How to grow my hair out?

[Magnolia88]

My hair is pretty short right now but I'm planning on growing it out which could take a year or two. I tried it before, but it was way too shaggy and poofy and only grew to my neck and that was after a year. I tried using a straightener and burned my forehead so I gave up and cut it. Any tips on how to do it right this time?

[Jamie D]

Well, I just decided one day, about a year ago, I wasn't going to cut my hair anymore.  I was tired and uncomfortable with short haircuts.  So now I keep it in a ponytail, and it is below my collar.  I got razzed by family, but not as much anymore.

When I was in high school, I would let my hair grow from Christmas to the end of summer vacation, when my parents made me get it cut for school pictures.

[JLT1]

Wow, I was going to post almost this same question....

I like the idea of just not cutting my hair.  However, I really need to look presentable at my job, where I am not out to very many.  Is it reasonable to go into a shop, and just tell the hair dresser that I am transitioning and over the next year or so and I want to let it grow long?  So, like trim it accordingly??   

[smile_jma]

When I started growing mine there was a definite awkward phase that lasted for about 5 months. from 1" long to about shoulder took more than 1 year. Maybe 18 months..ish?

[janellebell]

I just don't cut it

### I'm not an herbalist, nutritionist or anything in the medical field nor do I claim this advice to be viable. These are simply my own observations ###
But seriously try taking Folic Acid vitamins and Biotin.
Women's multi-vitamins usually contain these but not nearly enough Mcg for most people according to what I've watched on YouTube.
Look up "Folic Acid challenge".

If you're on HRT, folic acid is actually greatly reduced for some reason and it's responsible for helping hair growth and other development.

For me I've been taking Biotin in its maximum dosage (whichever the stores sell it varies) and it helps my hair, skin, and nails. It's also known as "Hair, skin, and nails" vitamin.

For hair and skin to develop and "grow" faster you need B complex vitamins like Folic Acid and Biotin. These are both water soluble so I highly advise drinking tons of water to avoid acne breakouts like I've encountered. This also helps the vitamins digest faster in my opinion. I've seen a slight increase in hair growth + the HRT so I'm hoping this works for me like all the girls on youtube. Most have said that in less than 100 days they've gotten 3 inches + of growth. And while it doesn't sound like a lot, it really is.

Hope that helps

[Lyric]

It sounds like you had a bit of trouble getting past what's normally called the "awkward stage". I think this problem is almost as much a matter of perception as reality, though. First time long hair growers tend to be very sensitive about the fact that with longer hair you can't keep every hair in place. Try to accept that a longer look means your hair is going to do it's own thing to an extent. Just be cool with it.

I can say for certain that once it's past a certain length it won't be "poofy" any more. When your hair is short it is trained to grow more outward. As more weight develops on the shaft, it starts to hang down more and grow that direction.

During the grow out stages there are a number things can do it keep it a bit more orderly-- but try not to be too particular about it. Hair is nature. Let it do it's thing.

You can use styling products to slick it back and comb it behind the ears. Headbands are great. The 1/2 plastic kind that clips over the head is nice, but the full elastic band type can work, too. Some people wear multiple barrettes. When it's long enough, you can ponytail it. Some people do braiding.

Mostly, just try to develop a looser attitude about it and know it's going to look great later.

~ Lyric ~

[Ltl89]

I haven't cut my hair in about a year and I'm still in the awkward phase.  You will have to learn how to style it once you get at this stage (something I'm not great at).  So be prepared to find a presentable style while you are growing it out.

As for growing it out faster, you can try taking biotin.  It does work when taken properly, but it increases all hair growth in general.  So, it can make facial hair upkeep a little more difficult than one would hope.  I can vouch for this.  If you start using biotin, you should use at least 10,000 mcg a day for decent recent and drink lots of water with it. Also, I take msm on a daily basis.  Some people say it helps, but I'm not really positive on this.  I take it for joint pain as well (guitarist) so it doesn't matter too much.  At the end of the day, nothing can make your hair grow faster at the rate we all wish it could.  Time is necessary before you will get the length you desire. 

[Magnolia88]

Another problem I have is the hairs at the front of my head always go forward even when I was growing it out. I tried using gel and other products and it would keep going back to my forehead. I guess that will go away with more length like Lyric said. I think I will get some biotin to try it. Part of the reason it wasn't as long as it should have been was my ends would curl up. That's why i used the straightener. Hopefully I'll have better luck with it next time.

[Emily Aster]

My hair is very thick and very frizzy in humid weather, so I know how this goes. I actually just got fed up with it a couple weeks ago and cut it off again after 6 months of growing it out. Hopefully this next time is a charm.

What I did on my last successful attempt was to slick it back with some hair gel then blow dry it to get it to stick. I don't remember the name of the stuff I used, but it was a rubbery sort of white paste and it was the only thing I ever found that actually worked on my hair. It didn't hold in humidity though and ended up looking like a perm. Once it got down to around my shoulders, I started with the ponytails.

The hardest part for me with growing it out was all the tough love from family and friends repeatedly telling me I needed to do something about my hair because I looked like carrot top with black hair most of the time until it got to ponytail length. I really didn't care about strangers when I went out, but when it comes from people you care about, it stings.

[Jess42]

All I can say is that depending on the type of hair you have and if you can get through the "awkward" stage without giving up, you got it licked. My hair is somewhat curly but with no uniformity to the curls and definately has it's own mind, so it takes me twice as long to get visable length than people with straight hair.

Sounds like your hair may be similar to mine. I can brush it when it's wet but after it's dry I leave it alone. Only thing I do is sparingly run my fingers through it to kind of give it some kind of order. If I try brushing or combing when it's dry, just picture really big hair that is extremely frizzy. I have to use moisturizing shampoo and moisturizing conditioner, this helps prevent slit ends and the frizzies, and afterward I use an antifrizz serum. Then I use quite a bit of the strongest hold gel that I can find. I get it to a somewhat tameness that I can live with and then spray it with an antihumidity hairspray. When it does dry and it feels stiff, I smooth it out with my palms and knock the crust of the gel out and it will pretty much stay that way. Usually the Garnier Fructise Sleek and Shine for the shampoo, conditioner and hairspray is the only thing I have found that works for me.

I can't use a blow drier or a straightener because it just don't work with my hair. I have tried chemically straightening it and that really didn't work either. So I just let it do what it wants to do. Have patience especially with curly hair because it takes a lot longer to see the length. I have been growing mine out for close to two years with just trims to try to get it all the same length and its just now to my shoulders. No more haircuts for me, just trims to get rid of split ends, until it reaches at least halfway to my butt. There are little victories though like when you can finally pull it to your nose to smell it. 

[JenniL]

Wow, I was going to post almost this same question....

I like the idea of just not cutting my hair.  However, I really need to look presentable at my job, where I am not out to very many.  Is it reasonable to go into a shop, and just tell the hair dresser that I am transitioning and over the next year or so and I want to let it grow long?  So, like trim it accordingly??

Simply tell them you are growing your hair out and just trim the ends. Helps keep the split ends to a minimum