Growing through the 50" to 60" past knee, what a long journey!!!

[hippie girl]

Wow. What a long journey the 50"'s has been for me. I have finally changed my profile length to show that I have made some strides, but man, what a long time the 50"s to the 60"s take! I'm kind of short, so this is just past knee for me, and I measure from the hairline.

I think I may be close to terminal as the growth is so slow. Anyone else out there struggling taking care of 50" plus inches and having a hard time gaining length?

My hair tapers a bit, but after reading all the recent threads about fairy tale ends I have way more confidence in my own. But, my hair seems so stalled out as it is growing but just so slowly! It is just hard taking care of 50+ inches so that it stays relatively damage free, I suppose.

I had 50" in my profile for ages, even though the longest ends are really at 56" counting the longest fairy tail ends. I'm going with 54" as my profile length, thats where the ends cover the tape measure till I can read it.

Anyone else out there still growing fairytale ends through the 50's to the 60's?
I see a few with blunt cut ends that are longer, but not so many with fairytale ends.

Anyone out there with me, or have any words of wisdom about the bitter 50"'s??

[Belisarius]

Well, pictures or it didn't happen.

[hippie girl]

Gee, that's nice.
I've got one picture in my album of my bun, you are welcome to look at it.

Anyone else?

[pinkbunny]

I was around 50" when I started creeping past classic. Measuring is too much of a hassle, but I'd guess I'm somewhere near the mid-50's and maintaining at knee for a few months. I'm trying to even up my hemline so my ends don't get too fairytaled, and so I can adjust to the length. My biggest problem is combing, since the ends are waaaay past fingertip now. I did find a special long-handled comb (found it at Walmart in the section where they have shower stools & other medical bathroom aides for handicapped/elderly/post-surgery people - I think it's to help those who don't have full range of motion in their arms). It's a bit awkward to use, so I only use it when my usual techniques aren't working.

Another problem I have is with braids. I'm used to keeping them out of the way, but they are so long now that they have a mind of their own and I worry about damage to the ends when they decide to be unruly and not stay put when I move them...

[hippie girl]

combing is a problem, I know what you mean by adjusting the techniques to try and comb flat and straight the ends/past arm length. Maybe I'll see about one of theose combs. I always comb the ends first but it is still hard to blend in the ends to the middle and then the crown... too much adjusting the hair and it can get weird again.

I'm not ready to trim yet, though I have been thinking about blunt hemlines/taking it up to maybe 47 or 48 inches. I'm just not mentally ready yet, you know what I mean?

Thanks pink bunny, I knew I was not alone out here!!

ETA: Gee, your hair is just like mine, too. Interesting!

[pinkbunny]

I'm not ready to trim yet, though I have been thinking about blunt hemlines/taking it up to maybe 47 or 48 inches. I'm just not mentally ready yet, you know what I mean?

I know exactly what you mean. When I was at mid-back I told myself I would get to waist and maintain. I got so excited when I reached waist I didn't want to stop. At classic I said I'd maintain at knee and I even waffled a couple months at knee. I don't know how long I'll stay at this length, but probably not much longer. Over the years, I've been slowly re-shaping my hair from a severe V-line to a U. The last 2 trims have been blunt, but my hair is fairytaled enough that it doesn't "look" blunt. I'm beginning to accept that fairytale ends are inevitable, I just don't want them to be too super-thin... I'd like to reach floor, but I'm undecided if I'll stay there or cut back to a more manageable length - it depends on how hard it is to deal with I guess!

*hair-type twins* yay! :p

[hippie girl]

I'd like to reach floor, just for my friends who joke with me saying "What are you going for, floor?" and I say "YES!"!! So, maybe I am going for floor and just don't really know it as truth and not a joke anymore! But then, I am even more reluctant to trim! Instead of trimming now I may as well maybe just let it grow and thicken up my ends at floor length, right!?! Ha, can you imagine how long it would take to thicken up ends at floor length? What a wait that would be!

But yes, growing out a v can be tough stuff, and if your hair is like mine you may have the same issue as I do with the sides being naturally finer/ thinner. Mine tend to grow super slow and never seem to catch up, aargh! I should consider your technique of trying to thicken/maintain a u shape at around knee for awhile and then let it fairytale past that in the future.

I don't braid too much, but when I do I am always VERY conscious of where the tail is for fear of something terrible happening to it. I'm always flipping it to the front, and just feel better with it all piled in a bun on my head. Then, I always know where my ends are. ;) :p

[LisaMonster]

Gee, that's nice.
I've got one picture in my album of my bun, you are welcome to look at it.

Anyone else?

I think what the poster was going for there was the internet meme, "Pics or it didn't happen," not trying to indicate that you were being untruthful.

[hippie girl]

I think what the poster was going for there was the internet meme, "Pics or it didn't happen," not trying to indicate that you were being untruthful.
yeah, maybe, but i was hoping for a little more upon starting the thread for the first reply, you know? Seemed less funny, more uncool than anything.
Whatever, it's just a message board.

[hippie girl]

I should thank pinkbunny (A new hair twin!) for her awesome replies and keeping the thread alive though, though.you too, lisamonster.

[jackiesjottings]

Good luck on continiung your hair journey too :)) You have helped give me encouragement that I can get to knee. It just needs time and patience. My goalposts keep moving too, I was going to stop at classic.....

[Panth]

I have no idea what my hair is in inches so I have no idea if I'm past the 50" mark yet or not (I suspect not, although I am past classic now *yay*) but I just wanted to say hang in there - your hair is gorgeous.

[GeoJ]

My hair is into the 50's now. I am planning to grow it to knee length and then maintain it there. I hope to eventually get a thicker hemline from doing that. The idea of growing past knee is tempting, but for now I'm sticking with knee length as my goal.

Right now my hair looks kind of fairytaled, but it's really like that mostly because of major shedding last year. So, it's not true fairytale ends. Even during the shedding I gained length (on the one section that stayed intact). Now my shedding is over and it's all growing again.

[hippie girl]

Thanks all for the kind words, I needed the encouragement! Knee and beyond is a great goal... it has just turned into such a Lonnnng one for me!

[vanity_acefake]

Wow now I have another hair envy person whos hair I can idolise.
Well done for growing your hair so long. I'm almost at waist and your length seems like a lifetime away!
Oh and the pics or it did not happen is a joke here on the boards. It was honestly only said in the spirit of fun and so we can admire your beautiful hair.
:)

[SpinDance]

Please consider that some of us (I, for one) cannot participate since I don't qualify. ;) I am however reading with some interest in case I ever got to the 50+ range!

[leslissocool]

I hope you find more people who are there with you at the 50+ length. I am not, I can only imagine, I am barely in the 30's!

I just wanted to drop by and keep the thread alive, and say YOU GO GIRL :cheese:!

[princessp]

Congratulations that is very cool that you reached 50". I'm no where near that length (I'm at 35" or 36" I think). :)

[Unnamed]

My hair isn't presently in the 50-60" range, but assuming my hair can even get to 60" (very possibly won't), well, it's going to take a while! It's been stalled between 48.75" and 49.5" for a year now. :oops: Right now just waiting/hoping to soon get back to 50" (was at 52" and slowly closing in on knee length (53.5") before/during first part of latest shed).

And, yeah, should note my ends also aren't 'true'/proper fairytale ends, either...they're the product of the old pre-LHC brush damage (*every* hair that existed 6.5+ years ago is broken off...only have about 4-8" left of this, yay!), three major sheds (lost 50% in early 2005, 40% in 2008, and ~60-70%+ (possibly close to 80%) from mid-09 to mid-10), and at least one (possibly two) other small sheds in there. The brush damage is the likely lack of length gain culprit (and length gain slowed before that last shed--only added 1.5" in the 6 months before it), then that coupled with the last shed is how lost length. Fun. :lol:

Not sure I have any words of wisdom beyond patience, patience, patience.

[slz]

Wow. What a long journey the 50"'s has been for me. I have finally changed my profile length to show that I have made some strides, but man, what a long time the 50"s to the 60"s take! I'm kind of short, so this is just past knee for me, and I measure from the hairline.

I think I may be close to terminal as the growth is so slow. Anyone else out there struggling taking care of 50" plus inches and having a hard time gaining length?
Me three !! I could pretty much have written this - except that last time I asked my SO to help measure, I was pretty sure the result would be "nothing much happening" and then WHOA - he says I'm past mid calf. I couldn't believe it, but I realize since it's quite difficult for me to see by myself where I'm at, I'd been mistaken by the "getting used to it" syndrom : you know, when it just seems like the same to handle and bun and all because the progress is quite slow ... but there IS progress. Not to worry :D .



Another problem I have is with braids. I'm used to keeping them out of the way, but they are so long now that they have a mind of their own and I worry about damage to the ends when they decide to be unruly and not stay put when I move them...
Ooooh yes - so true.


I'd like to reach floor, just for my friends who joke with me saying "What are you going for, floor?" and I say "YES!"!! So, maybe I am going for floor and just don't really know it as truth and not a joke anymore! But then, I am even more reluctant to trim! Instead of trimming now I may as well maybe just let it grow and thicken up my ends at floor length, right!?! Ha, can you imagine how long it would take to thicken up ends at floor length? What a wait that would be!
Hehehe you had me giggle here cause here again I could have written this - do I need to trim those velcro ends ? Sure. But , you know ... later :D .

Anyway, my final words would be : you might not be aware cause it all happens behind your back but - it DOES happen :D .

[Islandgrrl]

I'm only in the 30s now, but I was at about 55-ish" (knee) a few years ago (before I lost my mind and kind of buzzed my head).

It's challenging to deal with that much hair. In fact the reason that I cut was that it was so heavy and always wet. And I didn't know a whole lot about how to properly care for hair that long, in terms of how to bun to balance the weight, etc. I have, even at about 36", a whole lotta hair.

I've never had fairytale ends, though. Maybe it hasn't gotten long enough for that, which is why my goal is kind of undefined. Terminal? Meh, I just don't know. But at least now I have more tools at my disposal - I know more protective styles and actually own more hairtoys than an assortment of four single Mei-Fa sticks (because my hair snapped all their mates!) and a single silver Pat Areias hairfork.

Anyway, I'm headed back into the 50s, 60s, wherever I end up. :)

[SurprisingWoman]

I would love to see length pictures. I measured, sort of and I think I am at 48 or so? My hair is up right now and there's no one home to help me measure.

You know the issues I am having from my posts in the Classic to Knee thread.

I still haven't decided where I am going to end up. I will continue to take it day at a time.

BTW, my friends ask me how long I am going to let it get and knee has been my answer but who the heck knows. Using the golden ratio thing I am too long so maybe I should trim....

I am with the other poster though.... I want to see pics!!!

:p xoxo

[lindaton]

I am at about 52 and it is getting so hard to manage. Mine is so thick which makes almost all updos impossible. I can do a nautilus and it looks ok. Any of the other buns look just way way too big. I have all these nice Ficarres and they will not fit. But...I dont see myself cutting any off. Mine grows pretty fast and I dont believe in the s&d so the ends are in pretty good condition. I do have some taper but not too bad for knee length. So I must be going for 60.

Linda

[nicolezoie]

Mine is hovering in the mid 60s these days - it was up to 67" but then I trimmed about 3" of thin fairyends off (less tangles now). For me, that's lower-calf-upper-ankle length. Right before I trimmed, if I leaned my head back some in the shower, I was stepping on my ends!

The longer-than-arms detangling trick for me is grabbing the middle-length portion firmly, detangling below, then just above where I've gripped, and then work my way up to my scalp, making progressively longer and longer sweeps through the length until I can go from roots to tips without catching. When my comb or whatever I'm using at the time reaches that longer-than-arms point, I again grab the middle and pull the comb the rest of the way through.

Updos what I end up doing to make sure they stay put is using additional means of securing them. What I mean is if I'm using a fakkere beak-clip, I'll use a hair tie across the top after I've pushed the clip into place, sort of like a slide. I've only got a couple every-day 'dos that are comfortable these days, but then again I've not been in the habit of experimenting lately.

[haibane]

I'm inching in on the 40"s but this thread is so inspirational to me. It makes me real happy to see people with a hair type similar to mine getting well into the 50"s! :cheese:

nicolezoie: Your hair is so amazing! I think your real hair is prettier than the hair in Tangled. :)

[hippie girl]

I'm so happy to know there are others that have been there and are there now, especially with lots of the same issues. I'm working on pictures (or I should say, I have been working on pictures for years!) but having the space, time, etc. never seems to come together. I promise that I will get my act together and post some here though, maybe in the fairytale ends thread, too.

nicolezoie, that is pretty much the method I use to comb, i get frazzled when I have to put it back over my shoulder and can't pull the comb straight down my back again. I feel like I should be able to but reality and the arm length issue gets in the way right about then!

haibane, jackiesjottings, it is inspirational to me too!

So many beautiful heads of hair, here! I am feeling better about my quest already. I do have some other comments to other posters but I totally have to get to work and will be back later to see if anyone else in the lonnng 50's range has found us!

Thank you all, I'll be back soon!:)

[skyblue]

I'm only at 37-38 inches I never get that same measurements lol I get impatient sometimes because it seems my hair is not growing but I know it is, I have trimmed a few times since joining, just little trims to thicken my hem line, but you 50's and more people give me hope!! I'm wondering...if you don't mind saying...what is your hair care system? I feel like I'm trying so many things that I might be causing breakage and undue shedding, just curious ;)

[Paranda Belle]

I'm in the fifties, but never quite sure where as I have measuring issues. But it always feels shorter because I'm taller than average.

I think as I've hit this length, it's more about gaining quality (condition, thickness, shine) rather than length. Earlier "sins", like harsh brushing etc. are catching up and you just have to wait a bit to let them resolve themselves.

[pinkbunny]

The longer-than-arms detangling trick for me is grabbing the middle-length portion firmly, detangling below, then just above where I've gripped, and then work my way up to my scalp, making progressively longer and longer sweeps through the length until I can go from roots to tips without catching. When my comb or whatever I'm using at the time reaches that longer-than-arms point, I again grab the middle and pull the comb the rest of the way through.

I use this combing technique already, but it's only useful when both hands are free. I have trouble with updos - I try to be careful, but sometimes a knot from reverse-braiding or separation tangling gets in an awkward spot where my arm can't quite reach. That's where my crazy long-arm comb comes in handy! I hate being far into an updo and having to drop it and start over...