cathair
July 22nd, 2018, 09:07 PM
Hi :waving:
It's my one year trimming anniversary and my 6th LHC anniversary all at once, so I thought I'd share my progress. Or lack thereof.
I also thought it would be fun to show some thin (not fine, my hair is coarse) hair photos. 'cause I know they get shared less often because people are often less comfortable posting them.
If we haven't met before, hi :)
This is a little bit about my background if you need it. Pre-LHC, I use you straighten my hair on the hottest setting every day. I didn't trim my hair very much, but it didn't really grow either.
I joined LHC in 2010. I wanted to know how to grow my hair and when people thought long hair really needed to be trimmed. (https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=99364) I didn't take the great trimming advice I was given for 5 years, in true cathair style. I am very stubborn. I soaked up everything I could about looking after hair better though and my hair did start to grow.
I didn't trim for 7 years (that's the official number. It may have been more like 9 or 10. I didn't know the exact date and didn't want to over estimate). I grew from shoulder to classic/thumb length with no trims and some S&D.
See-through ends
The length was great, but my ends are completely see-through. I know that the vast majority here would not consider keeping ends that look like mine. For along time I was unable to cut them, but eventually I won that mental battle.
Deciding to Trim
Last July I started self trimming for the first time. My hair feels long at this length. I know they say you get LHC-itus and it's never long enough. But at classic I felt like it was long enough. I'd been told many times by different people it was impossible for me. I wouldn't say no to longer, but I think I need to focus on quality over length now. I intend to maintain, as long as it stays about at classic, I will be happy enough.
I still wonder if there is straightener damage hanging around in there which has made the ends so thin. Trimming will be the only way to find out.
The first trim was really hard. It took me a day to work myself up to do it. Then I was quite flustered even so. Eventually I just had to stop thinking and lop some off and hope it was alright. Just to make that first cut.
Up until now, I haven't taken any photos and tried not to look to much, I didn't want to get disheartened. Now it been a year, I thought I should be allowed a peak.
How Often I have Trimmed
It hasn't been regular, but I have trimmed eight times in the last year and 9 days. More than I thought. I was stunned when I added up the total length trimmed. Makes me wonder what my actual growth rate is and how much would normally crumble away!
If I didn't have photographic evidence of each trim in the microtrimming thread, I wouldn't have believed I had recorded it correctly. Each post is linked below. They were not-so-micro-trims after all.
Trim 1 13/07/2017 - 1.5 inches (https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=75468&p=3435567&viewfull=1#post3435567)
Trim 2 13/08/2018 - 1.5cm / 0.6 inches (https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=75468&p=3447825&viewfull=1#post3447825)
Trim 3 22/10/2018 - 1.5 inches (https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=75468&p=3472200&viewfull=1#post3472200)
Time 4 06/01/2018 - 2 inches (https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=75468&p=3496207&viewfull=1#post3496207)
Trim 5 25/02/2018 - 0.5 inches (https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=75468&p=3515771&viewfull=1#post3515771)
Trim 6 12/04/2018 - 1.5 inches (https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=75468&p=3535366&viewfull=1#post3535366)
Trim 7 13/06/2018 - 1 inch (https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=75468&p=3560769&viewfull=1#post3560769)
Trim 8 22/07/2018 - 1.5 inches (https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=75468&p=3576393&viewfull=1#post3576393)
Total: 10.1 inches !!!
2017 vs 2018 Photos During the Trim
Each stage of the trim, I take a photo to document what I did. So when I doubt myself, I know where I was at. Here are the photos from the first trim vs yesterdays trim.
I measure how much to cut off by holding it up to a ruler. Then I cut the hair right next to my thumb and finger. You can see in the first picture it is pretty much pointed. It was all fairytail ends, if there was even enough to call them that. All of my hair came to one tiny point when bought together.
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1784/43580001231_25e49249c5_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/29p1U4z)
This is how much hair came off are each trim. It's noticeable when I trim now, the hairs in the bit that come off are more often the same length as each other. It was very random when I started.
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/860/29709162208_f4d00918dd_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/MgidSC)
Ends after the trim.
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/837/43580004531_47da42b439_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/29p1V3t)
2018-07-22 - 2017 vs 2018 - Ends After Trimming (https://flic.kr/p/29p1V3t) by Cat Hair (https://www.flickr.com/photos/132137951@N03/), on Flickr
Another view of the ends.
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1767/43580007611_2d306e4730_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/29p1VXz)
2018-07-22 - 2017 vs 2018 - Ends After Trim Looser (https://flic.kr/p/29p1VXz) by Cat Hair (https://www.flickr.com/photos/132137951@N03/), on Flickr
I think there is a modest improvement. They look more blunt when held together and there are more of them.
Lengths Shots
This is where results start to get murky and very subjective. There's two things I am trying to measure. Whether the ends are getting any thicker and whether or not the thicker part of my hair is travelling downwards.
I choose to compare to photos from 2016, because the July 2017 ones weren't so clear. I put on the same clothes (even though I hate them) for science.
I was frankly very disappointed. My hair appeared to have got worse not better and the thickness didn't seem to be travelling down at all.
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/836/29709164158_8598d92b49_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/Mgiesf)2016 vs 2018 Light Clothes (https://flic.kr/p/Mgiesf) by Cat Hair (https://www.flickr.com/photos/132137951@N03/), on Flickr
But, I realised since my hair has got so much more white now roughly 30% white. Wearing a white t-shirt was probably not a fair way to look at white hair. It was when it was darker. So I changed clothes.
It's a struggle trying to find something that will contrast with tri-coloured hair. I probably need to buy myself a pink or orange dress or something. But I did my best.
There was some improvement:
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1784/29709167768_e3cb098a0f_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/Mgifwu)
2016 vs 2018 Dark Clothes (https://flic.kr/p/Mgifwu) by Cat Hair (https://www.flickr.com/photos/132137951@N03/), on Flickr
Most of the underside of the back of my hair is white now. There is also a white streak you can just about see coming in straight down the middle of the back. Everything around ears is blue. Not sure a blue top was great either, but I have a limited number of coloured clothes. I am quite unsure that the thickness is travelling down, which is what I really hoped for.
Ghost Hair
If I remove all the colour, suddenly hair appears! Or it looks a little better anyway.
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/915/29709150208_7f7aab92b3_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/MgiaiJ)
2018-07-22 - Found the Hair (https://flic.kr/p/MgiaiJ) by Cat Hair (https://www.flickr.com/photos/132137951@N03/), on Flickr
Proof that Hair Exists and Isn't a Figment of my Imagination
A length shot is not very representative of how it is usually worn. I will usually pull it together or put it over one shoulder. If it's not up, which is most of the time. I like my length shots to be as accurate as I can make them, no fluffing them out.
Nicer pics:
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/918/43579996461_c23600291b_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/29p1SDk)
2018-07021 - Proof of Existence of Hair (https://flic.kr/p/29p1SDk) by Cat Hair (https://www.flickr.com/photos/132137951@N03/), on Flickr
It's my one year trimming anniversary and my 6th LHC anniversary all at once, so I thought I'd share my progress. Or lack thereof.
I also thought it would be fun to show some thin (not fine, my hair is coarse) hair photos. 'cause I know they get shared less often because people are often less comfortable posting them.
If we haven't met before, hi :)
This is a little bit about my background if you need it. Pre-LHC, I use you straighten my hair on the hottest setting every day. I didn't trim my hair very much, but it didn't really grow either.
I joined LHC in 2010. I wanted to know how to grow my hair and when people thought long hair really needed to be trimmed. (https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=99364) I didn't take the great trimming advice I was given for 5 years, in true cathair style. I am very stubborn. I soaked up everything I could about looking after hair better though and my hair did start to grow.
I didn't trim for 7 years (that's the official number. It may have been more like 9 or 10. I didn't know the exact date and didn't want to over estimate). I grew from shoulder to classic/thumb length with no trims and some S&D.
See-through ends
The length was great, but my ends are completely see-through. I know that the vast majority here would not consider keeping ends that look like mine. For along time I was unable to cut them, but eventually I won that mental battle.
Deciding to Trim
Last July I started self trimming for the first time. My hair feels long at this length. I know they say you get LHC-itus and it's never long enough. But at classic I felt like it was long enough. I'd been told many times by different people it was impossible for me. I wouldn't say no to longer, but I think I need to focus on quality over length now. I intend to maintain, as long as it stays about at classic, I will be happy enough.
I still wonder if there is straightener damage hanging around in there which has made the ends so thin. Trimming will be the only way to find out.
The first trim was really hard. It took me a day to work myself up to do it. Then I was quite flustered even so. Eventually I just had to stop thinking and lop some off and hope it was alright. Just to make that first cut.
Up until now, I haven't taken any photos and tried not to look to much, I didn't want to get disheartened. Now it been a year, I thought I should be allowed a peak.
How Often I have Trimmed
It hasn't been regular, but I have trimmed eight times in the last year and 9 days. More than I thought. I was stunned when I added up the total length trimmed. Makes me wonder what my actual growth rate is and how much would normally crumble away!
If I didn't have photographic evidence of each trim in the microtrimming thread, I wouldn't have believed I had recorded it correctly. Each post is linked below. They were not-so-micro-trims after all.
Trim 1 13/07/2017 - 1.5 inches (https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=75468&p=3435567&viewfull=1#post3435567)
Trim 2 13/08/2018 - 1.5cm / 0.6 inches (https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=75468&p=3447825&viewfull=1#post3447825)
Trim 3 22/10/2018 - 1.5 inches (https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=75468&p=3472200&viewfull=1#post3472200)
Time 4 06/01/2018 - 2 inches (https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=75468&p=3496207&viewfull=1#post3496207)
Trim 5 25/02/2018 - 0.5 inches (https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=75468&p=3515771&viewfull=1#post3515771)
Trim 6 12/04/2018 - 1.5 inches (https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=75468&p=3535366&viewfull=1#post3535366)
Trim 7 13/06/2018 - 1 inch (https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=75468&p=3560769&viewfull=1#post3560769)
Trim 8 22/07/2018 - 1.5 inches (https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=75468&p=3576393&viewfull=1#post3576393)
Total: 10.1 inches !!!
2017 vs 2018 Photos During the Trim
Each stage of the trim, I take a photo to document what I did. So when I doubt myself, I know where I was at. Here are the photos from the first trim vs yesterdays trim.
I measure how much to cut off by holding it up to a ruler. Then I cut the hair right next to my thumb and finger. You can see in the first picture it is pretty much pointed. It was all fairytail ends, if there was even enough to call them that. All of my hair came to one tiny point when bought together.
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1784/43580001231_25e49249c5_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/29p1U4z)
This is how much hair came off are each trim. It's noticeable when I trim now, the hairs in the bit that come off are more often the same length as each other. It was very random when I started.
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/860/29709162208_f4d00918dd_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/MgidSC)
Ends after the trim.
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/837/43580004531_47da42b439_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/29p1V3t)
2018-07-22 - 2017 vs 2018 - Ends After Trimming (https://flic.kr/p/29p1V3t) by Cat Hair (https://www.flickr.com/photos/132137951@N03/), on Flickr
Another view of the ends.
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1767/43580007611_2d306e4730_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/29p1VXz)
2018-07-22 - 2017 vs 2018 - Ends After Trim Looser (https://flic.kr/p/29p1VXz) by Cat Hair (https://www.flickr.com/photos/132137951@N03/), on Flickr
I think there is a modest improvement. They look more blunt when held together and there are more of them.
Lengths Shots
This is where results start to get murky and very subjective. There's two things I am trying to measure. Whether the ends are getting any thicker and whether or not the thicker part of my hair is travelling downwards.
I choose to compare to photos from 2016, because the July 2017 ones weren't so clear. I put on the same clothes (even though I hate them) for science.
I was frankly very disappointed. My hair appeared to have got worse not better and the thickness didn't seem to be travelling down at all.
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/836/29709164158_8598d92b49_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/Mgiesf)2016 vs 2018 Light Clothes (https://flic.kr/p/Mgiesf) by Cat Hair (https://www.flickr.com/photos/132137951@N03/), on Flickr
But, I realised since my hair has got so much more white now roughly 30% white. Wearing a white t-shirt was probably not a fair way to look at white hair. It was when it was darker. So I changed clothes.
It's a struggle trying to find something that will contrast with tri-coloured hair. I probably need to buy myself a pink or orange dress or something. But I did my best.
There was some improvement:
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1784/29709167768_e3cb098a0f_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/Mgifwu)
2016 vs 2018 Dark Clothes (https://flic.kr/p/Mgifwu) by Cat Hair (https://www.flickr.com/photos/132137951@N03/), on Flickr
Most of the underside of the back of my hair is white now. There is also a white streak you can just about see coming in straight down the middle of the back. Everything around ears is blue. Not sure a blue top was great either, but I have a limited number of coloured clothes. I am quite unsure that the thickness is travelling down, which is what I really hoped for.
Ghost Hair
If I remove all the colour, suddenly hair appears! Or it looks a little better anyway.
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/915/29709150208_7f7aab92b3_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/MgiaiJ)
2018-07-22 - Found the Hair (https://flic.kr/p/MgiaiJ) by Cat Hair (https://www.flickr.com/photos/132137951@N03/), on Flickr
Proof that Hair Exists and Isn't a Figment of my Imagination
A length shot is not very representative of how it is usually worn. I will usually pull it together or put it over one shoulder. If it's not up, which is most of the time. I like my length shots to be as accurate as I can make them, no fluffing them out.
Nicer pics:
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/918/43579996461_c23600291b_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/29p1SDk)
2018-07021 - Proof of Existence of Hair (https://flic.kr/p/29p1SDk) by Cat Hair (https://www.flickr.com/photos/132137951@N03/), on Flickr