Nape hair trimming

[Merlin]

I've just seen a video on Youtube with a girl getting the hair on the nape of her neck trimmed off so it was neat for dance performances when her hair was up in a bun, and I remember a friend of mine saying when she was young her granny (who did her hair) used to clip all the hairs on the nape of her neck off so it looked neat when it was put up. Mrs M has never even considered doing this (or she may have considered it but not actually done it, I'm not telepathic :-)), and I've not seen obvious signs of the girls and women I know doing it.

How common is it to do this?

[Lockoptimisten]

I did it when I was younger but have forgot about it. I will ask my hb to help me this evening :-)

[Arien]

I've never heard of this before. That is actually quite interesting. Quite a good idea if you consistently like a nice neat look. Personally I like the little soft hairs that pop out when I put my hair up. (unless its hot of course in which case I would happily think shave them all off!) I think it softens the look. I'll stick to hairspray and bobby pins when I want it out of the way! :).

[Sarahlabyrinth]

I have never heard of women doing this, though my SO shaves his nape hairs off when he shaves. I guess it would look neat and tidy but I rather like my little cute curly nape hairs, I think they look dainty and feminine when I have my hair up.

[restless]

Ive never heard about this either and wouldnt consider cutting/shaving them. Like some of the previous replies in this thread, I think these little hairs look feminine and softens the updos with their presence.

[fairview]

Every time a guest sits in my chair I trim the nape hair particularly with a bob haircut. Most women don't realize that this area has the most crazy growth patterns of any area on the scalp and is the primary reason their hair won't behave back there. I use a scissors over comb technique. I can't imagine using a clipper though. A clipper will cause the hair to grow back bristly and itchy initially. Not much of an issue for long hair as the weight of the hair overwhelms any crazy growth pattern.

[shutterpillar]

I have heard of women doing this -particularly if they have short hair. I think my hair dresser cut mine the last time I got a short haircut. I cannot imagine doing it now when I have long hair, though. It seems like a lot of upkeep and it seems to me like it might look odd, especially on someone like me with dark hair. If I had blonde hair, then I might consider it since the hair is less obvious inbetween trims.

I trim my son and husbands name hairs, and he actually asked if I wanted him to trim mine at some point in time. LOL. Nooooo thanks, honey. You can stay away from me with the trimmer.

[Olavi]

I used to shave my nape hair. My hair line goes almost to shoulder level, so if I have my hair up, it doesn't look good. But I'm trying not to shave and now the hair in my nape is around 1-2 cm.

[Wildcat Diva]

I tried this last Spring as I used to think my hairline back there was uneven. Then I started noticing in member's photos that most everyone's hairline back there is not a straight line, LOL. So now it's growing back. Sigh. It's not doing too badly, though. It was just a small amount of hair.

[embee]

I'm in the "softens the look" group, but my hair is stick straight and slick, so a bun is like a lump on an egg. ;)

"Softens the look" is also why I appreciate any frizz I may get - summer is my best season, frizz seldom shows up in winter.

[Rebecka]

I thought I'd never heard of it, but now I remember a friend told me she had done it to be able to wear a ponytail. We must have been 13-14 years, can't believe how superficial one can be over such a detail :P Don't get me wrong, I don't mean anything bad for people who do it now, but refusing a ponytail at the age of 13 for nape hair? :disgust:

[Merlin]

I have to be honest, I think the nape hairs Mrs M gets are cute :-)

[bradlea]

I used to shave my nape hair. My hair line goes almost to shoulder level, so if I have my hair up, it doesn't look good. But I'm trying not to shave and now the hair in my nape is around 1-2 cm.

This is exactly the reason I shave my nape hair. How funny, I just did it yesterday for the first time in months and I was thinking of starting a thread about it. Hivemind!

I would prefer the delicate look of some wispies back there too, but I just feel like my neck looks way shorter than it needs to when I don't shave it.

[Kaelee]

I know a guy who does this, except he doesn't do JUST the nape hair, he does a little more. It looks...weird. Like he's got the super professional version of an undercut. I don't personally like the look. The rest of his hair is long.

If he'd just trim the nape hair I think it would look good. I've considered doing it because my nape hair gets SO LONG its ridiculous.

[jacqueline101]

Years ago I shaved mine and my widows peak.

[Annibelle]

I've never done it. I remember being in gym class in 8th grade and some girls came up to tell me how gross my neck was-- "It's all... hairy!" Then one of their friends came up and said, "Mine looks like that when I don't shave it." It was... weird. My DH loves my nape swirlies, though, so I don't mind. :)

[Anje]

My mom has a close-cropped cut and so hers tend to be shaved. I let mine grow until they start tying themselves in knots, then tend to cut them short (maybe an inch or two long). When they're still behaving well and only a couple inches long, they'll form perfect little sharpie-sized concentric curls on hot days.

[Merlin]

When they're still behaving well and only a couple inches long, they'll form perfect little sharpie-sized concentric curls on hot days.

We really need a 'like' button :-)

[Tini'sNewHair]

i never even thought about it and i refuse to cut my hair in any way unless its damaged/split - i dont like this idea :))

[Anabell]

I love my nape hairs... They are so soft and wispy. Sometimes some of them create a little curl and it so cute. I can cooperate almost all of them into the bun though (so I never have this problem...).

[woolyleprechaun]

I used to shave mine off, when I was plucking my widow's peak :) I leave 'em alone now as I like the little curls and the wispy, tickly feeling. I still pluck the widow's peak out... If I didn't, I would look like a big, hairy McDonalds symbol.

[Kaelee]

I just saw someone today that did this, I never noticed it before (because it didn't look so odd that I noticed it). It looks nice. I considered doing it but I probably won't. :lol:

[melusine963]

"Softens the look" is also why I appreciate any frizz I may get - summer is my best season, frizz seldom shows up in winter.

You must be the first person I know of who appreciates their frizz. My frizz feels lonely and unwanted, so you're welcome to give it a new home. :D

[Kelikea]

I trim mine. I like the look of those fine, soft hairs that curl a bit when they fall out of the up-do, so I trim them if they are too long or or stringy or pull funny when they get caught in the elastic. Basically, I "create" those soft swirlies in my nape hair by trimming:) They are long enough to curl when humid and not look hacked off.

[Natalina]

My nape hair is almost invisible, so I don't see the point of me trimming them. I understand if those who have visible ones would want to trim them, though, but I mostly see men doing it.

Although I think it's cute when they (men or women) don't. It looks more natural.

[LadyCelestina]

Mine aren't very visible and they get slicked into updo's,so I don't really care about the appearance,but I cut my nape hairs short because I get insane tangles if I don't.

[faellen]

I'm fond of my nape hair and how it looks in updos :)

[luxepiggy]

Most intriguing - I will definitely have to consider this technique, as I like my updos to look nice and sleek (^(oo)^)v

[Ocelan]

I have never even thought of doing this myself even though when wearing a medium high or higher buns a short strand always falls down from the middle of my nape because it won't reach the bun. I don't mind it though even though when I try to be extra sleek I never seem to get it pulled back so it would stay. I have occasionally pinned it in the past. It shouldn't take many months for the strand to grow back though if I ever needed to trim it in the case that it would grow about the same speed as the other hairs.

When I trim my DBF's hair aka cut his sides short again (he has buzz cut sides and otherwise long hair) he does ask me to trim the nape very short at the same time though, so I guess it's more common on men and people with short hair?

[battles]

My nape hair seems to grow slower and break easily, so it's always shorter. I dislike the look of it falling out of buns and usually clip it up, but I'm far too low maintenance to shave it. Eventually I'd have two inch long straight chunks sticking out and that would look ridiculous. :p

[Anje]

... I guess it's more common on men and people with short hair?
Definitely. After all, if you've got a crew cut, having long nape hairs below the short hair would be bizarre.

[chen bao jun]

i've only heard of flappers doing this back in the 1920's