Terminal length/breakage

[Nikky88]

Hello! I have reached 3rd hook...actually just below (wahoo!!, hehe) and I am becoming concerned about reaching my terminal length before I get to my goal (half back or hip). I have noticed when I am brushing my hair over the bathroom sink that there are small breakages of about 1cm, not a ton but usually a few...hehe enough for me to see and make me paranoid. I trim my hair twice a year, and condition regularily. Should I be concerned, and if so what are your suggestions...and has anyone in here reached a terminal length?

[lora410]

Dont worry I am almost waist and had breakage from APL length,and my hair is still growing fast.

[lizzyjo]

You probably haven't reached terminal length yet. The little hairs are most likely the result of a white dot that has broken off at the end of a hair shaft. A white dot is a point of damage, like a split end. You can see them if you look closely at the ends of your hair.

I know there are people here who have reached terminal length, but I'll let them speak for themselves. I think there is a thread on that subject, too. Just search for "terminal length" and you might find it.

[girlcat36]

My hair always broke off by mid back length. I always found those little pieces of hair on the vanity. I rarely find those broken piece anymore since I became cone-free. Cones made my hair dry and brittle, and kept moisture from getting into my hair.

[salamander]

I'm plagued with breaking off ends, too. They've gotten better since I started keeping my hair better moisturized and brushing it more gently, but they still won't go away entirely. My hair's grown a foot since I came to LHC, though, so it doesn't prevent all growth!

[Fillette]

Hello Nikky88 and welcome!

I have the same problem with hair breaking off at the ends. But I seriously doubt that a few broken hairs will hinder your overall growth.
I agree with lizzyjo

The little hairs are most likely the result of a white dot that has broken off at the end of a hair shaft. A white dot is a point of damage, like a split end.

In fact, I have noticed a huge improvement once I started S&Ding more thoroughly. I would rather get rid of the white dots with a clean cut then to wait for them to break off on their own and leave rough edges that will split later.
HTH :)

[SimplyLonghair]

I used to have hair that I couldn't grow past bsl, but that was before LHC. I had to learn how to treat it better and then I started growing again.:D

[Kiraela]

S&Ding regularly will help with that... or I hate to say it, but more frequent trims might help some, too. I was getting breakage so bad that it made me sick to my stomach to see it, sometimes, until my most recent trim... Cut off 3", and I see almost no little broken ends anymore.

[sahiba]

I too fear reaching terminal length before my goal and currently its not growing at all :sad And I cant even trim hair to remove damage . You are in a better position .I think eating healthy and oiling will help your hair at this stage. When my hair is nicely oiled, it breaks less . And like said before , be gentle.

[Nightshade]

You may want to check out the article in my siggy on damaged hair :flowers: You can't stop breakage, but you can stop it from getting out of control.

[Delilah]

Don't worry about a few little pieces of hair breaking off. Think about it this way: you have tens of thousands of hairs on your head. Some break off and some fall out every day, but they grow back.
Just be gentle to your hair, avoid chemicals and heat, and condition and oil it and it you will reach your goal within a 2-3 years.

[MadPirateBippy]

If you don't have a fairly drastic taper, you're not near your terminal length, and people have increased their terminal by simple changes in how they handle hair (and I remember Lady Godiva talking about how her hair got longer when she started drinking more water- and she was already at ankle. It just grew faster).

If you've done something to damage your hair or your routine isn't great, you'll reach a false terminal. Odds are good that your terminal is somewhere between waist length and ankles. I can't remember anyone on here who had a good hair routine who's terminal was shorter than about waist, and in the case of the person I am thinking of she had some fairly serious health problems that made her hair brittle.

[spidermom]

If you are getting a lot of breakage, a trim would help, but keep it small (1/4 or 1/2 inch). You may have to do that a few times before it stops. I really doubt that you've reached terminal length, although it does happen. I had a roommate years ago whose terminal length was only a little longer than APL (armpit length). She didn't do anything in particular to damage it, and I never knew her to get a hair cut or a trim (maybe she needed one), but in 8 years it never got longer.