Spring is coming...and along spring comes my Growth poll.  Have fun!

1. How long have you intentionally grown your hair?

2. Have you ever grown hair, but given in to an urge to cut? If yes, did cutting help?

3.Do you take any vitamins or use any "tricks" to enhance your hair growth? If yes, what?

4. Have you reached any of your hair growing goals? If yes, what did you do after you had reached your goal?

5. Why do you grow your hair?

6. Is growing hair fun, or would you like to get your goal length hair overnight, if you could?

7.How often do you trim? (counting microtrims, but not search&destroy missions)

8.How would you encourage someone who is starting to grow from very short and doesn't really believe that she can grow a long, healthy hair?

9. Is your hair's growth rate steady?

10. Do you measure your hair regularly? If yes, do you think that it helps your growing project?


Here are my answers:

1. Since latter half of 2001.

2. No. When my hair was shorter, I trimmed it more often, though.

3. I take biotin-silica-acerola cherry and multivitamin. I don't usually remember to take it daily, though 

4. I haven't achieved any "real goals" yet, but I've been happy when I've achieved some minor milestone, like being able to put my hair up.

5. I really want to get super long hair. And growing is fun! It's almost like a hobby to me now (as you can see  )

6. When my hair seems to grow very slowly, I get frustrated, but normally, I would say no. If I got suddenly a hip length hair, I probably wouldn't know how to handle it. Also, part of fascination of long hair comes from knowing that it's something that has taken time. So for most of the time, I'm pretty content with hurrying slowly.

7. More seldom and seldom all the time, it seems. I started from nearly monthly trims. My last trim was in December, and I plan to have next in early April.

8. I would tell her about my long hair journey so far and tell that with patience, she'll success too. I'd also tell, that growing hair can be fun.

9. No...there seems to be quite a lot variation. All the more exciting! 

10. Yes and yes. I measure my hair montly and post results to appropriate threads. I think it helps me to understand my hair better...and at times when I feel that I have made no progress at all, it's good to have measurements results to check.

1. How long have you intentionally grown your hair?

It was last April that I discovered long hair was a thing that a person could fixate on and obsess over. Previous to that I had been letting my hair grow, but doing so had allowed it to grow in in whatever ratty condition my care routine allowed, which was minimal conditioning, lots of tangles and accompanying brushouts, regular blow-drying...

2. Have you ever grown hair, but given in to an urge to cut? If yes, did cutting help?
Cutting does help you get rid of the urge to cut...

Truly, when my hair was almost knee-length, I got the urge to cut, as it had been so long since long hair had been in style, I was tired of wearing it in a single braid, and I was finding it difficult to take care of by myself. Cutting certainly helped all these issues.

3.Do you take any vitamins or use any "tricks" to enhance your hair growth? If yes, what?
I tried vitamins and MSM, but my hair growth rate never got over the expected 1/2" per month. I'm convinced that barring certain extraordinary health circumstances, they don't work.

4. Have you reached any of your hair growing goals? If yes, what did you do after you had reached your goal?
I just reached the 36" level today. Next few goals: tailbone, meter-length, classic. After that, I'm not sure. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

5. Why do you grow your hair?
My hair is straight, fine, and silky. Long hair is how it shows best, with the least maintenance. It basically doesn't do any short styles well, won't hold a decent curl, and has no volume.

6. Is growing hair fun, or would you like to get your goal length hair overnight, if you could?
Growing hair is fun in a sedate sort of way. I think I might now be able to figure out how to handle knee-length or longer hair, though it might involve getting the help of a hair minion.

7.How often do you trim? (counting microtrims, but not search&destroy missions)
Since mastering the self-microtrim, I've done a couple, and they work really well at making my ends look nice and full. I've stopped for a while in order to allow my hair to grow. Either when I reach tailbone or classic I will start trimming again. I'm sure my hair would look nicer if the last 6" were gradually trimmed off, but I don't know how I'll feel when the time comes.

I do know that now that I've mastered the microtrim, I'll never need to do a regular trim again.

8.How would you encourage someone who is starting to grow from very short and doesn't really believe that she can grow a long, healthy hair?
First, I would probably try to show them pictures of women with their hairtype with long, healthy hair. Then it would be necessary to convince them to start doing nice things to their hair, and stop abusing it with improper handling. People with this attitude usually have been doing chemical treatments (color, perm) to their hair for so long they don't even know what their natural hair looks like, so until they are willing to let this go they won't see their natural hair to develop a relationship with it.

9. Is your hair's growth rate steady?
No, in the fall it seemed to grow not at all, now it is growing ½" a month again.

10. Do you measure your hair regularly? If yes, do you think that it helps your growing project?
I measure at least weekly, but this has no effect on the growth rate, so it does not affect my growth.

1. How long have you intentionally grown your hair?
since i cut it myself in beginning of november 2004.
2. Have you ever grown hair, but given in to an urge to cut? If yes, did cutting help?
the last time i did a major cut i initially only wanted some layering (my hair was around 33 -34") and i gave in at the hairdressers to cut it to my shoulders. i didn't regret it but over the years i let it go longer again cuze that's just so much easier to style (meaning no styling required).
3.Do you take any vitamins or use any "tricks" to enhance your hair growth? If yes, what?
since end december i take around 1 mg of biotin per day which gave me great growth in januari. i also take ginkgo biloba for concentration and is supposed to stimulate hair growth as well. (enhances bloocirculation in brain and scalp, and basically all extremities)
4. Have you reached any of your hair growing goals? If yes, what did you do after you had reached your goal?
not yet, my first goal would be tailbone, which i hope to achieve in late summer. it's only then i'll consider my hair "long". then i might start trimming more often depending oon the state and look at that length.
5. Why do you grow your hair?
it's prettier, easier, and you can trim it on your own. weehee
6. Is growing hair fun, or would you like to get your goal length hair overnight, if you could?
it's fun and frustrating at the same time. but right now i managed to get my focus on coloration with henna, so the length isn't annoying me too much these days.
7.How often do you trim? (counting microtrims, but not search&destroy missions)
i've been trimming twice since my cut in november. i am following now the MM lunar chart. so i plan to trimm oof course 18th or 19th march for lengthening. i might trim just 2 mm every month, this is just way less traumatizing. if not i trim about 4mm every two months.
8.How would you encourage someone who is starting to grow from very short and doesn't really believe that she can grow a long, healthy hair?
to start by washing their hair less frequent as soon as it gets a length where you can throw away all those styling products. to enjoy every length that comes. (supposing that for someone used to having had a butch cut for a long time, even shoulder length will feel like long). anyway, the start looks the funniest actually cuze every month of growth changes the look  a lot. it's more annoying once past waist length. i don't even think one needs frequent trimming either before waistlength if you start with a good basis.
9. Is your hair's growth rate steady? yes, slightly slower in winter but it never skipped a month lol.

10. Do you measure your hair regularly? If yes, do you think that it helps your growing project?
YES, i became an addict but try not to measure more often than monthly and before and after a trim.

Preciouslocks, I think your hair is long enough to be put up with a claw clip. You might also like to try my "simple bun"- I've posted instructions to Casual hairstyles board. I was able to do that style before my hair was even shoulder length. 

HOW LONG HAVE YOU INTENTIONALLY GROWN YOUR HAIR?
since December of 2003. 

2.HAVE YOU EVER GROWN HAIR, BUT GIVEN INTO AN URGE TO CUT?  IF SO, DID CUTTING HELP?
Yes, more times than I'd like to count.  Sometimes it helped to get rid of ultra damaged hair, but I always missed my long hair and wanted it back.

3.DO YOU TAKE ANY VITAMINS OR USE ANY "TRICKS" TO ENHANCE YOUR HAIR GROWTH?  IF YES, WHAT.
I take GNC Nourishair and a good multi.  I don't think they help my hair grow any faster, they MAY help with shedding(a bit)

4.HAVE YOU REACHED ANY OF YOUR HAIR GROWING GOALS?  IF YES, WHAT DID YOU DO AFTER YOU REACHED YOUR GOAL?
I've never really reached any goal I've set out for.  I hope to change that this time.

5. WHY DO YOU GROW YOUR HAIR?
I've always wanted long hair at least once in my life, (waist length at least)

6. IS GROWING HAIR FUN,OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO GET YOUR GOAL LENGTH HAIR OVERNIGHT, IF YOU COULD.
I'd like to have at least waist lenght hair overnight, if I could.

7. HOW OFTEN DO YOU TRIM(COUNTING MICROTRIMS, NOT SEARCH AND DESTROY MISSIONS)
Right now about 1/8 to 1/4 inch every two months. going to stretch that longer and longer as my hair gets in better shape and I can do it myself.

8. HOW WOULD YOU ENCOURAGE SOMEONE WHO IS STARTING TO GROW FROM VERY SHORT AND DOESN'T REALLY BELIEVE SHE CAN GROW LONG, HEALTHY HAIR.
That person was me!  I am getting encouragment from the boards.  I was told over and over by stylists, ect that my type of hair would NEVER grow long.  I'm setting out to prove that wrong.

9.  IS YOUR HAIR'S GROWTH RATE STEADY?
Ehh- I don't know, I think it grows faster in spring and summer and slower in fall/winter.

10. DO YOU MEASURE YOUR HAIR REGULARLY?  IF YES, DO YOU THINK THAT IT HELPS YOUR GROWING PROJECT?
  No, I never measure-yet.  ( i have once)

1. How long have you intentionally grown your hair?
In earnest, since December '04

2. Have you ever grown hair, but given in to an urge to cut? If yes, did cutting help?
Yes!  I wanted a change and upon deciding that another tattoo was too expensive I cut my BSL hair to a chin length bob in one chop.  I thought it was fun and flirty but everyone else was horrified (not that it was ugly, just that I had cut my beautiful hair)

3.Do you take any vitamins or use any "tricks" to enhance your hair growth? If yes, what?
I take biotin, Healthy Hair ayurvedic herb blend, Super Silica Plus by KAL, Kelp caps and Hair & Nails caps by Nature's Way.  I also visualize myself with amazingly long, thick wavy/curly healthy hair-without fairytale ends.  I imagine what it would feel like to sport such locks *a dreamy look, a secret smile*

4. Have you reached any of your hair growing goals? If yes, what did you do after you had reached your goal?
I think my immediate goal is to get these layers trimmed up, then I want to grow to BSL.  So, no I haven't yet reached a current goal.  However, I did have a goal of being able to put my hair in a bun which I do as often as I can and wear my hairsticks so perhaps I have met a goal.  Yea me!

5. Why do you grow your hair?
I love being able to wear my hair many different ways.  I really have naturally beautiful hair (if I do say so myself) and I wanna show it off.  Besides, its one of the things I like about myself.

6. Is growing hair fun, or would you like to get your goal length hair overnight, if you could?
Some days I'd love to "be there" at my goal length "Presto", but life's all about the journey-not the destination so it's one step at a time for me.  Besides, if it happened to all of us, what would we have to share on these boards?!?  Wouldn't that be boring!

7.How often do you trim? (counting microtrims, but not search&destroy missions)
I'm not doing microtrims yet, I'll probably have up to an inch removed next week at the salon.  I did, however, purchase a good pair of haircutting scissors in anticipation of trims and elimination of split ends.  Fortunately I don't have many of those.

8.How would you encourage someone who is starting to grow from very short and doesn't really believe that she can grow a long, healthy hair?
I'd tell them my story and share this board with them. 

9. Is your hair's growth rate steady?
Sure seems to be-I think my supplementation has kept the winter growth going while it is usual for most to slow down

10. Do you measure your hair regularly? If yes, do you think that it helps your growing project?
I'm trying to measure monthly to post, I just started measuring late December '04.  It does make me happy to see an increase in the number, but I guess it won't help too much until my hair is all one length.  I like Anais' idea of taking a photo record.

Quote:

Too true!  Thanks for pointing that out
AND, we wouldn't have met all the lovely people here  that would be a great loss

1. How long have you intentionally grown your hair?
since about May of 2004

2. Have you ever grown hair, but given in to an urge to cut? If yes, did cutting help?
no...but this is the first time ive intentionally aimed for long hair.

3.Do you take any vitamins or use any "tricks" to enhance your hair growth? If yes, what?
no, but im going to start taking a multivitamin soon...need....growth...!

4. Have you reached any of your hair growing goals? If yes, what did you do after you had reached your goal?
no....still waiting on my first goal of classic before i go onto THE goal of knee length

5. Why do you grow your hair?
because having loooooooong hair will be so cool and very me, i look odd with short hair.

6. Is growing hair fun, or would you like to get your goal length hair overnight, if you could?
having my goal overnight would be boring...but i wouldnt say no to a guarenteed growth of 2" a month! 

7.How often do you trim? (counting microtrims, but not search&destroy missions)
i do microtrims every few months to tidy things up and do S&D sessions whenever i feel like it...i can go months without them but recently ive declared war on splits and have been trimming them everyday for over a week now 

8.How would you encourage someone who is starting to grow from very short and doesn't really believe that she can grow a long, healthy hair?
i'd say, look at me! ive got fine hair that looooves to split and get damaged but im still doing it!  8)

9. Is your hair's growth rate steady?
no, when i first started growing my hair it was 1/2" per month...now i get that every 2-3 months...it sucks royally.

10. Do you measure your hair regularly? If yes, do you think that it helps your growing project?
used to measure every month but it grew (no pun intended) depressing...now i measure every 3 months. it does help because this way i know how far off my goals and if i need to do anything extra for my hair (like take vitamens to boost growth  )