The Growing Out our Hair Thread!

floridasun8

floridasun8

O.G.
Nov 30, 2008
3,275
149
#1
I'm not sure if anything like this exists currently or not, but I haven't seen anything in a while so if there is one, please merge. There are also other communities and forums out there for this, but being that we're already a part of this one, we'll keep it local. ;)

I was re-inspired recently by another member of this forum who I saw the posts from in the wardrobe thread, so hopefully she joins here as well, but I'm in the process of trying to grow my hair out. I know others are as well, so figured we could all share our progress, tips, photos, advise, etc. I'll start.

I had hair down to my waist when I was very young and always regretted cutting it when I was in my 20s and doing stupid stuff in the 80s like perming it lol. Due to the fact that my hair changed consistency, it was hard to manage it for a while there. Now that I'm in my 40s, it has once changed again and gotten a lot more manageable so I have decided to re-grow it out. My hair is currently about 2" below my bra strap and want it to be waist length, so just about 6-8" to go. Slightly wavy, sometimes a bit of frizz but I do keratin treatments to make it easier to manage and will alternate between loose curls/large waves and pin straight depending on my mood. No photos yet, but the next time I straighten it, I will post a pic for length reference.

So, anyone else in the process of growing out their hair? Even if you don't plan to go long and are still in the waiting period, feel free to post and share your story! Also, if anyone has any tips/ tricks, advise, etc. to help it along, please post. I'm sure things like regular trims is pretty common information that everyone knows and I know a lot of people use Biotin, but that never worked for me. Look forward to reading others stories!
 
#2
I am growing mine out a bit, not as long as you are going, though.

I am 56 and growing out from a short (a la Victoria Beckham's bob) to hopefully midback length. I am at just past shoulder length right now. Are you going to your natural color also?

I am sorry that last time I had a trim, I went a bright red, so now I have horrid brassy color and dark brown roots, so I am doing a nice ashy dark brown for my color in a few weeks, then maybe add some streaks later on to blend in the gray.

I have been having some issues with frizz right in the front near my face. I am using Sally Beauty Heavenly 7 and it seems to help a bit.
 
#3
Mitzy said:
I am growing mine out a bit, not as long as you are going, though.

I am 56 and growing out from a short (a la Victoria Beckham's bob) to hopefully midback length. I am at just past shoulder length right now. Are you going to your natural color also?

I am sorry that last time I had a trim, I went a bright red, so now I have horrid brassy color and dark brown roots, so I am doing a nice ashy dark brown for my color in a few weeks, then maybe add some streaks later on to blend in the gray.

I have been having some issues with frizz right in the front near my face. I am using Sally Beauty Heavenly 7 and it seems to help a bit.
Click to expand...

Mid back is a great length still and gives a lot of options that you can do with your hair. I had a bob once too and even pulling it back in a ponytail when I wanted my hair out of my face was a struggle. Coming up with new styles to wear your hair and updos, buns, twists, etc. is fun too! :smile:

My hair is natural now and is a dark brown. I've had it highlighted and colored slightly different over the years, but still keep coming back to my natural. I think as long as you can get to a nice color to get rid of the brassiness and keep your hair conditioned well, it will be healthy and beautiful again in no time!
 
#4
floridasun8 said:
Mid back is a great length still and gives a lot of options that you can do with your hair. I had a bob once too and even pulling it back in a ponytail when I wanted my hair out of my face was a struggle. Coming up with new styles to wear your hair and updos, buns, twists, etc. is fun too! :smile:

My hair is natural now and is a dark brown. I've had it highlighted and colored slightly different over the years, but still keep coming back to my natural. I think as long as you can get to a nice color to get rid of the brassiness and keep your hair conditioned well, it will be healthy and beautiful again in no time!
Click to expand...

My hair grows really fast and I take Biotin as well as vitamins for my eyes that seem to help my nails and hair, too. I think I will be at goal around Christmas IF I make it through this crazy summer heat.
 
#5
I like this topic! I am 39 and my hair has been long my whole entire life. It's thick and wavy and black. It's one of my best features and my security blanket. LOL! Well about 4 months ago I got one of the worst haircuts ever (layered). I mean really bad. I went to two other stylists to try to fix it. It's better but... I really dislike my hair right now. Because of the jacked-up layers, my hair is shorter on the sides and long in the back and it isn't blended well, if that makes sense. Really, I need to take off the bottom layer (about 2 inches) for my hair to look right. SOOO, the plan is to let it grow a bit and then fix it. I'm going to try to go until November. I'm not going to bother trimming until then. Anyway, I'm on board! :smile:

This is a picture before my disastrous haircut. And I will post a picture of how it looks now, soon. :smile:ImageUploadedByPurseForum1404775781.885439.jpg
 
#6
oo_let_me_see said:
I like this topic! I am 39 and my hair has been long my whole entire life. It's thick and wavy and black. It's one of my best features and my security blanket. LOL! Well about 4 months ago I got one of the worst haircuts ever (layered). I mean really bad. I went to two other stylists to try to fix it. It's better but... I really dislike my hair right now. Because of the jacked-up layers, my hair is shorter on the sides and long in the back and it isn't blended well, if that makes sense. Really, I need to take off the bottom layer (about 2 inches) for my hair to look right. SOOO, the plan is to let it grow a bit and then fix it. I'm going to try to go until November. I'm not going to bother trimming until then. Anyway, I'm on board! :smile:

This is a picture before my disastrous haircut. And I will post a picture of how it looks now, soon. :smile:View attachment 2679048
Click to expand...


Your hair is gorgeous! That's about the length of mine now as well. Yours looks very thick too.
Hope you can get it back to what you like. I can empathize with the bad cuts. Glad to have another member in this thread! 😊
 
#7
floridasun8 said:
Your hair is gorgeous! That's about the length of mine now as well. Yours looks very thick too.
Hope you can get it back to what you like. I can empathize with the bad cuts. Glad to have another member in this thread! 😊
Click to expand...


Thank you. :heart:

I am going to get some prenatal vitamins. I'm not pregnant, but I've always taken them on and off and they definitely make your hair grow.
 
#11
I've had an undercut for almost 4 years now and I'm making the transition to a mohawk which means growing out the back of my head. My hair grows very rapidly and is quite thick and wavy. As a kid, it was curlier towards my scalp and looser at the ends and waist length as a kid. I have always had mild tritchotillomania (compulsive hair pulling), and struggled with yanking out bits of my hair. However, as soon as I got the chance, I shaved my head! It was a huge relief and being able to do what I wanted with my hair really helped with my tritch.

As of now, the top of my head is shoulder length and the back is about 5 inches long. I've been considering getting the top trimmed a bit, but I'm really anxious because the back is at an "awkward" phase and the temptation to shave it all off and start over again is there.

I moisturize the ends of my hair with coconut oil every week, I wash with a blue based collagen shampoo and conditioner once a week and usually shave the sides of my head every 2 weeks but I haven't in a while just because I've been a little lazy :P Go easy on me, I know my hair isn't "typical", but I love it a lot and I'm proud of myself for how far I've come.

Anyway, this is my current deal!:

from 3/4 view, freshly washed and moisturized
picture.php


Side view, 2 days after washing once my hair has "settled" and is no longer a frizz
picture.php


I hope at some point to get the back a bit longer so I can trim the top to match the length of the back, if that makes sense!
 
#12
My hair grows like crazy, but I don't like to grow it long. It gets too thick. My ideal length is just past the shoulders, but it often grows down to my bra strap before I get it cut.

A long time ago my hair stylist told me that my hair would grow faster if I took prenatal vitamins, selenium and vitamin e. It worked.

I also use an oil she told me about: bain de terre recovery complex silky shine serum. It helped with shine and frizz, but I still use it after every shampoo, so I think it helped maintain the strands. (I am in a dry climate and my hair does not get too oily here.)

I would think there are a lot of leave-in conditioners or oils that would preserve the strands.

Also if you blow dry or flat iron your hair, a good heat protectant is probably necessary.

So...

Vitamins and supplements
Strengthening shampoos and conditioners
Leave-in conditioners or oils and heat protectants
Probably drinking lots of water and eating healthy foods
Minimal handling and processing of hair (a scrunchie is easier on the hair than a rubber band, for example, and activities like teasing might stress the hair)
 
#14
My hair is also very thick and long, at my waist and it's been that way for years now. It grows very fast and I plan to keep it at that length as it's not damaged or anything. Love long hair!
 
#15
amandasimon220 said:
Can anyone tell me the best products for thick and long hair.
Click to expand...

The best thing for thick hair is a great stylist that knows how to layer it and thin it out. Unless you like to keep it thick.

My stylist cuts and thins my hair in a way that it looks good for 8 months. Long layers and lots of thinning. I wear it smooth and straight, but I can flip it at the ends or use a curling iron for soft waves if I want.

I use lots of smoothing products: sulfate-free shampoo, smoothing conditioner, leave-on conditioning oil/serum, leave-on smoothing treatment/heat protectant.

For appliances, a ceramic ionic blow dryer, ceramic ionic round brush, ceramic ionic flat iron.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top
Back