Be Honest---Time For Me To Chop? (A Pic)

[FennFire911]

I'm so frustrated with my length, and trying to grow out these terrible layers. I don't want to chop on an emotional level because my hair is comforting to me, feeling it is reassuring. It's almost like my security blanket or something. But I'm afraid it just looks so bad I might need to take the plunge and even it all up in one go.
It's at the tops of my hips now, I would have to chop all the way back to BSL to be at the shortest layer and have a solid hemline.
I've done a few microtrims over the past few months, 1/4-1/2 inch each. Getting it all grown out is just going SO SLOW! When I put my hair in an English braid, by the time I get 4-5 inches down the thickness is half, and by the end at waist length it's only as thick as a pencil.
Do I need to just suck it up and get the big cut? The waves are from a braid. Do the ends look impossibly too scraggly? Or do I just keep hanging in there and microtrimming?
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j188/foxfire_ga79/IMG_1039_zpsajidakje.jpg (http://s80.photobucket.com/user/foxfire_ga79/media/IMG_1039_zpsajidakje.jpg.html)

[littlestarface]

I say just hang in there and keep micro trimming if you can stand it. To me it actually doesn't look so bad I don't see scraggly funky ends at all.

[likelikepenny]

I don't think you need to do a big chop. I think your ends could do with a little bit of babying if you wanted to keep microtrimming/maintaining. If you're really frustrated, I would suggest cutting up to waist as that's where it get's noticeably thinner, but not terribly so. Cutting all the way to BSL is unnecessary IMHO and slightly traumatic all in one go.

[Stormynights]

Do you carry a bag over your right shoulder?

[Sarahlabyrinth]

Certainly don't chop! Just keep on microtrimming and babying your hair. Getting hair the way you want it is often a many-years project. Chopping won't make the process any faster, and at least with microtrimming you aren't losing length, which you don't want to do. Your ends look fine. If you chop you'll just have to spend years regaining the length you just chopped off, so it doesn't seem a logical option to me.

[Corvana]

If you're really frustrated, I would suggest cutting up to waist as that's where it get's noticeably thinner, but not terribly so. Cutting all the way to BSL is unnecessary IMHO and slightly traumatic all in one go.

This is actually what I was going to say! At about WL is where I see a more obvious difference in thickness, but even still it's really not very bad. But perhaps just cutting those last couple inches or so will help your personal perception, and it wouldn't be as dramatic as all the way to BSL.

[Joyful Mystery]

IMO, it doesn't look that bad. I would suggest sticking to micro trimming. I think a big chop would be traumatic for you since you admit your hair is like a security blanket. Maybe skip the braids for a while and wear more buns.

[Deborah]

I agree with cutting it to your waist. I think it would feel nicer and thicker and would be well worth doing. You can always cut more off later, but going to waist would probably make you feel a lot better about your hair now.

p.s. In your photo I can't tell where your waist is, but I'm guessing it's about at your elbows. That would be a good place to cut. Most of the thinness would be gone right there.

[spidermom]

I don't think it looks bad but if you need a change GO FOR IT!

[Rebeccalaurenxx]

I would hang. Your ends don't look that bad too me.

[Borgessa]

You have a visiable straight hemline, I don't think its as bad as you think it is. We are always so much more critical of ourselves. I would hang in there, it looks pretty healthy.

[FennFire911]

I don't want a change at all, I'm just being paranoid that it looks bad. I can't ask a non long-hair for their opinion; so many people think it's no big deal at all to just cut it off. Most people don't understand why I want it this long anyway.
I can see by the responses here I'm once again being more critical of myself than other people are.
I think maybe I could try one inch at a time over the course of a few weeks so nothing is too sudden? It's most annoying to think about it but as long as it doesn't look terrible then maybe I can tough it out.


Do you carry a bag over your right shoulder?

No. *sigh* That's the section of hair I fidget with and twirl when I'm feeling fidgetty. :/

[FennFire911]

You have a visiable straight hemline, I don't think its as bad as you think it is. We are always so much more critical of ourselves. I would hang in there, it looks pretty healthy.

I was typing as you replied. I agree I was thinking way too hard. Again.

[Dark40]

I would hang in there. Your ends really doesn't look bad at all. Just baby them up by deep conditioning treatments and protein treatments.

[littlestarface]

I don't want a change at all, I'm just being paranoid that it looks bad. I can't ask a non long-hair for their opinion; so many people think it's no big deal at all to just cut it off. Most people don't understand why I want it this long anyway.
I can see by the responses here I'm once again being more critical of myself than other people are.
I think maybe I could try one inch at a time over the course of a few weeks so nothing is too sudden? It's most annoying to think about it but as long as it doesn't look terrible then maybe I can tough it out.



No. *sigh* That's the section of hair I fidget with and twirl when I'm feeling fidgetty. :/

Yeah that would be better than say a huge chop and it wont be so dramatic. I wanted to thicken my ends so I just trimmed every few months since 2015 and my ends got waay better now much more thicker than before when they looked like strings ugh. Also wear your hair up alot like everyday, this will keep them safe and have them grow without you looking at the hair or them flipping over your shoulders or getting caught on stuff.

[Aredhel]

Personally I also think that your ends looks absolutely fine. Currently my hair is quite similar to yours, in that the bottom half is significantly thinner than the top half, because I'm growing out some heavy layers that my hair was cut into about 2-3 years ago. I say keep the length and keep on trimming! They will grow out eventually. :)

[Rebel Rebel]

I think your hair looks beautiful. I can definitely understand what you're saying but in no way does it look chop worthy to me. I wish my hair and ends looked like yours.

[MidnightMoon]

I wouldn't. I am growing out layers too (which I cause myself by getting sick of dye framing my face). It's sometimes frustrating, but wearing my hair up helps me forget about them, or doing hairstyles that hide them. Also, while your hair condition and hemline will improve with care, even if you chop back to BSL now, by the time all that hair gets to your hip, while it might be healthier and a bit thicker with the bangs, it's still going to taper, it's not like it's going to be in the exact same condition it is at neck level. Finer hair (has to do with thickness as well) also has a tendency to become a bit see-through at the ends, so that's normal. Just keep on doing small (1 inch or so) trims every now and then (say, every 4 or 6 months).

[alimc]

It really doesnt sound like you want to cut back, and that would be a lot of growth to lose! I'm another vote for trimming, your hair is gorgeous as it is. Us fine haired peeps will probably always have a lot of taper, but it still looks lovely..... hang in there!

[Siri]

Don't do a big chop, you're hair looks nice. Just do a little bitty trim now and then, eventually it will all even out.

[lucid]

It looks nice! Don't cut it if you don't want to ^_^

[lapushka]

I really, really, don't see what the fuss is about, for one. I think it looks great! I can't even see the layers to be perfectly honest with you.

You're fine! And it looks lovely, I might add.

[lapushka]

I agree with cutting it to your waist. I think it would feel nicer and thicker and would be well worth doing. You can always cut more off later, but going to waist would probably make you feel a lot better about your hair now.

p.s. In your photo I can't tell where your waist is, but I'm guessing it's about at your elbows. That would be a good place to cut. Most of the thinness would be gone right there.

I can't see the "thinness" you speak off. :) Maybe that's just me.

[Suze]

Your hair is beautiful. When we look at our own hair/ pictures we tend to focus on the stuff we don't like and see nothing else. At least that is my problem. Your hair really is beautifull and the thickness will travel down if you maintain here for a bit, if you choose to do so. Do not make a big cut, you will most definitely regret is. And I agree with others, wear it up and try to forget about if for a bit. :flower:

[Ondine11]

Judging by your photo, your hair doesn't look as terrible as you seem to think it does. It is a little thinner near the bottom, but, not in a way that makes it look ragged. If it were my decision, I'd grit my teeth & keep micro trimming: no need to go back to BSL & lose your length. If wearing your hair in an English braid is a look you dislike, due to your layers, I'd suggest simply not wearing it that way. I bet you can wear most bun styles beautifully!

[lapushka]

Yes, losing hair at this point is hard. The difference between hip & BSL is big. I once had to chop from hip to BSL due to S&D having thinned out half of my hair (literally half, as about half my hair had white dots). It was really thin, not like this at all. Compared to you it was thin, so I went to BSL and boy was that a whole bunch of getting used to!

I'm all for keeping it the way it is, perhaps micro-trimming if you want the layers to catch up as well.

[Dona]

I would say don't cut it. I think we have quite similar hairtypes and I was struggling with layers too and had a similar look because of the layers. Now, after 2 years, I have a very full hemline and even gained a bit of length.

And also - your hair doesn't look bad at all at the moment! :blossom: But I get what you're experiencing because I was in the same situation :).

[akurah]

My hair is also layered. It's "visibly thick" :rolleyes: though the shortest layer is somewhere between bsl and armpit. The ends, when braided, are as thin as a pencil. Cutting will "solve" the thickness problem, but at what cost? Do you have a favorite bun? You might not even be able to do it even if you cut as little as waist. Cutting to bsl may require you to relearn buns and prevent you from doing favorites for quite a long time.

If you're worried about criticism from non-longhairs? Honestly, anything beyond about waist, if they're the sort that offers an unsolicited opinion, it's going to almost always be negative. it usually consists of "it's too long" with "you need to get it cut, ig looks damaged" regardless of if if is or isn't. And if you look at it sort of "objectively", it's usually only one or two "really loud" people, which gives the illusion of everyone thinking that even though everyone else either has no opinion or thinks it looks nice.

[FennFire911]

I feel very reassured now that I was just being overly worried and don't need to chop. I feel much better today. Gonna take an inch and then remind myself patience patience patience.
Another thing that adds to what bothers me is that some locks of my hair are 1a and some locks are 1c. I literally have stick straight mixed in with wonky little waves. Guh!

[Mrstran]

I didn't see you already decided lol

[Dona]

FennFire911, as I said, I have exactly the same! More 1b-1c hair but some 1a mixed in between. What helps me is bunning (creates a nice, easy wave and flattens out the 1c parts) and braiding (really brings out the waves and makes the whole hair 1c/2a for me). Hopes this helps you!

[Arctic]

FennFire911, as I said, I have exactly the same! More 1b-1c hair but some 1a mixed in between. What helps me is bunning (creates a nice, easy wave and flattens out the 1c parts) and braiding (really brings out the waves and makes the whole hair 1c/2a for me). Hopes this helps you!

Same, other than that my range of waviness is even larger, I got quite a bit of 2b and sometimes even spirals, some individual hairs are practically in the 4 category - - - and some are 1b. Bunning is my go-to method too. I put my hair usually in two cinnabuns when it's aaaaalmost dry. Let the buns be there for a while (30 minutes is probably typical) and when I take them down my hair is more uniform.

Also (this is for OP), braids have tendency to leave "spagetti ends", that is, straight ends with otherwise wavy hair. This can make the very ends look worse than they are. There are some methods to remedy this, like pin curls, wrapping the tassel around the braid, parandas.

[Dona]

You are right about the braids Arctic, I forgot to mention that but I also do that! :)

[Dessi]

I think you don't need to chop. I like your hair very much. There was a picture made by Emichie a few years ago, where she showed how microtrimming is better than chopping. If you keep microtrimming, you'll gradually make your ends thicker, while thickness will be travelling down as well. If you do chop, by the time your hair is hip length, it will have tapered again.

[missbexy]

I think your hair looks nice. I have similar problems, growing out layer and different textured patches. Honestly my hair hair hangs flat at the front and has some huge waves in the under layer at the back. I stopped wearing braids so much because I realised it was making my ends look even worse. I'm sticking with micro-trimming for a while or I'll never feel like I make any progress!

[Kat-Rinnè Naido]

Your hair is beautiful.
You have invested a lot into growing your hair. To chop now is to doubt that investment. Each hair on your head is not at the same growing phase some may be growing while some are in rest. The thickness travels down but sometimes takes time. Keep micro trimming as you have been doing. Also try wearing your hair in a different style each day maybe for a month. This will take your focus of your length. (Remember do not try too manipulative style.) Good luck. Remember whatever you decide you must make peace with yourself:grouphug:

[Zauberwald]

I agree that cutting it to waist length would be sufficient! It will look and feel so much better, and won't be as traumatic as chopping all the way to BSL.

[BraidFreak]

I personally think your hair looks amazing! I do know what you mean though, I had a horrible hair cut a few years back and basically ended up with half my hair BSL and half my hair Chin length. I chose to cut it just because the longest parts were so damaged by the beach/sun but if I would have had healthy hair all throughout I definitely would have waited it out!

Good luck :)

[Kellylee]

I would cut it to where your elbows are. I had the same problem and cut it back to about there and it was so much better. A couple inches and you'll see a big difference. I wouldn't cut it any higher than that unless is a damage I can't see that really needs cut.

[Anje]

Contrasting tops are really effective at making your hair look thin, if it's not super thick. I'll bet you'd like your hair a lot more if you took another pic in a white shirt.

If you wanted to take a couple inches, I think it'd be OK to trim off to where your braid currently gets tied off, though some of the thinness below that point could simply be because the wave pattern changes. Honestly, though, it isn't all that bad. It's just how hair looks if it's not really thick and has a bit of taper. I dealt with that for a long time, and the only time it thickened up at a given point was when I stopped trimming and just let it grow significantly past there. That is, my hair was thinner at hip even after 5 years of maintaining at tailbone than it was at hip when I just let it grow to classic without any further trimming. ETA: It's worth saying, I was never much good at microtrimming. It was more like macrotrimming -- I'd let it go for several months, then trim like 2 inches to bring it back to the original point.

[maborosi]

Hi, I think your hair looks totally fine! With such light hair and a dark top, it makes the hair look a lot thinner than it actually is, so don't fret too much.

Just keep microtrimming. Everyone gets taper, and the best way to minimize it is to keep trimming the ends until you reach the thickness you want. :)

If you really feel like you want to do more than a microtrim, cut in small amounts.
I have done this before where I take half an inch off first, then re-assess if it is sufficient for me. If not, I take off a little more, and so on.

[Cherriezzzzz]

Just going to say I agree do not chop! Style it different though in ways that other people who do not have very long hair can't ;) I bet if you hadn't braided it those ends wouldn't look the same. I'd curl my hair with sponge rollers overnight (laying them delicately out of the way) or rag curls. It's so easy to make it pretty! If I'd trim anything it'd only be another inch. Thick hemlines are overrated. Don't sacrifice length for them. I really like your hair too. It's very soft looking, shiny, and it appears to be naturally blonde!

[FennFire911]

Yes, I'm a natural blonde. Really odd, my family has absolutely no history of it until me. I hadn't thought of rag curls or curlers on the ends only. I'll have to give that a try.
I changed into the black shirt to take the pic, I didn't know how the lighting would come out being an indoor pic so I figured that was the safest bet to make sure it was visible. I do wear a lot of black shirts and otherwise contrasting tops, but the vast majority of the time when I leave my house, my hair is up. Simply by wearing hair sticks and forks instead of scrunchies, I'm already doing things nobody else around here does lol
I'll give it a go with rag curls. That should give the ends a softer look. :) And I'll try not to dwell on it between mini-snippings.
Thanks everybody! :D

[truepeacenik]

My hair is also layered. It's "visibly thick" :rolleyes: though the shortest layer is somewhere between bsl and armpit. The ends, when braided, are as thin as a pencil. Cutting will "solve" the thickness problem, but at what cost? Do you have a favorite bun? You might not even be able to do it even if you cut as little as waist. Cutting to bsl may require you to relearn buns and prevent you from doing favorites for quite a long time.

If you're worried about criticism from non-longhairs? Honestly, anything beyond about waist, if they're the sort that offers an unsolicited opinion, it's going to almost always be negative. it usually consists of "it's too long" with "you need to get it cut, ig looks damaged" regardless of if if is or isn't. And if you look at it sort of "objectively", it's usually only one or two "really loud" people, which gives the illusion of everyone thinking that even though everyone else either has no opinion or thinks it looks nice.

Opinions from non longhairs= farts in the wind. They don't know, they have expectations set by hair care and fashion industries, and....
You are not here to decorate their world.

[Aredhel]

Opinions from non longhairs= farts in the wind. They don't know, they have expectations set by hair care and fashion industries, and....
You are not here to decorate their world.

Very well said.:)

[Serimel]

Agreeing with majority! Continue microtrimming, no need for a chop. Your hair looks beautiful. If I saw you on the street I would just admire the length not even taking notice in your hemline, looks good to me.

[Prism]

Opinions from non longhairs= farts in the wind. They don't know, they have expectations set by hair care and fashion industries, and....
You are not here to decorate their world.

lol well said.

I would do some microtrims if you're uncomfortable with taking off a couple of inches. Your hair looks like it's in good condition to me. No major chop needed!

[zashin66]

Opinions from non longhairs= farts in the wind. They don't know, they have expectations set by hair care and fashion industries, and....
You are not here to decorate their world.

Cute.:thumbsup: I agree with most everyone else, if your goal is growth then don't cut.

[spirals]

I think it's just that tapering is what hair does. One thing I do is put curlers on the ends of my braids overnight so I don't get spaghetti ends, if I know I'm wearing it down the next day.

[Frankenstein]

I don't see a problem with your hair at all, I would love mine to look like that. If the ends bother you though, the best option would be microtrimming.

[FennFire911]

Rag curls, or toilet paper as I used last night, worked! I love how it looks, my ends look a lot softer and fuller. No spaghetti ends here! Lol
Thanks everybody! I will be micro-mini trimming, and using the overnight curling techniques. :)

[Aredhel]

Rag curls, or toilet paper as I used last night, worked! I love how it looks, my ends look a lot softer and fuller. No spaghetti ends here! Lol
Thanks everybody! I will be micro-mini trimming, and using the overnight curling techniques. :)

Glad to hear that the rag curls worked so well and that you decided against a big chop! :)

[spirals]

Rag curls, or toilet paper as I used last night, worked! I love how it looks, my ends look a lot softer and fuller. No spaghetti ends here! Lol
Thanks everybody! I will be micro-mini trimming, and using the overnight curling techniques. :)

Yaaaaaayyy!! *Kermit flail*

[browneyedsusan]

It looks fantastic as it is?
My hair compacts down into narrow braids and buns too. No biggie?

[Arctic]

It looks fantastic as it is?
My hair compacts down into narrow braids and buns too. No biggie?

LOL! In this context I loved this comment!