jennifer30
Well-Known Member
does hair usually stop growing at a certain length because of genes? etc.
is terminal hair length really true?
- Thread starter jennifer30
- Start date
Lilmama1011
Well-Known Member
I heard but I don't think it's true. I feel the longer it gets the more harder it is to take care of and what we use to do at a shorter length doesn't help anymore so it easily causes setbacks. But I'm pretty sure there are ones that believe in it
jennifer30
Well-Known Member
I never heard of that until now. I hope it isn't true.ha
Stormy
Well-Known Member
I used to think so, but then there's a thread somewhere on here about women who never had long hair growing it to great lengths for the first time in their lives! Once I read that it turned my beliefs around.
For nearly a year my hair stayed right at shoulder length. I'm almost positive it's never been longer than that. I was sure that's my terminal length until recently I changed my regimen ever so slightly. Now, it's finally inching past my shoulders so I think there may be hope afterall.
For nearly a year my hair stayed right at shoulder length. I'm almost positive it's never been longer than that. I was sure that's my terminal length until recently I changed my regimen ever so slightly. Now, it's finally inching past my shoulders so I think there may be hope afterall.
jennifer30
Well-Known Member
I know what you mean. I feel stuck at neck length
Prettymetty
Natural/4b/medium-coarse
Terminal length is a very controversial topic. I will try to explain it...Each hair strand has a life cycle. Growth, rest and shed. Once the hair reaches it's terminal length it falls out and a new strand takes its place. Terminal length does not mean once you reach x,y,z length your hair will stop growing.
Notice how the hair on your legs, eyebrows, etc stops growing at a certain length? It is because the growth cycle is short in these places. However, hair on the scalp has a much longer growth cycle (usually 2 years or longer). Therefore we are able to grow long hair. If a person has a growth cycle of 5 years and grows 1/2 inch per month, the terminal length is 30 inches. That means that each strand has an opportunity to grow that long. Sometimes we experience breakage or get trims so many of us have no clue just how long our terminal lengths are.
I know from dyeing my hair that I have a long growth cycle. Hair color from 9th grade was still on the tips my senior year. That means my growth cycle is at least 4 years. I hope that made sense
Notice how the hair on your legs, eyebrows, etc stops growing at a certain length? It is because the growth cycle is short in these places. However, hair on the scalp has a much longer growth cycle (usually 2 years or longer). Therefore we are able to grow long hair. If a person has a growth cycle of 5 years and grows 1/2 inch per month, the terminal length is 30 inches. That means that each strand has an opportunity to grow that long. Sometimes we experience breakage or get trims so many of us have no clue just how long our terminal lengths are.
I know from dyeing my hair that I have a long growth cycle. Hair color from 9th grade was still on the tips my senior year. That means my growth cycle is at least 4 years. I hope that made sense
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sweetome1
Well-Known Member
I think it is true. It's true for the rest of the hair on our body. Just think you cant grow your arm/leg/eyebrow/pupes/booty hair to toe length haha but I think hair length for the scalp is much longer anyways so you may never even reach your terminal length. I think if everyone tried they could at least get to WL or so.
Stormy
Well-Known Member
Oh!!! Lol! Thanks Prettymetty. I had that definition all wrong.
Well, hmmm... now I gotta think about it.
Well, hmmm... now I gotta think about it.
Saludable84
Better Late Than Ugly
It's definitely true but what matters is how much of your hair your still retaining. Hair grows for about 7-10 years then comes out. So, if in 8 years your hair is still shoulder length, that's not terminal length, that's just bad retention.
Your hair doesn't come out all at one time; it's only 10% at a time if I am correct. That's when hair sheds. So it's not like hair stops growing after a year, it takes a while. I use to be sad by terminal length until I "got" it and then wasn't sad anymore.
Your hair doesn't come out all at one time; it's only 10% at a time if I am correct. That's when hair sheds. So it's not like hair stops growing after a year, it takes a while. I use to be sad by terminal length until I "got" it and then wasn't sad anymore.
ImFrotastic
Active Member
Whoa, that was THE best explaination I've ever read regarding terminal length, thank you! Is it wrong that I'm thinking of dying my tips to find out mine?
preciouslove0x
Well-Known Member
Spot on. I think a lot of people just don't explain the idea adequately. You did very well
Saludable84
Better Late Than Ugly
Hmm idk but I do know this one guy in hs had a tummy hair that was like 6 to 8 inches long that he loved showing everyoneI want to research this because I don't get how the follicle would know how long it's been lol
The human body is still a wonderful and mysterious thing.
Prettymetty
Natural/4b/medium-coarse
Whoa, that was THE best explaination I've ever read regarding terminal length, thank you! Is it wrong that I'm thinking of dying my tips to find out mine?
Thank u so much! I dye my hair to track my growth rate. Since I am natural I don't have noticeable "new growth".
Amarilles
Well-Known Member
Terminal length is not at all about the hair stopping to grow after a certain length. It actually stops growing and sheds out after a certain time has passed.
So where person X will have hair growing for 7-9 years (afterwhich it will shed out), person Y can have hair growing for 4-6 years, afterwhich it will shed. The growth rate plays into it too. All the hair on our body is programmed to shed after certain amount time has passed, not at all after a length reached. So the amount of time for which our hair grows + growth rate + our retention are the main factors that play into the length of our hair once it sheds.
I've read people say that they think they've reached terminal length, but by very definition if the hair is still sitting on your head (and has yet to shed) it's most likely still on the active phase and growing.
So where person X will have hair growing for 7-9 years (afterwhich it will shed out), person Y can have hair growing for 4-6 years, afterwhich it will shed. The growth rate plays into it too. All the hair on our body is programmed to shed after certain amount time has passed, not at all after a length reached. So the amount of time for which our hair grows + growth rate + our retention are the main factors that play into the length of our hair once it sheds.
I've read people say that they think they've reached terminal length, but by very definition if the hair is still sitting on your head (and has yet to shed) it's most likely still on the active phase and growing.
BostonMaria
Well-Known Member
My 16 yr old DD's hair has been the same length (tailbone) since she was 8 years old, so yeah I do believe we have a hair terminal length.
I had DD's hair highlighted in 2012 and I haven't gone back to get a touch up (it made her hair kinda dry). So as time went on I noticed that the new growth was 3 inches... 6 inches... 8 inches... but her hair was still tailbone length. No cuts or trims in the past year so I realize that her terminal length must be tailbone. For me, it seems, is right above the hip length. Unless of course I'm doing other things to not retain length.
I had DD's hair highlighted in 2012 and I haven't gone back to get a touch up (it made her hair kinda dry). So as time went on I noticed that the new growth was 3 inches... 6 inches... 8 inches... but her hair was still tailbone length. No cuts or trims in the past year so I realize that her terminal length must be tailbone. For me, it seems, is right above the hip length. Unless of course I'm doing other things to not retain length.
CodeRed
Well-Known Member
I'm assuming your daughter's body has been growing for the past 8 years so her hair has been keeping up with her growth. When she stops growing then maybe you'll see it get past tailbone length.
faithVA
Well-Known Member
I was thinking this same thing. It may touch the same area of her body but in inches it has been increasing each year.
curlicarib
Lovin'' All of Me
How much has she grown in the past 8 years? That's how many inches her hair has grown.
Mz.MoMo5235
Well-Known Member
Hmm idk but I do know this one guy in hs had a tummy hair that was like 6 to 8 inches long that he loved showing everyone
I want to research this because I don't get how the follicle would know how long it's been lol
Ha!
Sent from my SPH-L300 using LHCF please ignore typos
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