Inverted layers of doom

[TreesOfEternity]

I started growing my hair from a long top-shaved sides and back pixie cut a couple of years ago and it isn't even yet. So I have two chucks of hair of different length (the top of my hair and the hair underneath which is 10cm (4 inches) shorter).
Even when the bottom part is not really visible, high updos are weird and the other day someone asked me if I was wearing extenssions and that my "haircut" was weird sigh...
It makes me wonder if I should just even it all out, but I really don't want to cut my hair.
Has anyone go through this as well? Any advice?

[lapushka]

I have purposefully layered hair. It's in my signature. It's been done with a compact (home) cut. Ponytail on the forehead technique. Do you think it looks weird? It's "about" the shape you get when growing a pixie out. If you think that's OK, keep growing it.

If you really hate the look, then I suggest the microtrimming thread. You take a tiny bit of your growth of per month or per two months and slowly even things out.

[TreesOfEternity]

Thanks lapushka I'll look into that thread, I could try that until the end on june that I start the no trimming challenge.
Your hair looks incredibly gorgeous! :heartbeat I think layers are really beautiful on long hair

[lucid]

She does have the opposite of your layering though, lapushca, as the top is the longest (if I understood correctly).

I would probably have tried to even it out a bit eventually, but I would have waited as long as I could. If you don't want to cut, than wait :)

[OhSuzi]

Yeah Dude! I grew out from an asymmetric pixie cut with side under cut!

My hair can go reasonably curly which hid a lot of the unevenness – but it drove me mad
One side longer than the other, a mulletty bit at the back and half of one side and long n short chunks on one side!
Couldn’t put it all up couldn’t dry it straight as this made the differences in length very obvious so the only style that worked was messy wavey curls.

I grew it with no trims for a year and luckily my hair grew reasonably quickly – the longest bits were to my shoulder and the shorter bits were just past my chin.
I had a very nice hairdresser who understood that I was trying to grow it and he cut it to a middle of neck length bob –
So maybe 4 inches went off the very longest parts and he chopped into it a bit so that there was a bit of texture and the very shortest parts of my hair blended in with the rest.

In a way a backward step – but I thought it had to be evened out at some point – it was a relief – it made the appearance of my hair over all more thick & neat & easier for when its put up. Plus I thought 6 months and I’ll be back at the length I was but All my hair will be there this time – waiting a year went quickly – whats another 6 months!.
By about month 4 / 5 I was a bit impatient and like grr I wonder how long it’d be if Id not cut, but now it’s 9 months since that chop (no other trims since) and Im beyond shoulder/nearing armpit allover and so past my previous point & just looking forward to growing.

Plus now that its even all over and getting longer – I could managebly trim it myself now should I ever feel it needs it.

[Dewdrop]

Oh man, that sucks. I would pick a spot on your body that you can live with and cut of any hair longer than that spot each month. That way you're focusing on growth, not really noticing your cutting stuff off, and you should be able to go on growing in a few months, while knowing you're working on the unevenness?

[Queerantine]

Growing out an undercut - I feel you! I get asked about the extensions sometimes when the undercut pokes out, especially because the rest of my hair is pretty long. I leave the undercut alone and microtrim the length so it will slowly even up.

As far as styling, I suggest just finding a couple of things that work for you and living with it. My hair is a different length and I started out much longer, so it will probably be different styles for you, but for me, that meant not doing high ponytails / updos / anything for a year. I lived in a low braid/buns, or with my hair down generally. When I started wearing it up higher, Got 2B Glued hairspray and a quick blast of air did the trick (I used to use it when I had a Mohawk). My hair stays in a high ponytail on its own now, but it has some short pieces that stick out, so if I'm doing an updo, sometimes I'll just separate the ponytail into several pieces, twist the pieces up, and pin them in place so the piecey-ness looks intentional and the different lengths aren't noticeable.

[lapushka]

She does have the opposite of your layering though, lapushca, as the top is the longest (if I understood correctly).

I would probably have tried to even it out a bit eventually, but I would have waited as long as I could. If you don't want to cut, than wait :)

Oh, I must have not read right, then. Layers aren't "just" layers. And some can truly bug you.

I'll see if I can find a link to the microtrimming thread, hang on:
https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=75468

[Ardyn]

I’m growing out the exact same style from the sounds of it, and I did wonder about the difference in length thing.

I’m hoping in a few years when my hair is “long”, random short layers underneath will be in style. Failing that...I’ll probably wait until the longest part is past my shoulder blades then trim a little until my shorter layers catch up. :)

[TreesOfEternity]

Thank you everyone for your advice, I guess starting microtrimming once you reach a length you can live with is very reasonable, it has to be even out sooner or later anyway

[TreesOfEternity]

I’m growing out the exact same style from the sounds of it, and I did wonder about the difference in length thing.

I’m hoping in a few years when my hair is “long”, random short layers underneath will be in style. Failing that...I’ll probably wait until the longest part is past my shoulder blades then trim a little until my shorter layers catch up. :)

Hahaha I wish this was in style to be honest! One thing I would have done different is, I think I should have even everything out before it reached shoulder lenght. When I past that length the difference started being more noticeable because shorter layers would "frame" my neck while the longest ones would just hang down past my shoulders. I've had several trims since then anyway, giving it some shape. You have to enjoy every milestone at the end of the day.

[Corvana]

I grew out from a mohawk! So the back and top middle was quite long (the top was to my jaw, and the back was kept trimmed to mid-neck, while the sides were shaved with no guard), and the sides were much much shorter!

I chose to sit at shoulder and let the top and back grow until another under-section reached shoulder, then cut back. Over and over! Took me... like 8 months? Of doing that until my hair was all even. The last cut was last June?

But I preferred evenness over length at the time, so I didn't mind setting myself back. After spending so long in SL to APL, though, if I had to do it again I'd wait until it was closer to BSL before cutting back :laugh:. Nothing shorter than APL ever again, please!

As for your updos, perhaps find some that hide the weirdness? Double buns would do the trick better, I think. That way the short bits on the left aren't trying to reach the right or whatever. Or double french or dutch braids!

[Corvana]

Hahaha I wish this was in style to be honest! One thing I would have done different is, I think I should have even everything out before it reached shoulder lenght. When I past that length the difference started being more noticeable because shorter layers would "frame" my neck while the longest ones would just hang down past my shoulders. I've had several trims since then anyway, giving it some shape. You have to enjoy every milestone at the end of the day.

If you look at my signature, you can see gaps in the farthest right photo, while there are none in the one to its immediate left. They're both at nearly the same length, but the first was taken before I cut back that last underlayer.

[TreesOfEternity]

If you look at my signature, you can see gaps in the farthest right photo, while there are none in the one to its immediate left. They're both at nearly the same length, but the first was taken before I cut back that last underlayer.

Yes I can really see the diference, wow it looks so thick now!! beautiful.
I should trim one inch or so before the June no trim challenge, my ends are a little see-through right now :(