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Vivien's decision to go for terminal length piqued my curiosity as to how many of us are likewise trying to achieve this.
I know some here have already reached this and now either don't trim at all or trim occasionally and have it regrow the slight amount of the trim.
When I first began my hair-growing journey I never would have imagined going for this length. Perhaps it's a symptom of hair 'anorexia' but while I feel my hair is definitely long(ish) I want still more length. I've stated my goal as being at least belt-length and possibly classic-length. I'm guessing and hoping my terminal length will allow at least the belt-length.
Lately, though, a big factor is my own curiosity about where my terminal length is - just what is my body's predetermined genetic limit? I know proper care for hair influences achievable length somewhat but genes also play a huge role. I think it would be cool to know this about my body. Having said that, I would not keep growing if the ends are very sparse. I'd want to maintain a reasonably thick hemline to continue growing.
Hi Jason,
I am going for terminal length as well. Hopefully, my hair will reach at least belt length, but I have no idea if such a length is possible. For now, I will just see how it goes (grows!).
David
Hello Jason,
My goal is belt lenght but if my hair continues growing i will go for terminal lenght , but i decided that when my bangs will reach the actual lenght of my other hair i will get a maintenance trim to remove split end and to even my hair a bit.
Cya
Jason, I think you should go for terminal length. You can do it!
I've been growing to terminal length for several years now, mostly out of curiosity but also with inspiration from a few super longhairs. I explained my reasoning in the following post on LHC:
My hair goals have become longer over time.
A few years ago, I was quite happy with hip to classic length. I couldn't imagine anyone wanting hair longer than that.
Then I got some inspiration from a few super longhairs on this and another board. I decided to grow to terminal length.
In retrospect, I view my hair over the years as an interesting journey. It's become part of my life - I feel that I wouldn't have experienced life fully had I not grown my hair.
In response to the perennial "why?", I sometimes tell a joke about the mid-life crisis: some people buy exotic sports cars; others go sky diving; but only a few grow calf-length hair!
Life is short. Live the dream.
Ed
Hi Ed,
I had read your post over at LHC and really liked it. You sum up so eloquently the reasons and motivation for going for terminal.
Hi Ed.
I like your answer to the perrenial "why ?" :) Althougth it doesn't concern me =)
I couldn't have said it better, Ed! Especially on days when I think back to my teen years and childhood, when my dad completely deprived me & my brothers from "fitting in" w/ even one small inch of hair touching the ears or making it to the eyebrows, I realize I am on a perpetual quest that is similar to a mid-life crisis... And hair is SO much cheaper than a sports car (lol)!!
- Ken
I would say yes I'm going for terminal as I haven't had a trim in years and don't plan on getting any. My hair care has improved a bit over the years as has my diet. my longest hairs reach my belt but that's the very tip and most don't. I hope I have a bit more growth before I hit terminal. Maybe I'll start trims to keep it at belt length and if it starts evening out them I'll let it grow further but we'll see. Like a lot of us I want more and want to see how far it will go.
Kevin
I want to go for lower back/elbow right now but from what I've noticed the longer my hair gets the shorter it seems just like most people say. Its weird but I think I'll end up going to waist which could be my terminal but any longer I am not sure, that is right now. Its always a possibility haha.
-animosity
I'm at terminal, and I was pretty much at terminal before I joined any long hair communities, so I didn't know about terminal until I was already there. It just grew, which pleased me, I didn't do much of anything special to it, other than be gentle, mostly because being not gentle hurts. I never had a set goal, just Longer!
Simply because I don't know where mine is. My goal is classic lenght (butt lenght) but I don't know if my genes allow me to grow to that lenght. I hope so tough, at least looking at my sister and cousin's hair. But even tough I think about that, terminal can be anywhere, or even right after classic lenght at me. So I'm just going to wait and see. My ends are still very uneven, and my goal after hiting butt lenght is so have all my hair trimmed to that lenght, bangs included. After that, I will see if I want to grow longer, but if my hair doesn't stop before classic, I'm mostly sure it's not going to be me who's going to stop it =P
I am "going for it", however, my hair grows very slowly.....I am afraid that terminal is not going to be too impressive.....just barely past shoulder length at 5+ years.
Me too. I'm curious about this aspect of my own body.
As I said at the end of my update post, it's amusing to see that most people think that hair will grow and grow and grow... without limit ! I particularly heard this remark from girls, who often have hair which possibly can; these persons don't see that a limit could exist...
Vivien
Hi Jason,
Great thread!!!
I'm going for teminal-length; but, balancing it also w/ making sure my ends don't look too ratty... After just having one inch trimmed off back in Oct., I'm now back in the mood again to go for another loooooong duration of time without touching it (my last professional trim prior to October's was in May of '04).
Genetics do indeed play a big role in how long one can grow one's hair, --- and so does age, unfortunately! Excellent hair care habits, as well as good nutrition and excercise, definitely will aide in achieving nice-looking maximum length; but, genetics and age still play the biggest role, in my opinion.
Occasionally I've seen guys who have great-looking hair until it reaches about the lower back; but, then below that, it looks like hell. I saw a guy in a restaurant a few years ago w/ butt-length hair that looked exactly as I just described above. It did NOT inspire me to grow my hair longer! But, when I see a super-long mane that looks smooth & clean & shiny and fairly full right down to the ends... THAT's when I feel inspired to continue growing and growing and growing...!!!!!!!!
- Ken
I'd love to reach waist-length, but at 6'8" that's a looooong way off for me!
My hair seems to be getting shorter for every year that passes. Been growing for 4½ years now, and it's about the same length as it was at 2 years of growth. The ends get thin, and I get it trimmed, but it doesn't grow out to the same length again.
It really sucks, cause I wanted waist length and I still do.
I'm getting tired of my hair, but I don't want it short, so cutting it isn't an option, I just would like it to get longer.
Maybe I should look into some supplements to my diet?
*Take a Multivitamin evey day.
*Eat atleast 1gram of protein per pound of bodyweight.
Those are the best things you can do in your diet to ensure hair growth isnt being negativly effected.
*DO NOT over consume vitamin A.
Yes, I plan to let it keep growing until it reaches natural length. I didn't start growing with any goals in mind except "the longer, the better". I do have some concern about maintaining the quality, also. At some point, maybe a year from now, I may get a maintenance trim.
David L
I am hoping my terminal length is at least butt length, if I can can grow it longer I will. Right now I can say my hair is still growing and it is close to being waist length. I agree so much with what Ed said about life being too short. I so wish I had started my hair journey many years ago.
Karsten
Hey Jason. I think that belt length is really my final goal as long as my hair stays looking thick and healthy. Even though I'm curious as to how long my hair would grow, I think that it would become more of a problem than a pleasure if my hair was down to my thighs. I certainly admire the guys who grow it that long, but belt length is my final goal.
Del
I am, (such as it is) partly because I have a hunch my terminal length is going to wind up being average to short length compared to others, another foot if I'm lucky.
But I just today introduced another change in my routine--I should have probably started doing this last summer--in which I just let it all fall towards the floor when damp, then a minor amount of arranging before letting it air dry. Before I was doing a lot of finger combing before it dried which caused a bit too much pulling.
Count me in. Ever since my 10th month of growth I had planned to reach terminal. I am now beyond 24 months and have absolutely no intentions of cutting!
I salute (and support) you!
You have your orders... GROW THAT HAIR!
Carol
I'm in it for the long haul...again. When I reached terminal growth last time I wasn't too thrilled with how it was. Now that I've taken better care of my hair (no coloring, etc.) I think it will look better than last time.
If I'm not happy with that, I'll just start all over again. It's fun going through the milestones!
Take care and keep it growin', y'all!
Brett
I'm in it for the long haul...again. When I reached terminal growth last time I wasn't too thrilled with how it was. Now that I've taken better care of my hair (no coloring, etc.) I think it will look better than last time.
If I'm not happy with that, I'll just start all over again. It's fun going through the milestones!
Take care and keep it growin', y'all!
Brett
I'm going for waist length right now - if I achieve that then perhaps I'll go for terminal...
Mogh
Going off what João said, my goal is waist length, but I'm not sure my terminal length will allow for that. However, if it's anything beyond waist, then no.
-James