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lucid
June 19th, 2018, 02:46 PM
I'm cutting my hair at the end of the month, but can't decide on what length.

I have a lot of bleach damage, and in these pics (especially the first one) you can see the bleached strands that have broken off at around waist or midback length, so my hair tapes quite a bit more than normal after that. All of the bleached strands have broken off at different lengths, and they will keep on breaking until they are grown out...

I'm thinking of cutting either to the start of the pockets of my pants, bcl or hip. I will not go any shorter than hip.


What do you guys think my hair needs? I'm looking for honest opinions, and I'm not at all easily offended. So please give your honest opinion :D


https://s26.postimg.cc/niyq7iljt/35544415_10160399353685109_8536733523594182656_n.j pg


https://s26.postimg.cc/sudms7zwp/35564322_10160399353340109_8163973187420291072_n.j pg

https://s26.postimg.cc/yvbbpaet5/35671670_10160399353370109_2456543623399866368_n.j pg

TreesOfEternity
June 19th, 2018, 02:51 PM
Hmm if hairs are going to break off at different lengths anyway I would just microtrim half the growth of each month or something like that. Right now I would cut to the start of the pockets to begin with.
Your hair is so beautiful by the way :heart:

nycelle
June 19th, 2018, 02:58 PM
I would cut off as much as you're comfortable cutting off, then microtrim the rest until it's all gone. But that's me, and healthy ends trump length even if it means shorter. I know most here don't agree.

On another note, I think you have gorgeous hair, and a great hemline. The damage isn't very visible, lucky!

lapushka
June 19th, 2018, 03:01 PM
Personally, I can't "see" the bleach damage at all. And so I would leave it as is. But if you feel like it needs it, who am I to stop you. :shrug: I think if you must, do 1 to 2 inches at the most.

Sarahlabyrinth
June 19th, 2018, 03:02 PM
If it were me, I would do some micro trimming - no more than a half inch every month. You'll be amazed how quickly you see improvement, and you won't be losing length.

If you don't want to micro trim, then I suggest cutting an inch off and then wait for a few weeks to see if you want to cut more.

Plus - your hair looks lovely and I don't see any damage, but you can see it better than me :)

lucid
June 19th, 2018, 03:13 PM
Thanks guys. :)

I should have mentioned that microtrimming isn't an option. I will be cutting my hair once a year until the bleach is gone. :)

Milady_DeWinter
June 19th, 2018, 03:21 PM
I would cut BCL... AT MOST. You have such beautiful hair, I agree wirh Lapushka: 2 inches at most would be good.

littlestarface
June 19th, 2018, 03:40 PM
Id say at the pockets if you have to, your hair is so pretty lucid!

FennFire911
June 19th, 2018, 03:41 PM
I don’t see a need to cut at all. But if you feel you need to, I agree BCL should be the most you cut back to.

MusicalSpoons
June 19th, 2018, 04:13 PM
Beautiful hair! I think it depends how you feel about your ends and how much of the lengths make you feel that way, and on what your primary goal for the next year is. As you said you'll cut once a year, do you want to gain length, or do you just want rid of the damage as soon as possible?

In my honest opinion, I kind of see that the very ends might be slightly thinner than the rest, but I wouldn't look at your hair and know it was damaged. If it were my hair, BCL would be the very most that I would trim. (But, it's not my hair.)

Will be interested to hear what you decide! I hope you will enjoy your new ends at whatever length you decide too :D

Suze
June 19th, 2018, 04:23 PM
The first option, if that is the one where you cut of the least length. Then maybe do that same cut (or half) again next year.

But it depends on how much it annoys YOU! I mean is it on a daily basis or only when you wash it for example? If you find yourself not enjoying your hair as much as you could I would go for the option that will make you happy again.

I.m.o. the length isn't worth it if your not happy with it. :shrug:

Beautiful hair!:crush:

ravenskey
June 19th, 2018, 04:26 PM
I would say cutting back to the pockets seems like enough to me and then maybe cut the same length again next year.

Also your hair is amazing :crush:

Dendra
June 19th, 2018, 04:33 PM
Like some others I can't see a need to cut; after reading what you wrote I scrolled down expecting to see thin ends that looked like they needed to go, but no, your hair looks lovely!

But assuming you will cut, knowing that you're only going to cut once a year I might go for BCL, otherwise I would say top of pockets. Looking at the full body photo I think BCL looks like it would be a nice length on your frame. Not that your current length isn't beautiful, it totally is.

Deborah
June 19th, 2018, 04:42 PM
I honestly cannot see any bleach damage, but obviously you can. If it were me, I would ask myself which of the lengths being considered would make me feel the best about my hair. Then I would cut it there. :flower:

lucid
June 19th, 2018, 04:42 PM
If I just were to cut the normal hair that is damaged from just regular wear and tear it would be 2 inches I think.

I'm just not sure. To me, it's so obvious that the hair starts thinning after waist, where the highlighted hair is breaking of (like the middle part is lighter, because thats where the highlights are, and the ends are just my natural color). But if the taper isn't that visible to others I might just cut off that minimum.

lucid
June 19th, 2018, 05:16 PM
And also, thank you so much for the nice comments about my hair. Much appreciated :heartbeat

Dark40
June 19th, 2018, 05:18 PM
I don't see any bleach damage either. But if you feel there is a need to cut off some. I would microtrim an inch off to bcl. Your hair is gorgeous by the way!

EdG
June 19th, 2018, 05:22 PM
Your hair is thudworthy. You don't need to do anything. :thud:
Ed

Aunt Rapunzel
June 19th, 2018, 05:49 PM
If I just were to cut the normal hair that is damaged from just regular wear and tear it would be 2 inches I think.

I'm just not sure. To me, it's so obvious that the hair starts thinning after waist, where the highlighted hair is breaking of (like the middle part is lighter, because thats where the highlights are, and the ends are just my natural color). But if the taper isn't that visible to others I might just cut off that minimum.

That's what I would do if I were you. If you feel the need to have more trimmed after that, then you always have the option to do that...But I think that your hair looks lovely. And if you really feel that you need to have some cut, I would start with a very minimal trim.

melesine
June 19th, 2018, 06:06 PM
I think your hair looks great and it doesn't look like it tapers a lot or is damaged. I wouldn't cut it. And I say that as someone that chopped from TBL to collarbone. I think I'm way more critical of my own hair and a little obsessive about even ends than I should be.

spidermom
June 19th, 2018, 08:51 PM
If you're only going to trim it once per year, cut back to somewhere between hip and start of pockets.

Crystawni
June 19th, 2018, 08:52 PM
lucid, if you comb your hair all the way down (after detangling), where does the comb snag out? How does that area feel? Is it often a problem? To me, your sweet spot for marrying the sides and hem sans-bleach would be the seam up from pockets on your jeans, so around hip or a tad lower at BCL? You'd be surprised how little needs to come off, though, to make a difference as that sweet spot would be the maximum snip in my eyes.

Kellylee
June 19th, 2018, 09:01 PM
I would just cut to the top of your pockets. I’m sure it will be enough for you to see a big change in the health of your ends.

Alissalocks
June 19th, 2018, 10:03 PM
I just cut 3" and it felt like a lot but I am so glad I did. My ends were absolutely ragged though, especially compared to yours! But I agree with spidermom, if you're gonna only cut once for the year, do it right. BCLish? Then just let it growwww.

That's been my plan anyhow. ;)

MidnightMoon
June 20th, 2018, 01:31 AM
I don't see any difference throughout the length, looks good to me. If you're sure about cutting, I'd go with thickness and feel. Where it begins to feel rougher, dryer, and thinner? Then that's where I'd cut. You said you won't cut shorter than hip, so it's not a huge trim anyways whichever length you decide to settle on :)

Katsura
June 20th, 2018, 01:47 AM
I'd say start of pockets, if you feel you want to do it. Your hair is beautiful.

Kake
June 20th, 2018, 06:40 AM
I'd do a small trim, or even just a micro trim. It's beautiful as it is.

lucid
June 20th, 2018, 08:18 AM
Thank you guys for sharing your opinion and experience with me, and for the advices I've received :)


Just wanted to point out where (some of) the bleach damage is. My hair was originally one length, but the bleached strands have broken off at different lengths. I have marked some of them, so as you can see some chunks of hair is quite a bit shorter than the rest, even though they're not that visible in my straight hair.

It seems like most of you guys would cut either pockets (2.5'') or the seam above (4.5''), so I marked both of them. It's actually quite a bit of length, as I'm tall :P

Maybe leaning towards the purple line, but I'll ask my hairdresser. Last time I had a cut, she cut less than what I gave as a max, as she didn't think any more needed to go. She's not one of those who wants to cut of hair just for the sake of it.


https://s26.postimg.cc/zc1l9abl5/35544415_10160399353685109_8536733523594182656_n.j pg



The first option, if that is the one where you cut of the least length. Then maybe do that same cut (or half) again next year.

But it depends on how much it annoys YOU! I mean is it on a daily basis or only when you wash it for example? If you find yourself not enjoying your hair as much as you could I would go for the option that will make you happy again. I.m.o. the length isn't worth it if your not happy with it.

Beautiful hair!

It doesn't really annoy me, I mean, I do get more tangles, but it's more the way it looks and feels. I don't think my braid tassel looks good anymore, and I wear braids a lot. Thank you btw :D



lucid, if you comb your hair all the way down (after detangling), where does the comb snag out? How does that area feel? Is it often a problem? To me, your sweet spot for marrying the sides and hem sans-bleach would be the seam up from pockets on your jeans, so around hip or a tad lower at BCL? You'd be surprised how little needs to come off, though, to make a difference as that sweet spot would be the maximum snip in my eyes.

It doesn't really snag out after detangling. But I do get most of the tangles in the bleached parts and the bottom inches. And the last inches feels dry and rough. I think you're right about the seam up from pockets or maybe a tiny bit lower than that. My hair hasn't been cut since March 17, so it's been a while. Between 2-4 inches seems reasonable. I will probably miss my length, but I think it will look so much better.


My final goal was originally tbl, but now I want to reach classic just for the sake of it. I'll probably cut back to tbl, or somewhere around that, when I've reached classic, but idk.

Alissalocks
June 20th, 2018, 09:14 AM
Oooo orange line! Good post!

I have so many layers and I feel for you. We will get there :flower:

divinedobbie
June 20th, 2018, 09:45 AM
I definitely say orange line (top of pockets). I was originally going to say about an inch below top of pockets would do but after reading that you only cut once a year and seeing that to the orange line is only 2.5" I say go for it. That way you'll still gain length this year and you'll get rid of some bleach. You're hair is super gorgeous by the way!!

ravenskey
June 20th, 2018, 10:41 AM
I still think you should go for the orange line as that would take off most of the obvious taper.

Groovy Granny
June 20th, 2018, 11:19 AM
It looks fine...and very pretty from here :shrug:

But YOU know how it looks and feels.

Go with your gut.....what length you would be happy with, while addressing the issues that bother YOU.


Wow....you have a trusted hairdresser?! :agape:....good for you! :thumbsup:


But why don't you do your own cuts? :hmm:

*I* would cut it myself....a bit at a time, until I feel I see/feel/like the difference.....but it is YOUR decision in the end.


Good luck...keep us posted :popcorn:

lapushka
June 20th, 2018, 11:43 AM
To me it seems you are "eager" for that trim, so I would keep it to the pockets, if you must. ;)

ravenskey
June 20th, 2018, 11:48 AM
Wow....you have a trusted hairdresser?! :agape:....good for you! :thumbsup:


I have to admit when I first came on LHC I was shocked how many people had bad experiences with hairdressers because my one is brilliant.
She cuts exactly what I want if not a bit less than I say not more :lol:

Groovy Granny
June 20th, 2018, 12:34 PM
I have to admit when I first came on LHC I was shocked how many people had bad experiences with hairdressers because my one is brilliant.
She cuts exactly what I want if not a bit less than I say not more :lol:

Wow, another lucky gal...good for you! :thumbsup:

Yup, too many sad stories shared over the years :nono:

I realize there are reputable stylists out there (and on here)...I am just 'stylist shy' after getting hacked myself a few times :p

Jas
June 20th, 2018, 12:44 PM
I love your hair! I have to say I really don't think you need to cut at all, looking at it. It really doesn't look damaged to me - but it's what you feel is best that counts and you'll know more than I do if it's damaged :D Either way it's gorgeous!

Ardyn
June 20th, 2018, 01:39 PM
Incoming with the unpopular opinion here:

Personally...cut off the damage. It sucks, I know. I bleached my hair too and ended up doing Le Grande Haircut (long on top pixie cut). I cried. But my hair feels amazing. The sensation of no split ends is awesome, and my hair will grow back better for it. I plan to now grow out the remainder of the dye (not bleached) part, and microtrim that when it is longer.

But, at the same time, cutting short can be a heck of a shock to the system if you're used to it long. I had never had short hair in my life, and as sad as it sounds, I lost my sense of identity for weeks after cutting it so short. But the bleached length wasn't going to get any better, and at worst, it would compromise the health of my non-bleached hair as it continued to split up the shaft of the hair.

I guess it depends on what would bother you more -- a little damage, but long hair, or healthy, but short hair. Honestly, it's a tough choice and I think it's really down to how comfortable you will feel.

Maybe go for the length you would be okay with (I'm new, I'm not sure what BCL means!) and if you are still bothered by the damage, weigh up the options then.

lucid
June 20th, 2018, 02:43 PM
Oooo orange line! Good post!
I have so many layers and I feel for you. We will get there :flower:

Thank you! Layers are such a pain to grow out, especially on finer hair. Spent so long growing them out the the last time.. :p


I definitely say orange line (top of pockets). I was originally going to say about an inch below top of pockets would do but after reading that you only cut once a year and seeing that to the orange line is only 2.5" I say go for it. That way you'll still gain length this year and you'll get rid of some bleach. You're hair is super gorgeous by the way!!

I think it's closer to 3.5 inches really, or at least the middle parts. I just measured my pants and didn't take the flippy ends into consideration :p The bleach damage is higher up, there (almost) aren't any more bleach left at the bottom, haha. But yeah, I need to cut to get my virgin hair back :D

And thank you!! :)

lucid
June 20th, 2018, 03:08 PM
Incoming with the unpopular opinion here:

Personally...cut off the damage. It sucks, I know. I bleached my hair too and ended up doing Le Grande Chop (long on top pixie cut). I cried. But my hair feels amazing. The sensation of no split ends is awesome, and my hair will grow back better for it. I plan to now grow out the remainder of the dye (not bleached) part, and microtrim that when it is longer.



Cutting off all bleach damage would mean cutting to shoulder, that's not an option. Haha. :p

It's only a small part of my hair that is bleached, so I don't feel the need to cut it all off. I feel it's different if your entire hair is bleached. My hair still feels soft and smooth, apart from the bottom 2 inches :)

cathair
June 20th, 2018, 03:46 PM
I wouldn't have noticed any damage unless you had said something. I imagine this is about how it feels. I wouldn't cut much, then you can cut more often and benefit from the fresh ends feeling more. Unless it feeling like it's tangling higher up and damaging other hairs with the tangles.

Aredhel
June 20th, 2018, 04:15 PM
You definitely don't look like you need a cut (your ends are WAAAY thicker than mine!)... but like others have said, if it truly bothers you then cutting back to BCL isn't that big of a jump backwards, it'll grow back out in under a year anyway. :)

ETA: You are TALL!:thud: (I realize this sounds similar to when people say "your hair is long!" but I've always wanted to be tall, and am mesmerized by your height!)

Deborah
June 20th, 2018, 07:00 PM
I think the purple line would be a good spot, as the ends would look more thick and even. It's up to you of course.

Sparklylady82
June 20th, 2018, 07:27 PM
I would cut BCL... AT MOST. You have such beautiful hair, I agree wirh Lapushka: 2 inches at most would be good.

I agree with Milady!

*Wednesday*
June 21st, 2018, 04:33 PM
Your hair is gorgeous. I would agree no shorter than BCL.

Just to mention..you have a beautiful statuesque shape.

bparnell75
June 21st, 2018, 05:44 PM
Thanks guys. :)

I should have mentioned that microtrimming isn't an option. I will be cutting my hair once a year until the bleach is gone. :)

Please no more than waist as it is soooooooooooooo glorious.

Beckstar
June 21st, 2018, 06:12 PM
Top of pocket would be the shortest I'd go.

Crystawni
June 21st, 2018, 06:31 PM
Thank you guys for sharing your opinion and experience with me, and for the advices I've received :)


Just wanted to point out where (some of) the bleach damage is. My hair was originally one length, but the bleached strands have broken off at different lengths. I have marked some of them, so as you can see some chunks of hair is quite a bit shorter than the rest, even though they're not that visible in my straight hair.

It seems like most of you guys would cut either pockets (2.5'') or the seam above (4.5''), so I marked both of them. It's actually quite a bit of length, as I'm tall :P

Maybe leaning towards the purple line, but I'll ask my hairdresser. Last time I had a cut, she cut less than what I gave as a max, as she didn't think any more needed to go. She's not one of those who wants to cut of hair just for the sake of it.


https://s26.postimg.cc/zc1l9abl5/35544415_10160399353685109_8536733523594182656_n.j pg




It doesn't really annoy me, I mean, I do get more tangles, but it's more the way it looks and feels. I don't think my braid tassel looks good anymore, and I wear braids a lot. Thank you btw :D




It doesn't really snag out after detangling. But I do get most of the tangles in the bleached parts and the bottom inches. And the last inches feels dry and rough. I think you're right about the seam up from pockets or maybe a tiny bit lower than that. My hair hasn't been cut since March 17, so it's been a while. Between 2-4 inches seems reasonable. I will probably miss my length, but I think it will look so much better.


My final goal was originally tbl, but now I want to reach classic just for the sake of it. I'll probably cut back to tbl, or somewhere around that, when I've reached classic, but idk.

Yup, the purple line is where you'll gain the most life from your hair, but I can imagine the hairdresser may not snip quite that much if the ends play nicely beforehand (it often takes less snippage to get a smooth, bulky-enough result). And as you have more bleach travelling down that will probably turn a bit straw-like over time, mayhaps look as another trim in 4-6 months to keep the ends less snap-happy (safety in numbers). Good luck! Your hair really is divine no matter what.

Lizabeth94
June 21st, 2018, 07:34 PM
I think your hair looks gorgeous, doesn't look damaged from the distance the pictures were taken so I doubt anyone would notice unless they were examining up close. I know you said micro trims are off the table and you want it done in one day, but maybe it would be best to cut just one inch at a time, have a look and see how you feel about it. :scissors:

Rebeccalaurenxx
June 21st, 2018, 11:06 PM
Id cut to the orange line.
personally though, i dont see much taper at alll.. you wanna see taper,..well..my hair. lol

Vorvayne
June 25th, 2018, 12:30 PM
Is there any possibility you could switch to twice-yearly trims? YMMV, of course, but I find it easier to make these kinds of decisions when I know I can trim again in 6 months (twice yearly is roughly how often I do mine, unless I lose track of when I last trimmed...as I did the last time...I literally cannot remember when I last cut my hair!! Ooops.)

I'd also go with the purple line. Now you've pointed it out I can see a difference, though it's not big and honestly your hair looks lovely. If you could schedule trims every 6 months, then I'd say orange line and reevaluate in 6 months. It's really up to you.

Guitargod
June 25th, 2018, 03:57 PM
I would say orange line or less. You can always trim more off later. And your hair really looks great as it is.

WaitingSoLong
June 25th, 2018, 10:07 PM
Will trimming really help the taper? If it starts to taper at waist, only cutting back to waist would fix it. That is not an option. I guess I am asking what you will really gain by trimming. The broken ends will grow out in time. They will grow unevenly and blend in. I know...this is exactly what I did.

Is the bleach you refer to just highlights? Or was it ALL of your hair?

I trimmed my ragged/damaged ends until the virgin part of my hair reached a certain length. Then I chopped back to waist/hip-ish with layers to get the rest of the bleach out. I have been growing it out since and the layers, while I have slowly been trimming them out, have grown faster than my hemline so they are catching up, if that makes sense. I still appear to have about 2" left of layers but it should be around 4. They really just blended in as they got longer.

Do you wear buns much? I find blunt ends very hard to keep in buns and avoid cutting too much at once since my big chop because I could NOT keep the ends in buns. Taper is nice for buns. You indicated you mostly braid. Perhaps if we could see your braid taper?

If that was my hair, I would do a 1/2" or 1" trim and that is it. Those broken ends (which I could see, I have similar hair color/type and experience with the same issue) will still be there after any trim you do.

lucid
July 18th, 2018, 06:06 AM
Thank you all for your feedback and lovely comments. I cut my hair a while ago, and the experience was not great.. Will update the thread or make a new one.



Will trimming really help the taper? If it starts to taper at waist, only cutting back to waist would fix it. That is not an option. I guess I am asking what you will really gain by trimming. The broken ends will grow out in time. They will grow unevenly and blend in. I know...this is exactly what I did.

Is the bleach you refer to just highlights? Or was it ALL of your hair?

I trimmed my ragged/damaged ends until the virgin part of my hair reached a certain length. Then I chopped back to waist/hip-ish with layers to get the rest of the bleach out. I have been growing it out since and the layers, while I have slowly been trimming them out, have grown faster than my hemline so they are catching up, if that makes sense. I still appear to have about 2" left of layers but it should be around 4. They really just blended in as they got longer.

Do you wear buns much? I find blunt ends very hard to keep in buns and avoid cutting too much at once since my big chop because I could NOT keep the ends in buns. Taper is nice for buns. You indicated you mostly braid. Perhaps if we could see your braid taper?

If that was my hair, I would do a 1/2" or 1" trim and that is it. Those broken ends (which I could see, I have similar hair color/type and experience with the same issue) will still be there after any trim you do.

The bleach is just highlights. And most of them have broken off already, so it's mostly my natural color now. But you're right, it will continue until they are completely grown out..

And yeah, it was my braids that actually made me wanna cut it. Cause the tassel looked damaged.

missmelaniem
July 18th, 2018, 06:15 AM
Oh no. Will be looking for the thread. I was going to say pockets (orange line) because if you tell them that length they will probably wind up cutting to the purple line. Unless they specialize in long hair, most hairdressers wouldnt be too picky over inches or or fractions of IMO of course.