Fresh Start

**adani25** · March 28th, 2022, 04:52 AM

Hello Fellow Hair Growers,

My whole life I have always wanted long hair. My mother also wished the same for me. With having such fine, thin hair, as a child my mom would attempt to follow old wives tales for getting my hair to grow longer, faster, and thicker. Of course none of that actually worked. Cutting my hair when it's a full moon has no affect. In my teen years I had natural blonde hair that was at its longest point to the bottom of my shoulder blades. I had cut it due to the massive amount of split ends and damage. My hair has never grown out that long again. I began to dye my hair and would perm it to try to add some volume. Strangely, my hair only had a wave to it wet, and would dry straight again. I gave up on the hair dye and perms after high school. My hair continued to not grow below the top of my shoulder blades since that initial cut when it was longer. When I joined the military I had to keep it up tight in a bun, unaware that it only caused more breakage. After my service, I didn't think too much about it. I figured my hair wouldn't grow longer because I need to fix whatever scalp issues are preventing my hair to grow. I had no idea where to start. It was back in early summer of 2020 that I decided to just start over fresh, and buzzed all my hair off to 1 inch. I still didn't know what to do. I've had my hair trimmed twice just slightly to even out the growth. It has been almost two years since I buzzed it, and I am now at 10 inches total length. I've only recently looked further into what specifics I need to do to try to get my hair to grow past its stopping point. That's how I found this group. I'm hoping to learn from others experiences, as well as experimenting for my own. The best way to do something is to learn and be consistent. I'm looking forward to this journey.

**lapushka** · March 28th, 2022, 05:50 AM

Only thing that works? Patience, not cutting it every 6 to 8 weeks and that's it. Contrary to popular belief, hair doesn't need trimming that often, at least not when it's virgin (no dye, no processes) hair. You can go 6 months to 1 year easily. Key is then not to cut your growth off. Hair only grows 6 inches (on average) a year. It's very very easy for a hairdresser to take 2/3 inches off; then there you are, and if you go multiple times? No wonder it isn't growing.

Welcome BTW, and excuse my tirade. I get passionate about stuff.

My mom has fine, sharpie-thin ponytail hair and it is BSL right now. She has had MBL (mid back length) in her 40s. ETA/ She is 76 right now!

Fine thin hair can grow longer lengths just fine!

**LongLocke** · March 28th, 2022, 08:28 AM

Welcome! What branch were you in? My wife was Navy and I was Air Force. It took me years to convince her to stop wearing tight hairstyles, just like it took her years to convince me to stop keeping my hair short in regs

**spidermom** · March 28th, 2022, 08:34 AM

Another vote to trim seldom and have patience. Grow is what hair does.

**adani25** · March 28th, 2022, 03:27 PM

Oh, I understand. Passion is a good thing to have. I actually rarely cut my hair. I always thought my hair wasn't growing because I didn't regularly get it cut. I never did understand how cutting hair was supposed to make it grow. It just doesn't seem logical. I'm glad to hear your mom could grow her hair long. I'm excited to see how far I can get.

**adani25** · March 28th, 2022, 03:32 PM

Originally Posted by LongLocke

Welcome! What branch were you in? My wife was Navy and I was Air Force. It took me years to convince her to stop wearing tight hairstyles, just like it took her years to convince me to stop keeping my hair short in regs

I was in the Army. I fulfilled my contract, but I met my husband in the Army, and he's still serving. He actually had longer hair years before we ever met. He goes back and forth with his length in what he can get away with within regs. He has a future competition with our oldest son when he retires in a couple of years. They are seeing who can grow their hair the longest. Our oldest likes to say he's got the head start, since my husband has 6 more years.

**adani25** · March 28th, 2022, 03:35 PM

Originally Posted by spidermom

Another vote to trim seldom and have patience. Grow is what hair does.

Thanks. I'm looking forward to seeing how long I can get it this time around. Especially knowing that conditioning/moisturizing my hair is a key part.

**shelomit** · March 28th, 2022, 04:30 PM

Howdy, nice to meet you!

**LongLocke** · March 28th, 2022, 05:33 PM

Originally Posted by adani25

I was in the Army. I fulfilled my contract, but I met my husband in the Army, and he's still serving. He actually had longer hair years before we ever met. He goes back and forth with his length in what he can get away with within regs. He has a future competition with our oldest son when he retires in a couple of years. They are seeing who can grow their hair the longest. Our oldest likes to say he's got the head start, since my husband has 6 more years.

That's a huge head start! LOL I went from keeping it at a #3 on the sides and back to around APL in just two years. And that's including a 1" clean up in Aug '20. I wish them both luck, though. I much prefer letting it grow out rather than constant barber shop trips and dealing with bad cuts