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View Full Version : Help! What should I do about my hemline?



Ellethwyn
October 21st, 2016, 12:39 PM
I have this very thin/sheer/hole in my hemline and I'm unsure what to do about it. I've been trimming little by little, like 2-4 inches a year trying to straighten my hemline out. I'm not sure what's caused the thin area. I did grow my hair out from an A-line. I'm trying to avoid a big chop. I'm thinking about letting my hair grow to just past tailbone and then chopping it back to where it's at now to get it evened out.

What do you think?

ETA: or should I just chop it now?

My hair right after it's washed, dried and brushed.

..................

spidermom
October 21st, 2016, 01:33 PM
It's impossible to say. It could be that 1) you sustained, or repeatedly sustain, some damage there, or 2) it could be that the hairs in that section have a shorter growing phase than hairs on other areas of your scalp. Since you have been cutting back but the "hole" keeps reappearing, I tend to think the cause is likely to be #2. But I could be wrong; I've been wrong before.

school of fish
October 21st, 2016, 01:37 PM
I think the decision really comes down to what's more important to you aesthetically - length or evenness :) There's no one correct answer there, just what will make you happier (or what you can live with more easily ;) )

I had the same thing going on a year or two ago. I had a shorter/thinner chunk right at the centre back of my hemline, no idea why it appeared there. In my case I wear my hair down pretty much all the time so I chose to chop back a couple inches to where the top of the empty space was - the very tips of those shorter ends. Although that section was still thinner in comparison to its neighbours, it no longer *looked* thinner, and that was the most important thing for me - visual consistency.

I might have decided differently if I was a daily updo person or if I was growing to a longer length, but I'm neither ;) TBL is my length limit and how it looks when it's down is a high priority for me.

Since that mini-chop that chunk has not reappeared. Any remaining fairytailing has gradually been filling in on its own as healthy hair has continued to travel down the length :)

So, I guess it's sort of a 'now or later' decision. Would you prefer an even hemline now or later? Would you prefer the longer length now or later? It's not that you can't have both in time, it's just that at this moment one has to come 'now' and the other will follow 'later' :)

lapushka
October 21st, 2016, 01:38 PM
I would go slow. As the pictures show, it also depends on how it falls/lays, whether it is more visible or not. So I think microtrimming is the best solution to this.

Ellethwyn
October 21st, 2016, 02:05 PM
Thank you,ladies! It's a tough choice. I think you might be right spidermom, that those hairs have a shorter growing phase, because I've had a hairdresser years ago before I had an A line, tell me that one side grew faster. Also, two years ago I cut it back 3 inches or so and my hemline was lovely, straight across and now it looks like this & I can't recall any damage done to that area.

I'm like you school of fish, I wear my hair down most of the time, so how it looks down is important to me.

But like lapushka said, it depends how it lays/falls, that makes it noticeable * i think *

MsPharaohMoan
October 21st, 2016, 02:14 PM
Interesting! I wonder if maybe you sleep on that side more often too?

Deborah
October 21st, 2016, 02:17 PM
Since you wear it mostly down I would definitely cut the bottom off to even the hemline. Because your hair is straight, the unevenness will always show. Doing the cut will make your hemline thicker and prettier as well as even. I think it will look much nicer.

gypsycolleen
October 21st, 2016, 02:25 PM
Do you possibly sleep on that side? Just a thought. My hair has shorter, thinner spots on the outsides. I cut it straight across, grew it out again...same thing happens. I think your hair is beautiful, even with the thinner spot! I would continue with the micro trimming, and dampen and hand scrunch the ends to make them "messy", and it won't be that noticeable.

Ellethwyn
October 21st, 2016, 02:37 PM
Thank you:)
I don't sleep on that side much and I wear my hair in a braid while sleeping.

school of fish
October 21st, 2016, 02:50 PM
Thank you,ladies! It's a tough choice. I think you might be right spidermom, that those hairs have a shorter growing phase, because I've had a hairdresser years ago before I had an A line, tell me that one side grew faster. Also, two years ago I cut it back 3 inches or so and my hemline was lovely, straight across and now it looks like this & I can't recall any damage done to that area.

I'm like you school of fish, I wear my hair down most of the time, so how it looks down is important to me.

But like lapushka said, it depends how it lays/falls, that makes it noticeable * i think *

If your hair behaves like mine than this *might* be of help to you - please feel free to ignore if it doesn't feel relevant ;)

My hair grows better when the hemline is blunt versus when my ends are fairytailed, and by 'growing better' what I really mean is I lose less to breakage when my ends are blunt. My hair is 'strength in numbers' so for me a group of same-length strands offers more protection each for the other than a group of multi-length strands. Fresh ends dramatically reduce my friction/tangling damage, and they reduce the erosion of length that I'm susceptible to with fairytailing.

So - my way forward has been monthly microtrimming. I grow about 6" per year. For me, a once-a-year 6" chop does not equal 12 monthly 1/2" trims - the quality of my hemline is MUCH better after a year of monthly trims than after a 6" annual chop, even with the same haircare routine. I can't tell you why this is, I just know that it is, so I go with it ;)

Just wanted to put it out there for you in case you find your hair to behave the way mine does. If that's the case, perhaps a chop now of about 2" to even the hemline, followed by monthly dustings to keep the ends fresh might be something to try, if that isn't a route you've tried already ;)

Just a thought anyway! :D

Larki
October 21st, 2016, 03:54 PM
This happens to me, too, Ellethwyn! I've had a spot like that (mine is in the middle) for like six years, since I was in high school. I was trimming just an inch or so every 2-4 months until recently - I gave up and cut like five inches off to even up the hemline. I'm not sure what causes it. I tend to wear my hair up, but I've only been doing it since I joined LHC, so that spot could have been residual damage in my case.

Edit: my most recent length shot from before I trimmed:
https://s10.postimg.org/h3kymjzrd/20160910_172541.jpg

Ellethwyn
October 21st, 2016, 04:36 PM
school of fish, that makes a lot of sense for us fine haired folk! Thank you!

Larki, wow! I can't believe i'm not the only one! Your hair is pretty, even with the thin spot. I may just chop an inch or two, which I recently did 2 months ago and then I will micro trim.

I feel like such an idiot! I DO sleep on that side. For a second I was thinking the thin spot was on my left side. I'm a right side sleeper and it IS on my right side!

I just took a picture of what my hair normally looks like... an hour or two after I've brushed it... the piecy look of my hair hides the unevenness quite a bit, so I suppose I could get away with microtrimming.

httickr.com/6/5702/30440567866_0216f03fbc_z.jpg

And here it is just brushed and I had my daughter take the pic, so it's a better angle, straight on.

[0535886_79f0299152_z.jpg[/IMG]

Definitely so much damage on the right side compared to the left!

Crystawni
October 21st, 2016, 04:47 PM
Thank you:)
I don't sleep on that side much and I wear my hair in a braid while sleeping.

Could it possibly be braid (tie) breakage/damage? Coupled with you sleeping on that side (as mentioned later in the thread), mayhaps the thinner part is the part of the braid tail that gets rubbed against during sleep..? Your hair really does look divine, though (as does yours, Larki)!

Ellethwyn
October 21st, 2016, 04:52 PM
Could it possibly be braid (tie) breakage/damage? Coupled with you sleeping on that side (as mentioned later in the thread), mayhaps the thinner part is the part of the braid tail that gets rubbed against during sleep..? Your hair really does look divine, though (as does yours, Larki)!

Thanks! Definitely could be a possibility! What could I do to prevent damage during sleep other than what I've been which is braid and silk pillowcase? Should I stop sleeping with a braid?

ravenheather
October 21st, 2016, 05:07 PM
Would a sleep cap work for you?

school of fish
October 21st, 2016, 05:11 PM
Can you bun it loosely for sleep? I do a loose nautilus, topknot style, right on top of my head for sleeping. I secure it with a short hairstick. I'm a fairly non-thrashy sleeper so this works fine for me ;)

Sometimes I'll braid but I feel like I get more friction that way than in a bun - my braid shred is epic and as the pieces work their way out amongst my slippy strands they rub and tangle amongst themselves, even inside the braid.

pamrlyn
October 21st, 2016, 05:31 PM
Hi Ellethwyn

I think your hair is just luscious and beautiful like it is. But - if you want that perfect hemline all the time, what I would do is be a little bit more aggressive with the micro trimming.

When my hair started going curly & I had all these stringy straight ends - it looked pretty weird. So I cut off 1/2 inch every month, until I was happier with it. My hair growth is about 1/2 inch per month, So I didn't really lose any length, for more than a month.

Also - watch for what might cause that to happen, just in case it's not due to your natural growth pattern. On which side do you carry your purse? Do you bring your hair forward, when sitting? anything that might wear on that area... ?

Good luck!

Pam

LillithTheFirst
October 21st, 2016, 05:36 PM
You could try changing your part to slightly on one side so more hair lays on the other to "Cover it up"?

In terms of protecting while sleeping you could try going for a SLAP (satin lined cap, I use them by Grace Eleyae).

Crystawni
October 21st, 2016, 05:44 PM
Thanks! Definitely could be a possibility! What could I do to prevent damage during sleep other than what I've been which is braid and silk pillowcase? Should I stop sleeping with a braid?

I've found bunning my braid with the ends safely tucked under the bun, then the hairtie removed just before pinning is a little more protective (I used to use a short acrylic hairstick, but now use Quattro starlites that are more comfy and hold well). Sometimes I topknot my hair, though, to change things up and not create a potential break spot.

Ellethwyn
October 21st, 2016, 05:48 PM
So many great ideas! Thank you, all!

LillithTheFirst, that is a great idea, because my part is currently to the left and it's my right side that is suffering.

Rebeccalaurenxx
October 21st, 2016, 05:56 PM
I have no answers for you -- but yet again -- your hair is beautiful to me! :)

Larki
October 21st, 2016, 06:24 PM
Ellethwyn, how do you feel about silk sleep caps? They're not exactly stylish, but I've been using mine (from Adorabellababy on Etsy) for almost a year and a half and love it - I switch positions a lot at night and used to pull on my hair accidentally when doing so - now it's always safely contained, no more pulling.

We're basically hair twins, so it makes sense we'd have some of the same problems!

Ellethwyn
October 21st, 2016, 08:01 PM
I love adorabellababy! I bought my pillowcase from them. I might get a sleep cap. You don't have an issue with it coming off?

Larki
October 21st, 2016, 08:05 PM
I love adorabellababy! I bought my pillowcase from them. I might get a sleep cap. You don't have an issue with it coming off?

Well, most nights I cheat and wear the matching eye mask over the cap (I can't tolerate any light at all at night), but sometimes I skip the mask and it still doesn't usually come off - maybe 1 night out of 4 when I don't use the eye mask, I will wake up and find that the cap is slipping or has slipped off - and as I mentioned, I'm quite the active sleeper and I don't even wear it properly. The front edge rests on the top of my head, behind my bangs, so I don't mess up my bangs at night, instead of having the front edge rest on my forehead in front of my hairline, like it's supposed to. So no, I don't have an issue with the cap coming off!

Ellethwyn
October 21st, 2016, 08:09 PM
Thank you, rebeccalaurenxx!

Sounds good, Larki! Thanks!

Mirabele
October 22nd, 2016, 12:59 PM
My sister has a spot like that, in the middle of her hemline. We have no idea why. I dont have any advice to you, just wanted to say, your hair is beautiful anyway. Besides, it doesnt show when your hair gets piecy.

Llama
October 22nd, 2016, 01:29 PM
It's not very noticeable in the second set of pictures. :blossom:

Ellethwyn
October 22nd, 2016, 02:41 PM
Thanks, Mirabele!


It's not very noticeable in the second set of pictures. :blossom:


Yeah, you're right. I think I shouldn't really worry about it and just be more cautious, micro trim and keep growing. :D