Thin/Fine hair and layers

[seeker]

For those of you in the thin/fine hair category - do you find that having long hair with layers makes your hair look and feel even thinner and finer or do you feel they are necessary for the volume they can add? I was always all one length (when long) but when I went short it was layer city and it's been that way ever since (almost 10 years). Now that I'm growing out I'm questioning whether I just let all of the layers grow out together or start cutting here and there to even up the layers and get back to all one length. I can't help but think that all one length hair will make my hair feel/look thicker - anyone have any experience, insight or advice?

[AspenSong]

I've been through the layer thing. I had them around APL length and at shorter lengths above shoulder. Every time I went to a hairdresser, I ended up with layers to "give my hair body". Don't get me wrong, I'm sure that works if you style, etc. However I never did that, so I got flatter than flat hair. haha.
Personally to me, my hair definitely seems and is thicker without the layers. If I cut layers into my hair with it long like it is, it would look horrendous, just because I don't have a lot of hair to layer. Obviously, do what you feel and what you want - but with fine and thin hair, if you're wanting to go long, I think I'd lose the layers and try to get it one length. JMO! :)

[biogirl87]

seeker, depending on your hair type and length of hair and where your layers are, you may want to trim your layers a bit at a time. This is because naturally wavy and/or naturally curly hair has a tendency to look odd when it's short (shoulder length or about shoulder length) and blunt hemlines on shorter hair can be hard to get into an updo. In the last few months I posted a thread discussing trims and whether to cut off all of my layers at once (the shortest layer was at shoulder length at the time and my hair was nearing BSL). You're welcome to look/read through the thread here: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=113722

[UltraBella]

I don't recommend layers for those with fine hair unless they also have thick hair.

I have coarse, thick hair and layers are a necessity for me, especially at longer lengths. My hair looked incredible with layers at TBL, I would have hated it if it was all one length.

My daughter has fine, thick hair. She also enjoys layers but her hair looks nice without them as well.

If you have fine hair and below average thickness, layers tend to make your hair look very flat & lifeless unless you are naturally curly.

[keyblade]

I've been told by every hair dresser that with thin hair I can have layers, but they have to be cut very specifically (with a razor, and they have to be long). But, I do think that works better for hair shoulder length and shorter. Now that my hair has grown to armpit length, I am trying to grow my layers out because the longer fine hair gets the thinner it tends to look so you need all the hair you can get.

[MeowScat]

I have had all sorts of layers at different lengths. I love the way they look...on other people. On me, they made me look like I had either a bad haircut, or that I was growing out a bad haircut.

My longer layers looks incredibly thin and my shorter layers didn't "flow" into the longer ones. They, also, tangled constantly. Plus, I need all the help I can get when it comes to thickness. My hair is stick-straight and limp like a wet noodle.

You can always trim those layers at a later time if you don't like them. If you're unsure, wait a few weeks, months or years (like me). Growing them out takes a lot of patience, but it's worth it. Doesn't it suck that we don't have a time machine?! :magic:

[seeker]

Thank you for the responses everyone! I absolutely wish I had a time machine - would make this growing out thing much easier if my hair was all one length (I think). I've worked hard to get the length I have now and don't like the thought of cutting off a ton just to get it all one length - so I think I'll just start getting trims (every few months) so I can keep most of my length but work towards my goal of one length. I have a hair dresser who doesn't really understand why I would want to grow out my hair and won't be supportive so I've got to figure out who will help me get there. You guys pretty much affirmed what I was thinking - no layers and if I do go the layer route they need to be long layers or cut specifically for fine hair.

[goldenlady]

I hate my layers... They look my hair look really thin when it's actually ii... I don't think they work for fine heads.

[renia22]

Hey seeker- I'm in the same boat as you and have been going back & forth between having layers, then growing them out, for the past 10 years. When my hair is shoulder length or a little longer, I do like long layers for the first few weeks, but after about the 3rd or 4th week it starts to look like it needs a trim. All one length hair is okay if it's longer than shoulder length, but any shorter & I get that "triangle" look that it get on the bottom. What is definitely out is super layered hair, or bangs. I also do not like layered bobs on me. Good luck!

[renia22]

**double post**

[jacqueline101]

I have fine textured but thick when i first got them my hair has thinned on its own. When my hair had layers and I hated them it looked thinner then it normally was and it didn't look right. I grew them out and then cut the remaining layers out. I was never so glad to be done with them.

[akilina]

Add me to the "I hate my layers!" List.
One thing I will always have though is face framing and bangs. The face framing on its own makes my weight line not as straight and thick as I'd like though. I've been working on growing out my layers for 2 years now. They have come a long way. Before, they were like 3 inches above my nape and now they are around 5 inches past my nape. It's been very slow because they tend to have more damage for me, so for a while there I maintained them, then every 6 months or so I'd cut one to two inches. I can't wait for them to be gone and sometimes I just want to chop to apl so they will be almost all the way gone.
I took a length shot today and it looks great for once so there's no way I'm chopping!!

I decided to just roll with it, trim them every few months and let them grow. Chopping to get rid of them might make you very unhappy.

[hannabiss]

I like face framing layers. When I had tailbone length in high school I loved my layers I wore my hair down a lot tho. Which some on here say layers makes it hard for up dos. I never had that problem personally

[Liz_park]

I've been told many times by stylists that I "need layers to add volume", but I am becoming more and more certain that it's one more silly thing that stylists like to tell me! They would tell me that a blunt cut would look "boring" or "heavy" and that I needed layers so my hair was more "playful", but it always seemed that layers made my hair look dried out and flat.

I have had layers in my hair for years, and recently blunt chopped my hair to shoulder. It looks so lovely and much healthier! In fact, the only parts I'm not a fan of are the few wispy layers near the face that were above shoulder and thus are still in my hair. I am excited to see what my hair looks like when it grows out long enough for me to do a second chop to even those pieces out.

Everyone is different, of course, but I think that a blunt one-length cut is better for my fine hair. I find I have more volume and it looks a great deal healthier when everything is the same length.

[Nedertane]

Geeze, I feel like I'm the only finey that likes their layers. Perhaps I can chalk it up to being fine-but-thick? My hair is only at ii, but at a 3" circumference, it is literally square in the middle. In my view, my layers add a little more movement and interest, even though they are left completely unstyled. Looking at photos of myself before layers, my hair looks like an overgrown paintbrush to me lol.

[blue_eyes]

I've got very thin, fine hair that's perfectly straight. I've had some stylists tell me that I "need layers" to make my hair look like it has volume. Then I've had other stylists tell me that I should "never" have layers because they make thin hair look even thinner. For the first time in years (because layers are so hard to get rid of) I've got some side swept bangs growing out, and the rest of my hair is one length. So far I'm liking it a lot more, it seems to look thicker. So no more layers for me! :P

[0xalis]

I have thin hair and I like my hair either without layers or minimal layers.

[FancySweatpants]

Hmmm... I have fine hair, but enough of it for 3 people. I think my hubby said the circumference is 4.5 inches or somewhere there abouts. Still working on figuring out my type - 1b?

For me, it has been a combination of what length my hair is and what style I am predominantly wearing.

At waist and above, while wearing ponytails every single day and bee butt buns when I had to get it out of my way (I have no imagination and less patience), layers looked absolutely fabulous. Swing, bounce, movement, bun waves - lovely.

Now at tailbone and having to wear it constantly bunned for work, (and at home, if I want to accomplish anything besides looking decorative) I prefer the ease and look of all one length. Those sticky-outy bits bother me! When it's down at this length, I think the thicker ends look so much better.