new thread
Hi everyone, long time no see :)Hope everyone is okay!
Well I still have my hair, its getting towards mid back length now, as Ive been growing since February 2003. However, as in the title my enthusiasm has been wavering recently! I do like my hair but I feel a little indifferent about it if that makes sense.... So I thought I'd return to the place that inspired me to grow it in the first place!
I have been riding my bicycle a lot recently and when I take my helmet off my hair is pretty gross and sweaty and needs a wash. I used to get away with washing my hair twice a week as its so thick. I would like to do even more sports but I find the hair washing that takes about 15 minutes each time very frustrating, which is tempting me to cut it off. I think it takes so long to wash and rinse as it is so thick and tangles, perhaps just a trim to shoulder length might make things easier?
My main problem with my hair though is that it’s not particularly comfortable, I can hardly ever tie it back comfortably, it always pulling! No matter how gently or loosely I tie it is always gives me a headache.... I think I have a very sensitive scalp :( I cant leave it down as it goes everywhere, so in the house I used a headband and a loose bobble just popped over it (not tied back properly) but then hairs escape and tickle me!
I realise how lame all this sounds, spending an extra quarter of an hour in the shower and pulling ponytails but I am getting a bit fed up with it, and need some advice I think! It probably doesn’t help that I am revising for 6 exams so the pressure is on a little.
I just think that life would be easier without the hassle of the hair, but I would miss it! I love wearing it down but Its not usually practical. I’m not quite sure of the point in this post, as I’m typing this I’m realising more and more how much I would miss the hair but then earlier this afternoon I was dead certain it was coming off. Argh!
My apologies for the ramble but my mind appears to be a little everywhere at the moment.
Thanks, Gareth
Ps: here is a quick snap I just took with my webcam, and here is the link :
http://www.zen96175.zen.co.uk/hair%20april%2006.JPG
Nah man, it wud be such a shame 2 cut such cool hair... All of the longhairs on this board would never forgive u!! lol :) .... but nah, on a serious note, i know what u mean, u might be getting fed up with the same look, if so maybe u should get it cut to shoulder length.... just to try something different with it. i personally love the idea of shoulder length hair..!! and i think that might be as far as i will let mine grow... so that it's not too long and not short. anyway i'm rambling now too, let us know wat u decide 2 do! ur hairs lukin great tho, so don't do anythin' stupid with it!!
.+. PEACE .+.
Hey man,
I think that a cut to shoulder length might be the way to go - that way it will be much more hassle-free but it won't take too long to grow back if you change your mind. Pleeeeease don't cut it short though - your hair looks great!
Sorry to hear about the difficulties you are experiencing with your hair.I can relate as my hair is straight just like yours but it currently is at waist length.My hair has been long ever since my early 20s and now I'm approaching my mid 40s. Also I know what a pain it is to let it remain loose as I mostly have it restrained either in a tail or stuffed up in a baseball cap.I like to bike too and work out at the gym and having it loose is just not an option in those circumstances.However I could NEVER cut my hair as I just love it too much in spite of the hassles.I look in the mirror and just could not imagine myself with short hair as this is who I am and I just work around the inconvieniences.Obviously this is a decision that only you can make but my experiences are similar to what you are up against.As for washing my hair I have to do it daily as it just gets too greasy and lousy looking if I let it go longer.Anyway hope my response wasn't too rambling but I just felt the need to say something.I'm hoping it works out for you as I hate to see another longhair fall to the scissors.Thanks for stating your case and best of luck to you.Mark
That's great hair!
There's an old saying that nothing worthwhile is ever quick or easy.
This is especially true of long hair - it's never quick or easy, but definitely worthwhile!
Ed
I'm a bike commuter, so I know what you mean about the helmet. I manage to arrive to client meetings and to my part-time job without ever being more than slightly damp, even in the height of summer.
The helmet I use most often isn't made any more--fashion changes them frequently. It has 23 HUGE vents. I have another sportier-looking but less-well vented one I bought first, but now I use it only for winter because it was too warm in nice weather, let alone July and August. So maybe a different helmet would help.
I think it has more to do with the design inside than outside. The cooler-running (but less fashionable) one I have has full, big, front-to-rear air channels inside, connecting the rows of vents. This makes it bigger and part of why it's less fashionable. The sporty one is smaller and it's vents terminate in individual holes on the inside, so there's less air movement there.
I also have a couple of different SweatVac DoWraps http://www.dowrap.com/ I think they help keep my head dry as much as the vents. Although I prefer the skull cap models, I also have one of the bandana style ones and I can tie my hair with it instead of pony elastics. That may be more comfortable for you.
Finally, I segment my tail to keep it from getting tangled in the wind. I don't care for the look or feel, but it sure beats detangling. Fortunately, it's easy to slide out the extra elastics on arrival.
Hope this helps!
Well even though you have heard it a million times already, you have such fantastic hair! Since only you know what price is worth paying for such great hair it makes no sense for anyone else to tell you what you should do. (DON'T CUT IT IT'S TERRIFIC!) OK back now. :)
I can understand your dilemna. Long hair doesn't need to go to one' arse to be "long". Long hair is cool at all kinds of lengths. ultimately, life should be lived and enjoyed and not sacrificed for hair length. I would recommend going slow at first and getting used to it shorter. Take one or two inches off and see how it feels. If you want more off, get another few inches a week later. That way you might avoid regret at cutting too much off too fast.
As summer approaches I now have less fun in my jeep, convertable jaguar and motorcycle. before, with short hair I could play all day in the sun with the wind blowing and there were no problems. Now, I have to protect my hair from the blowing wind or it gets all knotted and gross. That sucks!
Tyler
I can understand your dilemna. Long hair doesn't need to go to one' arse to be "long". Long hair is cool at all kinds of lengths. ultimately, life should be lived and enjoyed and not sacrificed for hair length. I would recommend going slow at first and getting used to it shorter. Take one or two inches off and see how it feels. If you want more off, get another few inches a week later. That way you might avoid regret at cutting too much off too fast.
As summer approaches I now have less fun in my jeep, convertable jaguar and motorcycle. before, with short hair I could play all day in the sun with the wind blowing and there were no problems. Now, I have to protect my hair from the blowing wind or it gets all knotted and gross. That sucks!
Tyler
Perhaps give this a try. Have the Ponytail secured far enough away from the back of your head that there will be no pull from the tie leading directly to the back of your head. Sometimes just little things like this can solve a problem. Don't sleep with a tie on in your case perhaps? Good luck. It would be a shame to loose that hair, especially because you say you love it.
Oh yes: Perhaps the Ponytie is a bit too tight to begin with? If so, go to a larger size. That might be the problem.
Hi, Personally i think that your hair looks better in your avatar pic , at just over shoulder length.
If you are a very active guy and hate to ponytail or tie your hair up then maybe you should cut it to shoulder length. That way it will be low maintainence and still look great, still long aswell. Good luck whatever you decide.
You've got some mighty fine hair there. I feel fairly safe in saying that a lot of guys on this board would love to have your hair, myself included.
Try not to think about the negative aspects of long hair (helmet hair, etc), but instead think about how wonderful it looks and feels, and how much it makes you stand out in the crowd . . . by the way, that's a positive thing. When you stand out in a crowd, be proud of why you stand out. Be proud of your long hair, because to be perfectly honest, so many of the people around you who don't have long hair are probably extremely envious of you because of your long hair and your committment to it.
I really do believe that most guys would love to have long hair, but they're afraid of what others might say or think, or they just don't want to have to put in the time and effort . . . but they really do wish they had long hair. I suspect that some short-hairs even dream about having long hair.
Find a way to deal with the problems you associate with having long hair, and think about how many guys out there wish they had your hair. Be proud!
Hi Gareth,
I have been following your "hair journey" for a while, and I think your hair looks awesome - and it's getting better and better as you gain length!
An extremely important reason for keeping it long - you mentioned it - is that you'd probably miss your hair a lot if it were gone.
As the other posts stated already, your problems seem to be purely practical in nature, and therefore solvable. You may want to experiment with the suggestions (I'd avoid trims, personally). Just one or two more things: There are hair bands where the rubber part is well covered with cotton, and they may be less uncomfortable or less pulling than most "generic" hair bands. Also, you may want to experiment with putting the hair band a bit lower, a bit away from your scalp. Or you might try wearing a "half-tail", just putting the upper part of your hair into a hair band. Or, you could try braiding it, I'd think that would look great, and it probably would take care of much of the problem. - Maybe you get some more ideas yourself? (Too bad, Jarkko has taken his internet site down, he's extremely creative with his hair)
If you have to wash your hair daily because of sports, just try using plain water on most days, and then let it air-dry. As it is getting warmer, that should not be a great problem.
I really wish you success in solving, or, at least, de-fusing any hair problems. Cutting it off would be beyond discussion for me personally.
Lots of good luck with both your exams and your hair!
Hans-Uwe
Hi Gareth
I don't post much nowadays, but I saw your post and remembered we started at about the same time. Your hair looks great, but I understand what you mean about enthusiasm wavering. I sometimes think about trimming myself.
If its bugging you then by all means trim back to shoulder length, there's no shame in it and its certainly easier to manage. But think carefully about it first, you know as well as I do how long it takes to grow out!
Whilst I'm sure everyone here would rather admire you mane long and flowing, you gotta be enjoying having long hair yourself, otherwise what's the point?
Personally, I'd wait until your exams are over and think about it with a clear head. If you still want to trim, then go little by little.
David
You have an incredibly cool mane going on right there, and it looks very well maintained. Great Colour as well.
Personally I would say that it looks way to good to cut, but in the end it is entirely up to you to decide. Take care.
Hello again :)
Thank you all for your kind advice and thoughts! I have been thinking too, and have decided that a little trim next time my girlfriend goes to the hairdressers is in order, but nothing drastic. I will have around an inch ot two off to tidy up the ends and remove the last few layers (last time I went for a trim, aggggeeees ago they left about an inch of layered hair, barely noticable).
Funnily enough today is the first day that I have kept my hair in a ponytail near enough the whole time, it only started to "tug" a little in the evening, which is fine by me. Perhaps its trying to behave after being threatened with THE CHOP!
Pretty much everything everyone has said makes sense, and I will follow your advice, and cut it back a few inches at a time if I really dont get along with it after my exams, or at the worst to shoulder length.
I dont have much time to read/post on here at the moment with exams and everything, but I will keep you updated of course if I decide to do anything.
Having said that I may apply to join the university air squadron (free flying lessons!!) which may require short hair (the RAF do as far as I am aware)... but Im a little hesitant about that as Im not sure if I have the time for that and achieving a good degree :-S
Thanks again guys, much appreciated
Gareth
I'm glad to hear that Gareth.
Your hair is looking really nice!
Keep up the great work, and stay away from "free" stuff that has strings attached.
- Oren
Hi Gareth,
having seen some of your awesome bicycling pictures, I understand you have been cut out for adventure. However, I think it's extremely risky to associate with the military in order to get free flying lessons, even if you were willing to forego your hair freedom and other freedoms. Perhaps, the British military is a bit better than their counterparts of other countries, but once you're part of their system, they are not always bound by what they have promised. What if they draft their newly-trained reserve pilots for another Iraq-type campaign? You might be o.k. with that as long as you don't have a family, but what if you do?
Once you have the time (and the money), you may be better off joining some civilian aviation club, or taking flying lessons abroad. Even in the post-9/11 world, foreigners have started flying lessons in the US (cheaper than Europe, background check probably required), or in South Africa (probably less complicated and cheaper than the US). It's still more costly than the military, but at least you know that you actually get what you are paying for, and there are much fewer strings attached.
I think Oren is right, saying "Keep up the great work, and stay away from 'free' stuff that has strings attached."
I wish you peace, lots of fun, good hair days every day, and excellent exam results.
Hans-Uwe
Ghost Cloak
Not seen you in ages hows life treating you its great to see you again nice to see you still have long hair to looks excellent to take care
Axel
Hello,
I do not agree with the majority of members here and suggest indeed cutting a bit off your actual length (maybe 30% are enough).
As much I like being a longhair myself I dont agree with the "the longer the better" mentality as its often mentioned here.
If your hair is too long caring, brushing, drying etc, become indeed a torture, I have experienced that myself. Of course thats depending on the structure of your hair and everybody should decide himself whats the best lenght for him, but in my opinion you can be a good-looking longahair guy even if butt lenght is not your terminal goal or you found out that its not suitable for you... ;-)
good luck
