Why is it that we don't grow our hair to termininal length as much?

[Neith]

I was on another "white" hair board and noticed that a good percentage of the members had hair to their butt and lower. Not the majority, but a fairly high percentage.

Why don't we grow our hair that long?

Is it a question of manageability?

A thigh length head of type 1 is A LOT to handle. A thigh length head of 4b hair? Yikes! But I'd still say it's doable. You may need two full bottles of deep conditioner each wash day but it's doable.

I'm sure we can grow our hair just as long as they can, but it seems that more of us maintain a certain length and don't allow it to grow to it's terminal length.

I think I may have to try growing out my hair out to looooooong lengths. Can you imagine how beautiful a very long head of kinky hair would look?

What are your thoughts?
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[BeautifulFlower]

It could be managability. It could be because most of the ladies on here that have long hair stop at waist length and until most of those ladies push pass that length, we wont aspire past that length. It could be lack of confidence that you can actually have hair that long.

I know I am going to get to waist length, maintain there until its almost blunt, then let it grow tailbone, maintain until blunt, and then hip, then maintain....you get the picture.

Why stop?

My hair wont stop growing so why should I stop allowing it to reach whatever length it wants to get to?

I wont deny my hair that freedom.

 

[MizAvalon]

Lack of knowledge and poor hair care practices.

Most black women won't get anywhere near their terminal length ever in their lives. When I hear 40 and 50 year old women saying that their hair has never been longer than SL or APL...

 

[JustKiya]

I fully plan on growing my hair to terminal - my personal goal is to never cut my hair again!

I think it's more about the daily maintenance. By the time your hair is thigh length, your ends are at LEAST 5 years old (if not older). That's a lot of wear, tear, and just plain old abuse those ends have gone through. If you don't treat you hair like a priceless treasure, every day of those five years, by the time you hit five years, you won't HAVE those original ends anymore.

That's one of the reasons I'm so - meh - about using heat on my hair. Yeah, once might not cause any damage I can see when I wash my hair again, but what damage have I done that will accelerate the damage that age alone causes?

My hair is curly, dry, and fine. Time alone will deal me more damage than I can make up for (though, let me get my hands on some ceramides with no cones, and me and Mr. Time might be neck and neck!) - I really don't need to add ANY sort of damage on top of it. Shoot, it's the reason I spent 90 bucks for three seamless combs - reduce the incremental damage, increase the lifespan of my ends.

 

[ajacks]

Hmm... I don't know, good question but how do you know if you reached your terminal length? I hear a lot of people state they are stuck at a certain length and I wonder if maybe that is just there terminal length. I know that SL is very unlikely the terminal length, but what about APL? or BSL? Just wondering

 

[jerjer29]

i think some women are more on here trying to learn how to nurse their hair back to health or are just now trying to grow their hair out. Sure there are some ladies here who are almost waist length but i think there's a good amount of members who are shoulder length and shorter trying to figure how to do their hair all together.

but i plan on growing my hair as long as it can go.

 

[gradygirl]

Although I am curious as to what my terminal length would be, I know I would not want to maintain my hair at a length any longer than brastrap. I think it would be just too much work for me personally.

 

[jamaraa]

Actually plenty of Black people do...w/ DREAD LOCKS. People need to neevr forget that people of African texture can grow hair to absurd lengths...look at dreads and see the answers to how. I honestly think most people of any race in the West DO NOT seek hair this long...it's impractical for most people. However the fact that most of the Blacks w/ this length of hair do so in dreads and not loose points to the issue of manageability for most.

As for Western people, there's the issue of cutting and styles, let's not forget that. Most Western styles favor shorter hair. That's why few people go past a certain length even if they can...it's CHOICE.

The whole thing about long hair is really deep...those who have or had it are fairly indifferent, those who haven't and seek it are so pressed. The truth is, when hair reaches a certain length and longer, managebility becomes an issue, esp. for African textured hair. You have to give up style for length...this is the plain truth.

Like JustKiya I never plan on cutting my hair again and haven't in more years than I'll admit. I have no idea how long my hair is either...shrug.

 

[joib]

I may never know what my terminal length is because I plan to stop 5" after wl. Anything longer then that would be too much for me to take care of. Maybe I will change my mind when I get their.

 

[Neith]

Actually plenty of Black people do...w/ DREAD LOCKS. I honestly think most people of any race in the West seek hair this long...it's impractical for most people. However the fact that most of the Blacks w/ this length of hair do so in dread points to the issue of manageability.

As for Western people, there's the issue of cutting and styles, let's not forget that. Most Western styles favor shorter hair. That's why few people go past a certain length even if they can...it's CHOICE.

The whole thing about long hair is really deep...those who have or had it are fairly indifferent, those who haven't and seek it are so pressed. The truth is, when hair reaches a certain length and longer, managebility becomes an issue, esp. for African textured hair. You have to give up style for length...this is the plain truth.

Like JustKiya I never plan on cutting my hair again and haven't in more years than I'll admit. I have no idea how long my hair is either...shrug.

That's true, I even grew up with neighbors who all had long dreds. I'm talking to the floor literally. The shortest was thigh length.

I just don't see it with loose hair that often. There are a few hip length members here and there was that little girl on youtube.

I don't shed much hair, so it really got me thinking... just how long CAN it grow?

I think that our texture can help and hurt us in the extreme lengths. My hair shrinks up so much that below the butt length would look like MBL If it were all natural, probably BSL... no joke!

There's a lot more tangling and detangling would probably be time consuming and hellish , but dealing with the actual length would be easier.
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[Cichelle]

I will most likely grow my hair to terminal. Remember, people with curly hair will show less length because of shrinkage. There are people here with waist, hip, tailbone, etc, but when dry it may not look like it. Having said that, some people don't want to deal with the maintenance. It can be a lot, depending on what you do with it. For me, besides the issue of tangles, it's easier to maintain long hair because it's just a matter of washing, detangling and putting in an updo. I have to admit that if I fingercomb, comb or brush my hair when dry, besides it not being great for my hair, the result is HUGE.

 

[jamaraa]

Neith You can probably do it very easily. If you don't shed much (I shed alot..LOL at least it FEELS that way to me) it'll probably be easier for you, but as I said I don't know my length even w/ my shedage. Of course, as you point out, shrinkage hides length and frankly many of the naturals who have MBL and longer here are actually sit on or even thigh length. LOL...African hair is magical, it doesn't show it's hand easily. the truth of the length will only show if the hair is straightened. Many people actually have it already..even loose. Natural African hair is AT LEAST 2-3x the length it shows, but it can be 4-5 times as long, no joke.

The dread heads have ABSURD lengths...the African texture hides it....when they're taken out and straightened...goodness! (For people who don't know here, yes even "mature" dreads can be unraveled w/ little- no change in the length).

I think it can be done w/ loose hair..but that loose hair is almost never "out". We just see it more often in dreads cuz many times they hang freely, but loosies can do it too, even relaxed heads.

 

[jamaraa]

BTW, there are at least TWO posters on this site w/ pics of their little girls in their sig. Both of them have at least waist and possibly thigh length if straightened. One little girl is 3 years old and the other is about 6-8 years. The posters are Blessed_Angel and Cat Eyes.

 

[Christelyn]

I fully plan on growing my hair to terminal - my personal goal is to never cut my hair again!

I think it's more about the daily maintenance. By the time your hair is thigh length, your ends are at LEAST 5 years old (if not older). That's a lot of wear, tear, and just plain old abuse those ends have gone through. If you don't treat you hair like a priceless treasure, every day of those five years, by the time you hit five years, you won't HAVE those original ends anymore.

That's one of the reasons I'm so - meh - about using heat on my hair. Yeah, once might not cause any damage I can see when I wash my hair again, but what damage have I done that will accelerate the damage that age alone causes?

My hair is curly, dry, and fine. Time alone will deal me more damage than I can make up for (though, let me get my hands on some ceramides with no cones, and me and Mr. Time might be neck and neck!) - I really don't need to add ANY sort of damage on top of it. Shoot, it's the reason I spent 90 bucks for three seamless combs - reduce the incremental damage, increase the lifespan of my ends.

Sorry if off-topic, but where did you get those seamless combs?

 

[jamaraa]

Sorry if off-topic, but where did you get those seamless combs?

I just bought some off Ebay for $1 apiece (before shipping) to give to my family members. You want to search both "horn" and "bone" combs cuz they're the same thing and it might be cheaper under one of the names.

 

[charmtreese]

IMO the reason most women with type 4 hair do not grow it to terminal length is because it's harder to retain. Even with the best care type 4 hair may still have more breakage then the other hair types. Not to say it cant be done! I do not put any limitations on my hair...at the same time I try to remain encourage, even if Im not retaining as much length as fast as another hair type.

 

[DMJ's Mom]

As far as me growing my hair to terminal length...after a certain length I dont find long hair attractive anymore. I tend to keep mine at APL but anything past MBL I can't say I'm a fan of.

 

[JustKiya]

Actually plenty of Black people do...w/ DREAD LOCKS. People need to neevr forget that people of African texture can grow hair to absurd lengths...look at dreads and see the answers to how. I honestly think most people of any race in the West DO NOT seek hair this long...it's impractical for most people. However the fact that most of the Blacks w/ this length of hair do so in dreads and not loose points to the issue of manageability for most.

As for Western people, there's the issue of cutting and styles, let's not forget that. Most Western styles favor shorter hair. That's why few people go past a certain length even if they can...it's CHOICE.

The whole thing about long hair is really deep...those who have or had it are fairly indifferent, those who haven't and seek it are so pressed. The truth is, when hair reaches a certain length and longer, managebility becomes an issue, esp. for African textured hair. You have to give up style for length...this is the plain truth.

Like JustKiya I never plan on cutting my hair again and haven't in more years than I'll admit. I have no idea how long my hair is either...shrug.

Oooh, excellent point! Tsktsk - being a former dreadhead, I should be shamed for forgetting about those with locks.

The style vs. length arguement is always an interesting one for me - I figure I'm going to give up doing stuff to my hair (bobs/cuts/colors/etc) and instead start doing stuff with my hair (updos/elaborate braids/buns). Plus, with long hair, there is a HUGE world of hair toys that opens up - I'll trade Rihanna latest cut for a couple of Ketylo's and enough hair to righteously display them in any day of the week.

For me, besides the issue of tangles, it's easier to maintain long hair because it's just a matter of washing, detangling and putting in an updo. I have to admit that if I fingercomb, comb or brush my hair when dry, besides it not being great for my hair, the result is HUGE.

Exactly. My hair isn't that long, but even still, the longer it gets, the easier it is to manage, for me. I can't WAIT til I can do a single stretched bun (even if it's made out of one huge two strand twist in order to keep my hair 'stabilized') - it'll make my hair handling soooooooooooo much easier.

Sorry if off-topic, but where did you get those seamless combs?

e-bay, actually. I had already had a set of the horn combs, and while they were seamless, they also started flaking after being exposed to dampness for *thinks* a little over a year, and having a bomb comb with sharp little edges lifted up all over it - not a good look. And, I refuse (and cannot, period) give up detangling my hair wet.

So, I broke down and got a set of Mason Pearson combs. Outrageously expensive, but perfectly seamless, and in my (terminal aspiring) mind, absolutely worth it. They are made out of some resin that starts with a z (zyle or zyl, maybe), really pretty, and perfectly seamfree. I hug them, and love them, and call them George.

 

[Eclass215]

I know I personally do not want hair that long because I don't want to have to manage it. Can't say that's everybody's reason, but if I had hair down to my hip, it would probably weigh me down too much.

 

[MizAvalon]

^^^JustKiya, what is a single stretched bun?

Those Mason Pearson combs sound very interesting. Might have to look into those.

 

[Irresistible]

Oooh, excellent point! Tsktsk - being a former dreadhead, I should be shamed for forgetting about those with locks.

The style vs. length arguement is always an interesting one for me - I figure I'm going to give up doing stuff to my hair (bobs/cuts/colors/etc) and instead start doing stuff with my hair (updos/elaborate braids/buns). Plus, with long hair, there is a HUGE world of hair toys that opens up - I'll trade Rihanna latest cut for a couple of Ketylo's and enough hair to righteously display them in any day of the week.



Exactly. My hair isn't that long, but even still, the longer it gets, the easier it is to manage, for me. I can't WAIT til I can do a single stretched bun (even if it's made out of one huge two strand twist in order to keep my hair 'stabilized') - it'll make my hair handling soooooooooooo much easier.



e-bay, actually. I had already had a set of the horn combs, and while they were seamless, they also started flaking after being exposed to dampness for *thinks* a little over a year, and having a bomb comb with sharp little edges lifted up all over it - not a good look. And, I refuse (and cannot, period) give up detangling my hair wet.

So, I broke down and got a set of Mason Pearson combs. Outrageously expensive, but perfectly seamless, and in my (terminal aspiring) mind, absolutely worth it. They are made out of some resin that starts with a z (zyle or zyl, maybe), really pretty, and perfectly seamfree. I hug them, and love them, and call them George.

GIRL UR SO CRAZY! I almost spit my soda out , I didnt see that last part coming :rofl3:

 

[JustKiya]

^^^JustKiya, what is a single stretched bun?

Those Mason Pearson combs sound very interesting. Might have to look into those.

Heh, okay. I'm going to preface this with the clarification that all of this relates to MY hair, and my hair only.
My hair has three main 'states' - shrunken, stretched, and straight. I consider stretched to be dry hair that has been either banded, airdried in braids, and/or blowdried.

Right now, I can't do even a single shrunken bun - my hair isn't long enough when shrunken to do anything but sit there and be pretty and tangled.

I can do *thinks* about 3 stretched buns. More accurately, I have to do about 3, because my hair isn't long enough to make fewer than that and still have enough hair left to make an actual 'bun' .

I've no clue how many straight buns I could make - and besides, if I ever do straighten my hair, I'm most certainly not going to bun it up.

Stretched is the state I try to keep my hair in most of the time, because fully shrunken = tangles galore, for me.

So. Once my hair is long enough to do a single stretched bun, I'll be most thrilled.

GIRL UR SO CRAZY! I almost spit my soda out , I didnt see that last part coming

Girl, if my house was on fire, I'd grab my laptop, my iPod, a bottle of MT, and those combs, FOR SURE. Erryting else can fend for itself.

 

[malachi74]

imo hair past waist-length, no matter what race, is unattractive and so i would never attempt to grow my hair any longer than that. If I DID grow all my hair to waist-length it would just be to see if i could actually do it and then I would cut it into layers with the longest layer in a v-shape hitting just above the waist.

 

[Irresistible]

ok so back to the orginal post

I'm growing as much as I possibly can! I've already grown past the 'stuck times' that I thought was terminal length, so we shall see

 

[gymfreak336]

Our hair type naturally has its own characteristics that make it harder to reach that super long terminal length mentioned. Its not impossible but it isn't as easy as everyone else.

 

[chebaby]

or it could be because more than have of us have trouble getting to bsl so beyond that is like wishful thinking.
of course i know we can do it but its not an easy thing. not just the fact that its hard to take care of but its hard just to grow it in the first place without having to chop the ends from damage.

 

[JustKiya]

Still thinking about this, too.

I really think a lot of it has to do with styling. I mean, how many threads do we see here about 'I'm sick of my bun!!!!' and 'I want to enjoy my hair!' (as if the only way to enjoy it is to have it hanging loose) whereas there you'll see a lot more 'Yay! I can make XYZ bun now' and 'Help! I don't like wearing my hair down anymore' threads.

I really do believe that fanatical protective styling (as well as obsessive avoidance of heat) are two key elements in reaching your 'true' terminal length - which, is why dreadheads can grow so long!

It's a different - mindset, in a lot of ways, I think, about how to style, handle, enjoy, and maintain hair between those who are just 'trying to grow something' and those who are 'trying to grow to terminal'.

Which, makes perfect sense. And, I want to clarify that I'm talking solely about the difference in attitudes on the boards, because trust, there are plenty of non-black women who think anything longer than waist is unattractive, and who would never even consider going to terminal (or know what the heck terminal is, for that matter). We are, as large as we are, a rather unique group of folks (the hair-mad, I mean).

Thanks for starting this thread Neith - I'm thinking through a lot of stuff myself, here...

 

[BostonMaria]

As a 37 yr professional woman... I wonder if I won't look professional if I have my hair TOO long. I also think that at my age I wonder if people will think I'm trying to look younger than I really am if I have my hair down to my ankles.

I honestly would love to see how far I can go with my hair. Hopefully it won't be too much trouble to take care of at that stage. My goal is waist length hair and I think that's where I'll end it.

 

[Neith]

Still thinking about this, too.

I really think a lot of it has to do with styling. I mean, how many threads do we see here about 'I'm sick of my bun!!!!' and 'I want to enjoy my hair!' (as if the only way to enjoy it is to have it hanging loose) whereas there you'll see a lot more 'Yay! I can make XYZ bun now' and 'Help! I don't like wearing my hair down anymore' threads.

I really do believe that fanatical protective styling (as well as obsessive avoidance of heat) are two key elements in reaching your 'true' terminal length - which, is why dreadheads can grow so long!

It's a different - mindset, in a lot of ways, I think, about how to style, handle, enjoy, and maintain hair between those who are just 'trying to grow something' and those who are 'trying to grow to terminal'.

Which, makes perfect sense. And, I want to clarify that I'm talking solely about the difference in attitudes on the boards, because trust, there are plenty of non-black women who think anything longer than waist is unattractive, and who would never even consider going to terminal (or know what the heck terminal is, for that matter). We are, as large as we are, a rather unique group of folks (the hair-mad, I mean).

Thanks for starting this thread Neith - I'm thinking through a lot of stuff myself, here...

You're welcome

The responses have been very interesting

I dunno, I have totally changed my goal. I'm just going to sit back on cruise control and see how much it grows.
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[jamaraa]

JustKiya you are even more hardcore than I thought. Mason Pearson COMBS?! LOL...I thought I was stylin' w/ my MP brush! I got those $1 versions for my family, but I have a $10 horn comb. LOL...I DO have a handmade Japanese paluowia wood comb the kind that geisha/maiko use, so there!

Cheapo horn combs are a nice "starter" for someone unused to using a very widetoothed comb. It feels a bit different and takes some getting used to.

BostonMaria...you'd do bun styles. Highly professional and enviable!

Irresistable I'd think your hair is probably near sit down length straightened...could be longer.

Gymfreak I think it's far easier the less we do to it. Black people do far more to their hair than most other folks too. I think that the fact that we're so style oriented costs us length.