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View Full Version : Hair isn't measuring longer but feels longer?



Andthetalltrees
October 25th, 2017, 02:16 PM
I guess this is a kind of petty complaint, But for some reason has made me feel more obsessive again(I was expecting one thing and got another I suppose :rolleyes:) My hair was close to 27" but not quite when I trimmed what I thought was 1/2" or so in September, When I got done it measured 26". I had sworn off measuring for awhile but then I did a few days ago and it's still 26". I don't understand because it feels and looks longer than a month ago, All I can guess is because I only trimmed the very longest ends I might have taken off more than I thought and the sides have grown to be more even with the back and thus it seems longer when really it's just the sides catching up to make it appear fuller. Could be a genuine measuring error though, Probably in a few months it'll be longer and I'll think this is ridiculous to worry about haha.

Anje
October 25th, 2017, 02:22 PM
That seems to be the way it goes. :)

I'd go with full ends and/or measuring error. Likely a bit of both. It's normal to get a bit of variation when you measure your hair (well, at least for me it is!) and if you're not pulling it straight, daily variations in waves and volume can contribute.

Shepherdess
October 25th, 2017, 02:26 PM
This has happened to me a few times before too, and especially after my hair started thickening again after a major shed, so I think that your guess is correct in that the rest of the length must be catching up!!! I love how thicker ends feel, really does make the hair feel and look longer!!

lapushka
October 25th, 2017, 02:41 PM
I'm guessing you didn't measure correctly, as that can explain why it feels longer and it seemingly hasn't grown. Honestly? I would stop measuring and just go by the bigger milestones. I did that at some point too. It got *so* tiring of following the growth too up close. At some point measuring can become problematic, and when you notice that, I would do something about it and just look at the bigger picture.

Andthetalltrees
October 25th, 2017, 02:57 PM
This has happened to me a few times before too, and especially after my hair started thickening again after a major shed, so I think that your guess is correct in that the rest of the length must be catching up!!! I love how thicker ends feel, really does make the hair feel and look longer!!
Ahh, I'm also regrowing a shed! Glad to it happened to you too


I'm guessing you didn't measure correctly, as that can explain why it feels longer and it seemingly hasn't grown. Honestly? I would stop measuring and just go by the bigger milestones. I did that at some point too. It got *so* tiring of following the growth too up close. At some point measuring can become problematic, and when you notice that, I would do something about it and just look at the bigger picture.

That's a good point, I had told myself once I was past BSL measuring wasn't important(I called BSL by measurements) but I'm still worried about it now :\. I should just stop so it doesn't bother me anymore and enjoy how long it 'feels' right now :D

spidermom
October 25th, 2017, 03:49 PM
You might also be seeing that your newer and shorter hairs have grown and are no longer sticking up all over like dandelion fluff, and that is what is giving you the "longer" feeling.

Corvana
October 25th, 2017, 03:51 PM
I'm planning on only measuring for about a year, because my growth spurt that I thought was my baseline rate finishing up and returning to 1/2" of growth really caused negative emotions in me. I could stop altogether now, and maybe should, but I know myself well enough to know that if I don't get about a year's worth of measurement data to have a good idea of my true growth rate, I'll think about it aaaaaaall the time.

I don't really have much advice for coming to terms with your measurements right now, and a potential stall or mismeasurement. But I thought I'd chip in that you're not the only one struggling with it, at least! And my hair feels much longer that it should feel, as well, so when I look at it or when I did my comparison photo and see that it's either unchanged or only a smidge more it's really disappointing!

Andthetalltrees
October 25th, 2017, 04:02 PM
I'm planning on only measuring for about a year, because my growth spurt that I thought was my baseline rate finishing up and returning to 1/2" of growth really caused negative emotions in me. I could stop altogether now, and maybe should, but I know myself well enough to know that if I don't get about a year's worth of measurement data to have a good idea of my true growth rate, I'll think about it aaaaaaall the time.

I don't really have much advice for coming to terms with your measurements right now, and a potential stall or mismeasurement. But I thought I'd chip in that you're not the only one struggling with it, at least! And my hair feels much longer that it should feel, as well, so when I look at it or when I did my comparison photo and see that it's either unchanged or only a smidge more it's really disappointing!

I totally understand! Logically I know my hair grows quite fast but in random spurts, It has gone through a few month stalls before and it hasn't effect my growth in the long term(one time I stalled and then got 1.5/2" the next month!). But my irrational side just thinks that my hair won't ever grow, or disappointed because I expected to be different. It brings out bad emotions for me too and I don't know why it should

VersLaLumière
October 25th, 2017, 07:04 PM
After a trim, for a while it might bounce up a bit more and measure marginally shorter than it really is. I experienced something like this after my trim in July.

Also, did you measure on a wash day? I see that you have some wave to your hair so it might bounce up more on a wash day and skew the result. I know this happens for me as I've tested it several times. Just last week too I tried it again. When I measured on a wash day my result was 28.5". I measured twice to be sure. It seemed strange as that would mean no growth for the entire month and yet my hair really felt and looked longer. Two days later, I tried again and it measured at 29". The following day I measured again, a solid 29". I'm going to make a point to always measure on day 3 now to get an accurate measurement. I tend to wash every 4-5 days (or 6-7 if stretching).

DoomKitty
October 28th, 2017, 05:45 PM
I'm guessing you didn't measure correctly, as that can explain why it feels longer and it seemingly hasn't grown. Honestly? I would stop measuring and just go by the bigger milestones. I did that at some point too. It got *so* tiring of following the growth too up close. At some point measuring can become problematic, and when you notice that, I would do something about it and just look at the bigger picture.

This was me too... I ended up taking a break from LHC as I was getting too obsessed with my hair and stressing about it, which we all know does nothing good for your health and hair. I reached APL almost without noticing (only when I asked DH to take a photo from behind as I was in love with the colour) and since then have made a concerted effort to not pay too much attention to how much it is/isn't growing.

lapushka
October 29th, 2017, 08:10 AM
This was me too... I ended up taking a break from LHC as I was getting too obsessed with my hair and stressing about it, which we all know does nothing good for your health and hair. I reached APL almost without noticing (only when I asked DH to take a photo from behind as I was in love with the colour) and since then have made a concerted effort to not pay too much attention to how much it is/isn't growing.

Yeah it's a trap, I tell you! :lol: All that measuring in the beginning. Until I realized I could go by milestones and inches or so leading up to those, so I started measuring relative to milestones. And once I had reached my goal, now the second time round, I quit measuring. I know at some point it's gonna get there. So...

vpatt
October 29th, 2017, 03:30 PM
Measuring never works well for me. I can measure two or three times in a row with different readings each time.....so even tho I still try I find it very frustrating. I have even had personal challenges to stop measuring, lol. It helps me a tiny bit.

Kiiruna
October 29th, 2017, 05:46 PM
I tried to measure monthly, but... well, it kinda failed because I just can't do it right. My measuring tape thinks I'm either growing backwards or stalling, and meanwhile my progress pictures show growth.