I Give up! (and a question about measuring)

[Kiraela]

Measuring, that is! Last month, I was clearly at 35.5. This month, I'm barely at 34.5! I was depressed, thinking that I'd lost an inch to breakage again, when I looked in the mirror. It is visibly longer. It looks like I gained an inch(!) in real length, but lost it on the tape measure. For instance, this time last month, my virgin hair wasn't quite APL yet,and now it definately is! So I think I'm just going to toss my tape measure in the trashbin (About time, I need a new one for my seamstressing anyway) and just call it 'midbum' length.


Do you measure, or go by body measurements? If you do measure, is it usually accurate (to the best of your knowledge?) DBF Inspired this question, actually: What if your hair only 1" long from scalp to tip? There's no way it will reach from hairline to nape, yet. Do you still measure from the front hairline? If not, at what point do you switch from scalp-tip measuring, to hairline measuring? When it reaches the nape?

Some people are updo-challenged. I think I must be the village idiot of measuringtown..... :D

[ecologystudent]

I gave up measuring. It doesn't seem to work that accurately, and it doesn't make much sense for hair as short as mine was. I think it matters more to me how it actually looks, rather than how long it is when I stretch out the waves and measure.

[LittleOrca]

I had this same problem. My tape measurer told me my hair was 36 in one month, then when I measured again it said only 33 when my hair looked the same. Since then, I tend to just measure according to my body. It's a little frustrating to constantly be at Tailbone, albeit varying lengths of tailbone, but having a real number does make me notice the growth more.

I did try to number measure this last measure time and it said 34. At least that is better than going backwards again.

[swanns]

I hear you! My hair, according to the tape measure, was somewhere between 34-36'' for months, sometimes shorter and sometimes longer. The last time I measured it it was 38'' all of a sudden. Go figure! :rolleyes: I never know whether to pull my hair straight or leave it wavy as it is and then measure it, either.

[Darkhorse1]

I have the SAME problem! I could have sworn I was at 33 once, then I was at 30, then back to 31, then 29....I had gotten some trims, and I have wave in my hair. Once cut into, I can lose up to 2 inches in body/curl. So, I've given up on measuring and going with the length I feel on my body/how close it touches my clothes etc.

[Fencai]

Im one of the many who have given up measuring my hair with a tape.
I only use body measurements now. My waves just give too much of a variance to be effective with a tape.

[Honey39]

I can't do the measuring thing at ALL! I usually take photos to see growth - there is nothing like looking at a pic of yourself from a year ago to make you realise that hair really does grow a LOT!

[LadyLongLocks]

I hear ya!! I measured 3 weeks ago and it was 55.5 and its still the same today! Im only growing 1/2 inch more and quitting. I probably won't measure much after I reach the goal and it will be a relief! Seems like that last 1/2 inch is taking forever.

[WaitingSoLong]

I have only measured a few times but quickly figured out I cannot really do it myself. I let my husband measure for me, I hold it at the starting point and make sure I am very consistent. He pulls the tape over and down. He just 'looks", he does not straighten my hair out. That being said, I have straight hair but only REAL straight when it has been blow dried. SO, I always blow dry my hair before I measure. Ergo, I do not measure frequently. I measured only so I could have a starting point and a goal length. I mostly just go by body parts. Tho I am in a "tween" stage and am curious, it does not seem to be growing! I was at waist length and now I am just somewhere below that but not at my goal yet and not at hip length. Guess I am just impatient. I do not plan to measure again until my birthday (December). I was going to do the thing where you figure your terminal length and decided against it. I don't want to know! Besides, if I can get my hair healthier and take better care of it over time, I could potentially increase my term length anyway. So why worry?

[WaitingSoLong]

I can't do the measuring thing at ALL! I usually take photos to see growth - there is nothing like looking at a pic of yourself from a year ago to make you realise that hair really does grow a LOT!

This is a good idea! I am always going through old pics to see if I have reached my "longest hair ever" and I have. I know my hair is longer now than it has ever been. Previously, it was in about 1996, I had it past BSL and then cut it all off (in stages, I still am not sure why).

I know I have this one pic I kept looking at and looking at, waiting for my hair to be that long again. That was a few years ago. Now I look at it and my hair looks SHORT in the picture! I have to remind myself that used to be my goal length when I get discouraged. Some days I feel like my hair is long, some days I feel like it is hopelessly too short. Pics are a good idea.

[spidermom]

DD does a measurement for me once every 3 months after I blow-dry (gently, I promise) my hair straight. I quit measuring for a long time, but I was really curious as to how much length I would gain if I stopped trimming for one year. It was definitely frustrating to do it every month. I'd gain length, then lose length, then stay the same. It was maddening.

So far, I've gained length every 3 months. I think it helps that I've got a measuring partner to read the back while I position the tape just so at my hairline in front and a routine of blowing my hair straight every time.

[jivete]

I find measuring discouraging, but yet I still do it.:p

Even if it's wet and stretched, I still can't get it consistant. I'm trying to stop, really I am. But I still measured yesterday. :rolleyes:

[feralnature]

I measure once every 6 months. Or my husband does it, rather. He pulls my hair straight when it's wet and I have him take the measurement and I leave it at that. I also take pics every 6 months. Any measuring more often than that and it's just fodder for crazy-making. :D

[ZaBasDa]

I just measure every once in a while because I like having a real number to go by, but every once in a while is about every 3 months or so. Mostly, I just go by pictures and body parts because it's easier.

[RavennaNight]

Oh that stupid tapemeasure! Dag nabit! It is so confusing. In January it measured 30. I am now 30.5, after a microtrim. And I mean micro. That is 6 months. And my hair is visibly longer than it was in january. I was barely brushing near waist! And now I am past waist and approaching hip. (probably hip in September or October.) Go figure! Stupid measuring tape...

[AmericanWoman]

I get the same thing. My hair is a V-cut so i have to make sure i get the longest strands. I measure wet since my hair curls. It's a much more consistant measurement for me.

[ReddishRocks]

I measure by body parts. :D That said, dew point affects my curl pattern so much that I'll bounce up and down an inch or so depending on the day. I suppose that's a strong argument for measuring instead, LOL! My hair isn't THAT curly, so stretching out my hair isn't hard...

But I'm already a little compulsive about my hair, so measuring might make it worse! I'm waiting for my hair to get visibly below BSL - THAT would be exciting!

[Sarahmoon]

I never measure, mostly because I don't have a good measure and don't feel like buying one for that goal only. Body parts works fine with me.
Could the difference in length have something to do with braid waves or anything? Do you stretch the hair out before measuring?

[Kiraela]

Some days I feel like my hair is long, some days I feel like it is hopelessly too short.

I Definately understand that one - I swear, some days I feel like my hair is pathetically short, like it will never be long enough, and others - It's more like, "Woah, my hair got LONG!" ...


I never measure, mostly because I don't have a good measure and don't feel like buying one for that goal only. Body parts works fine with me.
Could the difference in length have something to do with braid waves or anything? Do you stretch the hair out before measuring?

I measured wet, with it combed straight, so I don't think that's the difference. Of course, I once trimmed three inches off, and right afterwards, my tape measure said that it was 1/2" LONGER than the measurement I took just an hour ago, before I trimmed.