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View Full Version : How do I not go cross-eyed doing S&D?



raingirl
March 2nd, 2013, 09:17 AM
Is it just because my hair isn't super long yet? I'm at BSL and I'm really trying to do S&D to avoid any trims, but I get a headache looking up close at my ends trying to find splits. I have a lot of them (curse of fine hair I think) but it takes so long to separate one out, cut it, find the next, separate it out, cut it, etc.

jacqueline101
March 2nd, 2013, 09:23 AM
It's something you have to get used to. I still get cross eyed I've been it at over a year. They're right time flies here so I think time will fly and we will learn the fine art of s&d without going cross eyed.

trolleypup
March 2nd, 2013, 09:54 AM
When I have to do a lot of really close work, I have a couple pairs of drugstore glasses that let my eyes focus comfortably...the eyestrain contributes to the headaches.

cindy58
March 2nd, 2013, 09:56 AM
You know what -- I never S&D. I get a trim when I feel like it. Last time was Sept. I'm not seeing splits. I don't necessarily think S&Ding is something that *has* to be part of a hair routine.

Sharysa
March 2nd, 2013, 10:58 AM
You know what -- I never S&D. I get a trim when I feel like it. Last time was Sept. I'm not seeing splits. I don't necessarily think S&Ding is something that *has* to be part of a hair routine.

But the OP is definitely seeing a lot of splits that she prefers to trim off.

As for the OP, have you tried S&Ding against a contrasting wall or background? I mostly S&D in the bathroom since my hair is black and my bathroom is white, and it helps a lot with reducing eyestrain.

Unfortunately, you're not alone since the farther up my hair I get, the harder it is to focus on it because it's getting closer to one side. I usually close one eye when I start getting double-vision.

raingirl
March 2nd, 2013, 11:20 AM
My hair is very translucent, and even with the henna it's hard to see against my hands. When it's blonde/natural it's almost white. I find it's easiest at the office as everything here is fairly bright white, but just looking down at it is hard. It's only just barely BSL so maybe just a little too short to do S&D very effectively.

ravenreed
March 2nd, 2013, 11:23 AM
It helps me to have a light source behind my hair. My monitor is nice and bright, and I often see splits best here in front of it.

Lindseyh
March 2nd, 2013, 11:30 AM
If I s&d sitting with my iPad in my lap the screen light makes it much easier. I think light makes a huge difference.

charalito
March 5th, 2013, 04:49 PM
Light definitely does make a difference. My hair is dark blonde, so I S&D against a dark background (preferably black) with a light source against my hair. Normally that means being in front of a sun-facing window and setting my hair above a black skirt.

Mandie
March 5th, 2013, 05:08 PM
If you have a hard time just looking down, perhaps invest in one of those little craft magnifiers like this (http://www.brookstone.com/webassets/product_images/700x700/830083.jpg). I've been meaning to get one. You can rest it on a table or clip it onto something beside your couch to tug down and peer through when you want to find your splits.

lunalocks
March 5th, 2013, 06:05 PM
I bought a pair of over the counter reading glasses, at a higher strength than my usual (1.25) glasses. It really made a difference in focusing. Go to the store and try them out.

jeanniet
March 5th, 2013, 06:47 PM
Fortunately my close-up vision is excellent, but holding your hair in front of a light really helps. I usually do it while I'm watching TV, with a lamp next to me and then just hold the hair up to the lamp.

dollyfish
March 5th, 2013, 06:58 PM
Sounds like you need reading glasses! I second all the other comments ;)

Though if you're being figurative: these types of skills are all about patience. I don't get many split ends (which I do *not* take for granted!) but back when I first started the "LHC" style of hair attention and was dealing with heat-damaged, dye-and-bleach-killed hair, I had an easier time S&Ding in short periods every day. Don't try and sit down and get literally ALL your split hairs in one sitting, especially if you haven't been doing it regularly for any lengthy period. Split hairs accumulate relatively slowly (i.e., over weeks, not days). Listen to an audiobook or a radio show for half an hour every day to S&D (or less!). Don't worry about getting every split, don't obsess. Just make sure you keep it up :)

raingirl
March 6th, 2013, 06:38 AM
I think the problem is my hair is just too short still. It's almost BSL (just dusting it - 24 inches), but when I pull up the ends to look at, they are only about 2 inches from my eyes and that's just a little too close. Doesn't help that my hair is incredibly thin and translucent....

redsiren
March 6th, 2013, 06:48 AM
It really helps me to s&d in sunlight.
I see it much better in sunlight than artificial light for some reason.

torrilin
March 6th, 2013, 07:51 AM
You'll sometimes find that particular "clumps" of hair have a lot of splits, and possibly they're inclined to tangle at the ends. Separate out those clumps, detangle the knots at the ends, and then trim off the splits en masse. As always with splits, allow a good half inch or so of "good" hair as a buffer to make sure you got all the bad stuff.

Also, I find if you've got a tendency to have really bad tangles that won't work out from the bottom up, it can really help to just cut them out. If you're getting frustrated fighting a tangle, stop worrying about losing length and cut it out. Chances are splits were helping make it a terrible mess, and by cutting it out your hair will feel much better.

I find going hair by hair isn't particularly helpful. I need bright sunlight, and a lot of time for the hair by hair method to make much of a difference for me. It'd take something like 3 straight months of 10-15 minutes a day to get noticeable improvement on my hair's current condition. Oddly, I don't tend to want to waste bright sunny daytime like that. While it's not much time on any given day it could turn OCD or addictive very easily, and I've already got enough addictions. So to handle the smaller stuff, I give myself microtrims with Feye's method on an "as needed" basis. Basically, I have an appointment with myself on the first of each month to check my hair over. If it's "too tangly" I can do a self trim and attack bad spots. Otherwise, I leave it alone. It usually seems to wind up that I do 2-3 months of trims every month and then months and months with no trims at all.

spidermom
March 6th, 2013, 09:05 AM
I find it easiest to S&D the splits that pop out of my braids. The best place is in the truck. I don't know why. It's sort of a mid-range gray in there, but the combination of that and the natural light really make seeing splits a lot easier. The second-best place is under the lamp next to my computer.

But it's a never-ending job and I really don't think it's possible to get even 1/10th of the splits, so I opt for regular trims in addition to doing S&D when it's convenient - like when I'm on hold with a telephone call.