My Hair Has Reached Terminal Length If....

[KiniKakes]

I think the term 'terminal length' is misleading. It implies that the hair just stops growing when it gets to a certain length, which it doesn't.
What it means, is that there is a certain length a person's hair can get to (however long it grows during the anagen phase) before it sheds and a new hair starts to grow.

Aaaah! Got it!!! Thanx for clearing that up girl.... the term is very confusing~

 

[newflowers]

So... Sistaslick - how about that book. I'm ready with the cash as soon as you have it ready. Need help with editing/proofing - I'm pretty good and will volunteer if that will speed things along.

 

[prettywhitty]

This really helped me. My growth has slowed some and I think that it is resting. So I just have to baby it more and keep my ends protected so when it grows faster again, my length is retained.

 

[cmw45]

I agree with SistaSlick! The hair doesn't care how long it is...but how long it's been growing.

 

[preciousjewel76]

Great thread! This really helped me to understand the concept of "terminal length" (I prefer the way you ladies refer to it as "terminal time", though).

Yay for learning!

 

[Bint Yusef]

locksofluv. i agree with 99.99 % of your post.
but for the above question , i do believe hair will only grow to a certain length then stop and rest. for example your arm and leg hair dont grow to 12 inches (thank gawd lol) so your follicles are designed "programed" to stop rest and purge at some point..

( i just think that terminal length is longer than most ppl think)
jmo

Im not so sure if this correct either, as I have no hair on my legs or arms. Im almost 30 and I have never shaved or naired in my life. Yet I have plenty hair on my head. I guess what I am saying is all hair on your body is not coded the same, and to me that makes sense because I am sure in evolution terms they had different functions therefore they would coded differently depending on what their specific job was.

eta:after reading the thread in full i see yall have it broken down.

 

[RZILYNT]

My thought is the same that hair continues to grow and replace itself. I am thinking that when the longest length begins to rest then shed at what ever that length is and is then replaced with new hairs catching up to that same length, where ever that may stop, and if it stays that length for a Loooong period of time may determine that our hair cycle/terminal length may be at that point. sorry for rambling........

RZ~

 

[Missi]

I've been thinking about this. I know that everyone has a terminal length, but how much time has to pass without any additional growth before we know that we have reached it. I'm going to use APL & BSL as markers for this poll only because, I think we can all get to at least APL.

When would you consider your hair to have reached terminal length?

ETA: I'm not ignoring the WSL and beyond ladies, but I'm guessing the time frame of not having any growth would be about the same. If I'm wrong in that assumption, please tell me.

I feel this way when ladies on the board cry when their hair still hasn't reached their length and a great amount of time went by and they think they will never achieve their goals and they have been doing everything right. I do think its a terminal effect to a certain extent. I think its how much your hair grows over time and not the current length.

 

[JustKiya]

I think that the general rule for terminal is a full 2 years of PROTECTIVE styling, and no additional length - no matter how long your hair is. The reason for the protective styling is that your hair could still be growing, but if you have it out swanging everyday, those tiny ends are going to break off, and might conceal some growth that is going on during a resting period. But then, I've also read of people whose hair doesn't grow for 2-3 years, and then, kicks off growth again.

Personally, I have no clue what my terminal length is - and I don't really care, because I'm going to keep treating my hair the same whether it's getting longer or not, because it's how I can keep my hair as healthy and happy as possible - it getting longer is just a side effect of having happy healthy hair. And I figure if I'm giving my hair all it needs, it'll reach its fullest potential, which is certainly more than I've ever seen/had before.

 

[SweetCaramel1]

i don't know if i believe in terminal length yet. my hair is still growing after a year and a half and it's longer than its ever been.

 

[GoldenBreeze]

I feel this way when ladies on the board cry when their hair still hasn't reached their length and a great amount of time went by and they think they will never achieve their goals and they have been doing everything right. I do think its a terminal effect to a certain extent. I think its how much your hair grows over time and not the current length.

My question originally was more out of curiosity, and trying to determine what I felt about the "terminal length" issue. I haven't had a sense of anyone reaching that point; so far, it has been a matter of adjusting the regimen. I can't make a personal decision yet, because my hair isn't as long as it has been previously in my life. In general though, I do believe that there is a lenght at which hair will not achieve additional lenght. It, of course, never stops growing.

 

[GoldenBreeze]

My thought is the same that hair continues to grow and replace itself. I am thinking that when the longest length begins to rest then shed at what ever that length is and is then replaced with new hairs catching up to that same length, where ever that may stop, and if it stays that length for a Loooong period of time may determine that our hair cycle/terminal length may be at that point. sorry for rambling........

RZ~

You're not rembling, I understand and agree.

 

[GoldenBreeze]

nappywomyn I'm with you on that. I'm going to keep taking care of my hair no matter what. I never even thought about terminal length until I came to lhcf. Thanks for the general rule, I'll keep that in mind.

SweetCaramel1 Thanks for you thoughts. I think that I now believe there is one, but until I stop seeing added lenght I won't know where mine is.

 

[Lavendar]

My question originally was more out of curiosity, and trying to determine what I felt about the "terminal length" issue. I haven't had a sense of anyone reaching that point; so far, it has been a matter of adjusting the regimen. I can't make a personal decision yet, because my hair isn't as long as it has been previously in my life. In general though, I do believe that there is a lenght at which hair will not achieve additional lenght. It, of course, never stops growing.

I believe you are correct, especially if you look at the hair stages example that was given. It is showing exactly this point, if I am understanding it correctly. Which means in truth, everyone may not really get to APL or BSL. The time versus length ratio is genetically determined, just as the hair type is. JMO.

 

[ChocalateDiva]

Is there still new growth? If a person still have new growth how can they say that they are at a terminal length?

 

[moneychaser]

How would the hair follicles inside your scalp 'know' the length of your hair,especially seeing how hair is dead?

.

Good question I figure the same way your armpit, leg and vaginal hair stop growing after it has reached a certain length.

 

[JustKiya]

Is there still new growth? If a person still have new growth how can they say that they are at a terminal length?

Hehe.

Because hair sheds. Once a single strand reaches it's maximum length, it stops growing, and then sheds, even though every other strand on your head might still be growing (thus still giving you new growth).

So, because each strand starts and stops growing at different times and sometimes slightly different speeds (hair growing faster in the back, for instance), overall/on average, all of the strands are going to grow for the same duration, even if they start at different times, and they are going to shed at different times, which means you'll always have new hairs, and thus always have new growth, as well, even though the overall length of your hair isn't changing.

 

[anon123]

I do believe in terminal length, but I don't think you can determine it by the diagnostic given in your poll, which is not seeing any length retention. I mean, for a great many black women, their hair stays at shoulder length or shoulder for years and years, maybe all their lives. Does that necessarily mean that their terminal length is just a few inches? Probably not, just means they're not doing what it takes to retain the length.

Hmm, how would one know? Maybe if you cut your hair down to a near baldie and gave it like a month to grow, no more, then dyed it. Let your hair grow without cutting it and wait until the last few strands of dyed hair fell out, assuming you managed to retain that initial 1/2" or so for its entire life time. You have to wait until the last of the dyed hair sheds because, just because you cut your hair, doesn't mean the hair's life span starts over. So some of those strands have already gone through a lot of their life. But some of those hairs have to be at the beginning of their cycle. So you don't cut those, and if you can keep them until they shed (you'll be able to recognize them because of the dyed ends), you can figure out how many inches and time it took for that hair's life to end.

Does that sound right to everyone? editing to add: now that i think about it, i don't think you'd have to shave as the initial step. just dye.

 

[JustKiya]

I do believe in terminal length, but I don't think you can determine it by the diagnostic given in your poll, which is not seeing any length retention. I mean, for a great many black women, their hair stays at shoulder length or shoulder for years and years, maybe all their lives. Does that necessarily mean that their terminal length is just a few inches? Probably not, just means they're not doing what it takes to retain the length.

Hmm, how would one know? Maybe if you cut your hair down to a near baldie and gave it like a month to grow, no more, then dyed it. Let your hair grow without cutting it and wait until the last few strands of dyed hair fell out, assuming you managed to retain that initial 1/2" or so for its entire life time. You have to wait until the last of the dyed hair sheds because, just because you cut your hair, doesn't mean the hair's life span starts over. So some of those strands have already gone through a lot of their life. But some of those hairs have to be at the beginning of their cycle. So you don't cut those, and if you can keep them until they shed (you'll be able to recognize them because of the dyed ends), you can figure out how many inches and time it took for that hair's life to end.

Does that sound right to everyone?

I really think that would be the only way to determine it, and you would have to be pristine with your regimen, because the dyed hair will be weaker, and more likely to break - and thus throw off the whole shindig.

 

[locabouthair]

Sistaslick's explanation make sense.

I really try not to worry about terminal length, because I only want APL, nothing too long.

But if you eating habits are poor and you slack on your regimen, you can't just assume thats your terminal length.

 

[Chrissmiss]

I think terminal length is based on three factors how fast your hair grows, how fast it sheds, and total amount of strands/follicels. Of course breakge can interfer with this.

 

[CherishGOU]

I don't believe in a terminal length. I think your hair has the potential to grow as long as you want it to as long as you keep your ends healthy so that you can retain your length. That's how all those wonderful Indian ladies who provide my weave hair get their floor length hair.

 

[FlowerHair]

In 99% of the cases I don't believe in terminal length.

That would be if someone was 100% natural (no hair dyes, no relaxers, no texturizers), 100% no heat ever and always wore her hair in a bun or braided, deep conditioned once or twice a week etc etc. If someone took the utmost care (to the extreme) of her hair for years and years with zero growth, yes then she is at terminal length

Most people aren't ready to do that...

 

[Chevelure618]

I voted "Other" because I've never not cut or not damaged my hair long enough to know its terminal length. I think when after 2 years you just cannot get your hair to go any further...and this must be WITHOUT cutting or trimming it, then you have reached your terminal length.

 

[babs19]

your hair follicles do not know when the hai has reached a certain point but there is a function for everything on your body including hair the same way when we shave our legs the hair returns because the hair has a purpose in being there i believe this is the same on our heads, i do not believe in terminal length i also agree with the looking after your hair part

 

[whitedaisez]

I don't believe in terminal length myself. It doesn't really make any sense to me (not discrediting your post or anything).

How would the hair follicles inside your scalp 'know' the length of your hair,especially seeing how hair is dead? Why is it that white, indian, and asian women and other races can have long hair down to their ankles and such?

However, I do believe in shedding phases and that there is a growth phase (growing, stopping, and shedding). But I believe if you are babying your strands and are taking care of them you should be able to retain them for a very long time. Even when you are in your "no growth/shedding" phase, the length of your hair won't fall out (if you are taking care of it). Of course some of the strands will break over time, but I believe the better you take care of them, the stronger they will be and the longer they will last. Though I do agree that it is harder to retain the longer (and older) the strands are. Which doesn't make it impossible. You just have to work harder.

Terminal length is not due to the length per se. i think this is a misnomer. IMO it should be TERMINAL AGE. This means that after a certain amount of "years/time", your hair STRAND will stop growing and fall out/shed. This is determined by genetics.
Its like saying for example, 100yrs old is the Terminal Age for humans. This means that any human, despite nutrition, will die at 100yrs. So before reaching this age, keep your body as healthy as possible.

That being said, hair shedding is when the hair falls from the scalp and is diff from hair breaking. Not all strands on your hair are this age yet so ur hair wont shed at SAME TIME. Instead, the hairs that reach that age shed/fall while the ones that have not yet reached this age will remain.

So, it is up to you to care for the hair that remains and obtain/retain as much length as u can before it reaches its "terminal age". Whatever length of hair strand u achieve before this "age" is hence your "TERMINAL LENGTH".

Based on genetics, everyone has a programmed growth rate per month and diff terminal ages. This is maybe why asians and caucasians can have hair to their feet. Perhaps based on their genes, their growth rate per month is faster and their terminal age takes longer.

 

[Lucia]

In 99% of the cases I don't believe in terminal length.

That would be if someone was 100% natural (no hair dyes, no relaxers, no texturizers), 100% no heat ever and always wore her hair in a bun or braided, deep conditioned once or twice a week etc etc. If someone took the utmost care (to the extreme) of her hair for years and years with zero growth, yes then she is at terminal length

Most people aren't ready to do that...

ITA 100%
you'd have to do the absolute perfect regimen all the time, like Flowerhair says and didn't cut or trimm then yes that could be terminal length. But I think terminal is much much longer than most of us are willing to grow our hair, cause sometimes hair pauses and thickens up before growing again, this could be 1, months or 1 year. prob classic and beyond you could start thinking maybe this is terminal.

 

[Irresistible]

I am not sure I believe in terminal length anymore , as my hair has still grown and I thought it stopped long ago

I was wrong

 

[GodivaChocolate]

The intersting thing is even if you were able to determine your terminal length or terminal time frame( I truly believe in Sistaslick's(sp?) explanation) there are products now on the market that extend your anagen phase, hence extending your length of time your hair grows.

 

[Ann816]

I totally agree with you...great response!!!

Ann

none of the above.. ive been shoulder length all my life nearly, an i thought my hair just couldnt grow any longer than that.

but since coming here its grown to nearly midback length.
i personally believe anyone can et to at LEAST brastrap length if they are caring for their hair they way they should.. it all comes down to knowlege and care. .