Terminal Length Sadness

[ilandree]

I have finally, after a good decade of denial, accepted (maybe) the fact that I have a terminal length that will never allow to reach my longhair dreams. :(

My hair is waist length when cut even and tailbone if I let it grow to a point. It has never reached beyond that and never reached tailbone with an even cut.

My goal, my dream, my fantasy, has always been classic. Now I am just sad and if I complained to anyone off this forum, they would think I am quite silly. But I am sad, very sad and disappointed, perhaps even feeling a bit betrayed honestly, since I have been (consciously and dedicatedly) trying to grow my hair long for so long.

Who would like to cheer me up and tell me story of decade long stalled hair growth that suddenly just shot down to great lengths? Somebody? Anybody? Please?

[Madora]

Before you throw in the towel completely, have you tried wearing your hair up for extended periods of time?

Have you used scalp massage as a daily regimen?

Perhaps it was something in your hair care routine that impeded your growth?

While there comes a point when hair growth is terminal, 10 years doesn't seem to be a long enough time to find out.

Bottom line, perhaps there's a medical reason why your hair hasn't grown much over time...perhaps a thyroid issue or something else?

[GrowingGlory]

I feel the same way. My terminal length is waist now. I've grown 4" and I guess that it was my spine that grew, so instead of 3" above the Great Divide, it's just brushing waist. I must say that there is minimal fairytaling and far less breakage and splitting than last time. So I've traded a little length for health, I guess.

[julierockhead]

I recently read a thread of supposedly terminal LHC'ers getting sudden additional length after years of being at 'terminal'.

It may be your breakage at that length is keeping up with your growth, can you baby your hair more?

Do you oil or treat your scalp? I have faster growth with castor oil and essential oil mixes. If you can get your hair growing faster during its growth stage, it should end up longer, eventually. I think.

[Tizzles]

My heart goes out to you, I don't really have any advice to give you that you wouldn't already know but I wanted to just say I'm sending you good thoughts and a great big bear hug :) I hope your length isn't truly terminal and it's just a phase.

[Katze]

I feel your sadness, though from my point of view (terminal for me is between BSL and waist) and for the rest of the non-LHC world, your hair is still very, very long! :flower:

[anime_length]

I don't have advice for you, but I feel your pain. [i've been having similar thoughts] But positive thinking can work wonders! :)

[Mononoke]

I haven't tried it, but people here say MSM lengthens the growth period, which means it could extend terminal length.

[Theobroma]

I haven't tried it, but people here say MSM lengthens the growth period, which means it could extend terminal length.

Hmm. I just started taking MSM about a month ago.

I guess I'll know in about a decade's time, eh? :)

[skyblue]

that is how my hair grew!! It seemed it never went past waist then it would fairy tail out, but micro trimming for a year and wearing my hair up almost all the time really helped! I am at 40 and a half inches of a only slightly u shaped hem line now! The up do is my friend lol and made all the difference i think

[trolleypup]

Hmm. I just started taking MSM about a month ago.

I guess I'll know in about a decade's time, eh? :)
I suspect something like this is going on with me. Around the time I joined LHC I made a variety of hair care changes, at that time I was at apparent terminal at 53". Sometime in the last couple years I started gaining length again...with a majority of individual hairs having grown out and shed from previous routines, so there may be some truth in getting more length due to different care and routines.

that is how my hair grew!! It seemed it never went past waist then it would fairy tail out, but micro trimming for a year and wearing my hair up almost all the time really helped! I am at 40 and a half inches of a only slightly u shaped hem line now! The up do is my friend lol and made all the difference I think
Hair almost always up, stretched washings plus a wash routine that keeps my scalp happier, S&D from time to time to reduce tangling. Hair friendly hairstick and other hairtoys.

No change in shape (fairytale ends).

[heidi w.]

Are you using a great conditioner every time you full hair wash?
Do you get a good rinse of products off of the scalp?
Do you detangle with a wide-toothed comb?
Are you trimming too often to allow enough growth to continue?
Are you coloring your hair?
Are you perming your hair? (these last 2 I hope the answer is no.)
Are you using any heat on your hair?
Are you dousing your scalp with a bunch of gunk?
Are you washing frequently enough to keep the scalp skin fairly clean of buildup, especially if you have a scalp skin condition?
Do you have a scalp skin condition?
Do you have any medical issues, especially relating to hormones? such as PCOS (I think that's what it's called), thyroid (both kinds), anemia, pregnancy.
Has your shed rate stayed about the same?
Do you oil the length?
Do you wear your hair down all the time?
Is your hair tangly? perhaps in need of a clarify?...
Maybe you need a detangler, or oiling which can help with detangling.....
Do you eat a healthy and varied diet?
Are you using any additional products on your hair such as hairspray or styling mousses?

There are a number of things to check in about before giving up. Also, if you truly are at the end time, be SURE to enjoy and take care of what you've got. Such as don't trim a whole lot if it doesn't grow much. Maybe a very small bit about twice a year, at most. I am pretty much near the end of my growth rate and I take care of what I got so I can keep what I've got. I try to enjoy it whenever possible, too.

heidi w.

[Silverbrumby]

Great list Heidi. I was wondering the same.

I'm going to answer the list myself lol



Are you using a great conditioner every time you full hair wash? - yes

Do you get a good rinse of products off of the scalp? - no sure? ACV for this?

Do you detangle with a wide-toothed comb? Yes.

Are you trimming too often to allow enough growth to continue? - think so

Are you coloring your hair? - yes henna but found I lose a lot of hair when I do it. Not sure I'm goning to continue.

Are you perming your hair? (these last 2 I hope the answer is no.) - no

Are you using any heat on your hair? I blow dry after it's almost dry about once a month.

Are you dousing your scalp with a bunch of gunk? - monistat? I found that if I leave it on my scalp and don't' wash often enough it sheds badly

Are you washing frequently enough to keep the scalp skin fairly clean of buildup, especially if you have a scalp skin condition? - see above

Do you have a scalp skin condition? - the monistat does seem to help with the scalp soreness unless let it build up.

Do you have any medical issues, especially relating to hormones? such as PCOS (I think that's what it's called), thyroid (both kinds), anemia, pregnancy. - Thyroid and did have mild anemia and Vit Def. All three are now being treated

Has your shed rate stayed about the same? - It's gone down since monistat but flared again. My cat got sick and I was nursing him but had to have him put down last week. I'm expecting a shed from the stress. It has been shedding more.

Do you oil the length?
Do you wear your hair down all the time?


Is your hair tangly? perhaps in need of a clarify?... - no, slippery

Maybe you need a detangler, or oiling which can help with detangling..... - oiling everyday per your video is helping

Do you eat a healthy and varied diet? - yes but I do diet on and off and that causes hair loss.

Are you using any additional products on your hair such as hairspray or styling mousses? - Hate the stuff.

Such as don't trim a whole lot if it doesn't grow much. Maybe a very small bit about twice a year, at most. - this is huge. I realized I'm pretty much trimming off all my growth and I have slow growing hair by LHC standards.

I am pretty much near the end of my growth rate and I take care of what I got so I can keep what I've got. I try to enjoy it whenever possible, too.

heidi w.

Thanks for the list Heidi. It was helpful for me! Can't wait to see the OP's reply.

[torrilin]

Are you using a great conditioner every time you full hair wash?

Counting wash as "every time hair gets wet" no. Counting wash as every time I use shampoo, yes. The shampoos and conditioners I'm using now seem to leave me enough slip to braid after a shower even if I don't hit my hair with them every time.

I have used products in the past where my hair was more tangled after a wash than it was when I got in the shower. Bad scene. With those products I used more conditioner to help detangle.


Do you get a good rinse of products off of the scalp?

I don't leave excess product on my scalp, but my skin is dry, and I don't have any scalp skin conditions... and I'd like to keep it that way. So I do make sure that just like I wouldn't strip the rest of my skin dry, I don't strip my scalp. Skin infections are bad news.


Do you detangle with a wide-toothed comb?

I'm gentler with fingers than with a comb, so I try hard to stick to fingercombing.


Are you trimming too often to allow enough growth to continue?

I trim every 6-12 months, I'd like to get it down to every 9 to 12 months.


Are you coloring your hair?

I sometimes color, more for a change of pace than anything. I should look at vegetable colors for the next time my multicolor hair upsets me :). Last dye job was over a year ago, and prior to that more like 3 years.


Are you perming your hair? (these last 2 I hope the answer is no.)

Nope.


Are you using any heat on your hair?

Heat is obviously worse for my hair than dye. A *lot* worse. It's on the oh god no list.


Are you dousing your scalp with a bunch of gunk?

Nope.


Are you washing frequently enough to keep the scalp skin fairly clean of buildup, especially if you have a scalp skin condition?

I probably wash *too* frequently for my dry skin even at a never more often than every 2 days and usually more like 4 days cycle. I dilute my shampoo, and I'm experimenting with gentler shampoos. However, I haven't managed to give myself a skin condition, so I'm doing ok here.


Do you have a scalp skin condition?

Nope.


Do you have any medical issues, especially relating to hormones? such as PCOS (I think that's what it's called), thyroid (both kinds), anemia, pregnancy.

I have a history of vitamin D deficiency. It was pretty mild when we caught it, and I'm sticking to my doctor's orders with regards to treatment (combination of natural sun, supplements, and drink more milk).


Has your shed rate stayed about the same?

I shed wads of hair. I've always shed wads of hair. So yup!


Do you oil the length?

Tried it, did not work as well for me as using leave in conditioner does.


Do you wear your hair down all the time?

OH GOD NO!


Is your hair tangly? perhaps in need of a clarify?...

Yes, my hair is really tangly. No, it's not unusually tangly for my hair, and clarifying right now would make things worse, not better. If the tangles are truly excessive, time for more conditioner.


Do you eat a healthy and varied diet?

I could probably do better on this, but I think we all could.


Are you using any additional products on your hair such as hairspray or styling mousses?

Nope.

Offered up to provide hope for new finies :). My growth shows no signs of slowing down yet, but I'm only at elbow length.

[lunalocks]

I was "stalled" between mid back and BSL for years (15) and mistreated my hair during those years. Then, when I began trimming 1/4 to 1/2 inch off every 3 months as well as stopping the mistreatment and trying some things I found here, I, slowly, began to grow. Now I am at 35 inches, about 3 below my waist with an even hemline. I have gained only 2 inches net over the past 6 months. It is SLOW but worth it to trim so frequently. Better than ragged ends and then a big chop. Had to do that a few times before I found what worked for me.

[heidi w.]

For the person above who answered all those questions on my "list"? I noted the Vitamin D deficiency might be an issue and the tangliness might be an issue that could contribute, to hair not growing longer. I am a super fine head of hair, and understand how this situation can lead to tangles. But uber tangles, maybe you could S&D as it's called here. The Vitamin D deficiency is being treated by your doctor, and I'm glad to hear you're following your doctor's suggestions. There's a lot of info concerning the relationship between Vitamin D deficiency and hair loss. You may want to check that angle out. That could be a contributing factor.

Believe it or not, some fat in the diet as part of healthy nutrition is paramount. There are quite a few nutrients that simply do not get delivered if there's no fat at all in the diet.

The OP could consider the idea of Hair Vitamins, such as this link shows the box...

http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/store/en/browse/sku_detail.jsp?id=NT-1981

Be careful, it has loads of Vitamin A. I was one who went over the top and began to itch from the inside out when taking this Vitamin, and had to give it up after about 2-3 months of taking it.

Great list Heidi. I was wondering the same.

I'm going to answer the list myself lol

Thanks for the list Heidi. It was helpful for me! Can't wait to see the OP's reply.
A couple of points to make that may seem known or obvious, but one never knows who's reading and their knowledge level of all things hair....so here goes. Not meaning any offense to anyone at all.

If you trim too often or too much this means one is cutting off gained length. So in a case as that (which the list may help you realize) just trim less off. The idea is to not remove so much that one claims their hair is not growing. It may be the case that one is growing in actuality but can't see the results because they're cutting it all off.

Medical conditions take a number of months to show up hairwise, and take a number of months to show improvements. So a thing wrong with the hair growth cycle has to be understood as a reaction likely to something 8 weeks back. It just takes a little bit for hair to show or not show effects of improvements or detractions. A lot of people think it's instant, that today I did that and tomorrow, or even hours later it shows in the hair. Not usually--that is not the usual case, unless some hairdresser burnt your hair or left perming solution on too long. (Happens more often to Black people cuz their hair is so fragile.)

For the record, I do not oil my length daily. I oil it once directly after a fresh hair wash and that's it. Otherwise I leave my hair alone. I content it helps with shine and softness, and also with tensile strength of hair strands.....I heard once that coconut oil helps preserve hair color, but I'm not so sure about that. My haircolor has most definitely changed. I chalk that up to age and a move from sunny California to more Northern regions of the midwest. (Less sun.) A whole lot of folks here have Vitamin D deficiency.

Just general FYI stuff. I'm sure there's other things that folks can add to the list somehow that may help others flush out why to why isn't my hair growing?

heidi w.

If one has a medical condition affecting the growth of hair, one may be able to improve things over time, but don't disregard this information when assessing hair growth issues. It's very important as to the parameters as far as what one can expect to occur down the pike. A lot of people like to discount this info and think my hair should do X, why isn't it?

For example, I have a scalp skin condition and I have a load of shed hair in the wake of every hair wash. I also have recently undergone a big curtail in my access to food, which I am sure affected the volume of my hair somewhat. I lost 25 pounds in so many weeks, and only recently has the food problem been resolved. Thanks to my sponsor who is helping me build a new career. Stuff happens in life, and we can not preclude these from the story. It's part of the whole story.

I am convinced pretty much that the OP is not at "terminal" length and end of growing at all. I just think we need to carefully assess what's going on, and eventually we'll find out a why. Then there's professional trichologists that one can seek a professional opinion from......that's always an option. Expensive, but an option. I know one that does it via mail. (The guy is oversees.) I came close to asking his counsel as I was worried about something one time, but it resolved, so I did not follow through. That was around 5 years ago now.

One must also take into account where one is in their monthly cycle, as in menstruating normally, near the end times when things can become really wacky; one's chronological age (and the standard changes that go along with aging).

I frankly wish all these people would stop worrying about "terminal" length. For so many, it's such a non-issue.

However, today at school I saw an older woman with a fairly wide part and I looked at her hair from a distance and thought she may be experiencing early warning signs of a thyroid condition. That in a few more years it may come on more noticeably. I felt bad for her. I said nothing because I don't know her at all. But I thought I could help, maybe some day, to suggest she get a checkup of her thyroid. There are still doctors who don't screen for thyroid condition, although more and more Ob-Gyns have it as a protocol now to screen for thyroid conditions. But some disregard borderline cases, and they should not overlook even a borderline case. I've seen it happen, and right now we have a higher percentage of folks beyond 50 unemployed, so we know they aren't going for mammograms and Ob-Gyn annual visits. I know I'm not. I simply can't afford it. I hope my health holds out.

[sign of the cross over my chest. :pray: ]

And never underestimate how stress can affect our hair growth. A number of years ago, my hair shed like no tomorrow [and it just did not grow, either.] I finally around a year later figured out the problem. I had moved cross country, and in with a guy who helped me, and it was so hard to live with his attitude, despite his willingness to help, that it just bowled me out of the water. I finally moved out, thankfully, and finally a few months later, all that shedding stopped. I chalked it up to the move cross country. Man, that's one of the harder things I've ever done, and I've done a few hard things in my life.

The best way to get good nutrition to the hair is to eat your way into it. Eat enough protein, etc. It's kind of hard to apply to hair and have it work. Hair is effectively dead, except for the inside part under your scalp, the root.

heidi w.

[jacqueline101]

Monistat helps hair growth try it and see what happens.

[Vintagecoilylocks]

Thank you Heidi.W

[Silverbrumby]

Thanks Heidi. I think I was over oiling my hair, again! Before when I was WAY over oiling my hair my girl friend pointed out to me that it was making my fine hair look awful. Now I'm oiling less I LOVE the way it smells, feels and moves, finally. I've have 4 washes now where each time I've gotten the type of hair I'm really starting to enjoy.

I think you're right about terminal, not worrying about it. If I can just get rid of the damage and grow out my hair to whatever length feeling this nice I hope that I'll be happy with whatever length it ends up.

[torrilin]

For the person above who answered all those questions on my "list"? I noted the Vitamin D deficiency might be an issue and the tangliness might be an issue that could contribute, to hair not growing longer. I am a super fine head of hair, and understand how this situation can lead to tangles

Yep. For me, the deficiency was found over a year ago. My doctor is having me do every 6 months Vitamin D tests, roughly start of summer and start of winter, so we can track how well the maintenance routine I have is working. Wisconsin is pretty far north, so even a pasty white person like me depending on *just* sun is going to end up deficient, because there isn't enough sun 6 months out of the year to trigger vitamin D formation in the skin.

I don't *think* deficiency in D was a factor in my hair growth. It was pretty slight, and if I didn't have other related health issues, my doctor might not have even treated it.

I did notice a marked improvement in my nail growth when we started splitting a CSA vegetable share with friends. We did that for the last two summers, and my nails started growing better than they ever had before. Again, I haven't really noticed a change in my hair. My doctor did not notice a change in my vitamin panel results, but clearly something did change and my body liked it :).

With tangles, if you handle other people's hair, not just your own, you'll have some idea of where your hair rates overall. Mine is (like a lot of fine hair) pretty extreme towards the tangly end. But with my current routine, it's comfortable to deal with. It's really noticeable when I have excess split ends, since the tangle level goes up very quickly... and I'll trim them off, either individually or via a small trim.

So a lot of my hair care goals are aimed at preventing splits, since they're the most common cause of trims for me.

[Immera]

I thought about your post for a while. I went through similar disappointment when I realized my terminal length is waist, and I was long there before finding LHC, I just didn't really much think about it. I never felt my hair was short until the LHC. And in my geographic area, I rarely, and I mean maybe two or three other people in my life, have hair longer than mine.
Seeing your profile pic, you have beautiful hair and you should enjoy it. Don't worry about "classic." If classic is the average terminal length and there are people who grow to the floor, there have to be some people who fall short of average. It's the law of averages -- genetics, and that's that.
I doubt you will find some miracle treatment that will give you more length, and by some chance of luck you do, you will have to keep that regimen up to retain it.
I find spending time away from here does wonders for my hair esteem.
If you want to play with more length, braid a paranda in. I've made some in a dark brown that nearly matches my hair color, as well as greenish and purple. I find it protects my ends a bit better as well.

[Micayla47]

if it's any consolation to the OP, you are absolutely gorgeous and so is your hair!

[ilandree]

Thank you very much Micayla47 and Immera. Your kind words are very much appreciated. :) :) :)

Also thank you to everyone who has commented. It was encouraging to hear that I was not alone and that some have been through such times and went on to continue to grow their hair.

Heidi I wouldn't say I am "worrying" about terminal length so much as I must have made you think. I was simply stating a disappointment. From very early childhood I wanted classic length hair, birthed by images of Princess Leia and Lady Amalthea (from The Last Unicorn), so at least 3 decades. I was simply expressing sadness that the image I had always hope to achieve may not be possible for me.

Thank you for taking the time to write out the questionnaire. My answers are below. Any insight you may have from them would of course be most welcomed.

I have never tried MSM, but will look into it. As far as Monistat I am trying very hard to put as few chemicals onto/in to my body as I can manage, but thank you for your suggestion.

Once again thank you for all the replies :)

Are you using a great conditioner every time you full hair wash? I vary my conditioner but stay cone free
Do you get a good rinse of products off of the scalp? Yes
Do you detangle with a wide-toothed comb? Yes
Are you trimming too often to allow enough growth to continue? Rarely trim
Are you coloring your hair? Never
Are you perming your hair? Not for over 10 years and only twice in my life
Are you using any heat on your hair? no
Are you dousing your scalp with a bunch of gunk? no
Are you washing frequently enough to keep the scalp skin fairly clean of buildup, especially if you have a scalp skin condition? I believe so. I shampoo 1 or twice weekly depending on a variety of factors.
Do you have a scalp skin condition? no
Do you have any medical issues, especially relating to hormones? such as PCOS (I think that's what it's called), thyroid (both kinds), anemia, pregnancy. Not that I know of.
Has your shed rate stayed about the same? Yes. I lose very little hair compared to most people I know
Do you oil the length? I do not oil
Do you wear your hair down all the time? I recently began wearing it down again, after as my 4 children are finally old enough to stop pulling, but for the past decade it has usually been up in some manner.
Is your hair tangly? perhaps in need of a clarify?...Tendancy to tangle varies. I am unsure why.
Maybe you need a detangler, or oiling which can help with detangling.....
Do you eat a healthy and varied diet? My diet has been pretty standard, though I am making a slow switch over to a vegetarian diet.
Are you using any additional products on your hair such as hairspray or styling mousses? nope

[catamonica]

In 2009 I used horse shampoo from Wall Mart. My hair grew from past midback to waist. I added 2 capfuls of olive oil to the shampoo. Then my hair stopped growing for two years. In
November 2011, I started wearing my hair in a braided bun. I only wear it down once a month. Wearing it in a bun protected my hair. I have no split ends. It grew from just past waist to hip.
In March 2012. It grew 4 inches. I hope this helps. You have beautiful hair.

[ilandree]

Thank you Catamonica. I remember using Mane and Tail in middle school (many years ago:) ) I haven't even looked at a bottle in many years. I'll have to take a second look next time I am at the store. Thank you for the compliment as well :)