Thinner Ends?

[M.McDonough]

What causes thinner ends? Is it really lack of moisture or something else? We all know that each hair grows at a different speed, but I'm not sure what the real cause is..

[Sarahlabyrinth]

There can be plenty of reasons, breakage, damage, hair rubbing on clothes, chairs, rough brushing and combing, plus some hairs grow at different rates to others, so unless you trim very regularly you will always have "racer" hairs which grow faster than the rest. Shedding also has its effects on hemlines, because it thins the hair somewhat, and as new hair grows back the ends will remain thinner until the new hair reaches the hemline - of course with long hair this can take years.

Generally speaking, too, with long hair you get natural tapering, it's just part of how hair is.

[lapushka]

^^ I think Sarahlabyrinth said it all.

I have nothing to add, really. Just to say that I have seen a picture of your hair once, OP, and there is nothing wrong with it! :flower:

[M.McDonough]

^^ I think Sarahlabyrinth said it all.

I have nothing to add, really. Just to say that I have seen a picture of your hair once, OP, and there is nothing wrong with it! :flower:
Well, maybe a photo doesn't reflect the same image..

[Sarahlabyrinth]

Well, maybe a photo doesn't reflect the same image..

Are you worried about your ends?

[*Wednesday*]

With my own hair since I don’t cut it often (especially due to the no challenge cuts), the ends are not as blunt and thick. Starting from the bottom of my hair, the last few inches are thinner or taper and not as dense as the rest. My hair just seems to grow this way as I avoid cutting for an extended period of time.
However, the ends are not dried out and I don’t have splits as I take extra care of them.

If your hair is healthy, perhaps it just grows that way.

[FrayedFire]

With my own hair since I don’t cut it often (especially due to the no challenge cuts), the ends are not as blunt and thick. Starting from the bottom of my hair, the last few inches are thinner or taper and not as dense as the rest. My hair just seems to grow this way as I avoid cutting for an extended period of time.
However, the ends are not dried out and I don’t have splits as I take extra care of them.

If your hair is healthy, perhaps it just grows that way.

Yeah, that's just how hair grows. Blunt hemlines are only if you like that specific look, but if the ends are healthy, then they're healthy, but there won't be as much because that's the longest, oldest hairs, and not all of your hair has the same terminal length.

[M.McDonough]

Are you worried about your ends?

Not a big fan of that look

[Cg]

Not a big fan of that look

I'm not either. That's why my ultimate goal is whatever length my hair can attain with a blunt hemline. I'll never find out how long those last 14 strands can reach, and so what? If you like your hair's appearance, that's enough.

[Beeboo123]

My ends are thinner, I think it just naturally happens for me when my hair is past waist. Hopefully, with some babying, this point will be lower down, but there’s usually a point where breakage in combination with differing growth rates causes the hair ends to look thinner...

[lapushka]

Not a big fan of that look

You can always microtrim. I think you posted once about your hemline before. You really weren't a fan of fairytaling, I remember. If it bothers you, then maybe it's time to do something about it? :flower:

[M.McDonough]

I saw this video on YouTube about anagen phase, but could not understand anything lol

[leayellena]

What causes thinner ends? Is it really lack of moisture or something else? We all know that each hair grows at a different speed, but I'm not sure what the real cause is..

Natural taper or more like natural hair damage (not THE damage as split ends). Check these 2 links for details:
http://http://longhairedatheart.blogspot.de/2010/03/even-hemline-without-loosing-length.html
Here's a video:

https://youtu.be/gJXm1K2LxJ8

[lapushka]

I doubt you'll find out the cause, TBH. :flower:

I also don't think you can do anything about it, bar microtrimming to let the thickness travel down slowly. Plenty of people do that here. Thickness *can* travel down, you can either let it keep growing, the thinness will then just "move" itself down. Or, you can stay at the length you're at and microtrim to let the racer hairs catch up. :) HTH!

[MusicalSpoons]

Hair follicles have different stages of the growth cycle - anagen is the growing phase, which takes the majority of the growth cycle for scalp hair. (I'm not entirely sure what all the rest of the stages are, though I know telogen is a resting phase once the hair has completely grown, while it's still attached; after which it sheds.)

Even if someone were to shave their head to start all over again, each follicle is in a different stage of the growth cycle, so the hairs would regrow both at different rates and for a different length of time! And if you think about it, even if (hypothetically) every hair were to grow at the same rate and with synchronised cycles, there would be a natural layering because the strands along the front hairline would hang down the back appearing 'shorter' than the ones near/along the nape. If that makes any sense :confused: [I can see what I mean in my head, but don't have exactly the words.]

Also everything about breakage (an occupational hazard when growing hair!) and and all of its causes still applies, just different growth cycles/rates and distribution of the hairs on one's head mean that it is impossible to grow without natural taper of any kind :)

[M.McDonough]

Hair follicles have different stages of the growth cycle - anagen is the growing phase, which takes the majority of the growth cycle for scalp hair. (I'm not entirely sure what all the rest of the stages are, though I know telogen is a resting phase once the hair has completely grown, while it's still attached; after which it sheds.)

Even if someone were to shave their head to start all over again, each follicle is in a different stage of the growth cycle, so the hairs would regrow both at different rates and for a different length of time! And if you think about it, even if (hypothetically) every hair were to grow at the same rate and with synchronised cycles, there would be a natural layering because the strands along the front hairline would hang down the back appearing 'shorter' than the ones near/along the nape. If that makes any sense :confused: [I can see what I mean in my head, but don't have exactly the words.]

Also everything about breakage (an occupational hazard when growing hair!) and and all of its causes still applies, just different growth cycles/rates and distribution of the hairs on one's head mean that it is impossible to grow without natural taper of any kind :)

You're right

[Wendyp]

I think my much thinner ends are from a couple of things TBH, first off i color my grey, i have been going to aveda to do color. Probably one of the more gentle but i know it kills your hair. Secondly, i got my hormones straightened out because im 53 and my hair not only started growing better and faster again, but it seems thicker at the root. For me those are two biggies. but also a factor i think is i live in florida and i have 7 horses, so im outside working with them, and i dont always wear hats, and i dont always put my hair up, so the sun chews in my hair too. I just started using nightbloomings cassia formula to color grey, it may have to do it more often than color, but i willing to do it to keep my health. And this summer i will put my hair up alot know that i have just discovered hair toys. so anyway, hope that helps you somewhat if anything applies

:blossom:

[Astia]

What causes thinner ends? Is it really lack of moisture or something else? We all know that each hair grows at a different speed, but I'm not sure what the real cause is..

Lucy has a great video about hair growth and nice graphs that explain why even in the perfect world you don't have 100% thickness at the ends

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3G4RyJMKtTc&list=PL6763115ECB8074E3&index=21 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3G4RyJMKtTc&list=PL6763115ECB8074E3&index=21)