Hair Terminal Length

[karenkte]

I have been trying to grow my hair longer for sometime now and I'm not getting too far. At first I was having regular cuts with the hairdresser...then after help on this forum I began to do micro trims but it seems a very slow process. I bought the crea clip but I've found just pulling my hair to the front and doing a very small trim works best.
I also bought coconut oil but read that this can darken hair and I also found my hair very greasy for sometime after using it.
I swim every weekday and dry with a hairdryer on a low setting.
I'm wondering now if I should just let my hair dry naturally but it doesnt feel as full when I do this...I just get limp looking hair.
Ive used John Frieda go blonder on my hair too and I've found this made it a little brittle.
I'm getting frustrated and wondering if this terminal length I've read about really is true.
Any help appreciated.

[parkmikii]

How much are you trimming during the microtrims? Hair grows in average 0.5" a month, so perhaps you're just cutting it all off when you microtrim?
Usually when one reaches terminal length their ends fairytale a lot, and your ends seem pretty thick, they are not thin at all, so I'd say you are not close to terminal.

[lapushka]

Yes, exactly how much are you trimming off. Hair on average grows 1/2 inches a month. Some grow more, but some grow *less* (that happens too). And it's very difficult to cut just under half an inch a month. It would be better, seeing as you have a great hemline, to trim every 2/3 months, and take a tiny section off. See what that does.

I'm also willing to bet you are not at terminal yet.

BTW, if the go blonder is making your hair brittle, stop using it! It could also mean your hair needs some protein (bleach type products take protein with them, so you need to replenish).

Try a different oil, and it also all depends on how much you use. After a wash on damp hair, a few drops is basically all you need. Spread through palms of hands and smoothed over the very ends.

[Stepo_NiNha]

Hi,

Yeah its true, terminal length does exist.

For sure you are far from terminal. When you reach terminal you'll know it. You'll get a natural taper that is NOT caused by split ends or white dots. Just a natural taper with healthy looking ends.

[meteor]

The only way I know to reach one's terminal length is to stop cutting hair off and to stop damaging it (eliminating breakage), and wait and wait, and then still account for a possibility of growth stalls and excessive shedding that could also contribute to a "false" terminal.


karenkte, you mentioned brittleness and the fact that you use John Frieda Go Blonder. I know it's often marketed as a "safe" lightening option, but if you are using the Go Blonder Controlled Lightening Spray (the main product in that line), please beware of the peroxide damage (that can contribute to brittleness and breakage).
Heavy coconut oil soak applied prior to that might help buffer the damage a tiny bit, but ideally it's best to avoid peroxide altogether (especially if you want to grow to terminal).

Ingredients (http://www.johnfrieda.com/en-US/Prod...ingredients/):
WATER, HYDROGEN PEROXIDE, POLYSORBATE 20, DISODIUM PHOSPHATE, PHOSPHORIC ACID, VP/VA COPOLYMER, FRAGRANCE, POLYQUATERNIUM-47, POLYQUATERNIUM-55, PROPYLENE GLYCOL, EXT. VIOLET 2, VITIS VINIFERA, (GRAPE) JUICE EXTRACT, ALCOHOL, CHAMOMILLA RECUTITA (MATRICARIA), FLOWER EXTRACT, CITRUS MEDICA LIMONUM (LEMON) PEEL EXTRACT, GLYCERIN, HELIANTHUS ANNUUS (SUNFLOWER) SEED EXTRACT, VITIS VINIFERA (GRAPE) SEED EXTRACT TOCOPHEROL, PEG-40 HYDROGENATED CASTOR OIL

Also, you mentioned swimming every working day. Are you going to a chlorinated pool? That can also cause some dryness and brittleness over time, unfortunately.

Here are my tips for hair protection and pools:

1) Preferably use unchlorinated swimming pools.

2) Keep hair contained (braided buns are good) and use a swim cap (there are even long-hair swimcaps out there, like this, for example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czj4DOl6UO4)
and/or try a two-cap combination: sometimes it can help reduce water uptake somewhat.

3) Coconut oil soak pre-pool to reduce uptake of water with minerals, and soak hair in fresh water and conditioner;

4) After the pool, try to use a swimmers' or chelating shampoo (e.g. Joico Clarify, Kenra, etc) or a chelating pack (e.g. Ion, Malibu C) periodically. And rinsing post-pool hair thoroughly with fresh water for a couple minutes before adding shampoo allows any water-soluble chemicals from the pool to be rinsed away before beginning to wash. Follow up with a very moisturizing conditioner.

Also, check out these quick articles on the subject:
http://www.thenaturalhavenbloom.com/...questions.html
http://www.thenaturalhavenbloom.com/...r-routine.html

[Jadestorm]

There can be many reasons why your hair doesn't seem to be growing much. Going from things you're doing to it, to environmental causes, to your health etcetera.

So it's not easy for us to pin point where the problem lies. Looking at your picture (your hair is gorgeous by the way!), I agree with the other ladies: you don't seem to be near terminal length at all. Your ends still look so full and healthy.

I do think it could have something to do with the swimming. Pools are full of products that are just not good for your hair. You say you also use a blow dryer every time, which is also not great for your hair. What I didn't read is whether you WASH (and hopefully also condition) your hair after every swim and before blow drying. Washing too frequently can dry out your hair and is also not great for the hair's health. But if you don't wash... your hair comes in contact with the chemicals from the pool and if you then blow dry it without washing with a shampoo first, those chemicals stay in your hair. The next day you do the same, and the next, and the next, leading to possibly lots of chemicals in your hair. Which of course could lead to a bunch of problems.

I second what Meteor says about containing the hair and oiling it before swimming and/or using a swim cap.

[Sarahlabyrinth]

Also do you wear your hair up in protective style or do you you mostly wear it loose? Wearing it loose exposes it to tangling, rubbing against chairs etc and can cause a lot of breakage, split ends etc which then need to be trimmed off.

You have beautiful hair and it doesn't look like it is anywhere near terminal. Try trimming it less and protecting it more and see what happens

[Lavendersugar]

Everyone has given great suggestions.
I'd like to add a few more. Try gentle scalp massages. If you wash daily try co-washing every other wash. Switch to a more gentle shampoo. Maybe have two you rotate. Look for one with few ingredients. Maybe even consider Ayurvedic type of hair care.
Swimming can wreck hair. Make sure to use a chleating shampoo about once a week since you swim often. Consider spraying a leave-in onto wet hair before swimming to prevent pool water from absorbing too much.

I think with patience you will see growth. Even with regular growth I wouldn't trim more than once every 6 months or more.

[littlestarface]

I also use the go blonder shampoo and I never experienced any breakage from it and the shampoo does not contain any bleaching agent at all. It has turmeric and chamomile etc.

Karen maybe it's a bit too harsh for your hair? I only use it on my scalp so it doesnt effect my length but as far as im concerned you are definitely not at your terminal length.

People usually only micro trim once a month to maintain the length so if I was you i'd only trim twice a year to see some progress.

[Shepherdess]

Everyone is giving great advice here! The only way to know if your hair is terminal length really is to be careful to remove anything that could be causing breakage or damage, keep it protected, and no trims for a while, and see what happens. I hear that in about 10 years time you can know what your terminal length is with no major trims I think? It can take quite a while before you can know for sure. Also, another thing to take into consideration is nutrition intake and thyroid health. I have had trouble with my thyroid in the past, and that can really stall hair growth, and sometimes taking supplements like biotin can help. Best wishes to you!!