Can you figure out if your natural hair is growing? Or are you trying to figure out how long the human hair extensions to get?
The answer is yes; many ways exist to figure it out. But one process is unavoidable. That is to measure the length of your natural hair.
Suppose you have kept your hair and look to become Rapunzel alive. In that case, you must be precise about whether your natural hair is growing. Even if it does, how fast or slowly has it been growing?
There’s no point in growing your hair ambitiously for five years only to realize that it can barely grow an inch per year. Measuring your natural hair length is paramount when deciding whether to keep growing it or do a set of human hair extensions for good.
How to Measure Hair Lengths for Different Hair Types
Start with a simple step: measuring your natural hair. It sounds technical, but it’s just about keeping tabs on how your hair is doing, especially if you’re curious about its growth.
But here’s the thing: not all hair is the same. If you’ve got curly hair, it can be a wild card. Because it stretches, measuring it can get tricky. When it’s all curled up, you get the “visual length.” But when do you try those curls out? That’s the “actual length,” which shows you the real deal on how long your hair is.
So, why not measure both? Getting these numbers can give you better insights into how your hair is growing. It’s a down-to-earth way to understand your hair better and make smarter choices about what you want to do with it next.
Measuring Hair Length When Wet/Dry
And here’s another handy tip: decide whether to measure your hair when wet or dry and stick with it. Why does this matter?
Hair tends to stretch out when wet because water has taken all the little hair shaft’s little groves, allowing it to be slightly stretched. That means your hair might look longer when wet than when it’s dry.
Be consistent to avoid any mix-ups with your measurements because of water absorption. Whether you measure your hair wet or dry, doing it the same way every time will give you a clear, accurate picture of your hair’s growth. This little trick makes all the difference in keeping your hair measurements real!
Measurement Tips: What Tool(s) to Use for Measuring Hair Length?
To determine how long your hair is, grab a measuring tape and start at the center of the top of your head, then stretch it to the end of the tip of your most extended hair. Hold the tape in place with a hair clip if possible.
Don’t worry if you can’t find a measuring tape. Just use a ribbon or any similar item you can lay straight later to measure with a ruler.
Measuring from the Root of Front Hairline to Tips
A widely used method to assess hair length involves using a tape measure. Start at your front hairline, extend the tape measure over the top of your head, and continue to the end of your hair at the back. If this seems complex, the image below should help clarify!
Remember, this approach doesn’t determine the length of an individual hair strand. Instead, it gives you a general measurement of your overall hair length. You can either measure the size of the longest single strand you can find or opt for the length of the most extended portion of the hair.
Measuring from the Front Hairline to T-Shirt
If you’re on your own and finding it challenging to measure your hair length at the back, try this straightforward method.
First, wear an old white T-shirt (it might sound odd, but stick with me!). Instead of allowing your hair to fall behind you, part it down the middle and bring both sections over your shoulders to the front.
Rejoin the two sections and straighten them as much as possible. Then, mark the spot on your T-shirt where the tips of your longest hair strands meet.
Next, use your tape measure: start at the front of your hairline, go over the top of your head following a middle part, and then down over your shoulder, mirroring the path your hair took. Measure up to the mark you’ve made on your T-shirt.
This measurement should closely match the one obtained using the previous technique.
How Do I Measure Actual Hair Length?
If you aim to measure a single hair’s “actual” length, from the follicle to the tip, you’ll quickly find that it’s a precise but impractical task.
To obtain a meaningful measurement, you’d need to measure each hair and then calculate an average, which is time-consuming and hardly feasible.
An alternative could be to measure from the middle part of your scalp to the end of a hair strand. However, considering that many people have layered hair, whether natural or styled, this method would still result in highly variable measurements, making it challenging to compare lengths accurately. That holds even for those with straight hair.
Measuring Hair Lengths by Different Parts of the Body
The hair length chart, which uses body parts as reference points to describe various hair lengths, is a widely recognized method for discussing hair length.
This method is highly beneficial as you can easily visualize the look as you hear the mention of “shoulder length” or “ear length,” regardless of whether you have seen the chart before or not.
This method is the simplest way to estimate hair length. However, it needs more precision. For instance, definitions of “mid-back length” can vary, and it’s unclear how it differs from “bra strap length.”
So, while this approach is excellent for understanding different hair lengths and categories, it could be more precise and heavily reliant on individual body structures.
How to Use Length-Check T-Shirts
More hair stylists and individuals love length-check T-shirts to monitor hair growth progress. These T-shirts are handy for individuals with medium-length hair for pretty straightforward reasons.
For instance, ear-length hair won’t even reach the nape of the neck, much less the first measurement mark on the T-shirt. Conversely, very long hair will extend beyond the marked lengths on the shirt.
However, these T-shirts offer a fun and straightforward way to track hair growth progress for those with hair lengths that fall somewhere in the middle. A length-check T-shirt could be an excellent tool if your hair is around back length and you want to monitor its growth.
For the best results and maximum motivation, consider combining a length-check T-shirt with another method of tracking hair growth.
How Do I Use Comparison Shots to Measure Hair Lengths?
Sometimes hair growth can be a slow process and sometimes feel endless to its owner; even when you’re diligently following tips for faster growth, seeing visual proof of your progress over months can significantly boost your motivation.
While numerical measurements are helpful for factual comparisons, images can do wonders for your morale. To ensure your comparison photos are compelling, consider adhering to these guidelines:
- Avoid changing your hairstyle for the photos. Different hairstyles can obscure the actual progress of your hair growth. The best approach is to let your hair flow naturally in each image.
- Keep track of any significant changes in your hair care routine, especially if you have curly or wavy hair. For example, using a specific hair care product, like a Vogan hair gel, can have a noticeable impact on how long your hair appears. Strive for consistency in your products on picture days to maintain accurate comparisons.
- Take photos at regular intervals, but only sometimes. Taking a photo monthly, or even every three months, is sufficient. Take pictures sparingly, as it might lead to disappointment from not observing immediate changes in hair length. Remember, hair growth requires time and patience.
Here’s a simplified guide to understanding hair length measurements, categorized by the part of the body hair reaches when pulled straight.
How to Measure Hair Length by Sides
You can also measure your or your client’s hair from angles like front, back, and sides.
– Front
These measurements are typically used for short hair.
- Eyebrow Length (EBL): Hair reaches the top of the eyebrow.
- Lip Length: Hair touches the upper lip.
- Nose Length (NL): The hair extends to the nostrils.
- Chin-Length (CL): The hair is long enough to reach the chin.
– Back
This category is for long to extra-long hair measurements.
- Bra Strap Length (BSL): Hair reaches the bra strap.
- Armpit-Length: Hair extends to the armpit.
- Midback-Length (MBL): Hair goes mid-back beyond the bra strap.
- Waist-Length (WL): Hair reaches the waist near the belly button.
- Hip-Length (HL): The hair ends at the top of the hips.
- Tailbone-Length (TBL): Hair extends to the tailbone area.
- Classic Length (CL): Hair grows past the buttocks.
- Thigh-Length (TL): Hair reaches the mid-thigh.
- Knee-Length (KL): Hair extends to the knee.
- Calf-Length: The hair stops at the calf.
- Floor-Length (FL): The hair reaches the floor extra long.
– Sides
These measurements apply to what is generally considered medium-length hair.
- Ear Length (EL): Hair reaches the ears.
- Jaw Length: Hair touches the left or right jaw.
- Shoulder Length: The hair extends to the shoulders.
Conclusion
I’m glad we could explore various ways to measure hair lengths to determine whether you should keep growing your natural hair or shift to human hair extensions!
If you found these tips helpful, sharing this guide with others who might benefit from it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for considering spreading the word!
