Seeshami]

I shed from 4 inches to over 40, you're not terminal.

The shed hair counting and measuring is an unhealthy obsession please don't fall into it. You're gonna shed hair, you did when you were a baby and you will do it for your entire life. Your rate will change with seasons and stress and hormones. If you feel weird inside and notice a difference in shed go to your doctor other then that ignore it! Don't stress over shed or you'll shed more!

[lapushka]

Yes, I second what Seeshami said. Seems like every thread you post is an obsessive one; it's not healthy.

[Madora]

Before becoming concerned about whether your hair has reached terminal, wait for at least 5 years, then see where your hair length is.

[spidermom]

Agree with Seeshami and Madora. No use stressing over this. Take good care of your health and your hair over the years; you might be pleasantly surprised. Don't anticipate disappointment; it's hard enough to deal with when it happens.

I shed out hairs of all different lengths, but I know I can grow to just past classic length because I've done it.

[FoxyGhost]

Especially from my temples and nape I shed shorter hairs all the time and I'm a few inches from classic with no end in sight.

This is as long as some hairs ever get
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o143/JRembing/BC7EE753-A92A-44DF-81D8-8F6B0ACDFA54.jpg

[DreamSheep]

Mamaherrera - I want to give you a huuuuuuuge big hug and ask you to relax, and give you a cup of tea :) When I read your threads, I worry that you aren't enjoying your hair, and whether long, short, thick, thin, layered, one length, grey, hennad, bleached, virgin ... it is there to be enjoyed and a part of your personal pride. :)

This said, it is unlikely you have reached terminal - it is hard to ever know that, even after years the hair can grow even more. Sometimes growth stalls and then regains. Some people have short terminal lengths, but to be honest, I don't think you can know until you let it grow. :)

[hennalonghair]

I shed from 4 inches to over 40, you're not terminal.

The shed hair counting and measuring is an unhealthy obsession please don't fall into it. You're gonna shed hair, you did when you were a baby and you will do it for your entire life. Your rate will change with seasons and stress and hormones. If you feel weird inside and notice a difference in shed go to your doctor other then that ignore it! Don't stress over shed or you'll shed more!


Yes, I second what Seeshami said. Seems like every thread you post is an obsessive one; it's not healthy.Exactly. Very obsessed over hairloss.


Before becoming concerned about whether your hair has reached terminal, wait for at least 5 years, then see where your hair length is.


Agree with Seeshami and Madora. No use stressing over this. Take good care of your health and your hair over the years; you might be pleasantly surprised. Don't anticipate disappointment; it's hard enough to deal with when it happens.

I shed out hairs of all different lengths, but I know I can grow to just past classic length because I've done it.I agree! :thumbsup:


Especially from my temples and nape I shed shorter hairs all the time and I'm a few inches from classic with no end in sight.

This is as long as some hairs ever get
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o143/JRembing/BC7EE753-A92A-44DF-81D8-8F6B0ACDFA54.jpg
Hey Foxyghost:waving:
My hair is exactly the same. I've got an underlayer of hair that just doesn't grow very long at all , like Foxyghost, is pointing out, that just sheds. Its just what hair does. Some hairs have longer terminal length than others .
Very pretty hair:applause:

[mindwiped]

I have the same hairs at my temples as FoxyGhost...I've a wurly girl, and wear eye glasses, so I always have what my mother calls my wings. I also notice I rub my temples when I've got a migraine, so that creates friction damage, but while I'm in the middle of a bad migraine, I get tempted to pull a Britney Spears, and shave it...I swear my hair hurts with my worst migraines.

[gwenalyn]

I was looking at some of my shed hairs, don't we all??? And I noticed a lot of mine shed out terminal (not cut) at 12-13 inches. Does that mean that's my terminal length? I also shed others that were 4-7 inches, but I figured those were from my edges, but these ones??


Out of curiosity, how do you know they're not cut?

[mamaherrera]

Thanks foxy Ghost for sharing!! I definitely have those areas, and I know my "short terminal length" area is bigger than many peoples, so I'll just hope it all comes from there. I know they are not cut because they have a taper. I know, my short terminal length goes about an inch or two in, all my underside is like that. thanks for sharing!

[gwenalyn]

If they have a taper, maybe that just means they haven't been cut in a while, right?

[DreamSheep]

Thanks foxy Ghost for sharing!! I definitely have those areas, and I know my "short terminal length" area is bigger than many peoples, so I'll just hope it all comes from there. I know they are not cut because they have a taper. I know, my short terminal length goes about an inch or two in, all my underside is like that. thanks for sharing!

I don't think that means they are terminal - hair does that from wear and tear even when uncut. :)
I know a lot of my hairs have this, and all have probably been cut at some point.

[Anje]

If they have a taper, maybe that just means they haven't been cut in a while, right?

Yep. And everyone gets some as it gets longer, because you always have hairs growing that didn't start as early as the ones that go down to your hemline. How much you taper can be related to damage and rough handling too, though. Sometimes it's benign and sometimes less benign.

[mamaherrera]

so you mean having taper can mean it' had breakage, but not necessarily it's "original" taper?? That's an interesting thought, eh? I haven't thought of that one. If I'm understanding you guys right, like maybe it had a split end or breakage, so it looks tapered?? That would be good. Not good, but good in a sense. I do have three kids and I do lots of henna, so there is probably some rough handling involved.

[DreamSheep]

so you mean having taper can mean it' had breakage, but not necessarily it's "original" taper?? That's an interesting thought, eh? I haven't thought of that one. If I'm understanding you guys right, like maybe it had a split end or breakage, so it looks tapered?? That would be good. Not good, but good in a sense. I do have three kids and I do lots of henna, so there is probably some rough handling involved.

Yep, precisely! Many of my hairs are like that none are t terminal

[mamaherrera]

I gotta let you know DreamSheep, I tried it, I think, who knows if it's the same. But I grabbed a shed hair, (they're easy to find) and broke it in half, but it breaks and both ends look like "cut" hairs, not taper, they don't look thin at the end, but totally like cut hairs. Plus, I never seem to see "broken hairs/pieces" I am rough and tough with my henna, but I guess and hope my hair handles it, as I do it weekly, but no, I don't think my taper-hairs are "broken" I think they're really taper. i must have, like I said before, a large area all around my head of hair that has short terminal length. We'll see if I get past length, but my temples and sides all around my ears, like from my bangs downwards, all is short terminal growth, mostly
'll 'll

[DreamSheep]

I gotta let you know DreamSheep, I tried it, I think, who knows if it's the same. But I grabbed a shed hair, (they're easy to find) and broke it in half, but it breaks and both ends look like "cut" hairs, not taper, they don't look thin at the end, but totally like cut hairs. Plus, I never seem to see "broken hairs/pieces" I am rough and tough with my henna, but I guess and hope my hair handles it, as I do it weekly, but no, I don't think my taper-hairs are "broken" I think they're really taper. i must have, like I said before, a large area all around my head of hair that has short terminal length. We'll see if I get past length, but my temples and sides all around my ears, like from my bangs downwards, all is short terminal growth, mostly
'll 'll

It is taper, but from weathering. Rubbing on things, the ends getting caught on things - all of this makes the ends of one hair thin in that way - the erosion isn't strong and forceful to produce a clean cut, it just wears off the cuticle layers.
That said, you would probably have to expect 5+ years of no change in growth to determine if you are at terminal length. :)

[Marika]

I've never looked at my shed hairs (too obsessive IMHO) :shrug: I agree with others, it takes several years to determine if you're at terminal length. I'm 99 % sure you're not at terminal. Keep on growing! :)

[Wildcat Diva]

If any of your hairs have been trimmed during their lifetime on your head, then you can't really be at terminal length, can you? Because even if you were at terminal, your hair would just be that much longer from any inches you cut it since it started its journey on your head.

[Annalouise]

It is taper, but from weathering. Rubbing on things, the ends getting caught on things - all of this makes the ends of one hair thin in that way - the erosion isn't strong and forceful to produce a clean cut, it just wears off the cuticle layers.
That said, you would probably have to expect 5+ years of no change in growth to determine if you are at terminal length. :)

WHAT!? :D What is this? Rubbing your hair on things makes your individual hairs thin!
Now now, lets separate fact from fiction.
I am voting this as "fiction".:p

My goodness, hair is not THAT weak.

I am a person who's hair goes thinner as it reaches the end. This is GENETIC!!!

I can rub my head against the couch all night if I want, its not going to make my hair strands thinner!

Where did you get this idea from?

Chemical damage might, on the other hand, erode the cuticle for sure.

Hey - maybe you ARE right. I would like to hear some other opinions on this.:D

[trolleypup]

WHAT!? :D What is this? Rubbing your hair on things makes your individual hairs thin!
Now now, lets separate fact from fiction.
I am voting this as "fiction".:p

My goodness, hair is not THAT weak.

I am a person who's hair goes thinner as it reaches the end. This is GENETIC!!!

I can rub my head against the couch all night if I want, its not going to make my hair strands thinner!

Where did you get this idea from?

Chemical damage might, on the other hand, erode the cuticle for sure.

Hey - maybe you ARE right. I would like to hear some other opinions on this.:D
Given time and accumulated damage, the ends will be thinner than the root, although probably not to the point of visible tape at the tips.

If I take one of my full length sheds, now and then I'll find one with actual terminal taper in the last 1/2 inch...but if I compare the tip end to the root end, the tip is visibly thinner (10-25%), partially depigmented, has a different texture to the touch, and is much more likely to fracture when bent sharply. I blame this on ~8 years of simple mechanical wear.

[sophiamermaid]

Anaphase can be up to what, 7 years? on the scalp, so yeah, listen to Madora and give it some time! Have you never gone beyond 13" then? (One of my closest friends' hair just stops at about an inch above her shoulder no matter what she does [well, I don't think she's ever tried wearing it up 24/7 for years to protect it, but that's a bit excessive for her].)

[minaa]

Anagen phase can be longer for select people (that's how you get people with hair past way their feet--7 years at an average rate of half an inch/1-1.25 cm per month is only about 42 inches, and most adults are taller than this). I know we're talking about someone who is worried about reaching terminal, so I know that's not necessarily useful, just wanted to add that in. :)

Your hair can reach points at which it's seemingly stopped growing, also, where it just stalls out. I know people have talked about their hair not being at terminal length, but having a long period of no growth. Stress, body changes, diet... all of this comes into play.

That being said, others have made some very good points. Your hair will, through a long time of mechanical wear, taper naturally toward the end of the strand. Taper does not necessarily mean your hair has split, but has it experienced wear? Most definitely. It's rubbing up against thousands of like strands that are scaley. While we'd hope for all of your hair strands to be in perfect condition, it's likely that it isn't, especially if this is your first time growing out and taking much more consideration about care than you used to. Even so, it's something that will show some wear and tear by existing as you move through the world and do different things to it.

Telogen phase (shed) happens whether or not we want it to, but it can be affected by a number of factors. Hormone levels/thyroid activity can play a big part in it, as can stress.

[DreamSheep]

WHAT!? :D What is this? Rubbing your hair on things makes your individual hairs thin!
Now now, lets separate fact from fiction.
I am voting this as "fiction".:p

My goodness, hair is not THAT weak.

I am a person who's hair goes thinner as it reaches the end. This is GENETIC!!!

I can rub my head against the couch all night if I want, its not going to make my hair strands thinner!

Where did you get this idea from?

Chemical damage might, on the other hand, erode the cuticle for sure.

Hey - maybe you ARE right. I would like to hear some other opinions on this.:D

My hair strands are very fine as they are, so most erosion simply destroys them (or splits them), but mechanical wear over time does build up and rubs off layers of the cuticle. You and I both have fine strands, so we probably don't have many layers of cuticle on our shaft, so often when some is rubbed off the hair will be too fragile and snap off. If a long hair and a short hair I shed come out, I find that the long hair there is a clear transition from nice thickness at the root, and over time it gets depigmented and considerably thinner. I don't think it grew out of my hair so thin, but given it's been in the open for 4-5 years, then it has had a chance to rub on plenty of things and erode itself. It's quite a long term process, things weather. The short hair however will have much less taper because I've learnt how to look after my hair and it hasn't been out to be weathered for as long.

Some splits, one side will break off and the the side will remain, also leaving a tapered end.

[DreamSheep]

*oops double post* :S