Honestly, I didn’t think growing out short hair would work for me. I’d done the impulsive chop during a rough season of my life (classic), loved it for about three weeks, and then woke up one morning hating every mirror in my apartment. Not dramatic at all.
But the part no one warned me about? The middle. The awkward, why-did-I-do-this middle.
Growing out short hair isn’t just a hairstyle change. It’s a slow, daily negotiation with your patience. Some days I felt kind of powerful for not running back to the salon. Other days I wanted to shave it all off just to stop thinking about it.
Not gonna lie… I messed this up at first. A few times.
This is what actually happened for me. No miracle tricks. No “just be patient” fluff. Just the messy, lived-in version of trying to grow my hair out without losing my mind.
Why I Even Tried Growing Out Short Hair (and What I Got Wrong)
I went short because I wanted a reset.
I told myself it was about “low maintenance.”
What I didn’t admit? I was tired of my own reflection and thought a haircut could fix that.
It worked for a minute. Then reality showed up.
Here’s what I misunderstood:
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I thought short hair meant zero effort
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I assumed growing it out would be passive
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I believed time alone would solve the awkward phase
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I expected compliments to carry me through the ugly stages (lol, no)
What surprised me:
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Short hair actually needed more styling to look intentional
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Growing it out felt emotionally heavier than cutting it
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Bad hair days hit harder when you can’t hide behind length
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People have opinions. Too many opinions.
There’s this weird vulnerability when you’re growing out short hair. You don’t get instant results. You can’t “fix it” overnight. And when it looks bad, it’s just… bad.
No ponytail. No bun. No quick escape.
The Awkward Phase Is Real (And It Lasted Longer Than I Expected)
If you’re here wondering, “How long does it take to grow out short hair?”
Here’s the unromantic answer:
Longer than you want. Shorter than forever.
For me:
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First 2 months: felt cute sometimes
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Months 3–5: identity crisis
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Month 6: starting to see shape again
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Month 9+: finally felt like “okay, this is going somewhere”
From what I’ve seen, at least, hair grows about half an inch a month.
Which sounds fine until you’re staring at your reflection every single day.
The awkward phase hit when:
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My hair was too long to be “pixie cute”
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Too short to tuck behind my ears
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Flipping out weirdly on one side
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Refusing to lay flat no matter what product I used
This honestly surprised me:
The awkward phase wasn’t just visual. It messed with my mood.
I caught myself:
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Canceling plans
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Wearing hats indoors
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Avoiding photos
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Getting snippy over tiny things (hi, emotional regulation)
No one tells you growing out short hair can mess with your confidence in sneaky ways.
What I Tried First That Failed (Learn From My Mistakes)
I went into this thinking effort = progress.
Wrong. Sometimes effort = sabotage.
Things I did that slowed everything down:
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Over-trimming “just to shape it”
I kept asking stylists to “clean it up.”
Clean it up = cutting off my progress. -
Heat styling every day
I wanted control. I got damage instead. -
Trying to force long-hair routines on short hair
Oils, heavy masks, aggressive brushing.
My hair just looked greasy and sad. -
Switching products constantly
I kept chasing “the perfect routine.”
My scalp was confused. So was I. -
Comparing my growth to TikTok timelines
Huge mistake. Those glow-ups skip the ugly middle.
If I could rewind, I’d tell myself:
Stop micromanaging. Let it be weird for a bit.
What Actually Helped (Not Magic, Just Consistent)
No miracle serum changed my life.
But a few boring habits did more than I expected.
What worked for me:
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Trims with intention (not panic)
I only trimmed when ends were visibly damaged.
Not because I was uncomfortable. -
Light styling, not control styling
Texture sprays > flat irons
Let it look imperfect on purpose. -
Protective sleep habits
Satin pillowcase. Low effort, noticeable difference. -
Washing less often
This helped texture form naturally.
Also… less time staring at it in the mirror. -
Finding one “okay” style for the awkward phase
Headbands, side part, tucked behind one ear.
Just one reliable fallback look. -
Tracking progress monthly (not daily)
Photos once a month kept me sane.
Daily checks made me spiral.
Why this works (simple logic):
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Hair grows slow
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Damage compounds fast
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Stress makes you touch it more
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Touching it more makes it look worse
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Which makes you more stressed
… you see the loop.
Breaking the loop mattered more than any product.
Common Mistakes That Drag This Process Out
If growing out short hair feels impossible, one of these might be happening:
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You’re cutting too often “for shape”
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You’re heat styling to control awkward growth
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You’re expecting each phase to look good
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You’re switching routines every two weeks
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You’re punishing yourself for hating it some days
Not gonna lie… I did all of these.
This is where patience isn’t just waiting.
It’s resisting the urge to “fix” things that aren’t broken.
Is Growing Out Short Hair Actually Worth It?
Short answer:
Sometimes. Not always.
For me?
Yeah. Eventually.
Here’s when it felt worth it:
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When I could finally tie a tiny ponytail
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When my hair started framing my face again
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When I stopped planning haircuts as emotional resets
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When I felt less reactive about my appearance
Here’s when it didn’t feel worth it:
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During the awkward middle
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On days I felt invisible
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When photos made me cringe
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When people said “just cut it again”
So… is it worth trying?
If you’re doing this to:
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Prove something to yourself
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Regain a sense of continuity
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Rebuild patience with your body
Then yeah. It can be weirdly grounding.
If you’re doing this because:
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You think longer hair will fix your confidence
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You’re hoping for a fast glow-up
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You hate every stage that isn’t “perfect”
This might be a rough ride.
Objections I Had (and What I Learned the Hard Way)
“I don’t have time to style through the awkward phase.”
Totally fair. This phase takes more micro-effort, not less.
If low effort is your top priority, staying short might be better.
“My hair texture makes this impossible.”
Texture changes the awkward phase, not the growth itself.
Curly hair has its own chaos. Straight hair has its own flat moments.
Both are annoying in different ways.
“What if I hate it halfway through?”
You might. I did. Multiple times.
You’re allowed to change your mind.
Growing out short hair isn’t a contract.
“I feel dumb caring this much about hair.”
Same.
But appearance affects mood. Pretending it doesn’t doesn’t make you deep.
It just makes you quieter about what’s bothering you.
Reality Check (What No One Puts in Before/After Posts)
Let’s ground this:
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Growth isn’t linear
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Some months you’ll see nothing
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Stress can slow progress
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Breakage hides growth
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Your “end goal” might change
Also… you might outgrow the reason you wanted long hair again.
That part surprised me the most.
Halfway through, I realized this wasn’t about length.
It was about learning to sit with discomfort without immediately escaping it.
That’s a lot for a haircut.
But yeah. It went there.
Quick FAQ (Real Answers, Not Salon-Speak)
How long does it take to grow out short hair?
From super short to shoulder-length?
Roughly 12–18 months for most people.
You’ll see small wins sooner. The full vibe takes time.
What if it doesn’t work for me?
Then it doesn’t.
You didn’t fail. You tested something and learned your preference.
What slows results the most?
Heat damage. Over-trimming. Constant routine changes. Stress-touching your hair.
Who should avoid growing out short hair?
If you’re in a season where your patience is already maxed out.
This process asks for emotional bandwidth, not just time.
Practical Takeaways (No Hype, Just Reality)
If you’re going to try growing out short hair, here’s what I’d actually recommend:
Do this:
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Pick one low-effort style for bad days
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Take monthly progress photos
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Use less heat, not better heat tools
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Trim only for damage, not discomfort
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Let some days look bad on purpose
Avoid this:
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Panic cuts
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Comparing timelines
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Daily mirror-check spirals
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Switching routines constantly
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Expecting every phase to feel cute
Expect emotionally:
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Mood swings tied to hair days
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Random confidence dips
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Tiny wins feeling huge
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Occasional “why am I doing this?” moments
Patience here doesn’t look calm.
It looks like continuing even when you’re mildly annoyed most days.
Still… there were moments I caught my reflection and thought,
“Oh. Okay. This is changing.”
Not dramatically. Not magically.
Just enough to feel like the effort wasn’t wasted.
So no — growing out short hair isn’t some glow-up shortcut.
It’s slow. It’s awkward. It tests your patience in dumb little ways.
But for me?
It stopped feeling impossible.
And honestly, that was enough to keep going 🙂
