To trim or not to trim?

[Eireann]

Hello! I'm trying to grow my hair at least to tailbone, and maybe to classic if I can stand it. My last trim was in March, and my last more substantial cut was in November '07. I'm currently at around bra strap length, and I'm feeling impatient and bored with my hair. I'm considering getting a slight trim in the length and over all "refreshing" of the layers, but I'm worried I'll regret losing even a little bit of length, not to mention the $70 it will cost me. I guess I'll wait the customary 2 weeks, but I thought I would also solicit input from the LHC. Any thoughts?

[sipnsun]

I have a lot of splits and breakage on my ends every couple of months, so I have to trim. If I didn't, my hair wouldn't grow at all, it would just break off. If you don't have this problem, maybe a light dusting of your ends and layers would make you feel better and also straighten up your hemline without loosing any length. I would still wait a couple of weeks before I did anything just in case.:)

[spidermom]

I get a trim about every 3 months. I really like to have even ends, and I'm trying to avoid developing a lot of taper. I think trimming is a good thing. Most of the time I get about 1/2-inch trimmed off, and the length is back within a month.

[HairyCarrie]

How timely. I just made an appt to get a mild trim (as I told the receptionist). I just want a little blending of the sides to the back as I'm still a shorty, and a little off the layers to sloooooowly get chemical color out.

I actually cancelled a 6 week appt and now it's been 10 weeks. I will go longer in the future but the gal I use is leaving the salon. She did a gentle trim on my last visit and I was happy with it so I want to use her one more time.

[embee]

When I trimmed at BSL I was able to stop my hair from growing any longer. There were many years when I thought BSL was terminal for me.

The only way I got past that was to put my hair up and not look at the ends or the length at all.

Maybe a new toy or some new updo styles would be of interest?

[LaurelSpring]

At this point I am convinced that Salons are lethal to my goal. Whenever I go there for just a dusting it feels like it has set me back in a huge way. My new plan of action is to only do self dustings and S& D on new moons ( I read that if you trim on a new moon you wont get spits and it will help your hair grow thicker).

[MeMyselfandI]

$70 for a hair cut. That sounds so expensive.

I have mixed feelings about length verse a good looking hair hem. I thought only length was important. Yet last week, I did a self-trim of almost two inches. There were a bunch of hairs that were longer then the rest of the hair. (The hairs look like they had been left their from a bad cut.) The hem line looked messy. I had not had my hair cut since Dec 08. I took a scissor and trimmed these stragglers. I was amazed how much better my BSL hair looked after this minor trim of the few straggler hairs.

Know with this new experience, my opinion is, if you like wearing your hair down, I think it is important for hair to look good, especially if that makes you feel good. (Growing out hair at various length, in my opinion is experimentation time with various styles to get pass the growing out problem.)

When I did get my hair cut in Dec 08, I had layers put into it. I have not touched the layers. I may still go get them trimmed a bit for a better look until I grow them out. The shortest layer is past my chin.

[greekprincess]

It's really hard to say. I had a major cut in Oct of 07 to cut off some old fried hair...then didn't touch it until this June and that was just 1/8" cut off and now that is going to be it for me until it reaches waist...hopefully. I know I get bored with my hair too, and the thoughts of trimming, coloring, run through my head...but I just jump on this site and get those crazy thoughts right out of my head.

[thankyousir74]

70$?!?!

Have you considered self trim? or a micro trim?

[Xandergrammy]

I am a fan of fairy tale ends, so I don't trim. The quickest way to gain length is to just let it grow. My :twocents:

[lady G]

If you do get a trim I would ask about for a cheaper cut $70 sounds very expensive! just for a trim when you aren't having a major new stlye or anything! I have been to costly salons and cheaper ones and really you don't always get what you pay for at all!! ask someone you know with long hair where they go for a mini trim they may go somewhere cheaper. If you do get a trim I hope you love it:)

[jojo]

I never used to trim but found my hair stalled. now I love fairy tails on other people but my hair is too fine unfortunatelly for them to look good on me. I cut 1/2" every 2 months and I am certain it has helped my hair gain more length.

I too used to spend a fortune on hair cuts its like £15 more near me if you have long hair, which is stupid as i was only having a teeny bit cut, shorter hairs got theirs re-styled for cheaper. now I just trim myself, its cheaper and I am in control to how much comes off.

[girlcat36]

I haven't been in a salon in years, is a haircut 70.00? Wowza! "Refreshing" the layers sounds dangerous to me, you could wind up with a full-fledged haircut that you didn't want.
I say microtrim the ends.

[Eireann]

Update: I did a self trim last night, with the pony tail on top of the head method, as shown here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNzLZ7H7FfI

I didn't lose much length at all, but got rid of a lot of the "ratty" ends, and my hair feels much better, and the natural wave is coming out more. Thanks all for the feedback.

Regarding the $70 haircut, I live in a big city, and I still go to the same guy I used to see when I had more substantial haircuts, so, yeah, it's pricey! He's really great and respects my desire for long hair (his wife has beautiful hip-length hair.) The last time I went to a "cheapy" place, the guy apparently wanted to prove his mettle as a serious stylist, and hacked off several inches and put in layers and did some extra deep conditioning treatment that ended up costing extra, and. . .well, you get the picture. I figure if I get my hair cut twice a year, I can deal with the expense of going to a guy I know I can trust! But, thanks to the self trim (and the advice and encouragement of LHC), I can put if off a couple more months.

[musicmomma]

thanks for the link to that tutorial. i am gonna do that for myself and then next month get a prof. trim as i have my sister in laws wedding coming up and would love to wear my hair down.