Has anyone else decided to grow their hair out and ditch the wig?

[Sandieland]

Recently I decided to grow my hair out. It's a little thin at the crown, but still healthy and thick on the rest of my head. And I think once it's grown out, with the right styling it will look great. Of course, that means I'll have to start learning how to style my hair...something my life as a boy just didn't prepare me for. For some reason my mom taught me how to cook and sew, but not to style hair... go figure. How do you use a curling iron, rollers, etc.? I know I'll have a whole new set of challenges, but if it works out... summer won't be the problem it always is with a wig. Maybe a nice Pixi cut? I'm going nuts looking at hairdos! Anyone else doing this (I can tell from your pictures that some of you have incredible, natural hair).

Note to moderator: Sometimes I'm not sure which thread to post to. If this should be in Beauty, I would understand. But this is something I feel might be of more general interest than that.

[dragdoll]

I did for about 7-8 years until recently I cut it really short again. I used to have kind of a bob haircut that I could comb it back with pomade (in male mode) and no one could tell I had a girl's cut. I hate trying to style my hair and could never use a flat iron with any success. Just gotta practice at it. Practice makes perfect.

And if your hair gets long enough, you can try pigtails/handlebars, pony tail, clips, bows, barrettes, bands, wraps, etc.

I didn't have a picture of myself handy but this is basically the hairstyle I had for awhile:

[Tracii G]

Been growing mine out for a year and a half and learning to style it with hot rollers.Curling irons are too hot for my fine hair,tends to burn it.
I plan on cutting it in a more femme style but just pulling it back in guy mode.

[Rachel Schaedel]

Started to grow my hair out about 6 years ago specifically because I didn't want to wear a wig anymore. Now my hair is down to the middle of my back and I love it.
I didn't really care what other people who did not know I was tg think. Now it is just another part of me that is consistent with how I wish to identify. I am still learning how to style it myself and have a gg friend who loves to help me with it. I am getting ready to do my hair for a night out with friends.

Enjoy and take pics to document it along the way.

[Sandieland]

Dragdoll, that example you posted is SO cute! And it looks easy to convert to drab when needed.
Tracii, I would love to see you in a cute ponytail with bangs... so Archie comics. You would be darling - not to say you are not already - in fact, you're beautiful! You would look so cute no matter what your hair style is.
And Rachel, your hair looks so luxurious. I bet with a full set of curls and a hot LBD you can make the heads turn when you step out.
I am so PSYCHED!!! Let's see...hair grows 1/2 inch a month - I need another 2 inches (about)...maybe 1 1/2...not too long.
You know, that makes me wonder why, if the hair on our head grows so slowly - why does our chest hair and face hair grow so much faster? It's just not fair! Phooey!

[Sister Rachel]

Too late for me :( Male Pattern Baldness has set in .. if I want to take a femme portrait, it's gonna have to be a wig, dammit .. :(

[xdressed]

I'm kind of the other way round than everyone else because I've always had long hair anyway, and just recently have I started using wigs so that I can more easily have a feminine cut (such as in my current avatar) to hide my very masculine brow line. When I get my natural hair right though it is much better than a wig, just very hard to get it to stay quite right all day. Here's probably the best photo of me using my natural hair though: http://xdressed.deviantart.com/art/New-clothes-and-hair-2-370787432

[NathalieX66]

I'm what you see in my avatar.

[Leah Lynn]

Had to cut it a couple months ago for a family ordeal. Letting it go/grow now. I have a full head of hair but it's coarse and bushy, and wavy. It's a b!tch to take care of, but no one said it was easy to be beautiful!

Leah

[mikiSJ]

I'm what you see in my avatar.

Me, too! 9" heading to 12".

[steftoday]

I'm blessed to still have a good full head of hair. I've been growing it out slowly. My job doesn't allow me to have it as long as I like, but I'm pushing that boundary...

[Jess6887]

i wish i could but my hair doesnt want to grow that long, it seems to reach a point and then stops, im only 24 come on hair growwwwwwww haha

[Sara Jessica]

Here's my hair on April 19, 2013 and April 20, 2013 respectively...any questions? ;)

[mirandacdgirl]

I happened to get a job a few years ago that allowed me to grow my hair out. I love having my hair long. I only have 2 wigs but I rarely use them now.

[Sejd]

I grew my hair out and tried different styles, but it never looked quite perfect. After 5 years of trying to get it right I finally cut it all short and went for the wigs. I buy natural human hair wigs and love them. They look really great and you can get a good quality wig for around $ 200. Not bad if you want the natural look.

[Leona]

I've never worn a wig. My attitude is that if girls can do it with their hair, so can I.

I also have had long hair most of my adult life anyway, so it's not like it's something I have to do right now, because it was already long before. :)

[betty1253]

I've kept my hair long for going on 27 years. My employer doesn't care, just show up on time.

Really took bad care of it at first. But as I've grown to embrace my feminine self, I learned the secrets of taking care of it.

Can see the point of a wig, instant karma so to speak.

Betty

[kodak82]

Do to a recent job change I have gone about a year and half with out a hair cut minus one trip to the salon for a trim
I would say go for it. If you can.... funny thing me and my wife have a joke about having long hair we call it #long hair problems.

[Dana L]

Been growing mine out for a while now. It kept getting split ends and breakage. Since the last trim of the dead ends I've been using a better conditioner and it's growing nice and healthy now another 4"-6" and I'll be there. Humm maybe 8"???

[betty1253]

Here's my hair on April 19, 2013 and April 20, 2013 respectively...any questions? ;)

No questions, lovely hair dear.

[Tracii G]

I do add 24 in extensions sometimes if I want super long hair.

[donnatracey]

I can only dream! Male pattern baldness inherited from my maternal grandfather has been devastating....:eek: Without wigs I would be in serious trouble.....:D

PS How I envy you girls who can grow your hair out...you all look wonderful!

[Leona]

Mine's thinning. So much that a GG with my hair WOULD wear a wig. :)

Luckily, my bff who's suffering a second bout of cancer has wigs leftover from her first bout, and she's offered them to me. For her second bout, she doesn't think she'll bother (and her hair isn't falling out this time, different chemos).

I love her. :) But I'm not in a hurry to acquire her wigs because we have quite different tastes in hair. I need to actually look at them. :)

[Dianne S]

I have long hair. However, I've just ordered my first wig ever (from eBay) just to see how I look with a much more obviously female style.

[PretzelGirl]

As soon as I started dressing, I grew my hair out. I did get one wig in the beginning and it was a horrible choice. It is a lot more to learn and I am appalled out how I mistreated my hair when it was short. The bad choices come to light when it has length. I am a little thin across the top and the hairline isn't what it used to be. But if you style it right, it isn't a problem. And women have high hair lines and thin scalps too, it just isn't as common.

[Loni]

sad at my age i would love to just have hair grow on my head.
it is way too thin and just not in some place anymore.

now why could the facial and body hair not be the same way? if it would then i could learn quickly to love a wig in 100F heat.

.

[Launa]

Here's my hair on April 19, 2013 and April 20, 2013 respectively...any questions? ;)

Hi Sara Jessica, did you get that beautiful head of hair cut back into a man's style or did you opt for a cute woman's wedge cut or something the like?


I have no choice but to wear wigs.

[Erica Marie]

Kinda weird how we try so hard. We shave our arms, legs and other non mentionable parts. Yet we struggle to grow a flowing head of hair. I have kept my hair short for the last 25 yrs but am attempting to figure out now how to transition from a boy haircut into a unisex style without drawing too much attention. As if shaved legs, manicured fingernails and now both ears pierced isnt some giveaway. I too would luv to dump the wigs. I am having a hard time finding a qaulity one in a style that suits me. Also wearing a wig just makes me feel like I am faking who I really am.

[Beverley Sims]

I have experimented on occasions but a wig is more convenient than having long hair all the time.
I have an image to live up to. :)

[celeste26]

I am retired and have no need to worry about what some boss may say. At this time my hair goes down to the middle of my back and when it is hot it is always in some sort of pony tail. When free it has some rather nice natural waves.

But as I was growing up it seems my parents took me to the barber every 2 weeks and the hair he cut off was not very long in the first place.

[LilSissyStevie]

I haven't cut my hair since I retired 4+ years ago. There is nothing "feminine" about it at all. I think it has more of a crazed mountain man effect than anything else. Children grab their mother's leg when I walk by. I like to go out wearing a ponytail with a pink scrunchy. People think I'm being ironic.

[barbaraclothes]

Recently retired and letting it grow. Had to get a nail salon gift certificate recently, and the worker commented that she could do wonders for my hair and looked at my nails and commented stop by and ill fix you up.. I was in drab at the time. I will go back and take up the offer.

[Cindy M]

Haven't cut mine since May 2011. I did have my ends trimmed at Christmas. I wear it in a pony tail at work :)

[Sandieland]

Since I'm now retired, my plan is to let it grow as long as I can and when I'm in boy mode, pull it into a ponytail and go around making the "peace" sign a lot. Maybe get an old Army jacket and the picture is perfect...lol

[Jennifer in CO]

mine hasn't been cut in over 20 years. At Y2K it was, at the base of the neck, a 2" diameter rope that I had to move when I sat down (braided). Yes I got headaches. I know exactly how Crystal Gale felt. Now, its about an inch thick and makes it just past my bra strap (braided). The thing that is easier now is doing something with it other than a braid.

[Jason+]

I've never worn a wig. My attitude is that if girls can do it with their hair, so can I.

I couldn't agree more! If I am going to have long hair it's going to be my own.


I'm blessed to still have a good full head of hair. I've been growing it out slowly. My job doesn't allow me to have it as long as I like, but I'm pushing that boundary...

LOL I solved that problem by retiring form the Navy. My current job may not be that thrilled about it but so far haven't tried to tell me I can't grow it out. It's coming along slowly and we'll see where it goes from here!

[Princess Grandpa]

Other than the years I spent in sales, I have always worn long hair. Once every few years I would donate my pony tail and start over. I should get a huge discount in wigs now that I think about it. Heh. At this point there is very little of my own hair left. If only I accepted this In myself thirty years ago. What a hottie I could have been.

Hug
Rita

[Kali]

My own hair is actually longer than the wigs I use, but it's very grey and I'm quite thin on top. My wife tells me I look younger with the wigs.

[Heather1129]

Been growing mine out for about 3 years now, but I think I am fighting a losing battle with it, I'm losing it faster than I can grow it. Love having long hair, it is kind of a pain to deal with at times, but thats the price we pay sometimes. Go for it!!

Heather

[Sara Jessica]

Hi Sara Jessica, did you get that beautiful head of hair cut back into a man's style or did you opt for a cute woman's wedge cut or something the like?

Funny thing is that it was cut into a "cute women's wedge cut or something like that" and it's decidedly more feminine than the long hair was. And even more surprising is that I'm getting less grief. I haven't posted any picture threads lately but there is a shot or two in the special events section.

The overwhelming opinion seems to be that people like my short hair look better (more feminine, younger looking, cuter, etc). I'll go with that but I'm still learning how best to style it.


Haven't cut mine since May 2011. I did have my ends trimmed at Christmas.

Your hair will actually look healthier if you get the ends trimmed more often. I don't recall the recommended interval but I used to go every couple months or so.

[AshleyW]

Last time I had short hair was 2002, and I was only 14 years old. Growing it long had nothing to do with gender though, it was about the music culture I identified with.

Currently I'm rocking dreadlocks. Since I started my dreads three years ago (as of next week actually) and only finally accepted my trans-ness earlier this year, I've never had an oppurtunity to wear wigs. Seriously, you can barely even fit a bike helmet over dreads, wigs are right out of the question!

[heatherdress]

Wigs are easy and offer immediate color and style change. But my wife just suggested that I grow my hair long. After years of weekly buzz haircuts, I have not had my hair cut in about 2 months. I think she prefers real hair and looks forward to styling it. She has already done some short spikey styling. I guess I will wear experiment and maybe wear a pony tail when not dressed. She also insisted that I finally get my ears pierced. She even threatened to pierce them herself. If I don't get them done soon, I am going to wake up with them pierced. She does keep my crossdressing life exciting

[ArleneRaquel]

My hair is now very long, but I usually still wear a wig.

[Jenny CD]

I don't wear wigs... Too hot. Besides, like someone said before, a wig is hiding the real me. However, I did buy an 'attachment' of sorts that matches my own hair. It's kind of a ponytail, just clips right on. Gonna wear that until my hair grows out some more. And I've been told that it looks like my natural hair. So, I'm good.

[Avrial]

I too am letting it grow. It's a big change from the buzzed cut of the last few years. I'm going for a short to mid length style like this:

http://www.short-haircut.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Super-short-pixie-haircuts.jpg

[paulaprimo]

i have wigs, but never wear them. my hair has always been long. one of the few true femme qualities i have :)

[Sarah Doepner]

My hair is long and curly, and thin and going gray where there is hair. Like so many others here I suffer from Male Pattern Sunburn so I have wigs to wear when I go out. But around the house I'm happy to let my own hair curl around my earrings and fall on my shoulders. A wig actually can help me look younger and much more feminine and I need all the help I can get, believe me.

[lynnef]

never wanted a wig, too much trouble and $$$, so about 2001 or so i decided to not get it cut anymore... it would be longer but there were about 5-6 years when I didn't take very good care of it, just started taking better care of it this year and already there has been an improvement... at least some of the girls are jealous, :D now I just need some cute hair jewelry...

It's really no problem at all to take care of it (despite what people may think) - 4-5 min /day brushing, and wash 1-2x/week, and i can put it up in 10 seconds or less when it's not behaving :P (couldn't do that when it was short heh)

[AmyGaleRT]

I started growing my hair out for quite some time before coming out to Sabrina, because she likes my hair long. Having it look better en femme was a nice bonus.

I wear it in a ponytail most of the time in guy mode. In my line of work, ponytails on men are almost a cliche.

I've had my hair done once, completely en femme. It was a wonderful, feminine experience, and I plan to have it done again in a few months.

- Amy

[Michaella]

For many years I have had very long hair, pretty close to my waist. But over time it has thinned and some male pattern baldness has started, so I really don't look very feminine with it. So, I wear wigs when I go out femme. They are uncomfortable but they do look nice and it is fun to be able to wear different styles on a whim.

Michaella

[Michaella]

Also wearing a wig just makes me feel like I am faking who I really am.[/QUOTE]

I feel the same way. I wish it weren't necessary to deceive and I could just be who I am.

Michaella

[MissTee]

Been growing mine out for several months now. My hair is very fine, so it wants to curl out on the ends and is hard to control. It's half way over my ears though, and I'm experimenting with a flat iron. I'm just so happy to have hair and no bald spot sat my age. Who care if it flares out on the end. It's hair. Glorious, large quantities of natural hair. My hair . . .