I chopped my hair and super regret it now

[Vallena]

I chopped off about +14 inches of hair a week ago, leaving me with a chin-length bob and bangs. I'm not sure what possessed me to do it, but I'm glad I didn't go shorter like I originally intended. Its a little too late to do anything, but I wish someone had held me down instead of letting me go. I'm thinking about hennaing to help get over the loss, I have some strands that are being tested right now. It took me about 2 years last time to go from chin to waist, so I guess I'll just practice my patience some more. :doh:

[AmyBeth]

I did the same thing a few years ago. What was I thinking? I went from hip to just grazing my shoulders and immediately regretted it. Never again. Now I'm back to waist length and I know I will never cut again. I'm a long hair at heart. Take good care of your hair and it will grow back more beautiful than ever.

[Carolyn]

2 years from chin to waist is super fast growth in my book. It took me about 5 years from shoulder to waist with trims. Try to enjoy your journey to long hair again and have fun experimenting with styles along the way. Look at this as a valuable lesson learned. I wouldn't advise hennaing right away. You could really hate that too and then you could have to grow out that much more length.

[melusine963]

I'm sorry. :( It's small comfort, but at least you have a good growth rate. It would take me easily twice as long to get from chin to waist.

[Vallena]

Thanks ladies. I do know my hair goes pretty fast, so there's at least that. I don't know if I'll really henna it, but I did want to start strand tests while I had some of the hair I chopped. I'll just need to get more toys this time, I think, so I don't get bored with it. If I do it, it'll be a few months from now, I'm sure.

[lapushka]

I wouldn't advise hennaing right away. You could really hate that too and then you could have to grow out that much more length.

No, I agree. After you just chopped off that much hair, I would stop with the impulse-changes. You chopped. Now you want to dye it. When will it stop?

I'd concentrate on growing it back out, for now. Leave well enough alone!

[jacqueline101]

I'd wait on coloring it. I'd also let it grow and enjoy it.

[PeacenQuietGal]

Just seconding what Carolyn and Lapushka have said; it would be wisest to just grow and enjoy from here on, without any changes. Fall back in love with your hair...omg that is sooooo corny, but I think you just may need to appreciate your natural color and texture for a while, and also appreciate your new style - its usually a very becoming length actually :)

[panffle]

I've done that. Cut my waist+ hair to above shoulder. Regretted it right away.
Now leave your hair alone. Take care of it so it grows nice and healthy. It will be long again before you know it. :) Best thing about hair is that it keeps growing.

[browneyedsusan]

My hair has never been super long, but I've gone from shoulder to teensy pixie before. I had to convince the hairdresser that I wanted it VERY short. She really hesitated about shaving the sides and back. I liked it, though! (15 years worth!) Try to change your mindset about it? Your new hair dries super-fast, doesn't tangle, and you can sleep with it down. It's probably cooler to wear in hot weather? Can you still manage little half-ups? I'll bet you look adorable. :blossom:

[SongofLove]

Hmm, well perhaps it would be good to think about why you might've made the decision to chop in case you feel like doing it again sometime down the line. Were you getting bored and just wanted to try out a new hairstyle? Or was it starting to become more difficult to care for, and you wanted a more carefree style (you had chin length hair before---did you miss it?) Had you been growing out your hair to a goal length and getting impatient with it?

The last one was my reason for going from shoulder length to nearly bald about 10 years ago. I was growing my hair out but because it was all one length, the growth seemed so slow (and I was watching it too closely!) that I decided to try out a haircut I was always curious about--the buzz cut :) I actually did not regret it though because it was a quite enjoyable cut; very cool in the summer and good for swimming! Then after a year I stopped getting buzz cuts (mostly due to laziness, just didn't bother cutting it) and with 9 yrs of benign neglect and LHC advice I am now at classic length. I didn't ever feel like cutting more than a trim during that time, because I knew what it felt like to have really short hair and I wanted to know what it felt like to have really long hair.

So yes, as everyone else has suggested, try to enjoy your current length, especially since your hair grows really fast--it'll be long again before you know it! And now you have the power to take special care of it as it's growing out so that it'll be even more beautiful and healthy-looking when you get back to waist (something I wish I did---my ends have sun damage and the ends of my bangs have heat damage from the curling iron). And perhaps have a list of reasons why you like having long hair, so you can look at it if you think of chopping in the future, or make an agreement with a buddy to restrain you :)

[see_turtle]

I feel your pain! Just chopped from waist to shoulder in October the day after my wedding and big time regretted it instantly! I do believe I will not be chopping again I have gotten it out of my system!

[emeraldfaery]

Sorry to hear you regret your chop, Vallena! It does grow back though, and now you can do some experimenting. Henna sounds like fun. :)

This sounds just like me! Cut to a little above shoulder from waist+ in Aug 2011. Now I'm about to hit waist again. Going to grow it as long as it will grow now.


I did the same thing a few years ago. What was I thinking? I went from hip to just grazing my shoulders and immediately regretted it. Never again. Now I'm back to waist length and I know I will never cut again. I'm a long hair at heart. Take good care of your hair and it will grow back more beautiful than ever.

[MonaMayfair]

Vallena, please don't henna (unless you're 100% sure that you want red hair forever , which you WILL be stuck with unless you have another big chop!) If you're just vaguely considering it - don't do it!
Using henna is my biggest hair regret. I just had 8" cut off, but it will still take me years to grow the henna out :(

I know how you feel though, as I also had my hair chopped into a chin length bob about 3 years ago, and I got tired of it VERY quickly! I started to grow it out again straight away.

[Vallena]

I'll bet you look adorable. :blossom:
Awww, thank you. :crush:


And perhaps have a list of reasons why you like having long hair, so you can look at it if you think of chopping in the future, or make an agreement with a buddy to restrain you :)

Hehe, I did tell my husband to bonk me on the head if I start thinking about it again. It was almost a temporary madness; I've had my hair this short before and always decide I prefer long hair. If only I'd learn the first time! :rant:



Using henna is my biggest hair regret. I just had 8" cut off, but it will still take me years to grow the henna out :(

I'm sorry that you didn't like it. :blossom: The reason I haven't done it yet is BECAUSE its so permanent. What didn't you like?

[kellinaturalmom]

Vallena, I agree that you might want to put off hennaing for a while, just to be sure that's what you want to do. Henna is a pretty permanent thing. But I won't say don't do it... my personal experience with henna has been great. I don't think I could have grown to BSL without it.