It's not "old or antique lace"?

[lapushka]

It is a comment oft made on these forums. Treat your hair like "old lace" or "antique lace". But do we really?

I wonder.

This thread sprouted as part of a discussion we just very recently had on the "Raponsje" forum, our Belgian/Dutch hair forum.

Who here treats their hair like "hair", just hair and nothing more. Dead material that grows out the scalp and just happens to be there, just a lot of it.

Who here likes to enjoy their hair, and doesn't always adhere to all "the rules"?

I have to say I don't.

I weekly wash. I diffuse weekly. I wear my hair down to sleep. Yes, I do have a microfiber pillow case, but that is just because I happen to *love* the bedding (so easy in the wash). If I didn't love it so much, I bet I would still sleep on cotton. Oops, there, I said it. ;)


So, do you follow the rules, or are you a rule breaker?

[Ylva]

I wear my hair down (in a braid) a lot like I always have. I'm careful enough with it but I don't go to any crazy measures. It's just common sense to me not to rub it with a towel etc but at the same time it's not super serious.

[lapushka]

I wear my hair down (in a braid) a lot like I always have. I'm careful enough with it but I don't go to any crazy measures. It's just common sense to me not to rub it with a towel etc but at the same time it's not super serious.

That is my attitude as well, Ylva!

[jane_marie]

I don't flat iron or use heat so that I don't hurt it but other than that I just try to live my best life. I sleep with it down, wear it down about 1/3 of the time in the day, and split the rest of the time between braids and buns.

I do want to grow my hair out longer but at this point in my life I only want to grow it to whatever length it can get to while not being an inconvenience. I want my hair to fit my lifestyle instead of me needing to transform my lifestyle to the needs of my hair. :shrug:

[Deborah]

All the saying means is to handle your hair gently, not to rip roughly through it with a brush or comb, etc. It was never about 'rules.'

[cjk]

All the saying means is to handle your hair gently, not to rip roughly through it with a brush or comb, etc. It was never about 'rules.'

It's not so much the literal meaning, with which I agree by the way, but the implication.

So often we read about people who don't just treat their hair gently. They don't just baby it. They go almost off the deep end.

My answer to Lapushka is simple. Each of us should do what works. My own scalp and hair do not get oily, I could literally go a month without even a wash. Others are a greasy mess in a day. Some need aggressive exfoliation, others not so much.

There was an interesting video posted, about a "pro" washing hair while rather aggressively scrubbing the scalp.

[MusicalSpoons]

Well, lace can be surprisingly durable and resilient! Obviously antique lace should be handled more carefully because the fibres could have become more brittle with age, but lace was made to be worn and washed - and heck, if it were only worn once or twice after all that work put into making it, it would be a crying shame.

I treat my hair reasonably carefully because the ends are thin enough as it is so I don't want to lose any hair unnecessarily to breakage or damage over time. However, I'm sure I could be more careful and delicate with it if I had the energy and patience - I'm on the careful side of the handling spectrum, but not all the way at the super-careful end. The careful, protective parts of my routine are just that, though: routine. Beyond the initial effort of incorporating them into my routine, it's not really anything I have to go out of my way to do. The only thing that requires a bit of extra effort for me is careful detangling, and there is room for improvement there I have to admit.

In terms of styles, buns are far more practical for me than anything else. I would like to enjoy occasionally wearing a braid but it is SO damaging I can only bring myself to do that maybe once or twice a year. I think even wearing it in a ponytail might be less damaging than a braid! Other than that ... :shrug: even my pickiness about shampoo was because of my scalp, not my hair.

[jane_marie]

All the saying means is to handle your hair gently, not to rip roughly through it with a brush or comb, etc. It was never about 'rules.'

The interesting thing about language is that humans place their own individual meaning to what is being said or written. So, while you might think it means one thing that's not universally true. There are a lot of people on here who use that phrase and do have a set of rules.

What's true for you isn't true for others. We are all blind apes groping the different parts of the bewildered elephant.

...oh, I think that's my new signature...

[AmaryllisRed]

I do want to grow my hair out longer but at this point in my life I only want to grow it to whatever length it can get to while not being an inconvenience. I want my hair to fit my lifestyle instead of me needing to transform my lifestyle to the needs of my hair. :shrug:

Yep, all this. If having long hair weren't easy, I wouldn't have long hair.

I don't know how I would treat antique lace. Probably put it in a box and forget about it. Substitute "bun" for "box" and that's how I treat my hair. Protect it from harm, but otherwise leave it alone.

[Kat]

I don't. I've tried following the rules in the past... damp buns, sulfate-free, attempting to file seams off my combs. Realized none of it was making much of a difference, stopped killing myself over it.

[KL]

I like to keep a balance. I have very fine hair so I don't do heat or anything like that. On the other hand, I do love to wear it down when I'm out and about. I wash it a lot more than I most likely should, etc. But, the way I see it is, if I cannot enjoy it the way that I want to, than what is the point? So that is where the balance comes in. I try to be careful when at work and stuff so that I can have fun with it when I want to.

[lapushka]

It's not so much the literal meaning, with which I agree by the way, but the implication.

So often we read about people who don't just treat their hair gently. They don't just baby it. They go almost off the deep end.

My answer to Lapushka is simple. Each of us should do what works. My own scalp and hair do not get oily, I could literally go a month without even a wash. Others are a greasy mess in a day. Some need aggressive exfoliation, others not so much.

There was an interesting video posted, about a "pro" washing hair while rather aggressively scrubbing the scalp.

My mother is on month 3 now... of not washing her hair. In about 2 weeks it's going to be about "that time". And a few weeks before the Holidays, that's about her good side of it. So... she'll wait it out a few more weeks. I still don't get how she does it, though. But she once discussed it with the doctor and he told her to listen to her scalp and wash only when it needs it.

I'm not joking, BTW!

[Zesty]

I am careful with my hair but only to the extent that it fits my lifestyle and serves my happiness.

[lapushka]

I can see that it is a bit of a balancing act in most on here. :flower:

Thank you for answering my curiousness on the matter!

[shelomit]

I've always had a pretty casual attitude. Right now I'm trying to be more careful, but that's because I've finally started to notice some damage after close to twenty years of wearing my hair long. I entirely understand, though, why somebody who has never had long hair and is trying to grow it out would feel like walking on eggshells. You don't yet know what your hair can tolerate, and you're much more invested in the end result (length-wise) than I am.

[Laurab]

All of the rules I follow are either because they're fun or because I'm lazy!
I don't use any heat on my hair, even a blow-dryer, but that's mostly because I can't be bothered.
I've started doing oil treatments and deep conditioners, but that's just because I think it's fun.

I still sleep on cotton sheets, I can be sort of rough when I detangle, I use sulfate shampoo, and I touch it all. The. Time.

But I'm fine with all of that. I like keeping my hair reasonably healthy, but I know if I try too hard to do things I don't like I'll give up on it all.

[0xalis]

When I was on TLHC back in 2013-2014, I was the overly cautious type. I rarely got to actually enjoy my hair while I had it.
But I did learn a lot about hair care, plenty of tips I took with me even when I had short hair.

Since rejoining I've become a lot more cautious, the hair I have now is going to be the ends of my hair for many years. So I'm being as gentle to it as I can be.

But I'm not one who likes stretching washes, so I'm not going to. I'm going to wash my hair every other day because that's what makes me comfortable.

When my hair is longer, I'm going to wear it down when I want to. I'm not sure what I'll prefer, updos or down, but I'm going to listen to my body.
If my neck hurts and letting my hair down will fix that, I'm listening to my neck.
Even if I end up being someone who wears their hair down every day, so what? My split ends are my problem, not anybody else's! And I like to S&D honestly...

So I'll treat my hair like lace, sure, lace I want to actually wear, and that I accept will fall apart when it's well loved. I'll just get some more.

[lakhesis]

I came a long way from bleaching my hair, wearing extensions, washing my hair every day, raking a brush through wet hair and heat styling it... so for people who still do this, I would be considered extremely cautious.

I don't do anything from above mentioned things anymore, I sleep in a braid with satin pillowcase, I use microfiber towel, I mostly wear it in a bun, I deep condition 3 times a week, detangle carefully... yet I do use sulfates, wear it down sometime, occasionally blow dry it. And it would never keep me from going swimming in pool or sea or going to sauna, just because it could be damaging.

[lapushka]

I still use sulfates too. I have SD (seborrheic dermatitis) and it is the *only* thing that can keep the (very expensive, 14.25 euro for 100ml) medicated shampoo (Nizoral 2%) at bay, so yes, of course I'm going to use that! :)

It's tough sometimes because I have often thought, what about coloring my grays, but there's so little of them, and I really don't want to go that route, not because it's damaging or some such, but once you start dyeing... it is *such* a process! And I don't want to go there.

I do diffuse, weekly, on warm, bordering on hot, I know, it should be warm/cool, but in wintertime... there is *no* way in hell. It takes me 5 minutes and I keep my eye on my ends, I haven't seen splits or white dots yet in all these years doing this. I have gotten a new blow dryer (Babyliss with Italian motor) and it gets hotter than my Braun one, but that's what I like about it. :o It dries it 4/5 minutes no problem and it feels great that my scalp is dry through and through, just because of the SD.

There's so many things I do or did to my hair that weren't exactly "careful".

You have to pick your battles, I guess. :shrug:

[Ligeia Noire]

I think it is a balance, some hair textures tolerate more than other's.
My hair is fine and porous, so tends to cobweb and get matted, good thing I do not like to wear it down, otherwise, I would still be at tbl.
I do not use any hair tools or dyes,n I do not like them, never owned any or felt the need of using it, they cause a lot of damage and if that is avoidable, why not?
However, I use silicones and sulphates, I do not use a seamless comb, not yet, I do not use a satin cap or detangle it dry.
I do not use a microfiber towel and I pile my hair on top of my head to wash it and sleep with it wet.
So yeah, I do not treat it like antique lace but I do treat it like lace because it is fine.
The thing with hair is that you cannot mend it and if you aim to grow past, let us say, classic in 5 years or so, you do need to be mindful of that particular factor.

[MusicalSpoons]

I am careful with my hair but only to the extent that it fits my lifestyle and serves my happiness.

Indeed. I have changed some aspects of my routine to incorporate protective habits but nothing that's inconvenient.


I've always had a pretty casual attitude. Right now I'm trying to be more careful, but that's because I've finally started to notice some damage after close to twenty years of wearing my hair long. I entirely understand, though, why somebody who has never had long hair and is trying to grow it out would feel like walking on eggshells. You don't yet know what your hair can tolerate, and you're much more invested in the end result (length-wise) than I am.

Before LHC I didn't know how to properly care for hair at all (other than using conditioner) and I was in a cycle of hip-tbl grow/chop off the scraggly ends. So my hair kinda tolerated neglect fine, but it certainly wasn't healthy. It was just fairly long. But to grow it longer, it needed care and protection.


I think it is a balance, some hair textures tolerate more than other's.

I do not use a microfiber towel and I pile my hair on top of my head to wash it and sleep with it wet.
So yeah, I do not treat it like antique lace but I do treat it like lace because it is fine.
The thing with hair is that you cannot mend it and if you aim to grow past, let us say, classic in 5 years or so, you do need to be mindful of that particular factor.

Oh yeah, I sleep with it wet. There's no way I can incorporate day drying into everyday life, and besides, my hair feels better drying overnight for some reason.

Definitely a balance, and definitely individual.

[Elodea]

I don't know how I would treat antique lace. Probably put it in a box and forget about it. Substitute "bun" for "box" and that's how I treat my hair. Protect it from harm, but otherwise leave it alone.
I think I'd try to display it somehow (like in a frame on the wall?), but in a way that it wouldn't be subject to getting damaged/ruined.

I think I'm pretty middle of the road in how gentle I am with my hair. No heat styling (because it's not good for hair, but also largely because I'm lazy and don't want to put in the effort to blow dry or use a curling iron, and I'm fine with that), weekly washing, trying not to be too rough when brushing, wearing buns usually (although that's largely a convenience thing so it's out of the way).

Still, I sleep with it loose on regular cotton sheets/pillowcases and wear it loose some of the time when I'm awake (mainly when I'm at home).

[RunOnCaffeine]

I feel like I treat mine more like hair than lace.
Over recent years, I've stopped daily washing and heat styling, stopped using chemical dyes.

I try to stretch washes every 3 days, use a microfiber turban, use a Tangle Teezer and oil on wet hair. My hair is no longer knotty or frizzy and I air dry it now most days, even in this cold winter weather. I rarely use the hairdryer or straighteners, and I've switched to henna. I finger comb and deep condition, but I've always done this.

I sleep on cotton with my hair down most nights or thrown into a scrunchie. Currently I'm oiling my hair and using a buff as a sleep cap because my head keeps getting cold and I'm sick of the cat waking me by pulling the front of my hair. I wash my hair with hot water and occasionally use exfoliating gloves on my scalp and my length.

I try to be careful when wearing my hair down (zips etc) whereas I once wasn't, and I try to use hair ties that won't yank my hair out. :)

[lapushka]

I think it is a balance, some hair textures tolerate more than other's.
My hair is fine and porous, so tends to cobweb and get matted, good thing I do not like to wear it down, otherwise, I would still be at tbl.
I do not use any hair tools or dyes,n I do not like them, never owned any or felt the need of using it, they cause a lot of damage and if that is avoidable, why not?
However, I use silicones and sulphates, I do not use a seamless comb, not yet, I do not use a satin cap or detangle it dry.
I do not use a microfiber towel and I pile my hair on top of my head to wash it and sleep with it wet.
So yeah, I do not treat it like antique lace but I do treat it like lace because it is fine.
The thing with hair is that you cannot mend it and if you aim to grow past, let us say, classic in 5 years or so, you do need to be mindful of that particular factor.

That's very true! :)

[Arciela]

I have never treated mine like old lace. I just simply don't have the patience for that type of thing.

To me its just my hair. Now, I don't treat it badly and I am careful with it but I don't really do much with it to begin with. It either ends up in a braid, LWB (once it gets long enough again) wash it, sleep with it loose, use microfiber pillowcases and satin. I've become rather lazy with it actually...haha.

[Kat]

The interesting thing about language is that humans place their own individual meaning to what is being said or written. So, while you might think it means one thing that's not universally true. There are a lot of people on here who use that phrase and do have a set of rules.

What's true for you isn't true for others. We are all blind apes groping the different parts of the bewildered elephant.

...oh, I think that's my new signature...

Very true. We've seen a lot of posts here that go something like "Okay so I know I am supposed to do X (or not do Y) so I am doing X (or not doing Y) and my hair is just so unhappy; it's greasy/dry/limp/poofy/tangly/slides out of everything/whatever. I am trying really hard to make X work (or not-Y work) but my hair was so nice when I didn't do X (or did do Y) but I'm going to keep slogging on miserably because I know X is good (or Y is bad)..." Some people read about certain products or techniques and think that is THE only way to treat hair, when really it's "try what you want, keep what works, toss what doesn't, and don't think you or your hair have to be like anyone else." (It's part of the reason I rail against universal "A is always wrong" and "B is the ONLY way" statements.)

[lapushka]

Very true. We've seen a lot of posts here that go something like "Okay so I know I am supposed to do X (or not do Y) so I am doing X (or not doing Y) and my hair is just so unhappy; it's greasy/dry/limp/poofy/tangly/slides out of everything/whatever. I am trying really hard to make X work (or not-Y work) but my hair was so nice when I didn't do X (or did do Y) but I'm going to keep slogging on miserably because I know X is good (or Y is bad)..." Some people read about certain products or techniques and think that is THE only way to treat hair, when really it's "try what you want, keep what works, toss what doesn't, and don't think you or your hair have to be like anyone else." (It's part of the reason I rail against universal "A is always wrong" and "B is the ONLY way" statements.)

Agree as well ^^ about the rules vs no rules thing.

And the age-old mantra YMMV (your mileage may vary) still applies!

[blackgothicdoll]

My hair doesn't behave like anything fragile or dainty like lace, it gets what it deserves.

[jane_marie]

My hair doesn't behave like anything fragile or dainty like lace, it gets what it deserves.

:applause:

[lapushka]

My hair doesn't behave like anything fragile or dainty like lace, it gets what it deserves.

:spitting:

Good one! :lol:

[TheLuckyLurker]

I used to follow all the "rules", but since I chopped from waist to apl I've gone back to "it's just hair,". I do try to be careful with it in most respects, but I heat style it every week because I like my hair straight. If I can't enjoy my hair and have it look the way I want it to, then why bother keeping it? Aside from conforming to the gender norms of the society I live in, that is. Since I'm not trying to grow it super long anymore, I'm willing to put up with damage and more frequent trims.

[Longlegs]

I've heard that sort of thing too. eg 'you would'nt wash your cashmere sweater roughly, so treat your hair the same' etc etc... I am quite gentle with it but I don't really do protective buns and updo's . My hair is long enough now that I've gone almost a year without a trim, I sometimes put it in a messy bun, but I usually just do a ponytail. I've also read quite a few posts like the one above about how it did'nt make much difference anyway.
I do have a satin pillowcase, avoid sulphates and don't heat-style my hair but I did that before I decided to grow my hair longer.

And I am only growing my hair until I get to a length I can easily tolerate as well. I'm not sure what that is right now :D

[desisparkles]

I'm singing, "to everything, turn, turn, turn - there is a season, turn, turn, turn".

I used to wash, condition and dye it - very frequently - that was it. It grew long.

Now I am experimenting with treating it more delicately to see if I get better results.

I stayed around hip length before and now I plan on growing longer so I want to be more careful now that I understand how I was possibly damaging it before unknowingly (ripping brushes through it - in my wavy hair case, using silicones - using hair claws that would eat my hair).

Yeah I treat it like it's fancy. It makes me happy to have found a new hobby.

One day I'll move on up to silk sheets - ya know, for my hair of course.

[spirals]

I'm definitely a rule follower and the nice thing is that it allows me to be really lazy about it. All the things I did that broke the rules were so labor intensive.

[Kalamazoo]

I have a great tendancy to make up my own rules, & to dislike it when other people try setting rules for me. I also like rewriting my rules whenever I feel like it.

My cat has taught me that there is one basic law in The Kingdom Of Cat: If there is a closed door, The Cat belongs on the other side of the door. I think I take after my cat.

That said, I do pay attention to what other people say works or doesn't work; but I've had to deal with a lot of allergies over the years, so I reject a lot of conventional products. There is much wisdom here at LHC that I'm grateful for, but I tend to sift through stuff in search of what works for me. LHC is a very special treasury of people from a very broad spectrum of backgrounds. One person's routine won't work for me at all, but the very next comment is a gold mine.

[Servana]

I don't abuse it but I definitely don't follow a lot of the rules on here. I don't use sulfates due to my sensitive scalp but I can't live without cones with my very thick, wavy and frizzy hair. No way.

I don't heat style or use dye, but I do wash frequently and I don't use any special brushes or sleep on a special pillow case, and my hair is out 24/7.

I like my hair at waist length, max hip, so perhaps things would be different if I were trying to have super long hair but for me I just want to enjoy my hair. Don't want to start drama but I never got the point of growing such long hair if it's always hidden in a bun. That's just me though.

[lapushka]

I don't abuse it but I definitely don't follow a lot of the rules on here. I don't use sulfates due to my sensitive scalp but I can't live without cones with my very thick, wavy and frizzy hair. No way.

I don't heat style or use dye, but I do wash frequently and I don't use any special brushes or sleep on a special pillow case, and my hair is out 24/7.

I like my hair at waist length, max hip, so perhaps things would be different if I were trying to have super long hair but for me I just want to enjoy my hair. Don't want to start drama but I never got the point of growing such long hair if it's always hidden in a bun. That's just me though.

Coming from someone who wears her hair up in a bun all the time when she's up, and down when she goes to sleep... I get it. But it's a lot easier for me to do, I think it's just practical, and practicality.

[earl grey]

I feel like the antique lace thing is advice to people who want long hair but their hair suffers from breakage. Otherwise it's a bit too far for most people. I'd say being gentle with your hair such as not bleaching, heat styling, using gentler products etc go pretty far on their own. Also don't forget people post photos of long hair from the Victorian era and they would singe their hair and brush it 100 times a day. I don't think they were treating their hair like lace.

[Ylva]

I feel like the antique lace thing is advice to people who want long hair but their hair suffers from breakage. Otherwise it's a bit too far for most people. I'd say being gentle with your hair such as not bleaching, heat styling, using gentler products etc go pretty far on their own. Also don't forget people post photos of long hair from the Victorian era and they would singe their hair and brush it 100 times a day. I don't think they were treating their hair like lace.

I agree with what your message is and I certainly don't treat my hair like antique lace. However, I'd like to mention that wigs and other hair extensions were quite popular in the Victorian era, and female baldness was an issue due to burns resulting from curlers and other nasty stuff. We can't always trust the photos. :D

[Tinyponies]

This phrase was helpful to me as a finey coming to learn about hair care for the first time approaching 40 years old and from a family consciousness of treating hair very roughly. All the other women in my family have strong, thick, coarser resilient hair.

I’m a year in now and still treating it carefully, but like others have said - my fine hairs tangle at the mere suggestion of a breeze and I prefer it up in a bun looks wise, comfort wise and for practicality. So it works and makes my life easier as well.

If my hair were more resilient I’m sure I’d still be doing basically the same things because they work for me so well and I don’t have any interest in more complex routines.

[lapushka]

I agree with what your message is and I certainly don't treat my hair like antique lace. However, I'd like to mention that wigs and other hair extensions were quite popular in the Victorian era, and female baldness was an issue due to burns resulting from curlers and other nasty stuff. We can't always trust the photos. :D

Totally agree with that. My great grandmother on my mother's side is on a portrait with her husband and their first born. She has one major updo and some thick dark hair. One day I'll share that picture again. I believe I once did, but can no longer find it. It's on the storage disk around here somewhere... but... OMG, the mess. :lol:

[SleepyTangles]

Ahaha, I surely won´t bleach "antique lace" with 30vol peroxide then dye it purple :bounce:

[Seeshami]

Pfftt bwahahahahhahahahahaha oh mi gatos. My side. :rollin::rollin::rollin::rollin::rollin:

If I treated my hair like any kind of lace we would have never got the skirt bun. Or any of the other crazy crap I have done.

The naughty mess says, "and I would have pushed the button"

Oh yeah and he would have been left free to push the button to end all things. So there is that too.

[Chromis]

You want rules, these are the rules: https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/misc.php?do=showrules

Any hair rules are on you peeps. LHC has never had "hair rules" no matter how many people think we do.

[Deborah]

You want rules, these are the rules: https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/misc.php?do=showrules

Any hair rules are on you peeps. LHC has never had "hair rules" no matter how many people think we do.

That was my point.

[spidermom]

I'm actually making myself rather mad over my hair. I grew it out to classic length doing my best to follow the rules of very careful handling.

Then I got it cut to collarbone length and had fun straightening or curling it whenever I felt like it. After 2 years, I decided to grow it out again and promised myself that I would still straighten or curl it whenever I felt like it and avoid becoming obsessive about it.

It's midback length now, and I'm obsessive over it. Sigh .......

[0xalis]

Don't want to start drama but I never got the point of growing such long hair if it's always hidden in a bun. That's just me though.

I know some people just genuinely love updos and that's the main reason they even have their hair long.
But I'm in the same camp as you, if I have to sacrifice having my hair down ever what's the point?
I definitely can't wait for updos and hairtoys, but that's only half the fun for me!

[TreesOfEternity]

I wish I could do it. My hair is like spiderweb, it gets into everything and tangles like crazy, if I had to wear it always down I would have given up on it long time ago.

[lapushka]

You want rules, these are the rules: https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/misc.php?do=showrules

Any hair rules are on you peeps. LHC has never had "hair rules" no matter how many people think we do.

Hmm. Yeah. Basically, we're doing it to ourselves. :lol: ;)

[Entangled]

That mantra got me past BSL for the first time in my life. I stopped ripping through my hair while it was wet and became aware of when it was breaking. I was pretty extreme for a while and fingercombed only as I became aware that my detangling habits were hurting my hair and chances of long hair (it felt extreme for someone coming from a wavy-hair-masquerading-as-straight-hair mindset that requires constant brushing to look right/combing was only for wet hair and a brush was needed to break up the clumps). Now, I definitely am a lot more careless, but at the same time I’ve never lost the sense I developed back when I started growing my hair: that hair breaks when it’s exposed to rough treatment. There’s certain things I avoid that I didn’t use to care about, like hair under straps or trapped against a chair.

Now I honestly should treat my hair more like lace since I think I’ll be hitting a plateau in the next few years. I think I should be using a sleep cap or satin pillowcase since I thrash a lot trying to fall asleep and can’t be bothered to put my hair in a protective style before bed. My ends are long enough to sit on in a braid, and my current level of gentleness in handling isn’t great enough for the hazards of the length, if that makes sense. Last time I got this long, I cut off five inches because of what I felt were the effects of my sleep braid dangling around bumping into things as I did work in the house. Now my ends feel pretty similar.