Advice Needed: Should I thin out my hair?

[Pigfarts]

Hello! I have straight hip length hair. It's fairly thick and heavy. I've been having neck and spine issues and my PT suggested that I cut my hair which I don't really want to do, but I want to take some weight out of my hair. Right now my hair is all 1 length and cut straight across. I don't really like having it in a v shape in the back. Has anyone with straight hair thinner or layered their hair nicely? Give pics and suggestions please! Thank you.

[lapushka]

I doubt that your hair is a main contributor, but I'm not your PT or a doctor. I would start wearing your hair up when you go to PT so they don't have that to "nag" about.

Do you feel like it plays a part in this? Then wearing it in a bun might help you out.

I would strongly warn about thinning out the hair. I am a iii, and have had it done, it is a pain in the booty, growing out wise and just the feel of it in your hair! I think I had half my hair left!

[KlutzyChy1]

I agree with lapushka. At least try wearing your hair up more often in different protective styles before you rush into cutting it. Something that won't cause too much strain like a braid. I had short choppy layers put into my hair at 16& I'm still growing them out now at 22. They make doing most hairstyles quite difficult & if you aren't happy with them, growing them out is such a pain & if you're happy with the length you're at now & don't want your hair much shorter, it will be a while before you'll get your nice, even hemline back if you do choose to get layers. I'm not a doctor, but I highly doubt that your hair is a big contributing factor in your neck /spinal pain. Perhaps explore other options before you make a big decision like that.

[Obsidian]

Thinning by use of thinning shears should not be done. It might lighten your hair but it will be a beast to grow out and the sticky up bits can look odd. I would suggest googling long straight hair with layers and see if you can find a picture that is similar to your hair type.
Personally, I've always liked to looks of layers better than a blunt cut. Just looks softer and more feminine to me.

[Babyfine]

How do you usually wear your hair? the reason I ask is I have had neck and shoulder/back issues for the last few months. I think I pulled something at work. Wearing my hair up with hair toys seems to make things worse. My hair is very fine and thin, and only BSL. I had no issues when I wore it down or in a low pony. Trouble with that is, wearing my hair down or in a low pony all day leads to a lot of tangling, unless I detangle frequently throughout the day. A low English braid helps.
I think the weight of the hair toys made things worse, although even wearing a bun with bobby pins seemed to throw the weight off for my neck, and cause pain. My stylist suggested a very short haircut, which would help with the fine/thin issue, but I don't want to cut.
Feeling better now so I wear it up again.
With thick hair, layers might make a difference so you could go for those. I love the look of layered hair, myself. I can't have them as they further thin out my flimsy, fine, flyaway hair.
But you may be able to pull them off beautifully.

[Jo Ann]

My experience with "professionals" using "thinning" shears leaves much to be desired. Many "professionals" do NOT know how to use "thinning" shears and that approach should be avoided at all costs. I always ended up with more hair problems than I had to start with.

Also, weight-wise, hair doesn't "weigh" as much as your PT seems to think. A quick check online indicates 15cm (about 6 inches) of hair weights less than 76 grams (about 2 ounces).

I'm inclined to agree to make your hair less of an arguement with your PT--maybe bun it or braid it before you go in for a session. THE "sweet spot" appears to be in the center of the back of one's head, with the bun centered in line with the tops of one's ears. See if that makes a difference.

Good luck with the physical therapy! I hope you feel better soon!

[Jo Ann]

Thinning by use of thinning shears should not be done. It might lighten your hair but it will be a beast to grow out and the sticky up bits can look odd. I would suggest googling long straight hair with layers and see if you can find a picture that is similar to your hair type.
Personally, I've always liked to looks of layers better than a blunt cut. Just looks softer and more feminine to me.

Whenever I had my hair thinned, I would walk in looking like I just stepped off my broom and, after a couple of washings, I looked like I stuck my finger in the electric outlet.

I still have nightmares about those days :shudder:

[Wavelength]

Most people who are unfamiliar with long hair think it weighs more than it does, because often hairstylists will cut hair when it's still quite damp.

Therefore, what people think of as "hair weight" is really water weight. Hair can soak up a lot of water and this can weigh heavily on the scalp, so in the case of a sudden release, such as a haircut on wet hair, it feels like a huge difference.

Dry hair, as someone said upthread, weighs only a few grams. Therefore I doubt thinning your hair will make any appreciable difference -- plus like everyone says, it's a pain to grow out. I'd experiment with some different hairstyles and hair accessories first. I have hair down past my hips in a blunt cut (about an inch away from classic) and I get migraines frequently, so believe me, I'm pretty darn committed to finding hairstyles that don't weigh down or pull on my scalp. As it is, I have a few hairstyles in my rotation that I use almost exclusively for "migraine" days. These are all braided hairstyles where the braid is either worn hanging loose, or folded up and pinned in specific places on my scalp that I've found won't hurt me. You may have to do some experimenting, but trust me -- we've all been there. You just have to figure out what works for you.

[Corvana]

I believe the best ways would be either single or double braids worn down, or distributed across your head like with heidi braids, crown braids, and very large braided buns. The more of your head the hair covers, the more weight is distributed.

But I also agree with the rest that the weight of your hair isn't likely that much. It might not be the most help, but it's certainly not the worst offender.

[Rockin' Gramma]

I agree with what everyone has suggested so far, and definitely avoid having your hair thinned. The few times in my life I've gone to a salon, they always want to thin it, and the result looks good for a day and then grows out terribly. If you've got it all one length, you would hate what thinning does. Look at a pair of thinning shears online and you'll see why.

My question is since you had this hair length before your neck and spine issues started, what changed? I realize the answer is really between you and your PT, so no obligation to answer it here. I hope you find some relief soon!

[spidermom]

Another LHCer who hates having hair thinned. It made my hair look frizzy beyond frizzy, so frizzy that there should be a new word for it.

I could definitely feel the weight of my long hair when I had it, and a layered style brought some relief. It did go to a V in the back, however.

[Jo Ann]

Spidermom, I think that new word for "frizzy" is BOOM!!

But that's just me... :p

[Kake]

I would ask your therapist for the science behind her advice. I often find people give advice based on their own biases, not on facts. I truly wouldn't advise cutting your hair on what could be the whim of someone who may not have thought too deeply about it.

If you decide to cut I also vote for layers over thinning. Very long layers on straight thick hair look great IMO.

[Beeboo123]

Noooooooooooooo!!!!!! I would say not to thin it. How heavy can the hair be? I hope I don’t come across as presumptuous, but have you considered if it is your updo that is causing the aches and pains, because it is getting in your way of having proper posture? For e.g. having your head pushed into a “forward head posture” and having rounded shoulders because ypur bun prevents you from being able to lean properly into your chair or car seat.

[Jo Ann]

A "forward head posture" can be cause by other things, too. For example, a sit-down job involving lots of paperwork and/or computer time, if not enough breaks are taken to stretch out one's back and shoulders. A job involving lots of driving (for example, an auto parts delivery driver) can cause similar problems. I used to do both types of work and sometimes stuck a ruler or yardstick down the back of my shirt to remind me to sit up straight helped--it looked funny, but when I started to slouch, that piece of wood reminded me to sit up straight or get up and walk around for a few minutes before returning to work.

[Andthetalltrees]

A "forward head posture" can be cause by other things, too. For example, a sit-down job involving lots of paperwork and/or computer time, if not enough breaks are taken to stretch out one's back and shoulders. A job involving lots of driving (for example, an auto parts delivery driver) can cause similar problems. I used to do both types of work and sometimes stuck a ruler or yardstick down the back of my shirt to remind me to sit up straight helped--it looked funny, but when I started to slouch, that piece of wood reminded me to sit up straight or get up and walk around for a few minutes before returning to work.

I almost instinctively have a forward posture, I tend to look down/off to the side a lot because of sensory overload(I've noticed this kind of posture is common with people on the autism spectrum and with SPD) and I tuck my arms/hands in weird positions which doesn't help.

[Cg]

My experience with knee-length very thick hair years ago suggests that your hair might in fact be heavy, but at hip length there is likely not enough to be the primary cause of neck and spine issues.

I strongly recommend putting your hair up, preferably in milkmaid braids or another style that distributes weight over as much of the scalp as possible. Blunt cuts do beautifully with braids, much better than layers or nonstraight hemlines.

[Anje]

I recall a former member with some seriously thick knee-length hair, weighing her hair at one point. I dug around a little, and found where she posted it. Her fine hair, 4.7 inches in circumference (so quite thick!) weighed 250g when she braided it and got the entire length of the braids onto a scale. Shorter and less thick hair is going to weigh a lot less than that. Furthermore, thinning would only take a portion of the hair and therefore the weight. I would conclude that you're not likely to lose much weight off your hair if you thin it substantially -- if you have half that length (below the nape) and the same thickness, and take away half the hair, that's only 62g. Less if your hair is less dense. 60g isn't nothing, but I doubt it would make a lot of difference either. You could always weigh your hair and guess how much less you'd have after thinning, if you want a concrete answer for your PT.

You might try braiding your hair, and pulling the braid to the front, so the weight rests on your shoulder. Then your neck isn't carrying the weight.

ETA: For what it's worth, when I did a radical cut last year (fingertip to 1 inch, all in one go), I did notice the difference in weight, but only for a day or two. Being bun-less made the way my head balanced feel a little different.

[Pigfarts]

Hello, thank you all for your responses!! I usually wear my hair in a crown braid (which I think distributes the weight best), in a figure 8 bun at the top of my head with a plastic hair stick (which can make my neck hurt after a while), or in a braid (which gets caught into things during PT if I'm not careful). I'll try putting the bun more towards the back of my head, but usually that feels like it's pulling at the front of my hairline area.

The PT seemed worry about the water weight especially with winter and longer drying times. Suggestions about quickly drying hair would be appreciated!
My hair was around bra strap length with a lot of layers when I first started getting neck and spine issues and it's never been shorter than that, so you guys are probably right that it's not a major contributor, but I guess the PT was just trying to brainstorm all the ways that could help alleviate the pain.

I might get long layers but I had layers for years before I started growing it out. It took years for all my hair to reach the same long length that it's at now but my hair does feel more unwieldy now.

[Jo Ann]

Pigfarts, my motto is "If it ain't broke, DON'T FIX IT!" :) If your hair didn't feel unwieldy before your PT suggested cutting or thinning it, it could be that the suggestion has weighed on your mind. Give it a couple of weeks and see if you still feel it is "unwieldy" before deciding to do something about it...just my 2¢ :blossom:

Funny you should ask about ways to shorten hair drying time: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=144501