Extreme length : what keeps you growing on ?

[Mimha]

Hello dear fellow hair-growers and long hair lovers !

I assume we are all long hair lovers in here, so I can ask the question that tackles my curiosity without being afraid it to be considered intrusive. My question is what motivation keeps someone growing her/his hair to such an extend that it obviously becomes a hindrance to the freedom of movement ? Because let's admit it : super-duper long hair requires a tremendous time and dedication to be maintained, and to avoid it getting caught in things, stepped upon, or damaged in any way. I don't even mention the unwanted attention it may attract. OK, when one loves, one doesn't count, right ? BUT... when hair becomes so long that it can hardly be enjoyed loose anymore, and so heavy that it also becomes a problem to do it up, what is the motivation to keep it that long or grow it even longer ?

I don't want to say it's absurd or borderline at all : I love amazingly long hair (if not looking unkempt) and find it totally fascinating !... I just would like to know what satisfaction the extreme length gives that motivates the owner to keep on supporting it. What is THE thing that makes your hair more precious than your freedom of movement ? It must be very powerful if I trust the extreme rarity of "motivated enough" people ! Indeed, I think that people who could achieve extreme length (beyond knees) are not so rare, but people who are ready to let it grow so long definitely are. :eye:

I remember when my hair was flirting with classic length : I'd have to think about plenty of things that ordinary haired people would not even figure out, among which the most problematic for me was swimming. I love going to the swimming pool or to the beach, but chlorine, salt and sun are not really hair friendly. How to protect my hair ? How not to mess up my washing rhythm ? How to avoid endless drying after each bath ? (I hate swim caps and I love to feel the water on my head, lol). Etc. etc. And at work : how to avoid my hair getting caught in things and damaged by the chair back if I let it down ? How to avoid detangling it twenty times a day when down and still look decent ? And in the train : how to sit comfortably with a huge bun ?? (grrrr !!!). And at home : how to wash it easily and dry it quickly ? How not to spend ages in detangling ?... Of course, throughout the years you guess I have developed efficient strategies (which I'm not going to explain here : I'm not looking for hair advices in this thread), but I have to admit that at a certain length, strategies are all very well but you still have 3, 5, 10 or more times hair than a normal person to deal with, and this IS fastidious and time consuming. I don't even talk about "bad hair days", when the endless-one doesn't want to comply !!^^

One day my mother told me something that I didn't want to admit to myself but that I was starting to hear like a bad little voice within myself : "all that hair is very beautiful, but it should not become a burden or a handicap to enjoy your life". At this stage, I knew my motivation was dangerously eroded. And one day health problems appeared in my life and I was too exhausted to keep on caring about my hair... and I cut it all. Of course, by that time I didn't know about LHC, and I didn't know either anybody else who had long hair around me to share my feelings...

:( I missed it. I mean, I missed the nice part of it : that sensual feeling of the length on my skin. That gracious fluidity moving with me, floating like a veil behind me. Even my heavy migraine trigging (but so elegant) buns !... And that feeling of uniqueness... sigh.

Now I wish to grow my hair again, to achieve one of the big dreams of the curious person I am : to see where my terminal length is ! It's the last moment for me : I'm already 50, so my term may be shorter than it would have been in my younger years, but in 10 years I can already achieve an interesting length. However, it's quite a challenge because I know that at a certain point, long is just too fastidious for me. But with the support of LHC members, and the inspiration of our hair divas in here, it may be fun to try !^^

So you, super long haired guys/gals, what is you secret motivation ??? What makes you love your hair so much that you are ready to sacrifice so much of your life time to it ???? (Well, you may not consider it a sacrifice if you love it so much, I guess ! :rolleyes: :D :D)


Any "beyond knee length" guy in here to talk about super-duper long hair motivation ?? (Gossamer ???) :) :) :)

[hennalonghair]

While I don't have super duper long hair I'm very curious about this also. I'm also in my fifties and wish I hadn't cut my long hair but I was getting unwanted attention . I did not know how to keep it all up in a contained updo . I' have to admit that my hair is much easier to take care of when it's long. I've had long hair my entire life and was very very surprised to realize that it's actually harder to look after short hair. You have to style it and it gets in the way all the time. With long hair it takes minutes to style and takes much less maintenance so you can imagine my surprise after cutting off 50 inches of hair only to discover it was more difficult to care for. :mad: Plus it is WAY MORE FUN and versatile having it long. There are so many different ways of wearing it and the hair toys are now limitless .
If I had known about hair toys back then I wouldn't have cut it and would now have extremely long hair so I owe a LOT to the members here @ the LHC.
So thank you all:flowers:


BTW.....I'm an avid swimmer also so bought myself a salt water pool. It's so much gentler on hair.

[StellaKatherine]

I do not see myself as a girl with an extrime hair lenght. But to me short hair would be a true burden as it would easily go on the face. At summer time it would be on my neck and sweaty and hot. I grow my hair long not to wear it down. I grow my hair long to keep it up! To have my buns bigger and more intriqued designed! I do not think it takes lots of time to take care off. The longer my hair get - the less I need to wash it. I wash every 7-14 days. Most of my buns are made in a few seconds and I've been told, that my hair always looks elegant.

I still have no idea how long will I grow my hair. Classic is my goal right now, but I won't be suprised if it grows longer :D

[Chromis]

AT knee length I would at only tell you that I find my hair much *easier* to deal with as it has gotten longer, so I do not understand the question.

[lapushka]

I have iii hair, so I *need* at least waist/hip to "just" wear a bun. And buns get more comfortable with length for me. So now that it's TBL+, buns are actually nice to have in. Not just the "barely minimum" length anymore. iii's need the length for updos; and sorry but updos are my big goal here. I grow my hair for it to be in an updo, and not to wear it loose.

[harpgal]

Well, Mimha, you ask a lot of questions and I don't think I will be able answer all of them without writing a book.

At this point (nearing lower calf), motivation doesn't seem to be an issue. For my part, I simply enjoy my hair. It is so versatile and also romantic. I like wearing undos, especially a single braid around my head. While my hemline does indeed taper out a bit, the length makes this particular style feasible.

As for swimming, I "bite the bullet" and wear a bathing cap. I live part time on a sailboat, so I do swim a lot in the sea water. My big issue is to protect it (and my skin) from the sun. That is a lot more damaging than either pool or sea water.

I have been a longhair for most of my life and to change that element about me would be hard. I am 66 at this writing and have noticed no change in thickness except for a couple of stress sheds, which are growing back. So at 50, I think you will still be able to achieve great lengths, if that is your desire and you have the patience for it. This is not an instant thing and even though the main focus around here is to have long hair, the experience is really all about the journey and not the end result. Believe it or not, the "end result" often becomes a moving target. :D

Good wishes on your journey!

[Mimha]

(...) I grow my hair long not to wear it down. I grow my hair long to keep it up! To have my buns bigger and more intriqued designed! I do not think it takes lots of time to take care off. The longer my hair get - the less I need to wash it. I wash every 7-14 days. Most of my buns are made in a few seconds and I've been told, that my hair always looks elegant.
(...)


(...) iii's need the length for updos; and sorry but updos are my big goal here. I grow my hair for it to be in an updo, and not to wear it loose.

Oups, I think I didn't turn my question well : It was not "why do you grow your hair for ?" (I don't expect anybody to justify about this^^) but I would like to understand how people who have extremely long hair do to manage their hair and still enjoy it at such extreme length.

Classic length or ankle length hair are very different things. At classic, you can still do almost whatever you like with your hair. But ankle length... just imagine !! All these people admit that their hair is difficult to manage. That it's long to detangle. That it is almost impossible to walk in the streets or do your shopping or whatever normal activity without being constantly on your guards : wind, door knobs, seats, heat, unwanted comments, etc. Gossamer explains it well. They also say that it weights a lot when in an updo. I just cannot imagine how much weight an iii ankle length hair bun may weigh !... That's why I am curious to know about their motivation to go beyond all this. Another aspect of my question could be "at what stage do think your hair will be too much a trouble to be enjoyable anymore ?". I don't necessary mean at what length : it may mean "when such and such thing/activity will become unmanageable for me". These people do seem to have a further limit than me, for sure ! :D For me, health problem was crippling : I had back problems and pain in my arms. Detangling and updoing was painful. I also suffer from migraine, and heavy buns were really a problem too. So to go ahead I have to solve that first, otherwise I shall have to cut again at TBL or classic. So I wonder how extreme length haired people do to still feel comfortable so far ! ;)

[Madora]

Personally, I would not have the patience to deal with ultra long hair that was nearly impossible to manage (wearing it down would not be an option unless it was for a very special occasion). Styling can still be done but your repetoire can be whittled down a bit when it comes to braids.

So what's my motivation for growing longer? Curiosity to see whether I can reach past knee to any great extent. I have a strand or two that is mid calf (thanks for letting me know, LadyLongLocks!) but time will tell whether the main mass will reach that length. I'm hoping for a little more length but have a hunch I won't be growing much longer...not because my hair isn't growing, but because of arthritis issues in my fingers.

[sourgrl]

I will say this: I have a renewed appreciation for those that grow/maintain at extreme lengths. While I know super length was never for me I've always admired it. I'm at the longest I've ever been (brushing BCL) and the weight of my hair is unbelievable. I can't imagine what it would be like at thigh or knee. And I'm just average thickness (and height)! Truly in awe of those that grow beyond classic. I'm not sure how you manage it but I'm thankful you do. I may not enjoy it on myself but I do on yous :flowers:

[lapushka]

These people do seem to have a further limit than me, for sure ! :D For me, health problem was crippling : I had back problems and pain in my arms. Detangling and updoing was painful. I also suffer from migraine, and heavy buns were really a problem too. So to go ahead I have to solve that first, otherwise I shall have to cut again at TBL or classic. So I wonder how extreme length haired people do to still feel comfortable so far ! ;)

I have health issues as well (disability + chronic pain patient). My mom washes my hair for me weekly. I do have migraines, but my hair is not a trigger. I'm 2/3 inches from classic and it's still okay. When it does become too much, I will have it cut back, though!

[Seeshami]

I always told myself I would maintain at classic to keep my hair out of the beads on my coin belt but it's mid thigh and I still just can't cut it.

I also don't get tangled in it and I really don't have issues. At hip I started training myself to flip it over while sitting. Buns take under a minute and I denied finger tip length for a long time. Sooo no issues here but I have been adapting myself to it. I know I only wear it down for dance end of discussion.

[Nique1202]

I think that just the way your scalp adjusts to the weight of your hair as it grows out, you adapt behaviourally to moving it out of the way and keeping it from getting hooked on things and so on. It seems intimidating if you've never had it, but hip and tailbone looked intimidating to me before when I was only used to ever having shoulder length and shorter, and now that I'm just passing by hip and on my way down further it just seems natural to swing my hair to the side when I'm putting on a backpack or a seatbelt. I think it would be the same with ultra-long hair, you get it stuck in the kitchen drawer once, have a laugh, post about it on the mini milestone thread, and then you swing it back around your neck like a scarf or put it up the next time.

Everyone has a different tolerance for annoyances, too. Some folks can't handle the feeling of hair on their back and arms and keep their hair above shoulder, some have issues with sitting on it and find a happy place between tailbone and classic, and some people don't mind keeping it up off the floor out of the way of feet. Probably at least a few of us are curious where that tolerance level will end for us, and that's why we want to grow ultra long.

[EdG]

Man has an inborn drive to achieve greatness.

An example is the old line:

"Why climb the mountain?"

and reply:

"Because it is there!"

Growing extremely long hair is a manifestation of the same drive that causes people to do anything extraordinary. It has produced remarkable achievements: first, fastest, strongest, etc, as well as all of the progress that mankind has made since the dawn of civilization.

To the uninitiated, we may appear to have silly long hair, but to someone who understands, we are great. :)
Ed

[lapushka]

Yes, just as Nique1202 says, you get used to it as it grows, and as it grows quite slowly, you have plenty of time to adjust and adapt. If it were to go from BSL to classic overnight, you'd have issues! Anyway, my hair is layered. It got to be too much at waist/hip for me unlayered, way too heavy and the layers brought plenty of relief in that respect!

[Mimha]

Well, Mimha, you ask a lot of questions and I don't think I will be able answer all of them without writing a book.

At this point (nearing lower calf), motivation doesn't seem to be an issue. For my part, I simply enjoy my hair. It is so versatile and also romantic. I like wearing undos, especially a single braid around my head. While my hemline does indeed taper out a bit, the length makes this particular style feasible.

As for swimming, I "bite the bullet" and wear a bathing cap. I live part time on a sailboat, so I do swim a lot in the sea water. My big issue is to protect it (and my skin) from the sun. That is a lot more damaging than either pool or sea water.

I have been a longhair for most of my life and to change that element about me would be hard. I am 66 at this writing and have noticed no change in thickness except for a couple of stress sheds, which are growing back. So at 50, I think you will still be able to achieve great lengths, if that is your desire and you have the patience for it. This is not an instant thing and even though the main focus around here is to have long hair, the experience is really all about the journey and not the end result. Believe it or not, the "end result" often becomes a moving target. :D

Good wishes on your journey!


Many thanks for your kind answer, harpgal ! :)

It's a great encouragement to have ladies in their 60ties enjoying thudworthy healthy length like yours ! I am also impressed by your "biting the bullet" and going on enjoying swimming with a swimming cap, which I have always considered as the ultimate torture !! :applause (I guess it's like love : if you still want to enjoy it, you have to accept some latex stuff, ha ha ha !)

And I agree about the journey : I enjoy it a lot, and all the more since I've met you guys ! :) :) I start hoping my dream can come true : I'll have the patience to let my hair reach its maximum, and enjoy it at all length. I'm already enjoying it much more since I'm on LHC, just because I don't see detangling and washing as being so fastidious as in the past. Now I take my time and make it a good moment of self-pampering^^. I have better tools (brushes and combs) which are nice to use, and I've discovered the hairtoys world, lol.

:flowers:

[CastaDiva]

I continue to grow my hair because I find it, in lack of a better word, interesting. Until I reached classic it was more of a length thing, but now it is kind of an experiment to see how long my hair can get. I'm at upper calf length, but I have not encountered any problems in taking care of it, and I get used to the extra length as it grows. I always wear my hair up, I haven't worn it down in public in 3 or 4 years, I believe.

[DaveDecker]

Ed - very well put! :applause

Even during the grow-out process and my hair was "only" about waist-length, I was still puzzled and amazed (kinda like you are now, Mimha) at how those with super-long lengths could manage it! But you know, what I found out, as it grew even longer, that it was not impossible to care for, and it was not terribly burdensome, or bothersome, or any of that. None of my concerns actually materialized. I guess there was this mental gap between expectation and reality. Thankfully, the reality was much more pleasant than imagined.

I think the only real way for anybody to know what their maximum preferred length is, is to just let it grow (with periodic trims as desired to maintain a "hemline") until (or if) you get to a point where you know with certainty that the incremental length increase has become too much to deal with. I never got there before I found terminal length. So to anybody considering growing longer but dreading or fearing the downsides -- I'd suggest just try it and see how you feel about the experience. :)

[AmberJewel]

And I agree about the journey : I enjoy it a lot, and all the more since I've met you guys ! :) :) I start hoping my dream can come true : I'll have the patience to let my hair reach its maximum, and enjoy it at all length. I'm already enjoying it much more since I'm on LHC, just because I don't see detangling and washing as being so fastidious as in the past. Now I take my time and make it a good moment of self-pampering^^. I have better tools (brushes and combs) which are nice to use, and I've discovered the hairtoys world, lol.
:flowers:

I'm with you there! I used to think that taking the time to detangle or style or wash properly was vain, silly, and "preppy". Since finding LHC I've realized that it can be enjoyable, fun and creative! The discovery of hairtoys has also made my life a little more interesting. :) The goal itself may be elusive or even unattainable, but I try to enjoy each day and each length as it comes.

[LadyLong]

Wow, what a beautiful name, HARPGAL, because I love listening to the harp. Glad to find someone in their 60's as myself who is in the one percentile of people keeping their long hair. So glad to have run into this LHC to see all the nice comments and information on long hair. Was getting close to cutting my hair short, just to be more practical, but then I would be just like everyone else on the street of people my age with super short hair and looking the same.

Uniting with others here, with the same love for beautiful long hair is amazingly uplifting to me. Will stop for now because I am easing into this forum.

[Mimha]

(...)
So what's my motivation for growing longer? Curiosity to see whether I can reach past knee to any great extent. I have a strand or two that is mid calf (thanks for letting me know, LadyLongLocks!) but time will tell whether the main mass will reach that length. I'm hoping for a little more length but have a hunch I won't be growing much longer...not because my hair isn't growing, but because of arthritis issues in my fingers.

Curiosity is a big motivation indeed ! Up to now I think it was my main motivation. But pleasure is an important thing as well, otherwise it can quickly become a burden, especially when it is painful to manage it. I hope you are going to enjoy it as long as possible, Madora ! :flowers:



I have health issues as well (disability + chronic pain patient). My mom washes my hair for me weekly. I do have migraines, but my hair is not a trigger. I'm 2/3 inches from classic and it's still okay. When it does become too much, I will have it cut back, though!

I think it's very wise not to try to anticipate too much and just go ahead as long as we can go, like you say. Nothing should be a constraint, and after all we can stop whenever we want ! And I'm sure your Mom is very proud of your magnificent mane, lapushka, and she will like to help you grow it as long as you please !



I always told myself I would maintain at classic to keep my hair out of the beads on my coin belt but it's mid thigh and I still just can't cut it.

I also don't get tangled in it and I really don't have issues. At hip I started training myself to flip it over while sitting. Buns take under a minute and I denied finger tip length for a long time. Sooo no issues here but I have been adapting myself to it. I know I only wear it down for dance end of discussion.

I am amazed at how many people here finally go far beyond their prior goal ! It means that LHC is a very encouraging thing : it makes it so much more pleasant to grow, care for and style when you can share with "initiated", like Ed says ! ^^



I think that just the way your scalp adjusts to the weight of your hair as it grows out, you adapt behaviourally to moving it out of the way and keeping it from getting hooked on things and so on. It seems intimidating if you've never had it, but hip and tailbone looked intimidating to me before when I was only used to ever having shoulder length and shorter, and now that I'm just passing by hip and on my way down further it just seems natural to swing my hair to the side when I'm putting on a backpack or a seatbelt. I think it would be the same with ultra-long hair, you get it stuck in the kitchen drawer once, have a laugh, post about it on the mini milestone thread, and then you swing it back around your neck like a scarf or put it up the next time.

Everyone has a different tolerance for annoyances, too. Some folks can't handle the feeling of hair on their back and arms and keep their hair above shoulder, some have issues with sitting on it and find a happy place between tailbone and classic, and some people don't mind keeping it up off the floor out of the way of feet. Probably at least a few of us are curious where that tolerance level will end for us, and that's why we want to grow ultra long.

Completely agree on all that, Nique1201 ! I suppose I will "grow together with my hair", lol. And I should pass classic, this time, because my tolerance will be better due to more pleasure in growing... and the curiosity ! :)



Man has an inborn drive to achieve greatness.
(...)
To the uninitiated, we may appear to have silly long hair, but to someone who understands, we are great.
Ed

Looool, I love you, EdG ! :king: I hope you include women in the great achievers^^ ha ha ha ha ! :p



I continue to grow my hair because I find it, in lack of a better word, interesting. Until I reached classic it was more of a length thing, but now it is kind of an experiment to see how long my hair can get. I'm at upper calf length, but I have not encountered any problems in taking care of it, and I get used to the extra length as it grows. I always wear my hair up, I haven't worn it down in public in 3 or 4 years, I believe.

I understand that 5/5, CastaDiva ! I'm deadly curious to experiment because I am always in awe at what our body can do if we trust it.



(...)
Even during the grow-out process and my hair was "only" about waist-length, I was still puzzled and amazed (kinda like you are now, Mimha) at how those with super-long lengths could manage it! But you know, what I found out, as it grew even longer, that it was not impossible to care for, and it was not terribly burdensome, or bothersome, or any of that. None of my concerns actually materialized. I guess there was this mental gap between expectation and reality. Thankfully, the reality was much more pleasant than imagined.
(...) So to anybody considering growing longer but dreading or fearing the downsides -- I'd suggest just try it and see how you feel about the experience. :)

Thanks DaveDecker ! It sounds much like Nique1202 and CastaDiva say : try and go... you'll have plenty of time to adapt or cut !^^




(...) Since finding LHC I've realized that it can be enjoyable, fun and creative! The discovery of hairtoys has also made my life a little more interesting. :) The goal itself may be elusive or even unattainable, but I try to enjoy each day and each length as it comes.

Yes, the journey is great, whatever the goal and if we are going to reach it or not. :)


Many thanks all of you for your supportiveness and interesting points of view ! Still hoping to read about the secret personal motivations of our great divas, though :p but I suppose they are going to say the same : that they started the journey one day, with a more or less realistic goal... and found themselves to floor length without really knowing how all that happened because the journey was just so pleasant, ha ha ha ! :)

[lapushka]

I think it's very wise not to try to anticipate too much and just go ahead as long as we can go, like you say. Nothing should be a constraint, and after all we can stop whenever we want ! And I'm sure your Mom is very proud of your magnificent mane, lapushka, and she will like to help you grow it as long as you please !

Aw that's very nice of you to say. Yes, she does admire it now, and loves how I'm attached to growing it. Before it was more of a "chore" like other "chores" before I explained to her how important it is to me. :o

[Panth]

I assume we are all long hair lovers in here, so I can ask the question that tackles my curiosity without being afraid it to be considered intrusive. My question is what motivation keeps someone growing her/his hair to such an extend that it obviously becomes a hindrance to the freedom of movement ? Because let's admit it : super-duper long hair requires a tremendous time and dedication to be maintained, and to avoid it getting caught in things, stepped upon, or damaged in any way. I don't even mention the unwanted attention it may attract. OK, when one loves, one doesn't count, right ? BUT... when hair becomes so long that it can hardly be enjoyed loose anymore, and so heavy that it also becomes a problem to do it up, what is the motivation to keep it that long or grow it even longer ?

At upper calf length, I guess I qualify as having "super-duper long hair"? I'm a 1b/F/i/ii, if that makes any difference (clue: probably).
So, points one at a time:

Motivation: It doesn't actually require motivation at all. My long hair is predominantly out of sheer laziness - I want the least amount of fuss (i.e. wash, comb and go) with no hairdressers, no concerns about styling, no concerns about being in fashion or needing to change my "look" to stay in fashion. It grows. It would actually require more motivation on my part to actively keep it shorter than to just let it keep growing. The rest of it is curiosity - I have to do updos for work (laboratory scientist), my hair can't grow past TBL without daily updos ... why not combine the two and see what my terminal is? It's easy to chop back if I decide I don't like it. I just haven't got to that point yet.

Hinderance of movement: Short answer: it doesn't. To me, anything post-TBL is equally problematic, since my hair won't grow past TBL without daily updos. And daily updos = hair doesn't get in the way anyway.

Time involved: Seriously? I wash it every 3-4 days, which takes no more time than if it was waist+. I air dry and that isn't down-time for me. I just ignore it while it's drying or sleep or whatever. I comb, braid and bun it daily and yes, the longer it gets the longer the braiding takes (currently, about 10-12 mins for unbraiding, combing, rebraiding and bunning). But, bunning means that tangles are nearly non-existant, so the total time is no worse than if I wore shorter (e.g. waist to classic length) hair loose. Also, my hair is thin and fine. I have loads of cowlicks. Really short hair (APL or shorter) is never going to look good on me without masses of product, heat styling, etc. and that would take far longer than a simple braided bun (and result in a style I dislike, so...).

Unwanted attention: See: bun. No one knows how long my hair is unless I wear it loose. It's stealth. Also, it seems that strangers don't comment on people's appearance here like they seem to do in the USA. Certainly, when I wore my hair loose the other day, I didn't get a single stare or comment. Not one. Even though it's past knee.

Wearing it loose: There seems to be this weird yet undying notion that the only point of long hair is to wear it loose. That if the whole world can't immediately and obviously appreciate the length then there's no point in having it. Some people actually like updos. Some people even grow long hair purposely for being able to do updos. More to the point, my job (laboratory scientist) requires me to keep my hair contained. So, to avoid updos every work day, I'd actually have to cut to about APL. Ick. No thanks.

Weight of hair: I'm an F and currently a i/ii (due to shedding) so weight has never been an issue for me. Also, IMO, lot of weight issues with hair are not weight per se, but poor styling. Anyway, the length gains slowly, incrementally. With a very few exceptions, your scalp gets used to it.

Enjoyment: I... may be weird for saying this but ... I don't need to actively enjoy my hair every single day. It's just there. It's just hair. Just like I don't need my clothes to make me look exceptional and be perfect reflections of my personality every day. Sometimes they're just clothes. Sometimes I just wore them because they were warm/clean/on the top of the pile/whatever.

EDIT: I would add, that my opinion of this length and its practicality would change depending on my circumstances. If I was somewhere without a shower (bath/sink only) I might well consider going shorter. Likewise if I had pain or mobility issues in my back/shoulders/neck/arms/wrists/hands. Likewise if I worked in a more manual job (though I might just wear buffs lots...).

[CastaDiva]

I so agree with you, Mimha. I too am amazed at what our bodies can do, and the fact that it is possible (for some) to grow to really long lengths, like beyond floor, is truly amazing!

[MINAKO]

I just finished straightening it and to be honest, i think im reaching my personal limit. I just cant handle that much hair by myself, the sectioning, the pulling motion,the comb positioning, the control in the back of my head... i would need a full set of tentacles to do that by the end of this year. I did break some hair simply by the fact that i cant be as gentle if im doing a full on arm stretching routine for two hours. Sad, because it has definitely neither to do with the heat, not the other tools/products, the health of my hair or anything... antique lace my a$$ :slap: . I dont see a way to do this at longer lengths by myself. And i dont cosider trying a hairdresser again. Looks like i need to up my skills to out of bidy expirience level, so i can stand behind myself, lol.

[Mimha]

Wow, thanks for that long and very detail answer, Panth ! I really appreciate it ! :flowers:
Despite the fact that my hair has never been longer than classic length, I can fully appreciate all what you say by experience. I have never been interested in fashion, and a bun has been my daily hairdo most of my life too.

Concerning the weight, yes, it was a real problem to me. I have a sensitive scalp and I am prone to migraine. Some days, even a low pony tail is too much. But c'est la vie. And concerning the enjoyment, no need to feel ecstatic 24/24 7/7 to keep on growing indeed^^. But to me, (I am even lazier than you) washing, detangling, drying was considered a chore until I found LHC. But I kept my hair long because styling short hair was even worse, ha ha ha (I know : I have tried, lol).

[curlylocks85]

BTW.....I'm an avid swimmer also so bought myself a salt water pool. It's so much gentler on hair.

A few weeks ago I went to training and I went in the pool, which is salt water, and my hair felt dry and gross and it took me three washes to get it all out: Chlorine does the same thing. I am glad your hair likes it better than mine. It's fresh water only for this hair.

[MINAKO]

It's fresh water only for this hair.

sign! :sushi:

[chen bao jun]

Personally, I would not have the patience to deal with ultra long hair that was nearly impossible to manage (wearing it down would not be an option unless it was for a very special occasion). Styling can still be done but your repetoire can be whittled down a bit when it comes to braids.

So what's my motivation for growing longer? Curiosity to see whether I can reach past knee to any great extent. I have a strand or two that is mid calf (thanks for letting me know, LadyLongLocks!) but time will tell whether the main mass will reach that length. I'm hoping for a little more length but have a hunch I won't be growing much longer...not because my hair isn't growing, but because of arthritis issues in my fingers.

so glad you decided not to cut, Madora.

I am 58 next september and I have never had long hair before, much less super long hair and I am trying to grow it now so I am reading this thread with interest. For the record, I would consider 'long hair' to begin at bra strap. I agree, however,that extreme lengths begin after classic. I would love to think I could be in the 'extreme lengths' club one day (though I doubt it) but am reading with interest how people handle it when they get there.

so far I have found that my hair gets easier and easier as it grows longer and is very easy now--but since I am a mid-back curly who appears to be APL or so, w hen my hair is not stretched, I haven't got into the category yet where it catches on things, or gets caught in belt buckles or is heavy when up. I do have some trouble now french-braiding,b ut think I have worked through that.

I don't think I would want hair even this long if I were still straightening it, can't even imagine the trouble. Of course, that problem solved itself as when I was straightening it, it broke off way before this length...

[meteor]

My hair is only 45'' long, so definitely far from "extreme" length, but I figured I'll just keep growing for as long as I enjoy it. :D
I do notice my body adjusting to having this "tail", so to speak. For example, I automatically get my hair over my shoulder whenever I sit down and I have to stand while detangling/oiling hair, where in the past I could comb my hair while sitting, or the towels and sleep caps are too small... But the changes are so incremental that I barely notice them. Slow hair growth will definitely give me time to adjust... :)


I just finished straightening it and to be honest, i think im reaching my personal limit. I just cant handle that much hair by myself, the sectioning, the pulling motion,the comb positioning, the control in the back of my head... i would need a full set of tentacles to do that by the end of this year. I did break some hair simply by the fact that i cant be as gentle if im doing a full on arm stretching routine for two hours. Sad, because it has definitely neither to do with the heat, not the other tools/products, the health of my hair or anything... antique lace my a$$ :slap: . I dont see a way to do this at longer lengths by myself. And i dont cosider trying a hairdresser again. Looks like i need to up my skills to out of bidy expirience level, so i can stand behind myself, lol.

Hang in there, MINAKO! :flower: :grouphug: I wish I knew something about flat-ironing, but I don't, and I can see how straightening classic-length hair would be challenging and definitely time-consuming.
Here is a video where a Youtuber shows how she flat-irons knee-length hair that might be of help... she makes it look kind of easy?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grivYB0k480

[Amapola]

I am not at extreme lengths yet; I'm maybe 2" past classic. What motivates me is a love of hair. I love hair on everything; I like horses that have long manes and tails, I like cats with long hair etc. I never thought my hair could get this long and I'm really happy to see it this long. I hope it gets even longer.

I grow my hair strictly for me. I don't care if anyone else knows I have long hair (although my friends and family know it's long; at least, most of them do) so it is fine with me if everyone else around me thinks it's short. It is simply for my own satisfaction and happiness.

And so far, I have the same experience as the others: it is not a burden to take care of, it does not take a long time, it is quite easy and fast to deal with. No headaches and I highly doubt I'll ever get them; my hair is very, very fine, and thin to boot. No weight to speak of. In fact, this is the easiest I've ever had my hair be in my entire life. I guess if it were some sort of burden I would reconsider but so far, so good.

[HeavenlyTresses]

Short version:

I always wanted really long, flowing fairy tale princess hair but I never dreamed it would grow past my feet :D

Long version:

I think the motivation for me, as others have stated, is curiosity as to how long my hair will grow. My hair was at my waist when I graduated high school and through years of trims, neglect, sheds and finally learning to take good care of it my hair still continues to grow. I maintained at ankle for a while so I could continue to enjoy it down without stepping on it while letting the hemline thicken. Within the last year curiosity has gotten the best of me and I have reduced my trims to microtrims, taking maybe a quarter inch at the most when needed. Now it is dragging on the floor with no signs of terminal in sight!

I wash every other day because if I don't my scalp itches like crazy. I only scalp wash, letting the shampoo run through the length & use conditioner from shoulder to waist, again letting it run through the length. If I don't have to leave the house I leave it down to air dry and really the only problem with that is 2 dogs that follow me everywhere & ocassionally step on it. As the years have gone by and it has gained length I have learned, like so many others, to move it out of the way or adjust my daily routines until they are second nature & you don't think about them anymore. Of course there is always something waiting to grab a few strands like doorknobs and drawer pulls and usually I am halfway across the room before I realize I am stuck :doh:

Before I reached the floor I wore it down on a regular basis. Most of the time I had minimum tangles but there were days when it tried to mangle itself into one huge dreadlock. Those days usually coincided with a change in weather or a change in product. Now I have found something that works extremely well with my hair and causes minimum build up that is easily fixed with an ACV rinse.

As for putting it in an updo--this is where I really wonder how long is too long? As I mentioned before I used to wear it down all the time but now that's not an option anymore and I am not used to having to put it up anytime I leave the house. My usual "up" hairstyle is a french or dutch braid. Finger combing or brushing can take 5-15 minutes, depending on tangles and braids take about 10 minutes, mostly because I stop every 3 or 4 passes to smooth the sections of the braid. My ponytail circumference goes from 4.5 to 5 inches, depending on shedding. I can create several buns with hairsticks but they are not very comfortable for me. I have read several threads about buns causing scalp pain but the problem for me is the weight. Most buns are center held and when my hair is condensed into a twist or a braid it becomes very heavy. With all that weight held by one centered base it creates strain on my neck muscles which causes headaches. I am trying to figure out other options like 2 or more smaller buns but they end up being very big and look weird to me. The best bun for me so far is a figure 8 as I can spread the weight & balance it the best. Haha and therein lies my other problem.....big buns!!! I recently bought a new vehicle and the headrests do not cooperate with big giant buns! Other than that though I haven't gotten to the point that I just can't stand it anymore and feel as though there is no other option than to cut it. When the frustration outweighs the enjoyment and it feels more like a chore then it will be time for a change. For now I like the feel of it against my calves and ankles, the sound it makes when I take it out of a towel after a shower and the wet strands hit the floor and that I have an almost ankle length braid.

Your hair, or for that matter, anything about yourself should not be a burden. If it is causing more trouble & sorrow than enjoyment then I would have to make a change to be happy again. I know many people like my long hair but there are just as many that think I should cut/donate it too. My husband likes it, my kids think it's cool but I'm the one that has to deal with it every day. I'm the one that has to feel pretty and be confident with it. Opinions and advice are always welcome but at the end of the day I'm the one that has to look in the mirror and like what I see and.....I do :)

[maegalcarwen]

I am only at BSL myself, but I am interested if long haired people agree with my thoughts:

1) Certain hairtypes are easier to manage at certain lengths. My hair for example, is only getting easier and easier as it grows - chin/neck was a nightmare, I hope I never have to go there.

2) Length is relative. In my family, nobody made it past BSL, so for me waist is where long starts. But for some people, waist is normal, so long starts at classic. Also, whatever you have is something you are used to, so you don't really notice extremity until it gets pointed our, or it is really super extreme.

3) "Trouble" is relative. What you or I consider as trouble, might be very different. Or any other person. Some people think conditioner is trouble. I think S&D is trouble ( just takes soooo long on my hair), and a person with knee length hair might think it is trouble if you have to keep your hair away from the floor.

4) Never being satisfied. A human nature that allows us to keep improving ourselves, and to learn and gain more from the world around is. If we would be satisfied with what we had, there would be no improvements, developments or changes. It is the same for hair - the it could be thicker, straigther, curlier, shinier, LONGER...

[Mammasaurusrex]

I have to agree with you. I don't know my hair type but I do know chin/neck length is an absolute nightmare. I feel like I will never get past it!

[Eniratak]

I'm just below mid-calf length and very much nearing ankle.

Honestly, my motivation to have it so long is because it makes me feel nice. I like the way it looks, and I like that it makes me different. When I first started growing, I wanted to grow to a length that I felt was 'long'. Until I hit the length that I am at now, I didn't feel that it was 'long'. Now I think it's 'long', but I'm so attached that I can't possibly cut it. Do I have dreams of it? Sometimes, but I don't think I'd particularly be me if I didn't have my hair.
I also like playing with updos, but honestly, I do wear it down a lot. I wear it loose, and I wear it down in a braid, and it isn't that much work.
Because it doesn't just jump down from one length to another overnight, you get used to all the things you have to do that 'normal' haired people don't. I don't constantly think or worry about doors or chairs or straps on bags because I'm so used to having long hair. It isn't really anything I think about now - I just do it.

Do I always love that my hair is so long? No. Sometimes I do get annoyed when it doesn't want to do right - but the positives outweigh the negatives for me. Am I bothered by the attention I receive when I wear it down sometimes? Not particularly. I've yet to have a really creepy comment; most people are just curious.

[nicolezoie]

I haven't read the whole thread but I wanted to say I have floor length hair and it does take some time to deal with. However with that being said it is way easier to deal with this much hair than it was at shorter lengths when I could wear it down or I could wear a loose. It was constantly tangled when down and loose because its wavy and it does what it wants. The tricky part with having this much hair is making sure there's enough time to detangle it, and my hair likes to tangle even if its been tucked into an updo for a few days, or not. So while I admit that having as much hair as I do can be a burden it's nowhere near the dramatic burden that the OP makes it out to be. In fact, my hair has been to the floor for about 2 years now and I didn't even realize it had gotten to the floor the first time it landed there. I can do everything I want to do and then some. I'm an avid cyclist, I can go in the pool without much difficulty (that does take some preparation). It's up all the time, it's never in my face, I can do just about everything that I want to do without really considering my hair. But, you know it's not for everyone. Hair past a certain length, about classic length, is a different monster than hair shorter than you can sit on.

[chen bao jun]

Thank you for your fascinating and informative posts, Nicolezoie and Heavenlytresses.

Nicolezoie, I like the way that you phrase yourself. Saying that 'hair past a certain length, about classic length, is a different monster than hair shorter than you can sit on' is a good way to explain things. One thing I have to say that I never get used to on LHC is the way that some insist that anything except extreme lengths is 'short'. I know it is relative and that what you are used to shapes your point of view but really people calling waist length and tailbone hair length hair 'short' doesn't seem reasonable to me, at least not in our culture. It's not super extreme long, but if its short, what is BSL? Bald? The way you write gently makes clear to those of us who haven't experienced really long hair why classic is a true dividing line in terms of taking care of hair and what you write is truly interesting.

Hope you all will keep writing. This is an interesting window into a place that I will never go (the genetics just aren't there) and a fascinating place it is!! I haven't seen photos of everyone else's hair, but I know that Heavenly Tresses does indeed have heavenly tresses.

[trolleypup]

Hello dear fellow hair-growers and long hair lovers !

So you, super long haired guys/gals, what is you secret motivation ??? What makes you love your hair so much that you are ready to sacrifice so much of your life time to it ???? (Well, you may not consider it a sacrifice if you love it so much, I guess ! :rolleyes: :D :D)

Any "beyond knee length" guy in here to talk about super-duper long hair motivation ??
Calf length, fairytaled. For the most part it is no more work than past classic. Beyond things like one more wrap to finish securing the bun. It is so far out of the norm that people's reactions haven't changed in a long time either!


At upper calf length, I guess I qualify as having "super-duper long hair"? I'm a 1b/F/i/ii, if that makes any difference (clue: probably).
So, points one at a time:Stealing your format, <3 (Thank you for doing the work!)

Motivation: Ditto, I don't have any particular motivation to grow it longer, nor do I have any to maintain or shorten. It just does what it does. I have years long stalls and then someone comments that they think my hair is longer...again.

Hinderance of movement: Does not apply. My reflexes have gotten very good...and I have it down often enough that I stay in practice. Obviously, in situations where there would be hazards to hair, me, or others, it is up. Putting it up is on the order of 10 seconds.

Time involved: Not much. A wash every week or so, a detangle and comb out from time to time and I'm good.

Unwanted attention: Being male, in a place accepting of diversity this simply doesn't come up (harassment for being a male with long hair), plus being on the male side of the power equation means that unwanted sexual attention is negligible. This dynamic is totally screwed up, but there it is. :(

Wearing it loose: I wear it down sometimes, I wear it up sometimes. Sometimes I accept the tangles that result from wandering outside with hair down to feel the breeze in my hair. Sometimes it goes up in seconds. Being able to put it up and take it down almost instantly allows from pleasant flexibility. Honestly, letting it down is a mark of freedom for me...walking out of work, pulling the stick out, ahhhhh! (even if I put it back up in a minute or two!)

Weight of hair: C iii, for whatever reason weight is not an issue, never has been...even when I am dragging around wet hair.

Enjoyment:
I... may be weird for saying this but ... I don't need to actively enjoy my hair every single day. It's just there. It's just hair. Just like I don't need my clothes to make me look exceptional and be perfect reflections of my personality every day. Sometimes they're just clothes. Sometimes I just wore them because they were warm/clean/on the top of the pile/whatever. Nothing I can add to this!

[Mimha]

Wow, so many interesting comments ! Thanks a lot everyone, I appreciate the time taken to answer all my questions ! :) :flower:


Short version:
(...) I think the motivation for me, as others have stated, is curiosity as to how long my hair will grow. My hair was at my waist when I graduated high school and through years of trims, neglect, sheds and finally learning to take good care of it my hair still continues to grow. (...) Now it is dragging on the floor with no signs of terminal in sight!

(...) As the years have gone by and it has gained length I have learned, like so many others, to move it out of the way or adjust my daily routines until they are second nature & you don't think about them anymore. Of course there is always something waiting to grab a few strands like doorknobs and drawer pulls and usually I am halfway across the room before I realize I am stuck :doh:

(...) When the frustration outweighs the enjoyment and it feels more like a chore then it will be time for a change. (...) Opinions and advice are always welcome but at the end of the day I'm the one that has to look in the mirror and like what I see and.....I do :)

Many thanks to have taken time for such a detailed answer, HeavenlyTresses ! I laughed a lot when I read that you sometimes cross half a room before you realize your hair is caught into something !! It should be mentioned in a "You know you are an extreme long hair when..." thread^^

Concerning the enjoyment versus frustration, I fully agree that it is determining to decide to let your hair grow longer or not. And from all I can read in this thread, the "non-fastidiousness" is a key factor to achieve extreme length, together with good genes, good care, and love for long hair.



I am only at BSL myself, but I am interested if long haired people agree with my thoughts:
(...)
3) "Trouble" is relative. What you or I consider as trouble, might be very different. Or any other person. Some people think conditioner is trouble. I think S&D is trouble ( just takes soooo long on my hair), and a person with knee length hair might think it is trouble if you have to keep your hair away from the floor.

(...)

Interesting point, maegalcarwen ! That's why I wanted the super long haired LHCers to tell me personally how they lived with their amazing hair, to see where the differences stand between them and me^^. I am personally quite lazy with hair care, keeping it at a minimum, because I like to spend my time on more exciting things. To me, it's OK to detangle, wash, rinse, detangle again, and let it dry while caring about something else. I could not imagine spending hours with treatments stuff on my head, or S&Ding, or even making any of all the intricated lovely updos that I like so much to see on other people ! I know I would just go crazy and be fed up after a few days. But maybe it's changing a little since I am on LHC, because even washing has become a pleasure, whereas before it was just something I "had to do". So if I increase the pleasure/satisfaction level, I may expect a decrease of the fastidiousness threshold ! :wink:



I'm just below mid-calf length and very much nearing ankle.

Honestly, my motivation to have it so long is because it makes me feel nice. I like the way it looks, and I like that it makes me different. (...)

Because it doesn't just jump down from one length to another overnight, you get used to all the things you have to do that 'normal' haired people don't. I don't constantly think or worry about doors or chairs or straps on bags because I'm so used to having long hair. It isn't really anything I think about now - I just do it.

Do I always love that my hair is so long? No. Sometimes I do get annoyed when it doesn't want to do right - but the positives outweigh the negatives for me. Am I bothered by the attention I receive when I wear it down sometimes? Not particularly. I've yet to have a really creepy comment; most people are just curious.

There are some very good points in your comments, Eniratak. Yes, it's bit naive of me to imagine how I would deal with knee length hair as if I would wake up one morning with hair that long ! :D And as long as "the positive outweighs the negative", as you say, let's keep growing !



I haven't read the whole thread but I wanted to say I have floor length hair and it does take some time to deal with. However with that being said it is way easier to deal with this much hair than it was at shorter lengths when I could wear it down or I could wear a loose. (...) So while I admit that having as much hair as I do can be a burden it's nowhere near the dramatic burden that the OP makes it out to be. (...) It's up all the time, it's never in my face, I can do just about everything that I want to do without really considering my hair. But, you know it's not for everyone. Hair past a certain length, about classic length, is a different monster than hair shorter than you can sit on.

OK, another interesting experience ! Thanks nicolezoie. I guess it's a "different monster"^^. I can't even imagine past floor length !!... But personally, what I like in long hair is also to be able to enjoy it loose sometimes (precisely to enjoy the length "in full"). So even if I had the genes to grow it so long, I don't think I would like it to broom the floor^^. Updos would not be an option anymore but a must. Anyway, it's all a matter of personal limits and choices. :)



Calf length, fairytaled. For the most part it is no more work than past classic. Beyond things like one more wrap to finish securing the bun. It is so far out of the norm that people's reactions haven't changed in a long time either!

Stealing your format, <3 (Thank you for doing the work!)

Motivation: Ditto, I don't have any particular motivation to grow it longer, nor do I have any to maintain or shorten. It just does what it does. I have years long stalls and then someone comments that they think my hair is longer...again.

Hinderance of movement: Does not apply. My reflexes have gotten very good...and I have it down often enough that I stay in practice. Obviously, in situations where there would be hazards to hair, me, or others, it is up. Putting it up is on the order of 10 seconds.

Time involved: Not much. A wash every week or so, a detangle and comb out from time to time and I'm good.

Unwanted attention: Being male, in a place accepting of diversity this simply doesn't come up (harassment for being a male with long hair), plus being on the male side of the power equation means that unwanted sexual attention is negligible. This dynamic is totally screwed up, but there it is. :(

Wearing it loose: I wear it down sometimes, I wear it up sometimes. Sometimes I accept the tangles that result from wandering outside with hair down to feel the breeze in my hair. Sometimes it goes up in seconds. Being able to put it up and take it down almost instantly allows from pleasant flexibility. Honestly, letting it down is a mark of freedom for me...walking out of work, pulling the stick out, ahhhhh! (even if I put it back up in a minute or two!)

Weight of hair: C iii, for whatever reason weight is not an issue, never has been...even when I am dragging around wet hair.

Enjoyment: Nothing I can add to this!

Wow, many thanks for the male side of being an extreme long hair, Trolleypup ! :) I like your comment about that feeling of freedom you have when letting your hair down ! It's so much the same I have at the end of the day when I finally pull the fork out of my bun !... And that feeling when the air blows through it, mmmh !... But I don't understand your comment about unwanted attention (sorry, I am not an English native speaker :oops:) : what do you mean ? Ladies ignore you because of your hair ?? I'm not sure to fully grasp what you mean...^^

[trolleypup]

Wow, many thanks for the male side of being an extreme long hair, Trolleypup ! :) I like your comment about that feeling of freedom you have when letting your hair down ! It's so much the same I have at the end of the day when I finally pull the fork out of my bun !... And that feeling when the air blows through it, mmmh !... But I don't understand your comment about unwanted attention (sorry, I am not an English native speaker :oops:) : what do you mean ? Ladies ignore you because of your hair ?? I'm not sure to fully grasp what you mean...^^
In general, unsolicited and unwanted (sexual) attention is from the person of higher strength/power/status towards the person of lower strength/power/status. So typical heckling/harassment would be from male against female or straight against non-straight (or both). Since I am a straight male, I present a poor target for harassment (my perceived ability to resist/retaliate is high).[1]

Ladies do not ignore me, but the attention tends to be polite and very few people touch my hair without asking permission first (the very young and very old being the exceptions). And...the sexual comments are polite and quiet, the wolf whistles likewise...and from people who would be deemed attractive to me.

Does that help?

[1] Rare, but it has happened. When I was a busdriver, there was an older white male who would make (sometimes sexual) comments about my hair as he boarded my bus...I responded verbally in a manner that would leave him off balance...and eventually went down to Chinatown and got a massive barrette encrusted with rhinestones (blue and clear only because they didn't have pink) and the next time he boarded I turned to show it to him and said "I got this just for you!" He turned away and said he would never ride my bus again (he never did)...and the passengers and I shared amusement.

[gossamer]

When I was a busdriver, there was an older white male who would make (sometimes sexual) comments about my hair as he boarded my bus...I responded verbally in a manner that would leave him off balance...and eventually went down to Chinatown and got a massive barrette encrusted with rhinestones (blue and clear only because they didn't have pink) and the next time he boarded I turned to show it to him and said "I got this just for you!" He turned away and said he would never ride my bus again (he never did)...and the passengers and I shared amusement.

trolleypup, you are awesome. I mean, I knew you were before this, but this just makes it even better. :D

[trolleypup]

trolleypup, you are awesome. I mean, I knew you were before this, but this just makes it even better. :D
Thanks!

I'll note that at the time I routinely wore barettes that patterns and colored stones (albeit in less feminine colors)

[MandyBeth]

My youngest daughter has extremely curly hair, and a ton of it. Dry, it bounces between hip and classic. Wet and pulled mostly straight, it is dang near her ankles.

Time - honestly, she's an active kid with hair that does better with frequent conditioner washing. As in daily. It works for us. Right now, she's just starting to be able to manage her hair alone, but I generally am washing and putting her hair up. Both of us accept this time, so it works for us.

Motivation - Control over something, plus better than Disney Princess Hair. The first is why I don't begrudge the time to befriend her hair. The second seems reasonable enough.

In the way - Not much. She does wear it up or at least braided 90% of the time for safety - her hair can be everywhere and then some.

Attention - Since her length is hidden usually, most comments are on the curl explosion. She calls her hair The Beast happily because it does what it wants, no matter her idea. Sometimes get comments on her hair being up for showing her horses, but as her braids are long enough to hit her horses and risk tangling on jumps, she's excused to wear her hair up and has been from the start. But it is fun when showing since her Friesian geld has his long mane and tail going on also.

My side - I'm not sure how accurate her length will be from now to adult. Plus, the curls hide a lot of length, so it's not the same visual impact. Also, with always having the mass of hair, the weight doesn't bother her unless it's not well pinned up. Sticks don't give enough support, she uses mostly spin pins and Quattro pins.

[Mimha]

In general, unsolicited and unwanted (sexual) attention is from the person of higher strength/power/status towards the person of lower strength/power/status. So typical heckling/harassment would be from male against female or straight against non-straight (or both). Since I am a straight male, I present a poor target for harassment (my perceived ability to resist/retaliate is high).[1]

Ladies do not ignore me, but the attention tends to be polite and very few people touch my hair without asking permission first (the very young and very old being the exceptions). And...the sexual comments are polite and quiet, the wolf whistles likewise...and from people who would be deemed attractive to me.

Does that help?

[1] Rare, but it has happened. When I was a busdriver, there was an older white male who would make (sometimes sexual) comments about my hair as he boarded my bus...I responded verbally in a manner that would leave him off balance...and eventually went down to Chinatown and got a massive barrette encrusted with rhinestones (blue and clear only because they didn't have pink) and the next time he boarded I turned to show it to him and said "I got this just for you!" He turned away and said he would never ride my bus again (he never did)...and the passengers and I shared amusement.

Ha ha ha ha Trolleypup, you are amazing !! :D :D :D I laughed so much at the "How to get rid of stupid idiots with a girly barrette" trick !! How can some people be so creepy and mean, lol. By the way, thanks for your explanations too ! :) I think a calm and confident attitude is the most important thing to avoid beeing bullied for whatever reason anyway. People feel your inner strength. And for those who don't feel anything, some solid sense of humor is the best reply indeed ! :D

[Knifegill]

I want to win!

[vega]

I feel like this thread doesn't apply to me , I have very curly hair when stretched it's waist when dry it's just past APL been tightly curly you can really disguise hair length when dry

[Entangled]

Her hair sounds beautiful, MandyBeth! Props to you for taking the time and patience to maintain it rather than just chopping it off.

[Crumpet]

This has been a great thread. Also, props to Trolleypup for his reflections on gender/power structures and hair. Pure awesomeness.

[ravenheather]

trolleypup, you are awesome. I mean, I knew you were before this, but this just makes it even better. :D

I totally agree.

[teal]

Because I'm lazy. It gets longer and longer and even longer because, well, that's what hair does when you don't do anything with it other than put it up and forget about it!

Ok, maybe lazy is not the right word... I'm one of those people who is always doing something, always has busy hands, etc. That said, I love that long hair takes less time to manage than short hair.

It does not prevent me from doing anything on a daily basis, with the notable exception of managing to get a hood over both the hair and my forehead without compromise. This is rather important in my rainy climate as I commute on foot and don't like to carry an umbrella. (Solution: Look for bigger hoods. They do exist. Alternate solution: Make a touque which can do it. Which I have done, though this doesn't resolve the extremely wet days without an adjunct umbrella.)

Other reasons:
- I only wash it once every two weeks or so, versus the every-other-day wash I was doing while it was short. No need to get it wet in the shower on non-wash days = shorter shower.
- I don't even have to brush my hair every day. If it's already been braided, I'll just make sure the end is still plaited before putting it up. Contrast to having to tame my cowlick daily with shorter hair... what a PITA.
- I enjoy updos. I must confess that I'm fairly unimaginative in this department, because learning new hairstyles and getting efficient at implementing them is work, and right now I'm putting my spare time and energy into figuring out how to sustain myself and my family without being a burden to this planet. If we're all going to hell in a handbasket then I'll be fighting every step of the way, all the while looking fabulous in one of my tried-and-true styles. Which, I might add, will look exactly the same if commercial shampoos and conditioners become a black market commodity in the apocalypse. No untamed hair for me! :lol:

Honestly, it's easier for me to wait with patience if I just sort of forget about it. One of my friends took a couple of pics of my hair recently, as long hair had come up for discussion with some people I don't know very well, and we were both surprised by the length. Hmm, maybe I should upload them. :hmm:

[Popsicle]

I like my hair long; gosh... everyone I know likes my hair long colorful and shiny!

[Nan-C]

Because I'm lazy. It gets longer and longer and even longer because, well, that's what hair does when you don't do anything with it other than put it up and forget about it!

Ok, maybe lazy is not the right word... I'm one of those people who is always doing something, always has busy hands, etc. That said, I love that long hair takes less time to manage than short hair.

It does not prevent me from doing anything on a daily basis, with the notable exception of managing to get a hood over both the hair and my forehead without compromise. This is rather important in my rainy climate as I commute on foot and don't like to carry an umbrella. (Solution: Look for bigger hoods. They do exist. Alternate solution: Make a touque which can do it. Which I have done, though this doesn't resolve the extremely wet days without an adjunct umbrella.)

Other reasons:
- I only wash it once every two weeks or so, versus the every-other-day wash I was doing while it was short. No need to get it wet in the shower on non-wash days = shorter shower.
- I don't even have to brush my hair every day. If it's already been braided, I'll just make sure the end is still plaited before putting it up. Contrast to having to tame my cowlick daily with shorter hair... what a PITA.
- I enjoy updos. I must confess that I'm fairly unimaginative in this department, because learning new hairstyles and getting efficient at implementing them is work, and right now I'm putting my spare time and energy into figuring out how to sustain myself and my family without being a burden to this planet. If we're all going to hell in a handbasket then I'll be fighting every step of the way, all the while looking fabulous in one of my tried-and-true styles. Which, I might add, will look exactly the same if commercial shampoos and conditioners become a black market commodity in the apocalypse. No untamed hair for me! :lol:

Honestly, it's easier for me to wait with patience if I just sort of forget about it. One of my friends took a couple of pics of my hair recently, as long hair had come up for discussion with some people I don't know very well, and we were both surprised by the length. Hmm, maybe I should upload them. :hmm:

Teal, it is so nice to see my philosophy mirrored by you. I have not been a member here for very long, but I sometimes feel guilty for not putting the effort that many people here seem to put in their hair. I love my long hair, but it mostly exists because of my lack of wanting to deal with it. 😄

[MandyBeth]

Her hair sounds beautiful, MandyBeth! Props to you for taking the time and patience to maintain it rather than just chopping it off.

Ugh. Her hair would be AWFUL if it's too short to tie back. And with her curls, length helps limit tangling because each curl may catch neighboring curls, they are mostly too heavy to move far. So long enough to bun up and limit tangles becomes important. Those are just to me having to deal with her hair.

But why I have to do the washing and her other issues. Her life was hell before she came to us. Having her princess hair was the only thing she could marginally control. There's a lot of neglect and abuse behind her issues. So for her mental well-being, we had to work with what she needed. And really, cleaning up the mess her hair was remains far harder than just daily washing and putting up of extra long hair. And we just roll from that.

I do suspect she's probably going to keep the knee-ankle length hair as an adult, but I'm not sure she'll get much longer. Nor will the length ever show.

[teal]

Teal, it is so nice to see my philosophy mirrored by you. I have not been a member here for very long, but I sometimes feel guilty for not putting the effort that many people here seem to put in their hair. I love my long hair, but it mostly exists because of my lack of wanting to deal with it. ��

Hahah! Welcome to the forums. :) You'll find all sorts of folks, routines and styles here, and things do change over time. I used to be more into oiling my scalp, and I don't do that as much any more (time, mostly). You might try some things, and those will shape your feelings about your hair somewhat. That said, don't be afraid to have confidence in benign neglect. While it's not the cultural norm at the moment, people have been not doing things to their hair for thousands of years, and it didn't fall out or die off. As long as you're reasonably healthy, your hair will probably be fine. :)

[neko_kawaii]

Teal, it is so nice to see my philosophy mirrored by you. I have not been a member here for very long, but I sometimes feel guilty for not putting the effort that many people here seem to put in their hair. I love my long hair, but it mostly exists because of my lack of wanting to deal with it. ��

Hehe, it is easy to overlook the amount of benign neglect that goes on around here amongst all the general discussion of hair care. Don't feel guilty for doing what works for you!

[ashke50]

I was musing on this topic, and I think in some ways the question is upside down. I don't have extremely long hair yet (only fingertip) but I suspect even by the time I do get to extreme lengths, it won't really be a question of "what keeps me growing on" as "does anything make me stop growing". By the time you have got to extreme lengths the habits of careful handling, wearing it up (usually), and generally managing the hair will be so ingrained that it would take a significant impact to prompt a change of behavior. As has been mentioned, your hair grows so slowly that you have time to develop and adjust your techniques to cope with it. I am just getting to the length where I have to make adjustments to brushing and washing, as it is past fingertip, but it is so gradual that it doesn't feel like a burden. Once you get to seriously long hair you'd have been growing it for a good few years, so making a decision to significantly cut it, or even to maintain, would be a significant change. Easier just to carry on as you were, and let it do its thing.

Also of course, curiosity to see just how long it will go, and an element of pride in what you have achieved!

[harpgal]

I was musing on this topic, and I think in some ways the question is upside down. I don't have extremely long hair yet (only fingertip) but I suspect even by the time I do get to extreme lengths, it won't really be a question of "what keeps me growing on" as "does anything make me stop growing". By the time you have got to extreme lengths the habits of careful handling, wearing it up (usually), and generally managing the hair will be so ingrained that it would take a significant impact to prompt a change of behavior. As has been mentioned, your hair grows so slowly that you have time to develop and adjust your techniques to cope with it. I am just getting to the length where I have to make adjustments to brushing and washing, as it is past fingertip, but it is so gradual that it doesn't feel like a burden. Once you get to seriously long hair you'd have been growing it for a good few years, so making a decision to significantly cut it, or even to maintain, would be a significant change. Easier just to carry on as you were, and let it do its thing.

Also of course, curiosity to see just how long it will go, and an element of pride in what you have achieved!
This is so true, ashke. It is a blessing to be growing out length at the pace of a walking ant. Hmmm, perhaps not even that fast! :D

[tigereye]

Teal, it is so nice to see my philosophy mirrored by you. I have not been a member here for very long, but I sometimes feel guilty for not putting the effort that many people here seem to put in their hair. I love my long hair, but it mostly exists because of my lack of wanting to deal with it. ��

I think there's quite a few members here who practice benign neglect. Me? I hang in the Off-Topic Boards most of the time. I trim when it gets grabby and keep it up the rest of the time because I can't be bothered to deal (plus, I really like buns).

[Gaelic Girl]

In general, unsolicited and unwanted (sexual) attention is from the person of higher strength/power/status towards the person of lower strength/power/status. So typical heckling/harassment would be from male against female or straight against non-straight (or both). Since I am a straight male, I present a poor target for harassment (my perceived ability to resist/retaliate is high).[1]

Ladies do not ignore me, but the attention tends to be polite and very few people touch my hair without asking permission first (the very young and very old being the exceptions). And...the sexual comments are polite and quiet, the wolf whistles likewise...and from people who would be deemed attractive to me.

Does that help?

[1] Rare, but it has happened. When I was a busdriver, there was an older white male who would make (sometimes sexual) comments about my hair as he boarded my bus...I responded verbally in a manner that would leave him off balance...and eventually went down to Chinatown and got a massive barrette encrusted with rhinestones (blue and clear only because they didn't have pink) and the next time he boarded I turned to show it to him and said "I got this just for you!" He turned away and said he would never ride my bus again (he never did)...and the passengers and I shared amusement.

Wonderful! Well done, trolleypup!!! :)

[chen bao jun]

Ugh. Her hair would be AWFUL if it's too short to tie back. And with her curls, length helps limit tangling because each curl may catch neighboring curls, they are mostly too heavy to move far. So long enough to bun up and limit tangles becomes important. Those are just to me having to deal with her hair.

But why I have to do the washing and her other issues. Her life was hell before she came to us. Having her princess hair was the only thing she could marginally control. There's a lot of neglect and abuse behind her issues. So for her mental well-being, we had to work with what she needed. And really, cleaning up the mess her hair was remains far harder than just daily washing and putting up of extra long hair. And we just roll from that.

I do suspect she's probably going to keep the knee-ankle length hair as an adult, but I'm not sure she'll get much longer. Nor will the length ever show.

I do think it's a tragedy that so many with kinky curly hair believe it to be unmanageable and do things to alter it which keep it very short (and damaged so it can't grow), -when, if they knew this and kept it natural and let it grow, it gets so much easier at longer lengths. I can't speak for every one and there are different sorts of kinky curly hair, but this has been so true with mine.

To me, length not showing is a minor thing compared with not spending 8 or 9 hours dealing with hair on wash days, and actual pain whenever hair is groomed.

I had a silly thought the oth e r day. Being on as long hair forum, we curlies get so obsessed with the fact our length doesn't show (comparatively speaking). It's like we are poodles complaiNing our hair isn't the same as afghan hounds, poodles are nice,too!!

[LadyLong]

I think what kept me growing for a while was my daughter's desire for mom's long, long hair below waist. As I was getting close to chopping it all of for my own sake and hoping for less pulling of the hair around the scalp with my continual "buns" hairstyles, I came across this LHCommunity and read so many interesting articles, that I decided to keep the long hair and enjoy it with the rest of other supporters. Before this, I only had my daughter's support, but now I see many older women with beautiful long hair here that it made me reconsider again. Am in my mid-sixties and already posted a photo, but I don't even see it myself yet. Time might change this and will learn the scope of this fun group.
:scissors:

[Sarahlabyrinth]

I know I'm not at an extreme length yet but I am finding that the longer my hair gets the easier it is to look after, which is wonderful. Long may it remain so (pun intended). Also, benign neglect is so easy, and I'm basically lazy :).

[MandyBeth]

I do think it's a tragedy that so many with kinky curly hair believe it to be unmanageable and do things to alter it which keep it very short (and damaged so it can't grow), -when, if they knew this and kept it natural and let it grow, it gets so much easier at longer lengths. I can't speak for every one and there are different sorts of kinky curly hair, but this has been so true with mine.

To me, length not showing is a minor thing compared with not spending 8 or 9 hours dealing with hair on wash days, and actual pain whenever hair is groomed.

I had a silly thought the oth e r day. Being on as long hair forum, we curlies get so obsessed with the fact our length doesn't show (comparatively speaking). It's like we are poodles complaiNing our hair isn't the same as afghan hounds, poodles are nice,too!!

Minion has very tight curls, straw and coffee stirrers diameter and they like to stack up with a tight spiral. Vs my halfway wurly hair that does Sharpie diameter curls, but in a lazy, sloppy spiral. DH has kinky curly hair, and he wears his hair in locs. His texture locks up fairly easily, vs Minion who can tangle badly, but without serious actual neglect, doesn't lock easily. Like she'll headbang at concerts, it's a process to detangle for sure, but as her hair gets healthier, it's better. Granted, after one concert where she was spinning her hair (it was Lacuna Coil), the ends were so bad, she got the scissors and told me where to cut. But that was some of the extremely damaged section that needed to go. Vs the Sabaton/Nightwish concert where she got the bands to headbang with her, yet I could easily detangle her hair on the way home.

I won't claim it's wash and go hair. It's definitely a challenge some days. But we've learned to do what her hair wants to do that day.

But for her not showing length - ha. My hair would barely cover my spine if I grew it out. She's got hair wider than her. Which can be fun. Granted, school requires hair passed shoulder length to be held back, and I require it if she's doing anything that may entangle her hair. And as a kid, that's a lot of things.

But I begged for a lot of help at first from here. I'm a Whippet (short, easy to manage hair), DH is a Komondor - and now we have a Poodle, what on earth do we do?

[chen bao jun]

Mandy Beth sounds like you are managing fine to me. Minion is lucky to have you.

[lapushka]

But I begged for a lot of help at first from here. I'm a Whippet (short, easy to manage hair), DH is a Komondor - and now we have a Poodle, what on earth do we do?

Yes, good parents make for the *best* combinations. ;)

[LadyLong]

MIMHA, who began this thread about extreme length, here is my answer: I was just not having time to worry and care about my hair therefore it grew and grew and grew. Most of my life I have enjoyed lengthy hair, but now in my 60's am holding on to it. Yes, people might look at me and think: what an eccentric woman, yet I hide my hair in a proper bun, then, they have little to criticize about because it is protected against harsh comments such as older women should constraint themselves to the universal short hair. Humans want everyone liking the same thing so much and few venture into individuality in a natural way.

[MandyBeth]

Yes, good parents make for the *best* combinations. ;)

Nah, shelter puppies are the best! All the kids are adopted, no Whippet Komondor mutts here.

[harpgal]

MIMHA, who began this thread about extreme length, here is my answer: I was just not having time to worry and care about my hair therefore it grew and grew and grew. Most of my life I have enjoyed lengthy hair, but now in my 60's am holding on to it. Yes, people might look at me and think: what an eccentric woman, yet I hide my hair in a proper bun, then, they have little to criticize about because it is protected against harsh comments such as older women should constraint themselves to the universal short hair. Humans want everyone liking the same thing so much and few venture into individuality in a natural way.
I could not have said it better! So true!

[lapushka]

Nah, shelter puppies are the best! All the kids are adopted, no Whippet Komondor mutts here.

I knew they are adopted, but they're *yours* right? ;)

[Lightbulb7Seven]

My motivation....I just made a decision and stuck with it. Life is filled with heart ache, loss, desperation, and the like. My hair is a constant. After I decided not to cut my hair anymore in 2009 I have just stuck with it and as some people have said it is easier for me. Very low maintenance. I have had long hair most of my life with 2 shorter haircuts in 30 years and I was not happy with either of them. I know in my life long hair is the style I am most happy with so there is just no question. I appreciate the hair of other women and I am proud of my own. Great thread. :)

[Remi]

MIMHA, who began this thread about extreme length, here is my answer: I was just not having time to worry and care about my hair therefore it grew and grew and grew. Most of my life I have enjoyed lengthy hair, but now in my 60's am holding on to it. Yes, people might look at me and think: what an eccentric woman, yet I hide my hair in a proper bun, then, they have little to criticize about because it is protected against harsh comments such as older women should constraint themselves to the universal short hair. Humans want everyone liking the same thing so much and few venture into individuality in a natural way.

Yes, I agree with this. These are my thoughts about it, too. Nicely said! :blossom: