new thread
Hello fellow long haired!
It's been very long since I posted here, but be sure I check in every day to see how everyone is doing! I'm happy to see there are so many new people around and that the people from back ago are still growing their hair long!
I too, haven't stopped my journey so far, and I don't intend to. Long hair has become a natural for me, and I really love having it long, so nothing changed on that matter.
Still, recently I have been very worried about my hair, because my ends are getting thinner. I notice this speccialy in my braid. Take a look:
My thickness seems to be regular up to half of my braid, but then it tapers very fast. What frightens me is that I don't know why this happens. The fact is that I still have layers that have never been cut, so they are very thin (specially the hair from the top of my head). I have trimmed my hair about 7 to 8 times in a 5 year period (yes, next month will be my 5th year mark), and I don't know if my trimming more in the future will make my braid fuller. I am very close to my goal of butt lenght now, and my plan is actually to avoid trimming by all means next year and try to get there fast, because I really want to start a trimming journey afterwards!
So what do you guys think? I have been really down about this, as I'm finding really dificult to understand what's going to happen, and if I should cut some lenght to heal it or if it will just grow all out and get full by itself...
Help me =S
Thank's for reading and sorry for the little rant =P Thank's ^^
Oi, Joao,
Your braid looks great, of course, and it is so good to see your post today. I think you have nothing to worry about. Remember that all your strands of hair will not reach terminal length at the same time. On the link below, on Bill Choisser's page, there is a diagram that explains that. There are very few of us who do not experience some tapering off of the amount of hair as it reaches very long lengths like yours. I do not think you need to cut any hair or have any concern.
I hope all is well in Portugal and that your family is well too.
Ate logo, Matt B.
Hi Joao,
Good to see you, man. I've been away for quite a bit, too. Got in a 7375-mile road trip even. Took a month!
You are probably approaching terminal length. Hey, it happens to the best of us! The only way to be sure is to quit all trimming and see if your hair gets any longer. Tapering of a braid is usually a telltale sign that you're in the neighborhood, though.
When you do reach terminal length, think of it not as having reached a road block, but as having reached the end of a long journey. Think of it as graduation!
Bill
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I agreee with Bill. It appears to me that you are nearing terminal length.
You may be able to lengthen your growing cycle a bit with dietary supplements. I take MSM and biotin. You may want to try these to get a few extra centimeters of length.
Scott
Hi João,
Great to see you here. Your braid is so incredibly thick higher up that it's only natural that it would lose some thickness when it gets to the very long length you have reached. As the others have said, taper is indicative that you might be nearing terminal length.
I would suggest just a very small trim (1/2 inch) to make sure your ends are fresh and then see what happens. I think it's quite likely you could still gain some length before hitting absolute terminal length.
Jason
Gosh... near terminal?? I can't believe it...
But wait... Isn't hair supose to slow down it's growth before hitting terminal lenght? My hair has grown the average 1,5 cm as always, and it keeps this rate nowadays.
I don't get it... Gosh I'm feeling quite depressed now... ='(
Aww. Don't be depressed. It just means you're a human being. For 98% of us, terminal length is about waist or so. Regardless, you have awesome hair, some of the best I've ever seen.
If you are reaching terminal, thats still some kick ass hair youve got there. I cant wait for mine to get to that length. (im at about 2 and a half years right now)
Also, it might just be the natural layers. When I put my hair in a braid it does the same thing.
Hey man ! Don't be so sad ! EVEN IF you're at terminal length, and I guess you aren't because you're growing your hair since *only* 5 years which is not a lot, worrying won't improve your length ! So, keep cool, keep your routine, and see what happens.
Anyway, glad to hear about you, and thanks for the update !
Vivien
I don't know about the hair growth termination bit but your hair will probably grow longer
Birdman
Welcome back! I've seen your old posts in the archive. :D (Except the pics since they were hosted on a site wich doesnt work anymore) but I visited your website.
No need to be sad if you're reaching terminal lenght, your hair is really amazing, so long and healthy. Think about bald guys, how much they must be envious! Just relax and good luck with your journey, if it's over or if it's not.
-Andrea
It seems that you may be reaching terminal length for some of your hair, but not necessarily all of it.
Terminal length is less than a foot (12 inches) for hair on the top of my head, but more than 18 inches for hair on the back of my head.
In such a case, the braid will get narrower, but may keep going for a while as a narrow braid until terminal length is reached for all of your hair.
Hi João,
It's so great to see you posting again and I hope all is well with you my friend.
I certainly would not worry about it and if you hair is nearing terminal length there is not alot you can do, but then again it may not and not all of us can attain the length of Danny Cecati. I would just leave it grow for another year and see how it goes and you many be pleasantly surprised.
None of us really know how our hair is going to turn out when we start our longhair journeys but you certainly have one amazing head of hair there and certainly in great condition and also very thick.
Keep it growing.
Cheers,
John.B
Judging by your photo from last month. You are nowhere near max-length.. Don't sweat it..!
Yes, that's what I tought, my hair, when loose, still seems to full in the ends to be nearing terminal... At least I never seen any terminal lenght hair that wasn't very thin when loose, almost fairytaly...
I guess I shouldn't worry =)
Look at these terminal locks then.
Thank's guys for the input...
I guess I will just let it grow and see what happens. I don't really believe I'm too close to terminal yet. I do believe I can get to classic lenght, and then I only hope I can make my ends thick trough trims...
I have been browsing some old pictures and I always had a certain taper to my braid, varying from month to month. Let's only hope this will pass by...
Either ways, you're right that I already have a lot of lenght which I should be (and I am) proud of, and happy for.
So I am just going to try and relax, which is the best thing one can do for its hair...
Thank's guys =)
Looks like my hair! It still grows, though. Not very fast, but it grows. This time last year it was around my waist, and I think it might hit tailbone length by Xmas. If it doesn't, I still think it will get there eventually. It's tapered like yours, though, and I can almost count the hairs at the end, but oh well. If it gets to where those last few hairs are long enough to sit on, maybe around 2011, then I'll get a trim. Patience.
Hi Joao,
Well I know I'm a bit late getting in here to add my two cents but better late than never.First off your hair is absolutely tremendous as I know you are pleased with what you so far have achieved.Like you I'd love to see my own hair growing longer by leaps and bounds but I'm starting to realize I may be tapped out.Soon I will post a new pic showing my current length compared with a similar picture I took last summer.It will sort of confirm if I have actually reached terminal.If I have, then I'll be happy that I've made it as a longhair and will just care for it to keep it nice.Also I feel fortunate that my hair isn't thinning on my head.Whenever you do finally reach terminal you can look back on all those exciting years you spent admiring your progress as your hair got longer and longer.Be well my friend and thanks for the update:)Cheers
Mark
Every braid thins out as it goes down. You have many hairs at different stages of their growth cycle, ranging from a few millimetres all the way to waist length. Most of them are not as long as your longest hairs, so your braid will begin to look thinner from about halfway down towards the end. The only way you can have a braid which is almost the same thickness all the way down is to cut it well above the length of your longest hairs.
If you still have a significant increase in length every month, chances are you're nowhere near terminal length, so stop worrying and just enjoy your hair.
Viking
I think I can safly say that I don't have a hair currently on my head that has ever been cut. It's been 11 years since I gave the ole scissors the boot. I couldn't find a pic of me with just one braid for comparison so you'll have to suffer with a side shot of a double braid. but notice how it's gradually thinning as it gets closer and closer to the ends. Like you it seems to be pretty consistant thicknesswise until about the halfway point. So, based on what you descirbed I have to say you are doing just fine and your hair is doing exactly as nature planned.
Daniel
Hi João!
Good to hear from you!
I think your braid looks as healthy as one could ever ask for.
I have yet to see anyone who has thick hair like yours, who can maintain same thickness from nape to tailbone.
Perfectly natural - nothing to lose sleep over.
- Oren
Heck you have very litle to worry about, I wish my hair is long as yours
Birdman