I just wondered how many people have cut their hair short after finding TLHC? I know when I first joined I struggled with severely damaged hair and tried to nurse it along for about a year before I decided to cut it to my chin (it had gotten to just short of BSL) and begin again. It took me another 6 months of growing and cutting until I could begin really growing it out again. It was a difficult choice, but ultimately the right one for me.

What have your experiences been?

Nope! I wore a pixie cut for a long time, and now my hair is the longest it's ever been. I don't even trim - just S&D.

When I reach hip length, I'll maintain there and trim to get rid of a few damaged inches, and while I decide if I want to shoot for tailbone.

-- Natalie

Yes, I joined mid 2005... I cut my hair mid 2006.. and again about mid 2007. LOL. Summer time seems to be about the time I give myself a good chop. :shrug: I can't seem to get past BSL. Hah. It doesn't help that I occasionally straighten it, so I get splits. Oopsie.

Cut? Hair? *shudder* Never!

I found LHC one year ago, but I was too lazy I didn't post anything, my English is not the best and I forgot about the forum... I got a chin cut last January after a bad layers cut and I regret it one month after...Thanks God I remember LHC exists and now I have the inspiration to keep it growing and mantain it long and healthy...

Nope, not me the most cut I had was 1/4" :lol:

Nope! Just S&D but I've only officially been a member for a month (lurking for a few months more)

My goal is not to trim until February, when it will be a full year since the last trim.

Yes, I have...

I joined about a year ago (March 2007, wasn't it?), and struggeled for a year with my hair. Some really good periods, and some awful ones. About a month ago I decided to get it cut, 'cause I just could not take it anymore... Used to be about BSL, and now I'm chin-lenght. Just decided to kind of start all over.

Nice to hear that others have good experience with starting over, though :)

I cut my hair because of the LHC. I saw how healthy other peoples hair was and wanted in! My hair was slightly past bra strap, but in HORRIBLE condition. So I am starting again. I will one day hopefully rejoin the exalted ranks of long hairiness!

ok. that sounded better in my head.

Yes, after yet another episode of heavy shedding (a particuarly bad one casued by anaemia forced me to shave my head years ago) So I voted: Yes, needed to because of quality issues.
It was only about BSL, and it got so, so thin.... I cut it at shoulder lenght or so, also getting rid of almost all of the henna. I have been taking vitamins daily and this has stopped the shedding periods for me.

I don't regret it, although it annoyed me very much to have to do it.

Nope! If anything, I've become to fixated on healthy long hair. I need to loosen up and allow myself to get a trim (it needs a little one), but the idea seems very difficult to me.

Nope. But, I had already decided never to cut my hair again before I found the LHC. I'm just glad I found it so that I can take good care of my hair!

no not me, i intend to try and last until next February when i shall cut an inch or so off to tidy up ends.

Short is such a relative term. There are folks here who might feel like they had a pixie if they suddenly cut to my length of BSL with layers.

I haven't had anything shorter than shoulder in over 20 years, and I won't again unless I get sick and it goes on its own.

I voted no way! I've wanted my hair to be long since I was a little girl, and now that it's long I'm not about to cut it (it took such time and patience)!
The only thing I've done is cut off damage.

I Joined LHC in April 2007, but I just didn't get real interested in it Until October 2007, from then on I was hooked. I had cut my hair from BSL to top of shoulders in june '07, because I was so hot in the summer weather.

Yes... it looked awesome. It's gone through awkward stages and awesome stages all through the time i've been growing it (I cant afford to see a hairdresser every few weeks to keep it short and I have mad skillz at hair growth. I can grow like an inch a month!)

Only a half inch, and that was because the splits were starting to travel up.
I've been here since Nov.07 I believe, so ruffly 6 months, and its gone from hip brushing TB to brushing my wrist.(about Mid-bum.)
So nope, no major chopage!

I joined with a chin length bob just this past March. The LHC has been a wonderful source of information in taking care of my hair, and a source of inspiration in growing out the long hair I've always dreamed of. :) I'm going for BSL first and then waist length as a stopping point at which time I will maintain with only snipping off damaged ends.

Yes... it looked awesome. It's gone through awkward stages and awesome stages all through the time i've been growing it (I cant afford to see a hairdresser every few weeks to keep it short and I have mad skillz at hair growth. I can grow like an inch a month!)

An inch a month! I wish!

You're right, the short hair was cute on you. But from I can remember the long hair just as gorgeous- and super thick too!

I haven't bothered to even trim in the last 3 years, let alone cutting. It's to freaking expensive to go to the salon to get it cut and since nobody knows how to cut my hair right anyways, what's the point? I'm not going to pay someone to make me look stupid. :p

Yes, I cut my quite short after my daughter was born. I was having quality issues after years of fertility drugs and after she was born I was shedding like crazy. Since I was breastfeeding I had to stop some medication which caused even more havoc with my hair. I've kept it short for the last couple of years out of habit and because all of my attention has been focused on my little girl. I hate my hair, though. In my mind, I see myself with long hair - it's my identity. I miss it so much and I hope to get it back.

The only positive is that my hair is all virgin again. Lots of gray, but I'm OK with that!

I voted yes, two big chops due to severe damage - one in Oct 07 and one in Apr 08 (I am now at 16") however, I tried babying my hair for nearly 5 months and just couldn't salvage it from bleach and peroxide damage. I chose to cut back to (mostly healthy) and start anew.

Yep. I joined in Sept 2007 and I cut about 8 inches off in January in an attempt to get rid of as much damage as I could without shaving my head bald. But now that I've got a good routine down, I don't plan on cutting again unless I absolutely have to (minus the yearly trim and S&D's).

No, the largest haircut was 2 inches and I wasn't happy with that. I prefer doing small self-trims.

I voted NO. But, I wouldn't go so far as to as I'd never cut short again.
We never know what the future will bring. I love my hair long and don't
plan on cutting it off. But, life happens. So, I will not use the word never!

Nope I won't do it. Just growing long and proud. :cheese:

Where's the no, but I'm not ruling it out for the future button? :) Never say never!

I cut my hair into a long bob last fall to get it all one length. *see pics*

Yes. I joined in June 2005. When I was nearly at waist but fighting with Velcro ends every single day, I had it cut back to APL in October 2005 (about 5 inches). I regretted it for a couple of days, but I got over that and kept growing with only minor trims until last month. It may have been my activities of last summer; I once again had endless splits and Velcro ends. So I cut back 3-4 inches. No regret this time.

I just wondered how many people have cut their hair short after finding TLHC?

Not me. I've kept my already long hair since joining LHC over 3 years ago. I have no plans to cut it. I am growing it longer, to tailbone length.

I had to cut off the winter's progress recently. All the mistakes I made (trying too many things, excessive combing, not wearing a cap/shawl in the cold wind etc.) showed in my hair. So now I have the same length I had in October, minus the layers which is a bonus (well, if I ignore the triangle effect). Now, on to shoulders by December, but this time with unstressed, healthy hair!

I've only trimmed it many times - to keep the ends blunt and healthy. No big cuts, however :) And I plan to keep it that way! Lol.

I was wondering how many people chopped their hair after joining TLHC. I'm defining a chop as more than 6 inches. Thanks!

I chopped to remove fried/ bleached sections of hair... so now, finally, I feel that I can let it grow and not trim for a while! ;)

No way. I barely had 6 inches, period, it felt like. I haven't cut at all except for S&D. I also chose the cheese extension option.

I chopped around 7+ inches when I first joined because my ends looked horrible. Before that I hadn't even trimmed my hair in years (no reason, just didn't like salons). Unless your hair looks so bad that you're ashamed to wear it down I would just do small trims of 2" or less periodically until it is at a length and quality you are happy with.

I chose "Other" because I had to have 2 back surgeries in 2006 and chopped 12" off the length to make it more manageable during that time. I had to wear a back brace all the time and it was tough enough with the hair I had left after the chop. Nice poll, WritingPrincess!

I haven't cut at all yet, but I only joined less than a month ago :)

I do plan to continue regular trims for the forseeable future. Some of them may even be a couple inches :o

I have a weird attitude about haircuts. I hate going to the salon because of the COMBING and other handling. So I barely ever go, and when I do, I feel like I want to get... not even my money's worth. My combing's and shampooing's worth, LOL.

Not yet just s&d, Im trying to wait a year before I get a real haircut, and then I plan to chop maybe 2 inches or so.

I haven't cut, but I S&D pretty frequently, so I selected "other". I've worn very short hair most of my life, if I cut off all my damage now, I'd be afraid I'd give up. It's more encouraging to have my hair still feel long-ish.

I am growing out damage, but I'm trying to get my hair to a length that I'm reasonably happy with (like hip), and then I'll start trimming off half or more of my growth each month, until all the old, dyed and heat-styled hair is gone.

-- Natalie

My last cut & dye job was in August, I joined here in January. I'm hoping to go until my demarcation is about BSL, then cut off the whole dyed-and-permed, layered mess in one swell foop. Or I may cut off part of it every now and then. Who knows.

I answered other.

I went to get a trim shortly after joining so that my layers would be all neat for vacation. She took off 2" or 2.5" instead, which is a decent amount when I only had 19" at the time. It knocked me from almost APL to barely shoulder-length and sure did feel like a chop! I would have been less annoyed if it had at least been damaged, but it wasn't.

Oh well. It'll grow.

another:
http://www.forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=2929

I reached about 30" after joining TLHC. But after my daughter was born I was losing so much hair that I was terrified strands would get wrapped around her teeny fingers or toes. I was also having some hormone issues so I chopped it. I've kept it short for a couple of years now and HATE it so I am growing it out again. I miss my braids - it was the easiest way to wear my hair and I loved how I looked. Oh well...

I picked "other" cause I chopped bangs/fringe into my hair and two inches off the end cause they were really split and fried.

I picked both yes answers because I made a mad choice to chop while I was shopping one day. The layers I had made a decent updo impossible, and my hair was irritating me that day. So I went from almost tailbone to BSL. Oops. I'm in the process of regrowing it.

I went to my hairdresser and got 13 in. cut off because of damage and wanting to get rid of my bangs as well. Now it's only trims at my hairdresser.

I haven't cut my hair since joining. Actually I haven't cut since a while before that. I really am due for a trim at some point in the future. Haha. When that is as of yet is unknown.

I but chopped to remove damage. Was about 6-7 inches in sept!

another:
http://www.forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=2929

That's not really the same question. I answered yes to this poll because I cut a lot off right after I joined, back to just below BSL if I remember correctly. I wouldn't say it was short though, but it was a "big chop."

Yep. My hair was about waist/hip when I joined LHC and I grew it to about 1/2 inches short of classic.

I have very thick hair (ponytail circumference is about 5.5 inches) and it totally swamped me. I couldn't cope with wearing it down anymore. I also had a realisation that, despite all the different buns and hairtoys that I wore, I basically had two looks: down or scraped back. I just didn't feel that the scraped back look was doing my any favours (from the point of view of my overall appearance) so I decided to cut it back.

About 7/8 months ago now I had it cut back to BSL; then shoulders and layered. That's where it is now.

Do I regret it? Nope. I'm loving the fun I have with it now.

First of all: the last option totally cracked me up: I cut my hair so that I could put in extentions made from cheese. :rollin: And I almost chose it because it's so funny. :gabigrin:

Second: I haven't read any replies yet, I will go back to read the whole thread after I post my answer.

Third: I chose other.
I did "chop" my hair, but it wasn't because of damage to my hair and it wasn't because I wanted short hair. My hair was very, very close to waist when stretched straight and at around BSL when curly, I cut it to about chin length.
I'd lost a lot of hair (I assume due to stress about 6 months before), and I just wasn't happy: I got stressed when I saw how much I was shedding, I felt sad when I saw and felt how much thinner it was getting - in short, it was causing me more grief than joy, and I didn't have the motivation to take care of it.
So I cut it to a length that would hide the thickness and would make taking care of it easier and faster (combing and washing take much less time now).

It helped, and I like my hair again.
And the thickness* is coming back and I'm growing again. :D

FWIW: When I cut my hair I didn't start a thread about it. :p I just wrote about it in my hair journal and changed my information so the old length wouldn't show under my avatar.

ETA: *Mind, I was a ii with less than 3in circ even back then before I started losing like crazy, but compared to what I ended up with, even that seems like wonderfully thick to me. :lol:

Yes, after yet another episode of heavy shedding

Me too!
I went from a bit over BSL / almost waist (dry, curly / stretched straight) to about chin length because I shed so much my hair got much thinner than it had been. :(
I've been mostly happy with my hair since cutting, and I'm growing again - thankfully, the shedding went back to normal levels and my hair is getting thicker again.
:cheese:

Oh, I chose "Yes, for other reasons" (for quantity reasons :lol:).

I voted "no, no way", but only because there was no option for "no, but I've wavered on occasion" and almost had it cut.

I voted "no, no way!" too. I've recently cut back to waist length but that's not "short" is it :p (well I guess some might disagree :))

I might someday cut my hair short, who knows, but not any time soon, and it was the only "no" option in the poll so that's what I voted :)

Hi evryone.
I've only just joined the message board, and I haven't cut my hair since well before then! Infact, I can't remember the last time I had a 'proper' haircut, it's only been been slight trims for quite a few years now. :p

I trimmed last July, at about the same time I joined LHC (I think I'd found it and was lurking at the time, and joined shortly after) and intend to trim again in June (I'd do July, but I'm working at a summer camp so it's just easier to do it when I'm actually living at home).

Nope, haven't gotten the slightest trim since joining - in fact, LHC has been a major reason why I haven't. My first goal was to have my first trim at the two year mark. I'm mildly surprised that once that anniversary passed (about three weeks ago), I found that I had no urge whatsoever to cut anything. I expect I'll trim an inch or two at some point in the future (to even out "natural" layers), but that future point remains undefined for now.

8) Jim

I have not had any trims/cuts since I found LHC. However, I had loads of splits and white dots/broken bends, and I have spent a lot of time with S&D. Literally all my hairs were split before LHC, and a significant amount of splits had travelled several inches up the hairs. It's hard to say for sure, but I may have lost some overall length from S&D-ing the longest hairs. Because of that, I voted "other".

The number of new splits are decreasing all the time, but I have still a lot of length that has been exposed to years of mechanical damage. I do not intend to trim, though. My reasons:
1: S&D-ing the longest hairs may cause some loss of overall length, but at least I can be sure that I have lost no more length than absolutely necessary.
2: I want to have fairytale ends. Blunt cuts just isn't me. S&D-ing will not prevent my ends from fairytale-ing, but trims do.
3: My splits occur through my length and not only at my hemline. Trims haven't ever made my hair as soft and tangle-free as a good S&D mission.

I voted other, as I had a roughly 3 inch trim in November 2005 (I joined LHC in June 2005 after lurking for a good few months). I've also given myself two trims since then where I've trimmed maybe 2-ish inches each time, in addition to semi-regular S&D.

I'm planning on getting a few inches trimmed professionally, as well as having my layers put back in as soon as I can afford it, so that's another reason why I chose other. I have to admit I was severely tempted to go for the cheese extensions though :p

Just trimmed off growing out layers. I will be doing that for awhile.

I chopped my hair before finding TLHC because of regular damage and dryness I didn't know how to handle. After I found this place and learned new, better ways to take care of my length, I haven't chopped other than trims (well a few more than I really wanted to cut but I did it myself :P)

I did a 14-inch chop in January 2007 to get rid of damage. My hair is much healthier now.

yes sometimes nice trims

No, I have only S&D-ed since I came here. I have no intention to cut either.

I voted 'Yes, for others reason'.

I cut off about 10 inches of dyed black hair so I could get back to a more natural color for me.

I regret it though.

Wish my hair was still long and black, now it is blonde (orange-y blonde) and shorter, a little bit longer than BSL now : (

Uuum isn't there almost an identical thread and also in the first page of the polls section. :confused:
I'm not a native speaker but when I hear chop I understand like hacking hair off to short. If it's a major different thing than I want to know how much counts as chopping off. I mean cutting 10" for a medium length person would mean chopping it all off while for someone of floor lengthed hair it would be a little percentage of their hair and might be called a trim. Anyway I did cut 9" off about two years ago but they were damaged extremely thinning bits and needed to go. :)

Being a member of the No Trimming Club (see link in my siggy) I selected 'not cut at all' option. Still, I do S&D occasionally.

Nope, not me! However, I'm open to future changes in my personality and taste - I might one day decide to go short and choppy again. On the other hand, I might not!

well i had mine chopeed to a chin length bob from almost shoulder length to get rid of scraggy layers, i keot the bob for a few months but now i am ready to try and grow it again!!!!!!!

I haven't cut my hair at all. No chops, trims, or S&Ds.

Yup. I chopped it from below waist length to above shoulder length in September 2007 in order to eradicate the henna-coloured hair and grow out my grey.

I still have light henna tones on some of the length and intend to have another cut (hopefully the very last one ever) once I am at waist length again.

I hate cutting my hair but I decided that I could not tolerate the two-toned length. Eventally I want to have virgin, un-cut hair with 100% fairytale ends.

I just went to a stylist last week and had a chop of about 7". I had multiple layers which made updoes difficult, and the layers were somewhat damaged due to old perm/highlights.
Now I haved a blunt cut of virgin hair in great condition. I am very pleased with the outcome.

Yes, I cut back from just below waist to above shoulder in august 2007. My hair was over hennaed, dry and I felt very strong about growing out my natural colour. I still feel that and don't regret the cut, but my hair right now (partly bleached down henna=orange and short) isn't so much fun. But the cut was a necessary bad so to say.

I chopped a couple of inches to get rid of my layers. There are one or two inches of layers left, but I won't cut my hair until next year again.

yes I did cut my hair to a bob last nov. as I was getting rid of damage form heating iron & also wanted to start fresh...was getting over postpartum blues:rolleyes: Ofcourse the stylist cut my waist length hair & all she said was .....oh my god, my floor is full of hair:shrug: I was too shocked to react. But now i am already almost at bsl....& luv the quality.

I have periodically grown my hair out and cut it since first joining the site. I'm easily bored I guess, and I mainly come to the site for information on how to properly care for my hair. (Sorry, I didn't really intend for that to rhyme.)

So I chose the "other" option for my answer. For now though I have grown bored with short hair and am growing it out again, to at least shoulder length, and possibly bra strap. If I could keep from getting bored with it so easily I may someday make it to waist, but I think that's as long as I would want it.

I haven't had my hair cut for the past 4 years exept for a few trims, so, I chose the first alternative :)

I just had a major chop to even up a "shelf" I had gotten. "Shelf" = major layer that just sticks out there above longer hairs. I miss the length dearly but like the look much better : )

Since no way was the only no option, that's what I picked. That said, I may not keep it long for the rest of my life. Shortness could happen (but not in the immediate future).

Yes, and I don't regret anything that I have done to it, before or after the cut. It's just hair, and will grow back with time. I'm looking forward to starting my growing over.

Yup - cut my hair from tailbone to shoulders in January. No regrets... except that I can't wear my Ficcares and hairsticks!

At some point I'll grow it back to waist, but I don't know when.

Meanwhile - FYI - I merged the two currently active polls about this topic. Please pardon any confusion caused by this. :flowers:

I rarely cut my hair anyway, but no, I have not cut my hair since I joined. My ends are getting really thin and wispy though and just snarling up so I think it's time for my yearly trim. I usually get my man to hack about 3-4 inches off. It really could do with it.

I voted no, no way.....I have a greater respect for my hair care now than before joining about a year ago. I could use a trim, but am waiting until hip lenght to maintain there. Until than, micro trims now and then.

Not me! I did cut a face framing layer though.

I've been getting hair trimmed about 1/4" every three months. So I've made progress in growing it from shoulder lenght to armpit length.

BUT I am very frustrated with my hair right now. It's the usual story: damage from dye and blow drying.

PLUS I've three different colors contending for attention. AAAArrrrrggghhh!

Since joining just over a year ago, I've cut almost 8 inches from my hair. I've had two cuts of at least three inches and two minor trims of approx 1". I was diagnosed with seborric dermatitis and the infammation caused by it made me lose quite a bit of hair through sheds and still does when it flares up. So in the interest of thickening up, I've kept my hair between APL and shoulder. The first cut was the hardest because my hair was at BSL but, it's hair and it will grow back with time, TLC and patience :)

Yep, although I hadn't officially joined, but had lurked quite a bit. I had to cut from mid-back to shoulder because of horrible condition caused by Accutaine. I had to keep it there for about 3 years until I went off the drug because my hair was so dry and brittle and would not hold moisture no matter how much I babied it! Now, I'm aiming for waist but I have to do regular trims while the last of the damage grows out...

I wish I could say that since joining LHC I never cut my hair short but I did. I'll just call it practice and now I'm growing it out for real.

I voted no, because, though I've thought about chopping and starting over fresh to take better care of it, I know it would just make me incredibly depressed and would just be a big mistake for me.