Q: I've had bangs for years (since high school) and now I'd really like to grow my hair
all to one length. How do I get my bangs to catch up with the rest of my hair?
A: Well, you were probably hoping I could give you some well-guarded professional's
secret for accelerated hair growth, but unfortunately there isn't one (if there was, I could be a very wealthy man :-) ).
You're just going to have to let them grow, and depending on how long the rest of your hair is, it could take a while.
Now that I've given you the bad news, here's some good news. In other words, I
have some tips to help you deal with those bangs while they grow. When the bangs first
grow past the length you normally wear them and begin to fall into your eyes in that
annoying way that they have, consider using a curling iron. By curling your bangs, you make them seem shorter.
Once they've grown a little more, sufficiently so that they can be combed back
onto the head, use a headband to keep them out of your face. You can also - if you
prefer - try styling your hair back and away from your face, using styling product to hold
the bangs back with the rest of your hair. This is also a good time to consider adding
curl to your hairstyle if it doesn't already have curl. Adding curl to the style will help to mask the bangs' length.
After a little more time "growing", your bangs will reach the length where they can
be blended in more easily with the rest of your hair, and styled to either side. You'll
reach a length where they stop being the complete pain in the neck they have been,
and become just a minor consideration in the way you wear your hair. If you're willing
to sacrifice a little length from the rest of your hair, you could consider a shorter blunt
cut that would close the gap between your bangs and the rest of your hair. At the very
least, you'll want to keep the length of the main portion of your hair stable by keeping
it trimmed. Otherwise, your bangs will never catch up because the goal line keeps moving, too.
Bear in mind that the average person's hair grows only ½ inch per month. Even
with minimal trimming (every 8-12 weeks) you can only expect 5 inches of growth per
year. So, if you have long hair past your shoulders - say, 18 inches - and want to grow
out bangs that are around 4 inches long at the start, you're looking at almost three
years before your hair will all be a uniform length.
