Growing out nape undercut AND fringe. Help!

[MeganJoan]

So, there's not really a right or wrong answer for this, but I'd really just appreciate some advice on what you all think is the best way to go about this.

I want to grow my hair long but I have three different lengths happening at the moment. I've included photos. My hair has oil in it at the moment but you should still be able to see the length alright.

Fringe that I'm growing out.
Nape undercut: 3" from root to tip
Main length: between chin and shoulder (you can't see my neck through my hair when my hair is clean, just when it's wet or oiled)

http://i.imgur.com/u2ZISh7.jpg?1http://i.imgur.com/FxjbJP9.jpg?1http://i.imgur.com/aLetDUu.jpg?1

I'm tossing up my options on the best way to grow everything out, grow long, and try not to look like a train wreck in the process.

I figure my two main options are to keep cutting the length until the undercut catches up, or grow out the length and keep trimming it until eventually they even up. If anyone has other good options though I'm all ears. At the moment I usually wear it in a pony on the top of my head so my fringe fits in; I call it my pineapple. Usually I prefer a bun but it just looks so pathetic in one at the moment, and to get it looking good the bun has to be so messy that it tangles my hair a bit.

So what does everything think would be the best option moving forward for me? I don't expect I can do anything at this point to make it actually look good but it would be nice to have it looking as least-awful as possible! My hair is 1a/F/ii if that affects anyone's opinions/advice.

Thanks! :)

[Simsy]

Hey, must have been an awesome haircut.

IMO, it might make life easier to at least let the nape catch up to the main length before growing much further. Braids, twists and pinning will keep the fringe manageable, but I'm not sure how comfortable or feasible this approach would be for the nape hair. I would imagine the process would be similar to pixie or bob grow-outs with the added issue of longer lengths in the middle.

That said, 3 stacked buns would look awesome as a Mohawk effect once all 3 sections get some length.

[MeganJoan]

When I had long blue hair and a nape undercut it was pretty cool, but now it's just like "what happened to your head?" haha

I think you're totally right, I need to grow it out together. The fringe can be slowly blended in, but the back really needs to be a similar length.

Part of me just feels like I should keep cutting it back to chin length to get it the same length more quickly. I know in the long run it won't make any difference to how long it gets in a year or two, but getting rid of that length right now is like arrgghhh

[Simsy]

Another option might be to shave it all back to a long pixie and grow from there, saves trimming so much length while you wait for bits to catch up. Will probably be about the same for growing time.

Good luck

[butterflybutton]

It really doesn't look bad! What is your final goal?

If it was me I'd blend in the fringe by taking off the "corner" and either microtrim the longest lengths, or wait until the undercut got to shoulder and maintain the longest parts until the undercut caught up.

Or you could even layer the back up a bit to blend somewhat into the undercut. Although that will help what it looks like now out, it will limit your styling options.

Have you tried wearing a crown braid? When you get to the bottom just do it as a lace braid and you'd never know the undercut was there :)

[MeganJoan]

Another option might be to shave it all back to a long pixie and grow from there, saves trimming so much length while you wait for bits to catch up. Will probably be about the same for growing time.

Good luck

I did consider taking it all short, but then I realised that would actually take longer to grow out. At the moment my shortest length so grow out is mid way up to hair. If I took the top short I'd have to grow it out again and it would add a couple of inches to my overall growth requirement.
Plus I'm afraid I'd look terrible with a pixie! Haha

[lapushka]

Maybe microtrimming might be a solution, but trimming it yourself will be hard at this length and near to impossible to do right. And since you can't see the neckline through your hair when it's dry anyway, I vote to go on growing. For the bangs, same thing.

[MeganJoan]

It really doesn't look bad! What is your final goal?

If it was me I'd blend in the fringe by taking off the "corner" and either microtrim the longest lengths, or wait until the undercut got to shoulder and maintain the longest parts until the undercut caught up.

Or you could even layer the back up a bit to blend somewhat into the undercut. Although that will help what it looks like now out, it will limit your styling options.

Have you tried wearing a crown braid? When you get to the bottom just do it as a lace braid and you'd never know the undercut was there :)

My current goal is mid back, which considering I haven't got much past shoulder length in the past 10 years is very ambitious for me!

I so plan to take the corner off to blend in the fringe, hopefully in the next 3 or so months. Just waiting until it's long enough that it won't look odd.

I can't really layer the back :( there really is only one layer there because he cut the undercut wwaaayyyy higher than I actually wanted it. I think maintaining some length until the undercut catches up is what I'm leaning towards. I think mentally I will struggle cutting off so much length after I've made the decision to grow it.

And I will definitely try a crown braid! I hadn't through of doing braids :)

[MeganJoan]

As soon as it's long enough to microtrim myself and S&D that is absolutely my plan!

Sorry for the three posts in a row :S

[butterflybutton]

It sounds like you have a good solid plan!!

If you bring your hair over the top of your head you might be able to see the ends for when/if you need to s&d.

Just think, this time next year you will be so much closer to your goal!

[MeganJoan]

Just think, this time next year you will be so much closer to your goal!

Yep! :D Remembering this is what keeps me strong. And seeing progress from everyone here, like in your sig!

[spidermom]

Sounds like you arrived at a plan before I got here, but another vote for trim the length while the nape grows out.

[MlleMC]

I had a somewhat similar cut before I started growing, except that the underlayer was a bit thinner. And you know what I did? Absolutely nothing. I just let it grow, and once the underlayer was long enough to fit in my ponytails it didn't really matter anymore. I didn't even cut the layers out until I was past tailbone. :laugh: By that point, my ends looked pretty bad though, I probably should have cut them a few years sooner.

[MeganJoan]

Sounds like you arrived at a plan before I got here, but another vote for trim the length while the nape grows out.

I still love hearing everyone's opinions, though! There's still a chance I'll change my mind at any moment ;)


I had a somewhat similar cut before I started growing, except that the underlayer was a bit thinner. And you know what I did? Absolutely nothing. I just let it grow, and once the underlayer was long enough to fit in my ponytails it didn't really matter anymore. I didn't even cut the layers out until I was past tailbone. :laugh: By that point, my ends looked pretty bad though, I probably should have cut them a few years sooner.

Haha, I have considered doing this whenever the decision feels too much for me! If my ends weren't so damaged I would probably do this, but I feel like they have to go either way. They're just dry and yuck no matter what I do with them, and when I can afford to henna I think they're going to stay quite dark and annoy me.

[MeganJoan]

I think I've changed my mind already! But I'm feeling much more solid about this plan.

I think I'll just get one last trim at the back, then get to her blend my fringe is as much as possible. Then jusy grow from there doing S&D

I've been looking at lots of fairytale ends photos and figure the sooner I stop trimming the more likely I am to get there ☺️

[AJNinami]

I'm going to vote for large trims. The longer your hair gets, the less you're going to want to lose length. Not to mention, it gets much easier to protect when the bulk of hair is all or close to one length.

But the decision is up to you, and it looks as if you've decided already. :) Speedy growth to you!

[princesssaffron]

it sucks having different lengths to grow out doesnt it!! im new here and i am trying to grow out an a-line bob - so its longer at the front, and the last hairdresser gave me graduated layers underneath the canopy the back so each layer gets shorter and shorter! you can tell when my hairs out but putting it up is a nightmare with little bits D: i would suggest maintaining the current length until the back grows out a bit more, then just grow grow grow! before my a-line cut i had waist length hair with a grown out fringe and as it gets longer it gets less and less noticeable and just looks like face framing layers!

im debating myself whether i should cut the front to match the back or grow it all to my goal length (just above APL) then even it up and i cant decide because i know i wont want to lose length later but i dont want to lose length now either! :(

[MeganJoan]

It's such a head choice to make!

Personally, I think that losing length before shoulder length is the best time to do it. I definitely wouldn't go longer than shoulder without being ready to grow from there.

I feel like above shoulder it's a hassle and you dream of long hair but it doesn't feel as much like real length yet, so it's easier to part with.

If I were you is definitely be wanting to even up the A line before growing. I feel like otherwise you might end up with a weird shape if the back grows longer?

I'm still feeling good about the plan I posted this morning. My lack of questioning and hesitation about it makes me feel like I'm onto a real winner!

[school of fish]

For what it's worth, I'm growing out an undercut too, but a very different variety. Mine is self-imposed and I cut it in a year ago as a blunt layer, a little above APL, even though my hair is BCL. I did this because my nape hairs were so damaged and the lengths were all over the place - they kept tangling and breaking off, and I couldn't gain ground in length under there, even though I was making great gains on my hemline. Personally, I get my best quality growth when I microtrim frequently (because I don't lose length to breakage with fresh ends) and blunt hemlines provide protection for my strands - strength in numbers ;) That's why I made my undercut decision.

This approach has worked brilliantly for me - that undercut layer is now below BSL and going strong :D That said, having a substantially shorter layer than my length is a ROYAL pain in the arse, and I can't wait for the day that the layer meets the hem... approx 2 years from now :p

If I was in your shoes, I'd be trimming to deal with that undercut now before you really start the length journey so you don't have to face the situation I'm in now ;) You're at a length where the differential between layers isn't so huge that you'd be waiting years - it's just a matter of months for you. In the grand scheme of the bigger hair-growing picture, it's likely a relatively small amount of time invested, then you can grow like the wind! :)

Incidentally, I'm also growing out a face-framing fringe layer, haha! Using the same strategy, just dusting it frequently to keep ends fresh and healthy. I don't mind that layer so much because it looks deliberate even as it's growing out, so it doesn't feel like the albatros the undercut does ;)

Best of luck and enjoy your journey, whatever you decide to do! :D

[MeganJoan]

I'm so surprised that multiple other people here are doing something similar haha



If I was in your shoes, I'd be trimming to deal with that undercut now before you really start the length journey so you don't have to face the situation I'm in now ;) You're at a length where the differential between layers isn't so huge that you'd be waiting years - it's just a matter of months for you. In the grand scheme of the bigger hair-growing picture, it's likely a relatively small amount of time invested, then you can grow like the wind! :)

The reason I'm tempted just to leave it is that there's actually only 1-1/2 inches between my lengths and the very nape length of my undercut. Obviously the length is much different to the top of the undercut because it goes 4" up my head! But I still feel like it'll probably blend in alright in a couple of months when all the hair is long enough to put in a pony/bun.

Maybe if I go for my final trim and I get her to take an inch off all over then blend my fringe up? Then the bottom undercut layer will pretty much even up with the longest of my lengths. My main hair was never actually cut with layers but it's so damaged that it's ended up some them anyway :S If it's nice weather tomorrow I may take my cats into the garden and sit with some scissors and a mirror in the sun to S&D. Now to research exactly how to recognise splits, cause I think I know, but I've never really done them one by one before.

Good luck with growing out your layers! You hair looks beautiful btw! :D Do you henna or are you naturally that pretty auburn?

[school of fish]

There's definitely more than one correct way to develop a growing strategy - as you can see by the amount of response you've gotten, haha! That's the nice thing about getting a range of suggestions and previous experience - you get lots of ideas and you really do get to see that there are MANY good approaches :) Go with what resonates with you, do what works for as long as it works for you, change it up if something stops working - it's a very fluid thing, and part of the fun of it all!

Thanks for the compliment! I wish I could say the auburn is natural but it's henna - been henna-ing about a decade now ;) My avatar is much more true-to-life colourwise than my signature pic, but my siggy shows the more accurate texture and length ;)

[MeganJoan]

Ain't no shame in henna ;)

I plan to do my first hennaing soon! My hair already throws red, but tends to look a mousey, greyish, dull colour indoors sometimes. Hoping to get a more slight red tone indoors and a good shine in the sun.

Everyone's advice has been so helpful. I think just talking it out with people on the same page has helped. My friends don't really understand what I'm on about cause it's such a huge change from the norm of just going to the salon and dealing with hair that doesn't grow.