Sacrificial Ends?

[GoddesJourney]

Do you intentionally keep just a bit of length, maybe an inch or two, because you expect it to get damaged anyway? Is it your braid tassel or the part of your bun that frays? Do you intend to trim it off when you're comfortably at or just past your goal?

I just today noticed that I don't trim off quite all of the dry stuff at the ends (as long as it isn't too velcro-y). It's akin to leaving the first two slices of bread in the bag to get stale and eating only the fresher, softer pieces behind it. The sacrificial pieces in front keep the rest from getting stale.

[MamaLou]

Not really exactly like that but when my hair is cut I always ask my hairdresser to keep the ends a bit awkwardly thick because it will thin out.

[Tinyponies]

Love the analogy of the bread. I’m currently not trimming because I haven’t felt the need to in years, but definitely use this kind of thinking regarding my ends. For me, perhaps because of my fine hairs, I feel that removing the ends is always going to place the next bit up out in the open, gathering more damage.

[desisparkles]

I totally get your thinking here. I've actually never noticed my ends feeling like they "needed" to be trimmed. I plan on holding off on trims for a couple years to gain some good length so it will be a good experiment to find out though. If I feel like they need it I will dust but I guess only time will tell.

[Joules]

I do sometimes keep the sacrificial ends. And sometimes I'm just not patient at all :lol: I enjoy healthy thick ends, so I should be really really fed up with my length to not trim and let it grow at full speed. But yeah, I get the concept.

[repunzelwannabe]

OMG I thought I was the only one that did this! The ends don't stay nice no matter how much I baby them anyway, so what's the point of cutting all of that off? the 'velcro' actually helps keeps buns in place, and I notice them not staying as well after a trim but I haven't had a professional one in years.

[barnet_fair]

Yes, "sacrificial ends" is a great name. I call them my damage buffer.

[Sarahlabyrinth]

Yes, my sacrificial ends are there for just that purpose! :)

[samanthaa]

Yeah, I do this. I'm honestly surprised I've never seen it talked about on LHC. I consider the remainder of my hennaed ends my "sacrificial ends" (3-4"). I could cut them off, but I see them as protecting my virgin hair haha.

[MusicalSpoons]

I think it's pretty common here, especially for people growing out damage. I really like the bread analogy, and calling it a damage buffer :D

I personally don't see my ends that way, but the concept definitely makes sense. I recently cut off what could have been considered my damage buffer, and the novelty of a much straighter hemline has certainly not worn off yet! However I am aware that I'm likely to trim these current ends off at the end of the year, so while I'm trying my best to keep them in good shape, I guess knowing that they will go helps me not to be too neurotic about it :lol:

[*Wednesday*]

I do. I microtrim twice a year. I will say my ends are in good shape. Mainly due to keeping my hair bunned . My sacrificial ends take it for the team ☺️

[lapushka]

Nope. My ends are healthy ends (my hair is purposely layered).

I had bleach damage before, and... no... damage is too hard to deal with!

[GoddesJourney]

I knew there was no way I the only one. I wasn't even aware that I was doing it. It just dawned on me that I had left some dry ends and I was keeping it there to take the damage for the hair above it. It's totally a throw away piece.

When I was around boats a lot I found that they make a piece like this that is cheap and easy to replace made to break if the propeller gets stuck. It will free spin so the more expensive, difficult to replace internal stuff would be spared.

This is me totally nerding out about this simple concept people probably intuitively do all the time and often don't notice.

[Hailwidis]

I do this too! I have thin fragile hair, and frequent stress sheds. My ends take a beating, and the more I trim, the more I need to trim. Microtrimming was very satisfying and kept my ends looking nicer, but I totally use my damage buffer now since I don’t want to lose all my length to my shed recovery.

[Groovy Granny]

I have never heard that before....and I have the total opposite thought process :scissors: :lol:

I love my regular dustings and hemline maintenance for a fresh/thicker feel with my fine/wispy silver :heart:

That is an interesting perspective....I can see the logic in it if you have the need :thumbsup:

[jane_marie]

This is a really good way of looking at my damage. Thank you for this. This give me hope to not trim for the remainder of winter.

Thanks. :)

[spidermom]

I have recently come into realization of this - that every time I trim, I expose new ends to damage. Therefore, I don't want to create new ends too often. I'll have to watch out for the trade off, though. I don't want my old ends to get so damaged that they're actually causing my length to shrink by splitting breaking off splitting breaking off splitting breaking off ....

[Ligeia Noire]

Sacrificial ends might lead to sacrificial length... just like SpiderMom said that can be tricky if the ends are damaged and spplited that will cause tangles and will run havoc on the length... not to mention the splits will climb up and if the ends keep breaking you are not retaining any length. So keep them tidy and protect them. They are the key to growth.

[SleepyTangles]

Yes, to an extent. I bleach my ends exactly because of this.
But usually when It starts to split damage can travel upwards. I'd say choosing the right timing to trim Is an art.

[BraidedBunch]

Dry ends that are less than perfect?
Yes.

Splitting ends where the damage can travel up?
Nope.

I trim if I see the telltale "Y" shape on more than several ends. I haven't gotten real splits in a long time, just crispy ends. I've been keeping the crispy ends.

[FrayedFire]

Yep! I don't keep my racers, but I do keep some iffy tips as a buffer. Plus I like fairytail ends so it's convenient.

[0xalis]

I'm addicted to S&D... Even with my super-short hair I still S&D by examining my hair in the mirror! So no, I've never really thought about doing this. Interesting concept!

[Halee_J]

Yes!:D I heard about this concept years ago and thought it was illogical... So many people say to cut off the damage or it will travel up the hair shaft. Well about 4 years ago I chemically straightened my hair and just decided to grow it out and not cut it. The damaged hair did break and wear away over time but also I didnt find the damage traveled up. I just did little micro trims hair and there and I still have about 2-3 inches of this hair. I do beleive it protects the rest of my hair. Unless its something extreme, I'm believer in using damaged ends as a buffer.

[Zanthia]

This is pretty much my approach. I don't notice the damage travelling up at all like so many warn about, but it would if I cut the ends and let the ends be higher up. I'm glad it's not just me!

[Belgrade Beauty]

HOLA! Idk why this thread isn't more active, I bet there is quite a few of us with this attitude :D
I swear a month after trim, they thin out again with split and stuff.
I think I'm going to leave them alone ,and when I reach goal, than start maintaining with monthly damage control...:)

[Hairkay]

Yes, I keep some ends as a buffer. My hair naturally tapers and I do s & d to keep that look up. Blunt ends are harder to stay plaited/braied/twisted and that's what I use to manage my hair.

[Feral_]

Interesting concept, and I like it. It’s taken me ages (ok, since I stopped going to the hairdressers 18 months ago) to get ends that aren’t blunt. There are no straight lines in nature - so I’m keeping my tapered ends.

[Finda]

Ha, I definitely belong in this thread. Everything underneath the line I consider sacrificial. Evenly tapered FTEs I can appreciate, but this uneven mess annoys me when I look too close. The taper is the result of a last bout of breakage after I started changing my hair care routine for the better in 2017. I keep the ends, however, because they are incredibly helpful in securing buns. Also, the ends that are left seem healthy as far as I can tell. They are dotted, and there is a split end here and there, but all in all I have no trouble detangling them. Well conditioned they also feel soft and I haven't noticed much breakage since then. The demarcation line travels down, so I'm fine with them after all.

The sacrificial ends were definitely what helped me get my hair past BSL. For achieving an even hemline I always needed to cut more than I had grown.

https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=43892&d=1609605031

[bokeh]

I do think of my ends as sacrificial but not in quite the same way since I haven't cut my hair for three years. I just don't worry much when I tie off a braid since the ends will be the first to go when I decide to cut. In other words I'm not as careful with my ends as I am with the rest of my hair.

[JasminxCat]

Wow what a smart thought, I love the analogy. I have considered doing this before but was't sure if it would have made a difference. I guess it would depend on how damaged your ends are. Some of my ends can go forever without breaking further up the length, other sections such as the front have been damaged severely by heat and continues to break more faster than it grows. So I'm trying my best to retain as much length as I can by doing regular S&Ds only in the front as needed

[bparnell75]

I have never had "velroey or bad ends" I baby my hair always with gentle brushing. I just cut my hair when I feel it is getting too long to manage. Currently 4 inches past tailbone.

[Kat]

I don't, but, I've always thought the last few inches might be great for messing around with dye if I wanted to since I know I'll be cutting them off anyway (I maintain at a certain length).

[shelomit]

I wouldn't say that I do this deliberately per se, but I certainly don't loose sleep over the very tips of my hair feeling dried-out. I try and keep 'em moisturized, of course, but I figure it's a lost cause after a certain point. Most of the time they're tucked away in a bun anyhow.

[lapushka]

Used to do it, when still actively growing. But nowadays? I have to maintain & so trim 6 inches, about that amount, off, and always nice fresh ends now. That's one positive point to maintaining a length!

[bokeh]

Used to do it, when still actively growing. But nowadays? I have to maintain & so trim 6 inches, about that amount, off, and always nice fresh ends now. That's one positive point to maintaining a length!Ah, you've confirmed what I've been hoping is true about the nice fresh ends when maintaining. My goal is classic and I am looking forward to cutting to maintain when (if) I make that goal. I've been hoping that when I finally get to that point the regular trimming will result in a better hemline and even healthier ends.

[Bat]

My whole head is basically sacrificial at this stage lol brittle armour for new hair

[paper.wyrm]

Sacrificial ends is quite a good way to think of them really, I have thin ends at the moment that I'm not cutting because I'm prioritising length, and some kind people on here made me think nicer thoughts about them, but they definitely also help protect the rest of my hair.

[sarana]

I definitely have some sacrificial ends too. I'm keeping them around for now although the impulse to cut them is pretty strong at times. I want to see what happens :p They take the hit for the healthier growth that comes after them

[Jane99]

I really like the concept of sacrificial ends. But in real life, those splits have got to go! Although, I’m not as bothered by the white dots as I used to be and consider them sacrificial.

[The-Young-Maid]

Yeah my last 6" are a buffer. I've decided to keep that bit til I reach knee and then trim them off when I start maintaining. I figure since I usually tie my braid off down there it's best to keep those ends.

[Hexen]

I would sacrifice an end, to start a new beginning.

[irsviel]

When I got my first perm in September the big idea was to perm only the ends so I would have ended up with 15 cm sacrificial ends at most. The hairdresser had other ideas so I ended up with 50 cm sacrificial ends (no damage thus far though). I have 5 cm virgin hair at most. I still haven't made my peace.

[squirrrel]

So... I do s&d when the light is right for it. Beyond that, I seem to have fallen into the way of an annual trim: mostly I take away the tips of the racers. I like fairy tales, and having sacrificial ends is just part of life, IMHO, but the further ahead the longest hairs get the more chance of damage to any individual strand. Remaining about the same length as everyone else makes it that little more protected and I don’t call milestones until a good number of hairs reach them...

[GordonMurphella]

I would sacrifice an end, to start a new beginning.

I've got nothing to add to this thread, but Hexen, I LOVE THIS POST

[Eastbound&Down]

Yeah, essentially the last 4" of my hair is serving this purpose. I have bleach damage, but if I keep them oiled and protected I think I can go quite a while with them and then maintain to get them gone when I get to my goal. Ill S&D if it's necessary along the way.

[AmyBee]

Yeah, essentially the last 4" of my hair is serving this purpose. I have bleach damage, but if I keep them oiled and protected I think I can go quite a while with them and then maintain to get them gone when I get to my goal. Ill S&D if it's necessary along the way.

I'm in a very similar situation. Babying them as much as possible and will only get rid of them as a last resort. And definitely not in one go my hair would be shorter than chin length and I couldnt carry that off.

[Eastbound&Down]

I'm in a very similar situation. Babying them as much as possible and will only get rid of them as a last resort. And definitely not in one go my hair would be shorter than chin length and I couldnt carry that off.

Same here, I can pretend I don't see it unless it a legit Y split, then it'll have to go. But that's individual strands not the whole lot.