People who tried to stretch trims but were unable to

[Cheniaa]

Are you one of them? I am. I tried.....And failed. Stretching trims left my hair looking.... quite damaged lol.

With the popularity of the Non - trimming threads blooming (Kudos to all who can manage that!) I would like to give a space for us who find this not ideal, for our hair's appearance or otherwise.

(I tried searching for a thread on this topic but was unable to, if there is a thread already on the subject I apologize!)

Having just chopped off all the damaged hair I am now aiming for a 1 inch trim every 5 months. What trimming routine works best for you?

[Bambi]

Are you one of them? I am. I tried.....And failed. Stretching trims left my hair looking.... quite damaged lol.

With the popularity of the Non - trimming threads blooming (Kudos to all who can manage that!) I would like to give a space for us who find this not ideal, for our hair's appearance or otherwise.

(I tried searching for a thread on this topic but was unable to, if there is a thread already on the subject I apologize!)

Having just chopped off all the damaged hair I am now aiming for a 1 inch trim every 5 months. What trimming routine works best for you?

Me too!
I cut my hair from WL to Just below my collar bones (my shortest layer). Now, six months later, I had to trim it again, my initial intention was to wait a year between trims but I just can’t stand my bleached ends.

My friend who cut it did not find them as bad as I do but now when I’ve lost an inch they feel sooo much softer.

Next trim might be in april depending on how my ends are doing.

[Rehab350]

Count me in this club. I was part of no trim thread but it doesn't work with me. I hit waist length with a lot of thin hair at the end. I trimmed it back to BSL out of frustration.

[amiraaah]

I'm in,when I try to stretch my trims more than 3 months my ends feel rough and very thin I love the feeling of fresh trimmed hair even if I trimmed only quarter an inch my ends feel better than no trimming at all.so I think we should set a schedule and start trimming while growing,for me my last trim was on 16thseptember and I'm going to trim 1 cm on 24th December according to the lunar chart.

[Nique1202]

Going no-trim left me with a stress shed and a several month stall in my growth out of stress about how thin my ends looked at the time. I understand why some folks love it, but it's definitely not for everyone. When I want a trim, I just take an inch off. It's not worth the stress for me, literally.

[school of fish]

*raises hand*

I came to realize some years ago that growing without trimming is actually a damaging practice for my hair. I think the longest I ever went between trims was about 8 months, which turned out to be at least 6 months too long ;) I've never been terribly harsh to my hair even pre-LHC, but since being here I've come to understand that my strands are delicate in a particular way, and that they need frequent trimming to keep damage from getting a toehold, because on me damage begets more damage.

I have been microtrimming monthly for nearing 4 years. A 1-1/2" trim every 6 months does not equal a 1/4" trim every month for me - although the length gain may be the same, the quality of the result is vastly different. I'm at my goal length now, so I'm maintaining and thickening my ends by trimming off my monthly growth every month - 1/2". When I was gaining length it was 1/4" or less monthly. Worked a charm :D

Thank you for starting this thread! I sometimes feel I'm swimming a bit upstream here since many of my best practices seem to flow opposite to a lot of the tried-and-true practices of many others here. It really is YMMV ;)

[lapushka]

I think there's the micro-trimming thread to largely counteract the no-trimming threads already, maybe it's useful to link it here too:
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=75468

[Beeboo123]

I had a 4 inch trim after 10 months. I just can’t stop getting cuts. I love having thick, blunt ends too much

[Cheniaa]

Wow! So many interesting replies! Really gives food for thought. Thanks guys!



because on me damage begets more damage.


^^^Yes!! Same with me!

[Cg]

Until I read some of your comments, I wasn't aware that damage could accrue as a result of not trimming. Thankfully my personal preferences have spared me that. I microtrim every 6 wks and plan to continue forever because bag-lady, neglected-looking ends are not for me. Anything but a neat straight hemline would drive me nuts.

[Cheniaa]

Until I read some of your comments, I wasn't aware that damage could accrue as a result of not trimming. Thankfully my personal preferences have spared me that. I microtrim every 6 wks and plan to continue forever because bag-lady, neglected-looking ends are not for me. Anything but a neat straight hemline would drive me nuts.
How much do you microtrim off? I would love a super neat hemline. And are you still gaining length with this method, if so how much per year? Thanks in advance :)

[Cg]

I trim just enough to make the ends completely straight across, but the amount varies because sometimes my hair grows a lot and sometimes very little. I still get 6-8" growth per year.

I've had this hemline since cutting all the layers off at about BSL or maybe MBL.

[Cheniaa]

I trim just enough to make the ends completely straight across, but the amount varies because sometimes my hair grows a lot and sometimes very little. I still get 6-8" growth per year.

I've had this hemline since cutting all the layers off at about BSL or maybe MBL.

Nice! That's some great growth for how often you trim!

/EndDerailment

[spidermom]

Me too. When I kept records, with trimming I got 5-1/2 inches of new length per year that was in good condition from scalp to ends. I did two 1-year no-trimming challenges, and I got 7 inches of thin, dried out, yucky ends that stuck together like Velcro. It definitely was not worth the extra inch and a half of increased length.

[ReadingRenee]

I have come to the conclusion that I need trims too. It may just be because of my dyed ends, but growing without trimming always leads to a major trim at the end of the year for me where I lose almost all my length that I gained. This time around I plan to trim up to an inch every 4 months or 3 months if my hair seems to need it.

I am not really microtrimming so I don't belong there either, I am just trying to do a set trimming schedule to avoid the annual lop off of thin ends. We will see how it works. :) My next trim is scheduled for January, 4 months after I trimmed it in September.

[Cheniaa]

I have come to the conclusion that I need trims too. It may just be because of my dyed ends, but growing without trimming always leads to a major trim at the end of the year for me where I lose almost all my length that I gained. This time around I plan to trim up to an inch every 4 months or 3 months if my hair seems to need it.

I am not really microtrimming so I don't belong there either, I am just trying to do a set trimming schedule to avoid the annual lop off of thin ends. We will see how it works. :) My next trim is scheduled for January, 4 months after I trimmed it in September.

Ya I don't really belong in that thread either :/ at first I thought I should just make a post in that thread, but my goals are different than theirs. (I'm not maintaining, plus I wanted to share my experience and warn others.) Trying to balance the proper amount of trimming to maintain healthy ends with the optimal amount of growth seems like it might be a challenge but I'm up for it!

[school of fish]

There is a larger trims thread that addresses those who are doing a little more than microtrimming but a little less than cutting all the growth on a regular basis in a conventional way - a sort of halfway point that still allows length gain amidst decent-sized trims - let me see if I can dig it up...

Argh... I can't find it! I think it might have been lapushka who started that thread I'm refering to - paging lapushka to the white courtesy phone! ;) :p

[Lady Stardust]

My hair needs regular trims. I'm trimming half an inch every 3 months, which should get rid of my bitty thinner ends within a year (post partum shed and pixie layers). It's frustrating to have to go slowly, but at least I'll be gaining length and will hopefully avoid the need for a big chop.

It'll take years for the new growth to travel down so I'll probably stick with the same trimming schedule when the ends are looking happier.

I had very short hair for years so it's been a mental exercise for me to stretch to trimming every 12 weeks! Previously I would get to about 3 or 4 weeks and start thinking about my next appointment. I enjoy getting my hair cut, and I have a great hairdresser who communicates well and discusses exactly what I want her to do, so I never come away with any nasty surprises. If anything, she wants to take off less than I do :-)

[lapushka]

There is a larger trims thread that addresses those who are doing a little more than microtrimming but a little less than cutting all the growth on a regular basis in a conventional way - a sort of halfway point that still allows length gain amidst decent-sized trims - let me see if I can dig it up...

Argh... I can't find it! I think it might have been lapushka who started that thread I'm refering to - paging lapushka to the white courtesy phone! ;) :p

Hello? :D Yep, the bigger chop thread. I'll see if I can find it. :o Here it is:
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=138615

[school of fish]

Hello? :D Yep, the bigger chop thread. I'll see if I can find it. :o Here it is:
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=138615

Haha, yes there it is! Thank you lapushka - I had used just about every keyword *except* chop in my searches ;)