new thread
Elsewhere, someone posted about how long hair gets stringy...so here is a series of images from pre-wash to stringy.
Before: I forgot to take a stringy before picture...so the series starts with detangled and combed DD5 hair:
After washing (post dripping, dry with no manipulation, although a bit frizzy due to walking around)
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After detangling and combing
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Later in the evening (2.5 hours, 6.5 hours)
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The next morning (after sleeping on satin pillowcases/sheets with hair down)
WOW!!!! What amazing length, an interesting sequence too.
WOW! That's some SERIOUS length you have there! Yours is as long as pretty well anyone's hair on the board, and looks wonderful, with natural wave. (I certainly wouldn't call it "stringy") It must have taken a LONG time to grow that. Congratulations, and keep growing it even longer!
David
Absalom/b> has me beat, and since I've terminaled out, will stay longer than me.
My longest hairs are about 42", so 7 years at my 1/2" per month pace.
Sorry about the unclosed HTML.
Not everyone can grow their hair as long as you have (so far) since genetics has an important role in determining terminal length.
Great pics and amazing progress.
Congratulations.
Although my hair is about 2 inches longer, you have MUCH more hair volume than mine. You probably have 2 1/2 times as much hair by weight as I do at 95% of my length. My ponytail bundle is 2 5/8" in circumference, yours is probably over 4". (My longest shed strand that I have ever measured is 44 7/8".)
I finally got out my microscope and measured that shed strand of your hair from the summer longhair meet. I am absolutely floored. It is an immense 104 microns in diameter. The largest ones on my head are about 80 microns and go down to 50 microns. An average one on my head is about 65 microns. A hair 104 microns in diameter has 2.56 times as much cross sectional area as a hair with a 65 micron diameter.
You certainly take first place for the best combination of hair length and total hair volume.
Absalom
my ponytail bundle is about 1.6 inch in circumfrence now... I dont think its going to get any better...
Be patient, it will grow. Remember, much of your hair does not yet reach the pony tie. When it does, you will probably have at least as large a bundle as mine, if not larger. Measure it a year from now, and you will be surprised.
Absalom
Yes, between 4.0" and 4.25".
So it sounds like we have approximately the same number of hairs on our heads...the difference being almost entirely due to strand diameter! If I spoke with my mom, I'd get her to send me one of her hairs for you to measure, I'd guess her strands are about half again as thick as mine..near the maximum for human hair.
Speaking of numbers, I measured the weight (from a high gather) at about 190 grams (6.5-7 ounces).
Thank you!
...at MLHH anyway...elsewhere, I can't claim that crown, even when limiting the comparison to the guys. We won't talk about the people who, when the gods were handing out braid taper, said "No thanks! I'm good!" and walked away. *gnashes teeth*
It is possible that my total hair strand count may be even higher than yours. The difference is it takes 3 of mine to equal the volume of 1 of yours.
I am having trouble weighing my hair. I would need someone to help me with that.
Yes, I know. Although they are rare, the Bruins and the Dave Deckers are out there.
Also don't forget about Danny Cecati, whose braid is as thick at his knees as it is at his head.
Absalom
There is a thread over on LHC where someone pointed out that it is pretty easy to calculate the number hairs on your head if you have your ponytail diameter and strand diameter. I get ~88,000. And working backwards, given terminal length, I calculated that my daily shed is about 35 hairs.
The key is that packing circles in a circle is about 85% efficient, so multiply the ponytail cross sectional area by 0.85, then divide by the strand cross sectional area.
It's pretty tricky...I have a pretty accurate scale, tared a container, dropped my hair in it, read the scale with the assistance of two mirrors. Definitely would have been easier with two people.
There is another way, Victor has used to get a hair count. Gather your hair into a ponytail. Carefully split it apart into 2 equal segments, split ONE of those segments in half. Do this 10 times. Count the relatively few hairs in that tiny remaining segment. Multiply by 1000. (After doing this 10 times you will have 1/1024 of your total hair bundle.) Have someone assist you to do this. (You will likely have 10% to 15% more than this count, since not all of your hair reaches the tie.)
Using your method for hair count, my bundle is 0.836" in DIAMETER. A typical hair on my head is 0.0025" in diameter. The cross sectional area of 0.826" is 111,707 times as large as the area of 0.0025" Using the 85% value, I get a value of 94,951. Probably 15% of my hair does not reach the pony tie, which brings that number back to 111,707. I certainly have at least 100,000 hairs on my head.
Absalom
You have achieved a length that most of us just dream about. I was wondering what you were wearing during the picture session?...seems like the same garment all day....
I'm wearing a hair background...which happens to be a fitted jersey knit (modal) bed sheet. I find that particular color/fabric gets my camera (with flash) to take a decently lit and reasonably color correct image.
Magnificent long hair if there ever was. What a fantastic inspiration! Thanks for sharing the superb images. Almost unbelievable! (But I believe.)
Amazing length indeed!
How do you wear it usually, ponytails, buns..? I'm trying all time to make a decent bun but I think I miss something..
Compliments again!
Usually up in a bun when I am working or alone at home. Down sometimes in public, up in a pony scrub when I'm hiking.
Amazing lenght.. It must have taken a big amount of time patience to grow it out. Glad you sticked with it so long. =) Very very cool
I'm impressed. Your hair is absolutely amazing! I especially love the natural waviness you have to your hair. I hope mine looks as good as yours does when it terminals out (if I decide to go terminal length) Anyway, amazing hair! You should (and I'm pretty sure you are) be proud.