Hair "too thin" to grow long?

[Aliantha]

Hello, I'm new here, and already I love the thoughtful support I've seen here - honest, intelligent, encouraging answers to questions. So, here's one that's pretty much been a lifelong question...

I've often heard (from my mother first and then from "beauty experts") that my hair is too thin to wear long, and that I should cut it off. Per instructions on this site, I've typed and measured my hair, so here are the results: 1c/fine/i and currently about 26" long. I have a few split ends, but otherwise my hair is pretty healthy and fairly shiny. I'm the first to admit that, yes, I don't have much hair. I can fit all my hair into a rather small hair band that many on here might use to just put up one pigtail. And, yes, my shirt is easily visible through the last couple of inches of my hair in back, and it does tend to get scraggly on the ends if I'm not careful with it. But - my husband says it doesn't matter how thin it is and is supportive about my goals to grow it as long as I can.

What do you long hair gurus think?

[Apriori]

If you like your hair and want it long then you should wear it long. Don't let other people tell you what you should do with YOUR hair :)

[Aliantha]

Thanks for the support. I agree, you're right, but I just have those niggling doubts, especially when I see someone with long hair that's all unkempt and scraggly on the ends and think to myself, "Do I look like that?"

[B-L]

I think you should grow it if you want to. I don't think thin, long hair is less beautiful than thick. We're all different and so is our hair :)
There are though some products, herbs and stuff that can increase your volume. If that's what you want :)

[auburntressed]

I think the decision has to be yours. Logically, you can grow your hair out as long as you are physically capable of growing it. Thin hair does not stop growing just because it is thin, after all.

Whether or not you like the look of your hair once it is at your goal is a different matter, but it is also entirely up to you. You'll never know for sure unless you try. :) Also, even people with thick hair can have a thin hemline along the bottom. Micro-trims can help thicken the hemline a bit. You might not have as much to work with as a starting point, but I see no reason why what you've got can't be gorgeous.

When people tell thin-haired people that they "can't" grow their hair out long, what they really mean is that they think it won't look nice. I don't think that is true, personally. Every person's hair is different, so there is a lot more to hair looking nice than how thick or thin it is. If you take good care of your hair, you might be surprised at how successful you can be.

[MaryMarx]

Know exactly what you mean.

I don't measure my hair's thickness but I can say that when you see a picture of a beautiful braid around here, my total braid is like one of that braids three strands.
But I will let it grow anyway, and if I find out it looks awful, then atleast I tried. :)

[Baby]

I do not have thin hair myself but I have a sister who I support in her goal for long hair that have hair like yours, I think an even hemline(no layers), and a lot of care (no heat styling etc. etc. as you have read on this forum) for your hair will make it look fabulus with long hair on you! Good luck with the growing:)

[maria_asa]

I have thin hair myself and it haven't stopped me from growing it long and I don't think your thinness should stop you either. There will always be people who has opinions about it but in the long run it's only how you feel about it that matters.

[UP Lisa]

I suggest you search the Members List for others with your hair type, and get inspiration from them.

[Madora]

If you want to grow it long, why not?

You might want to consider keeping the ends blunt cut to give the appearance of thicker hair..but it is up to you.

Gentle handling and wearing it up will definitely help you on your hair journey. You might also look into sleeping on a silk pillowcase to protect your delicate ends.

Good luck and happy growing!

[DoubleCrowned]

My ponytail was 1 3/8" circumference when I joined LHC. My longest few hairs were at about waist but my taper started at about my chin. My first post said I was thinking about chopping off a bunch of my length although what I really wanted was long hair. Thanks to the support here, I decided not cut it at all (I always wear it up anyway), and began treating it very differently that I was taught. The biggest motivator for me was in the Thin/Fine hair thread, where someone commented that if you cut long, thin, fine hair, you will have short, thin, fine hair.

After about 9 months, my ponytail was 1.5" at last check , and it appears that my taper doesn't start until well below the shoulders. In photos, it appears to cover the color of my clothing down to my shoulder blades. If it weren't for LHC, I might be walking around showing my skull through a pixie right now.

[PrairieRose]

The biggest motivator for me was in the Thin/Fine hair thread, where someone commented that if you cut long, thin, fine hair, you will have short, thin, fine hair.


I also have fine thin hair and was always told I would not be able to grow it long.
I totally agree with this DoubleCrowned! That is what I think about every time I think about cutting my hair.

[Aliantha]

Thanks, all, for the encouragement and advice! I do already use a silk pillowcase, which I think has helped me get my hair to the length it is now. And I try to handle it gently. And I'm trimming it into a blunt cut and gradually growing out those silly layers I gave myself. Don't get me wrong, layers are lovely and work really well for heavy or wavy hair. Not for me! Ya'll have already helped me with some more ideas about caring gently for my hair - I saw somewhere on here NOT to use a molded plastic comb, because no matter how wide the teeth, those tiny lines can still catch and damage fine hair. Wow - that didn't occur to me; I was proud of using a huge plastic Afro pick. I'm rethinking now - I'll either finger comb or go find a nice wooden comb. Yay, shopping!

[Delila]

Just another fine/thin type dropping in to say that when I first started growing out my hair, I did it out of stubbornness. I'd always been told that my hair was 'too thin to grow long', but if that were true, why did stylists always cut layers all the way to my scalp? The end result of that would always be a hemline that really was super thin and didn't look promising between trims.

I stuck with it, and have modified my haircare over the years to treat my hair as gently as I can manage, and yes, I'm quite satisfied with my hair.

Sure, I have taper in the last few inches, I'd suspect that having blowdried some of that hair when it was short didn't help. Since my goals are long term, I'm doing microtrims and letting the thickness that is already well past my shoulders catch up with my hemline (currently at classic+).

It's my hair, and I'm happy with it. (I've even had the random thought this past year that maybe I have 'too much hair' which I can honestly say I've NEVER had before. :happydance: )

I do think that part of the challenge for the thin and fine is unlearning the haircare lessons of the past.

Also, as my hair has gotten longer, I find I need to adapt my updos, and my choice of hair toy to most gently secure the protective styles I wear.

P.S. Oh, and I'll never forget the day I saw a woman with hair even finer/thinner than mine one day. Blonde, worn down with sections pulled back in a braid down the center. IIRC, her hair was longer than mine. Too, too pretty, really elegant. Definitely inspiring, but I still don't wear mine down. My hair tends to get floaty, so updos are essential.

[HintOfMint]

Grow it out, take care of it and take pictures as you go along. If you like what you see, keep at it, if you don't, cut it.

I hope everything works out for you. Many "scraggly" thin hair you see is just hair that is uncared for, so keep that in mind when you have those doubts as to the prettiness of long fine thin hair.

[Aliantha]

Delila, I know exactly what you mean about hair stylists and the layers they talk us into. My hemline would look pitiful, just pitiful. Since I've started growing out my pesky layers, my hair seems thicker. So much for conventional wisdom - growing mine longer actually seems to make it thicker.

[spidermom]

The only limits are: a) how long genetics will allow it to grow, and b) how you feel about it.
Happy growing!

[Thumper]

Mine is exactly as yours is described. I keep mine cut trim, with blunt ends and I find that helps to 'hide' some of the thin-ness kwim?

[Knotted]

Another one who was told her hair is too fine and thin to grow long :) I'm doing it anyway, and I like it! Good luck to you :)

[MsBubbles]

Thanks for the support. I agree, you're right, but I just have those niggling doubts, especially when I see someone with long hair that's all unkempt and scraggly on the ends and think to myself, "Do I look like that?"

I'm sure people often think that about my hair, though, even though I treat it well and protect it as often as I can, and trim it regularly. I got the short-straw in the hair gene department - my hair is fine and straight, and I don't have heaps of it. So what. So what if your hair does look "like that". If you want it long, grow it long. It's not up to anybody else. I think once you do grow yours out you will be a bit more forgiving of seeing 'unkempt and scraggly' hair out in public somewhere. I used to think fairytale ends = unkempt and scraggly. Now I admire that type of hemline just as much as a thick & swishy one.

[terpentyna]

My hair is medium and not very voluminous so that's what I was told as well. Honestly though, unless I really maintain a hairstyle to suit my face, shorter hair doesn't look better on me than long hair, and I'm quite low maintenance. If your hair is thin, then it will be thin when short as well. With long hair at least you have the chance to get creative and you're not a slave to styling your haircut. That's how I see it. Besides - do what you want.

[Aliantha]

Oh, let me clarify - hair growing to a V on the ends or being thinner/narrower at the hemline is not what I'm talking about. I've just seen too much hair that's obviously broken and kind of scrubby and bushy and thin at the ends all at the same time, that's just begging for a trim, IMHO. What I can see from your profile picture, yours is shiny and smooth and pretty.

[Aliantha]

Oh, let me clarify - hair growing to a V on the ends or being thinner/narrower at the hemline is not what I'm talking about. I've just seen too much hair that's obviously broken and kind of scrubby and bushy and thin at the ends all at the same time, that's just begging for a trim, IMHO. What I can see from your profile picture, yours is shiny and smooth and pretty.
I'm sorry, apparently I can't edit yet - this was in response to MsBubbles' post.

[MsBubbles]

Oh, let me clarify - hair growing to a V on the ends or being thinner/narrower at the hemline is not what I'm talking about. I've just seen too much hair that's obviously broken and kind of scrubby and bushy and thin at the ends all at the same time, that's just begging for a trim, IMHO. What I can see from your profile picture, yours is shiny and smooth and pretty.

Thanks! :) But I can assure you, there's a huge difference between my indoor photos and how my hair eventually looks when down, after I've been outside even for a minute! It doesn't hold together, hang together, and generally looks straggly, in my opinion.

I'm pretty sure a lot of people I know are just dying to say to me "I wish you'd get your hair cut short, it hangs in rats' tails". :) It doesn't hang in real life like it's hanging in those photos. If I had a much higher number of individual hairs on my head, or if the hairs I do have were medium or coarse thickness instead of fine, it wouldn't look nearly as thin/straggly as it does now. Just food for thought.

It's so hard to discern out in public whether somebody else's hair has mechanical damage (they don't know the best way to treat it yet), or if they perhaps have a health condition that causes their hair to break off. I'm much less judgmental about that after having been here four years and hearing various people's struggles.

[Aliantha]

MsBubbles, I'll take that all into consideration; you've given me food for thought. :)

[furnival]

My Mum has thigh-length 1a/f/i hair, and it looks lovely. It is thin, but she can do amazing things with it- really intricate braided styles and buns. If she cut it short and hairsprayed and permed etc to try to give some shape to it, I think it would look awful. Maybe some people's hair is too thin to be kept short!

[DoubleCrowned]

My Mum has thigh-length 1a/f/i hair, and it looks lovely. It is thin, but she can do amazing things with it- really intricate braided styles and buns. If she cut it short and hairsprayed and permed etc to try to give some shape to it, I think it would look awful. Maybe some people's hair is too thin to be kept short!
Good point. My mum did perm, pin, and hairspray her thin, fine hair to give it shape and suit her face. Now she is bald in back where it was pinned it all those years, and the rest of her hair is badly damaged and broken.

[cuties]

My hair is too thin as well and I have been told the same thing as well. I have not been able to grow it long as I always get it cut since it looks bad on the bottom when it grows, but now I figured out that it was due to layering I had and when it grew, it looked gross. So, I had to keep getting the growth cut. This time I just got my hair trimmed and not layers and I particularly asked my sylist that I want to grow out the layers. But the thing is layers suit my face a lot and I kinda miss that look in the front when my hair is down. Also shorter hair doesn't suit my face. So now after joining LHC, I'm determined to grow it long. Also you could try volumizing shampoos. One thing that worked for me was shampoo bars, they gave lot of volume to my hair and now it doesn't look too bad when down. Problem is my ponytail looks really bad, thin and unruly, so I have decided to forgo it and do updo's instead. So, its either wearing hair down (which i can only do the day I wash my hair) and updo's other time. Good luck.

[princessp]

I've never heard that thin hair shouldn't be grown long. But anyway, like everyone else has said if you want to grow it long then you should. Good luck! :flower:

[lolabird]

You wont really know how your hair will be until you try. You'll either prove to the others that they were wrong, or right. But that doesn't matter really because you'll know it for *yourself* in the end. And maybe you'll learn a thing or two along the way, some tips and tricks to make it work for you. If you reach that middle stage where you're not sure, it will be long enough to wear up at least. And if it doesn't work? I don't think much will be lost. You can cut it to a length you like and are more comfortable with. I don't see any harm in trying :)

[sun-kissed]

Unfortunately out of everyone in my family, I was the one that got the thin hair genes. It's also blonde, and stick-straight, which adds to the thin-effect. But cut it short? Ha! I don't see anything better about having short, fine, thin hair than having long, fine, thin hair. I would be able to do absolutely nothing with it, except for slather it in hairspray and try to make it hold some volume. With long hair, I have so much more to work with. I can add interest through intricate updo's and buns. Cutting it short would mean even less hair to work with, and I would feel very board and, well... lacking in hair.

There are also many lovely thinnies on here who's hair I admire, everyone's different. Thin does not mean ugly, it simply means that we have to practice a little more TLC if we wish to avoid taper as our hair gets longer.

[pepperminttea]

Personally I think thin hair can look amazing long. You can grow it longer without issues of it being too heavy, you can do more complicated updos with less length, and your updos will look more elegant and less like an alien is trying to consume your brain. :p If you want long hair, go for it! :D


Unfortunately out of everyone in my family, I was the one that got the thin hair genes.

Me too! I'm from a family of super-iiis, so to them, my hair is thin. :rolleyes: When my aunt saw my hair in a single braid, she thought it was a braided pigtail because when she was my age she used to have two braided pigtails as thick as my single braid. All a matter of perspective I guess.

[einna]

I also think you can grow long. I have seen plenty of thin long beautiful hair on this site, and some IRL. Just make sure your ends are resonably healthy!

You will also have some advantages, like pepperminttea said :)

[Delila]

Another thought I've had about my own braid is that when I see a braid of the same thickness, with the same taper on a man's head, I'm somehow less judgmental than I am of my own hair, in fact I always think it looks just fine. Maybe I need broader shoulders? :cool:

[SchnauzerMom]

The main reason that I have given in and cut my hair the last few years is because I made the mistake of believing people when they said it was too thin to be long. Cutting it short certainly doesn't make it any thicker so I'm going for long and thin instead of short and thin. Been there, done that.

[jacqueline101]

Its your hair if you want it long grow it out long.

[LaurelSpring]

I also have fine hair. I was stressing about my taper until I saw <~~~~~~~~ this avatar picture. It totally inspired me because that is how my hair looks. I thought.. wow.. that is really beautiful.. almost angelic looking. Obviously someone else thought so too!

I got some flack from friends and family but I love it and thats what counts. Plus, have you checked out some of the pictures of the fine haired people around here! Totally awesome! Go for it!

[jacqueline101]

Its your hair if you want it long grow it out long.

[mariazelie]

I too, have fine , thin , long hair. Several years ago,when my hair was still short and layered, I suffered through a humid summer with sticky hair spray and heat curlers.One day after high wind and no amount of hairspray made it better, I said ,"This is it! Never again! I will not have another summer like this." So I grew it out and when it is hot and humid, it stays neat and pretty. As time goes on I have become more creative with my updos and I love it. Grow your hair, because the truth is, long, fine, thin hair is just as everyone has said .When it is short, it is just short, fine, and thin. I definitely feel I have way more options with length.

[ktani]

Hello, I'm new here, and already I love the thoughtful support I've seen here - honest, intelligent, encouraging answers to questions. So, here's one that's pretty much been a lifelong question...

I've often heard (from my mother first and then from "beauty experts") that my hair is too thin to wear long, and that I should cut it off. Per instructions on this site, I've typed and measured my hair, so here are the results: 1c/fine/i and currently about 26" long. I have a few split ends, but otherwise my hair is pretty healthy and fairly shiny. I'm the first to admit that, yes, I don't have much hair. I can fit all my hair into a rather small hair band that many on here might use to just put up one pigtail. And, yes, my shirt is easily visible through the last couple of inches of my hair in back, and it does tend to get scraggly on the ends if I'm not careful with it. But - my husband says it doesn't matter how thin it is and is supportive about my goals to grow it as long as I can.

What do you long hair gurus think?

My hair is thin as in fewer folicles. I heard that too years ago and "If it is all one length it will be too heavy and look thinner".

I had a breakage taper, split and scraggly ends for a long time. I still grew my hair long and all one length. Now I have had people compliment me on having thick hair, lol.

For me the difference was catnip tea, http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=118

For you it can be finding a routine all your own. You will find great advice here on detangling, air drying, oiling and much more.

The healthier you hair is the more you can do with it. You have nothing to lose by trying to grow it long. If you find you do not like it long you can cut it back.

Enjoy the journey by learning as much as you can about gentle techniques, products and experiment with thing one at a time.

And most of all enjoy your hair no matter what length it is or how you wear it

[Hollyfire3]

Although i do not have thin hair, i understand the fear of your hair "not looking right" when long. For years when i was little, my hair was kept short because of the crazy wurls that nobody, no even me wanted to take the time to brush out, then i started growing my hair to a bit past my shoulders and never trimmed it, tried to heat style it flat with tons of products and never brushed it right, just ripped whatever brush i had through it. My hair was also sun dmagaed and dry and frizz all the time. I thought it was so damaged i could never have long hair. Now, it is nearly BSL (after a 3 inch trim) very thick, wurly and beautiful without heat, (after 4 yrs of heat styling i finally gave it up last summer) So, never give up hope, your hair will be beautiful, embrace what you have and never feel slighted because i am sure somebody will see your hair and want it. P.S. Avatar pic (its Holly Marie Combs/ Piper on Charmed) she had beautiful hair and is my inspiration. Find an inspiration, it really helps.

[tinywife]

Don't worry about thickness. Long hair is always beautiful if it's loved. :)

[islandboo]

I have thin hair (1.75") and a strong taper so my ends are very scraggly looking. But it is healthy and I like having it long more than having it short. I actually think I am better with fairy tale ends because then the hair just sort of fades off into nothing whereas a blunt hemline seems to make the thinness more obvious.

[Lissandria]

I actually think I am better with fairy tale ends because then the hair just sort of fades off into nothing whereas a blunt hemline seems to make the thinness more obvious.

I agree with this- sometimes thin hair is way better with FTE or a U or V shaped hemline as it can actually make the hair look less thin than with a blunt hemline.

To the OP- It's so true that when cut- long, thin hair merely becomes short, thin hair. I have been told many times by many people that my hair is too thin to grow long, and have thus kept it between chin and APL most of my life. To h*** with that now- If you want long hair then grow long hair. Simple as that. :)

[Hollyfire3]

I agree with this- sometimes thin hair is way better with FTE or a U or V shaped hemline as it can actually make the hair look less thin than with a blunt hemline.

To the OP- It's so true that when cut- long, thin hair merely becomes short, thin hair. I have been told many times by many people that my hair is too thin to grow long, and have thus kept it between chin and APL most of my life. To h*** with that now- If you want long hair then grow long hair. Simple as that. :)


Very true, i especially like the to H*** with that part! Lol its your hair so i say, If it isn't good enough for them, screw em....they don't deseve to even look at your beautiful hair!:)

[sfgirl]

It's funny, because my mom has always had M/C super iii hair (she's in her fifties and it's thinned down to just a regular iii now though) She never grew it out past her BSL because hair styler would tell her "you need to thin it out. It's too thick and not attractive!". Now she's growing it out and it's beautiful. No matter WHAT your hair type, people will say you should cut it. My mom's hair is now almost hip length and beautiful. I'm so jealous of her hair. She has naturally black hair, but an ex said when he saw her he missed her super short blonde cut. Guys are weird huh!? My hair is nothing like hers though, but I'm still trying to grow. :) Dont let anyone bring you down. My favorite hemlines for thin hair are U shaped because it doesn't look as harsh, although once it gets to tailbone I like fairy tale ends. :) just my two cents

[Katze]

Some really great thoughts here already.

I'm one of those people with normal to thick hair but thin ends (lost over half my hair in a postpartum shed) who does not like the look, and has cut. Repeatedly. My roots are thick, but I seem to have a very severe natural taper (what I have heard called 'scandinavian hair') that means braids look pathetic and my hair has never been more than thin past about BSL.

I have two friends with i and i/ii past-waist length hair and they both look lovely. The i/ii thickness gal started growing after being inspired by me, and her hair is now probably five times as long as mine...sigh...they do both have much straighter hair than mine, though, maybe that makes a difference?

When I first came here I was growing out layers and cut, and cut, and cut, because, with my fine wavy hair, I do not like the wispy look of tapered ends. During pregnancy my hair was finally the way I wanted it, and actually got too thick to deal with!

The only way YOU can know if you like your hair long...is to try! And if you end up like me - someone who probably can never have long hair they are happy with - then at least your hair and scalp will be healthier and look and act better than ever before, and at least you know you TRIED.

[Lissandria]

Very true, i especially like the to H*** with that part! Lol its your hair so i say, If it isn't good enough for them, screw em....they don't deseve to even look at your beautiful hair!:)

Great to meet like minded people :flower:

[Mesmerise]

I think you need to ask yourself: "What is the worst thing that will happen if I grow my hair long?"

Because honestly... there's really nothing bad that can happen! The absolute worstest thing (yup, I know that's not a word :p) is that you won't like it!

But you're never gonna know if you don't give it a shot ;). And if you don't try... and you want long hair... you're always going to wonder!

So grow it! See what happens! And have fun :D.

[Aliantha]

Thanks for all the inspiring comments! Ya'll reminded me of a lot of the things I know: with thin hair I can grow it long without it being too heavy, cutting thin hair short doesn't make it thicker or even make it look thicker, and I hate not having any styling options when my hair is short.
I've been treating my hair more gently for the past year or so, but I'll start with some of the tips I've learned on here. I've never done a search and destroy mission, but I think that's next on my list.:D

[arielágua]

My hair is thin too, and I like thin long hair.
Why only thick hair must be considered beautiful and capable of growing long?
I hate those common sense 'rules'.
I will grow my hair long no matter if it is thin, medium or thick, it is my passion, and if it is yours too, you will certainly grow yours and you will love the feeling even if it is thin. :)
There are pictures in the album sections of people with long thin hair, it is an amazing inspiration, you could check out.

Good luck :3

[Annalouise]

I have 'i' hair and I cut it to shoulders from my waist.
I had a major shed from going WO and not keeping my scalp clean. It was probably either a fungus buildup, or clogged pores from oil, that led to massive shedding.

My hair is now growing back and I believe I will be back to a ii in the future as the new hairs make it down to my shoulders. My ponytail circumference will get back to normal (ii). Then it will be at waist again but this time it will look healthy.

Good luck!

When people say long thin hair doesn't look nice, what they mean is that it looks unhealthy. Because thin hair is a sign of weak hair health. (unless you have genetic balding).

So take hair vitamins, and keep your scalp clean and get exercise and eat well and your hair will grow back again.:)

[UP Lisa]

For many years I had my hair short. It was so much more work. I always felt like I had to curl it, and it is so fine that one side would already be straight by the time I got to the other side. I needed a ton of heavy-duty hairspray to get it to stay curled and in place. Then I hated how stiff it was! Oh, and I mustn't forget how I dreaded wind and rain. Both would ruin my hair instantly.

Now I don't really have to do anything with it expect wrap it up quickly, and go! I don't worry about the weather, either.

[hototogisu]

I actually posted this exact thread after an unkind comment. For me, the biggest advantage of having long hair, when you're a thin haired person, is you can always *do* something with it. I wash my hair every other day, and usually wear it loose with bunwaves the first day, then braided the second. I always get compliments on my braids, and bunwaves take really well on my hair, and I only need one or two pins to hold my bun when I sleep.

My advice is to learn to care for the hair you have, not the hair you want. I *want* thick, wavy, wild hair; I *have* thin, mildly wavy, frustratingly tame hair and a scalp that loves to be clean. When I took care of some hormonal issues, started taking biotin and saw palmetto, and above all started shampooing frequently again my hair looked much better.

Best of luck!

[DoubleCrowned]

I have thin hair (1.75") and a strong taper so my ends are very scraggly looking. But it is healthy and I like having it long more than having it short. I actually think I am better with fairy tale ends because then the hair just sort of fades off into nothing whereas a blunt hemline seems to make the thinness more obvious.
Wow, what a great point! I was feeling a little guilty when I started LCH because I did not even out my hemline. I did not do so because my taper started at my chin and my longest hairs were nearly waist for the first time in my life. But now that I think of it, even when my hair was healthy and above BSL with a smooth hemline, it was too fine to, well, hang. My hair floats. How absurd of me to have ever thought that a blunt hemline would flatter its true personality!

Although I do not go out in public with my hair down yet, I have noticed that, now that my hair is getting healthier (and the taper doesn't begin until shoulders) it is pretty when down if I wrap the ends around my finger, taking advantage of my bun curl as a finishing touch. Perhaps the true secret of wearing my thin, fine hair down will be choosing the satiny clothing that will allow it to float beautifully.

[PianoPlaye]

I've got thin hair. Here, surrounded by TLHC, I'm planning to grow & grow & grow as far as I can, look after every inch & enjoy it. Others have thicker locks, I have mine. And a three year plan to stick at it and only then have a look back.
And scraggly is just underloved. You do not need to look like that, ever. I'd love a thick hemline, but since I've got fairytale ends, I nurture them and don't let dreams get in the way of reality.

Oh yes & "oh long hair is so much effort" is a load of underpants. Let the shorthairs blowfry & iron their hair - I braid, pin into an updo & go...
Oh and for anyone with a wicked taper, stick at it! My frustrating wispies have gradually transmuted into longer hairs and may yet catch up with the length.

Finally as a short plump person, the very idea of me being a "thinnie" of any form has me chortling. :D

[skyblue]

awe hunny your hair can grow being thin, you should see my little twin braids but my hair has grown way further then it ever has and it's still growing, with gentle handling, keeping those ends nice and moisturized, and updo's your hair will grow ;)

[StPaulaGirl]

Another person with thin, fine hair here! Growing up, my parents always kept my hair cut short in the belief that doing so would make it thicker. So I completely understand where you're coming from. But as others have said, I would much rather have long, thin, healthy hair than short, thin, boring (for me) hair.

I have to say I'm really glad for this community. My hair is BSL and needs work, but threads like these are so inspiring! :cheer:

[andreamuse]

Can I just say that I LOVE LOVE LOVE this thread?

I'm another fine/thinny who is growing my hair out from a pixie. I got the pixie not because I thought I needed to with my type, but just on a whim to try something completely different, haha, but I'm over it and want to go long again. I'm so excited, especially because I'm breaking another "so called taboo" by being over 40 (*BIG GASP*).

Anyway, I've always been self-conscious about my hair type, but lately on this site I've seen so many things that have made me feel better about my hair type!

[DoubleCrowned]

Can I just say that I LOVE LOVE LOVE this thread?

I'm another fine/thinny who is growing my hair out from a pixie. I got the pixie not because I thought I needed to with my type, but just on a whim to try something completely different, haha, but I'm over it and want to go long again. I'm so excited, especially because I'm breaking another "so called taboo" by being over 40 (*BIG GASP*).

Anyway, I've always been self-conscious about my hair type, but lately on this site I've seen so many things that have made me feel better about my hair type!

I found TLHC because I was very close to giving up and getting a pixie. I seem to need a dramatic look--either very long or very short. Yet, nagging at me was the memory of how hard short hair was for me to keep looking nice, even though some people (i.e. those with thick short hair and stylists who wanted the thrill of chopping into long, virgin hair) were telling me I ought to cut my hair. I'm sooo glad that I found TLHC in time, so don't have several years of waiting for my hair to grow out. In between lengths just don't fit my personality.

[andreamuse]

I found TLHC because I was very close to giving up and getting a pixie. I seem to need a dramatic look--either very long or very short. Yet, nagging at me was the memory of how hard short hair was for me to keep looking nice, even though some people (i.e. those with thick short hair and stylists who wanted the thrill of chopping into long, virgin hair) were telling me I ought to cut my hair. I'm sooo glad that I found TLHC in time, so don't have several years of waiting for my hair to grow out. In between lengths just don't fit my personality.

Oh, yes! I hear you there! The growing out part right now is downright painful! I decided in late September after my last haircut (which was a VERY short pixie) to start growing out. It is now February and my hair has grown a lot, but it is still too short to put back, and it is awkward and all different lengths right now. I am probably going to get a trim this month, just to even it out (because I want to grow it long all the same length), but all I can do now is clip the shorter parts back or wear a head band! If I ever get a pixie again, it will be because I want it permanently! I never want to go through this awkward growth stage again!

[Aliantha]

All these responses make me feel great - I love knowing I'm not the only thin-haired person to receive bad advice and ignore it!:cheer:

[UP Lisa]

Good for you! I started growing at 42!


quote=andreamuse;1977458]Can I just say that I LOVE LOVE LOVE this thread?

I'm another fine/thinny who is growing my hair out from a pixie. I got the pixie not because I thought I needed to with my type, but just on a whim to try something completely different, haha, but I'm over it and want to go long again. I'm so excited, especially because I'm breaking another "so called taboo" by being over 40 (*BIG GASP*).

Anyway, I've always been self-conscious about my hair type, but lately on this site I've seen so many things that have made me feel better about my hair type![/quote]

[Aliantha]

UP Lisa, I love your hair - so shiny and such a lovely color. I plan to defy all sorts of traditions and grow my thin hair long and let it go grey!

[UP Lisa]

Thank you so much! The shine is mine. The waves are mine. The color is my hair going back to Blond after being dyed Red.

Lisa


quote=Aliantha;1979375]UP Lisa, I love your hair - so shiny and such a lovely color. I plan to defy all sorts of traditions and grow my thin hair long and let it go grey![/quote]

[ravenheather]

I've always been told the same thing. I've now decided to see for myself. Starting with mid neck length hair.

[shesasmartass]

This thread makes me sooooooo happy! I too have been told by my mother, sisters and hairstylist that I should have only short hair.

I am finally listening to my heart and not everyone else's ideas of what my hair should be like.

I will either like it or I won't but as one person said earlier I will never know if I don't try.

Good Luck to all the thin fine hair members! Happy Growing! :D

[Red Rapunzel]

Aliantha: You say your goals are to "grow it as long as I can." So do it! I share your problem and your concerns about growing thin hair long. My hair used to be lots thicker (about 5 times thicker actually) and when it was thicker, I often wished it was thinner so it would dry faster. Now that it's much thinner, it does dry faster, but I miss the volume I used to have so much! Anyway, even though at times I'm ready to chop mine back to the level where it appears to be somewhat full (about bra-strap length) I still have my hair at thigh-length. Yes it is scraggly at times, but with my chronic illness taking its toll on my hair, it's the best it can be. Any photos I post on this website of my hair are the exception to how it usually looks day in and out. Today I learned I'm in a very low thyroid state so will be on additional medication for that and hopefully my hair will stop falling out in handfuls. No matter what, it's fun to have the length. And if you really hate your thin ends, you can always trim them back eventually - but hopefully not before you know what it is like to have the length of hair you have always wanted. It's great your husband is supportive of your long-hair goals. Enjoy the journey and keep us posted on your progress!!

[Red Rapunzel]

UP Lisa: I'm amazed at how much my hair looks like yours - even in color - but yours is thicker than mine is now. It's lovely!!

[alyanna]

My roots are thick, but I seem to have a very severe natural taper (what I have heard called 'scandinavian hair') that means braids look pathetic and my hair has never been more than thin past about BSL.


Katze,
I think I know what you mean by scandinavian hair! I've noticed it on a few people. Super thick roots then tapers into fine, feathery texture...

I noticed this because I have the opposite "issue". I have horrible roots. My hair is sparse around the middle part and I have a double crown. So as soon as my hair is even slightly oily, it'll part all over the scalp, in several places, and look super thin.

But then you take a look a the ends and they're full and pouffy and look quite thick. I feel like it's quite a ridiculous look. An oily matted scalp and then POUFF!!!

[uptosomeone]

Some really great thoughts here already.

I'm one of those people with normal to thick hair but thin ends (lost over half my hair in a postpartum shed) who does not like the look, and has cut. Repeatedly. My roots are thick, but I seem to have a very severe natural taper (what I have heard called 'scandinavian hair') that means braids look pathetic and my hair has never been more than thin past about BSL.

I have two friends with i and i/ii past-waist length hair and they both look lovely. The i/ii thickness gal started growing after being inspired by me, and her hair is now probably five times as long as mine...sigh...they do both have much straighter hair than mine, though, maybe that makes a difference?

When I first came here I was growing out layers and cut, and cut, and cut, because, with my fine wavy hair, I do not like the wispy look of tapered ends. During pregnancy my hair was finally the way I wanted it, and actually got too thick to deal with!

The only way YOU can know if you like your hair long...is to try! And if you end up like me - someone who probably can never have long hair they are happy with - then at least your hair and scalp will be healthier and look and act better than ever before, and at least you know you TRIED.

Oh, this is me. While my roots aren't thick, per say, the taper is extreme--from 2.25" to less than an inch when it reaches shoulder. Funny thing is, I have very strong scandinavian roots :D I don't mind the taper though. I think it's rather nice and somewhat ethereal.

[Melisande]

In German, we call such hair fairy hair (Feenhaar), and it can look very lovely. It all depends on how much love it receives. Fine, thin hair often has a special shine, and you can do intricate hairstyles much earlier than thicker-haired people.

Be proud of your hair, it's unique. Do you know that there people who were told they couldn't grow their hair because it's too THICK? Anti-long-hair activists ;-) will use every argument they can find. It's all blah blah. Thin, fine hair can look amazing when it's long. You can compensate volume with length, you know?

Some of the loveliest heads around here are of the fairy hair variety. Oh, and how it flows and blows in the wind, and the light shines through, and it looks so soft. Who said that thick hair was beautiful and nothing else?

One of the strongest factors in this illusion of thick hair is the use of computer enhanced images in shampoo commercial. Go to youtube and look at some shampoo commercials from the 70s or 80s before hair could be artificially pumped up and made into a sleek, thick, frizz-less perfect sheet. There you will see that the hair you have is perfectly adequate, and more than that: it's unique, individual and lovely.

I have never seen natural hair that is ugly. Hair is really easy, you know? There are people who were born with ugly noses (I, for example), but nobody is born with ugly hair. Natural, healthy hair is beautiful. Just take good care of it and it's beautiful, shiny and lovely. It's really that easy.

[Stagecoach]

Have fun growing your hair. Objective advices from friends and family can be very helpful, but it doesn't have to be the 'rule' you go by. :) And there are plenty of thin haired folks here with lovely long locks to give you hope.

[vindo]

I just wanted to add that the ponytails circumference does not need to hinder you from growing long. I have said it before, but it also depends on the taper.
If your hair does not taper rapidly, it can grow to great lengths.
And the look of it is really just a matter of taste.
My hair was once thigh length, I went through hair loss and ended up with very tapered (and thinned) classic length hair. I did not care about what everyone said and left it long and thinned.
Plus, even when my hair is at its normal, almost 4" thickness, people will still think it is thin and comment on how thin it is. So I had to ignore those comments all my life ;)

[vindo]

Oh, this is me. While my roots aren't thick, per say, the taper is extreme--from 2.25" to less than an inch when it reaches shoulder. Funny thing is, I have very strong scandinavian roots :D I don't mind the taper though. I think it's rather nice and somewhat ethereal.

My hair also tapers a good amount, even though it starts off thick...(partly because I keep losing it :/)...oh and I am not scandinavian.:p

[GaJunebug]

Aliantha,
I'm in the same boat as you in that I'm working with much thinner hair than a lot of the beautiful hair shared by other members here. I've just started oiling every so often and I'm noticing the beginnings of new hair growth around my temples- granted, it's coming in silver, but- it's hair!

So from one Georgia girl to another, I'll gladly continue to grow my thinnish, silver-stranded ( I think silver sounds so much nicer than gray) hair out with you- if you need a hair growing buddy.

[Aliantha]

GaJunebug, you're on, growing buddy! My hair is feeling pretty good these days. S&D seems to be making the ends smoother without sacrificing length. And, I think I'm having fewer tangles and shed hairs due to gentler handling. I'm not really comfortable with posting photos yet, but I'll keep ya posted with progress. I'm solidly at BSL now, with the ends actually hanging down about an inch or so below my actual bra strap. I'm looking forward to waist length!

[Firefly]

Definitely you can grow it! To be honest, I much prefer the look of thinner long hair (I'm talking about healthy, naturally thin/fine; not hair that is thin from damage) to thick hair. I realize I'm in the minority but I really do love the look. Happy growing! :flower:

[GaJunebug]

Sounds great!

[GaJunebug]

This may just be a regional, Southern thing but ladies down South are "supposed" to cut their long hair into a sensible short cut by the time they turn 30. it's one of those unwritten laws kinda like not wearing white until after Easter and no hats after 6 pm. It's a residual rule of the olden days.

I know! I know! I can here your shocks and gasps now-!

And, when I go south to visit family and friends, there is still a bit of a negative feel to having long hair at my age. (you know, I'm such a rebel at 44.)

So, some of the "oh, it's thin - you should get it cut" may really be this left over social southern stigma.

I imagine my Georgian born grandmother caught some of the same flack in the early 1920's when she cut her hair into a bob and had what she referred to as "cootie garages" over her ears.

Lots of times, people will tell you to do something to your hair just to have you go along with the masses and not make waves- or, they, themselves, are too scared to have the hair style you currently have...I think it might even be a slight form of
jealousy.

Just something to think about -

[Aliantha]

I'd like to believe that people advise me to cut mine because they are sheep following the herd and/or jealous, but there's still a part of me that thinks, "Maybe they're right, maybe my hair's too spindly and straggly."
I'll have to get around to taking a good photo of my hair and post it on here for opinions...

[GaJunebug]

Whoops, autocorrect got me- that should have been hear instead of here.

I think everyone is giving you good advice when they tell you to do what you you want to do. And, if you grow it out and don't enjoy it; the remedy is as close as your nearest pair of scissors.

[hairyfan21]

I think my hair maybe too thin to grow long. I have never had it long, so I don't know.
But I do have a thin spot on the top of my head. :(
I'm a guy by the way, so what applies for me doesn't apply to you ladies most likely.

[GaJunebug]

( seriously having typing troubles today- sorry for all the errors!)

[melusine963]

I have a similar problem to you. My hair's thick enough near the top, but there's such a drastic taper that happens lower down that I always feel like I have to trim off half of all growth in the hope that it'll thicken up eventually. It looks like I don't take care of my ends, but they're not damaged, just very thin.

[Quahatundightu]

People always told me the same thing, that I'd never be able to get it past BSL. Well here I am at TB now and still growing! The only thing I found I had to do was regular trimming. That's what is helping my hair thicken up and I wish I hadn't taken so long to figure it out!

So don't worry, just give it a try and see how you like your hair long. You will find what works for you and if you think your hair is too thin (which it probably won't be) you can always cut back later :)

[Lissandria]

People always told me the same thing, that I'd never be able to get it past BSL. Well here I am at TB now and still growing! The only thing I found I had to do was regular trimming. That's what is helping my hair thicken up and I wish I hadn't taken so long to figure it out!

So don't worry, just give it a try and see how you like your hair long. You will find what works for you and if you think your hair is too thin (which it probably won't be) you can always cut back later :)

Bet you're loving proving everyone wrong! Your hair is looking great at tailbone :)

[DoubleCrowned]

I'd like to believe that people advise me to cut mine because they are sheep following the herd and/or jealous, but there's still a part of me that thinks, "Maybe they're right, maybe my hair's too spindly and straggly."
I'll have to get around to taking a good photo of my hair and post it on here for opinions...
With a ponytail of 1.5" or less, my hair (some of which is well past my waist) is definitely "too thin to grow long." Thing is, my hair looks terrible short, too, and is hard to care for when it is short. Therefore, my best choice is long hair in an up-do.