Could just below my shoulders be my terminal length? :(

[isabelx]

Well first I should say hi because I'm completely new here! I've been reading threads for ages but only just decided to make an account as I'm in desperate need of advice! :confused:

So, is it possible for my terminal hair length to be at shoulder length? (around 2 inchs below my shoulders when completely straight)

Admittedly I used to damage my hair a terrible amount :rolleyes: but for a few months now I have been completely damage free in an aim to grow my hair longer.
I still have it dyed at the salon around every 7 weeks though.

I'm confused though as because even when I was very young my hair never grew past my shoulders, and it had never received any abuse whatsoever then. So this has kinda made me lose hope that I'll ever have long hair :(

So any advice would be greatly appreciated! :love:

I'm not sure if this would make a difference but I have extremely thick, curly, bushy, naturally blonde hair.

Thanks!

[cheetahfast]

You might want to try reading this http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=75. Going through the articles and searching the threads will answer your question most of the time...

[Panth]

Well first I should say hi because I'm completely new here! I've been reading threads for ages but only just decided to make an account as I'm in desperate need of advice! :confused:

So, is it possible for my terminal hair length to be at shoulder length? (around 2 inchs below my shoulders when completely straight)

Admittedly I used to damage my hair a terrible amount :rolleyes: but for a few months now I have been completely damage free in an aim to grow my hair longer.
I still have it dyed at the salon around every 7 weeks though.

I'm confused though as because even when I was very young my hair never grew past my shoulders, and it had never received any abuse whatsoever then. So this has kinda made me lose hope that I'll ever have long hair :(

So any advice would be greatly appreciated! :love:

I'm not sure if this would make a difference but I have extremely thick, curly, bushy, naturally blonde hair.

Thanks!

It is possible for a person to be at terminal at or near shoulder length. However, it is very rare and it is far more likely that you're experiencing a 'false terminal' due to damage of some sort.

Terminal is much better described as a finite amount of time rather than a finite length. Each hair follicle cycles between active hair growth (anagen) and two non-growing phases (catagen and telogen). The maximum length of hair that the follicle can produce depends upon the length of time spent in anagen (which in humans is measured in years), plus the rate of hair production. Of course, in reality this maximum length is never reached as the hair also looses length from the bottom via breakage ('normal' or damage-induced) and via cuts/trims. In a practical sense, terminal is the maximum possible length that can be obtained and will vary between individuals - some may need to loose length via trimming, to prevent worse length loss via breakage; others (e.g. those with coarse hair) may find trimming creates more hair loss than breakage would.

Terminal (in general) is usually heralded by a slowing of hair 'growth' (i.e. a slowing of length gain) plus 'fairytale ends' - the natural formation of a U- or V-shaped hemline due to variances in maximum length between individual hair strands. Additionally, terminal cannot really be said to be achieved without maintaining a constant length for a long time without trims/cuts - generally [on LHC] 1 year [without cuts/trims and without any length gain whatsoever] is taken to be 'proof' of terminal length.

Anywho... taking that all into account...

Going by your current hair, if it is at shoulder length and you have been 'damage free' for a few months, then the majority of the hair on your head is still going to have residual damage from your old routine. On average, hair grows somewhere between 1/2" per month (slowish but normal) to 2" per month (quite rare and very lucky). So, guessing 'few' to mean 3 months... then your likely to only have 3" of hair not subjected to your old routine. The rest of the length will still have damage, which can affect the rate of hair loss from the bottom of each strand via breakage.

Going by your childhood hair ... well, that is slightly more concerning. BUT terminal length can change with age/health/hormones (i.e. puberty/menopause)/medication. So, your inability to grow hair past your shoulders then may not translate into an inability now.

However, the main issue, I think, is the concept of 'damage'. What, precisely, is your routine now? What, precisely, was your routine as a child? Also, what is your hair type? Some things that seem very insignificant can cause serious damage to certain hairtypes - e.g. wearing the same hairstyle every day; tightening ponytails by shoving the band up higher rather than re-doing the ponytail; using damaging hair elastics or hair accessories; brushing (for some hairtypes).

You say you have 'extremely thick' hair - but do you mean you have a lot of hair total, or do you mean you have individual hair strands that have a thick diameter? If you have thick (i.e. lots of) hair, but fine (i.e. narrow diameter) hair ... plus curls then you have what is, generally speaking, a hairtype that is very vulnerable to damage. Thus, it could be that what seem like insignificant things (the dye ... plus how you brush/comb, plus how you wash it, plus how you style it) are still restricting your potential length even though you've cut out the worst things (bleach, chemical straighteners/relaxers/perms, heat-based straighteners/curlers).

So, in summary - yes, it is possible that shoulder may be your terminal but it is unlikely. However, to diagnose it properly we need a lot more information from you on your hair routine.

[annieangel149]

It is possible for a person to be at terminal at or near shoulder length. However, it is very rare and it is far more likely that you're experiencing a 'false terminal' due to damage of some sort.

Terminal is much better described as a finite amount of time rather than a finite length. Each hair follicle cycles between active hair growth (anagen) and two non-growing phases (catagen and telogen). The maximum length of hair that the follicle can produce depends upon the length of time spent in anagen (which in humans is measured in years), plus the rate of hair production. Of course, in reality this maximum length is never reached as the hair also looses length from the bottom via breakage ('normal' or damage-induced) and via cuts/trims. In a practical sense, terminal is the maximum possible length that can be obtained and will vary between individuals - some may need to loose length via trimming, to prevent worse length loss via breakage; others (e.g. those with coarse hair) may find trimming creates more hair loss than breakage would.

Terminal (in general) is usually heralded by a slowing of hair 'growth' (i.e. a slowing of length gain) plus 'fairytale ends' - the natural formation of a U- or V-shaped hemline due to variances in maximum length between individual hair strands. Additionally, terminal cannot really be said to be achieved without maintaining a constant length for a long time without trims/cuts - generally 1 year is taken to be 'proof' of terminal length.

Anywho... taking that all into account...

Going by your current hair, if it is at shoulder length and you have been 'damage free' for a few months, then the majority of the hair on your head is still going to have residual damage from your old routine. On average, hair grows somewhere between 1/2" per month (slowish but normal) to 2" per month (quite rare and very lucky). So, guessing 'few' to mean 3 months... then your likely to only have 3" of hair not subjected to your old routine. The rest of the length will still have damage, which can affect the rate of hair loss from the bottom of each strand via breakage.

Going by your childhood hair ... well, that is slightly more concerning. BUT terminal length can change with age/health/hormones (i.e. puberty/menopause)/medication. So, your inability to grow hair past your shoulders then may not translate into an inability now.

However, the main issue, I think, is the concept of 'damage'. What, precisely, is your routine now? What, precisely, was your routine as a child? Also, what is your hair type? Some things that seem very insignificant can cause serious damage to certain hairtypes - e.g. wearing the same hairstyle every day; tightening ponytails by shoving the band up higher rather than re-doing the ponytail; using damagind hair elastics or hair accessories; brushing (for some hairtypes).

You say you have 'extremely thick' hair - but do you mean you have a lot of hair total, or do you mean you have individual hair strands that have a thick diameter? If you have thick (i.e. lots of) hair, but fine (i.e. narrow diameter) hair ... plus curls then you have what is, generally speaking, a hairtype that is very vulnerable to damage. Thus, it could be that what seem like insignificant things (the dye ... plus how you brush/comb, plus how you wash it, plus how you style it) are still restricting your potential length even though you've cut out the worst things (bleach, chemical straighteners/relaxers/perms, heat-based straighteners/curlers).

So, in summary - yes, it is possible that shoulder may be your terminal but it is unlikely. However, to diagnose it properly we need a lot more information from you on your hair routine.

wow! sorry to hi jack the thread here but just wanted to say Wow...that was a really informative post! thanks panth ;)

[Panth]

wow! sorry to hi jack the thread here but just wanted to say Wow...that was a really informative post! thanks panth ;)

Erm... well, I'm glad it was appreciated.

I spent a year researching hair and skin as a lab placement for my degree and, although it wasn't specifically related to hair health or even human hair, a lot of the info seems to have been retained. That knowledge combined with the general 'LHC working knowledge' from hanging out here for about a year ... plus my general ability to accumulate information like a sponge and then waffle about it to anyone who'll listen...

[Dragon Faery]

To briefly continue the hijack, I also appreciated this information very much. :)

[teal]

I'll shamefacedly continue the hijack to express my appreciation!


... plus my general ability to accumulate information like a sponge and then waffle about it to anyone who'll listen...

LOL! :thumbsup:

To the OP... in addition to what's already been posted, there's a chance that your "false terminal" length (that's my assumption) could be related to a nutritional deficiency or a medical issue. Even stress can affect hair growth. So, you'll have to take a holistic look at your life and start identifying possible problem areas.

[brunette]

You mentioned getting it professionally coloured every 7 weeks.. do they also give it a trim at the same time?

[celebriangel]

What everyone else said. Also, hair grows *sloooowly*, and curly hair even more so because curls eat so much length - 6 inches of new hair can result in only 3 inches of growth. So, if you got your hair cut even once a year as a kid, and the hairstylist got scissor happy as they do and trimmed off 3 inches - as they are wont to do - it's quite conceivable that all your growth was just cut off.

[isabelx]

wow! sorry to hi jack the thread here but just wanted to say Wow...that was a really informative post! thanks panth ;)

Wow! thanks for all this information :o

I feel a bit better now that maybe I'll be able to grow my hair long if I start pampering it. :D

My routine as of now.. I have to wash my hair quite often, maybe 3 or 4 times a week as it seems to get greasy so quickly. I use colour protecting shampoo and conditioner as my hair colour fades so easily, could this have an impact on my hair growth?

I've just started looking into vitamins, oils, deep conditioners etc. which I could put into my routine.

As for my routine as a child, I suppose I didn't really have one. I washed my hair 2 or 3 times a week with basic shampoo or conditioner, my mother didn't feel the need for any special treatments as it wasn't receiving any abuse (I'm 16 by the way).

The idea that all my hair growth as a child was just cut off seems realistic, I hope this is why it never reached past my shoulders!

[Panth]

Wow! thanks for all this information :o

I feel a bit better now that maybe I'll be able to grow my hair long if I start pampering it. :D

My routine as of now.. I have to wash my hair quite often, maybe 3 or 4 times a week as it seems to get greasy so quickly. I use colour protecting shampoo and conditioner as my hair colour fades so easily, could this have an impact on my hair growth?

I've just started looking into vitamins, oils, deep conditioners etc. which I could put into my routine.

As for my routine as a child, I suppose I didn't really have one. I washed my hair 2 or 3 times a week with basic shampoo or conditioner, my mother didn't feel the need for any special treatments as it wasn't receiving any abuse (I'm 16 by the way).

The idea that all my hair growth as a child was just cut off seems realistic, I hope this is why it never reached past my shoulders!

Helloo again. I fear I may be about to waffle again, so apologies in advance. :p

There's lots of things you can look at here that can help you get a basic idea of how to improve your hair health. First and foremost, hairtyping will be useful as it enables us to recommend things based on how well they work for people with hair like yours. Secondly, there's a couple of 'getting started'/'basic info' posts. Both these and the hairtyping guide can be found in the articles section. ^_^ Beyond that, just lurking here and reading threads (particularly ones regarding similar hair to yours) will be very helpful.

A good idea, I think, would be to change your idea of 'abuse' to hair. An important part of improving your hair quality (and growth) is to understand that different hairtypes can take different amounts of abuse and what may seem utterly inconsequential to someone with resiliant hair may be the utter downfall of someone with vulnerable hair. And, unfortunately, if your hair is thick (in total), fine (individual strands) and curly, I suspect that you are more likely to fall into the latter category...

A couple of simple things that may help:

1. Hair washing:
- some people like to stretch washes (i.e. wash hair less often) as this can reduce the damage done by washing; however, others (especially those with problems with greasiness) can't do this and may wash as often as once a day without problem
- when using shampoo, it's a good idea to apply it only to your scalp, massage it in and then rinse it out, letting the suds run through your length - shampoo is only actually needed on the scalp (where grease (or, more correctly, sebum, the secretions of the sebaceous glands, that is your natural hair oil) accumulates)
- when using conditioner (after shampoo) it's a good idea to apply it from the ears down, or even from the nape down, as the scalp hair is already nourished by your sebum and so won't need conditioner (in fact, the conditioner may way it down, make it look flat or even make it look greasy)
- when washing your hair, don't do like in the shampoo adverts and pile all your hair on top of your head - this is unnecessary and, in most hairtypes, creates tangles, which can result in hair loss as you try to get them out
- some people prefer SLS-free shampoos, which are less harsh and thus may cause less damage; others don't like them as they feel they don't clean enough
- some people use SLS-containing shampoos (or other shampoos) but dilute them to reduce the amount of damage they cause (and so the shampoo lasts longer)
- some people use 'cone-free conditioners, as they feel the 'cones (which coat the hair, giving an appearance of health, plus shine and slip) damage their hair
- some people only use 'cone-containing conditioners, as they feel the slip the 'cones give is necessary to prevent worse damage via tangles (however, if you do use 'cones, look up clarifying, which is a way to prevent the 'cones from building up too much such that they cause negative qualities)
- some people use alternative washing regimes, which you can read about in the articles (some common LHC ones are: CWC (conditioner, wash, conditioner - applying cheap conditioner to your length before shampooing to protect it from the shampoo suds), CO (conditioner only - using conditioner to wash as well as condition), oil shampoo (using a mixture of a very plain shampoo plus coconut oil to both wash and condition in one go), WO (water only - washing without any products), SO (sebum only - not washing hair at all, but cleaning it by manually removing sebum/grease/dirt, often using a boar bristle brush))

2. Hair combing/brushing:
- many people, particularly curlies, stop using brushes altogether as they find they rip through tangles rather than undoing them, resulting in breakage
- many people stop using fine-toothed combs, again because they rip through tangles
- many people chose seamless wide-toothed combs as their every-day detangling device (horn, wood or plastic are common choices) - the seams can scrape away at your hair strands, damaging them - however, if your comb has seams you can easily remove them with a sharp knife or with sandpaper
- some people like to detangle whilst their hair is wet and laden in conditioner, to help the tangles slip out easily instead of ripping out
- some people swear by Tangle teasers (a special type of brush)
- a major part of hair combing is patience
- another good tip is to start at the bottom and work up - so, comb the last 3-4" until there are no tangles in that section, then move up 3-4" and comb down from there until again there are no tangles below that point, repeat until you reach the top of your head - this stops tangles and knots from being tightened and stops you from brushing tangles into each other, creating a huge knot

3. Hair styling:
- this is also an important part of hair health
- certain styles are out-right damaging (e.g. teasing/backcombing - hairs have scales on their outer layer (cuticle), rather like an unopened pinecone and this pushes the scales back and can break them off)
- some styles are ok but can cause problems in vulnerable hair or if you are growing to very long lengths (e.g. tightening ponytails by pushing the band up; wearing the same hairstyle every day; wearing hair loose every day)
- then, some styles are referred to as 'protective' as they cause the minimal amount of damage possible for a style - most of these are contained and most people only consider a style to be protective if it is off the neck, as a common source of damage is hair rubbing between it's owner's back and chairs, or against the collars of clothes

- so, number one good advice is to change your style at least every few days to prevent the hair from getting pulled one way too often (which, in extreme cases, may cause traction alopecia)
- number two good advice is to consider what you want from your hair and work from there - hairstyles are a very personal thing and many people find 'good' protective styles to be boring or unflattering; in general, I personally think protective styles are unnecessary unless:
1) you like them!
2) you're aiming for 'super-long' lengths (i.e. classic+) - your hair at the hemline would then be probably at least 5 years old and, as damage accumulates, the longer/older you want your hair to be, the better you have to treat it
3) you've removed every other hair growth-restricting problem (i.e. dye, chemical treatments, heat treatments, wash routine, handling) and your hair still won't grow - personally, I had this problem (hair wouldn't grow past TB, despite nothing harmful being done to it except wearing it loose - obviously, for me, that was no longer an option if I wanted TB+ hair)

- anywho, if you do want to find some protective styles, the articles section is a good place to start and there are also good tutorials on youtube - torrinpaige is one of my favourites

- an addendum to good styles is good hair accessories (hairtoys) - some can be very damaging (e.g. hair ties/elastics with a metal join - the ones that look like cut up tights/pantyhose are much better) and some are very popular here, despite being unusual elsewhere (hairsticks, hairforks/combs, spin pins, flexi-8s) as they are good for buns (even big buns!) and, when used correctly, damage-free
- however, many of those nice hairtoys are very expensive so personally I'd just go with cheaper things to start with whilst you get your head around LHC

4. Hairdressers and haircuts:
- many people avoid these altogether!
- it may seem obvious to say it, but for your hair to increase in length you must not trim off more than grows!
- an easy way to ensure this is to measure your hair growth (see hairtyping article for how to) - a good idea is once a month (you're unlikely to do anything but get frustrated if you do it more often)
- some people go to trusted hairdressers to get their hair trimmed a precise amount (ask about for advice on how to communicate exactly what you want to a hairdresser)
- some people trim their own hair (this is actually surprisingly easy - look in the articles for 'Feye's self-triming method')
- some people just do 'S&D' (search and destroy) - cutting off individual split ends from individual hairs, either systematically once in a while or whenever they see one / are bored
- a crucial part of self-triming and/or S&D is a good sharp pair of scissors - these need not be expensive but will stay sharp best if used exclusively for hair

[...continued below...]

[spidermom]

Remember that it takes years and years and years to achieve long hair. I used to be in a pattern of getting a pixie haircut, then growing it out for 2-3 years, at which point I would decide that my hair wasn't growing ("I've been growing it out for YEARS and it's not long yet). Then I'd cut it again.

2-3 years isn't enough time to achieve really long hair.

[Panth]

5. Deep treatments / things-to-put-on/in-your-hair-that's-not-your-washing-products:
- not really my thing, so I can't give you much advice :p
- some people buy commercial products; some make up their own stuff
- a crucial point seems to be if your hair needs protein or moisture - too much moisture/too little protein is indicated by hair that, when stretched, stretches a lot and doesn't revert back to its original length; the opposite is indicated by hair that snaps instantly when stretching - you can test this on shed hair

6. Vitamins and other supplements:
- some people use these
- however, IMO they are unnecessary unless one is medically deficient in a micronutrient, in which case you are best going to a doctor rather than self-medicating
- if you do consider taking supplements, please read this post: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showpost.php?p=1433422&postcount=105 ...that kinda applies for all supplements, but particularly for biotin

7. Dye:
- again, really not my area of expertise
- however, dye is not an absolute game-ender in terms of long hair - many people here have hair up to classic length and dye
- dye can be more of an issue if you require your hair first to be bleached
- however, there are various techniques for damage-prevention when using dye but I'm not very knowledgeable about them so you'd be better reading/asking elsewhere, e.g. on the 'Conventional Products & Hair Accessories' section of the forum

Anywho, as promised, there's a whole lotta waffle for you to wade through or ignore as you please. ^_^ However, I'm going to introduce you to one last important thing: the two week rule.

Whatever you change, change one thing then keep it that way for at least two weeks. That way, if something disagrees with you or your hair, you'll know which one it was so you can eliminate it. Likewise, if something is great you'll know which one it was so you can keep it. It's very tempting to run off and try every new thing that you've learnt here all at once ... but, I promise you, you'll get much better results longterm if you use this rule.

Also, if at first you don't succeed, try, try again. It often takes a long time (several months) to find out what is best for you and for your hair. Even things that work on people with the same hairtype as you may not work for you as you may live somewhere else (humidity differences can wreak havoc on hair!), you have a different life routine with different needs or simply your hair only appears similar. However, with patience and perseverance you will find a good routine that will help you grow hair to whatever is your goal length.

[StormVixen]

Have you considered trying CO (conditioner only) washing? and only combing with conditioner in (not combing or brushing any other time)?

Your hair as you describe it sounds quite similar to mine (fine-ish strands of hair but lots of it!).

I do mostly CO washes with silicone free conditioner and about once a fortnight a scalp wash with diluted head and shoulders. My hair type is quite fragile and tiny pieces brake off if I comb or brush it dry, so I (as gently as possible) only comb my hair, with a seamless resin wide toothed comb, when its wet and soaked with a good detangling conditioner (my favorite is CURLS coconut sublime) and let it airdry once I have applied a styling product over my wet, slightly rinsed conditioned hair.

My hair has stalled between bsl and waist when dry and curled up but its about waist length whilst wet, I am hoping to reach Hip whilst dry and curled but its going to be a mission i think!

I have recently been diagnosed with raised testosterone levels which I don't think is good for hair growth, I've been taking high strength multi vits and min suppliment as well as a high strength vitimin B complex, Biotin 1000mg, silica complex, kelp, evening primrose oil, starflower oil and flaxseed oil (and even more I think!) to help balance my body and help my hair... I'm also eating MUCH healthier before by trying to cut out bad carbohydrates and sugar (GL diet)...

oh i was also going to ask wether you would consider stopping dying your hair and going to the hairdresser? I think maybe the hair dye and possible over trimming could be impacting on your growth rate. I only S&D now, search and destroy any one strand faery knots and any splits i find...

I hope my experiences can help you. :)

happy growing :D

[lapelosa]

Panth, I found this extraordinarily helpful. Thank you.

[isabelx]

Wow! thanks so much Panth and StormVixen :D

I'm not going to give up hope too soon then, I'd love it even if my hair could look 3 inchs past my shoulders when curly.

This forum has been a life saver! :cheese:

[Panth]

Panth, I found this extraordinarily helpful. Thank you.

*grin* I'm ill and bored ... and waffling is one of my weaknesses. I'm just glad people are finding it helpful.

(However, I have to say, most of what I've said can be found in the two 'newbie advice' posts in the article section.)

[StormVixen]

no worries :D

[PurusNox]

Panth, that "Mini" FAQ is brilliant!! Would be great for people just starting to grow their hair :D

[brunette]

You mentioned getting it professionally coloured every 7 weeks.. do they also give it a trim at the same time?
I didn't see if you replied this comment I made? If you are colouring every 7 weeks and trimming half an inch at the same appointment that would do it too...

[isabelx]

I didn't see if you replied this comment I made? If you are colouring every 7 weeks and trimming half an inch at the same appointment that would do it too...
Yeah, to be honest I'd say I might even get more than an inch off each time! :bigeyes:
My hair was just so damaged I couldn't not have that much off

[brunette]

Yeah, to be honest I'd say I might even get more than an inch off each time! :bigeyes:
My hair was just so damaged I couldn't not have that much off
Ooo - hopefully if you just colour roots and baby your ends from hereon out, you can get away with no trim or just a teensy tidy-up.
Most people generally grow about ½" in 4 weeks so it does sound like that might be part of the problem.

[Panth]

Yeah, to be honest I'd say I might even get more than an inch off each time! :bigeyes:
My hair was just so damaged I couldn't not have that much off

Erm. Yeah. I think we've found the culprit!

Hair length gain (as measured by people here) seems to come out between 1/2" and 2" per month, with the lower end being more common and 2"/month being pretty phenomenal. If you're going to the salon every 7 weeks (call it 2 months for ease of calculation) and cutting off over an inch each time, unless you are gaining more than 1/2"/month you're going to see no length gain / loss of length. Even with length-gain of 1/2"+, if 'over an inch' is more like 2"+ you're going to see length stalling / length loss.

Now, with the damage you've mentioned I suspect you could well be gaining less than 1"/month - it is possible you may be growing more than that but I doubt you are gaining more than that once you take into account loss by breakage.

Of course, in your current situation, trims like that might be necessary. As I said before, trims (in some hairtypes, in some situations (e.g. growing out damage)) can reduce loss of length by breakage, by keeping the ends tidier and less prone to breakage, thus resulting in less total loss. (I.e. loss of length by trim + loss of length by breakage from trimmed hair = less than loss of length by breakage from untrimmed hair.)

An easy way to find out if those trims are indeed necessary to reduce the total length loss is this:
- measure your hair length regularly (personally, I'd do it the morning before the salon visit, immediately after the salon visit and then halfway inbetween that visit and the next) - on the hairtyping article there are instructions for how to measure your hair the LHC way (and I think there is another article about how to prevent false measurements)
- try telling your stylist to only cut 1/2" for a couple of months - be firm with him/her and get him/her to show you how much then intend to cut off by indicating a length on their scissors ("I'm going to cut this much, precisely" ... then you say "Hey, that's a full inch, half an inch is *this* much!")
- see if this reduced trim size results in an increase in length-gain per month - if it does, try 1/4" trims; if length-gain is the same, keep doing 1/2" trims; if length-gain is less, go back to 1" trims until you've got rid of the most damaged sections

And, remember, as Spidermom said - hair growing takes a long time. It's not uncommon for members to only register 6" or so length-gain in a year. However, remember - it's not the length that counts, it's whether you're enjoying it!

A final thing: as Celebriangel said, curly hair often doesn't appear to grow, because the curls 'eat up' the length. Often (particularly around shoulder length) curlies find their hair seems to grow outwards not downwards, becoming bushier and bigger - this is because the hair doesn't yet have the weight to pull itself down, against the curl pattern. To keep track of your growth, you can measure your hair as it is, and then by pulling the longest curl you can find out straight and measuring that - often, this latter measurement will show previously invisible length-gain.

Oh ... erm ... and I guess that wasn't actually the final thing. This is: since you're a curly, you could check out the Curly Girl method of haircare. Not all curlies get on with it, and some prefer a modified version of it, but it does (in general) seem to work very, very well (as much as a straightie like me can tell, anyway!).

[julliams]

If your parents had your hair cut every couple of months it would have cut off any growth you would have achieved at the time. Often parents have the thought that if they keep hair shorter, it will thicken out. Perhaps you could ask a parent, aunt/uncle or sibling if they know the thinking apparent at that time.

I would be very surprised if shoulder length would by terminal. Why don't you try keeping a photo journal of your hair. Just a picture in the same spot, wearing the same clothing each month(I like striped shirts with half inch width stripes) on the same day and then paste those pictures on the same word document side by side. If you can trimming for about 6 months you should see growth in that time period. This way you would also be able to determine your monthly growth rate. Average growth rate is half an inch per month. If you are growing slower than this it just might appear that it's not growing any more and trimming is just cutting off any extra growth.

You mention dying every 7 weeks. I'm assuming this is because of regrowth at the scalp? That would suggest that it's indeed growing. Is the hairdresser giving you a trim every 7 weeks? A one inch trim will be trimming off any growth possible in that time giving the impression that the hair isn't growing. Go by your roots. If you have regrowth - you have growth!!!