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Hi, most guys I know with long hair have nicer hair than I do (yes, I am jealous!). I haven't had a hair cut in more than 20 years but my hair does not grow any longer than it has been. The problem I have is that the ends get split and damaged and break off keeping the hair from getting any longer. I do trim about an inch off the very bottom every few months and that is the only thing that helps because by cutting off the damage, it allows the hair to grow a bit longer - but usually the only lenth that grows back is the inch I trimmed off. The other thing I found is a new conditioning hair cleaner called Wen (new spelled backwards). It doesn't lather or have any strong cleaners that can strip or damage hair, it's just a conditioner that also cleans and it works pretty good.
What I would love to know is HOW you guys are able to keep your hair so thick and healthy! Is there any special shampoos or brushes or tricks you know of that help? My hair is nearly to my waist but I want to keep it growing.
Thanks so much!!
Does that wen stuff really work? I saw it and was wondering.
Also, You may be at terminal. But if you wanna attempt more length, use shampoo less, conditioner more, boar bristle brush, and maybe try jojoba oil.
Or, if you're into it, you could get dreads, they can add length because the hair at the end doesn't have to be attached to your head. Just a thought.
Thanks Jarvis but I am not into dreads. I like to try to be as "real" as possible. I am proud of my hair and want it to be mine. I am not sure what you mean by being "at terminal" but my hair length hasn't increased much at all in the past 20 or more years. I am 44 years old and it is definitely long, but I want it to keep growing. A male friend of mine who is my age has hair longer than mine and even if he cuts it off it will be back to nearly it's same length in a year!
As for the Wen, it definitely helps with tangles, and it gives my scalp a nice feeling. I also noticed that when I use it, my hair can go longer between washes and not look "greasy". I recommend it but it is a little bit of a hassle since it has to be put on dampened hair, massaged in for three minutes, then left on for a while before rinsing it out. The longer your hair, the more you need and it is not cheap. I don't use it all the time, but I think I am going to try using it and nothing else for a month and see what happens.
Hi, and welcome to the board :-)
What is meant by terminal is 'the longest your hair can grow'. A strand of hair has an average life span of roughly 6 years, then it will fall out and regrow. Some people are very lucky and have longer terminal lengths than others - either by faster growing hair or a longer lifespan of the hair.
-Aamie
Hi, thanks for the information. That makes sense, maybe that's where I am at now. At least my hair is long now. If it doesn't get any longer, but stays this length, I will be fine with it.
Thanks again!
Actually, dreads are as natural as your hair can be. But yeah, I wasn't expecting dreads to be taken seriously ;) And I like to keep my hair as natural as possible too.
Aamie explained terminal pretty well. Basically, your hair doesnt live forever and everyone has an average that their hair will live and how fast it will grow. hair at the end of its full life is 'terminal'. You may be able to get a little more, but probably not. Hair grows at about a half inch per month for around 6 years for most people. That averages at about 3 feet of hair at terminal length. Some people have much longer, as well as much shorter terminal lengths. As you get older your terminal gets shorter very slowly, which is why I'm glad my current hair growing started when I was 13. But I don't think it decreases anywhere near fast enough to be upset about.
Karen, I use Mane n Tail conditioner only to wash my hair. I get it at Walmart in the pet supplys. It is real cheap for a 32 oz bottle. I use it to leave in.
I think your hair is real pretty in the pic you posted. I would like to see a full length pic of it. I saw an informecial one day on the Wen product.
I tried Mane and Tail shampoo once and didn't like it. You use the conditioner as a shampoo also - to clean your hair? I never tried that but it sounds like the idea behind Wen.
I don't have any good pictures of my hair in my computer right now so I am sending this one taken about 5 years ago. It's still about the same length because it isn't growing. I'll try to get a picture from the back so you can see it better.
Here's a better picture but it is a few years old. My hair still looks pretty much the same even though it isn't quite as thick or full now.
I recently statred using the Boar Bristle brushes and highly recommend them. They are much better at distributing the natural oils your scalp makes for the hair. I have been using Paul Mitchell The Conditioner which can be used as a leave in conditioner (also great for shaving). Recently found a generic version at Sally Beauty supply a lot cheaper and works just as well.
Also, when shorter I shampooed every day, but found as it got longer going every 2 - 3 days worked much better. Using cooler water to wash and rinse also helps.
Good luck to you.
Thanks Charlie, I tried the boar bristle brush once but it was difficult to get it through my hair so I stopped. I will try it again. I also don't shampoo everyday and always use condition. But I also use an anti-frizz gel a little at the sides of my forehead and on top of my head, and a light hair spray overall to keep the frizz down. I don't think that can do much damage and I only use it when the friz is out of control.
I had to try a couple different boar bristle brushes before I found the one that worked well. The first had the bristles spaced too close together and it would just skim the top of my hair due to the thickness. I opted for a round brush, futher apart spaced bristles and works great.
i am in the same boat with you
Birdman :)