Long thick curly hair

[Purdy Bear]

I was wondering how long everyone has grown their thick curly hair? Most of the really long hair Iv seen (passed TBL) has been on the thinner side, is there anyone on the thicker side. Is it possible to grow knee length thick curly hair without having to worry about the weight.

If the hair gets too heavy I guess the answer would be layers, but I would love to have a solid long length (just day dreaming at present).

Thanks

[UltraBella]

I am half an inch from tailbone but my hair is more wavy than curly. And I have long blended layers. I don't think there is any chance of my hair looking thin no matter how long I grow it, but I think tailbone is plenty long enough for me. With such thick hair it really is a lot to take care of and I think I have probably reached my limit of what I am willing to deal with.
I hope someone else has a better answer :)

[Anje]

There's a member here, Dulci, that I haven't seen in ages. She's got gorgeous curls well past classic, last I saw. It's thinner toward the ends, but must be pretty thick overall.

[princessp]

Mine is considered thick (by LHC standards) it is not really super curly it is more wurly/wavy, but I've managed to reach hip (not TB yet). The weight from the length definitely pulls my curls to more of a wave (when my hair is shorter than BSL it gets very curly, I had a really short cut only once and it looked like I had a perm). For the record I don't like too much curl in my hair, I prefer a manageable wave which is why I have only had short hair once in my life (and I'm in my 30s). You can kind of see what I'm talking about in my growth album pics.

Anyway, curly/wavy hair has to grow like twice as long as straight hair to appear to be at the same length (when pulled straight mine is actually tailbone). That's probably one of the reasons why we don't see a lot of uber-long curlies. But I'm headed for TB and still have some wurl. I'm fairly certain TB won't feel long enough though. I'm contemplating changing my goal to classic :) not sure what my hair will look like at that length since I've never been there, but maybe I'll be one of the thick-wavy/curly-uber-long-hairs you speak of ( someday).

This is not directed at the OP. But I've been reading a lot of threads here that seem like folks are lamenting their lack of curl or thickness. I hope LHCers are not focussing negativity towards their own hair and type (because you know that stops hair growth right? ;) ). Healthy hair is beautiful at any length, thickness, or straightness-wavy-curliness. In reality, all hair-types carry with them a bit of inherent burden. The best thing we can do is simply learn about our hair and take care of it as well as we possibly can and not compare (and ultimately judge) our uniqueness to others.

[Love23101]

Well, my hair is VERY curly, so even as it grows longer, my hair doesn't just weigh it down. I mean, it does a little bit, but my hair stays pretty coiled. :cheese:

[Madora]

If you have thick hair and want to grow it long, you'll have to endure the weight, no matter if its curly or wavy or straight.

Personally, I don't believe cutting layers would be beneficial, especially if you wish to create styles with braids or buns. Hair of one length is always more conducive to successful hairstyling.

Also, curly haired folks have to be extra careful in their hair care because of the structure of their hair.

[BranwenWolf]

Mine would be curls if it was under 8 inches long or so. It's more wavy than anything else.
What irks me about the curls is they tend to slide out of buns and get a mind of their own, so I would not recommend layers.

My hair is ALMOST to "thick" as defined by ponytail circumference, but everyone tells me it's very thick, and it is heavy at "almost classic."
But... I wouldn't have it any other way, which is why I'm here. :)

[bluesnowflake]

My hair is really thick but not curly- It's just at waist but was almost at hip before I trimmed away some frizzy ends. The only time I ever have weight issues is if I do an unbalanced updo.

[Speedbump]

I have thick hair that is now wavy from the weight rather than curly. (I still had curls down to about hip length.)

I can handle the weight OK in certain styles, but have found that others just aren't possible for me without serious pain. Everyone's scalp is different, and their tolerance for pain is different. I can tell you I've got a sensitive scalp and I can have classic-length hair (see my sig pic).

If you are willing to accept that some styles may become impossible for you, then you certainly can grow your hair really long. And personally? I think curly hair, once it goes past mid-back, does not benefit from layers at all. In fact, it has been my experience that layers just make all of my problems worse, including styling problems. I don't have layers and haven't for a long time, and I find it's MUCH better for me that way.

HTH,

Speedy

[Nera]

I have waistlength really thick and heavy hair. I'm also planning on going really long, but when wet it's really heavy for the neck. Also with movement classes (study theatre), I sometimes have to switch the side my braid/bun is on, because my neck gets stiff on one side. So I hope that it's possible!

[drquartz1970]

this is an excellent thread ! i too have naturally curly thick hair which is now become less curly and more wavy. if nothing else it's great to read here on people with long curly/wavy hair which i hope to achieve now that i'm mid-back length growing to waist.

[GRU]

I'm right on the threshold of ii/iii, and as you can see, I'm still curly.

Moisture is the big thing for me -- my hair CRAVES moisture 24/7/365. CO-washing has been a godsend!

[lookingglass]

I'm long, thick, and curly! My hair was past tailbone and all one length for a few years, but I had some long layers put in in October. Now it's @ tailbone in the middle with a deeper U shape. It's lighter, I have better curls on top, but I miss the length so I'm growing it back out! Happy growing!

[Quixii]

I'm long, thick-ish, and curly. :)

[Loreley]

I have very thick 2c/3a hair. It is heavy but there are certain styles which are very comfortable. Especially buns with hair sticks. It's interesting, but my braid feels a lot heavier than a bun. :confused: I still have the curls at thigh length but I rarely wear my hair curly, in its natural state. I prefer bun or braidwaves.

[Aaroo]

I have also thought about the same thing! this heavy load of hair like mine growing long will be so much to deal with and I was not sure if it will be beautiful, that's why I set my goal BSL! But there is a moderator here that has inspired me, with wavy iii C hair type. Take a look at her pics:
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/member.php?u=844

[jojo]

Your hair is classified in your avatar as wavy, so I don't see a problem growing it long, unless you genetically are unable to.

There are many curlies in the 3 range with long thick hair, GRU is one in particular who has gorgeous thick, curly hair! The only problem with curly hair is the curls, eat the length. But ive never noticed that with my hair, which is wavy also. :)

[jojo]

I'm right on the threshold of ii/iii, and as you can see, I'm still curly.

Moisture is the big thing for me -- my hair CRAVES moisture 24/7/365. CO-washing has been a godsend!

oh there you just mentioned you, your 2 minutes of fame!

i really should read threads before answering!

[Jules diamond]

mine is more on the wavy side, but my mom is a curly, and she's had her hair past tailbone. :3 Mine is about waist (any day now).

[GRU]

There are many curlies in the 3 range with long thick hair, GRU is one in particular who has gorgeous thick, curly hair!

Awwww, thanks jojo! This place is so good for the ego! :flowers:

[Angela_Rose]

With my hair at its current length, I'm not so much a curly girl anymore. I'm more wavy/wurly with the occasionally curly day thrown in. The weight of all this long, thick hair seems to have pulled much of the curl out.

Curly-headed folk can certainly grow long; just look through the members lists and find our fellow curlies. There are plenty with long locks!

[principessa1984]

I'm pretty new here. But, I'm almost waist length. And my hair is SUPER curly and w/ insanely thick strands. To be honest, I think that helps. Curly hair is naturally fragile, so having thick strands gives you a little extra resilience. I'm sure you'll surpass tailbone!