when to accept you have a short terminal length? :(

[cat-lady]

Hi everyone :)
so I have been trying to grow my hair for about 5 years now starting from shoulder length. I have only had one cut during the time (about an inch) as my hair was in bad condition, other than I've pretty much left it other than trimming split ends. I gave up hair dye and heat, take vitamins, changed my hair products to natural and pretty much wear up dos everyday apart from the odd occasion.

Almost waist length is the longest I have reached and I reached this last month (which isn't actually very long as im very short!) unfortunately I had to cut back to midback as my ends were awful. and this is the problem I have, despite all my efforts, as soon as I reach past mid back, my hair starts shedding, the ends start getting uneven and thin and the ends get tatty and dry so I have to cut it back to mid back.

my plan currently is to keep my length midback until all my layers have caught up as my hair is feathered around the front. but what then? should i just accept mid back as my terminal? I have dreamt of hi length hair all my life :( I would be happy at mid back but as my hair is so naturally fine it doesn't even look long!

any advice?

xxx

[Nique1202]

If your hair is getting split and damaged and ratty by the time it hits waist, then it's not really your terminal length, it's accumulated damage from somewhere along the journey. Natural isn't always the best choice for hair products. Some people really benefit from silicones and sulfates and all that kind of stuff. It could also be a protein or moisture issue, or the way you fasten your updos (using thread-covered elastics every day gave me horrible splits and ends by the time I reached waist) or any number of other things. Switch to spin pins and hair sticks, try switching out one of your natural products for something from the drug store, if you don't already then try spreading a single drop of coconut or baby oil on your hands and fingercomb it into your ends every day or two. I'm sure you can grow longer, but you may have to experiment for a while to find the right combination of products and routine.

[Marika]

Yeah, it sounds like a false terminal. I would trim more often, just a little bit. I've started to trim every 3 months (instead of every 2 years) and it has helped a lot with breakage/velcro ends etc. -> longer and healthier hair. I would probably go back to more conventional products instead of natural. I've tried the natural route several times and it just doesn't work for me. Or like Nique1202 said, switch just some of your products. Good luck, I'm 99 % sure, you're not at terminal :flower:

[cat11]

I think if you follow your pla nof maintaining for awhile, you will find that after you've cut out damage and evened the hemline the hair will be able to grow longer when you're done increasing it's integrity. Also, the protective updos help alot for people who feel they are approaching terminal, though I doubt you are

[Agnes Hannah]

Hi I am a finey too, my hair also thins as it grows down, I am currently at hip which is the longest it has ever been and I didn't think it would grow this long. I don't think you are at terminal either, as Nique1202 says it is probably accumulated damage that is all. This is my routine, I wash, condition and condition again (from ears down) and dry in a turbie towel til damp then finish off naturally. At night I oil the very ends, side braid it but don't fasten off the ends and put it into a silk sleep cap. My pillow case is also silk just in case! I wear it up everyday in either a nautilus, cinnamon bun or french pleat using a ficcare or fork to secure. I rarely use a brush but when I do it is a mason pearson one, but comb everyday. My favourite comb is my hand made Kent one. I wash twice a week, less if I can get away with it! Am trimming the ends off 0.5cm every three months to help with my fragile wispy ends. They are almost transparent at the very bottom so I hope this trimming regime will help to thicken up the ends whilst maintaining some growth. I am going for tailbone at the minute, and will probably think about classic after that. It is possible to grow longer with our hair type but we have to be even more gentle with it. Other long hairs that I can think of right now are Maria_asa and Aspensong. They have the most amazing hair. Also Kerome and RapunzelKat. I have probably missed some others (so if I have missed you please accept my apologies)
My fave poo is a DrOrganix one with lavender. My conditioners, anything really, usually coney on the very ends, or protein stuff, and tresemme to seal in moisture. Thats about it really. Good luck and keep growing!

[Silverbrumby]

I'm a short terminal as well here, shorter than yours as my avatar is close to the longest I've ever grown in my life. Waist terminal is my goal now. I know hearing me say this isn't helpful but some women (waves hands) are not ever going to make hip or fingertip length. I do agree with others saying that if you are getting damage you might want to look at your routine but really, unless we cover or heads with a silk scarf and never touch it from one wash to the next i think there isn't too much more we can do except; 1. Enjoy the hair we have. 2. Learn cool updos at this length. 3. Beautiful hair toys look wonderful. 4. Trim more often as the bad ends are probably snapping off. 5. Get a satin pillow slip. 5. Try some of the hair healthtips here eg inversion, massage, vitamins biotin and biosil. Rinses etc.

I've used most methods and feel good about how I've taken care of my hair and I've really tried over the past 4 years to grow, it just wasn't in the stars for me (outside of pregnancy that is).

I hope I'm wrong btw about our terminals.

[spidermom]

Post your routine so that more experienced hair growers can suggest beneficial changes. Also, instead of waiting until your ends are a mess and need to have inches cut off, try trimming a small amount on a regular basis. For example, if you get 1/2 inch trimmed off every 3-4 months, it might keep damage under control. Otherwise splits travel right up the hair shaft. You start off with a tiny little Y of maybe 1/8 inch, and as time goes on the split gets wider and breaks off.

[Deborah]

I agree that you need to trim more frequently to slowly get rid of your damaged hair. Until you have trimmed off all the hair that has been dyed or heat damaged, you cannot really tell what your final length will be. It might be a lot longer than you think!

[j88]

I'm a short terminal as well here, shorter than yours as my avatar is close to the longest I've ever grown in my life. Waist terminal is my goal now. I know hearing me say this isn't helpful but some women (waves hands) are not ever going to make hip or fingertip length. I do agree with others saying that if you are getting damage you might want to look at your routine but really, unless we cover or heads with a silk scarf and never touch it from one wash to the next i think there isn't too much more we can do except; 1. Enjoy the hair we have. 2. Learn cool updos at this length. 3. Beautiful hair toys look wonderful. 4. Trim more often as the bad ends are probably snapping off. 5. Get a satin pillow slip. 5. Try some of the hair healthtips here eg inversion, massage, vitamins biotin and biosil. Rinses etc.

I've used most methods and feel good about how I've taken care of my hair and I've really tried over the past 4 years to grow, it just wasn't in the stars for me (outside of pregnancy that is).

I hope I'm wrong btw about our terminals.

We reach aprox the same length. Mine is a little thinner than it can be because of masse amounts of henna, where I lost so much hair every time I used it. Hope I can grow it l little longer:). http://www.myalbum.com/GroteFoto-UQRGHRFS.jpg

[Panth]

If your photo is your "ratty" ends at waist length, then nope that is not terminal. That's hardly even fairytale ends. I think you need to let go of the idea of a blunt hemline.

I agree also with Spidermom - post your routine! What actually is "changing your hair products to natural"? Are you, by any chance, doing "no poo"? That really wrecks most hairtypes after a year or so of solid use.

[Silverbrumby]

We reach aprox the same length. Mine is a little thinner than it can be because of masse amounts of henna, where I lost so much hair every time I used it. Hope I can grow it l little longer:). http://www.myalbum.com/GroteFoto-UQRGHRFS.jpg


Im not so sure about henna myself for my fine hair and I also had a ton of shedding with it. I. Glad I gave it up. It looks like you could get another inch or two on that length just from eyeballing it here.

[Silverbrumby]

[QUOTE=cat-lady;3005848]Hi everyone :)
so I have been trying to grow my hair for about 5 years now starting from shoulder length. I have only had one cut during the time (about an inch) as my hair was in bad condition, other than I've pretty much left it other than trimming split ends. I gave up hair dye and heat, take vitamins, changed my hair products to natural and pretty much wear up dos everyday apart from the odd occasion.

Almost waist length is the longest I have reached and I reached this last month (which isn't actually very long as im very short!) unfortunately I had to cut back to midback as my ends were awful. and this is the problem I have, despite all my efforts, as soon as I reach past mid back, my hair starts shedding, the ends start getting uneven and thin and the ends get tatty and dry so I have to cut it back to mid back.

my plan currently is to keep my length midback until all my layers have caught up as my hair is feathered around the front. but what then? should i just accept mid back as my terminal? I have dreamt of hi length hair all my life :( I would be happy at mid back but as my hair is so naturally fine it doesn't even look long!

any advice?

******************


I just squinted at your picture and I'm also thinking you do have a longer terminal just based on the hemline. Please post routine and closeup. You don't have the same V and fairy tails I have.

[gwenalyn]

Lots of people have better success with growing to, e.g., waist, and, if it's ratty, just maintaining there with tiny trims. The rattiness slowly goes away and the thickness grows down.

They find this works better than growing to waist, chopping off all the rattiness, then growing back to waist again and finding it ratty again.

[Silverbrumby]

What I'd give to just grow to waist even if i had to chop it back after. Ive grown to bsl and maintained with one inch trims every 6 months. No thickening to hemline in three years. No splits or very few.

Lots of people have better success with growing to, e.g., waist, and, if it's ratty, just maintaining there with tiny trims. The rattiness slowly goes away and the thickness grows down.

They find this works better than growing to waist, chopping off all the rattiness, then growing back to waist again and finding it ratty again.

[Doreen]

I agree that from your pic it doesn't seem like you're at terminal yet at all! Don't feel discouraged!

I also had a stall where my hemline started to look like yours in your userpic -- kind of thinned out but not tapering out. I maintained where I was stalled for 3 years and experimented a lot with various routines. It sounds bad to say this way, but none of my hair products are natural. They are full of sulfates and cones, but that is just what works best and I'm sticking with it. After the 3 years of product-changing I found a routine that I think is ideal for me and has allowed me to grow far more with a mostly blunt hemline.

Even within the worlds of "natural" and "unnatural" there are lots of combinations of products that you can try to see what is best -- huge differences among different formulas of products and their textures that may react a lot better with your hair type. You just have to try them and see, I think. If you want to stick to natural products, I still think that there is a big range of mixtures within that realm that might help prevent some damage that it looks like you might have.

If the thought of buying a bunch of different products to test out seems overwhelming to your budget, maybe see if you have any close friends or family that are willing to join in to distribute some of the costs? I've never thought that sharing shampoo is unsanitary since it's not like you're putting anything back into the bottle. It could even help them to find better routines for themselves too, if they are also growing their hair.

[chen bao jun]

I hear fine hair and ratty ends and what I think is. Needs an occasional protein treatment, such as aphogee. Do you protein at all? It has helped many fines get to longer length s.

[endlessly]

Don't give up! Most likely, like some of the others have commented, it's probably just the result of past damage catching up. Hopefully you've heard the saying "a watched pot never boils" because that's exactly what happens when you're waiting for your hair to grow. Don't stress about it, just make sure you're taking care of yourself and doing everything you can to protect your hair. If the ends get tangled and ratty looking, you might need to have more frequent trims than once every few years. Your hair will grow eventually, just give it a bit of time and try not to worry too much.

[Crumpet]

Hugs!

I sympathize. I've been on the LHC for nearly two years and have been completely stalled at about waist (sometimes just above, sometimes at, sometimes just below). I've been trimming off layers and pre-LHC damage, but I still see that my ends aren't great and that my hair doesn't seem super keen to get long. I am also beginning to wonder if I have to decide between longer hair and hair with a hemline that makes me happy...and I think I will go with the latter.

I have no idea what the situation with your hair will turn out to be but thought I'd just share my own concerns about growth so that you know you aren't alone. Its definitely difficult, especially when you see others pass you by on their hair journeys.

[LillithTheFirst]

Hip length is around 24 inches. Average hair grows 0.5 a month. Theoretically t will take around 4 years to grow if you've had no trims, or breakages. If your hairs on your end aren't broken off then it may be terminal length, but if you can see the ends aren't fine and don't look like baby ends then there was length broken off....
So just take good care of your hair, maybe re look into how your taking care of it.

[elea]

The answer would be never as hair texture and "wealth" change through the years.
I know at least 2 ladies who did not pass mid back for decade then rocketed down to below their derriere at some point in their life.
I can tell you that braiding 1 meter and a half of silver lushness is an absolute pleasure and hearing that it was a dream of hers to have it that long for 60 years makes your heart play a hell of a jazz *;O)
Enjoy now, enjoy taking care of yourself and who knows what you will get to enjoy later.

[cat-lady]

Thanks so much for all the advice everyone :) sorry its took so long to reply.
at the moment I have reverted back to high street shampoos and conditioners! I know this isn't the best but all the more natural stuff I have tried doesn't seem to agree with me!
I have mainly tried homemade solid shampoos and also tried stretching my washes. to be honest they both just made my hair really really greasy! so I have gone back to washing every other day (sometimes every day) and my hair already seems to be in better condition already!
I occasionally use olive oil or aloe vera also as I get really dry hair.
I think as some people have pointed out my thinner ends are probably to do with the different lengths growing out so I shall be maintaining mid back length until I am all one length then fingers crossed I can attempt to go longer!
I have a major issue with hair tangling which I think is where most my length is been sacrificed! i'm not sure if its to do with how fine my hair is or what but I get major tangles in my hair a lot of the time and I think this is causing a lot of damage.

[AmberJewel]

If damage is causing tangles, maybe your maintaining will help clear that problem up as well. Occasional trims certainly helped me in this area. Hopefully you'll soon have a solid hemline, fewer tangles, and be able to start growing again. :) Good luck!

[yogagirl]

If you were using shampoo bars and they weren't agreeing with your hair, they might very well cause tangling. Are you back on the cones? Many people's hair seems to need some cones at longer lengths to prevent tangling and thus damage. It sounds like your hair would benefit from them as well and they might help you retain more length. There is nothing inherently wrong with sulfates and cones if your hair and skin agree with them.

[Bill D.]

Another possible way for hair to get damaged is through detangling. The commercials that show people shampooing their hair in a pile on top of their head are giving serious misdirection to longhairs. I used to do that and got terrible tangles which undoubtedly caused damage and breakage.

Long hair should be shampooed gently while it's hanging down so as to not cause significant tangling. When I had thick hair (I now have thin hair due to male pattern baldness) I also would comb my hair in the shower while running water down its length. This separated the strands and make it easy to do any small amount of detangling that was needed.

I don't know if this is happening with your hair, but on another board one woman with hip-length hair was having terrible problems with having to detangle her hair after washing it, until she stopped washing her hair on top of her head the way she had been taught to do it.

Bill D.

[Remi]

If you were using shampoo bars and they weren't agreeing with your hair, they might very well cause tangling. Are you back on the cones? Many people's hair seems to need some cones at longer lengths to prevent tangling and thus damage. It sounds like your hair would benefit from them as well and they might help you retain more length. There is nothing inherently wrong with sulfates and cones if your hair and skin agree with them.

This is what I am thinking, too. Also extra small micro trims a couple times a year.