Condition of your long hair

[vega]

Hey I've been actively going through threads and noticed a pattern , people not maintaining there hair with occasional trimiming resulting in them having in the end to cut alot more off in the long run delaying there long hair progressI haven't trimmed in about 5 months and starting to notice some damageI'm considering a mini trim as I don't want the long run more length off , I guess patience but I don't wanna have bad long hair if you know what I mean , how LNG do you go without any mini trim, I just miss having fresh cut ends styling combing everything is easier

[missblueeyes]

What you said is true if you want a clean hemline. If you're going for fairytale ends and practice S&D, it's not so true, however. I think untrimmed hair can be just as healthy as trimmed hair, it just depends what you're personally going for. :) Do you want a clean and thick hemline or do you want fairytale ends? If you want a clean hemline, I'd suggest trimming regularly as needed. If you don't mind some fairytale-ing then you should consider picking up S&D.

[lapushka]

That's odd, because I haven't noticed that pattern. Not on myself anyway, because I haven't had a trim since November 2013. And there are plenty of people on here who haven't trimmed in *years* and are doing just fine!

[arr]

It is a very individual thing as to how often a person needs to trim. If you are growing out bleach/heat/color damage you may need more trims than someone with relatively healthy hair. But even then, some people would rather not lose length and just grow the damaged hair and then cut a large amount later or just gradually trim it off. Me personally, i trim once a year. I could go even longer but i like my ends to look blunt. Bottom line is, trim your hair when you want to trim it.

[Kina]

I rarely get split ends and I rarely trim. I don't S&D either, but even with blunt ends, my hair tends to fairytale. It's not always a sign of damage. In any case, if you get splits, you should trim to prevent further damage. If you like blunt ends, trim :) it's whatever you like for your hair :)

[sapphire-o]

I do trim twice a year, just to maintain the length. However I have gone for 3 years without trimming before and didn't see a single split. The ends thin out and looked wispy (fairytale ends) of course but it was not damaged. Neat blunt ends isn't possible for everybody. If I want that I probably have to cut back to BSL.

[DreamSheep]

I trimmed in December 2014, before then it was September 2013 - but I S&D to get rid of damage. I think it depends more on whether you don't mind an imperfect hemline and how well you take care of your ends - I try to keep mine up a lot more, and it certainly makes a difference - I get the splits when it is worn down.

[lapis_lazuli]

I haven't trimmed my hair in about a year and I think it's in good condition :) To get rid of splits and such I just S&D. Due to that, my hemline isn't the most even but I don't think it's messy- I have a very slight v-shape. I think once I get past tailbone, I'll cut some fresh ends but I wouldn't say it's necessary to have healthy hair :)

[Ambrielle]

I think it depends a lot on hair type, preferences and whether or not you're growing out old damage. I am trimming every few months, my choice is based on wanting to get rid of old damage and layers. I say go for what works for you. If you're starting to see damage after every so months and it bothers you then by all means trim it. What matters the most is for you to be happy about your hair. :) My trims vary, this year i am trimming a little every 3-4 months, 0,5 to 1 inch depending on how i feel about my hemline.

[Eastbound&Down]

I haven't trimmed in over a year, and I do have some damage but I'm taking care of my hair so I don't see the need to break out the scissors just yet. I will probably trim 1/2 an inch at the end of this years no trim challenge and then continue with the next year :)

If it bothers you then trim. You should be happy with your hair, if not you can get frustrated and end up doing a big chop. I've seen and done that too many times and lost lots of length.

[Anje]

I get some splits (not a lot, I'd guesstimate that 1%, maybe less, is split), but they rarely happen at my hemline. I get fairytale ends either way -- it's just how my hair insists on growing. So trimming is pretty much just a method of keeping the fairytales in check. I've done it minimally this last year (maybe did one small trim in December or January?) and gained a lot of length without it really thinning down much more -- So I'm just going to see how far it grows for now. :D

[Arctic]

I have seen, over the years, many posts from our members in the vein of what the OP suggested, but maybe not numerous enough to call it a pattern (which does not mean that the OP is wrong, we have just been reading different threads).

I personally am pro-trimmer, and rather go slower with nice ends that quicker with ends that don't feel good. My hair type develops rough feeling ends in about 2-3 months, even when it's virgin and healthy and well taken care of. I once went 9 months without any trims, as a new LHC member, and it was not for me. I was unhappy with my hair and it took a while to get my ends feel nice again after that. It's a personal preference and doesn't effect how I think of anyone else's hair. Some members have different hairtype, and don't share my experience, or their values/goals tip towards rather having longer sooner than trimming. Also, as the hair grows without trimming a person gets used to the way the ends feel over time. It's all good, no-one is right or wrong.

So, much depends on person's hair type, the condition of it, the climate they live in, how they wear their hair, the water quality, the products they use, how they treat and style their hair... as well as other, non-material things (goals, expectations, values, etc).

But also, I think, one explanation why some people see these kinds of posts and some do not is this: this is a huge forum with lot of different kinds of members with different inteterests, hairtypes, and "hair philosophies". I probably read, for example, more posts written by shorter hair people, from people who do trim, and who share my values, because they are closer to my own experience world. Someone who has much longer hair, doesn't trim often and has different set of values might read very different content. If I have problems with X, I tend to read lot of posts about the subject X. If I never have had that problem, those posts might go under my radar.

To the OP. Definitely have a small trim if it feels like your hair needs it. If you have tried all the other tricks (e.g. clarifying, moisture treatments...) and they make no difference, a small trim can do wonders.

[Lady Katherine]

I haven't done anything but S&D in three years. I've had quite alot of spit ends, but that's because I used to straighten my hair a few times a month before I joined. As long as you take good care of your hair you can do anything you want with the hemline!

[ExpectoPatronum]

I trim my hair whenever my ends look bad. This can be twice a year, or it can be every month. I do microtrim fairly regularly (about once a month) to prevent my ends from getting too icky, too fast. I dye my hair, so it's a necessary thing if I want to keep coloring. I also heat style every once in a while.

[swearnsue]

Nothing wrong with a small trim as needed! I love how my ends feel after taking off just 1/4 inch; so smooth and less grippy/tangly.

I've just started doing S&D and it really helps, like the other posters said. I would trim 1/4 or so with very sharp hair shears and then start doing S&D on a regular basis. But that's me, we are all different. That's what I would do because I would enjoy it.

[FallingDarkness]

I was able to go for 15 months without having much damage, splits, white dots, etc. Finally decided to get 3/4 of an inch off when my ends were noticeably thinner than the rest of my hair, and I like having my thickness throughout. So I think if I just got 1/4 of an inch off every 5 months I'd be good.
I think that we all take very good care of our hair here so we need less frequent trims unless our hair is thin/fine/fragile. . . But what do I know? LOL

[meteor]

I trim based on condition of my ends, not time.
I think for dead matter like hair, chronological age doesn't matter as much as damage and simple wear and tear. Accumulated damage is the real "age" that defines the condition of hair. The same would apply to fine silk or antique lace.
For example, archeologists find hair and hair extensions that are 3,300 years old, in good condition (http://www.livescience.com/47875-ancient-egyptian-woman-with-hair-extensions.html), I don't see why hair can't be preserved in mint condition for a very long time, actually. :)


Personally, I had splits and terrible ends when I ripped a brush through it, had highlights added every couple months, and generally treated hair like it was indestructible and would take any abuse easily, so very frequent trims didn't change the fact that the ends were dry and damaged.
Now my hair is much longer (and older) and I go for years without trims and my ends are fine, no split ends yet. I attribute it to stopping all damaging practices (rough brushing, highlights...), putting hair up all the time and oiling ends. And for me personally, trims are irrelevant, they just even out the hemline, but that's it! :)


That's odd, because I haven't noticed that pattern. Not on myself anyway, because I haven't had a trim since November 2013. And there are plenty of people on here who haven't trimmed in *years* and are doing just fine!

^ I agree with this.

I'd focus on cutting out all damaging practices, not hair-ends! ;)

[vega]

Hey Meteor , with what archalogist have found on a 3300 year old corpse doesn't count in my book on good condition, a lot of these mummies etc have been bandaged and not exposed to outside elements

[Anje]

If nothing else, they weren't exactly being active for those 3000 years. :lol:

[neko_kawaii]

Don't get them started in the condition of the pubic hairs they find!

[spidermom]

I've had it go both ways - go a year without a trim and need 7 inches cut off at the end because of the damage, also go a year without a trim and need 1-1/4 cut off at the end because of damage. There are a lot of factors, as someone said above - the products you use, your routine, the climate, favorite activities. Some people grow for length only, others (like me) have other goals that include shape and style. There's room for all of us here!

[meteor]

vega, that hair was obviously not washed and it was covered in dirt and stuff. If they washed it, conditioned it and gave it a good old blow-out at a salon, that 3,300 old hair would look a lot better! ;)


If nothing else, they weren't exactly being active for those 3000 years. :lol:

:lol: Exactly! Even the braiding is still in there! You should see how my braids get all fuzzy during sports! :lol:

Anyway, I've seen split ends on pixies and perfect ends on super-long hair, so yeah, I think age of hair alone is not the most important factor determining condition. ;)

[MINAKO]

I usually try to dust my ends every 3-4 months, but sometimes i go longer, much longer without a trim and my hair is still doing alright. I had a super straight blunt hemline for the longest time and actually like to see some natural taper in it now. Doesnt mean that it is damaged.

[vega]

Thx spider mom I agree with everything you have to say :)

[hannabiss]

i kinda agree with the OP and Arctic ive definitely seen thrrads where people are complaining about having to take off massive amounts because theyre gone longer without trims. But like Artic said i dont think its a pattern. Because like spidermom said sometime people can go long time with no trims and their hair is just fine. i think its a game of chance. depends and your hair and how you like your hemline.

[FuzzyBlackWaves]

I go through phases of trimming every month then no trimming at all. I don't actually get that many splits anymore (maybe a handful every few months) but my hair is always thinner at the hemline. It could be to do with my hormonal imbalance, maybe my hair has just thinned out with age, or maybe it's just naturally like this. I've realized lately that trimming does nothing to thicken the ends so I'm going to just grow my hair out from now on, with only very rare trims and S and Ding for the rest. Hopefully the new body of my hair will thicken out as the old, damaged ends from my heat styling days grow on down.

If not, meh. My hair looks good as it is. I don't want to keep sacrificing the length to look the exact same anyway. Still, it's a little frustrating to read how people assume that length or condition is always a choice. My hair will always be this condition. I might as well grow it longer if I want too rather than keep it short to make other people more comfortable.

[Wosie]

I trim regularly (i.e. every two-three months) as I am aiming for the thickest, bluntest hemline I can get without sacrificing too much length. ...Grrr, I still have a few inches worth of old pixie layers left that I want gone once I've passed waist. ;p
This year I try not to cut into my hemline at all, I may only cut away the 'racers' that've passed my hemline and thus made it a tad uneven.

I often check on my ends to see how they're doing, I barely have any splits at all close to my hemline--it's very rare to see (I guess it's due to my frequent, but tiny trims)--so I needn't cut my hair for its condition. If I'd start finding more and more splits and damage there, I'd make sure to do a bigger trim as soon as possible.

[Lyv]

I agree, I don't know if it's a pattern or if I just notice it more though. I've never had a regular trim schedule I just trim when my ends feel like they need it, well except right after the pixie then I trimmed to get rid of the mullet haha! I don't think I would ever just let it go for the sake of length though, I'd rather have shorter healthy looking/feeling hair than long thin and splitting (not that all nontrimmers experience that of course!)

[Linguaphilia]

Some people are just lucky with their hair. I think hair care matters very little apart from leaving it in its natural state (no dying, styling,...)--all that matters is mechanical damage. Not even getting hair wet is that much of an issue. So some lucky people--to whom I belong--don't really get split ends and can go without any trimming at all in theory, provided they are careful with their hair. I only trim to get a nice hemline, to cut the fastest growing hairs level with the others.

[DweamGoiL]

I trim every 6-9 months depending on how long it gets and how long I can stand having it that way. I maintain anywhere from WL to TBL with some layering, but feel most comfortable at HL. I am now aiming for a soft U with some face framing layers so I will trim at around the 6 month mark. I dust every 2-3 months in between and find a handful of splits I quickly do away with, but that's about it. I wear my hair down a lot so it's important to me for it to not look wispy at the ends and for it to look decent enough to wear it down at work.

[see_turtle]

I have 100% virgin hair and I wear it up 98% of the time, I can get away with not trimming for over a year....right now I'm growing out to BCL then trimming one inch.

[see_turtle]

Also with my waves a straight hem isn't even noticeable so that helps.

[QMacrocarpa]

My hair is split- and breakage-prone, and I don't S&D (among other things, it's not compatible with my mental health). I self-trim every six months. If I go much longer, I start to notice lots of short broken ends lying around after I detangle (and my hair is instantly tangled again immediately after I've detangled it). I have lots of 2.5-years-post-shed taper, so I still have pretty extreme fairytale ends, even with regular trims.

[Islandgrrl]

I don't S&D, and I rarely (a couple of times a year?) do a little dusting just to even up my ends. I have no splits and my hair is in pretty great condition. Taper is natural and the fact that my blunt ends are not as thick as they would be at shoulder or even waist length doesn't indicate damage.

[Shibe]

I haven't trimmed in over a year, but I do S&D.

[endlessly]

In the past, I've typically done a few small trims here and there just to keep my ends nice and clean, but this time around, I trimmed a considerably larger amount than I have in the past - around 8 inches. The main reason I chose to do this is because while I had been incorporating the S&D method into my routine, my hair had just grown to a point where I couldn't control it anymore. I feel like I went to bed one night with it at tailbone, then woke up to it well past classic! In the end, it was better for the overall health of my hair and my own sanity to make a bigger chop than I would have liked. Ideally, I would've liked for it to still be that length, I just wasn't ready for the type of work and commitment it took to keep the ends looking nice and mine were a little worse for wear considering past heat damage and dye.

I don't think it's the intention for anyone on this site to necessarily neglect their hair, but real life gets in the way most of the time. Personally, I can't be 100% invested in my hair at all times - it's just not worth it, in my opinion. Part of the reason I have long hair is because it's actually easier for me to care for than if I had shorter hair - washing and conditioning is maybe 15 minutes twice per week and my styling routine is to braid it over night, loosen and clip up in the morning.

[endlessly]

I have 100% virgin hair and I wear it up 98% of the time, I can get away with not trimming for over a year....right now I'm growing out to BCL then trimming one inch.

I'm trying to get my hair back to that, but it's going to take a very, very long time. My hair has definitely been around the block quite a few times, if you know what I mean! I'm hoping to forego any hair dye from now on, but it's tough. Good for you for maintaining your true color.

[Remi]

I don't really know an answer for you. It really is an individual thing.

[vega]

Iota good to see your views on this I'm planning micro trim half an inch at end of month as it's going on 6 month mark without a trim, I know it will delay my long hair process but I don't want to have cut a lot more down the track due to neglect hope you get what I mean

[CurlyCap]

I do believe one of the main reasons I've made such steady progress is regular trims. Every six months, an inch goes. I rarely have any splits or tangles not caused by curls and so I've had excellent length retention.

I've just started to see it as a normal part of a healthy hair routine. Frequent enough to always have healthy ends, infrequent enough to gain length over the course of a year.

[Sarahlabyrinth]

My hair is pretty healthy considering it is dyed. I rarely get splits, maybe a couple a year, currently at TBL. My ends are thinner than I would like due to a stress induced shed but I have begun microtrimming to gradually thicken up my ends again. I still want to gain length as I do this. I am gradually reducing the amount of dye on my hair and allowing the grey hair to show. I will stop the dye altogether in about a year and hopefully not really have any demarcation line evident. I want to be the old lady with stunning white hair like my mother (except her hair is short, but such a wonderful glowing purest white like snow...) Anyway even now I think my silvers are beautiful.

Slow and steady and plenty of patience is what works best with hair.

[ghost]

In a perfect world, I'd be one of those people who could get a way with trimming off an inch or two once a year, but I'm just not that lucky. The ends of my hair are prone to splitting and are a lot thinner than my newer growth (which is growing in much thicker and stronger than it used to, so that's good) so I've been microtrimming each month in order to keep my hair from just breaking and breaking. I like blunt ends, too.
Once I get past tailbone again, I'd like to see if i can space the microtrims out a little more, but for right now it's every month.

[gwenalyn]

The tactile sensation of my hair is very important to me, so as soon as the ends start catching at *all* I run to get a trim. I've been lucky enough to keep steady growth even with an aggressive trimming schedule. I'm also growing out layers, so I don't mind frequent trims, and I'm taking this opportunity to experiment with various LHC methods for maintaining health while stretching trims.

You just have to pay attention to your hair. Everybody is different.

[Arctic]

The tactile sensation of my hair is very important to me, so as soon as the ends start catching at *all* I run to get a trim. I've been lucky enough to keep steady growth even with an aggressive trimming schedule. I'm also growing out layers, so I don't mind frequent trims, and I'm taking this opportunity to experiment with various LHC methods for maintaining health while stretching trims.

You just have to pay attention to your hair. Everybody is different.

I like the feel of trimmed ends too, but wanted to ask, that whether you have ever tried clarifying before trimming. Very often build-up ia the cause of catching, grippy ends.

[kidari]

I think that everyone's hair is different as well a their routines, hair care methods, and even what they interpret as hair that needs to be trimmed. If you see someone who hasn't trimmed in a long time needing to cut off a ton of damage there could be a lot of underlying factors that we're not aware of (maybe they were washing it with baking soda and bar soap, wearing it down a lot, and lightening it with honey?) You could also see someone who has never cut their hair ever and it still doesn't need to be cut (from damage). They could have virgin hair with a really effective care regimen that works well for their hair type that helped it to remain in good condition, it's just that naturally their ends are not crisp and blunt from actual hair cuts from the way hair grows.

[LeMimi13]

My hair is pretty healthy considering it is dyed. I rarely get splits, maybe a couple a year, currently at TBL. My ends are thinner than I would like due to a stress induced shed but I have begun microtrimming to gradually thicken up my ends again. I still want to gain length as I do this. I am gradually reducing the amount of dye on my hair and allowing the grey hair to show. I will stop the dye altogether in about a year and hopefully not really have any demarcation line evident. I want to be the old lady with stunning white hair like my mother (except her hair is short, but such a wonderful glowing purest white like snow...) Anyway even now I think my silvers are beautiful.

Slow and steady and plenty of patience is what works best with hair.

Omg your hair is dyed? O.O I love your signature colour so much, thought it was natural! It has that shine thag natural hair (mine is natural) has!; o I love your hair zl much!

[Sarahlabyrinth]

Omg your hair is dyed? O.O I love your signature colour so much, thought it was natural! It has that shine thag natural hair (mine is natural) has!; o I love your hair zl much!

Thank you :) :D:flowers:

[gwenalyn]

I like the feel of trimmed ends too, but wanted to ask, that whether you have ever tried clarifying before trimming. Very often build-up ia the cause of catching, grippy ends.

I tried for the first time last night, actually, then followed up with a deep condition. This morning when I was rinsing out the "conditioner", I looked at the bottle again and realized I had accidentally used shampoo instead ... so, all in all, not a success >< I will definitely try again, though, to see if it works for me!

[Johannah]

My hair has been bleached (a loooong time ago) so yes, my hair splits when I don't cut it for a long period of time. But if my hair would be 100% natural, I could go for years without cutting, I'm sure.

[vega]

I know I planned not to trim but if I get 2 trims a year I can't complain with that , tomorrow I'm getting half n inch trimmed off , I need in long run it's worth it my friend hadn't trimmed in 5 years and I can tell her hair looks like birds nest I couldnevertell her that though

[missblueeyes]

I know I planned not to trim but if I get 2 trims a year I can't complain with that , tomorrow I'm getting half n inch trimmed off , I need in long run it's worth it my friend hadn't trimmed in 5 years and I can tell her hair looks like birds nest I couldnevertell her that though

That doesn't necessarily have something to do with the fact that she didn't trim her hair, though. She might just not take care of it properly.

[Saldana]

Except for getting my bangs trimmed every six weeks or so, I haven't trimmed my hair in about 2 years. Once I get it to where I want it (waist length) I'll start doing microtrims every six weeks to let old layers catch up with each other. After that, maybe I'll go for TBL.

Except for some lightened streaks caused by old 'temporary' color (don't believe it! It's not temporary) I note zero damage to my hair. I can't even find any splits. I wear it down about 1/3 of the time, although the longer it gets, the more I keep it up. That's both to protect it, and to keep it out of my way.

So....no trimming is working fine for me. I shampoo 2 or 3 times a week, condition maybe once a week, use a good comb and a good BB brush.

In retrospect, I guess benign neglect is my system....?