Terminal Hair Length Facts and Fiction
Our independent fact-checkers verify and dispel often repeated claims about your hair’s ultimate length
There are many rumors circulating the internet about your hair’s terminal length. Ultimately most of it is misinformation that causes many women to lose hope in their growth pursuit. Let’s analyze the most common myths regarding your hair’s terminal length.
- Your hair can only grow to a certain length which is predetermined by genetics
Our take: This claim is mixed. As a matter of fact hair length is less genetically predispositioned and more based on nutrition and age. This is why women with short hair often are mistaken for being older than they really are. In truth, if you’re a woman who has not hit menopause yet, chances are if you eat a healthy diet and refrain from lifestyle choices which affect hair growth (smoking). You should be able to grow it as long as you want. Replace your daily cigarettes with biotin supplements and watch your transformation take place.
2. If you get regular trims your hair will grow longer
Our take: This is a false claim. As a matter of fact frequent trims will make it seem as though your hair is not growing because hairstylists often cut too much length off. This hinders your growth because it’s removing more or the equivalent of yours hair’s growth in the preceding months. If you take old care of your hair and reduce your trims to once or twice a year you’ll see the cumulative effects. Your hair should grow at least 6 inches a year. If you just trim 1 inch off twice a year, that’s 4 extra inches of growth.
3. You can’t control the rate at which your hair grows
Our take: This claim is demonstratably false. There are many ways in which you can control your hair growth. Biotin supplements are a easy and effective otc method for growing your hair. Some more expensive options such as nutrafol and viviscal also work wonders. Coupled with other factors such as reducing or eliminating heat and harsh chemicals, reducing trims, and adding in weekly hair mask treatments with products such as Shea Moisture Deep Treatment Masque or Pacifica Coconut Pro Long and Strong Mask you’ll likely be able to increase your growth by 50% per year (a whopping 9 inches compared to the average of 6).
4. Ultra-long hair is ugly and outdated
Our take: Clearly this is a misguided and highly biased opinion rather than a fact. The truth is capitalism needs to create and maintain industries in order to sustain itself. By growing your hair long and not purchasing the products that hinder that growth you are bucking the system. Woman’s magazine editors and hairstylists make money by promoting the very products and services that go against the idea of freely growing your hair long. Since we know the media lies about so much already why not take the chance to figure this out for yourself. You may find you prefer the low-maintenance lifestyle ultra-long hair will afford you. The extra attention won’t hurt either.
5. The only way you can tell your hair’s terminal length is to grow it out unhindered
Our take: Although it makes us unpopular with the hairstylists and feminists we agree with this fact. Many women will grow their hair for years, only trimming it occasionally. We see their hair cascading to their knees or longer. Because our media has warped our views on fashion, many women are unaware of the power their hair holds. The only way to truly dispel once and for all the myth of terminal length is in fact to grow your hair unchecked for years. If you notice it hitting a point where it no longer grows, it may indicate that your hair length is genetically coded. The only way to know is to try, and we always encourage this kind of growth!