What is the proper way to measure hair length?

[Edie]

I notice a lot of ladies who seem to be measuring their hair length from the front of their hairline to the bottom of the hair at the back of their heads.

I thought the proper way was to take measurements of hair all over the head (front, mid front, mid back, back, sides). That's what I do.

Front - 13 inches
mid front - 18
mid back - 16
back - 14
sides - 16

But I always go by the measurements in the back because when the hair is combed down that is the length I try to even the rest of the hair out to. Am I doing this wrong?

 

[HoneyRockette]

I guess it makes sense to do that but how do you know what spot to measure from each time? I used to measure from the crown of my hair to the ends but I noticed a few times that the measurement was off. The only part of my hair that never moves is the hairline so if just for the sake of accuracy I measure from there.

 

[Boadicea]

No, you're not doing it wrong. Like many other things in life, there's more than one way to go about it.

There are two methods for measuring hair length and you have already listed both.

Combing all the hair back and measuring from the middle hairline to the end of the hair in the back is the most common method because measure the hair in different sections can be inaccurate because you could have different lengths in a small section and you may misplace the measuring tape the second time you measure, months after you've taken your first measurement whereas the hairline is generally in the same place unless you've suffered alopecia or another type of hair ailment.

Though, for the method that you use, it's more detailed and the hailine method simply tells you the length of your hair at its longest point, which is probably all anyone is going to care about anyway when it comes down to it.

 

[Dutchess]

I always measured from the crown to end, now I'm wondering if this is inaccurate hearing how you measure. Now I'm confused.

 

[Edie]

I measure my back ,sides and front one inch (I measure before hand) from the hairline to the end of the hair. I measure mid front just past my ears (I look in the mirror and lift some hair up from the center top of my hair and that's how I measure mid front.

For mid back I also look in the mirror and take hair from the center back portion of my head, just above my ears. I may be a little off, but I wouldn't think by much by doing it this way.

 

[Nonie]

Edie and Dutchess, I measure the same way you do, simply because there aren't huge variations in my hair length within the same area. For instance, the hair in my crown is about the same length, that in my nape is about the same length, that at my hairline is about the same length. So rather than measure from the hairline all the way back to hair that falls farthest on my back, I prefer to hold my hair up and measure from scalp to the end of the strands in various parts of my head. This way when I say my hair is 9 inches, I can picture that the strands are on average that long.

But whichever way you adopt, I think the main idea is to monitor growth (ie change in length) so if I had hair that was an inch long and I brushed it back and measured from my hairline (center) all the way to the ends of the hair at the back (center)...say 10 inches. Then the next time I measure, I'd brush my hair back the same way and measure again along the center of my head to the where the ends fall on my neck/back. If I got a measurement of 11 inches at the second measuring, I'd assume I've got an inch of growth.

By the same token, measuring our way: If I take several measurements on my crown center and get about 2 inches; take one at the center of my hairline and get 2 inches; take one at the nape and get 1 inch... Then a month later measure and get 2.5 inches at center hairline and crown and 1.5 inches at nape center then I can assume I had a 1/2 inch of growth.

 

[Edie]

Well, the way I measure is because my hair does not grow at the same rate all over. My hair at the back kicks the hell out of all the rest of my hair. The sides next, then the front and last mid front and mid back. I don't know why. I know the hair on the outer perimeter of my head, front sides and back is a much softer and looser curl than the rest of my hair (think loose wave). It also seems to hold moisture better. I have to handle this hair really gently. If not, I get split ends and frizzies (I just cut 2 inches off these parts). The mid front and back hardly ever get split ends (Go figure).