Length checks: do you have to flat iron?

[sillygirl82]

After years of flat ironing my natural hair, I stopped earlier this year because I started swimming. Well I haven't flat ironed in months and my hair seems to be thanking me for it. I have a gray hair at my temple that I can never seem to color even with henna, and I've been using that as my growth marker

If I go by my marker, my hair has grown at least an inch. Do I really have to flat iron to check the length? When I flat ironed, my hair was shoulder length.

 

[supermodelsonya]

Stretching it may or may not give you the true length but if you don't use heat, then you could try the banding method.

I understand not wanting to use heat.

 

[PPGbubbles]

some ladies pull the hair taut for length checks, im sure if you consistently pull the hair at the same angle you could get consistent progress photos.