I have a question about growth...

[CurlySasha]

Hi all! My hair is 3a, currently at BSL. My goal is to hit my hips. I'm trying to limit my trims to 1 inch every 6 months. How long would it take for me to reach my goal?
Thanks :)

[buttercupmcgee]

There's no way to answer this without knowing the distance between your hips and your bra strap. Take that number and multiply by 2, accounting for your trim. That's roughly how long it will take "stretched."

Then, because your hair shrinks when dry, measure your shrinkage as it stands right now, and add factor that in for the true number of months it will take to see your air dried hair hit your hips .

[CurlySasha]

You're much too smart for me, haha. The distance between BSL and hips is 8 inches, if that helps!

[heidi w.]

Hi all! My hair is 3a, currently at BSL. My goal is to hit my hips. I'm trying to limit my trims to 1 inch every 6 months. How long would it take for me to reach my goal?
Thanks :)

I'm not brilliant at math, but hair grows at half an inch per month, so every two months one has one inch of growth. That is part of your equation, then measure how much space is left in inches that you have to go to get to your hips. From person to person this measurement is different. Some people have short or long waists, for one. The do the math!

heidi w.

[CurlySasha]

Hmm I'm terrible at math! I think that (including trims) I'll gain 8 inches in two years?

[julliams]

You also need to take your curl pattern into the equation because your hair will either pull out of it's curl the longer it gets, or it will actually get curlier. My suggestion would be to take a photo of yourself from the back at the same time each month Over the period of say, 4 months, you will be able to see what kind of progress you are making and work out how long it will take to get to hip. I do think your idea of it taking 2 years is a pretty good start though.

Finally, if you are not doing the cutting you cannot be sure that you will only have an inch cut off. I have been asking for an inch each time, being very specific about it and always getting two inches cut. I think it's because they cut 1 inch initially, then with all the evening out, you end up losing another inch. So my cuts are usually 2-3 inches in my experience. If you cut yourself, you will be able to ensure it's only an inch.

[CurlySasha]

Wow, thanks for your reply! I've actually been taking pictures when my hair is wet (so straight-ish). And my hairdresser is a relative, so he understands that I want to grow out my hair and only cuts what he finds very dry and unhealthy!

[holothuroidea]

Long answer: There are way too many variables to predict this with any accuracy. The average growth rate is 1/2 inch a month, but your growth rate might be slower or faster. The only way to find out is to monitor your growth "stretched" for at least 3 months, but there are variables in this too- seasons, diet, hormones, various illnesses all affect growth rate. Then you have to take into account the curl of your hair, which will make the dry length appear shorter than the actual growth. The amount your hair curls up depends on your curl pattern which changes day to day and will also change as it grows.

I'm very good at math. I took DiffEq in college but I wouldn't touch an equation with that many variables with a 10 foot science pole. :laugh:

Short answer: "A while."

Like Julliams said, the best way to find out is to monitor your growth by taking a pictures. Take one every couple of weeks until you see an inch of growth, multiply the amount of time that takes by 8. That should give you a good rough estimate. There's a good thread like that here (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=35093). They use all kinds of tricks like striped shirts and stuff. It's a really cool thread.

[CurlySasha]

Wow, thanks, I had no idea how complicated growing my hair out will be!

[holothuroidea]

Wow, thanks, I had no idea how complicated growing my hair out will be!

Well the actual growing part won't be so complicated! lol

[CurlySasha]

Haha of course, I meant calculating :D

[buttercupmcgee]

You're much too smart for me, haha. The distance between BSL and hips is 8 inches, if that helps!

Hardly, I'm just an obsessive growth predictor! Okay, if it's eight inches, and you have, let's say 4 inches of shrinkage on average, I would guestimate you'll get there (providing you don't do anything to bring on breakage such as blowdry excessively) in...........

...........

...........

............

24 - 26 months! :cheese:

Seems like a lot, I know, but time will fly! Wear it up a lot in the meantime if you can, to protect your ends. That's my #1 healthy growth secret.

[jesis]

I have 2c/3a hair and it has taken me about 1.5 years to grow my hair 7 inches stretched. When my hair is curly, it's more like 4 inches. This includes trims every 4 months and regular S&Ds. I notice the more often I S&D my hair, the faster it grows because it isn't breaking from damage.