My hair is not quite the same as it was before, now that you mention it. It has changed and become somewhat better-behaved, and it is starting to get somewhat androgynous. It still gets read as 'male'.

I'm a practical type. If I grow it out very long, I'd look like a guy with long hair, especially if I pull it back tight. (The (other?) women in my family have this same problem.) This would also take several years and not be so easy to take care of. Having a significant horizontal component to my hair seems to make my features look softer. On the other hand, I do not want the exact same hairstyle as my mom. Right now I'm aiming for sort of a cross between 'Justin Bieber' and 'My mom', though nobody's commented on it.

I also have to make absolutely sure that the hairdresser doesn't sneak in and start trying to texture my hair in a male way. The issue isn't just length but shape. I began growing my hair out last Feb. but I will have to grow it out significantly more to let the effects of a small 'cleanup' in September to disappear.

I personally think a lot of women look bad with their hair tied back. I'm lucky to have my mum's hairline and forehead and not the one my female relatives on my dad's side have but unfortunately I've also got her brow ridge! It crept up on me in my mid twenties and there was no avoiding it I think. Some days it looks a lot softer than others. You could rest a glass on her brothers' so I got off really mildly. There are ways you can tie it back to disguise it a bit I find. My mum's been hiding hers with a fringe for about fifteen years and I've been agonising over whether it would suit me - I've had mixed opinions from others but obviously some of them are going to be coloured. It seems a little much to start getting over two feet of hair lopped off though so at any rate I'm going to wait and see what I get back on the forehead as it seems to be coming along quite well!

Horizontal shape can suit me some days but depending on how I feel about my reflection on a given day it can look better scraped at the sides! It's weird. Some times I feel a lot happier hiding behind it and some times I feel my face looks pretty good from side angles, although I think full profile is always going to be a problem.

I know what you mean about the evils of hairdressers. Last time I had mine layered was about three years ago and to be fair they did a pretty good job but I've had some bad experiences with them too. Best thing about going hell-for-leather for length I think is not having to worry about hairdressers for a bit! And the extra length does suit me especially now my hair type has changed slightly I'm telling myself now I'm going to start trimming the ends and getting some volume at the bottom once it gets just past my bum. Knowing me though I'll be growing it again in a couple of years. I'll probably not stop until either my hair does or I have to carry it around on a little trolley :S

Good luck with it growing back - I feel your pain!

graylayer02 (imported) wrote: Sat Dec 22, 2012 9:34 am I also have to make absolutely sure that the hairdresser doesn't sneak in and start trying to texture my hair in a male way. The issue isn't just length but shape. I began growing my hair out last Feb. but I will have to grow it out significantly more to let the effects of a small 'cleanup' in September to disappear.

I feel your pain.

If it was only hairdressers...

Recently I got suggestion from my mother: "May be I can trim your hair a bit?" Not seeing any problem with that (what can go wrong?), I agreed.

I answered: Ok, but no more than 10cm. (I have long hair... Correction, had long hair. But more on that later).

So, in process, while listening to something along the lines of "Oh, you have hair, that any woman would be proud of...", I understand, that she cuts much more, than promised 10cm.

So I ended up losing 30cm (about the half of the length I had). It is still below shoulders, but... Eww...

fhunter wrote: Mon Dec 24, 2012 7:50 pm I feel your pain.

If it was only hairdressers...

Recently I got suggestion from my mother: "May be I can trim your hair a bit?" Not seeing any problem with that (what can go wrong?), I agreed.

I answered: Ok, but no more than 10cm. (I have long hair... Correction, had long hair. But more on that later).

So, in process, while listening to something along the lines of "Oh, you have hair, that any woman would be proud of...", I understand, that she cuts much more, than promised 10cm.

So I ended up losing 30cm (about the half of the length I had). It is still below shoulders, but... Eww...

So sorry to hear that You hair looks lovely from the photo!

You probably know this already but consensus for getting your hair very long seems to be the opposite of what you hear for shorter hair. They say if you cut it at all only take half an inch off once a blue moon, or if it's extremely damaged (I frazzled a lock on the oven door the other week which will have to come off.) Most people don't let anyone touch it at all - that could be the self-obsessed psychosis you can get when you're growing your hair but it seems wise. As long as you keep the tips well conditioned and look after it you should be fine for split ends. The ends do end up looking a bit of a mess - they call them fairytale ends on a board which seems overly euphemistic when mine look terrible but it's only until you reach the length you want. I suppose it's one reason most just go for hair extensions

I had mine mid-back for a bit which I liked with the way my hair was before but my partner wanted it to my hip and once I started growing it I decided I wanted it a little longer. Once I'm happy with it for a few years I'll probably decide to start growing it again :/

I take biotin which a friend of a friend recommended and seems to help. She got ridiculous growth so you might be able to get it back in a year or so! I also eat a lot of vitamin B which is supposed to help. Mine has always grown quickly but now people are commenting it's longer even when I see them after two or three months. Good luck getting it where you want!