Can I wait a year before trimming my hair?

[susieq998]

Of course I don't want it to be damaged but I just removed about 2 inches getting rid of all the damage that was left in my hair. If I do absolutely nothing to my hair for a full year as in no coloring, heat, styling, minimal brushing combing and just wearing it up everyday all day. Is this a good idea I really want to grow it out mainly so that it stops staying short while I get rid of layers. I want to gain length first before I start trimming out the layers. DO you think its safe to do it this way or should I trim more often. any other tips on how to prevent damage during this time would be helpful. I have APL length hair and its been this way for about 8 or 9 months cause I just kept messing with it causing damage then I would have to trim it as well as trim the layers which I want to get rid of. So my thoughts were if I don't mess with it at all I wont need to trim the length or any of the layers. Because I have been stuck with these layers for 9 months not getting anywhere cause they get damaged and I have to trim them again losing any growth I may have had. Its very frustrating. lol I experimented a lot with products and shampoos and conditioners and have finally found the ones that work for my hair. So maybe that will help out for my hair and my wallet.

[ositarosita]

Theres a thread for that ... this is last years http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=108973 .. but it's perfectly fine and possible ... I trim my hair only to remove layers because I have no damage, my hair doesn't split etc. Most people will just S&D (search and destroy) during that time frame.. for me personally once my layers are gone I have no plans to trim what so ever until I reach my goal length

[Madora]

I see nothing amiss in letting your hair grow untrimmed for a year, PROVIDED you are vigilant in keeping it away from anything harmful (chemicals, blow frying, hot curlers, ponytails). Keep the ends trimmed with weekly S and D, and wear it up to protect the ends. Be sure to eat healthy and you might try daily massage to help those follicles. Also be sure to comb it every day..gently, from the bottom up to the scalp. I haven't trimmed in over a year (apart from S and D) and my hair is doing fine.

[Crumpet]

It depends on your hair. Some people can do it and have beautiful heads of hair (see Madora's excellent advice). Others, like myself, have very fine hair that seems to work better with occasional trims. See how it goes and how your hair deals with it. If it seems happy, there's no need to trim!

[tlover]

The last few years I have trimmed about once a year. It have had a Little damage but then I was using messy ponytails every day so I wasn't really taking care of my hair so if you take care of your hair and S & D it would be better than mine atleast.

But all hair is different some have to trim more often.

[hairpleasegrow]

I hear ya I just was at APL then cut to SL to get rid of layers. My hair is chemically damaged (it's been highlighted ....and highlighted on top of the highlights) , layered, and I just went through a big post pregnancy shed.

I almost wish I'd have left it at APL I look back on pictures and my hair wasn't all that bad. But at the time I was sick of the crackily bent ends and having brand new scissors proved too tempting. I have fine hair 1a I'm not sure what hair type you are.

Madora has good advice to S and D weekly. If I could turn back time i would have done an intensive s and d and not trimmed right away. That said my hair is much healthier and I feel I can go the year without trimming and just do S and D's. I also now do regular cat nip rinses to stop splits as much as possible for the future.

Good luck I feel for you

[swearnsue]

If I understand correctly, you are having problems with the ends on the shorter layers. I had this as I was growing out a pixie and I oiled just the short ends with olive oil. The ends were rough so I just felt for the rough ends, pinched them with one hand and then put olive oil on them. The ends didn't look too oily, not sure why, except that they were frizzy anyway and the oil sort of made them lay down obediently!

[walterSCAN]

Of course you can! My hair hasn't been trimmed since (I think) mid-2012. Just wear it up, prevent tangles as much as you can, S&D periodically, and generally baby it, and it should be fine.

For reference, my hair is very fine, but I don't notice more mechanical damage than seems average for long hair. Your hairtype (texture, coarseness, density, porosity, elasticity, etc) will play a lot into how careful you need to be with yours.

[cosmic crusader]

I hope so, as I have not trimmed since early summer 2012!

[swearnsue]

Of course you can! My hair hasn't been trimmed since (I think) mid-2012. Just wear it up, prevent tangles as much as you can, S&D periodically, and generally baby it, and it should be fine.

For reference, my hair is very fine, but I don't notice more mechanical damage than seems average for long hair. Your hairtype (texture, coarseness, density, porosity, elasticity, etc) will play a lot into how careful you need to be with yours.

Sorry to interrupt, but WalterSCAN, how is your hair done in your siggy? It looks so pretty and I've been wondering how you accomplished this look every time I see your photo!

[walterSCAN]

Sorry to interrupt, but WalterSCAN, how is your hair done in your siggy? It looks so pretty and I've been wondering how you accomplished this look every time I see your photo!

That a braided LWB with a beaded parandi in my braid; I draped the beaded tassels to either side on top of the bun. It kinda got swallowed, but it's held with a green crochet hook. Heh, it looks kinda fluffy 'cause I'd slept on the parandi and then threw it up to go Christmas-ing. Thank you for the compliment!! :D

[swearnsue]

That is so cool, very creative! Thank you for the description!

[Tini'sNewHair]

I think it depends on hair type and how you care for it.
I see my hair to be of medium thickness. I havent trimmed my hair AT ALL since May 18 2012 thats in 1 year and 9 months and STILL going strong! My hair looks great, it hardly has any splits (i would even dare say that its 99% split free) but of course thats because I S&D A LOT in this time and ive been wearing protective hairstyles for most of the time. At this point my ends will get a little bit dry but oiling with coconut fixes that pretty quick and they are a tiny bit wispy. I started with a blunt hemline and now i have a pretty defined U shaped hemline which is making its way into fairy-tale pretty much. I would like to cut about 1 cm off once i reach waist tho, and maybe even maintain there for a couple of months because I would prefer "fresh" ends and a straighter hemline.

In the past when I grew my hair to waist and hip and didn’t S&D at all, didn’t use protective hairstyles (I always used elastics but NOW I use hair sticks a lot and braids and felxi8 clips), I had my hair down whenever, all the time… I had no idea how to care for I so the damage came from abusive rough/handling . My hair had huge splits, all the way up and LOTS of white dots… I remember looking through my hair and hating it because it looked so damaged with splits.
So you can see the difference between natural hair care and natural crappy bad hair care.