Anagen phases

Aviva started this discussion · 12/16/2013

Calling all hair stylist/cosmetologists I have looked for this information on the internet and cannot find anything specific to my question so I ask it here in hopes that someone with inside knowledge of hair can answer it. Can a person have different anagen lengths on different parts of their same head? Is it possible that one section or area of hair has a shorter anagen phase than another? I ask because 1 of 2 things has happened to my hair. Either there are 2 different anagen phases on my head (this could be a huge problem if I want to keep my hair length.) Or the way that I wore my hair for the last 5 months when I was employed in an office (up held with a jaws clip) actually broke my hair. I am so hoping your answers will give me some clues. There used to be a forum for long hairs like me but I can't find it anymore. I also want to know if a French braid is damaging to your hair or can be even if it's done loosely. Any info appreciated, thanks.

9 replies

luvlee · 12/16/2013
A French braid when done loosly should not hurt the hair at all. There are many different lengths throughout the hair. Some parts of the hair grow slower. You may have a patch of new growth hairs as well. The short ones may not be broken at all, but growing back!!!
Runemist34 · 12/17/2013
I've really noticed that my own hair grows to different lengths, no matter how hard I try to keep it the same. I'm trying to grow my hair out very long, and I started very short- just reaching shoulder length, though it's longer when wet (my hair is quite curly). At this point, I have one part of my hair that is much shorter than the rest, on the top, so it likes to frizz out and make me look like I'm from the 80's. It's not a great look, so I do my best to tame it. At other times, I get what I call "triangle head," where my hair only has volume at the bottom. It's... great (eyeroll). However, I did some research about hair breakage and growing it out long. Specifically, as long as you aren't creating a lot of tension on one particular area (the kind that would be painful after a day of wear, let's say), you won't have any problems! I know that I tend to pull my hair back pretty tight, and I'm learning to loosen up, because it hurts after a while. ...I really need a trim, too ;)
Aviva · 12/17/2013
Thanks for your responses :) I think I may have put too much tension on my hair b/c of the clip and holding it all up. The entire underside of my hair including my temples is shorter than the bulk from the crown down and back. I've had issues whit the back underhair before but never the sides/temples, when I saw how short they were then I became alarmed.
luvlee · 12/17/2013
Never put your hair up wet either. That will break it. There are hair ties called knotties that are very soft and loose you may want to look into. I would get a trim and deep conditioning at a salon asap as well.
aliceBheartless · 12/18/2013
I also had noticed a lot of breakage in my hair at one point. I used to not be able grow my hair past a few inches below my collar bone because it would break and thin and look horrible. I found that switching the order of my shampoo and conditioner radically changed everything. My hair is now almost waist length, with very little breakage. I basically hop in the shower, wet my hands, put a bunch of conditioner on my hair from pony tail down (pretty much dry, I run damp hands through it to help smooth it out) and work it in. Then I wet the top of my head and shampoo the roots really well and then rinse everything out. I finish my hair with a leave in conditioning formula after it has dried to the point of being damp and no longer really wet. I have so much less breakage washing my hair this way, mostly because my hair doesn't get as stripped of natural oils on the ends which seems to keep the cuticle more intact. However, I also don't wash my hair daily, and almost never use heat styling on it, so that may also help.
Lina Spiralyne · 12/18/2013
corbyOconnor: Wow, that sounds almost too good to be true and worth a try! So after you have rinsed out schampoo and conditioner and the hair is damp, you actually put back some conditioner that you don't rinse out at all? Do you put this conditioner only in the ends of the hair?
aliceBheartless · 12/18/2013
I was initially skeptical as well. I think I read this advice in a yahoo beauty article or something. But I thought, well, it's worth a try. And it works for me. My sister also started doing it and it works for her too. If breakage is the issue, it should help, especially with growing out long hair. I don't use any particular shampoo/conditioner products, I am a drugstore brands girl. I do only use Infusium 23 leave-in treatment no. 3 for the leave in treatment. I put it mostly in the same place I put the conditioner, focusing on the ends, but I get some throughout. This method has also helped bc my hair is kind of fine, and the shampoo helps keep the heavy conditioner from weighing down my hair. The shampoo will take a lot of the conditioner with it, so a little leave in treatment at the end helps keep it soft.
Aviva · 12/18/2013
Corby, basically you are conditioning from the neck down and at the same time shampooing the roots, rinse all that out and then condition? Sounds worth trying, thanks. I do not wash my hair everyday actually twice a week if that but I was putting it up every single day. Thanks again.
aliceBheartless · 12/18/2013
That's the gist of it! I suppose depending on the texture of your hair, the second conditioning could be regular conditioner again, and you could rinse again. I just don't do that because regular conditioner weighs my hair down too much. Initially the article I read did not have the second leave-in conditioning step, but I felt like my hair needed it. So I added the treatment, the brand based on a good stylist's suggestion. That is definitely something to play with whatever you need for your texture. I do not know how long it took me to see results, but definitely give it time. It's not a quick fix, especially with long hair, but in the long run, I have definitely seen results in my hair. I pull my hair into a pony everyday, and I have seen less breakage for sure, so not just at the ends.