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

[andreab]

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.

I think it will be to much work for me to continue growing. I have said that once I got to APL I would stop. I am now at APL and I am thinking of growing it longer. My plan is still to say at APL and allow all of my hair to reach one leagth and achive the healthest hair I have ever had in my life.

 

[JustKiya]

I saw a guy with long locks today - hip length. His hair was grazing the bottom of his rear pockets.

I personally won't allow my hair to grow that long since it would bother we to no end to sit on my hair all the time. I also do not like the idea of having my loose hair flowing in my "crevices" in the shower....which is certain to happen while washing. I will cut anything past tailbone length.

I can imagine that it becomes more difficult to protect hair long enough rub on the chair when sitting - unless it's pinned up but what's the point of hair much longer than tailbone length hair if nobdy see's it? Plus, anything much longer than tailbone (say bottom of hips) would be very hard to even comb since the hair would be longer than your own arms.

That gave me a little shiver of happyfeelingness. Just the thought of hair longer than my ARMS!

And just because the hair is pinned up doesn't mean that the owner of the hair isn't enjoying it. There are some updo styles that can only be done with exceedingly long hair - gorgeous ones, at that - and I think that..... I think that you can greatly enjoy your length without having every inch of it on constant display.

 

[jahzyira]

im totally obsessed with hair..... for me its classic length or bust and imma get there with my addiction to ceramides!!!

 

[*Muffin*]

I want to grow my hair pretty long. I want it to be full WL or TBL. The reason I don't want it any longer is because I would like to wear my hair down without having to worry about sitting on it or getting it caught in doors, etc. I want it to be long, but functional for me. It also depends on how long you want to spend taking care of your hair. Some people just want to grow their hair to APL or BSL and no longer because they feel that any longer would be a hassle.

 

[SouthernTease]

I just don't think it's for everybody.
I want to stop at MBL others want WL and HL.
Just from a physical standpoint... I'm just not into it.
Wouldn't really fit my personal style.

 

[Qetesh]

I just don't think it's for everybody.
I want to stop at MBL others want WL and HL.
Just from a physical standpoint... I'm just not into it.
Wouldn't really fit my personal style.

i totally agree.

i originally thought i wanted tailbone, but once i got to waist i realized what a complete hassle it was. also when natural my hair was jus so much it shrank and tangled on itself so easily. but then again my ends were not nearly as taken care of as they are since i got it cut so possibly it would behave better.

i think the main thing for me is the fact that with hair that length its alot to manage, i tend to slack off and if u do with natural corse hair its going to tangle and cause breakage. I personally dont even like the look of women with hair down to their ankles. sometimes hiplength can look good tho, but usually its on a 3a or 2b head not even all that interesting to me on a bone straight head. I will never be hip length un stretched is probably not even possible because i feel like my hair would jus tangle on itself and be heavy even if straight it was down to my ankles. so this leaves me with what i personally think looks best on me, and to me straight hair looks best on me right around midback while natural looks best right at or above my shoulders.

sorry for the long post.

 

[glamazon386]

Because the majority of us don't know how to take care it and think that we can't grow hair that long.

 

[jamaraa]

The truth is that most people CAN'T grow hair that long for tons of reasons. For those who CAN, it isn't desirable. Between the pressures of modern life and the realities of taking care of African textured hair in the West, it just isn't realistic. The style that is most likely to get African textures to full "terminal" length has MAJOR social issues tied to it...that would be dreadlocks.

The fact that most people in the West choose around BSL or shorter tells me that hair which is much longer simply isn't feasible for most modern folks. Of course the hair can grow to long lengths depending on several factors...most notably your health.

 

[CurlyMoo]

We don't know how!

 

[CurlyMoo]

And where in the hell are all the tailbone, classic and terminal length ladies on this site?? I know they are here. They sure are quiet. You would think they would be more active on this site. You know I don't think we would stress as much if we had more ladies on this site actively showing photos of their hair and exchanging secrets with the newbies. When I signed up months ago they were very accessible. It would be so encouraging and feel less out of range if they had albums up. Time to do some research.

 

[gloomgeisha]

The truth is that most people CAN'T grow hair that long for tons of reasons. For those who CAN, it isn't desirable. Between the pressures of modern life and the realities of taking care of African textured hair in the West, it just isn't realistic. The style that is most likely to get African textures to full "terminal" length has MAJOR social issues tied to it...that would be dreadlocks.

The fact that most people in the West choose around BSL or shorter tells me that hair which is much longer simply isn't feasible for most modern folks. Of course the hair can grow to long lengths depending on several factors...most notably your health.

How can you say this when many women on this site have grown hair to MBL and longer? They obviously wanted it and put the time in to increase length retention and keep their hair strong and moisturized.My natural hair does not take a long time to take care of, I can wash and twist in one day if I want to. But I think that comes in actually wanting to take care of oneself and ones crown- I'm a pretty vain person, so my hair means a lot to me.

Further more I don't consider my hair to be a burden. The "reality" of Black hair care can be as simple or complex as one wants it to be. I keep my hair protective styles, apply oil every second or third day,figured out how to work with it (instead of trying to shape or manipulate it against it's will) and my coils and kinks practically sing.

I think it's all about the care and maintenance and actually working WITH ones hair- be it natural or relaxed. I've seen women on this site with gorgeous long hair who just keep it in french braids or bunned up, both of which take little to no time.

But I understand, your opinion is your opinion and mine is just one out of many.

 

[Neith]

When I first started this thread, I was wondering about white and black women who are into hair care... not either of our general populatons.

It just seems that even though we on lhcf know all about hair and how to maintain it, that we make the decision to go to longer lengths less than people on "white" hair boards.

My final conclusion is that it's mainly because of manageabilty.

Not that our hair is too unmanageable to grow to tailbone, thigh or knee... but it seems that we are more "mainstream" about what hair lengths are flattering and we have a little bit more trouble dealing with our hair when it's very long.
​

 

[MonPetite]

From personal experience I know my hair (thick in density and thick as and in some places thicker than thread) is no longer a pleasure but a burden if natural past BSL.

Texlaxed to a looser texture it's not an issue because it is straight and tangle free wet then dries to big Diana Ross hair.

I can get the best of both worlds. Using chemicals as a tool I can have my cake and eat it too.

Do I think it would be impossible for me to take care of my hair natural at WL or beyond? No.

Do I want to invest the TIME, ENERGY, and MONEY (in products) to do it when texlaxed my hair requires 25% of the effort for 100% of the benefit...uhm...no.

Hair's hair to me relaxed, texlaxed, natural, locked, what-have you. I just want to grow mine out and do all the lovely styles I did before I BCed, whatever my hair's chemical state.

Bottom line:

It came down to how much effort I wanted to put into having long hair.

Thankfully I have the knowledge THANKS TO LHCF to take care of it no matter what the chemical state to get what I want as easily and quickly as possible.

 

[yuriko]

Hair is a very sensitive issue amongst black women, i dont think that admitting that black hair is more difficult to manage makes us any less proud of our hair, i live and work with people of other races, and I am sometimes envious of how little a lot of them have to do to maintain healthy long hair, but some white girls have thin, damaged looking hair too. So its not just a black problem. I am originally west african, I grew up knowing that I had to keep my hair braided or cornrowed (no extensions), to keep it tangle free, when I was natural, would just braid up at nightter with some shea but and tie a scarf, comb it butter in the morning, and wash and condition every weekend, my mom only started relaxing because she wanted to save time, and i have been relaxed ever since, black hair care is not time consuming for everyone

 

[plastic]

Because i do not want to look like Cousin's It's tanned cousin.. nuff said

 

[yuriko]

Because i do not want to look like Cousin's It's tanned cousin.. nuff said

lol thats pretty funny

 

[discodumpling]

I think the sisters with the longest lengths on here are tired of stressing that they really don't have a secret or any special tips to obtain length. For the most part it it seems to me that they just keep it simple. A bun, or one or two braids...and none of the elaborate styles many of us like. Very rarely will you hear "i'm bored with my hair" from someone who truly understands what it takes to get to great lengths

 

[meecee]

I haven't read the entire thread yet, but I just wanna say that I REFUSE to grow my hair to terminal lenght. Honestly...I plan on maintaining at BSL. Anything else is excessive for me. I'm a reformed hair cutter. In high school I never ever ever let my hair get longer than APL. I'd always cut it back to shoulder or full shoulder lenghth. Mostly because I'm lazy. As a matter of fact, a lot of black women who aren't members of this board tend to be lazy with their hair care. I think this is the number one factor in larger numbers of black women not having long hair...sheer laziness.

 

[bermudabeauty]

I have always been about style versus length. If the current "it" style is halle berry short, I cut it Halle Berry short. But I am trying to stop that. The pic in my avitar is what I am trying to get back to which is APL. I am rocking short wigs when I have the urge to have the 'it" style instead of cutting my hair. I guess I have always given myself a "terminal length" by not allowing it to grow past APL. Anything past APL for me would be a bonus I guess, I'm not sure how long my hair will grow. But I guess I'm wiling to try.

 

[Mis007]

Great topic...with great posts... Terminal length for myself if i did have one would be bsl. I have been past sl all my life and have never considered growing longer...styles have never bothered me i am a pony tail girl boring i know...Anything longer than bsl not for me....​