Equalizing length - has this applied to you?

[Javadandy]

Hello everyone,

I have been experiencing a rather large shed since about November. I haven't had any changes in diet or my health. I am wondering if it might be due to adding a large amount of fringe/bangs to my hair at that time.

So I went looking on the web (as well as searching this wonderful site) and I came across an interview with hair guru George Michael - at the longhairlovers site http://www.longhairlovers.com/gm_interview.html.

His quote;"Hair is not at its strongest with bangs or layers," Dr. Michael said. "Because humans are mammals, nature will try to equalize the hair by excessively shedding in order to even out all the shorter hairs. This creates an abnormal loss of hair which leads to unhealthy, straggly locks."

This seems to totally apply to me, and I have been shedding ever since my big haircut. I used to think this idea was kind of bogus, but I always had layers growing out, until this time, where I started with a thin forehead covering fringe which a new hairdresser decided to expand taking much of the front of my head almost ear to ear. I lost about 1/4 of my ponytail after this experience (which really surprised me) and then the shed started.

Anyone else had this sort of experience? Anyone else make this mistake and then what did you do? Part of me wants to just layer it and blend in the front with layered sides, and part of me just wants to grow it until it stops shedding. I'm at waist length and I have lost quite a bit, my braid is looking pretty thin at the moment.

Any advice - it is appreciated.

Kind regards,

Marian :confused:

[Latin Tea]

I don't know. I have bangs, but not layers. My hair had been falling out pretty excessively until I started taking a vitamin every day (can't think of any other changes unless it knew that I joined this forum!). When my hair is shoulder length, it doesn't fall out as much either. I think it's more of a weight issue AND the fact that the hairs are just older and are ready to fall out more often when I have long hair. If that made any sense!

It's a theory, that's all. We all have them. I think this one seems a bit strange though.

[jaine]

The quote sounds bogus to me. The way your hair is cut doesn't affect the number of hairs you shed per day.
If you want layers, get layers and enjoy them :)

[Honestwitness]

I would need to see some scientific evidence that Mr. Michaels' idea is sound. Otherwise, it seems like it's just a theory.

[Bonkers57]

Sounds bogus to me, too. Like one of those old wives tales/urban legends. :rolleyes:


The quote sounds bogus to me. The way your hair is cut doesn't affect the number of hairs you shed per day.
If you want layers, get layers and enjoy them :)

[Fractalsofhair]

I think he might be referring to that when you get layers, it's harder to get rid of the damage, so if you get matted up hair, you'll just brush thru it, rather as with hair that is all one length, there's only that one area where there can be split ends(provided there's no other sources of damage etc) Bogus really, IMO.

[celelu]

The quote seems like it's totally absurd to me, it had bugged me when I read it on his site weeks ago.

Because humans are mammals, nature will try to equalize the hair by excessively shedding in order to even out all the shorter hairs.
What's the relation between being mammal and shedding? Well, only mammals have hair or fur... We don't shed scales or feathers, unless we're really, really sick, and even then... :D
And how does «nature» knows how long the hair is? It doesn't really affect the follicle, wether the hair is floor lenght, 1mm long, in a fringe or waist lenght...
I would really like to hear a good scientific confirmation of this weird theory, but I'm afraid it won't happen... :rolleyes:

[violeteyes]

The quote sounds bogus to me. The way your hair is cut doesn't affect the number of hairs you shed per day.
If you want layers, get layers and enjoy them :)
I agree. I have side-swept bangs and a few layers in front, and I don't have any shedding other than what is normal.

[YesitsReal]

How on Earth would your hair follicles know if your hair was layered or not? I think this is pure speculation.

I've always been a big shedder with or without layers.

[Lexie]

I have small layers and while the hairs on the top of my scalp grow faster, they end up growing past the rest of my hair too. So I'll have to agree that it's nothing but an unproven theory.

I also don't shed more than the norm.

[Ursula]

So I went looking on the web (as well as searching this wonderful site) and I came across an interview with hair guru George Michael - at the longhairlovers site http://www.longhairlovers.com/gm_interview.html.

One thing to remember about George Michael is that he's a self-appointed hair "guru." He made up his system, and his rules, but it isn't as if there is a professional "long hair salon" community that peer-reviewed his claims.

If you look at his system, he pretty much is only thinking about straight long hair. His system includes regular use of conventional detergent (SLS, SLES) shampoo, followed by conditioner. The special "George Michael Treatment" in GM salons includes drying on large rollers that ensure that hair drys "straight."

For his claim about hair wanting to grow to the same length, he gives no explanation about how the hair follicle, alive in the skin of the scalp, has any way of knowing whether the dead hair has been cut - let alone how it would know how hairs on the other side of the head have or haven't been cut.

There are plenty of long-hairs here who choose to keep bangs, and who don't have problems.

My interpretation of your situation would be that you lost much of your ponytail volume simply because the hair that is in your new, thicker bangs is no longer added into your ponytail. And because you noticed the change in ponytail thickness then, you started paying more attention to your shedding, so that you are noticing it now when you didn't before.

People can also notice their shedding more if they start to wear their hair braided or bunned regularly when they had previously worn it loose. Shed hairs that would have fallen away through the day are intsead held in the the braid or bun, and then you only notice them when they are combed out, and you are paying attention to your hair, rather than falling thoughtlessly as you go through life.

[Kris Dove]

It sounds bogus, but my theory on this is that bangs appear to grow faster than length, as the bangs have younger, less damaged ends that are less likely to break off due to accumulated damage, so the growth seems faster, but in reality it's at the same pace.

[Ursula]

It sounds bogus, but my theory on this is that bangs appear to grow faster than length, as the bangs have younger, less damaged ends that are less likely to break off due to accumulated damage, so the growth seems faster, but in reality it's at the same pace.

Along this line, another thing to remember is that bangs grow with "landmarks" much closer together than the hair that falls behind you.

There is only a tiny amount of space between, say, "eyebrow length" hair versus "in the eyes" length hair. Particularly when compared to the distance between BSL and waist, to name two adjacent "landmarks" on hair growing down your back.

So you'll notice differences in bangs-length much more than in back-length, just because you have more landmarks in a shorter amount of length.

[GlennaGirl]

This never applied to me personally. I've had bangs and I've had all-one-length hair, and either way, it grew 1/2" - 3/4" a month.

[FrannyG]

I have bangs and the length of my hair grows at an above average rate, just as my bangs do. Since I colour my hair, I can see the growth from the root, and it is even all over. I honestly don't believe the theory at all. I like a lot of what Geoge Michael has said and done for long hair but the equalizing length theory appears to be :bull:

[Qamar]

Seeing as hair is dead, it has no idea of how long or short it is. Your scalp, likewise does not know how long your hair is--shed rate is determined by a variety of factors including the age of the hair, medications you take, nutrition, underlying medical conditions (e.g. thyroid disorders) etc. This gentleman is full of bull puckey in my own humble opinion.

[Hiriel]

Along this line, another thing to remember is that bangs grow with "landmarks" much closer together than the hair that falls behind you.

There is only a tiny amount of space between, say, "eyebrow length" hair versus "in the eyes" length hair. Particularly when compared to the distance between BSL and waist, to name two adjacent "landmarks" on hair growing down your back.

So you'll notice differences in bangs-length much more than in back-length, just because you have more landmarks in a shorter amount of length.

Not only are the landmarks closer together, but an inch will feel much longer on short hair than on long, because it's a much bigger percentage of the total. If your hair is 5 inches long, you could grow it 10% longer in a month. If my hair grew that fast now, it'd grow almost 3 inches per month.

[Javadandy]

Everyone,
Thank you for weighing in on this subject. First let me say I miss-communicated the George Michael part. I wasn't looking for a critique of his philosophy or products, I was looking if any others have had this experience, especially those with waist or longer hair. It appears, so far, this is unique to me. Which is fine, because now I have some insight. I just grabbed the quote from GM because I knew it was there. I have seen this philosophy many times over the years, both online and in print (i.e. before computers) and he was just one of many that believed in it. So I guess I am having an untimely shed. Most unfortunate.

Latin Tea, I agree it's likely a weight issue. Very good point and makes perfect sense.

Ursula, I appreciate your insight. You raise some good information. I measure my hair with a tape measure, so I am not guessing on my bangs growing, they're 2-1 right now, but you are probably right about the loss of my circumference peaking my attention. I did lose quite a bit of it. But I have been braiding for years.

Thanks again to everyone, :flower: that's why I love this forum, it's where the rubber hits the road.

Marian

[curlylocks85]

I would need to see some scientific evidence that Mr. Michaels' idea is sound. Otherwise, it seems like it's just a theory.

I agree. :)