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Last night, I had my golfing buddies over for supper, one of them started growing his hair long just over a year ago, he's 52 going on 53.
I noticed he has a high forehead, possibly even a bit higher than mine. However, I noticed that there are NO thin, fine, hairs in front, despite the high forehead, there appears to be no miniaturization present. (all the hairs at the hairline appear to be normal hairs) I also noticed that the hair in his crown area is good and thick, no thinning to speak of. Can I (and he) safely assume that despite the high forehead, that he has no fears of MPB? I was wondering if his forehead could even get higher, even without MPB, or would it be "stable" now?
He also swears that regular trims enhance his hair growth. After 13 months, his longest hairs have increased from around 4 inches to around a foot (bangs are shorter though, just chin length, possibly because of high forehead, but back hair is spilling onto shoulders), DESPITE the fact that he trims EVERY 3 weeks, that would mean that he has trimmed 15 to 20 times since starting his growth, removing 4-5 inches minimum! (Either his hair grows VERY fast or the trims ARE helping him!) I believe he is shooting for waist length. I tried to tell him that trimming is counterproductive, but he swears his hair grows faster if he keeps the splits trimmed off. I see NO reason why he needs so many trims, his hair seems in perfect condition as it is, surely he wouldn't need splits trimmed that frequently. I always believed that growth is from the ROOTS, not the ends (after all, hair is dead once it leaves the scalp)
David
Hi David - I have no idea about MPB, but about getting trims, there's just no possible way getting trims could help your hair grow faster. The guy must just have a really phenomenal growth rate (his hair would be even longer w/o the trims). For split ends, I just go through my hair once a week or so, and trim off any split ends with a sharp scissor. You'll save a lot of length by doing that vs. regular trims (which you don't need anyway). Some people say you don't need to do anything at all w/ split ends, but it seems most people suggest trimming them (makes sense to me, so that's what I do).
Dave K
Hi to another Dave!
I know that the guy in my foursome growing his hair is a perfectionist, when he does anything, only the best will do and his hair is obviously the same thing, he wants the best long hair possible that can be grown and if he thinks trims are the way to go, so be it. I seriously think he is really slowing down his progress by doing so, but I really can't tell him otherwise, it IS his hair. I know his growth rate without the trims would be near an inch per month, twice the normal rate.
David
Hi David,
There is no truth about regular trims make you have grow longer or anything like that. I'm sure we all have split ends and I would certainly not go running to a stylist once a month of you hair would never get any longer. In the 6 years of growing my hair out I've only had 2 trims and it's not done me any harm. Okay I have a few split ends but I won't worry about that.
John.B
Perhaps your buddy just has a "thing" for his hair dresser and enjoys going! I imagine he has been told by her that trimming enhances hair growth rates; it is really a widely-held belief among the general public that this is true, although we know logically that it cannot be so.
I have heard that if you reach 50 or so and still have hair on top that you will probably under most circumstances retain that given amount hair for the duration.
It probably is true in MOST cases. However, another guy in my foursome who is now near 60 had REALLY thick hair right up to and over 50. However, it has thinned a LOT in the last 5 years, in both the crown and at the temples (quite a bit worse than my situation). My Dad had a similar situation, great hair until 50 and bad afterwards. In fact, with my hair, I had practically NO thinning to speak of until I reached 50, it is only in the last few years I have noticed the thinning that I currently have. In fact, I only became aware of the thinning in the crown area in the last year, perhaps because I was not as aware of it with shorter hair. (I have been under a LOT of stress lately, possibly making the situation worse)
Hair is dead...and I mean that in the nicest possible way.
Hair grows from the root, and there is no way that a slight
trim could have any effect on what is happening inside the scalp.
HIGH FOREHEADS is just another name for RECEDING hair which has little or
nothing to do with MPB.
Most men--even those with the THICKEST hair, will have some receding
going on as they grow older. This is just a normal part of aging.
Combing your hair to the side instead of pulling or combing it straight back will
minimize the appearance of a receding hair line. Otherwise there
is nothing to get ocerly concerned about.
Cutting, pulling, etc. does not increase the growth rate.
I even have my doubts any effects that massaging the scalp
might have on growth because even if the blood supply to the roots is increased, the hormones that are responsible for MPB
are being delivered by that blood--so WHY would anyone want to
INCREASE the blood supplied to the hair roots??
Cutting fingernails do not make them grow faster--and the same thing applies to your hair. Period.
On the other hand, having LONG HAIR CAN (and most likely does) have
an effect on the SHEDDING of hairs. The reasoning behind this is
that as the hair becomes longer AND heavier, the hair root must become
stronger in order to hold on to the longer hair shaft.
I may see a mass of hir on the shower floor, but this is due to it's length. Actually I shed far FEWER hairs now that my hair
is getting very long. This may explain why some women have grown
their hair to extremely long lengths: their hair roots have become stronger and thus hold
on to the hairs for a longer period of time.
You have some very good points there, Luckskind! This is what I have believed all along and would really like my friend to believe. I seriously think that if he could stop the trims, with his growth rate of near 1 inch per month, he could reach his goal a lot faster but HE seriously believes his hair grows faster with the trims!
I really like this and hope its true! It seriously makes me believe that my goal of waist length in 3 years or so is not out of the question. I HAVE noticed less shedding lately! I have been attributing the reduced shedding to treating my hair better the past few months since discovering the MLHH, I REALLY like the thought of my hair roots getting stronger as the hair gets longer. My REAL concern right now is the fact that I have early signs of MPB, that may be a strike against me.
David
Science says your friend is dillusional. The only thing trimming does is beautify hair by removing split ends. Trimming at regular intervals - as your friend does - is only necessary for maintaining formed shapes. Hair grows at the same rate, regardless - an average of 1/2 inch per month - and the rate is largely a matter of heredity.