I have really short hair but I want to grow it out to at least shoulder length. Do you get hair cuts  while its growing long? Or does this just make it take longer? I really hate messy hair cuts and don't want to look unkept while its growing.

You don't.   It has to go through the awkward stage before it gets long.  It takes a while too if you're really short right now, upwards of 18 months.


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Growing my hair out from a buzzcut at the start of my transition I don't let anyone near my head with scissors. I guarantee you if you ask for even the smallest trim you're sending yourself back months depending on how slow or fast your hair grows.

I just styled it with hair mouse and hairspray until it was long enough to tie up. Even in a half up/half down which is what I mostly do. I find this keeps it manageble and cute.

It's never easy. You will have a week of it sitting right and looking amazing and then a week of it looking like a wig/mop.

I would also see how soon you could buy some clip in extensions if you want longer hair. With hairspray you can lay extensions even under pixie cut hair which is what I did.

Much love. <3

Depending on the final style you are targeting, you might consider a clean up cut at about 4-6 months. Hair doesn't grow at the same rate and you might need to shorten some of the longer hair. In addition, if you have split ends, they should be cleaned up before they get worst. One of the tricks is to figure out how to comb it so it doesn't look so bad and do it every day. The bed head look is not permitted. Start looking for a good stylist now and they will let you know when you need to do something with your hair.

Quote from: Deborah on December 18, 2017, 04:33:59 PM
You don't.   It has to go through the awkward stage before it gets long.  It takes a while too if you're really short right now, upwards of 18 months.


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That's what I was going to say word for word. If you do find a way around the awkward stage, be sure to let everyone know! 

My coping strategy  was thus:

Random person: "Mike, what's with the hair?"

Me: "It turns out that I'm a crossdresser, and I figured my own hair is better than wigs."

Hugs, Devlyn

I shake my head back and forth, ask my wife how it looks and she say: "Perfect, like always"
She gets a bit envious that my hair, for the most part, behaves itself. It is a little more now, thicker than I'm used to. I usually get it thinned out and I'd cut my own bangs off above my eyes. Now I'm trying to get my bangs to catch up while I decide what I'll end up with. You just can't cut it longer no matter how hard you try.

I promise, My profile picture will soon be a current picture of me.

Brush your hair every day. Make sure it's well hydrated, and do not put products with harmful chemicals in your hair! Use cold water instead of hot water in the shower. Do NOT use heat to style your hair! If you can, use a shower filter to remove chlorine from the water. Chlorine is very harmful to your hair!

I am only out to a two people at work. I was in the military and never had hair longer than an inch or so until this year. I have not had a haircut since Dec 2016. Once it started getting unruly I began using mousse, lots and lots of mousse, to slick it down. Once the mousse dries nothing short of a F5 tornado will move it.  My hair actually makes a crunching noise if I try to pat it down with my fingers once the plaster, I mean mousse, dries.

Only one or two people have made any comments. I usually say something like 'I am trying to make up for all the bald guys around here'. People I see on a daily basis have not said a word about it.

I plan to get it trimmed a bit just before I come out a work, which I am currently planning to do late March of this year.

I've been kicking myself in the butt since accepting who I am.  I had long beautiful hair for 25 years, it was getting kinda long, said it was getting in my way. I cut it and I wonder why, can't let my freak flag fly.  And I feel that I owed it to someone.  Reflecting on that, I started growing it (I thought because of the 60's) but it is at the same time stirrings of who I was came to light.  That may have been the true impetus.
The awkward stage is inevitable if you want it long.  I am at the beginning all over again.
Smiles, Jessica

I haven't had a haircut since July of 2015. it took about 10 months before it was first ponytailable. I did have a problem for several months with little "boar-tusks" sticking out from under my ears. I just pinned them back, if anyone noticed they didn't say. Honestly the worst part was when it wasn't long enough to tie back, but would constantly get in my face, I fixed it by not shampooing as often, letting the greasyness hold it together. Thankfully, that stage didn't last long.

Happy growing.

https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,225977.0.html

Slicked back grown out DA with lots of gel worked great for me

I don't know if I'm in the awkward stage or right before it. It's been about 5 months since my last real hair cut though 3 months ago I had the back of my head and right side "trimmed" before I decided they were (yes 2 ppl) cutting off too much and I left. I was a bit of a diva about it but that's okay since then I've taken growing my hair out more seriously!

I'm thinking the next 6 months to a year will be awkward if not even longer.

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I haven't cut my hair since May and it can get messy especially when humid (whether it is because of rain or sweat) so what I do is I put a hair massage cream in that can be left there and I comb it from the left side. When it dries it looks like I put gel and it's super hard, so I run my hand through it to remove some of the hardness and it completely works. Hair looks normal and pretty. I'm not cutting it anytime soon.


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I used a bandanna tied into a headband to keep it out of my eyes until it could be tied back. I take pretty religiously good care if it for the last two years, always use conditioner and only shampoo every 2-3 days. As a result, even though I haven't had a cut / trim in 18 months, the ends are in pretty good shape. I'll be getting a styling done in January.

Although it's more trouble than I'd anticipated, I absolutely love having shoulder length hair and now it's just a question of how far out will I grow it, mid back or longer?

I have had to grow my hair 3 times, 3 times, god I hate my dad. The first time I went to the gay part of town found the most fabulous hair dresser I could in an hr and just asked him to keep my hair long and make me pretty.  All the girls in school where jealous of my hair. XD
the second time I got really depressed and didn't care about anything for 2 years.
This time I live in the mountains so it is cold I wear a beanie basically 24/7. Can't wait till spring when I can do my hair.

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I just embraced the quasi-mullet and used a lot of hairspray and gel.

My hair has been growing nicely since last December when I quit trimming it myself. It is almost down to my shoulders. I like the look and feel of my very fine almost white hair. Unfortunately it is all for naught due to my extensive MPB which most likely rules out even implants. I'm afraid it's wigs for me. I suppose I could pull some through the wig and call them fashion streaks.

I use lots of mega-hold hair gel and brush it straight back. It stays flat and hides how long it looks from the front for the most part. I work a very public job and tons of people ask me "if I'm growing my hair out". I tell them having a pony tail has been on my bucket list a long time and that's what I'm doing.
The in-between period when it's not long enough to pin makes me nuts. It's really hard to get it all under a wig cap and stay there. It was so much easier when I shaved my head.

Quote from: Laurie on December 20, 2017, 11:43:53 AM
My hair has been growing nicely since last December when I quit trimming it myself. It is almost down to my shoulders. I like the look and feel of my very fine almost white hair. Unfortunately it is all for naught due to my extensive MPB which most likely rules out even implants. I'm afraid it's wigs for me. I suppose I could pull some through the wig and call them fashion streaks.

MPB? Your avatar still looks nice even if its not real hair!