Please, convince me length isn't everything! (big trim)

[Calaelen]

I just trimmed a good 4 inches off my hair. Well they weren't good inches, per se..but WAHHHHH!! :cry:

After my recent stay in the hospital, my ends looked REALLY awful. I had spent 10 days with my hair let loose, and no way to detangle, or care for it. When I finally was able to detangle it took me over 2 hours, and I lost a LOT of thickness. The ends suffered, but I have been babying them, just waiting for today, Spring Equinox, the best time to trim for the next several months.

SO, I was waiting for my crea clip to arrive, and was actually getting excited for the trim, even though I knew I was going to have to get brave, and chop several inches if I wanted to do any real good. Alas, the crea clip didn't make it in time, but I wasn't going to let this day pass by without a trim.

I used Feye's self trim (U shape, since that was the only video tutorial that showed up) and went to work.

I then combed it all out, did an extensive scalp massage with my wonderful little natural rubber tool for just that, and hopped into the shower to wash. MY HAIR FEELS SO SHORT!!! There is one small spot that inexplicably is inches shorter than the rest too, and I am trying really hard not to freak about that, so after this moment, I will never think of it again...lol. It doesn't show very much because it is in the canopy layer and looks like a layer rather than a chunk out of the hemline.

Will somebody please remind me why length isn't the only thing that matters?? I was at mid thigh, a few inches past FTL ,and getting close to knee. Now I am right back at solid classic. I feel like I lost so much length, so much progress, and I am feeling pretty uncomfortable about it. I can think about this rationally, and understand that those inches were so thin/damaged that they really added nothing to my length, and that the circumference of what I cut is like..a 16th of an inch, but when I felt the loss as I was washing, and squeezing out the excess water along my length it seems like so much.

[Kyla]

The health of your hair is much more noticeable than the length in my opinion, and classic is such a beautiful length anyway. :) I hope you feel better about your hair soon.

[HintOfMint]

I second Kyla, it's so much more important to have hair in good condition than just simply length. It'll grow out before you know it, only beautifully.

[Ravenwind]

I agree that the health of your hair is more important than the length. I can't wait until my hair is finally my goal length but I'm trying to keep it as healthy as possible in the meantime :)

[AnqeIicDemise]

I'd rather have classic length, healthy hair, than knee length, damaged hair. This is coming from the girl who mourns a monthly trim because I'm getting rid of layers.

[ghost]

*hugs* It's hard to actually let go and trim sometimes, even if your ends are really damaged. I always try to tell myself "quality over quantity" -I'd rather have less length and fresh ends that are more or less in good shape, than hair (even super long hair) with ends that are disintegrating and brittle. I hope you feel better after a couple of days, give yourself some time to get used to it.

[Calaelen]

Thank you all for those reminders. :) I too don't think length is worth keeping when it looks that scraggly. It is just the first time my hair has been that damaged. I've never faced the choice myself. I did take before pics, so at least I will be able to really see the difference once my hair dries. Maybe I will be brave enough to post pics here.

[kdaniels8811]

We would love to see pics! I am so envious of your length, it will take me many years to get there.

[jojo]

Classic length is my all time favorite it is so beautiful and my goal! You know you can get to mid thigh at least, so dont fret, i bet your hemline looks super healthy at classic, just think before you know it you will be back where you started at mid thigh. Hope your feeling better health wise and hair wise, classic length is still extremely long and unusual enjoy it...again!

[Kherome]

Yep, quality over quantity. No point in keeping scraggly ends it just makes your hair as a whole look bad.

[jacqueline101]

I agree quality over quantity. It will grow back and benign neglect works. Wear it up and pamper it before you know it it will be back to where it was.

[kpzra]

While I am nowhere near your length, i know how you feel. I had to trim an inch last month or so ago to get rid of some nasty ends, bringing me back to just under APL. I didn't really feel it until I went to put my hair up and it wouldn't work. I decided that I'd rather have healthy ends though. It will grow back and be even better. It also meant I reached for my decorated pins instead of sticks for a bit, I'd been ignoring them.

[kittengirl]

I think you did the right thing. I also thank you for posting about the spring equinox being a good day to trim. I was waiting until the full moon next week to do my trim (I do a tiny trim every 4 months; I'm growing out layers and gaining length) but I did it tonight after reading your post. It feels great! :)

[melusine963]

It always feels worse when a trim interferes with a milestone. I waited so long to get to TBL that I made sure I was just past it before I started trimming to thicken up my ends. I hope your hair grows back very soon, in even better condition than before.

[Jeleebaby]

Health over length is my motto, and look at it this way, your hair got to that length once so you know it's possible, it'll get there again.

[Calaelen]

:) You are all making me feel so much better about this trim. My ends do look, and feel so much better. I will definitely be wearing it up, and keeping the ends moisturized and happy, as that is my usual way. I know it will grow back, and with care, and my added scalp massages, I still have a shot at reaching knee by Jan 2014, but if I don't I will still love all the progress with thicker ends.

Pics will be added to the original post this evening.

[Nightshade]

Healthy is beautiful. Your hair has always been, and I'm sure is, stunning.

That OMG SHORT feeling will fade. Mostly when your hands stop expecting the extra length. I took mine up from fingertip to tailbone, and as soon as my fingers stopped making a bun expecting there to be more hair, it didn't seem noticeable at all :)

[imaroo]

Why are Spring Equinox or a full moon good times to do a trim??

[Latte Lady]

I understand how you feel. I recently went from knee length to classic and was in a sort of shock for a few days. It was a good choice for me. While the last three inches had to go, as it was sort of thin, and after a solid month of contemplating it, I took the plunge. I still have a problem considering myself a long hair now. I laugh at myself for thinking of classic as short hair but classic is such a acceptable[I] hair length around here that most people that no one thinks much of it. That's where I live though. The military community gives the area a wide and diverse selection of races and cultures. There is a wide verity of hair lengths and classic is uncommon but not rare. I [I]do have just about the healthiest hair for my length though.

While I still get that short feeling I think I may keep the classic. I'm able to do way more styles and use a bigger verity of hair toys. I had several that were too pretty to get rid of but wasn't able to use. My hair also looks thicker at this length, which is why my family voted for the cut. I'm lucky that my family supports, and even likes long hair so that when I ask for their opinions, and they recommend a drastic cut, it isn't to spite me.

[leslissocool]

Yes that short feeling will fade. I understand you, in january I took 6 inches off my hair and even NOW it feels so short. But it looks so much healthy, and I feel so much better wearing it down.

[Calaelen]

imaroo- Much in the same way that the moon affects plant growth, the tides, ect, it has an affect on our bodies, and on hair growth.
I use the lunar hair care chart from Morrocco Method for both hair cutting to encourage growth and thicken of my length, and when removing hair waxing/shaving to slow down regrowth. It really works for me, and the fastest way to see how it does have an affect is to try the retarding chart. I was only able to notice a marked change in hair growth after several months following the chart for trim dates, but very quickly could tell that shaving on recommended dates did make the hair grow back slower.

[Calaelen]

Latte Lady-Wow, that is a drastic change. You must have really noted how much shorter it felt to your hands ect. That is what shocked me the most.
leslissocool-glad to know it will fade. I too think my hair looks SO much better down now.

[spidermom]

Good condition over length any day!

[shirohane]

I definitely agree with Latte Lady.

I cut mine from waist to shoulder because I was really conscious of the splits. I was really afraid of regretting it and it felt really short. (I could barely make a ponytail since I had a blunt cut and rather thick hair...)

A year later, I am actually glad that I went through with it. My hair looks a lot healthier now.

I'm sure that you'll be happy with the healthier hair soon.

[rainfortheend]

With the damaged ends, they could cause breakage up the shaft-- something not so good! You made the right call.
It is a drastic change, but it will feel so much better. It's so pretty! And before you know it, you'll have your length back-- healthier this time. :)