So this length is here to stay for good?

[JCFantasy23]

I admit my hair needs to be a little healthier, but I was thinking last night that I've never had hair that quite reaches to my waist, even though I've always tried growing long hair. I don't think my hair is really in bad shape right now. Stopped dyeing it about four years ago and don't use any heat products on it ever, except very rare occasions. Don't overwash, it's not loaded with split-ends, I do S&D method, I don't use hair products.

I was browsing some pictures for memories sake to compare my hair length, and it wasn't quite a good surprise to see that my hair is basically the same length in almost every picture I've had taken.

Case in point - when I was a kid I had long hair. I was looking at a fourth grade picture of it. Looking at my school pictures - Second grade, third grade, and eighth grade are all the same length hair. Had slightly shorter hair in between - very slight - probably because of mom trims.

The first - and only major hair cut - I had was fifth grade. I ended up cutting it and perming it very short. After that I let it relax and grow out again. My eighth grade, ninth grade, and tenth grade pictures all show the same length of hair.

I ended up cutting my hair a little past my shoulder blades when I was sixteen. This was my second cut. Then I let it grow back again. All pictures of my hair from that time past show my hair the same length. All teenage and kid pictures of me ever don't seem to show beyond this link.

Cut a few inches off when I was 23. Hair very slowly grew, takes a few years (sigh).

Now, at the age of 29, hair pretty much the same length. I have not had a several inches cut like that since the age of 16. I do S&D for split ends. It seems to me it has stayed this length now for several years. I have many pictures of myself over the past few years and don't see a change.

Am I to assume that this is my terminal length? Is it possible? My goal is waist and I'm almost there kind of (Mid back), but it would have been nice to reach full out. I need to thicken my hair now, cut down on the shedding, and just even out the ends with thickness.

I know it just may be my hair grows very slowly, but doesn't make sense, no ones hair grows that slow right? From 23 to 29, that's six years! The hair cut was only three inches! I have grown the three inches back, just doesn't seem like it grows any further.

But surely it's not a coincidence that after my whole life my hair has not reached my waist or beyond, after all three cuts?

[Arriens]

I think you are stuck with that lenght.
Yes, hair CAN have such a short terminal lenght. A coworker of mine has a terminal lenght between shoulder and apl. ;)

[girlcat36]

Your story sounds familiar.
I have been at APL for 17 years with few trims. I think BSL may be my terminal length, but with the help of LHC, I would like to try and get it to waist.
A big reason my hair seemed to not grow---use of silicone products caused a lot of breakage that I was not aware of.
Since joining LHC, and going cone-free, I now know that indeed my hair does grow.
If it is truly growing the way I think it is, I should be at waist by the end of next year.
I've had a lot of health setbacks since joining LHC, and I am essentially growing out from half bald, so it is taking me longer than everyone else here to grow out.
If you do the monthly measure-ins, you will see that maybe your does grow. If there is no growth, look at the possibilty of breakage, and tweak your routine and products.

[Papillonnoir]

I think it would be interesting and helpful to know if your hair is growing very slowly, or breaking and shedding. Maybe you could dye a small strand of it, and observe the roots to find your growth? Although it's possible you have hit terminal, it's also possible to coax slow growing and fragile hair to grow longer than you expect. I remember seeing a post by a member hear with really long, fabulous hair that grew really slow, and broke like mad until it was babied a bit.

[heidihug]

In addition to what was said above, you do not have your hair type in your siggy. If you have curly or wavy hair, it may not appear to have grown, when it actually has, and is just being "springy".

Also, you said that you S&D - do you do microtrims of the entire hemline, or just nip off the occasional split hair?

It's hard to say if you are at terminal or not without more data. Don't give up yet on eeking out more length.

[jivete]

It's possible. What is your taper like? Is it even or abrupt? Do you notice breakage?

I think it was Spidermom that once said that if you're stuck at a certain stage change something in your routine, wear it up more, wash less, lower the temperature of your wash water, get ride of cones, try cones...and then see if it grows.

My hair has never been this long even though I've always been growing it. It took a complete change in my routine to get it here and I think it will take more changes to get it longer.

[JCFantasy23]

Your story sounds familiar.
I have been at APL for 17 years with few trims. I think BSL may be my terminal length, but with the help of LHC, I would like to try and get it to waist.
A big reason my hair seemed to not grow---use of silicone products caused a lot of breakage that I was not aware of.
Since joining LHC, and going cone-free, I now know that indeed my hair does grow.
If it is truly growing the way I think it is, I should be at waist by the end of next year.
I've had a lot of health setbacks since joining LHC, and I am essentially growing out from half bald, so it is taking me longer than everyone else here to grow out.
If you do the monthly measure-ins, you will see that maybe your does grow. If there is no growth, look at the possibilty of breakage, and tweak your routine and products.

I hope this is the case with me as well, as I want it to be a bit longer. I am going to try and step up my hair care routine. Have already been doing that awhile now but keep at it.


I think it would be interesting and helpful to know if your hair is growing very slowly, or breaking and shedding. Maybe you could dye a small strand of it, and observe the roots to find your growth? Although it's possible you have hit terminal, it's also possible to coax slow growing and fragile hair to grow longer than you expect. I remember seeing a post by a member hear with really long, fabulous hair that grew really slow, and broke like mad until it was babied a bit.

Well I do shed quite a bit. So maybe it is breakage and I'm wrong about it, I know my hair does need work. I just was thinking when I looked at all the pictures and remembered my hair has NEVER been longer than this, that maybe it could just be my terminal length.


In addition to what was said above, you do not have your hair type in your siggy. If you have curly or wavy hair, it may not appear to have grown, when it actually has, and is just being "springy".

Also, you said that you S&D - do you do microtrims of the entire hemline, or just nip off the occasional split hair?

It's hard to say if you are at terminal or not without more data. Don't give up yet on eeking out more length.

My hair is completely straight. Lately I have been doing S&D Micro trims but do trim hemline on occasion

, it's been about 2 months since full trim.


It's possible. What is your taper like? Is it even or abrupt? Do you notice breakage?

I think it was Spidermom that once said that if you're stuck at a certain stage change something in your routine, wear it up more, wash less, lower the temperature of your wash water, get ride of cones, try cones...and then see if it grows.

My hair has never been this long even though I've always been growing it. It took a complete change in my routine to get it here and I think it will take more changes to get it longer.

Hmmm trying to think of changes. I use different conditioners and shampoos all the time, but need to find a cheap cone free one. Being unemployed can't afford the better shampoos just yet. I do have a cone free conditioner. I use shampoo about every four days, otherwise my hair gets pretty nasty without it. I've been conditioning it a lot more and have noticed the tangles are less, which is good.

I have the bad habit of wearing my hair in the same updos, didn't know this influenced growth that much. I either do an up twist, or else a low ponytail, or else a tucked in ponytail, ocassional braids and sometimes piled on top of the head, or leave it down.

With water, that always changes for me depending on the time of day so can't change that any more.

Thanks for all the help so far guys, perhaps I am just thinking this might be the length and its not.

How does breakage work exactly with hair growth, signs of breakage, etc?

[Fractalsofhair]

Do you normally wear your hair up? That could be a major cause of breakage if you're not. It's also possible your ends are damaged from the former dying only 4 years ago. I'd suggest giving it a while, maybe another year of babying it, and see if it grows at all!

[Debra83]

Breakage can occur from ponytail holders (that's what happened to me), or what someone here dubbed "mechanical breakage" which I gather means some outside source (like ponytail holders) resulting in breakage. One girl here finally noticed she was getting serious breakage from having her hair trapped between her and her office chair. I noticed after reading that, that during the winter my heavy wool Hudson's Bay coat was chafing my hair at collar height and causing breakage. It's amazing what can happen during a day - sometimes people's purse straps or backpacks can cause breakage too. Someone here said to treat your hair like "fine lace". If I had taken that advice a few years ago, I'd be at ankle now.

Also, vitamins can play an important part of hair strength, as well as protein packs, and henna'ing/cassia'ing.

Hope this helps.

[JCFantasy23]

Do you normally wear your hair up? That could be a major cause of breakage if you're not. It's also possible your ends are damaged from the former dying only 4 years ago. I'd suggest giving it a while, maybe another year of babying it, and see if it grows at all!

I wear my hair up more than down, but it is down a good portion as well. I sleep with it down and have been thinking I need to get in the habit of sleeping differently with it.

[Atlantic]

I last had a serious cut nearly 20 years ago, and my hair never went below waist my whole life - until I found LHC this year and discovered I had been doing everything wrong my whole life, and now my hair is getting thicker and eeking slowly towards TBL. I wouldn't give up on your length yet.

[Anje]

It's possible that you're at terminal, but mid-back is also a really common point for people to get stuck at. Getting past it often takes a bit of extra care, and it tends to be a length where seat backs rub and hair gets eaten.

Try wearing your hair up most of the time. By "up", I don't mean in a ponytail, but in an actual bun, where the ends are tucked in and can't be caught, worn, or blown around. You also might want to try a different washing technique (silicones cause problems for some, others find that sulfates from shampoos are too drying or harsh on their length and they need extra conditioning.) Consider oiling your ends a bit.

Incidentally, terminal usually has a certain look to it. I don't know how you feel about posting pictures, but people might be able to give you a better opinion about it if you were to share an image.

[jojo]

I agree we need to see a picture to determine any factors which may have caused a stall, taper, breakage etc.

My hair didn't grow due to stress, in fact this year up to 2 month ago, id got just one inch in growth. I started deep conditionings twice a week and wearing it up all the time, now my hair has jumped from 26 to 28" which for me is brilliant. I have baby fine hair which if I wear down breaks even before my highlights it broke, it split now I hardly have any splits.

I totally understand your frustration but doubt very much you have reached terminal, I would guess its breaking, incidently do you comb or brush? combs are much kinder! also try oiling the last inch every night and morning.

I wish you luck.

[JamieLeigh]

It sounds like you've gotten a lot of good advice. I'm another who usually needs visual representation to better understand a hair problem. Especially concerning the ends of your hair. Does it taper to a point, or is it pretty straight across at the ends? If it's really pointy then you might actually be coming to your terminal length, but if it's not, then the culprit is likely breakage.

It can take years, literally, to get rid of damage from perming and coloring. It might be likely that you're just breaking off due to damage. At any rate, patience is key to growing out your hair long. Just baby the heck out of it and try to wear it up and out of the way as much as possible. :flower:

[MsBubbles]

The ponytails might have something to do with it, as well as the up-twists. What type hair do you have? Is it very fine? Twisting my fine hair causes it to break and become more sparse. I imagine you probably had your hair in a ponytail a lot as a kid, so you may have had breakage back then too.

Here's is Fia's hairtyping method (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=5).

Many people here hate claw clips, but I swear by them, and use the mini ones to hold my updos. I believe they are less damaging to my hair because they spread the point of contact and weight-pulling out evenly throughout the updo. Also I don't twist my hair any more.

I agree with the vitamin comment, also! Your body may need a jump start of something (iron, B12, ?).

[JCFantasy23]

It's possible that you're at terminal, but mid-back is also a really common point for people to get stuck at. Getting past it often takes a bit of extra care, and it tends to be a length where seat backs rub and hair gets eaten.

Try wearing your hair up most of the time. By "up", I don't mean in a ponytail, but in an actual bun, where the ends are tucked in and can't be caught, worn, or blown around. You also might want to try a different washing technique (silicones cause problems for some, others find that sulfates from shampoos are too drying or harsh on their length and they need extra conditioning.) Consider oiling your ends a bit.

Incidentally, terminal usually has a certain look to it. I don't know how you feel about posting pictures, but people might be able to give you a better opinion about it if you were to share an image.


I'll work on getting some pictures. :)I ended up deeply conditioning last night and sleeping with a french braid for starters. I didnt know terminal had a certain look to it, that is good to know. I am starting to doubt now that I may be terminal from all the good advice here and others saying they didnt grow for years until certain care either, so I hope so.




My hair didn't grow due to stress, in fact this year up to 2 month ago, id got just one inch in growth. I started deep conditionings twice a week and wearing it up all the time, now my hair has jumped from 26 to 28" which for me is brilliant. I have baby fine hair which if I wear down breaks even before my highlights it broke, it split now I hardly have any splits.

I totally understand your frustration but doubt very much you have reached terminal, I would guess its breaking, incidently do you comb or brush? combs are much kinder! also try oiling the last inch every night and morning.

I wish you luck.

I use a brush, I never have good luck with combing, my hair just seems to want to attack combs strangely. I dont oil the last inch, would putting conditioner on the ends before bed and in the morning be the same?


It sounds like you've gotten a lot of good advice. I'm another who usually needs visual representation to better understand a hair problem. Especially concerning the ends of your hair. Does it taper to a point, or is it pretty straight across at the ends? If it's really pointy then you might actually be coming to your terminal length, but if it's not, then the culprit is likely breakage.

It can take years, literally, to get rid of damage from perming and coloring. It might be likely that you're just breaking off due to damage. At any rate, patience is key to growing out your hair long. Just baby the heck out of it and try to wear it up and out of the way as much as possible. :flower:

The ends, hmm. I dont know how to envision pointy. You mean theyre coming together to make a point at the end, kind of like a V Shape? I really need to take pictures of the back of my hair for my own mind too lol. And no I dont think it does that.

[JCFantasy23]

The ponytails might have something to do with it, as well as the up-twists. What type hair do you have? Is it very fine? Twisting my fine hair causes it to break and become more sparse. I imagine you probably had your hair in a ponytail a lot as a kid, so you may have had breakage back then too.

Here's is Fia's hairtyping method (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=5).

Many people here hate claw clips, but I swear by them, and use the mini ones to hold my updos. I believe they are less damaging to my hair because they spread the point of contact and weight-pulling out evenly throughout the updo. Also I don't twist my hair any more.

I agree with the vitamin comment, also! Your body may need a jump start of something (iron, B12, ?).

I do have the hair typing method in my signature, but I cant figure out the last for sure. I wouldnt consider my hair really fine, no, but I think with shedding there's just not much of it anymore. I have never seen my hair hate claw clips either and havent noticed more breakage really from it. With the twisting, hopefully that wasnt causing damage but I cant be positive. I would do a small twist and pin the hair up, not radical twists. Either way it was a hair style that worked better when my hair was a little shorter , now I need other styles, it doesn't hold up that way anymore right I've noticed, but I keep trying out of habit :p.

I didnt wear my hair in ponytails much as a kid but I got oodles of tangles.

[Zéphine]

My hair regularly grows to waist length, but I've had major issues with breakage and splits in the past. It's in much better condition now than it normally is at this length. In addition to wearing updos, not brushing (I finger-comb), trying to avoid hot water, and stretching out washes, I now:
* Tie a big scrap of satin over my pillow 'cause I'm too lazy to make a satin pillowcase and too cheap to buy one.
* Diluting my shampoo. I put a small amount of shampoo and a splash of vinegar into an empty bottle, fill it about 2/3 of the way with water, and shake it till it makes a bunch of suds. Then I pour it onto my wet hair, massage it gently into my scalp, and rinse. For any additional latherings, I add water to the mixture in the bottle, shake, and pour. For some reason, my scalp stays clean-looking (and smelling) longer if I don't use shampoo full strength.
Good luck growing your hair longer!

[sneakybea]

You have my sympathy, and I suppose my empathy, too, because my hair was stuck at BSL for years before it finally grew to waist. Then I started taking vitamins, wearing it up, and bought a satin pillowcase and a saw-cut comb. I don't know if those things are what made the difference, because I moved someplace new, or my hair just naturally changed or something. Hair is funny that way; you can stack the odds in your favor, but it really seems to do what it wants.

[JCFantasy23]

Okay took some pictures, or tried to, ending up a chore. I couldnt take pictures of my own hair, even though I tried.

Trotted in to ask my boyfriend to take my pictures for me. He, as usual, is playing his computer games.

He took a picture of me from a low sitting down angle. Looked at the pic and said no way. Because of the crappy camera and angle, the top of my hair looked much darker than the ends because of the lighting, the hair looked short because of the angle, and I looked like I weighed 500 lbs because he mainly took a picture of my rear (sigh)

After arguing with him for five minutes to take a shot of me with him standing up, he can't see how it would make a difference, I finally got a picture of hair looking at it straight on.

Sadly my hair went up a little in some places and I didnt think to straighten it down again to be completely even. God forbid I could get another picture from Mr Game Addict, so this is the best I can do for now.

I know there's some damage that you'll see, and I was thinking of doing a U shaped trim but knew I already was close it. After seeing the ends, I dont think I need to trim just for aU shape really right now. I need to cut my bangs again so I'll just concentrate on one thing at a time.

And like I said, it's really not thick so be warned:

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj50/JCFantasy23/FULLHAIRLINE.jpg

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj50/JCFantasy23/DSCF0013.jpg

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj50/JCFantasy23/DSCF0018.jpg

Here's hoping the ends don't look too bad, not sure what to look for. Thanks everyone!

[SimplyLonghair]

From what I am seeing, I would say that you are not at terminal, but are dealing with mechanical shortening.

Your hair rubs against things, like chairs, pillows at night, and a whole lot more that we don't notice, but shortens our hair.

If you wear your hair the same way all of the time. Find a different style. See if that helps.

I recommend doing end oilings, with oil not conditioner. Find something that your hair likes. Mine likes avocado oil, or virgin coconut. Your ends are the oldest hair that you have, and it needs different treatment than you give to younger shorter hair.

I had long hair for years, that I didn't trim but wouldn't get past a certain length. Mid back.

Then I found LHC and it started getting longer.

I am recovering from a major shed due to health issues, but it is growing and getting longer.

So hopefully, yours will too.
:grouphug:

[JCFantasy23]

From what I am seeing, I would say that you are not at terminal, but are dealing with mechanical shortening.

Your hair rubs against things, like chairs, pillows at night, and a whole lot more that we don't notice, but shortens our hair.

If you wear your hair the same way all of the time. Find a different style. See if that helps.

I recommend doing end oilings, with oil not conditioner. Find something that your hair likes. Mine likes avocado oil, or virgin coconut. Your ends are the oldest hair that you have, and it needs different treatment than you give to younger shorter hair.

I had long hair for years, that I didn't trim but wouldn't get past a certain length. Mid back.

Then I found LHC and it started getting longer.

I am recovering from a major shed due to health issues, but it is growing and getting longer.

So hopefully, yours will too.
:grouphug:

Thanks for the advice. I have tried coconut oil on my hair before but didn't care for it. Used to have a gallon of it for making soaps and other beauty products for a little side business years ago but it would dry my hair out. Of course I tried on the whole hair and not just the ends, so not sure if that would make the difference. Don't have any exotic oils now just yet to try but hopefully soon, I'm unemployed and money is too tight right now, and I'm assuming definitely not cooking oils lol, except perhaps olive.

Did you see any major damage in the rest of the hair or mainly the ends?

Are the end bads enough to where it's better to trim them, or can they be revived, which of course I'd prefer.

[penny1971]

I'm finding all of this advice really helpful. It seems to be answering lots of questions for me. Thank you!

[embee]

Hang in there.

For many years I thought my hair would not grow past BSL. I'm still not sure what the trouble was. I cut it short and then ran out of money to keep it trimmed so when it got shaggy and sloppy looking I put it back and then up.

Some years later I realized that it was *long* - to my waist. I was *astounded*. When did *that* happen? Some time during the years I was putting it up every day and every night braiding it and just going to work and living my life. :)

This technique is called Benign Neglect. It is a recognized method.

[Anje]

I don't think you're at terminal yet. Your hair looks like it's fairly thick and thins down in the last few inches. There's a bit of breakage in the middle of the back (you can see the white ends against your hair to about shoulder blade level). Some breakage is really normal and we all deal with it, but you probably are getting more rubbing from things like chairs than you're aware of.

Try wearing your hair gently bunned most of the time for, say, about 4 months, and see if it has grown noticably.

ETA: Have you tried putting the coconut oil on damp hair, rather than dry? Some people find that works a bit better. I've recently found I prefer sesame oil, and others like jojoba or grapeseed. Most of these, other than jojoba, can be found in the grocery store.

[frodolaughs]

I'd really recommend that you braid (or bun if that works for you) your hair at night. It will prevent tangles, and the less your hair tangles the less you break it when you detangle it. I know different people have other opinions, but my experience is that if you detangle with a brush you will cause more breakage than with a wide-toothed seamless comb. Your hair looks more like it's being broken off than like it's at terminal to me. My hair grows really slowly. If I trimmed--even dusting--every 2 months I'd end up with no growth at all. For me it's better to wear it bunned and leave the ends alone (my current goal is to wait a full year before trimming the ends. It really is possible to erase your growth even with small trims.) Good luck.

[Juneii]

your hair looks very healthy apart from the ends where it thins severely. how long have you had a trim?
I also agree with everyone else, figure out what it is that presses against your back every day and keep your hair away from it!

[Nightshade]

I have to agree with all the comments saying that you don't look to be at terminal, so that's a Good Thing! Take heart :)

For your breakage, you may want to check out the article in my siggy on rehabilitating damaged hair. My hair wasn't "growing" either as I had tons of dye and mechanical damage. Doing the things in the article let me get from BSL to classic.

[JCFantasy23]

Thanks for the help everyone!

Juneji, Ive mainly been S&Ding for split ends. I havent found many of them really, at least not that I can see visually by holding over my shoulder. I'm sure I'm missing some and had been debating back and forth on cutting the very ends off since they're damaged, or else trying to repair them first, which I think I'll do. If I get some growth and the rest of the hair thickens up, I guess I could cut the ends later if they still arent really shaping up if they are too damaged.

frodolaughs, I think maybe the tangles - and the back rubbing like everyone has said - is probably a big problem. I havent been having as many lately but in the past was having bunched up tangles that would come out in some pieces.

Anje
I tried both with the coconut oil, or more like wet and dry instead of damp. I will certainly get some oils now when I can.

[JCFantasy23]

OKay, based on everyones advice I have a tentative plan. Going to wear hair up constantly for four months and not look at the back. Baby it and condition and try to oil when I get some. After four months plan to take it down and then check. If new growth - yay! Dont know if I can repair the ends enough but if I can't, with the new growth, can then trim since I will be so much closer to my goal length anyway. :cheese: Or I may end up trimming soon and keep it up for four months to check on growth with healthy ends, haven't decided on the latter yet.

So again, thanks everyone and I will keep you updated.

[patience]

Sounds like a good plan. Come join us in the x-amount of time up challenge thread. We would love to have you. I've definitely seen improvement since keeping my hair up daily. :)