Avoiding Cutting Hair

[Tehillim408]

I'm at that stage where I just don't know what to do with my hair! It is brastrap length and cut in layers (which I hate!). I wish I could do all sorts of fancy things with it, but at this stage the layers just get in the way.

I'm tempted to cut and regrow it, but it has taken me so long to get it to this length, and I know I will regret it!

What do you do when you feel tempted to give up? I need inspiration!

[endlessly]

A few years back, I was in a similar situation with layers I hated (mine the result of a hack-job haircut by a "stylist" at Great Clips) and desperately wanting to grow my hair long but torn between letting it be or having it cut back to one length. I chose to let it be and just deal with the layers by basically ignoring them. It took a few years for my shortest layer (which had originally been around chin length) to reach a length I felt comfortable with - around 3-4, to be exact - and then I made the decision this past March to trim my hair to one length. So, my longest layer was two inches shy of knee, with the shortest at hip, so I trimmed it to hip and now, it's already past tailbone. So, my advice is to just let it be especially if you are wanting your hair long. It will grow and it will be a pain along the way, but you won't be happy if you get rid of the length you've already worked so hard for, so try to enjoy it.

[Anje]

IMO, the easiest way to deal with layers (other than just letting them all grow and become fairytale ends eventually) is to get a couple inches taken off the longest layer and leave the rest untouched. Wait a few months til you're back where you are now, then repeat. Eventually you won't have layers anymore, while never having lost significant length.

[Nique1202]

What styles do you find the layers get in the way of, exactly, and how? I'm sure there are other ways to style your hair where the layers will be less noticeable (dutch and french braids come to mind, since they always look layered at the end of the tail anyway even in blunt cut hair) and you'll be able to ignore them and just let your hair keep growing without getting so frustrated at it.

[lapushka]

You can just continue to grow (which I recommend), or you could join the microtrimming gals & gents over at the microtrimming thread.

[Johannah]

You're welcome in the microtrimming and maintaining thread (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=75468) ;)

[Deborah]

"IMO, the easiest way to deal with layers (other than just letting them all grow and become fairytale ends eventually) is to get a couple inches taken off the longest layer and leave the rest untouched. Wait a few months til you're back where you are now, then repeat. Eventually you won't have layers anymore, while never having lost significant length."

I completely agree with ANJE on this. I consider microtrimming just too darn slow, but cutting the layers all off would leave you with hard to handle short hair. A couple of inches at a time would work beautifully.

[missrandie]

I second microtrims!

[spidermom]

Let it grow. There's no such thing as "all-one-length" hair. Every single day old hairs shed out and new hairs grow in. There are ways to style layered hair.

[Angel_Abby]

I'm at BSL and layered too. I'm pretty wavy/curly so I need the layers to help my hair lay right when I wear it down(it's got a bad tendency to go triangle-head right now). My braids have weird sticky out pieces and my buns are more messy than sleek- but I'm really enjoying the length too! My goal length is waist (much longer than that gets too heavy for me to wear comfortably up) and so I decided to let it grow to waist and trim back up to BSL as many times as necessary until the ends are more even.

Then if it's still triangling- I'll have layers cut back in.

[M.McDonough]

I'm at that stage where I just don't know what to do with my hair! It is brastrap length and cut in layers (which I hate!). I wish I could do all sorts of fancy things with it, but at this stage the layers just get in the way.

I'm tempted to cut and regrow it, but it has taken me so long to get it to this length, and I know I will regret it!

What do you do when you feel tempted to give up? I need inspiration!

I wouldn't cut my hair if I were you. Your hair is beautiful..just think how lucky you are and appreciate it :)

[akuamoonmaui]

I gave myself calendar dates of every three months and then only trimmed no more than 1-1.5" off the bottom. I felt better after the trim and then had to live through whatever temptations I had to cut in the meantime. It worked.