Advice please: anxiety about losing length, but need to repair a bad home cut

[humblekyle]

Hi everyone! First post.

A little while ago I had MBL/WSL hair (short and short-waisted, so it's hard to tell which). 1C, fairly thin.

I decided to self-trim, but --- don't yell at me --- I used paper scissors and I cut off way too much, unevenly.
Now I have sections at the front that are 20 inches, and sections at the back that are around 25 inches.

I am really worried about the dull scissors causing splits in the future, so I want to get a professional trim for peace of mind, but the idea that they will cut off more length is causing me serious anxiety :(

Do you think I could wait for it to grow before getting a professional trim? Do it now? Or are the negative effects of dull scissors overstated, and I might be able to keep growing without trims?

Thank you for the help! Here's a pic of my hair *before* :(
http://i.imgur.com/G9jzL7b.png

[truepeacenik]

A pro cut will arrest later damage that would cause even more anxiety.

[Gabriel]

Hi and welcome, humblekyle!

I'm short and short-waisted too, so I can feel you on the weird body markers :).

No one will yell at you here, not to worry! Many folks have found their way here through some similar circumstances, so don't feel alone. :blossom:

I would imagine, unless your scissors were seriously dull with horrible blades, your hair should be quite all right for a while. Just monitor your ends and treat them a little special for a few months until you gain a little length and can bear a small dusting. If you notice many splits sooner rather than later, then schedule an appointment with a professional who is respectful of long hair. Or a trusted friend. Or you can check out some of the self trim methods/threads and see if they seem like something you'd be comfortable with.

No need to lose more length right away if it's making you anxious. :)

[pixiepaws]

Hi one option is buy your own hair dressing scissors and get a trusted friend (or yourself) to cut off a little bit of the ends if you are worried about potential damage. A hairdresser could be scissor happy so I could understand your anxiety.

[Anje]

If you want to clean it up yourself, first thing is that you'll want haircutting scissors. You can get this for less than $10 at drugstores, big-box stores, etc.

Second, you'll want a method to minimize how uneven it is. Feye's self trim (http://feyeselftrim.livejournal.com) is the method I keep coming back to. I use the one for a blunt hemline. You'll want to comb your hair straightish for it, if possible, or do it damp. (Curly-haired folks might have more luck with a different method. Many seem to like to do this sort of thing dry and just cut the end off each curl individually, accepting that "even" varies from day to day.) Just trim a little and don't overdo it or get obsessive about getting it absolutely perfect. Having a buddy to help make sure everything is lined up helps, but you can make due with a hand mirror and the bathroom mirror in most cases.

Obviously, if you have a trusted hairdresser or a skilled friend, go to them! Trimming one's own hair isn't the only option, but it's a good one for people who are inclined to do it themselves anyway.

ETA: There are also compact cuts for layers that are currently popular around here. Personally, I think it's a lot harder to judge how much to take off the first time or two that you do it. I'd say it's fun to fool around with if you're feeling adventurous and willing to lose a bit of length, but I'd not recommend any top-of-head ponytail cuts for someone who's already nervous about cutting.

[Raging Wolf]

Hi Humblekyle,'

Let me begin by saying that your hair is beautiful! Yes, the myth about dull scissors is true. I recently trimmed my hair with a pair of scissor's that need to be honed and my hair has more splits now than before. So, now I am slowly removing the splits by using the search and destroy method, whenever I see one.

There are some great hair salon's that do cater to long hair clients, you would have to look into that very carefully and take your time. Make sure that you spell out exactly what you want done. DO NOT let them use a razor or cut layers into your hair. It will take longer to grow back out and razor's will cause more split ends and damage to your hair. Just my personal experience here.

As far as your hemline goes, I would suggest going to a trusted friend and just have them trim an inch off your back hemline, do not touch the front. Repeat the process every 3 months, but this time only do a 1/2 inch at the longest part of your hemline, until your ends have grown in the way your like them. Then just have the same friend dust the ends for you as needed.

That is just my two cents for what it is worth. Please remember that the ultimate decision comes down to what you want to do.

Good Luck,

[mzlbcmami]

If you want to clean it up yourself, first thing is that you'll want haircutting scissors. You can get this for less than $10 at drugstores, big-box stores, etc.

Second, you'll want a method to minimize how uneven it is. Feye's self trim (http://feyeselftrim.livejournal.com) is the method I keep coming back to. I use the one for a blunt hemline. You'll want to comb your hair straightish for it, if possible, or do it damp. (Curly-haired folks might have more luck with a different method. Many seem to like to do this sort of thing dry and just cut the end off each curl individually, accepting that "even" varies from day to day.) Just trim a little and don't overdo it or get obsessive about getting it absolutely perfect. Having a buddy to help make sure everything is lined up helps, but you can make due with a hand mirror and the bathroom mirror in most cases.

Obviously, if you have a trusted hairdresser or a skilled friend, go to them! Trimming one's own hair isn't the only option, but it's a good one for people who are inclined to do it themselves anyway.

ETA: There are also compact cuts for layers that are currently popular around here. Personally, I think it's a lot harder to judge how much to take off the first time or two that you do it. I'd say it's fun to fool around with if you're feeling adventurous and willing to lose a bit of length, but I'd not recommend any top-of-head ponytail cuts for someone who's already nervous about cutting.

Oooh thank you for the link! ^_^ :run:

[Stangenlocke]

Oh man! Why did I not have something like this 20 years ago? All this great advice! Many thanks indeed for the link :D
Now I know why I had such awful split ends :doh:

[cat11]

You're so pretty!

Ive had to do a lot of shape fixing on my hair too. Since you cut with paper scissors, i would recommend first dusting the ends with hair cutting scissors (it might get hard to get a salon to actually only dust...) so the ends don't easily split later on. Then I would just wait until your next trim, and keep slowly trimming off as much as you feel from the very tips only, so it gradually evens back up. This way you won't lose length, but the shorter peices will be slowly moving back down. Since you have 5 inch difference, you could do 2.5 inch twice in the year, and get it all eveneed, but this way you wouldn't get any longer this year. Or you could do it slower, which would take longer to get the shape you want, but still let you grow.

[humblekyle]

Thanks everyone! I appreciate the advice. I'm still not 100% sure what I'll do, but I need to not make so many spontaneous decisions, so that's ok :)
I think I'll pick up a good pair of shears for the future.