Hi everyone! I'm 19 and from Florida, and I am possibly the shortest-haired person ever to join this place. I'll explain.

I'm obsessed with long hair but I got the idea in mid-high school that my hair would NEVER look good long, it's too straight, thin and fine. It was long at the time but a mess of split ends and very scraggly. So I hacked it off and I've worn it short ever since.

Then this spring I was feeling experimental and decided to try a perm, and it looked amazing!! So, I decided that I would get a perm once a year for volume and grow my hair out that way. Well, the perm was five months ago and my hair progressively went from nice, soft curls to absolutely fried, frizzy and full of split ends! The chemicals absolutely burned the hell out of my hair.

So I've just hacked my hair off  -- AGAIN -- and now it is shorter than it has ever been. I honestly look like a boy. And the ONE and only good think that came out of this haircut was what I desperately needed...to be rid of the chemical-burnt disaster that was about six inches of my hair.

But I'm sick of this. I want long hair, I have always wanted hair hip-length or longer, and I'm sick of listening to people tell me that the only way for my hair to work long is to chemically fry it first. I'm going to grow it out, and I'm going to do it RIGHT this time, have the patience for it, and stop trying to chemically change it.

As for the suggested questions I should answer:

How long is your hair?: 3 inches...lol. Told ya.
What color is your hair?  Medium blonde.
Is your hair straight/curly/wavy?  Stick straight.
Do you have favorite products to use on your hair?  Paul Mitchell baby!!  :)
What are your favorite hair accessories?  At the moment, nothing.

That's all. Hi to everyone!

3" is a good start, that's 6 months of growth, which means you and your perm had some good times together before it went over to the dark side. So you didn't have to do a buzz.:o

Hair is usually measured from the front hairline to the hair growing down the back of your head. So if you measure it again this way, it'll sound longer.   ::)

I'm determined to grow out my  hair, too.  I've been told
the same things as you have, i.e.  the only way it
would look good  long is with a perm, ect.  The thing
about perms is they DO look good at first but eventually
as the hair weakened by chemicals ages, it looks
worse and breaks off.  We fine-hair people are probably
less able to withstand these chemicalk processes
than others.    I've been told my hair won't good long, but I figure how will I KNOW unless I try it.  If I decide
I don't like it, well, I can always cut it.

Welcome Ellasongbird!

Does it make you feel better to know that you do not have the shortest hair of those who joined?  We have one other member that I know of whose hair was shorter (2") when she joined.  

The two of you have the wonderful opportunity of making sure your hair grows out with the best of care - unlike many of us who did not know the proper techniques and now have damaged ends to show for it.

I look forward to hearing more about your long hair journey.

Wow! I feel welcome already! I'm totally feeling the love...  ^_-

Anyway, yeah, I've had fairly long hair before but I've NEVER started from this short...I am taking consolation in the fact, like you said, that I'm starting with three inches of very healthy hair and I'll be able to lavish care on it all the way down to...however long it gets.  ^_-

Thanks for the welcomes, everyone...I'm excited about this place!

Ella

Welcome :D :D :D
I have fine hair too,and I have had similar experiences with perms ;D At one time in my life I thought I absolutely needed them to have some volume in my hair-they sure looked good for a short while but I always ended up with a fried&frizzy mess  :(
So,starting out with 3'' of healthy hair sounds like a good idea to me :)

welcome, oh my gosh, you sound just like my friend tori!  by the way everyone, today is my first day of high school-YAY!

Wow! Young one!   ;) ;) ;)

When I started high school I had long hair. And I was in marching band (which I'm assuming you may also be from your username?) and I wore my hair down while I marched and everyone thought I was insane because it was Miami and we were all melting. But I miss it soooooooooooo much, my hair was my trademark, long, fine blonde hair in the middle of a bunch of short/dark/thick-haired black and Hispanic girls...everyone always wanted to touch my hair! **sigh**  Yeah, I miss it.

If you have long hair through high school and take good care of it, I envy you! I didn't have the patience for one SECOND!

Ella

if you look under polictical aspects of hair it describes marching band for me