Anyone growing their hair out?

[justjulia]

Is there anybody else trying to grow their hair out right now? I have this very unscientific method of holding up my shortest locks-in the back and bangs-and stretching out my fingers for the length I need to add to get it to fit into a ponytail-then pull it away to "look" and figure about how many inches that is...then figure 1/2 inch growth is expected every month and project how long it will take to get it that long...(any of you do that or am I just nuts?) I figure I have about 6 months to go (maybe 10 for the front). My stylist can''t believe I''m not giving in to a shorter cut, but I''m determined to make it. I really want to have my hair up with my earrings. I had it long before and kept it in a bun-and I miss that (well the look, not necessarily the fuss--but I found out that short hair takes maintenance, too- you can''t sleep on wet short hair w/o waking up to look like a bad Elvis).. Anyway, if you have any advice for growing hair out-I''d appreciate it! I am getting little trims and recently some highlights...so maybe I can weather this out..I sure hope so.

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 7/20/2006 6:16:22 AM
Author:justjulia
Is there anybody else trying to grow their hair out right now? I have this very unscientific method of holding up my shortest locks-in the back and bangs-and stretching out my fingers for the length I need to add to get it to fit into a ponytail-then pull it away to ''look'' and figure about how many inches that is...then figure 1/2 inch growth is expected every month and project how long it will take to get it that long...(any of you do that or am I just nuts?) I figure I have about 6 months to go (maybe 10 for the front). My stylist can''t believe I''m not giving in to a shorter cut, but I''m determined to make it. I really want to have my hair up with my earrings. I had it long before and kept it in a bun-and I miss that (well the look, not necessarily the fuss--but I found out that short hair takes maintenance, too- you can''t sleep on wet short hair w/o waking up to look like a bad Elvis).. Anyway, if you have any advice for growing hair out-I''d appreciate it! I am getting little trims and recently some highlights...so maybe I can weather this out..I sure hope so.

I know what I used to do (I''ve had one length hair for years now... bangs and I don''t do well lol) Anyway... what I would do is the shortest hair I would allow to grow but I''d keep the back *short* and the sides pretty short and kind of let it all catch up before just growing it out... by doing that you can create layers and wedges etc. - the trick is just not cutting the *shortest* hair and allowing more and more hair to be caught up... to just grow it all out in one fell swoop always left me with pretty straggly hair... at least if the back/sides are short while the top grows, you can get some really cute styles and then just grow it all out at once.

 

[Lorelei]

I had a one length bob for some time so know what a pain it can be to grow out bangs. Get regular trims so that the distance the bangs and the longest part of your hair has to meet it.

 

[ladykemma]

I have hair to my waist. was to my hips but I cut some off.

grow out your layers to shoulder length bob. then (deep breath) don''t cut for six months. Get a 1 INCH TRIM. Straight across, not a U. Break throught the brainwashing that you have to have a trim every 6 weeks. It''s a lie to keep hairdressers in business.

then every six months get a 0.5 - 1 inch trim straight across. No blow frying, no straightening. treat like antique lace. Use hair sticks. Think laura ingalls wilder. Put it up.

The Long Hair Community is a neat (Non fetish) fun website for growing long hair. What works for me might not work for you. Have fun.

 

[Starset]

Have you seen that diet coke commercial where the woman walks into a man''s barber shop off the street and requests the 1950''s men''s supershort hairdo? That''s what I used to have and I spiked it in different directions. One year later I haven''t reached that shoulder length bob yet. My hair is so fine, I got a gentle perm to give it some body and distract the multitude of layers going on. Right now I look like ''Baby'' from Dirty Dancing. I''m trying to be patient but I think my hair grows 1/2" every three months or I just haven''t given it enough credit considering how short it started. I''ve been told before to take prenatal vitamins but never have. Especially with this hot weather I sometimes think about just whacking it off again. But then I remember the bun and how much I like the way my face looks with all my hair swept off my face - no bangs.

 

[asscherisme]

I agree with ladykemma, most people do not need trim every 6 weeks!

I have long hair too. Not as long as hers, but about 8 inches past my shoulders. I only get it trimmed about every 4-5 months simply because its hard to find the time.

And my hair looks very healthy!

I am just about growing out my bands. Last time I had them cut into bands was a year ago June. When I decided to cut them out, guess what, I did not have them trimmed once. Then just las tweek, I had my hairdresser trim about 1.2 inch off the bottom to make the ends clean. They are not as long s the rest of my hair but after a year just below my chin.

I think longer hair is much less work than short hair. I had short hair years and years ago and it was such high maintence!

Oh, and I hear ya about the earrings and hair up. I love to wear earrings with my hair pulled back. Reall shows them off and looks so elegant!

 

[ammayernyc]

Although it''s freaking me out a little, I''m growing my hair out really long so I can donate it to charity. I haven''t decided which place yet, so far I''ve researched Lockes of Love and the one through Pantene. I know when my mom had chemo and had to wear a wig, there was such a difference between synthetic and human hair wigs. I''m a little nervous about having short hair so I''m trying to enusre that even when the 10 inches are cut off, my hair will still be at a normal length.

 

[blodthecat]

My hair was very long, then I went and had it chopped off.

I am currently growing it back again, but it is neither one thing or the other at the moment. This is the time when you are most likely to give in and have it cut again, but you''ve gotta stick with it.

Blod

 

[sumbride]

Vitamins definitely help, but don''t take prenatal vitamins unless you are pregnant. Way too much iron for the average woman. I use Flintstones. Yes, really, Flintstones. They have biotin which is the key ingredient for hair. My hair grows faster than average, about an inch a month, and I only get a trim once a quarter, mainly because that''s when my highlights have to be touched up. I used to have super long hair, not as long as Lady Kemma''s, but close. I cut it off to just below my chin in December then again in February but have decided to grow it out again. It hasn''t been cut since February and I don''t see a single split end. It''s about 2 inches or so below my shoulders now. I''m not growing it out as long as it was, but I think it would be nice to have long hair for my wedding. Plus it is just easier and my guy prefers it long.

Good luck! and definitely don''t cut it every 6 weeks!

 

[robbie3982]

Not a single split end after 5 months?!?! I need to get some of those flinstone vitamins! I swear I get split ends about 2 weeks after I get a haircut. My hair''s about halfway down my back right now when it''s straight, but I''d like it to be to my elbows when it''s curly (it''s naturally curly) so I''ve got a long way to go. I usually go with a haircut only when I notice that my split ends are really bad and it''s getting difficult to brush through it without ripping it. It''s usually anywhere from 3-6 months. I think I did go about a year without getting it cut a few times, though. Recently I started trying to cut my hair more often because I wanted it to be healthier and I feel like it''s not growing at all now! It must be that I''m just cutting away everything that''s growing. I think the key to growing hair out is definitely waiting a lot longer between cuts.

 

[rainbowtrout]

Date: 7/20/2006 8:23:42 AM
Author: ladykemma
I have hair to my waist. was to my hips but I cut some off.


grow out your layers to shoulder length bob. then (deep breath) don''t cut for six months. Get a 1 INCH TRIM. Straight across, not a U. Break throught the brainwashing that you have to have a trim every 6 weeks. It''s a lie to keep hairdressers in business.


then every six months get a 0.5 - 1 inch trim straight across. No blow frying, no straightening. treat like antique lace. Use hair sticks. Think laura ingalls wilder. Put it up.


The Long Hair Community is a neat (Non fetish) fun website for growing long hair. What works for me might not work for you. Have fun.

This is exactly what I did when I had hair that length. Worked like a charm. I am trying to grow out again now because I kept having dreams where it was long and I missed it.

My stepmother keeps saying she thinks I have a thin patch on my forehead and on the back of my head because my old hair was too heavy and pulled it down. I don''t think so because my dad has always had these spots too (not baldness, just spots that are a little thinner). Thoughts?

 

[Lorelei]

I agree with Lady K, by regular trims about every 10 - 12 weeks or so is plenty. You need to do this so that you feel you are getting somewhere with the distance between the bangs and the rest of your hair getting closer, so you can see the progress you are making. Six week trims is overkill in my opinion, only necessary if you have a ''sharp and precise'' haircut that needs shaping often. The one length bob is a good idea too as a starting point. Also it sounds awful

but I never ever brush my hair. It is long and naturally wavy and also coloured. I started to get some breakage a while back and realized that brushing my mop was doing it. So now what I do is condition it really well, the comb it through carefully with a wide tooth comb when I wash it, then just run my fingers through it in between. Most of the time I shove it up anyway to get it out of the way and only blow dry it and straighten it if we are going out. You wouldn''t believe the difference this has made to my hair''s condition from stopping the ''100 strokes of the brush at bedtime'' as I was brainwashed to do! Losing the brush was hard, but it has made a world of difference.

 

[larussel03]

I''m growing my hair out from really really short to long. I''m sick of short hair, I''ve had it forever, but I hate waiting and I feel like it''s never making progress. esp when I go for trims and the hairdresser decides to cut off all my growth, even tho I specify to not take length off, just make it not mulletish

 

[Lorelei]

What are Flintstones? Not the cartoon I take it!?!

 

[MINE!!]

defintely flinstone vitamins. Take 2 everyday and that will help with everything... you skin. hair, energy. My ahir was shoet like that commercial too.... it was the in between stages that drove me NUTS. I have pretty long hair now, but it stays up in the summer.

DON'T brush your hair when it is wet. This causes breakage and split ends, COMB it and use plenty of conditioner to make it easy to comb.

Never rinse it with hot hot water. I would suggest washing it with your reg temp shower water and rinsing it with "cool" water.

AmandaPanda. My youngest daughter did the Lockes for Love thing. It was really sweet. The drama was seeing how short it was after they cut.. UGH... I would suggest growing it out about 4-5 additional inches after the required amount and when they braid it and cut it, make sure to remind them TO ONLY take the required amount. Just a suggestion.

ETA~ Exactly like the cartoon actually... they are "kid" vitamins... adults just take a extra dose.. ie two instead of 1.

 

[Dee*Jay]

After many years of short hair (1-2 inches) I have finally grown out to shoulder length bob with bangs. Don''t know where I''m going to stop. My inclination was to keep it around this length but just another inch or two and I could actually have a ponytail where all the little pieces in the back didn''t fall out...

 

[robbie3982]

Date: 7/20/2006 10:12:44 AM
Author: Lorelei
What are Flintstones? Not the cartoon I take it!?!

They''re the chewable flavored vitamins for little kids that are based on the cartoon. I wasn''t allowed to have them when I was little

, but no one can keep me from having them now! (My mom made me take centrum jr.)

 

[Lorelei]

Thanks Robbie! I will have to look out for those - bored with Centrum!

Out of interest, biotin is very important for healthy hoof growth in horses, my boys have an apple flavoured supplement which is very expensive, to keep their feet in top shape. It is good stuff!

 

[justjulia]

Wow, thanks y''all. It''s funny you mentioned the vitamin thing. I was watching qvc last night and saw the Dr. Taub vitamins and thought about that. I used to take vitamins-but then stopped. I always worry about taking too much or too little of one or another-I gave up. Has anyone tried Taub''s Nature''s Code vitamins?
Well, at this point I can sort of get all my hair up, if I use two baretts on the upper sides and one in the back, with an elastic band holding the pony tail. Not too terrifically professional looking, so I haven''t worn it to work that way. Mine looks a lot like "Baby," too. --Especially since I got this wild idea to have a gentle (?) perm put in a few months ago, thinking it would help what I had stay up better. I just have to leave the doggone stuff alone! I''m going to take the advice and not get it trimmed for a good while (and condition the heck out of it).

 

[sumbride]

I started taking Flintstones about 6 years ago when I was shopping for vitamins and held up the labels of Centrum and Flintstones next to each other. They were almost identical... Flintstones had more biotin and more Vitamin C! And it was $2 cheaper! And they were chewable so I would actually like taking them. I''ve since converted several other people, including my hair stylist. Love my Flintstones!

 

[justjulia]

Well, I have to agree that chewable is the way to go. I put dh and myself on Centrum a couple of yrs ago, but they upset my stomach. Then I found that they had a chewable, and we did it for a while. I will have to look into the Finstones--sounds like a good deal and easy to find.

 

[rainbowtrout]

are there specific biotin supplements for humans?

 

[justjulia]

I swear I can spell! I hate this wireless keyboard! It''s Flintstones!

 

[justjulia]

I can''t wait to be able to french braid w/o all the stragglies. Another style l love is the look of the character "Elaine" on Seinfeld. Sigh. I just have to be p a t i e n t.

 

[Mara]

no i finally chopped most of it off early this year...i was so tired of the long hair i never did a thing with!! i think i liked the 'idea' of long hair because it makes you look younger and it's so sexy to be flippin' it around, etc etc but if you don't do anything with it and just put it back or up all the time like i did, it's like what is the point?!! plus one of my pet peeves is long straight flat hair..and mine would get so heavy it would drag down and make me look like pocahantas or something.

so now it's short, layered, and flippy above shoulder length and i may even take it shorter next cut. my hair grows like a weed in general so i have to go in every 6-8 weeks for highlights and trims, it can be expensive! argh!

 

[poptart]

Date: 7/20/2006 10:00:45 AM
Author: robbie3982
Not a single split end after 5 months?!?! I need to get some of those flinstone vitamins! I swear I get split ends about 2 weeks after I get a haircut. My hair''s about halfway down my back right now when it''s straight, but I''d like it to be to my elbows when it''s curly (it''s naturally curly) so I''ve got a long way to go. I usually go with a haircut only when I notice that my split ends are really bad and it''s getting difficult to brush through it without ripping it. It''s usually anywhere from 3-6 months. I think I did go about a year without getting it cut a few times, though. Recently I started trying to cut my hair more often because I wanted it to be healthier and I feel like it''s not growing at all now! It must be that I''m just cutting away everything that''s growing. I think the key to growing hair out is definitely waiting a lot longer between cuts.

It sounds like you and I may be in the same boat. It''s fun to look at my hair when it''s wet and halfway down my back... and then it springs up to about two inches below the shoulder. I think my hair has just refused to grow anymore, and that makes me sad. I need to get those vitamins to... I would love for my hair to be as long as Lady Kemma''s.

 

[snlee]

I've been growing me hair out for the last year or so for the wedding. It's down to about my mid-back now. I don't do anything special to it.

I can't wait to chop it off after the wedding! I prefer shoulder length. It's bearable right now but a couple weeks ago it was driving me insane!

 

[sumbride]

Date: 7/20/2006 10:09:50 AM
Author: Lorelei
Also it sounds awful

but I never ever brush my hair. It is long and naturally wavy and also coloured. I started to get some breakage a while back and realized that brushing my mop was doing it. So now what I do is condition it really well, the comb it through carefully with a wide tooth comb when I wash it, then just run my fingers through it in between. Most of the time I shove it up anyway to get it out of the way and only blow dry it and straighten it if we are going out. You wouldn''t believe the difference this has made to my hair''s condition from stopping the ''100 strokes of the brush at bedtime'' as I was brainwashed to do! Losing the brush was hard, but it has made a world of difference.

I completely agree with this. If you have curly hair, the brush is not good for it. Curly hair is more prone to damage, so comb it when wet and then finger style. I don''t have curly hair, mine is straight and fine, so I use the comb when it is wet and brush it once when it is dry. Overbrushing is damaging. I try not to use blowdryers in summer because I don''t like the heat and it isn''t good for my hair, but in the winter I don''t have much choice because it''s so cold outside!

 

[justjulia]

I''ve ditched my brush for a wide toothed comb and I love it. The last 2 days or so, I pulled out my hot curlers and have been doing that in the morning. I think it makes it look a little smoother. I don''t blow dry- my hair is so thick it takes too long. The more I think about it, the more I think my hair is looking like Harrison Ford''s replica lover in "Bladerunner." Remember that?

 

[Gypsy]

This is funny... yes, I grew out my hair just this year. I had some bangs and my whole hair cut was layered and 70''s Charlie''s Angels. It was a pain but I wore by shortest bangs clipped up on top of my head with my hair half up/ half down until it was pony length and then at work I wore it back in nice clips or buns or chignons. Now it''s just about right. Still layered but well.. longer and less tight. But my hair grows fairly fast. I get about 3/4 of an inch a month.