I think I hit terminal or am close to it, because im at 3 1/2 years growth now and I don't see a difference since my 3 year update back in March. I mean its either growing very slow now or im close to terminal. It's about mid back now and I want to grow it to my lower back or waist at least. This makes me sad... :( But maybe it will still grow hopefully
I hear you. I've experienced the same thing. The growth slows down a lot. I don't really like very thin ends either so I've decided to trim every six months.
Im thinking about cutting my hair back to shoulder length, that way it will grow out healthier, its about mid back now but I treated my hair like crap the first 1 1/2 years growing it out..IDK yet im thinking about it though. That way if i cut just to shoulder length, it will still be long and it wont take as long to get longer instead of going to completely short. That way im only cutting off the damaged parts and not all.
I've cut mine to sholder length a few times since growing it out from 2000 on. It's halfway down my back again. Maybe cut it just a little past your sholders. You might be glad you kept a little more of it. I always found I was, silly as a few inches may seem beforehand, yet it would make me smile afterward that I did.
Are you trying to grow it longer than mid back or you like it where it is? Also did you hit terminal length as well? Your hair looks great dude
Thank you!!!! Yes, NOW, I'm going for longer than mid back. Now that I figured out how to put it in a bun with a little black bamboo stick from my yard! Heh. When it was just in a ponytail, it would slap me in the face on my construction jobs, then I'd fold it in half, and when it got longer, would still slap me in the face!!!! It would fall out of the elastic through the day too, so I'd just cut it so it wouldn't bother me too much. With the hair stick now, it never bothers me, so I can grow it any length I want now. It needs a little trim - haven't cut it in a year - I'm gonna get 2 inches off. It's a little more than half way down my back, and I'm truly awed by the look and my accomplishment! There's an online site that makes reproduction bone hair sticks for $20 that were worn by the ancient Viking men! They've got bone combs too. I'd like to get one.
Hi Mark, sorry to hear you think terminal length may already have arrived for you.If it were me I'd wait another six months to be absolutely certain.If it looks like its the same length or barely longer then you can decide what length you'd like that looks best based on what your capable of growing.If your ends are really thin and you don't like that then trim it back to where it may look fuller.I hate to suggest trims but maybe in that case it might be worth it.Cheers my friend :)
Mark
Mark, I think it stopped growing because I treated my hair like crap the first year and half to 2 years, I always brushed it while wet in the shower, my diet was poor and I use to drink alot of soda as well. I do not do any of those things anymore. and cutting it back to a shorter length would probably make my hair even grow longer than now I believe. I have been thinking about this for a while actually and I think I will go through with it
Well I can't argue with your reasoning Mark but I would at least leave it semi long and not go wholesale short.Just seems better that way as your hair would still be longish and most people probably wouldn't even notice you got a haircut.Anyway I wish you luck on your new journey:)
Mark
That's what im doing Mark. Im going to leave it semi long, at shoulders or a little past shoulders, that way it will not take that long to grow back :)
Hi Mark
Everyone has a pre-set terminal length (genetics) and this may possibly be yours. But still, 3-1/2 years is alot of long hair!
If it were myself, I would find a particular area and measure it right now. Then in Dec. measure again. This would let you know for sure. If the ends are very thin or wispy a slight "dusting" would be in order after this amount of time to make sure that the ends were blunt and strong. (Also makes for less tangles.)
As I remember, when I finally went for terminal (unfortunately never reached), it appeared to just about look the same even 6 months later.......but it WAS growing.
All the best-
Justin~
Hi Mark,
It seems like for me, I reached 24 inches quickly in about 4 years, and then over the last 2+ years, my hair length* has been gradually approaching 30 inches.
I am sure your length will slowly continue to increase.
You'll find that factors such as diet, general wear-n-tear, stress, body chemistry, etc can affect the ultimate length new hairs that are currently growing will reach.
Happy continued growing!
- Oren
*based on measurement of shed hairs
Mark,
I thought the same thing a while back about mine. Figured my terminal was right about at my belt line, as it seemed like it had stopped growing. So, having pretty much given up on firther growth, I stopped paying attention to the length. Fast forward a while, and now it's down towards the top of my calves. Sometimes the growth sneaks up on you when you're not looking.
Frodo
My experience isn't quite as extreme as yours, Frodo, but I know where you're coming from. I thought I'd hit terminal just below belt length, and that was fine with me, so I stopped paying attention to the length until the day I sat on it! Hair (at least mine) doesn't have a regular growth pattern. It's not a case of growing Xmm every day. It seems to grow quickly at certain times of year and other times there's no noticeable growth.
My advice would be to leave it alone for six months, and if it hasn't grown in that time, chances are it's reached terminal - at least under your current haircare regime. There are things you can do to increase the length it can reach, most of which revolve around protecting the hair. Braids, multi-tailing and buns stop it snagging on things and breaking off. Using oil helps the strands to retain moisture, which means there less brittle and tend not to snap or split. There are a number of things which may help your hair reach its pre-programmed terminal length, so don't give up on it just yet.
rekindle the excitement! get a buzz cut and begin the journey again. j/k.
I say we take off and nuke the site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.
I love that guy on Aliens - i'd have his kids - or just sex - actually prob just sex, kids mess you up.. and he is kind of.. ermmm dunno... anyhoo.. but nawwwww
leave your bloody hair alone and stop being obsessive, give it a chance, how about 6 months?? is that good??