Let's Find Out the Truth! - Does Trimming Make Your Hair Grow Faster - THE EXPERIMENT

[gogirlanime]

If you feel like this experiment isn't going to be accurate enough or you think it is stupid or there is no point or anything negative about it please do not comment or participate. This experiment won't be 100% accurate we aren't looking for a 100% truth we are looking for a closer truth. I'm asking nicely PLEASE If you want to do this experiment while also keeping track of any/all/some possible C factors then please go to the alternative version of this experiment here (click) (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?p=2149945#post2149945)

So I've been reading a lot and posted a lot about if trimming makes your hair grow faster I hear, "no" I hear, "microtrimming does" I hear, "that hasn't been determined" and of course "it works differently for everyone"


Who would like to experiment to find the truth with me?
Does trimming (or micro) make your hair grow faster?

Scientific Experiments
In scientific experiments to make sure that your findings are truthful you must isolate the experiment and get rid of what is called "factor c" this is anything else that could have possibly given you the same results as the thing you are trying to prove. For example, if in the first month you don't take any vitamins for your hair and measure the growth at 1/2" but then next month you trim your hair and take vitamins and you get 1" of growth, the vitamins is what is called "factor c" the extra growth could have been from the vitamins and not the trimming.

You must make sure your routines, vitamins, habits, etc are all the same for the whole three months to make sure that the only thing done differently is a trim during your second month. PLEASE make sure you are willing to be dedicated like that for this experiment if you are going to participate otherwise our findings could be void. Find a thread or information on how to measure your hair correctly measure from the same spot every time

Requirements

You must put something in your hair right up to your root each month to measure the growth to make sure it is growth or dye your hair. Sometimes your hair will break and your over all growth will seem less because of breakage. Put a hair tie, braid your hair, put a secure bead anything like that so you can see your roots (or dye your hair like I am) at the end of the month and then re-secure it back to your roots every month. Measure your growth length only and total length every month
You must promise to the experiment that for 3 months you keep all routines, washing habits, vitamins, eating habits, etc are all the same nothing new added or changed (so if you want to add or change something figure it out before you start)
You must pick a date so that it goes as the following: first month, no trim, second month your trim, third month, no trim. This will show us your growth rate without a trim, with a trim, and after a trim without the experiment being too long
You must chose a date to begin (it can be 4-5 months from now if you want as long as it is for 3 months in the no trim / trim / no trim order) For example you could chose June 20th as your start day and then July 20th would be your month 1 measure day AND trim day August 20th would be your month 2 measure day and September 20th would be your last measure day.
During your second month when you trim make sure to record your length before and after your trim so that your next measurement in a month is accurate

A Timeline Example
June 20th - Measure hair for the beginning
July 20th - Measure first month of growth and then trim hair
August 20th - Measure second month of growth
September 20th - Measure third month of growth

Fill this entry out in your post (and I will add you to the list on this post)

A summary of your hair routine / things you do for your hair
What is your current hair length?
What day are you starting? (example the 15th of every month)
What do you currently believe that it does or doesn't make your hair grow faster?
What type of trim are you going to be doing, a micro or regular, about what length of a trim?
When was the last time you trimmed?


The Experimenters
gogirlanime (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/member.php?u=38189) - Begins April 28th, Trims on May 28th April 28th: 17.75" May 28th: 18.75/(T)16.75
dwell_in_safety (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/member.php?u=44568) - Begins June 1st, Trims on July 1st
auburntressed (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/member.php?u=44821) - Begins May 19th, Trims June 19th May 19: 36.2" (92 cm)
Fairlight63 (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/member.php?u=18910) - Begins May 1st, Trims on June 1st May 1st: 39.5"
nyia (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/member.php?u=10258) - Begins June 15th, Trims July 15th
Heatherzilla (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/member.php?u=26676) - Begins May 28th, Trims June 28th May 28th: 27.5"

[gogirlanime]

A summary of your hair routine / things you do for your hair
-Wash / rinse with cold water only
-Wash every 2-3 days or sometimes everyday
-Do apple cider vinegar rinses every week
-Wear my hair up in a bun at night / sleep on a satin pillow case
-Wear hair up all day and for a few hours a week down (for the boyfriend :p)
-Put Monistat in my hair undiluted every 2-3 days
-Put in a mixture of M-T-G oil, castor oil, peppermint oil, rosemary oil, cayenne oil, tea tree oil, lavender oil, spearmint oil, and cinnamon oil at night over night wrapped in seran wrap and wash out in the morning, doing this every day sometimes or every other day
-Everyday Take 4,000mg MSM, 1 tablespoon of diatomaceous earth, 500mg vitamin C, 500mg inositol, 1,200mcg biotin, 150mcg kelp, 200mg hyaluronic acid, 2,000mg fish oil.
-Comb with bamboo comb
-Oil hair up with various oils over night
-Intense exercise regularly
-Mostly vegan diet (I struggle a lot, I'm about 90% vegan)
-Natural and organic shampoos and conditioners, or V05
What is your current hair length?
18.5"
What day are you starting? (example the 15th of every month)
April 28th
What do you currently believe that it does or doesn't make your hair grow faster?
I don't believe it makes your hair grow faster but I'm still curious because we still don't know for sure
What type of trim are you going to be doing, a micro or regular, about what length of a trim?
I am trimming off 1" because I am getting rid of a lot of damage (I still have about 8" of non-virgin very dry and damaged hair)
When was the last time you trimmed?
Sometime in mid February I can't remember the exact date.

Here's my starting point, the first loops of my braid to my root is 3/4" inch away lets see how it measures May 28th!

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b307/gogirlanime/trimming_1.jpg

[spidermom]

Another factor C to get around is how to tell the difference between increased growth or decreased breakage. Maybe dye your hair and then measure the non-dyed growth?

[gogirlanime]

Another factor C to get around is how to tell the difference between increased growth or decreased breakage. Maybe dye your hair and then measure the non-dyed growth?

I never thought of that, OR you can put a bead or tie or braid right up to your roots so you don't have to dye. Thanks for the heads up I will add that into the requirements

[MsBubbles]

Spidermom kinda answered a question I had that might skew results too...inaccuracies in measuring. I find it hard to get a reliable length measurement, and I have straight hair. But if you measure the growth/roots, that might be easier to measure or get a reliable answer.

Even if I fumble around back there with the tape measure three times and take the average, I'm still not convinced. That is, I feel like I could be erring by 1.5 inches. Consistency would be key here, I'm sure, rather than actual length.

[spidermom]

I remember when harpgal's husband measured her hair every week, he measured from a freckle high on her forehead. That way his measurement could not vary by more than maybe 1/32nd of an inch.

[gogirlanime]

Thank you guys, I added a note in the red text to make sure you learn how to measure correctly and in the same spot every time for the most accuracy

There are going to be people who don't do this correctly what I'm hoping for is a couple dozen people so that this becomes more of a fact VS myth. Some people are going to do some things improperly it's very hard to do an experiment that's not a real experiment. The point of this is to get a stronger truth to this myth/truth

[dwell_in_safety]

I'm interested in joining this experiment, but I will have to wait until June to do so because July is my next trim.

A summary of your hair routine / things you do for your hair
Keep hair up every day and night, with slight detangling (my hair doesn't tangle much anymore, being up all the time) every morning and evening. CO-wash every Thursday, with heavy coconut oiling before every other wash. When I oil, I CO-wash with Suave Naturals Tropical Coconut to balance the moisture, and when I don't oil, I currently use their Aloe something-or-other for more moisture. After each wash I use jojoba oil as a leave-in, to seal in moisture/protect my hair. That's about it. :p

What is your current hair length?
This I don't actually know, but I will measure it when I start. I am currently growing out dye, so measuring accurately won't be too much of a problem.

What day are you starting? (example the 15th of every month)
June 1. I will measure my hair weekly, in an attempt to realize and discount any errors in monthly measurement.

What do you currently believe that it does or doesn't make your hair grow faster?
That it doesn't. :p I think it has much more to do with getting rid of damage/scraggly ends, which causes hair to appear to grow faster and for practical purposes, saying it does isn't inaccurate, but I don't think it grows any faster from the root.

What type of trim are you going to be doing, a micro or regular, about what length of a trim?
A regular trim. I usually take off about .5" every three months, to keep my hemline looking sharp and to keep my hair healthier overall.

When was the last time you trimmed?
The beginning of this month.

ETA:
I won't be measuring my hair length overall, but the growth from my roots to dyed hair only.

[gogirlanime]

I'm interested in joining this experiment, but I will have to wait until June to do so because July is my next trim.

A summary of your hair routine / things you do for your hair
Keep hair up every day and night, with slight detangling (my hair doesn't tangle much anymore, being up all the time) every morning and evening. CO-wash every Thursday, with heavy coconut oiling before every other wash. When I oil, I CO-wash with Suave Naturals Tropical Coconut to balance the moisture, and when I don't oil, I currently use their Aloe something-or-other for more moisture. After each wash I use jojoba oil as a leave-in, to seal in moisture/protect my hair. That's about it. :p

What is your current hair length?
This I don't actually know, but I will measure it when I start. I am currently growing out dye, so measuring accurately won't be too much of a problem.

What day are you starting? (example the 15th of every month)
June 1. I will measure my hair weekly, in an attempt to realize and discount any errors in monthly measurement.

What do you currently believe that it does or doesn't make your hair grow faster?
That it doesn't. :p I think it has much more to do with getting rid of damage/scraggly ends, which causes hair to appear to grow faster and for practical purposes, saying it does isn't inaccurate, but I don't think it grows any faster from the root.

What type of trim are you going to be doing, a micro or regular, about what length of a trim?
A regular trim. I usually take off about .5" every three months, to keep my hemline looking sharp and to keep my hair healthier overall.

When was the last time you trimmed?
The beginning of this month.

ETA:
I won't be measuring my hair length overall, but the growth from my roots to dyed hair only.

Thank you for joining in!!

So your timeline will be this:

June 1st - measure
July 1st - measure / trim
August 1st - measure
September 1st - measure ?

[catamonica]

I have not trimmed my hair since August 2011. I started wearing it in a braided bun. In March
2012 it was to my hips. It grew four inches. After not growing for two years.

[gogirlanime]

I have not trimmed my hair since August 2011. I started wearing it in a braided bun. In March
2012 it was to my hips. It grew four inches. After not growing for two years.

You protected it, that's why it grew better. We are here to study one thing specifically: does trimming make your hair grow faster, does cutting your hair "send a signal" to your scalp to make it want to grow faster that is what we are testing. Not does trimming protect your hair and keep it healthy so it can grow long but does the process of trimming actually increase your growth rate.

[shutterpillar]

I am very interested in seeing these results!

I think I need to suggest this for a Mythbusters show. :P

[dwell_in_safety]

Thank you for joining in!!

So your timeline will be this:

June 1st - measure
July 1st - measure / trim
August 1st - measure
September 1st - measure ?



Yep! I may actually measure through November 1, which is a month after my next trim, just to be absolutely sure.

[heidi w.]

For such an experiment to work, one must create a control. Such as one half of the hair needs to not be trimmed at all.

I one time just tried the trimming idea of every 8 weeks, for around 6-8 months, and with this rate of trimming a half inch, I proved to myself at least that my hair simply didn't grow much. So that frequent trimming wasn't helpful

Hair doesn't grow from the ends; it grows from the root. What trimming does do is maintain the health of the oldest hair. My then hairdresser believed that trimming hair made it grow faster; we would do a measurement before and after every trim, and we both learned that hair didn't grow better or a lot from trimming. In my case, we figured out my hair pretty much didn't grow a whole lot anymore. So I stopped before too much length was shorn.

The hairdresser was surprised.

But we didn't have a control group and my hair was just before knee length then.

heidi w.

[gogirlanime]

For such an experiment to work, one must create a control. Such as one half of the hair needs to not be trimmed at all.

I one time just tried the trimming idea of every 8 weeks, for around 6-8 months, and with this rate of trimming a half inch, I proved to myself at least that my hair simply didn't grow much. So that frequent trimming wasn't helpful

Hair doesn't grow from the ends; it grows from the root. What trimming does do is maintain the health of the oldest hair. My then hairdresser believed that trimming hair made it grow faster; we would do a measurement before and after every trim, and we both learned that hair didn't grow better or a lot from trimming. In my case, we figured out my hair pretty much didn't grow a whole lot anymore. So I stopped before too much length was shorn.

The hairdresser was surprised.

But we didn't have a control group and my hair was just before knee length then.

heidi w.

Interesting... although does each hair work as a single unit is the next question. Because you could trim one side but it could trigger all your hair to want to grow faster... This experiment isn't 100% perfect because we aren't scientists or have a lab but I think where it is we should get 95% accurate results.

Yeah, I believe too that trimming does not trigger faster growth but it does help get rid of damage so your hair can grow longer. I'm glad you stopped. I am still getting rid of a lot of damage but as soon as that damage is gone I will only be doing small trims once or twice a year

[gogirlanime]

I am very interested in seeing these results!

I think I need to suggest this for a Mythbusters show. :P

Yes, that would be awesome and funny, although, they might not because it would take so long.

[auburntressed]

All right, then. Because I am curious, and because I would like to do my part to help out with this - I shall join. :) And I may as well, because this schedule of no trim/trim/no trim fits my plan of a small trim every two months.

A summary of your hair routine / things you do for your hair:
- Scalp oil and massage two to three times a week before bed/wash.
- Vitamins daily
- Fruit and veggie heavy diet
- Washing every other day
- ACV rinse after each wash
- satin pillows and sleep braid
- hair is pinned up 90% of the time, and typically in a braid the other 10% that it's not exactly pinned to my head
- BBB each day
- use a tangle teezer or a bone comb to detangle, and only detangle when dry or mostly dry (if I have to leave for work in a hurry)
- S&D whenever the moon is waxing, stay away from scissors when the moon wanes (regardless of sign)

What is your current hair length?
35" I think. I measured tonight, but I'm not 100% sure the result is accurate.

What day are you starting? (example the 15th of every month)
May 19
So... May 19/measure - 92 cm.
June 19/measure&trim
July19/measure
UPDATE:
May 19 - 92 cm.

UPDATE: June 19 - 91 cm. So I have apparently lost length. My braid was compromised, so I had to measure root growth. Based on this, my root growth shows my hair has grown a smidgen over 1cm in length. However, I have clearly lost length overall. I do wear my hair up all the time, and I oil my tassels before securing my up-do's. It is pretty disheartening. But then, I've been stuck at this length for about four months now; and my ends aren't fairytaling. Clearly I am losing to breakage, but no breakage is apparent. I really don't know what to do other than to start a regimen of constant trimming?

Anyways, the end length for June 19 was 90 cm. I trimmed precisely 1cm using a creaclip.

UPDATE: July 19 - 92 cm, I think. My root growth showed just a smidgen over 1 cm of growth - basically the exact same spot as last month's. Logically, it is impossible for me to gain two centimeters of growth in length when there is only one centimeter of root growth. It really makes zero sense, period. In any case, it seems to me that trimming has no effect on my root growth whatsoever. It probably does help me retain length before it breaks off, though.

Now that I have concluded the experiment for myself, I plan to do very tiny microtrims each month when ever I get a decent sign in a new/freshly waxing moon. So that means I'll be cutting on the 26th, when the moon goes into Scorpio. And by "tiny," I really do mean less than a centimeter - possibly less than half of a centimeter. Just enough to get the good ole placebo going. :) Plus S&D.



I chose centimeters instead of inches because centimeters are smaller - so hopefully easier to measure minute increases in growth.

What do you currently believe that it does or doesn't make your hair grow faster?
I do not think it does, no.

What type of trim are you going to be doing, a micro or regular, about what length of a trim?
Micro, hopefully - I plan to cut between 1/4 and 1/2 inch. And I am hoping I'll have gotten a creaclip by then!

When was the last time you trimmed?
My last trim was April 21 - new moon in Taurus. :D

[Merlin]

You do this a whole lot easier with your nails - does trimming them make them grow faster? They're both fundamentally dead tissue which grows from the base so they're broadly similar, and nails would be a hell of a lot easier to measure accurately!

[Mesmerise]

You do this a whole lot easier with your nails - does trimming them make them grow faster? They're both fundamentally dead tissue which grows from the base so they're broadly similar, and nails would be a hell of a lot easier to measure accurately!

Well... that's a good point. But nails and hair don't often behave the same (for example some people have hair that grows fast and nails that grow slow, and vice versa).

That being said, I'm pretty much certain that trimming nails has absolutely no effect on their growth. I think the same about hair too!! However there is that "trimming by the moon" thing that people swear by (so when I do trim, I trim by the moon in case it helps :D).

However, I can think of no biological reason why hair would grow faster after a trim.

[Madora]

Other factors that influence growth:

diet and exercise...not to mention genetics!

[florenonite]

What day are you starting? (example the 15th of every month)
May 1st (because June 1st is a good moon trimming day for length)

Now, personally I don't believe in the whole trimming by the moon thing, BUT if you want to trim on that day because you believe it helps growth then you've added another variable. IF we say that trimming on June 1st may or may not increase growth, then if you do see increased growth we don't know whether it's simply the act of trimming or the day on which you trimmed that caused it.

I think the idea of measuring to a demarcation line or similar is a good one; however I also think it's important to measure the entire length of the hair. This allows for both monitoring breakage and assessing whether or not participants have an increase in length gained after a trim. Say there are 20 participants, each growing from the root at 1/2" a month. All this information gives us is evidence that these individuals do not experience a growth spurt after trimming. That's not to say, however, that no one does.

If, on the other hand, we find that 10 of these participants do experience a greater increase in length after trimming due to less breakage, then while we cannot wholly rule out the idea that trimming can cause growth spurts (that's something that can only be proven true, not false), we can assume that apparent growth spurts from trimming are in fact due to less damage, because we have evidence that individuals who appear to have growth spurts do in fact have less damage.

ETA: One more thing to bear in mind is that summer growth spurts aren't uncommon; participants who haven't regularly measured their hair over the summer in the past could therefore experience a growth spurt that could influence results.

[proo]

If you believe in it it'll happen.
If not, it won't.

[gogirlanime]

Now, personally I don't believe in the whole trimming by the moon thing, BUT if you want to trim on that day because you believe it helps growth then you've added another variable. IF we say that trimming on June 1st may or may not increase growth, then if you do see increased growth we don't know whether it's simply the act of trimming or the day on which you trimmed that caused it.

I think the idea of measuring to a demarcation line or similar is a good one; however I also think it's important to measure the entire length of the hair. This allows for both monitoring breakage and assessing whether or not participants have an increase in length gained after a trim. Say there are 20 participants, each growing from the root at 1/2" a month. All this information gives us is evidence that these individuals do not experience a growth spurt after trimming. That's not to say, however, that no one does.

If, on the other hand, we find that 10 of these participants do experience a greater increase in length after trimming due to less breakage, then while we cannot wholly rule out the idea that trimming can cause growth spurts (that's something that can only be proven true, not false), we can assume that apparent growth spurts from trimming are in fact due to less damage, because we have evidence that individuals who appear to have growth spurts do in fact have less damage.

ETA: One more thing to bear in mind is that summer growth spurts aren't uncommon; participants who haven't regularly measured their hair over the summer in the past could therefore experience a growth spurt that could influence results.

True, I will pick today 28th of April to begin then and trim my hair on May 28th

This is why you must wear a braid, bead, something so that it will move and show you the growth from your roots, we are measuring from both total length and root growth length to confirm

Again, this is not a PERFECT experiment but it will give us a higher idea and higher truth as to whether or not trimming does increase growth. It won't prove it 100% but it will at least 95% explain whether it does or doesn't. After this experiment is done it will give us a much stronger belief/truth but not the absolute truth. I figure scientists aren't going to do this anytime soon, so only we can do it for ourselves for the time being.

[gogirlanime]

All right, then. Because I am curious, and because I would like to do my part to help out with this - I shall join. :) And I may as well, because this schedule of no trim/trim/no trim fits my plan of a small trim every two months.

A summary of your hair routine / things you do for your hair:
- Two spoonfuls of DE every day before bed.
- Scalp oil and massage two to three times a week before bed/wash.
- Vitamins daily
- Fruit and veggie heavy diet
- Washing every other day
- ACV rinse after each wash
- satin pillows and sleep braid
- hair is pinned up 90% of the time, and typically in a braid the other 10% that it's not exactly pinned to my head
- BBB each day upon waking
- use a tangle teezer or a horn comb to detangle, and only detangle when dry or mostly dry (if I have to leave for work in a hurry)
- S&D whenever the moon is waxing, stay away from scissors when the moon wanes (regardless of sign)

What is your current hair length?
35" I think. I measured tonight, but I'm not 100% sure the result is accurate.

What day are you starting? (example the 15th of every month)
May 19
So... May 19/measure
June 19/measure&trim
July19/measure

What do you currently believe that it does or doesn't make your hair grow faster?
I do not think it does, no.

What type of trim are you going to be doing, a micro or regular, about what length of a trim?
Micro, hopefully - I plan to cut between 1/4 and 1/2 inch. And I am hoping I'll have gotten a creaclip by then!

When was the last time you trimmed?
My last trim was April 21 - new moon in Taurus. :D

Thank you so much for participating!! To answer your question your timeline would go as follows

May 19th measure (May to June is one month of measure)
June 19 measure before trim and after trim (June to July is two months of measures)
July 19th measure (July to August is three months of measures)
August 19th measure

Here's my starting point, the first loops of my braid to my root is 3/4" inch away lets see how it measures May 28th!

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b307/gogirlanime/trimming_1.jpg

[gogirlanime]

Only 3 people does no one else want to try this with us? :(

[terylenerose]

I'd love to try this, but there are a few problems. The main one is that I have no hair routine at the moment (yes, bad, I know). I also can't guarantee that my diet will stay the same. And I'm not trimming until the end of the year. I trim with the moon when I do, anyway, so that would be a factor C like someone said above.
I do hope more people join though! :) I'm sorry I can't, but just know I would if I were in a position to. I will be following everyone's results interestedly.

[gogirlanime]

I'd love to try this, but there are a few problems. The main one is that I have no hair routine at the moment (yes, bad, I know). I also can't guarantee that my diet will stay the same. And I'm not trimming until the end of the year. I trim with the moon when I do, anyway, so that would be a factor C like someone said above.
I do hope more people join though! :) I'm sorry I can't, but just know I would if I were in a position to. I will be following everyone's results interestedly.

You can try later, there is no limit we can get data 2, 3 years from now, the more people that do this, the more proof, do it with us when you can, when you get all your routines out of the way. I'm excited to see the results as well :)

[jaine]

The experiment would be more accurate if you did a full year instead of 3 months.
Seasonal growth spurts and seasonal shedding would affect the results if it's just a few months.

[Fairlight63]

I joined your challenge & measured on May 1st.
So you have more than 3 - you have at least 4,LOL
There may be even more silent ones that joined your challenge but just have not posted it.

[dwell_in_safety]

The experiment would be more accurate if you did a full year instead of 3 months.
Seasonal growth spurts and seasonal shedding would affect the results if it's just a few months.
I've been thinking this myself, and will very likely do that. I realized that starting in June and ending in October/November may not be the wisest thing.

[gogirlanime]

I joined your challenge & measured on May 1st.
So you have more than 3 - you have at least 4,LOL
There may be even more silent ones that joined your challenge but just have not posted it.

Would you mind telling me your measurement and I will add you to the list


The experiment would be more accurate if you did a full year instead of 3 months.
Seasonal growth spurts and seasonal shedding would affect the results if it's just a few months.

This is true, however, at 3 months in a row you are almost every time going to be going in and out of a good to bad or different to different season of hair growth. The point of this is to get as many people to participate to see what happens. Again, this is not going to be perfect, this isn't a fully controlled scientific experiment unless someone says otherwise we do not have a scientist with a lab here at LHC so this is the best we can do.

I'm not saying you aren't supportive and I'm not just "attacking" you I'm just finding (some) people are being more discouraging with this experiment rather than saying, "yeah, it's not going to be perfect we aren't scientists after all, considering how much the situation is controlled as much as possible I think the outcome will be pretty good". I'm finding people are giving me a semi-negative feeling about this. If you really feel like this experiment isn't good enough or has too many variables then just don't participate or comment please. Again, no disrespect on just you I still see you as a valuable LHC member / friend around here you just happen to be the lucky one who has finally stretched me to finally say this.

If you are just going to point out the flaws and poke fun at this experiment or if you don't believe it will be accurate enough then just don't participate or comment please. I'm asking nicely. Considering that we don't have a lab or scientist for this and that there could literally be dozens of little factor Cs we are controlling the situation at about 90% which is pretty accurate

[florenonite]

If you are just going to point out the flaws and poke fun at this experiment or if you don't believe it will be accurate enough then just don't participate or comment please. I'm asking nicely. Considering that we don't have a lab or scientist for this and that there could literally be dozens of little factor Cs we are controlling the situation at about 90% which is pretty accurate


I haven't seen anyone 'poke fun' at this experiment. For my part, certainly, I've pointed out flaws I've seen because I'm supportive of what you're doing here and I don't want inaccurate results. I understand that it's impossible to control for everything, but I think it's valid to point out other variables that could affect the experiment, so that if it's reasonable they can be controlled for. For instance, rather than doing it over three months people could do it over a year (as jaine suggested) and only trim every 3-4 months, or six months in. I don't think that's a criticism, it's a suggestion.

I think doing it over a year rather than three months would also help to get a bigger sample pool. People here trim infrequently, so if like me they're not planning on trimming till at least 2013 then this thread might be lost 50 pages back by then. If, however, people are continuing to update every month with growth the thread will stay in people's minds.

I'm sorry if I've offended you, but none of this is a criticism of the way you've designed your experiment. It's suggestions that I think will improve the experiment and yield more accurate results. I suppose that makes it constructive criticism, technically, but constructive criticism is a good thing.

[terylenerose]

Okay, what I said was wrong. I do have a hair routine, or part of one, I just don't have a washing method. I've been meaning to order some shikakai for washing with, but in the meantime I will have to content myself with whatever else is around. The established parts of my routine: detangle twice daily with fingers followed with wide tooth comb, then scritch with fine tooth comb and brush with BBB. Put hair up in the morning, or don't if it's wet (washed 2x a week, should be 1x). Braid in 2 French braids for sleep and oil with shea butter and/or coconut oil if I feel like it and my hair needs it.
I could go on to list all the supplements I'm taking, which are mostly not for hair, or tell you the details of my diet, but I'll choose not to because I have two more reasons I can't be in this study (right now at least :)) that I haven't ruled out yet. The big one is that I don't know my growth rate anymore. It used to be "fast" (seemed like 1-2 inches a month but didn't measure), then it was 0.5" a month, then this past month or so it's been about 0.2" a week and I won't really know how fast it's growing until a few more months go by.
The other one is that I'm not any good at taking supplements consistently, so my results from them probably bounce around a lot.
I will stop telling you about me now, because I am being a real pest. :rolleyes: I do, however, have one nit to pick with regards to your experiment. There's a factor C you may have overlooked, which is that some of us were regular trimmers before we joined here. Do you know how long it takes for hair to (theoretically) return to its normal growth rate after speeding up due to a trim? It's possible you wouldn't see any difference from trimming as part of this study because your hair is already going full speed ahead from the last trim. It's also possible that your hair just keeps growing faster and faster the more times you trim it, but that doesn't make a whole lot of sense.
Maybe the above won't be a problem, but it seems like it would be. Just my two cents, take it or leave it. I'm only trying to help. :)

[terylenerose]

snip
If you are just going to point out the flaws and poke fun at this experiment or if you don't believe it will be accurate enough then just don't participate or comment please. I'm asking nicely. Considering that we don't have a lab or scientist for this and that there could literally be dozens of little factor Cs we are controlling the situation at about 90% which is pretty accurate

You're right. Please forgive my last comment if you do see it and it offended you. I really don't have any more to say that's critical though, if that makes you happy. I'm sure this experiment will tell us at least something.
I can't find the flower smiley right now, but if I could, it would certainly be here! :)

[Fairlight63]

My routine is really pretty simple.
Cond. on ends & Shamp. on scalp leave on 3 min. rinse
Put cond. on & leave for 3 min. rinse. I use all kinds of shampoo & cond. Seems to work best to alternate between SLS free & Cones.
I shamp. 1-2 times a week or when it feels like it needs it.
I wear hair up in a bun or a braided bun.
I massage my scalp every day.
I put olive oil on my hair & then put a silk sleep cap on.
I wear my hair up all of the time.
I take a Multi. vitamin, Vit. C, Vit. E, Calcium, MSM, biotin, fish oil 1,000mg, Mega hair vit., Garlic 1,000mg,
I use a horn comb & Natural bristle brush on my hair
I don't know if it will make it grow faster or not, who knows, maybe it will help - my goal to make it to 40" - so maybe it will help:)

Measured on May 1st. at 39 1/2"
I will be doing a micro trim of 1/4" on June 1st.
Last time I trimmed was a 1/4" on 4/21 with the New Moon.
Measured on June 1st. at 40" trimmed 1/4" after trim 39 3/4"
UPDATE:
July 1st. measurement 40 1/2"

[swearnsue]

I would join but I don't have enough hair to trim any off really. But I wouldn't be too surprised to find that trimming makes hair grow faster because cutting the hair might send a signal to the scalp to grow more hair. I know everyone and science says that hair is dead but I don't think that means it doesn't have some kind of life in it.

[Maverick494]

I'm all for experimenting on what works to gain maximum progress, which I'm hoping you're referring to instead of impacting actual growth rate.

Because if it's the latter, trimming doesn't make your hair grow faster. :rolleyes: Hair, except the follicle, is dead. That's why you can't repair split ends like the hair conditioner commercials promise you.;)

Trimming may help you make progress gaining length, but that is not the same as improving growth rate.

Not trimming damaged hair can result in damage traveling up the length and having hair break off at the rate it is growing, ensuring slower progress or even a complete halt in progress if your hair is really damaged and brittle.

Trimming off that damage will prevent this and if you don't cut off just as much or more than you grow, this approach could help you progress faster. But it doesn't have any effect on the actual growth at the roots itself.

Also, you have to take in account your natural growth pattern and your desired hemline. Some people have hair that grows quicker at the sides than it does in the centre, which makes it hard to attain a V-shaped hemline and make progress in length at the same time.

[Dana]

What an excellent idea!!

Have you considered having people measure two points in their hair (right side and left side) while they trim one side and not the other? I'm sure some people wouldn't like the un-evenness, but doing it that way may help negate the effect of growth patterns, since one side would be the "control"?

Notice I'm not volunteering. ;) I don't have a solid routine and will be changing up my diet, so I'll need to pass this go-around. But I will be monitoring this thread and if I am able to participate in the future, I'll throw my name in the hat!

[terylenerose]

I'm all for experimenting on what works to gain maximum progress, which I'm hoping you're referring to instead of impacting actual growth rate.
than you grow, this approach could help you progress faster. But it doesn't have any effect on the actual growth at the roots itself.

I should probably just let gogirlanime explain this, because this is her thread, but here goes.
This is an experiment to see if trimming does in fact impact your actual growth rate. Before you roll your eyes again, nobody has proven this one way or the other, and so we're trying to get closer to a proof. I don't really believe trimming can make your hair grow faster, but it's good to keep your mind open to new ideas, and I for one am always open to believing that trimming does in fact increase growth rate. Maybe you're not open to the idea, and that's fine. But we are. I hope you understand that now.
I'm sorry if I've offended anyone.

[gogirlanime]

No worries to everyone and their comments, again, I'm not really upset it's just that, if you are going to just point out the flaws instead of realize that this experiment isn't going to be perfect then just don't participate or comment please.

Does anyone else want to participate? I am hoping to get at least 20 people to be done with their 3 months by December.

[nyia]

Although I do sincerely believe that trimming has no effect on hair growth, I'll join in with you.

A summary of your hair routine / things you do for your hair
I do CO care, twice a week. However, since summer approaches, this will probably increase to three times a week, so I won't start till that happens. I also dye every two months, so, again, I'll be waiting for the next time I dye, and use that as the start of the experiment. Other than that, I brush every day, finger comb during the day when I re-braid (usually twice a day), braid to sleep. No special pillows, no special combs, brushes, etc. I take a number of medications for health issues, so I'm not going to list those, as they probably won't change. However, I do take vitamins A, D, C, and DHEA.

What is your current hair length?
62" (just past knee), but, again, I'll be measuring the dye line, not the total length.

What day are you starting? (example the 15th of every month)
I'm going to say June 15, and the 15th of every month.

What do you currently believe that it does or doesn't make your hair grow faster?
Trimming does not make hair grow faster.

What type of trim are you going to be doing, a micro or regular, about what length of a trim?
I trim as little as possible, so will be keeping on with that habit.

When was the last time you trimmed?
November 2011 (don't know the exact date). I usually trim once or twice a year, but really don't have much damage to the ends, so I don't usually trim unless I'm seeing a lot of damage.

At the same time, I'll be keeping an unobtrusive eye on my daughter and granddaughters, who get their hair cut fairly regularly. My daughter believes trimming makes the hair grow faster, but all I see is the occasional really bad haircut. Hair grows fast in my family, my granddaughter has a normal growth of at least 1" per month, more in the summer. My youngest granddaughter, a true blondie, is determined to have Rapunzel hair, so she hasn't let a haircut happen since the Disney movie came out. Her hair has grown a lot since then, but she's only 5, so I'm pretty sure that that significant growth on her would look not so significant on a taller, fully grown person. :)

[barely.there]

I'd join in, but I'm pregnant. I'm sure hormones will interfere with accurate data!

[leilasahhar]

I Just micro trimmed on the 21st of May I think it was..It was right after the new moon while in cancer. This is supposed to be a great time to trim as it will make hair grow super fast..I will let you know how it does! My hair is already growing good right now though because of all the new techniques and healthy treatments ive been giving it. Thanks to LHC So we'll see :)

[Heatherzilla]

Would henna count as a factor C? I don't think it would since I've hennaed long before this experiment but I though I should check.

I just rehennaed today so I'd be using my regrowth as a measuring point.

1. A summary of your hair routine / things you do for your hair
I mostly CO 2-3 times a week, but I'll shampoo when my scalp feels blah. That's all I do with any real regularity. I do oil occasionally but not every wash. Maybe around once a week.
2. What is your current hair length?
70cm or 27.5 inches.
3. What day are you starting? (example the 15th of every month)
28th of May
4. What do you currently believe that it does or doesn't make your hair grow faster?
I don't believe trimming hair makes it actually grow faster
5. What type of trim are you going to be doing, a micro or regular, about what length of a trim?
Regular trim. Probably about an inch. My ends are getting a little dry and urky.
6. When was the last time you trimmed?
At least 6 months ago. Probably significantly more than that.

[beachgirlla]

But what are you going to compare it to?, you will do it for 3 months, trimming for 3 months, right?, what about continue it for another 3 months after that and not trimming in those 3 months then you will have more accurate answers if trimming may indeed grow your hair faster, you need to compare trimming and not trimming and then get the final.
Also, my hair and I doubt many others here grow faster in spring and summer, LOL. You are doing this in summer, would it affect the final results?

I do not think this experiment will work at all, so many variables, plus what are you going to get out of it?

[auburntressed]

One week in, and my braid is driving me nuts! But I'll make it... I just hope the thing doesn't get scraggly enough that it causes damage.

[gogirlanime]

So today is my first trim day I got 1" of growth this past month. Before my trim I measured in at 18.75" in length and since I am aiming to grow out damage right now and not get length (for now) I did a 2" trim and re-measured and I am now at 16.75" so lets see if this month I break 1" in growth!

I had to take out the braid because it was driving me nuts! I will take a picture of my scalp tonight to show the 1" of growth from my henna. The braid was constantly being pulled and tearing my hair no matter how careful I was. Plus, it moved a lot making it inaccurate.


I'd join in, but I'm pregnant. I'm sure hormones will interfere with accurate data!

Maybe, as long as you are pregnant for the next 3 months I don't see it harming because as long as everything you are doing is as close to 100% the same for 3 months then it will be accurate. For example if you are pregnant the first month, have the baby and then your last two months is outside of pregnancy then that is too big of a difference. Join in if you think you can remain the same with what you do for the next 3 months.


I Just micro trimmed on the 21st of May I think it was..It was right after the new moon while in cancer. This is supposed to be a great time to trim as it will make hair grow super fast..I will let you know how it does! My hair is already growing good right now though because of all the new techniques and healthy treatments ive been giving it. Thanks to LHC So we'll see :)

Thank you! I look forward to it!


Would henna count as a factor C? I don't think it would since I've hennaed long before this experiment but I though I should check.

I just rehennaed today so I'd be using my regrowth as a measuring point.

1. A summary of your hair routine / things you do for your hair
I mostly CO 2-3 times a week, but I'll shampoo when my scalp feels blah. That's all I do with any real regularity. I do oil occasionally but not every wash. Maybe around once a week.
2. What is your current hair length?
70cm or 27.5 inches.
3. What day are you starting? (example the 15th of every month)
28th of May
4. What do you currently believe that it does or doesn't make your hair grow faster?
I don't believe trimming hair makes it actually grow faster
5. What type of trim are you going to be doing, a micro or regular, about what length of a trim?
Regular trim. Probably about an inch. My ends are getting a little dry and urky.
6. When was the last time you trimmed?
At least 6 months ago. Probably significantly more than that.

Thank you I will add you in!


But what are you going to compare it to?, you will do it for 3 months, trimming for 3 months, right?, what about continue it for another 3 months after that and not trimming in those 3 months then you will have more accurate answers if trimming may indeed grow your hair faster, you need to compare trimming and not trimming and then get the final.
Also, my hair and I doubt many others here grow faster in spring and summer, LOL. You are doing this in summer, would it affect the final results?

I do not think this experiment will work at all, so many variables, plus what are you going to get out of it?

If you read the experiment it will explain, the people here are positive about this experiment and we are trying to prove the age old myth of if trimming makes your growth rate faster. Please do not comment or participate if you are going to be negative, thank you.

[Madora]

[quote=beachgirlla;
I do not think this experiment will work at all, so many variables, plus what are you going to get out of it?[/quote]

Yes, exactly! Too many variables indeed.

[spidermom]

I really think you should extend it out to an entire year. For example, my hair grows fastest in summer and fall, slowest in winter, a little faster in spring. The change from one season to another is going to likely to skew your results.

[gogirlanime]

Wow and for about the 1,000,000th time, if you feel like this experiment isn't good enough, or competent enough please don't comment or participate if you don't like this experiment and don't think it will be accurate ENOUGH (because it isn't going to be 100% accurate) and you won't respect the data I'm going to get then please leave this thread! I've been asking nicely PLEASE

What I am trying to do is to get many many people to do this and if lets say 90% of 100 people (controlled at about 90% of what they are doing) don't have faster growth after trimming no that isn't an absolute truth but it is a closer truth that would (somewhat) prove that trimming does not increase your growth rate.

Again, I am and have been asking nicely. I will now put a note at the top of the first post saying the same thing.

This is ridiculous I'm getting close to abandoning this project...

[heidi w.]

Spidermom kinda answered a question I had that might skew results too...inaccuracies in measuring. I find it hard to get a reliable length measurement, and I have straight hair. But if you measure the growth/roots, that might be easier to measure or get a reliable answer.

Even if I fumble around back there with the tape measure three times and take the average, I'm still not convinced. That is, I feel like I could be erring by 1.5 inches. Consistency would be key here, I'm sure, rather than actual length.

The official way to properly measure hair length is to place the measuring tape at the hairline on the the top of the forehead, then over the top of the head towards the back, and down the full length. Therefore no need to remember a freckle or measure from somewhere on the back of the head to try and rememeber that point the next measurement cycle.

Plus you get more length. How fun is that? No further math is even required, no subtracting...just all of it is included.

heidi w.

Um, for me, when I ran this experiment around ten years back with a hairdresser, for me, the story was that trimming did nothing positive for my hair growth. That's why I now trim at most about once a year. Because I may be cutting off all the new growth gained in the meanwhile.

[heidi w.]

Yes, exactly! Too many variables indeed.

For this to really work, we need a "control" group. But I project also, some of you may be in a growth spurt. There was a time when I gained as much as 3 inches in one month! Those days are over now, but this went on for a year or so.

heidi w.

[gogirlanime]

edited edited edited

[spidermom]

Have fun; nothing further to offer here.

[cfreya]

I wish I could help but I'm so erratic and I am moving country, but I am watching this thread:)

[Fairlight63]

Today is my measure day: I measured in at 40" - so I got 1/2" of growth. I will trim 1/4" later today.

[DoubleCrowned]

Would anyone consider parting the hair down the middle and trimming only the right side? Every person who would do that would have a control on the left side of the head. Plus, everyone would be wearing their hair up to hide the difference, so the hair would be protected from further variables, like seat belts and wind.

[my2cats1]

I'll be watching this thread, too. Soooo eager to learn from your observations!!!
Good luck!

[UltraBella]

I won't be joining because I just can't stand all the bright red posts screaming at me.
However, I do like DoubleCrowned's suggestion.

[Amber_Maiden]

I won't be joining because I just can't stand all the bright red posts screaming at me.
However, I do like DoubleCrowned's suggestion.

I agree with you, on both counts.

[gogirlanime]

Any more participators?

[MinderMutsig]

I won't be joining because I just can't stand all the bright red posts screaming at me.
However, I do like DoubleCrowned's suggestion.Yeah this. It may not be intended to be aggressive but it sure as heck comes across that way.

I do like the parting suggestion though. I'm going to try that on my own hair just for kicks. Still wouldn't be totally accurate for me though because one side of my hair grows a little slower, probably because I most often sleep on that side.

[partlycloudy]

My yearly hair growth rate hasn't varied in the past few years (that I've been paying attention), and I've trimmed often and only once one year.

[tinfoilsally]

Yeah this. It may not be intended to be aggressive but it sure as heck comes across that way.

My thoughts exactly :/
I think that maybe the OP is stressing herself out too much over the thought that people find this experiment 'stupid' in some way, but I don't think that's the case. I personally don't think that trimming can affect hair growth, but I am still very interested in an experiment to shed some light on the issue either way and would never call such an endeavor stupid.
However, I object to the 'my way or the highway' attitude concerning the thread in general. If people want to suggest ways to make the experiment better, I don't see why they should be spoken to in an aggressive manner (and it does seem aggressive, no matter how many times the word 'please' is said).
At the end of the day, this is a public forum and you can't expect everyone to agree with you. I understand that there must be some rules for such an experiment to be conducted in the first place, but the way these rules are being implemented does nothing but appear to quash alternate viewpoints.

All in all, I think that this was a great idea but the OP needs to relax slightly for their own sanity! :p

[gogirlanime]

I do apologize if I have come off hostile but I am calm about the situation. I guess it does have to be "my way or the highway" because as I've said before there are thousands of "factor C's" I created this experiment the way it is to keep my sanity in another way by not obsessing over every detail because if I did it might take months before anything can begin. Me and others probably don't want to spend a lot of time keeping track of hundreds/thousands of C factors hence why I made this experiment as simple as possible while still getting about 90% accurate results. I am deciding that from now on any suggestions or critique or downers on this experiment I will now ignore. Any negativity towards this experiment will now be completely ignored by me I will look at those posts as if they don't exist. If people want to suggest a C factor that might get in the way you may do so in the other experiment below that includes C factors.


So I've come up with a solution!


In this experiment (thread) you only have to do what is on the first post

But if you want to do this experiment and keep track of hundreds of C factors then I have created another thread that I will keep track of as well and


(click) Does Trimming Make Your Hair Grow Faster - THE EXPERIMENT (With C Factors) (click) (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?p=2149945#post2149945)

So for those who are participating on this thread you don't need to reply but if you want to keep track of all C factors please let me know on that thread. I will also start listing all C factors that can possibly control your growth rate on that thread

I hope this helps I think this is a good solution to leave everyone happy. And me as the person who is spending her time and effort (for free) to start this experiment I won't have to worry about constantly changing and re-starting this experiment on this thread (which would take me a lot of time so now there is another thread for this)

[MsBubbles]

The official way to properly measure hair length is to place the measuring tape at the hairline on the the top of the forehead, then over the top of the head towards the back, and down the full length. Therefore no need to remember a freckle or measure from somewhere on the back of the head to try and rememeber that point the next measurement cycle.

Heidi...thank you for taking the time to try to help me. I have been using this measuring method though, since joining LHC in 2008. :-)

As I stated, my problem is the ends. I don't seem to be able to grab them at the same point each time, and when I get to the bottom, I don't know if I'm at the bottom or not, probably because my hair is so fine and it tapers. This is the main reason I am not taking part in the study! Silly, but true.

[gogirlanime]

Anyone else want to participate?

[hanne jensen]

I'll be reading this thread periodically. I'm sorry, but I can't participate because my growth is sporadic. Sometimes it will grow like a weed and other times hardly at all. I've been a "duster" ever since joining LHC.

Not to sound quarrelsome, but I truly think that trimming and/or dusting removes splits so hair growth stays put instead of breaking off. Since dusting every 4-6 weeks my annual hair growth has improved by 3 centimeters. I've been recording my hair growth for over 3 years now.

Happy Growing!

[hellucy]

I'd love to join this experiment - but it will have to wait a while - I'm itching to trim my hair but I have already booked it for June 20th. Count me in I'll be back around August time.....
I do feel that trimming makes MY hair APPEAR to grow faster (before anyone argues about trimming removing damage/decreasing breakage so hair stays longer - my hair has virtually no damaged ends and doesn't break off)

[auburntressed]

Well... I have less than a week to go before measuring my non-trim month. Aaaand my experiment has been compromised. :( My braid fell out. I didn't mean for it to happen, and the fact that a braid that small and tight could completely unravel astounds me.

I went to sleep, the braid was in. I woke up. I went to brush out my hair. I carefully picked through it to find and separate the braid. Kept looking... kept looking. It is gone.

Luckily, I measured my henna root growth as well when I started as a fail safe. So I will measure my root growth, then subtract the root growth that was already there for my "root" measurement. I feel it won't be as accurate as starting with a fresh henna application. But it was the best I could do at the time.

I trim on the 19th. I'll be henna'ing again on the 21. So for the month of trim growth, I'll just measure the roots that way. I don't think the two day difference will hurt the results, and I can't henna on the 19th. I have to wait for a day off.

[nyia]

While I'm still intending to participate in this, I didn't get a chance to color treat my hair on the 15th as I'd planned, my body decided to get unwell instead. So, as soon as I'm in top form again, I will start the experiment.

Hope everyone is having fun with this!

[unicornlady]

Now, personally I don't believe in the whole trimming by the moon thing, BUT if you want to trim on that day because you believe it helps growth then you've added another variable.

I know this was probably not exactly where your post was headed, but placebo effect should not be overlooked. I dont believe in that moon thing either, so while the OP might be getting placebo-provoked growth, others might not :)

[Lucy Elizabeth]

I think it honestly depends on the person. What the hair type is, how much heat you use, etc.

For me, it DOES NOT WORK. Back when I was trying to grow my apl hair to waist I would get those frequent monthly trims and thought I had reached terminal since my hair never was longer than that. Little did I know I was cutting off my monthly growth :laugh:

Now I'm almost at hip shaking my head at myself in 2011/2012, I would have been at classic by now if I hadn't have done that :doh:

But yea now I try to get my hair trimmed once, sometimes twice a year depending on the damage.

[yahirwaO.o]

Yes Ive done the experiment, it does work for me. Blame it on the moon, my diet or my positivity or all together but my hair does grow fast like weed and my hem is gettin prettier and prettier every time.

Really dont know what else to say!!!!!!!!!. :cheese:

[desisparkles]

what a bummer? no actual results from anyone who tried it?

[littlestarface]

Oh dang I could've done this as I started regular trimming and am growing out henna so the growth is really visible on my white hairs. From just regular trimming to growth I dont see any extra growth, my hair is growing slow as ever.

[illicitlizard]

what a bummer? no actual results from anyone who tried it?

Unsurprising. It's hard enough to get people to stay participants in paid research studies, let alone voluntary, very flawed, forum studies.

[desisparkles]

Unsurprising. It's hard enough to get people to stay participants in paid research studies, let alone voluntary, very flawed, forum studies.

lol


Oh dang I could've done this as I started regular trimming and am growing out henna so the growth is really visible on my white hairs. From just regular trimming to growth I dont see any extra growth, my hair is growing slow as ever.

Thanks. I did a trim just to see if the lunar hair calendar works for me and I took a little too much off and yeah, I'm kicking myself for cutting it but it was an experiment and I love hair experiments!

[Dark40]

Oh I've done this experiment as well, and it doesn't work for me at all. For the last 8 years I've only been trimming whenever it is needed, and that is once or twice a year. With that method I have noticed more growth than I had when I was trimming more often. When I was trimming often my hair length stayed at the same length all of the time. Now, with less trims I'm gaining more length.

[desisparkles]

that's exactly my plan - only trim as needed if needed. But I did just join the no trimming in 2019 challenge so here's hoping I stick to it!

[AutobotsAttack]

I thought there was enough actual, prestige, peer reviewed studies out there for access to put to rest the whole notion of trimming your makes it grow faster. Guess not.

[lapushka]

Well... that all doesn't explain the tiny growth spurt I had here lately, reaching FTL early. I last trimmed November 2016. ;)

[desisparkles]

Well... that all doesn't explain the tiny growth spurt I had here lately, reaching FTL early. I last trimmed November 2016. ;)

cracking up over here! love it!