I’m new ! Starting from a bob! How often to trim?

[Socalfit88]

Hi guys! I’m starting my growth journey at a middle of my neck bob. I normally get a trim every 2-3 months but now that I have long hair goals ... I think that’s way too much. I have virgin hair and don’t do any heat styling ..... how often should I be trimming ? My goal is waist length. Thank you !

[browneyedsusan]

You're right: it's way too much. I wouldn't trim unless the ends are split or damaged. (I didn't find any splits until APL, and then only a handful.) It's pretty easy: trim less length than you grow. The average growth rate is 1/2" per month, so if you trim less than that, it'll get longer. Doing the math, means you should be able to grow about 6" of hair in a year is you don't trim at all, and you're careful with it. That said, if you've got existing damage, or are hard on your hair, it'll slow you down some.
Happy growing!

[Socalfit88]

Thank you! I think I’m going to try and go trim - free in 2018. My hair is in perfect condition so I guess I’ll be able to do that... hopefully ! Thanks again :)

[Corvana]

Hello and welcome! I don't think you really need to do anything more than S&D (search and destroy, which is basically when you look through your hair and cut out any splits you find) for quite awhile. I'm only now starting to find splits, and I'm almost at APL (and I think that they're actually more from my last trim's scissors not being sharp enough than anything else).

[Sterlyn]

Welcome Socalfit88 :)

I cut my hair back from hip in Nov 2016 and didn't trim at all of 2017. I did check my ends in Dec and found one split. I don't have any plans to trim for all of 2018 unless I start seeing a lot splits or breakage.

[Socalfit88]

Thank you !! That’s great news, I’m a happy girl. My hairdresser always told me every 6-8 weeks no matter what .... but they have to get paid so ... now I get it. Haha !!!!

[Dark40]

Hi and welcome! :) You only should trim if there are splits or damage. I only trim once or twice a year, and I do a lot of S&D's every 3 or 4 months.

[Socalfit88]

That’s so awesome to hear. I’ve beem growing it all wrong. Haha !!! Thank you everyone !!! Happy to be here ! :)

[Groovy Granny]

I stopped going for trims when my hair was your length and did not trim my hair until I could trim it myself.
Thankfully my hair doesn't split and it grew out evenly.
If you need it done, go to someone you trust and only take off what is damaged, and less than your growth so it doesn't set you back.
Good luck and happy growing :cheer:

[myn-d]

Hello and welcome! I'm growing from a pixie cut. I did get my mullet trimmed off in December but I am going trim free for all of 2018! My hair is also virgin.

[Sarahlabyrinth]

Welcome here! And...you've had all the good advice already :laugh:

[FaerieKitty]

I stopped going for trims when my hair was your length and did not trim my hair until I could trim it myself.
Thankfully my hair doesn't split and it grew out evenly.
If you need it done, go to someone you trust and only take off what is damaged, and less than your growth so it doesn't set you back.
Good luck and happy growing :cheer:

I did the same. Well worth it. I kept it at about BSL for years after growing out a bob with leaving it alone then getting my own nice hair cutting scissors once about shoulder length.

[Stray_mind]

A simple answer would be: as rare as possible. Unless your ends are in a bad condition or gets too tangly, don't trim.

I usually trim once every 6 months just to freshen up my ends, but if i feel like they look ok and are healthy, i don't trim at all.

[alimc]

I’m another ‘growing from pixie’ and haven’t been back to a hairdresser.

Thats been going on two years now and thanks to LHC advice my ends are still in good condition....

Wait and see how your hair copes, but if its healthy just let it grow :happydance:

[lapushka]

Going from a bob, you can go without trims easily for 2 years in a row. Easily! If it's virgin, and in perfect condition it should be fine.

If you haven't trimmed later than January 1st 2018, you can still join the no-trimming challenges, the one for the whole year, or the halves; your choice. :flower: Good luck!

[spidermom]

I like shape in my hair and thickness to my ends, so I'm trimming about every 3 months. In spite of that, I gained 2-3 inches of length over the past 6 months. As long as the trims are smaller than the growth rate, you'll still grow long hair and possibly be happier with the results. I know I am.

https://i.imgur.com/8V8FFP5b.mp4?3 https://i.imgur.com/5CHnCHDb.mp4?3

I had a stylist trim twice between these photos.

[Socalfit88]

Thank you so much for all the awesome replies you guys! I really appreciate it ! I’m getting excited hearing from everyone that I won’t have to trim much. Now I have to figure out how to post a picture on here!

[TatsuOni]

Welcome! :) Just trim your hair when you want to fix the shape, it's damaged or when you wan't a fuller hemline :)

[Socalfit88]

http://i68.tinypic.com/x3czt0.jpg

[Socalfit88]

Oops I didn’t mean for the picture to be so big. Lol can you tell this is my first time on a message board. Haha!

[lapushka]

Oops I didn’t mean for the picture to be so big. Lol can you tell this is my first time on a message board. Haha!

Don't worry about it; your color is gorgeous, and I like that it's so "wild". :D

[Socalfit88]

Thank you!

[Deborah]

Welcome!:flower:

Your hair is beautiful, and I think you are good to go. Just let it grow. Only trim if you don't like the shape of the hemline once it's long enough to matter.

[Socalfit88]

Thank you so much !! :)

[Groovy Granny]

You have great color and texture....very pretty! :)

[Socalfit88]

Thank you!! I’ve kept it short for many many years. I can’t wait to see what it looks like long!

[Agnieszka]

Your hair will be gorgeous when long.

[yahirwaO.o]

I like shape in my hair and thickness to my ends, so I'm trimming about every 3 months. In spite of that, I gained 2-3 inches of length over the past 6 months. As long as the trims are smaller than the growth rate, you'll still grow long hair and possibly be happier with the results. I know I am.

https://i.imgur.com/8V8FFP5b.mp4?3 https://i.imgur.com/5CHnCHDb.mp4?3

I had a stylist trim twice between these photos.

spidermom Your hair looks so great and in awesome condition. Oh is goals to me!!!!!!My hair is sort of the same length in your first pic and was waiting that my hair in next 6 months would resemble something like that. So YAY!!!!

Well, everyone says you could get away without trimming just fine, but for my taste and having fine hair it would at least need a trim every now and then. Sure 6 weeks trim is just too often and if your hair is in good condition there is absolutely no need to but it all depends if you prefer your ends layered or full.

I happen to be in the same case. I 've finished growing a very short cut and really I have no desire to get it trim again in the next year. Unfortunately my hair still has some layers on and it gives so much bad frizz even though it is virgin. Really I want to play with some heat because Im tired doing up styles and want to leave it down and flowy.

I'm still in the turning point where I love having thick full ends but at the same time it a frizz beast that can only be tamed with heat and i'm so fed up of constantly putting up or looking oily and flat in the 2nd day.

[spidermom]

I think I know what you mean yahirwaO.o. Sometimes the things that LHC discourages (heat) is what makes our hair look the best.

[yahirwaO.o]

I think I know what you mean yahirwaO.o. Sometimes the things that LHC discourages (heat) is what makes our hair look the best.

Well i'm not gonna lie, not only I feel a lot more polished, approachable , overall confident and my hair does look so awesome when flat ironed instead of my constant frizz straightvy hair, still I wouldn't go and plug that titanium tool everyday and bash my natural strands.

I think I've reached a point in which I could be fine without heat but also in case of using it I wouldn´t go crazy with it either. or let my confidence depend on it, Just a nice balance and not radical either good or bad while not abusing.

The same thing goes for putting it up even then I´m not a fan at all of updos still I embrace when Im doing important things (studying or cooking) and really If I have long hair again won´t be because of going years of looking meh, fed up and tired of looking the same under my eyes, it would be a process that I enjoy and not obsess about it.


.....Still may I ask if use heat on your hair spidermom? :P Thanks

[valkyrie90]

I have been growing from a short bob nearly two years ago. Now I'm 1.5 cm above belly button. I don't recall any trim until 3 months ago when I detected some split ends . Unluckily I got my mom trim my hair with her kitchen shears so now i'm dealing with the consequences of that reckless decision lol. If you want thick even length then you should trim a bit often but I personally think trimming is unnescessary unless your hair got terrible split ends and damages. Welcome on board and happy growing !

[OhSuzi]

Another attempting to grow long from a pixie - grew to past shoulder in the first year with no trims - the first time I'd attempted no regular trims!
I couldnt believe it and did check al ot to start off with & even had dreams of split ends - but in actual life, have literally experienced maybe 3 split ends so far! (Note no heat & no bleaches/dyes used any more - all virgin hair)

Had one hair cut in Aug to even up all the layers & going for another year / year and a half without trims - hopefully by then it will be long enough to just trim it my self - with reasonably decent scissors - blunt cheap scissors tend to cause more splits then they get rid of.

As hair cuts usually cost any where between £30 - £100 quid where I am - I've saved myself cash too!

Id say you only need regular trims if your trying to keep say a pixie in its perfect shape / if you dye & heat style your hair a lot and it does get damaged and split ends easily or if your trying to grow it out but cant stand the mullet stage and just want to even up the straggly bits until the top has caught up.

Hair in your pic is lovely - & also I have been here a year and still havent worked out how to post actual pictures, best I can do is a link that I have no idea if other people can see!

[Socalfit88]

I have been growing from a short bob nearly two years ago. Now I'm 1.5 cm above belly button. I don't recall any trim until 3 months ago when I detected some split ends . Unluckily I got my mom trim my hair with her kitchen shears so now i'm dealing with the consequences of that reckless decision lol. If you want thick even length then you should trim a bit often but I personally think trimming is unnescessary unless your hair got terrible split ends and damages. Welcome on board and happy growing !


Wow to your belly button in two years ? That’s incredible !!!! I am aiming for BSL...... I’m happy to hear that I won’t need many trims. I have virgin hair but it’s thick and wavy and does have a tendency to get dry on the ends so hopefully incorporating a coconut oil treatment once a week will help moisturize it well enough. I use Kevin Murphy shampoo and conditioner and pure argan oil before I air dry. I don’t dye or use any heat, ever.
It does have a couple layers in it so hopefully those will grow out looking decent. I also have a slight undercut so if that starts looking mullet-y in the back I’ll chop that off ... but other than that I think I’m good to go!

[Socalfit88]

Thank you! That’s so great to hear you didn’t need many trims. How long did it take for you to get from bob to shoulders ?
My goal is BSL but I can’t wait until it gets to my shoulders. That will be a milestone for me, as I’ve had my hair jaw length or neck length for more than 15 years. (I LOVED my bob! Haha)

[Socalfit88]

Oh Suzi - my last reply above was meant for you, it didn’t quote you for some reason... user error lol

[valkyrie90]

Wow to your belly button in two years ? That’s incredible !!!! I am aiming for BSL...... I’m happy to hear that I won’t need many trims. I have virgin hair but it’s thick and wavy and does have a tendency to get dry on the ends so hopefully incorporating a coconut oil treatment once a week will help moisturize it well enough. I use Kevin Murphy shampoo and conditioner and pure argan oil before I air dry. I don’t dye or use any heat, ever.
It does have a couple layers in it so hopefully those will grow out looking decent. I also have a slight undercut so if that starts looking mullet-y in the back I’ll chop that off ... but other than that I think I’m good to go!

well if you were short like me ( 5'1" ) then it's not that incredible you know :)). My ends are dry too although I last dyed it ages ago so I put coconut oil on it too , aloe vera works even better but i'm lazy so other than oiling my ends I only do aloe vera follows with coconut oil deep conditioning once a week. Your routine sounds good and I really love your hair on the pic. I had bob years and years but it never looked nearly as good as yours. Your hair will grow to BSL before you notice !

[Socalfit88]

well if you were short like me ( 5'1" ) then it's not that incredible you know :)). My ends are dry too although I last dyed it ages ago so I put coconut oil on it too , aloe vera works even better but i'm lazy so other than oiling my ends I only do aloe vera follows with coconut oil deep conditioning once a week. Your routine sounds good and I really love your hair on the pic. I had bob years and years but it never looked nearly as good as yours. Your hair will grow to BSL before you notice !

I am short too, yay! Well, 5’4. :)
Thank you for the kind words. I used to dye and highlight my hair up until a year ago when I pretty much shaved it all off to start fresh! So I’m actually technically starting from a very short pixie. Haha! I hadn’t seen my natural color for sooooo many years and I realized that actually really like my natural hair. I will probably never dye it or highlight again. It’s so much cheaper not to!

[racheldelrey]

Looks like you've already gotten some great answers, so I'll just say welcome! Excited to see your progress!

[Socalfit88]

Looks like you've already gotten some great answers, so I'll just say welcome! Excited to see your progress!

Thank you !

[spidermom]

Well i'm not gonna lie, not only I feel a lot more polished, approachable , overall confident and my hair does look so awesome when flat ironed instead of my constant frizz straightvy hair, still I wouldn't go and plug that titanium tool everyday and bash my natural strands.

I think I've reached a point in which I could be fine without heat but also in case of using it I wouldn´t go crazy with it either. or let my confidence depend on it, Just a nice balance and not radical either good or bad while not abusing.

The same thing goes for putting it up even then I´m not a fan at all of updos still I embrace when Im doing important things (studying or cooking) and really If I have long hair again won´t be because of going years of looking meh, fed up and tired of looking the same under my eyes, it would be a process that I enjoy and not obsess about it.


.....Still may I ask if use heat on your hair spidermom? :P Thanks

I do try to keep heat to a minimum because I am currently growing to a longer length. However, once in awhile due to sleeping position or humidity, my hair looks wonky or bushy, then I'll either use hot rollers or the flat iron to tame it along with some heat protectant spray. I figure the hot rollers are probably the least damaging of the two because they don't burn my fingers like the flat iron can do, plus I get va-va-voom hair (lol).