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MsBubbles
December 6th, 2008, 08:24 AM
I feel like a phony or an impostor when I post on the BSL to Waist thread, and I don't think I belong in the APL to BSL thread either because I'm hanging out probably for the next 6 months at 25" until most of my layers grow out.

Anybody wanna join me? You're maintaining at what length until your ends are even? If there already is such a thread, please point me in that direction (couldn't find one)!

It can be frustrating at times because others are soaring on to waist (seems like!) and here I am stuck with a work-in-progress, but I am trying to learn to enjoy my present length.

I have fine, thin straight hair so fairy tale ends or V-shaped hemline just make my hair look like it's in terrible condition.

My plan is to get those 3" shorter layers down to 25", where hopefully it won't all be in such terrible condition (come on catnip! Do your stuff!) that I'll have to take off 2 inches. Then I hope to grow downwards towards waist. Any length beyond 25" will be unchartered territory for me (screams with excitement).

I am using Feye's self trim method each month to take off 1/2 inch or so to keep it at 25", which is right about mid-BSL for me. I think waist will be about 30".

zen_oven
December 6th, 2008, 08:36 AM
I'm sort of considering doing this. I have some rather annoying layers They actually look good, but I want to get rid of them to "thicken" the ends--I'd like to get to a nice U-shaped hemline eventually. I've been trying to decide how I want to handle it. The way I see it, I can do one of two things. 1) Let my top layer get to APL and then cut everything off to that point or 2) Give my hair maybe three months, cut an inch off the bottom layer and repeat every three months until my layers are gone.

Option 1 seems like it might be pretty traumatic for me, so I like Option 2 a bit better. I could even just go six months and do the same thing--would take longer, but I'd get more growth in.

I feel your pain though--you want to hit waist as fast as possible, but the layers are getting in the way. Drives me nuts. I just try to comfort myself with the knowledge that I seem to be averaging about a 1/2 inch of growth each month.

MsBubbles
December 6th, 2008, 08:51 AM
I can do one of two things. 1) Let my top layer get to APL and then cut everything off to that point or 2) Give my hair maybe three months, cut an inch off the bottom layer and repeat every three months until my layers are gone.

Yeah - I have considered cutting the whole thing back to APL to be all one length but I think I'd get depressed if I did that.

I got one professional trim in a year, and she trimmed all the layers too - but they really needed it, and I couldn't see them myself to cut them. Although I could see these split ended layers sticking out away from the rest of my hair. So after that trim I was set back even more.

Two steps forward, three steps back!

Katze
December 6th, 2008, 09:18 AM
hey MsBubbles, I'm right there with ya!

I've been here for, what, almost 3 years? In that time, I've gone from around shoulder/APL (maybe 22 inches?) to "just" BSL (my hair is 26-27", depending on if I measure to the very longest ends, and "just" covers most of most of my bra straps, if that makes sense. ;) ) Wow, 5 inches in 3 years! It kind of sounds like a lot, actually...but I am not the best at scientific measuring

I'm getting rid of bleach as well as these old layers, and I'm with you; thin ends on already fine hair just look bad - at least on my hair. Whenever I tell people I am growing my hair out, they look with doubt at my see-through ends. Stylists always told me my hair could never be long - but continued to hack layers into it.

At the moment my shortest layer (besides baby hairs, bangs, and wispies) is at about shoulder length (very clearly visible in avatar pic). My goal is waist and, as you mention, a blunt or U shaped hemline. At any rate, SOME kind of hemline rather than see through layers.

I trimmed in August and again in October and have vowed not to trim again until my baby comes, so I can deal with whatever shedding and stuff happens then.

Nice to see there are others here in my same predicament! (oh Girlcat, where are you...?)

Periwinkle
December 6th, 2008, 09:22 AM
I'm half with you ;)

I'm trimming half my growth each month - I'm just dying to get a bit longer (at least to waist), but I hate my wacko layering and can't wait for it to be gone. Getting rid of it in one go would mean chopping to shoulder...:(

Aries_jb
December 6th, 2008, 12:31 PM
I was going to post something very similar! It's good to know I'm not alone.

My original plan was to grow my APL hair to BSL and then maintain that length until my ends thickened up. However, I'm about 2 in. away from BSL and I'm not crazy about the way my hair looks right now. I'm thinking of starting a microtrim schedule right now to thicken it up at this length, then continuing to BSL.

I'm waiting until the end of this month before I decide what to do and weigh the pros and cons in the meantime. I know I would be happy with a trim and my hair looking thicker, however, I wouldn't be happy with my length any shorter than it already is. On top of that, I'm not happy with my current length because my updo options are limited.

Thoughts?

MsBubbles
December 6th, 2008, 02:47 PM
I've been here for, what, almost 3 years? In that time, I've gone from around shoulder/APL (maybe 22 inches?) to "just" BSL (my hair is 26-27", depending on if I measure to the very longest ends, and "just" covers most of most of my bra straps, if that makes sense. ;) ) Wow, 5 inches in 3 years!
At the moment my shortest layer (besides baby hairs, bangs, and wispies) is at about shoulder length (very clearly visible in avatar pic). My goal is waist and, as you mention, a blunt or U shaped hemline. At any rate, SOME kind of hemline rather than see through layers.

This is great! Thanks for the company. Well 27" to me sounds long, and 5 inches overall length sounds good! I think I will probably be looking at the same kind of progress, because my canopy is mostly hosed. It just now occurred to me that I am basing whether I can grow waist length hair on whether my canopy layers hang in there that long before breaking or splitting. Yikes! If they don't, I may have to opt for layers/see through ends. Hmmm. The hairs growing from lower down my head near my nape are in great shape but those are the ones I keep trimming back!


I'm half with you ;)
I'm trimming half my growth each month - I'm just dying to get a bit longer (at least to waist), but I hate my wacko layering and can't wait for it to be gone. Getting rid of it in one go would mean chopping to shoulder...:(

I know! I have thought about this. It's tempting.

If anybody has gone this route, please jump in and comment!

MsBubbles
December 6th, 2008, 02:55 PM
My original plan was to grow my APL hair to BSL and then maintain that length until my ends thickened up. However, I'm about 2 in. away from BSL and I'm not crazy about the way my hair looks right now. I'm thinking of starting a microtrim schedule right now to thicken it up at this length, then continuing to BSL.

I'm waiting until the end of this month before I decide what to do and weigh the pros and cons in the meantime. I know I would be happy with a trim and my hair looking thicker, however, I wouldn't be happy with my length any shorter than it already is. On top of that, I'm not happy with my current length because my updo options are limited.

Thoughts?

Well one thought is that if you started microtrimming now, at least you'd have that over and done with sooner. I sometimes wish I had addressed this when my hair was shorter, before I got used to it being 25". Good for you for weighing the pros and cons first. I don't know that there is a right or wrong answer, except the one you end up choosing.

It'd be great if someone who did it either way could comment on this. I'd love to know.

dancingmegs
December 6th, 2008, 06:26 PM
My hemline is already blunt, but I'm maintaining in order to keep it blunt and theicken up the ends. My hair is just past classic (45 inches), and I've been trimming any new growth every month or so.

WindowDressing
December 6th, 2008, 06:33 PM
Just a question here:

What naturally growing hair has a blunt hemline?

I'm very curious, after reading so many threads about long hair vs. short hair, I am wondering.

Is this long hair vs. long hair?

Cut, versus let it grow naturally?

Thoughts?

Hugs!
WD :)

saoriiroas
December 6th, 2008, 11:03 PM
Sorry this is such a long post! I know a few things about this though:

I have been growing my layers out since 2005. Even though I have been growing out from a very short pixi cut I had in the winter of 2004, I reached shoulder length within a year and decided getting layers would be a good way to "not be so bored with my hair". I am now 2 inches above my bellybutton, that is, my canopy is now 2 inches above bellybutton, it has taken me about 2 years to grow the last 12 inches of hair. If I would have just let it grow and not worried about evening out my layers, I would be at least hip length right now...I am estimating that I will reach at least hip length in 1 year. (My hair grows a little faster than average)

It took me 2 years to grow out these cute side-swept bangs I had. My "bangs" are about 20 inches long now.

Here is the trick I think: Keep your har in a bun, covered in deep conditioner and/or oils, ALL/MOST of the time. Take it down only for special occasions, style it only for special occasions. Cut off the parts you can no longer stand, maintain the longest length you feel looks good, and just practice your updos in this time. Once you pass boob length, you lose a lot of manageability for styling. Having a good foundation in updoing your hair is essential when you "cross the barrier"...

I have always had very short hair, my whole life, pixis and bobs only, until now. Now I have long hair and can hardly put it in a decent looking ponytail because my hair grew so fast and I have no idea what to do with it. "They" say hindsight is always 20/20, and looking back, what I am suggesting is the course of action that causes the least ammount of damage, and a psychological trick for appreciating growth.

Keeping your hair in a bun or a braid for most of the time really helps you see your growth progessing a lot easier, instead of counting each millimeter of growth IMHO. If you are not happy with the way your hair looks down, you might try all kinds of heat-styling and damage what you should be protecting and nurturing. Ask me why I came to this conclusion.

I went the "microtrim" route for the last 3 years, and I could cut off a few inches, and still have long hair..but then I would lose all that length!
I have probably cut off a foot of length to even out my layers in the last 2-3 years, as I had some "face framing" layers around my jawline. If you are really fed up with the way your hair looks, do not hold on to your length, get a really cute under-shoulder length cut that you will really like, instead of trying to have a hairstyle 3 inches longer that does not satisfy your sense of beauty. I think it is better to have good looking, stylish, healthy hair than to have long hair that has a lot of damage, or that you are not completely happy with. It is the journey, not the destination.

Once you get to the length I am, you start realizing how much of a committment waist length hair is, and I think it is great that our bodies do not rush us into extremely long hair quickly, as it is easy to burn your hair on the stove if you are not paying attention...damaging months of growth. It is good that hair is worth so much of our time and effort, because it takes an understanding of its delicacy and rarity to handle it correctly. I am considering staying at my current length because it is so hard for me to manage...but my boyfriend wants it even longer and I have only been trying for long hair for years...

Stacy_E
December 7th, 2008, 03:57 AM
This is timely thread for me, and people have expressed some good thoughts here. It sounds like we are in the same boat MsBubbles--BSL hair with layers at APL and a goal of waist length with a blunt hemline. I'm certainly appreciating how the length feels (actually an inch or 2 past BSL now), but when I look at my hair critically in the mirror, the layers just don't look attractive. My strategy all along has been to go for waist length first, then gradually grow out the layers. Now I'm wavering and I'm not sure what to do. I may change strategy and do what you are doing. I'm certainly leaning that way now. Thanks for starting this thread! Now I don't feel alone in this quandary.

DecafJane
December 7th, 2008, 04:34 AM
I'm at the same place. I am growing out a pixie cut, and still have all of the layers. However, my hair is very thick and wavy/curly and I wear it up all of the time anyway. My plan is to get to BSL and then take an inch off every three months until it all evens up, but sometimes it is very tempting to go in for a trim to get some sense of hemline into the bottom of it. I'm just scared to go to the hairdresser as the ultra-layered look is very in at the moment, and I have had friends go in for "trims" and end up with MORE layers than I have now, even though they have been growing their hair! I don't have any damage yet, and wear it all up now anyway, so I am in no rush to make a decision. :)

MsBubbles
December 7th, 2008, 09:09 AM
If you are really fed up with the way your hair looks, do not hold on to your length, get a really cute under-shoulder length cut that you will really like, instead of trying to have a hairstyle 3 inches longer that does not satisfy your sense of beauty. I think it is better to have good looking, stylish, healthy hair than to have long hair that has a lot of damage, or that you are not completely happy with. It is the journey, not the destination.


No need to apologize for the long post! It's good stuff! I was wondering though, your info says you're at 26" but you said you were at 2" above belly button. You must be one of the lucky high-waisted ones! Thanks for the urging to keep the hair up and protected most of the time. I need work on that.

Regarding what you said above: that is the issue indeed. However, I don't really like my hair in any under-shoulder length styles, and I think, layers and all, it still looks better to me at BSL. And I'm not sure I'd be 'completely happy' with whatever I end up with once I get there (waist, TB, blunt or not etc.). But not ever having had hair longer than 25" before I won't know until I get there I guess!!

I believe some people's hair looks good long with layers, some people's looks alright long with layers, and some people's hair just has no business having layers in it past APL or so.

Thank you so much for your perspective, and I will be doing more thinking now...:meditate:

MsBubbles
December 7th, 2008, 09:18 AM
This is timely thread for me, and people have expressed some good thoughts here. It sounds like we are in the same boat MsBubbles--BSL hair with layers at APL and a goal of waist length with a blunt hemline. I'm certainly appreciating how the length feels (actually an inch or 2 past BSL now), but when I look at my hair critically in the mirror, the layers just don't look attractive. My strategy all along has been to go for waist length first, then gradually grow out the layers. Now I'm wavering and I'm not sure what to do. I may change strategy and do what you are doing. I'm certainly leaning that way now. Thanks for starting this thread! Now I don't feel alone in this quandary.

Oh my goodness, StacyE, I think I saw your update pics and was just green with envy! If I remember correctly you have really fast growing hair!:dizzy: Welcome to the thread.


I'm at the same place. I am growing out a pixie cut, and still have all of the layers. However, my hair is very thick and wavy/curly and I wear it up all of the time anyway. My plan is to get to BSL and then take an inch off every three months until it all evens up, but sometimes it is very tempting to go in for a trim to get some sense of hemline into the bottom of it. I'm just scared to go to the hairdresser as the ultra-layered look is very in at the moment, and I have had friends go in for "trims" and end up with MORE layers than I have now, even though they have been growing their hair! I don't have any damage yet, and wear it all up now anyway, so I am in no rush to make a decision. :)

Yes. Beware the layer-razor-crazy salons! Good point. I wonder if the layered-look is in now because so many Hollywood stars are wearing hair extensions, which give that tumbling curly layered appearance. That'd be really sad.

Either way you ladies have lovely thick wavy hair.

It's good to get/give some support here.

CestMadeleine
December 7th, 2008, 09:26 AM
I have been growing my layers out since 2005. Even though I have been growing out from a very short pixi cut I had in the winter of 2004, I reached shoulder length within a year and decided getting layers would be a good way to "not be so bored with my hair". I am now 2 inches above my bellybutton, that is, my canopy is now 2 inches above bellybutton, it has taken me about 2 years to grow the last 12 inches of hair. If I would have just let it grow and not worried about evening out my layers, I would be at least hip length right now...I am estimating that I will reach at least hip length in 1 year. (My hair grows a little faster than average)



You and me both! Took me a whole year to grow out my pixie cut. My hair grows faster than normal too. I'm at shoulder length now and I'm still trying to even out the ends. My goal is BSL hopefully. *crosses fingers* Never had long hair like this before. So this is a new and very interesting journey for me.

MsBubbles
December 7th, 2008, 09:27 AM
Just a question here:

What naturally growing hair has a blunt hemline?

I'm very curious, after reading so many threads about long hair vs. short hair, I am wondering.

Is this long hair vs. long hair?

Cut, versus let it grow naturally?



Well no hemline grows naturally blunt as far as I know. And the irony of what I'm trying to achieve (30"+ with a straight-across hemline) is that I want my hair to look tidy, like it's undoubtedly, chronically long, but that I just cut it back to trim it. But really I painstakingly grew it to get it like that...:doh:

Regarding long hair vs. long hair: maybe I'm missing your point, but to me it's long, crappy, old-hag hair vs. long, luxurious, well-groomed hair (on me, of course - I can't speak for others).

Cut vs. grow naturally: yes. Unfortunately for me, letting it grow naturally means ending up with crappy, old-hag hair. I'm 41 now and can't really get away with it!

Thanks for the thought-provoking questions!

spidermom
December 7th, 2008, 09:30 AM
I rarely think about the length that I cut off. I only think about the hair that I have. In the past (2005) I cut from almost waist to APL because of heat-styling damage. From fall 2007 to summer 2008, I maintained at hip level because of damage. Now when I S&D, it can take me a good 10 minutes or so to find anything, so HOORAY! I'm finally a few steps above the damage, and my hair is growing like a weed.

For windowdressing, I think of growing hair without trimming as kind of like growing a fruit tree without pruning. It can take on some weird shapes and quickly be overgrown in one area, less so in another area, and the fruit gets smaller. I keep my fruit trees pruned. I've always kept my hair trimmed until this past summer (July 18 ) when I decided to grow for one year without trimming just to try it. I'm curious about what my hair will do.

marajade
December 7th, 2008, 09:31 AM
Hi-

I am also trying to grow out my layers. I finally reached my first goal of waist but now is the hard part I had been dreading which is maintaining and trimming to get those layers out:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3049/3089926182_36b2677b98.jpghttp://farm4.static.flickr.com/3049/3089926182_36b2677b98.jpg

Since I am at waist I *should* be able to do most updos however because of the layering and the thickness of my hair its almost nearly impossible. I still haven't figured out how to do a decent bun. :rolleyes:

Fantak
December 7th, 2008, 03:04 PM
I'm at TB with about 5 inches of see through hair at the bottom. It would break my heart to cut it back to waist length but every time I see it down after being brushed and oiled I cringe just a bit >.< (it looks fine when freshly washed and air dried though which is pretty much why I've kept it so long ^.^; )

I'm torn between letting it get to classic length and then maintaining until it's all thickened up or whether I should maintain now at TB.

Periwinkle I like you idea of cutting half your growth every month! I think I might try that for a while, at least it'll feel I'm doing something to my fairy tale ends instead of just hoping they'll go away on there own!

Anje
December 7th, 2008, 07:41 PM
I've been maintaining at high tailbone for a few months now, because my hair's getting a bit see-through too. It does look better now than in my sig pic, at least, and even after a few months is noticably thicker at the ends.

girlcat36
December 7th, 2008, 07:57 PM
(oh Girlcat, where are you...?)

Here I am!

My hair is thin with scraggly ends, so I've been microtrimming since joining LHC. I was bald on the bottom half of my head due to medical treatment when I joined, so waiting for this new hair to catch up with my longer hair is doubly frustrating!

Like Katze, I have not gained much length since joining. My plan is to maintain at BSL, if I EVER get there.

saoriiroas
December 7th, 2008, 08:25 PM
I finally uploaded a signature so you guys can see my little pet project. I have been in between Miss Periwinkle's length and Stacy E's length for the last two years, microtrimming away layers..

My hair is naturally very straight but I like the waves braids give me, and this is all I have for now, it is actually an inch or two longer than it looks because of the waves. What I meant to say is that it is ideal to get a haircut you like and grow it out from there, don't hold on to a shape you don't like just for the extra inch or two of length, you will cut it off sometime soon anyways.

I hope my sig works!

saoriiroas
December 7th, 2008, 09:08 PM
Stacy E- I am in Tucson also! Have you ever heard of www.SnowdriftFarm.com ? They are a major cosmetics chemical supplier located here in Tucson. I got a 5 pound bucket of pure shea butter from them for 30 dollars. You can save on shipping for oils and other supplies by picking it up yourself. Check them out please! I think they are the most amazing resource.

CestMadeleine- It is tough sometimes, but it is worth it, believe me!

Ms. Bubbles- I am not sure if I am measuring correctly or not, my hair is 4 palm-lengths long, and my hands are 6.5" long, so I came up with 26. I am pretty short also (5'3") so that might have something to do with my strange numbers. The other day I was looking down at my ends and they were in my navel and I was stoked, but then I stood up and realized it was just a sitting illusion. I have to dig up some old photos for you so that I can show you a timeline of what I have gone through getting my ends even, and a natural/straightened pic so you can see how blunt my ends actually are.

I need a back shot of my hair so that I can truly estimate my length in comparison to people. I am definetely past BSL by 3", but some peoples measurements are longer than mine and they are not past BSL length... Good luck everybody!

Finoriel
December 8th, 2008, 01:32 AM
I´m half with you :wink: sort of.
My hemline is already blunt. I'm maintaining it to keep it blunt and thicken up the ends eventually. I´ll have to see if they will become thicker or if I´m close to terminal length and this is all thickness I will get here. My hair already is at fingertip length so it would be not a big deal for me if it´s nearing terminal.
So I´m maintaining here for a while, trimming off all and every new growth every other month.

MerryKat
December 8th, 2008, 04:06 AM
I also have layers that I am getting rid of.
I am in the same boat as you guys - I have layers I want rid off, but I am not prepared to cut them away in one go.

In the time I have been at LHC, I have tried cutting away length to even the hemline and trimming a small amount every month. For me neither option worked as the drastic cut made me very sad and unhappy about loosing the length and the abiltiy to do updo's I had gotten used to (as well as triangle hair thanks to the waves / curls), while trimming a small amount every month became irritating as nothing seemed to happen (and the more I cut the more I wanted to cut).

October 07 to September 08 I was part of the No Trimming Club and apart from periodic S&D's I did let scissors near my hair. I also joined the Wear Hair Up Club and between the two I got 6 inches of growth (good for me).

I had a haircut in September 08 of about 1.5 inches and the remaining layer trimmed as well. I will not cut again until September 09 and then I should be able to cut out the last layer as well as having gained a year's growth. I will continue with S&D as I need it as I really find it helps prevent tangles and snarls at the ends. I am also wearing my hair up 80 to 90&#37; of the time which makes it easier to forget the layers.

Katze
December 8th, 2008, 04:30 AM
Here is the trick I think: Keep your har in a bun, covered in deep conditioner and/or oils, ALL/MOST of the time. Take it down only for special occasions, style it only for special occasions. Cut off the parts you can no longer stand, maintain the longest length you feel looks good, and just practice your updos in this time. Once you pass boob length, you lose a lot of manageability for styling. Having a good foundation in updoing your hair is essential when you "cross the barrier"...

...what I am suggesting is the course of action that causes the least ammount of damage, and a psychological trick for appreciating growth.

Keeping your hair in a bun or a braid for most of the time really helps you see your growth progessing a lot easier, instead of counting each millimeter of growth IMHO. If you are not happy with the way your hair looks down, you might try all kinds of heat-styling and damage what you should be protecting and nurturing. Ask me why I came to this conclusion.

I went the "microtrim" route for the last 3 years, and I could cut off a few inches, and still have long hair..but then I would lose all that length!
...get a really cute under-shoulder length cut that you will really like, instead of trying to have a hairstyle 3 inches longer that does not satisfy your sense of beauty. I think it is better to have good looking, stylish, healthy hair than to have long hair that has a lot of damage, or that you are not completely happy with. It is the journey, not the destination.



I'm confused about your advice.

Putting my hair up doesn't work for me. I have so many different layers, and such severe taper, that 1) I have to redo updos several times a day, which is a hassle and waste of time, 2) they don't look so good anyway, because my ends are so thin compared to my crown, and 3) my ends get further damaged from trying to secure them. I can do braids, and have been wearing pinned-up braids with oiled-conditioned hair on pre-wash days, but for the most part I want to wear my hair down, at least when it looks good! I still have not figured out how to make most updos work given my hair's limitations.

My main reason for having long hair is that it makes me feel good about myself, and like 'me' - when it's down, and behaving.

above-the-shoulder looks bad on me. Shoulder and below looks good, but since I've been losing my wave I am even more sensitive about the thin ends.

Do any of you with thin ends also have hair that is very thick at the crown? Kind of the opposite of triangle head... What do you do about it? CAN you minimize/get rid of this?

WindowDressing
December 8th, 2008, 08:09 AM
Well, I guess my answer also would be that my hair does grow at different rates at different times as we discovered since the big hacking job in April/May 2007.

And since tb is the longest I can tolerate, I suppose that a blunt hemline is inevitable.

Not sure what to make of the "crappy old-hag" thing. :confused:

I guess that I look at the hemline as a dress with a "handkerchief" hemline looks very pretty too. Perhaps it is just a personal preference, or bad taste on my part, but I don't think wispy ends looks bad at all. I think it looks romantic. Some of the "new" short hairstlyes have a ragged hemline, including those shaggy bangs.

So that is what I was wondering with my original question. And I think y'all answered it, some prefer blunt, some prefer wispy.

Hugs!
WD :)

MsBubbles
December 8th, 2008, 08:57 AM
Not sure what to make of the "crappy old-hag" thing. :confused:

Perhaps it is just a personal preference, or bad taste on my part, but I don't think wispy ends looks bad at all. :)

I could try to be a bit more politically correct I guess, and I'm sure I could have come up with something more creative than crappy old hag. Chalk it up to my being lazy and brain dead. I should go back and replace crappy old hag with something else more polite. I just think at my age and upwards, it's a better ad for long hair if the hair in question looks groomed, cared for and in good condition. And this all pertains to me of course, from my point of view, about myself, and really has nothing to do about anybody else's hair on them. They can do what they like. This is just how I want to look - hair with a neat hemline, not straggly, and in nice condition. Sorry to have confused you.

And yes definitely, some people prefer a taper, some people prefer blunt, which is why I specified it in the title of the thread. I'm not saying anybody has to agree with me, but that this is just what I'm shooting for, hence my starting this thread.

MsBubbles
December 8th, 2008, 09:08 AM
I appreciate all the replies from people of various lengths! And the replies from those with waist or TB length hair help me realize that I think maintaining at 25" is the right thing for me to do with my particular hair. So that helps ease the frustration that I keep trimming off long bottom layers that are in great shape :).

I am also leaning towards a 'forget about it' approach for six months, and to throw myself into some other project, like somehow saving $50 a week, or otherwise improving my career prospects, and using the time I'd spend oggling other people's waist length (or beyond) hair on these projects instead.

Hmm, I wonder if there's a what-are-you-doing-to-forget-about-your-hair-for-six-months thread :D.

WindowDressing
December 8th, 2008, 09:35 AM
I could try to be a bit more politically correct I guess, and I'm sure I could have come up with something more creative than crappy old hag. Chalk it up to my being lazy and brain dead. I should go back and replace crappy old hag with something else more polite. I just think at my age and upwards, it's a better ad for long hair if the hair in question looks groomed, cared for and in good condition. And this all pertains to me of course, from my point of view, about myself, and really has nothing to do about anybody else's hair on them. They can do what they like. This is just how I want to look - hair with a neat hemline, not straggly, and in nice condition. Sorry to have confused you.

And yes definitely, some people prefer a taper, some people prefer blunt, which is why I specified it in the title of the thread. I'm not saying anybody has to agree with me, but that this is just what I'm shooting for, hence my starting this thread.

Politeness is always nice. :) I was simply wondering if the struggle you were having with blunt was because of some self-perception or projection onto those who are fine and happy with wispy. Healthy hair like mine grows wispy, it isn't breaking. Once I learned here why it was tangling, it was the two different textures of hairs which couldn't stand up to "normal" shampoo routines without the deep conditioning my stylist had always done.

No offense taken or intended, just trying to understand the perception as you described it.

I do hope when you get to be my age you'll have all your layers out and exactly the way you prefer your hemline so NEVER give up!

Love and Hugs!
WD :)

MsBubbles
December 8th, 2008, 09:48 AM
Politeness is always nice. :)

You are right, and thanks for the reminder. :agree:

Your hair looks super shiny, by the way.

Phalaenopsis
December 8th, 2008, 09:54 AM
I'm doing it whilst growing. :) So every time I have to give up some length, but not all of it, so it't still growing a bit.
At waist I want to do like you and grow all those hidden layers out. I love the blunt ends when my hair is freshly cut. :)

Katze
December 8th, 2008, 09:54 AM
I just think at my age and upwards, it's a better ad for long hair if the hair in question looks groomed, cared for and in good condition. And this all pertains to me of course, from my point of view, about myself, and really has nothing to do about anybody else's hair on them. They can do what they like. This is just how I want to look - hair with a neat hemline, not straggly, and in nice condition. Sorry to have confused you.


That's exactly my dilemma, too. There are people here who are fine with a wispy hemline or see through ends; I'm not. For a number of reasons, I try to look as put-together as I possibly can given my appearance and genetics, and this applies to hair. My hair comes across better, and I then come across better, if it looks groomed and cared for. In my opinion, wispy, see through ends ON ME don't look groomed or cared for. They look straggly and damaged, even if they are not.

There is so much diversity in the world and so much beauty in this diversity. Others can, and should, choose to have their hair the way THEY want - and may they get this! :flower:

It should be OK for us to say our goal is a blunt hemline, and why. :)

MsBubbles
December 8th, 2008, 10:17 AM
I try to look as put-together as I possibly can given my appearance and genetics,

Lol! Great sentence! I can relate...

WindowDressing
December 8th, 2008, 10:23 AM
You are right, and thanks for the reminder. :agree:

Your hair looks super shiny, by the way.

Thank you dear MsBubbles, LHC saved my greying mane and also to keep it safe out of the spa water (brominated). I wouldn't have any hair left without y'all here!!!

:cheese:

LHCers RAWK!

Love and Hugs!
WD :)

WindowDressing
December 8th, 2008, 10:29 AM
...
It should be OK for us to say our goal is a blunt hemline, and why. :)

It is perfectly OK!! As is wispy. Again, I only wanted to understand MsBubbles struggle. As y'all have called it a dilemma, and that does sound stressful.

I rarely wear my hair down in a dressed-up setting so I think maybe I perceive wearing my hair down as casual. Like for a meeting with a client I would wear a tidy updo and a dress, maybe a suitcoat or dressy blazer with that. For business casual I often braid overnight and then have wavy half updo or wear a headband. Like so:

*linky edited out*

This was for a wedding but just to attend the reception.

Hugs!
WD :)

Fantak
December 8th, 2008, 12:25 PM
Wow.. you have gorgeous hair WindowDressing it looks so thick and full of life :love:

WindowDressing
December 8th, 2008, 03:46 PM
Wow.. you have gorgeous hair WindowDressing it looks so thick and full of life :love:

:o

Thank you dear Fantak! It looks so much thicker when I braid the night before.

Love and Hugs!
WD :)

30isthenewblack
December 10th, 2008, 02:49 AM
I do not wish to have a blunt hemline as I think a 'V' or 'U' shaped hemline looks better with my curls but I am thinking about maintaining my hair at either 30" or 33" and letting the layers grow longer :smile: Just a thought at this stage.

Debra83
December 10th, 2008, 03:09 AM
hey MsBubbles, I'm right there with ya!

I've been here for, what, almost 3 years? In that time, I've gone from around shoulder/APL (maybe 22 inches?) to "just" BSL (my hair is 26-27", depending on if I measure to the very longest ends, and "just" covers most of most of my bra straps, if that makes sense. ;) ) Wow, 5 inches in 3 years! It kind of sounds like a lot, actually...but I am not the best at scientific measuring

I'm a little confused by this. Please clarify...doesn't hair grow at a rate of about an 1/2 inch per month? So wouldn't your hair have grown at least 18" in a 3 year period instead of 5"? :confused:

Katze
December 10th, 2008, 04:42 AM
I'm a little confused by this. Please clarify...doesn't hair grow at a rate of about an 1/2 inch per month? So wouldn't your hair have grown at least 18" in a 3 year period instead of 5"? :confused:

Well, first of all with the layers I have, it's hard to measure my hair. Do I measure to the longest hair on my head?

Secondly I've been trimming since the beginning. My hair was bleached when I came here, and I had not used conditioner in a long time, so you can imagine what kind of condition it was in.

That combined with a heavily layered shag cut means I have cut lots more than I have gained. If I had just grown, well, I shudder to think how my ends would have looked. 1 or 2 long hairs reaching down to my thighs, but thickness really starting at shoulder?!? NOT my idea of nice hair! As it is I have severe taper, from 3 inches thick at the crown to the width of a narrow knitting needle at the ends. This is slowly moving down, and this is why I keep trimming - quality over quantity!

Sometimes I see people who joined when I did who are at my goal and beyond, and their hair looks good. But they came here with healthy hair, and I didn't. I was not willing to get length at any cost - I want hair that looks good on me.

MsBubbles
December 10th, 2008, 07:00 AM
I do not wish to have a blunt hemline as I think a 'V' or 'U' shaped hemline looks better with my curls but I am thinking about maintaining my hair at either 30" or 33" and letting the layers grow longer :smile: Just a thought at this stage.

Yeah I thought after I started it that I should have maybe said 'maintaining to grow out layers' instead. A 'V' or a U always looks so pretty on people with waves or curls.

Either way growing out the layers can be frustrating.

MsBubbles
December 10th, 2008, 07:10 AM
Well, first of all with the layers I have, it's hard to measure my hair. Do I measure to the longest hair on my head?

I have a hard time seeing or identifying those back layers that aren't grown out yet...but unfortunately I know they're there because they stick out (and not in a cute, flipped way, either!) when I'm at work or somewhere and I can't contort myself, armed with a tape measure like I try to at home. So I just kind of guestimate that my layers are about 2-3" up from the hemline.

I think that after I will have been a member of LHC for maybe a year and half (April 08 - Oct 09) I will have had an overall length gain of only 3" (22" - 25") because of damaged, highlighted ends as well as damaged, highlighted layers that will need babying and tidying up once they get to 25" (hopefully around May 2009). I'm not even going to calculate how much length I would have otherwise had in that time, had I started with 22" of virgin, all one length hair :rant:.

But one of my (hip-length) hair idols had to go through this about six years ago so that helps me immensely! Nowadays people say to her all the time "You have incredible hair genes".

saoriiroas
December 10th, 2008, 07:29 PM
Katze- I had a lot of trouble doing updo's also when I had more layers, I could not even put my hair in a braid because of all the chunks of hair flying out of it. I usually do a (ponytail wrapped up)bun for work, because I *will* fidget and redo my hair many times a day, and even though I do not think it is the most flattering look for me, I have beautiful hair when I take it down for home. Long butterfly clips (I am not sure if that is what they are really called) I think are the best tool for shoulder length. I am a klutz and cant figure out hair sticks... :( Anything more complicated than a hair band or a butterfly clip and I end up with a hairball! My hair was basically like yours for two years, I just kept cutting my long ends off until my crown caught up. I would have to cut 4 inches of length off to have a "true" blunt hemline now, I still have stubborn Long bangs...grr.
My original post was fueled by some really cute haircut pictures I saw, that I wish I had done when my hair was at that length. One was an APL length cut for fine/medium straight hair, it was basically a long bob with bangs, and it was very cute and modern. If I ever go short again, it will be for a bob!

MsBubbles: I only cut my hair once or twice a year, s+d constantly though. I constantly have to come up with moisturising techniques to be able to deal with my ends, so new conditioning methods are my distraction!

Edited because I messed up my new sig and it did not show up!

Cinnamon Hair
December 11th, 2008, 05:03 PM
It is the journey, not the destination.

100% agree! It is important to enjoy every length, not just your ideal length and thickness of hair.

I am maintaining length while trying for a more blunt hemline myself and have been since I reached knee length a year(+) ago. The difference being, I'm already at my length goal, past it really, so aside from thicker ends I am goalless. It could take years or may not even be possible for my ends to become super thick. Not sure what I will do next.

Katze
December 12th, 2008, 01:50 AM
I am maintaining length while trying for a more blunt hemline myself and have been since I reached knee length a year(+) ago. The difference being, I'm already at my length goal, past it really, so aside from thicker ends I am goalless. It could take years or may not even be possible for my ends to become super thick. Not sure what I will do next.

Is it true that some people will never have thicker ends? I was thinking about this topic while falling asleep last night, after oiling my ends for today's swim and looking at the heavy taper I have. The taper isn't just where the layers end; it starts up by my ears. A thickish strand of hair - heck, even ALL my hair gathered together - tapers down to literally nothing. This taper is pretty consistent down my length. I'd love to be rid of it, but am thinking maybe I can never get a blunt hemline, ever, unless I cut my hair into a bob again...

30isthenewblack
December 12th, 2008, 01:58 AM
Yeah I thought after I started it that I should have maybe said 'maintaining to grow out layers' instead. A 'V' or a U always looks so pretty on people with waves or curls.

Either way growing out the layers can be frustrating.

That's ok - I just invited myself along on your thread :) I did a microtrim tonight. My front layers seem to be breaking off. They are the most damaged by bleach. The only thing I can do is keep on babying them. The funny thing is that I trimmed 0.5" off my longest layer a month ago to try and even up with the next layer and it seems to have had a super growth spurt and it's even longer than it was before. My hair does love a trim!

MsBubbles
December 12th, 2008, 07:15 AM
Is it true that some people will never have thicker ends? I was thinking about this topic while falling asleep last night, after oiling my ends for today's swim and looking at the heavy taper I have. The taper isn't just where the layers end; it starts up by my ears. A thickish strand of hair - heck, even ALL my hair gathered together - tapers down to literally nothing. This taper is pretty consistent down my length. I'd love to be rid of it, but am thinking maybe I can never get a blunt hemline, ever, unless I cut my hair into a bob again...

Well you did say that your thicker section was slowly but surely making its way downwards. So I'd think that you are making progress towards having all-over thickness as opposed to a severe taper, so hang in there. Could you have cut your hair into an all-one-length bob when you started here 3 years ago? I look at Cinnamon Hair's photo and see how thick her hair is at my goal length (around hip/TB) and can't imagine mine ever being that thick!


That's ok - I just invited myself along on your thread :) I did a microtrim tonight. My front layers seem to be breaking off. They are the most damaged by bleach. The only thing I can do is keep on babying them. The funny thing is that I trimmed 0.5" off my longest layer a month ago to try and even up with the next layer and it seems to have had a super growth spurt and it's even longer than it was before. My hair does love a trim!

I'm glad you're here! I have the same phenomenon with that bottom .5" layer I keep trimming back. Seems like my damaged canopy layers grow at .005" a month in comparison. It's probably (for me) just an illusion because that bottom layer is in such better condition, since it hasn't been outside of my head for as long as the upper canopy. Oh well.

Katze
December 12th, 2008, 11:20 AM
Well you did say that your thicker section was slowly but surely making its way downwards. So I'd think that you are making progress towards having all-over thickness as opposed to a severe taper, so hang in there. Could you have cut your hair into an all-one-length bob when you started here 3 years ago? I look at Cinnamon Hair's photo and see how thick her hair is at my goal length (around hip/TB) and can't imagine mine ever being that thick!


CinnamonHair is a iii, though; I wonder if that makes a difference? Her hair IS thick, especially at waist. It's either a matter of time (patient growing and trimming) or of good genes (terminal length lower down on the body, thick hair to begin with). I am hoping it's the former. :)

In my case I feel like the taper is working its way down, but it's moved down maybe 2-3 inches in 2 1/2 years. Now my hair is so much thicker at the crown that I am hoping this will continue, but it could be a result of pregnancy hormones. Still, not all my baby hairs are from pregnancy, so there's hope!

Bobs look terrible on me. I have a very round face, short neck, and am stocky in build, so they tend to age and 'dumpify' me. Anything above shoulder is awkward and unflattering, but I do keep thinking that cutting it all off at the thickest point *might* solve my taper problem...or it might NOT. Then I'd lose some nice virgin length that isn't TOO thin...

Thinking a lot about this issue and I might try to take some 'taper' pics this weekend to see if anyone has more concrete advice...

MsBubbles
December 12th, 2008, 11:48 AM
CinnamonHair is a iii, though; I wonder if that makes a difference? Her hair IS thick, especially at waist. It's either a matter of time (patient growing and trimming) or of good genes (terminal length lower down on the body, thick hair to begin with). I am hoping it's the former. :)

In my case I feel like the taper is working its way down, but it's moved down maybe 2-3 inches in 2 1/2 years. Now my hair is so much thicker at the crown that I am hoping this will continue, but it could be a result of pregnancy hormones. Still, not all my baby hairs are from pregnancy, so there's hope!

Bobs look terrible on me. I have a very round face, short neck, and am stocky in build, so they tend to age and 'dumpify' me. Anything above shoulder is awkward and unflattering, but I do keep thinking that cutting it all off at the thickest point *might* solve my taper problem...or it might NOT. Then I'd lose some nice virgin length that isn't TOO thin...

Thinking a lot about this issue and I might try to take some 'taper' pics this weekend to see if anyone has more concrete advice...

Yes Cinnamonhair's hair is thicker than mine too. I guess I was looking at it relative to her own thickness though. And so if my hair, relative to its own thinness, were as thick as hers is relative to her thickness, I'd be happy, even though it'll NEVER EVER be as thick as cinamonhair's. Not sure if I explained that properly.

I'd be really happy to see your photos, Katze! It looks like you actually have a lot of hair that is between APL & BSL, but in your latest pic it's sort of splayed out across your shoulders and back. Maybe wear a slinky silky top or something (bossing you around here, sorry!). It's really hard for me to set the timer on my camera and get in front of it without my hair all falling in front again, thus robbing me of thickness at the back.

I'm not suggesting you give yourself a short bob. I was just wondering whether you could have had an all one length bob when you first started here, and if not, then I was gonna say that you have made progress in that way, it's just hard to tell when you have longer, tapered hair.

AngelInDisguise
December 12th, 2008, 11:50 AM
:drama: Oh yes, this is a thread for me.

My lenght is just over shoulders now - but unfortunately this is only really true for the rear part of the head. I still have a very short face frame (chin length) and layers nearly up to the ears.

I was at first not sure, whether it wouldn't be a good idea to keep the layers as all hairstylists said this would make look the hair more voluminos. This might be true if you wash and blowdry and style everyday and have the hair down. But even a ponytail is a nightmare as it is just sooooo thin. Bad thing is: I'm really a "wear-hair-up" lover, I never had it down much when I had long hair. AND I simply love all this cute hairdos one can find instructions for in the www.

Maybe a blunt hemline is a thing most fine-haired long to have. I personally think that my hair looks as being 'more' with sharp cut ends. On me fairytale ends would only look like a not taken care of lousy mess.

I plan to loose as few centimeters as possible until I reach APL. Then I think I will start trimming as described by others earlier: Cut a tiny bit of the new growth off to keep the feeling the hair still gets longer AND at the same time loose layers.

Tangles
December 12th, 2008, 12:04 PM
Katze, I look at your avatar and see abundant, fine locks with great fairytaling potential. Why would you cut after all the progress you've made? The thickness WILL go down, it will.

girlcat36
December 12th, 2008, 01:16 PM
I'm pretty certain no matter what length I am at, I will always have see-through ends.
I forget that sometimes, and then I get the urge to cut back and even things up.
When I do give in to the scissors, very soon after, I have see-through ends again.
So I guess to me, it's better to have long see-through ends rather than short ones.

I would certainly prefer to have a lush, thick curly hemline like Darkwaves, but really, that will never happen.
My ends will always be wispy, and my hair slightly messsy.

Katze
December 12th, 2008, 03:26 PM
Katze, I look at your avatar and see abundant, fine locks with great fairytaling potential. Why would you cut after all the progress you've made? The thickness WILL go down, it will.

Thanks Tangles. :flower: My hair is thick(er) but only at the crown. I've been trimming only since coming here - from 2 inches to light dustings - and the taper just doesn't go away. Yes, my ends are thicker, but they are still embarassingly thin. I can't believe this is JUST a fine hair problem, or JUST a matter of layers, bangs growing out, and new growth...

MsBubbles, pics are decieving. Weightless hair can indeed fan out and look like it's more hair than it is, but I probably shot 10 different pics to get that one! Some of the others from the same day are horrifying.

Fairytaling looks fine when my hair is clean and wavy, but my waves seem to be disappearing and the thin ends look BAD in any other context but voluminously wavy.

Just took some pics on freshly washed, uncombed hair, to show how severe, yet regular, my taper is. Please ignore the intense facial expression. It's normal for me. ;)

Pics (sorry, I STILL can't get pics to work in a post! The [ IMG ] code thing only gives me a little box with a blue question mark in it.

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/album.php?albumid=218&pictureid=26869

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/album.php?albumid=218&pictureid=26866

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/album.php?albumid=218&pictureid=26867

Cinnamon Hair
December 12th, 2008, 09:00 PM
Is it true that some people will never have thicker ends? I was thinking about this topic while falling asleep last night, after oiling my ends for today's swim and looking at the heavy taper I have. The taper isn't just where the layers end; it starts up by my ears. A thickish strand of hair - heck, even ALL my hair gathered together - tapers down to literally nothing. This taper is pretty consistent down my length. I'd love to be rid of it, but am thinking maybe I can never get a blunt hemline, ever, unless I cut my hair into a bob again...


CinnamonHair is a iii, though; I wonder if that makes a difference? Her hair IS thick, especially at waist. It's either a matter of time (patient growing and trimming) or of good genes (terminal length lower down on the body, thick hair to begin with). I am hoping it's the former. :)

In my case I feel like the taper is working its way down, but it's moved down maybe 2-3 inches in 2 1/2 years. Now my hair is so much thicker at the crown that I am hoping this will continue, but it could be a result of pregnancy hormones. Still, not all my baby hairs are from pregnancy, so there's hope!

Bobs look terrible on me. I have a very round face, short neck, and am stocky in build, so they tend to age and 'dumpify' me. Anything above shoulder is awkward and unflattering, but I do keep thinking that cutting it all off at the thickest point *might* solve my taper problem...or it might NOT. Then I'd lose some nice virgin length that isn't TOO thin...

Thinking a lot about this issue and I might try to take some 'taper' pics this weekend to see if anyone has more concrete advice...


Yes Cinnamonhair's hair is thicker than mine too. I guess I was looking at it relative to her own thickness though. And so if my hair, relative to its own thinness, were as thick as hers is relative to her thickness, I'd be happy, even though it'll NEVER EVER be as thick as cinamonhair's. Not sure if I explained that properly.

I'd be really happy to see your photos, Katze! It looks like you actually have a lot of hair that is between APL & BSL, but in your latest pic it's sort of splayed out across your shoulders and back. Maybe wear a slinky silky top or something (bossing you around here, sorry!). It's really hard for me to set the timer on my camera and get in front of it without my hair all falling in front again, thus robbing me of thickness at the back.

I'm not suggesting you give yourself a short bob. I was just wondering whether you could have had an all one length bob when you first started here, and if not, then I was gonna say that you have made progress in that way, it's just hard to tell when you have longer, tapered hair.

Katze, I looked at your pics and from what I can see, especially in the braid pic, you have lots of hair that is close to fitting into the braid and in a couple years would make it much more plump/thick.

If you have layers, then once those are grown out you should see some improvement in thickness. Also, if you cared for your hair differently before joining LHC and now you have made significant changes then there should be new growth from that point as well. --That was my main problem. Before LHC I didn't care properly for my hair and hadn't trimmed it in a long time so I had extreme fairy tale ends and damaged hair on top of that. Slowly over the years I have been trimming the ends to get to the point where my hair is thicker. Of course as I did that my hair also grew so the thicker area that once started at my waist is now is much lower.

Whether it is possible to get blunt ends depends on what you had to start with. If a person has thin hair that has been well cared for with no layers or chemical, heat, or other damage then their hair is probably already at its maximum thickness. Over time, if they are not at terminal length, then it will grow and they can trim to get blunt ends. If it was already close to terminal, then you would have to cut higher up to have blunt ends instead of the natural taper.

Demetrue
December 12th, 2008, 09:39 PM
That's one of my problems, too. My shortest layer in back measured from the crown is about 4 inches and my longest in back, measured from the crown is 9 inches. That's 10 months of growth. The longest part in back has just hit my shoulders and is starting to flip straight upward (my hair is wavy and always does a stupid looking flip at that point in its growth - and that is why I often have cut it back up to chin length bob so it will flip back under). My new game plan is to start doing a french braid and just pinning the length in back for a while, and oiling all the various ends with a mixture of glycerin/rosewater, a squirt of aloe vera gel and one drop of jojoba oil - and also continue with the catnip and cassia treatments to quiet down all the split ends that I have at every single layer of hair. Then, when the longest layer gets past the flip up, then flips down, then starts to flip back up again, maybe close to APL (?), I will do a little trim every month or 2 months on just the longest layer to the point where the hair flips under. But I would have to do that for around 10 months to get all the layers the same length. The other plan would be to grow it as is till it no longer flips up, then grow for another 10 months and then just cut off 5 inches, which would leave it pretty much all one length, but a little longer than it is now and flipping the right way.
At this point, since I am older and I do not think my hair is growing as fast as it used too, and I am impatient, I may just stick to catnip and cassia, jojoba and aloe and leave it alone till it gets as long as I would like it (which may take 1.5-2 years), and then maintain for 10 months until all the layers are gone.

Katze
December 13th, 2008, 03:54 AM
Katze, I looked at your pics and from what I can see, especially in the braid pic, you have lots of hair that is close to fitting into the braid and in a couple years would make it much more plump/thick.

If you have layers, then once those are grown out you should see some improvement in thickness. Also, if you cared for your hair differently before joining LHC and now you have made significant changes then there should be new growth from that point as well. --That was my main problem. Before LHC I didn't care properly for my hair and hadn't trimmed it in a long time so I had extreme fairy tale ends and damaged hair on top of that. Slowly over the years I have been trimming the ends to get to the point where my hair is thicker. Of course as I did that my hair also grew so the thicker area that once started at my waist is now is much lower.

Whether it is possible to get blunt ends depends on what you had to start with. If a person has thin hair that has been well cared for with no layers or chemical, heat, or other damage then their hair is probably already at its maximum thickness. Over time, if they are not at terminal length, then it will grow and they can trim to get blunt ends. If it was already close to terminal, then you would have to cut higher up to have blunt ends instead of the natural taper.

Thanks CinnamonHair, again!

My hair had lots of damage, but those parts are mostly grown out. The layers are more of a problem, since I had face faming fringe, bangs, and a heavily layered cut they are all over from chin to shoulder length.

Also, my hair always tended to be thin, but I think this was the result of bad diet, depression, borderline thyroid problems, etc. In Spring 2006 I started seeing LOTS of baby hairs come in, and this pattern continued on and off, increasing again since I have been pregnant. From my part down to about ear length I have tons of new growth sticking out of the canopy. So I am hoping you are right. I am really making an effort to eat well (not that I ate badly before, but even more whole grains, less sugar, more fruit and veggies, etc) and taking good care of myself and my hair. I do hope that this increasing thickness that you can also see in the pics stays after my baby kitty is born!

Demetrue said:


That's one of my problems, too. My shortest layer in back measured from the crown is about 4 inches and my longest in back, measured from the crown is 9 inches. That's 10 months of growth. The longest part in back has just hit my shoulders and is starting to flip straight upward (my hair is wavy and always does a stupid looking flip at that point in its growth - and that is why I often have cut it back up to chin length bob so it will flip back under). My new game plan is to start doing a french braid and just pinning the length in back for a while, and oiling all the various ends with a mixture of glycerin/rosewater, a squirt of aloe vera gel and one drop of jojoba oil - and also continue with the catnip and cassia treatments to quiet down all the split ends that I have at every single layer of hair. Then, when the longest layer gets past the flip up, then flips down, then starts to flip back up again, maybe close to APL (?), I will do a little trim every month or 2 months on just the longest layer to the point where the hair flips under. But I would have to do that for around 10 months to get all the layers the same length. The other plan would be to grow it as is till it no longer flips up, then grow for another 10 months and then just cut off 5 inches, which would leave it pretty much all one length, but a little longer than it is now and flipping the right way.
At this point, since I am older and I do not think my hair is growing as fast as it used too, and I am impatient, I may just stick to catnip and cassia, jojoba and aloe and leave it alone till it gets as long as I would like it (which may take 1.5-2 years), and then maintain for 10 months until all the layers are gone.


Demetrue, I bet when you grow those layers out even more you will get pretty waves. My hair always flips starting at ear length, leading to the dreaded 'First Lady Hair' at any length between ear and shoulder. Your hair might just need more length to make lazy ringlets instead of flips! Mine did.

Yes, it does take a long time to grow and catch up layers. As I think I said earlier in this post, I have been here for almost 4 years and have gone from shoulder to BSL in that time. But I also have had damage and bleach to get rid of.

What happens if you scrunch and twirl the 'flippy' parts with aloe or even hair gel? I mix gel with leave-in conditioner and smear it liberally on my ends, usually when they are mostly dry, to get a bit more wave. Misting also helps moisturize my ends so they spiral instead of flip, but as you can see from my avatar pic, mine flip nicely too. I prefer SOME motion rather than them being straight, so I don't mind it so much.

Maybe those aren't splits, but new growth?!?

Demetrue
December 13th, 2008, 08:32 AM
Okay - here's to growing from First Lady hair to lazy ringlets!!!

Anje
December 13th, 2008, 11:15 AM
Thought I'd post some progress pics, for what it's worth. Large versions can be found in my album...

End of September vs December (now)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3243/3105363116_fb87080c69_m.jpg http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3177/3105363130_262fcce74d_m.jpg

(Yeah, I guess I'm fishing for comments. Oh well.)

Katze, I suspect your hair is at least as thick as mine, and could likely be thicker when all the layers and damage have grown out. I'd like to think mine's starting to look thick, when it's loose, at least. It still looks puny when I put it up, and probably always will, due to its fineness and tendency to compact.

MsBubbles
December 13th, 2008, 01:10 PM
Wow, Anje! That's great progress!

MsBubbles
December 13th, 2008, 01:12 PM
Hey Katze, did you get your thyroid issues sorted out? I'm on TSH now permanently (have been for 14 years). Also iron is a biggie for me regarding hair thickness. If I get depleted I lose a lot of hair and probably go down to a (i) thickness. But iron and TSH negate each other, so I understand, so I have to make sure I take them at least 4 hours apart.

30isthenewblack
December 13th, 2008, 02:40 PM
Anje and Cinnamon Hair - very inspirational! I also found Aisling's (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=16938) three year anniversary post very inspirational as well. It was a good example of how you can trim your hair but still achieve great results. I had to laugh at her 'galloper's' comment. I have those as well and it doesn't matter how times I have to even them up. I always em - there's no prize at the end fellas! Curly hair hides a lot of sins. I did a microtrim yesterday and will continue to trim my hair until I reach waist curly and then I will start to maintain my hair at that length. Hopefully I will reach my goal in May 09.

MsBubbles
December 13th, 2008, 03:43 PM
I also found Aisling's (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=16938) three year anniversary post very inspirational as well.

Thanks for linking to that. I agree.

I have yet to get my hair to where Aisling's was in her first photo on that thread. After that though (blunt at BSL) I hope to also get about 4" of length each year whilst maintaining a straight-across hemline, hair willing. Although Aisling has thicker hair than I do.

Fantak
December 13th, 2008, 06:35 PM
Wow Anje your hair looks gorgeous it looks so wonderfully thick, even at the ends, and the colour is beautiful! It really is inspirational! and in such a short time too ^.^

Will you carry on maintaining at this length or have you decided to start growing again?

invisiblebabe
December 13th, 2008, 06:39 PM
I'm maintaining at just above waist, because it's the best length for me IMO.... the ends look nice and thick, and I'm also still trimming off hair that's been dyed many many times (now I only do highlights on the top layer, I need some brightness around my face).

Katze
December 14th, 2008, 10:32 AM
Hey Katze, did you get your thyroid issues sorted out? I'm on TSH now permanently (have been for 14 years). Also iron is a biggie for me regarding hair thickness. If I get depleted I lose a lot of hair and probably go down to a (i) thickness. But iron and TSH negate each other, so I understand, so I have to make sure I take them at least 4 hours apart.

Hi MsBubbles, no doctor could find that my thyroid was really low, so they won't treat it as such. Acupuncture was great, really helped slow hair loss, but it is very hard to find here. So I am taking care of myself the best way I know how, and it seems to be working. The shedding has diminished and my thin temple hair has grown in. Some of this might be pregnancy, however: the same hormones that seem to cause other women to gain weight, get bloated, etc. are having the opposite effect on me.

If and when I can afford it after the baby comes I am going to pay out of pocket for a full homeopathic diagnosis treatment from my physician. Insurance won't cover it, but since I can't find an acupuncturist here, I am hoping homeopathy will have a similar effect...

Katze
December 14th, 2008, 10:37 AM
Thought I'd post some progress pics, for what it's worth. Large versions can be found in my album...

End of September vs December (now)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3243/3105363116_fb87080c69_m.jpg http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3177/3105363130_262fcce74d_m.jpg

(Yeah, I guess I'm fishing for comments. Oh well.)

Katze, I suspect your hair is at least as thick as mine, and could likely be thicker when all the layers and damage have grown out. I'd like to think mine's starting to look thick, when it's loose, at least. It still looks puny when I put it up, and probably always will, due to its fineness and tendency to compact.

Anje, your hair is definitely thickening up. Your ends are looking really nice, and your hair in general seems thick and shiny. Have you trimmed? It looks like it...and yes, it does look thick when loose. Maybe we have the same problem in terms of compacting hair. I do feel like I have a lot of hair when it's down, certainly more than I've ever had! It's just the ends and the severe taper that make me sad.

Anje
December 14th, 2008, 12:02 PM
Wow, Anje! That's great progress!
Anje and Cinnamon Hair - very inspirational!
Wow Anje your hair looks gorgeous it looks so wonderfully thick, even at the ends, and the colour is beautiful! It really is inspirational! and in such a short time too ^.^

Will you carry on maintaining at this length or have you decided to start growing again?
Thanks folks!

I think I'm going to maintain this length a few months more, then start growing again.

Anje, your hair is definitely thickening up. Your ends are looking really nice, and your hair in general seems thick and shiny. Have you trimmed? It looks like it...and yes, it does look thick when loose. Maybe we have the same problem in terms of compacting hair. I do feel like I have a lot of hair when it's down, certainly more than I've ever had! It's just the ends and the severe taper that make me sad.
I've trimmed it about twice since the picture, just to maintain the length.

The compacting hair thing is definitely a pain, though. I always feel like my braids are miserably thin, and my buns are tiny for my length. I'm only starting to be able to use my large Maximas without horrible pulling, and that's only on tight, compact buns that hold it sufficiently open. Anything looser and the tip will close on a few hairs, then it will rotate and pull.

MsBubbles
December 14th, 2008, 06:21 PM
I just uploaded some photos (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/album.php?albumid=2225) I took in early November 2008 of my straggly hemline. These are the ones I wouldn't normally admit to on LHC but since I'm doing a layer-growing project I thought I'd upload them, so now other people can feel better about their own hair :D.

I'm really looking forward to the 'after' photos - sometime in 2009? :pray: I am curious to find out whether having my hair all one length and bluntly cut will eliminate such a straggly appearance. But I think if it's all trim-looking, conditioned with little to no splits, I can live with the back of my hair hanging in strings like that. I think once the highlights have grown out it'll look/hang better.

It is hard to get the camera-timer working outside and to position myself with my hair not flying all around before it takes the photo.

Katze
December 15th, 2008, 10:08 AM
Strings? Where? I see chunks and growing out layers, but not strings. You seem to have minimal taper, making your hair look - at least to my eyes - like it is thick, but just that you have old layers.

Really, there is nothing to be embarassed about with these pics. I have some in my album that make yours look like hair model photos, and those were days when my hair looked GOOD in the front!

You seem to have very little taper, which means you only have until those layers grow out before your hemline is blunt. Lucky!

MsBubbles
December 15th, 2008, 03:42 PM
I have some in my album that make yours look like hair model photos, and those were days when my hair looked GOOD in the front!

Thanks! That's nice of you to say. We'll get there eventually!

BTW: this thread is stopping me from constantly checking the 'BSL to Waist' thread and getting upset that I'm not gaining any length. :grin:

Peter
December 15th, 2008, 07:21 PM
I'm regularly trimming the longest strands at the back because those ends are damaged and rough. Clarifying and oiling have barely any effect so I'm cutting them off slowly. I have a V shaped hemline when it's all pulled straight, but it often looks U shaped from the ends curling.

It's pretty frustrating that if I didn't trim them, they'd reach waist within about 7-8 months. But I'd rather have shorter hair that's soft to the ends, I suppose. Also, it allows the shorter strands at the front to "catch up", so as time passes I'll be able to braid closer and closer to the very ends.

MsBubbles
December 16th, 2008, 07:19 AM
I'm regularly trimming the longest strands at the back because those ends are damaged and rough. Clarifying and oiling have barely any effect so I'm cutting them off slowly. I have a V shaped hemline when it's all pulled straight, but it often looks U shaped from the ends curling.

It's pretty frustrating that if I didn't trim them, they'd reach waist within about 7-8 months. But I'd rather have shorter hair that's soft to the ends, I suppose. Also, it allows the shorter strands at the front to "catch up", so as time passes I'll be able to braid closer and closer to the very ends.

Welcome aboard the thread for slower growth in the name of healthier ends! (Disclaimer: Not that the other threads don't have people with healthy ends). I agree with you about oiling only helping to a certain degree. Sooner or later I guess the damage has to go.

Peter
December 16th, 2008, 02:09 PM
Welcome aboard the thread for slower growth in the name of healthier ends! (Disclaimer: Not that the other threads don't have people with healthy ends). I agree with you about oiling only helping to a certain degree. Sooner or later I guess the damage has to go.I decided to get rid of most of it right now. I don't regret it yet:cheese: The back is only about an inch shorter, and the front I didn't touch. The ends are quite soft, I don't think I'll need to cut for a long time. The hemline is now a truncated V, but it looks like a U because the ends curl. I'll put up a picture in a second.

Edit: Picture:
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=2191&pictureid=27215

30isthenewblack
December 17th, 2008, 01:24 AM
I decided to get rid of most of it right now. I don't regret it yet:cheese: The back is only about an inch shorter, and the front I didn't touch. The ends are quite soft, I don't think I'll need to cut for a long time. The hemline is now a truncated V, but it looks like a U because the ends curl. I'll put up a picture in a second.


Your hair is so thick, luscious and gorgeous! It looks like your hard work trimming your ends has paid off!

Aries_jb
December 17th, 2008, 12:51 PM
I just trimmed about an inch a couple days ago. My hair looks better, but I am missing the length a little. I think I will wait a couple months for it to grow again and then trim WAY less than that. It was supposed to be less than an ich, but I was teaching my fiance how to cut my hair and we had a miscommunication. He thought that "just the tips" equals 1 inch.

MsBubbles
January 5th, 2009, 07:59 PM
Just wondering how everybody was coming along in their quest for even ends!

Not sure about anybody else but somehow my bottom layer grew one whole inch over December, Christmas and New Years. Maybe stress actually accelerates my hair growth :D. Weird. It's so tempting for me to just let it grow on down but I desperately want an even-looking (therefore hopefully thicker) hemline, so I will be doing another self-trim sometime this week. I'd love to be able to post in the BSL-to-Waist thread "yay, I grew another inch!" but I wouldn't be proud enough of how my hair looks to feel genuinely good about it.

boukje
January 6th, 2009, 06:12 AM
I'm at TB with about 5 inches of see through hair at the bottom. It would break my heart to cut it back to waist length but every time I see it down after being brushed and oiled I cringe just a bit >.< (it looks fine when freshly washed and air dried though which is pretty much why I've kept it so long ^.^; )

I'm torn between letting it get to classic length and then maintaining until it's all thickened up or whether I should maintain now at TB.

Periwinkle I like you idea of cutting half your growth every month! I think I might try that for a while, at least it'll feel I'm doing something to my fairy tale ends instead of just hoping they'll go away on there own!


Oh I am there with you :( My hair is about 2.5/3 inches away from classic length (well the few longest hairs to tell the truth).

My goal is classic length and and I also thinking about cutting back to TB and get it to thicken up or make it to classic and then keep trimming every month.

My hair is so thin at the ends and see through that it only looks like I am about 1 inch past tailbone (when loose and dry). The real thinning begings at waist and even more (most) at hip.

I came to LHC a little over two years ago with waist length and I don't want to whack off all that growth :( I really hope I ever get thicker ends and I know I have to cut back to waist to have thick ends, when I cut back to tailbone it still looks whispy.

I really don't understand why because I have been taking much better care of it since I came to LHC.:rolleyes:

MsBubbles
January 6th, 2009, 09:09 AM
Oh I am there with you :( My hair is about 2.5/3 inches away from classic length (well the few longest hairs to tell the truth).

My goal is classic length and and I also thinking about cutting back to TB and get it to thicken up or make it to classic and then keep trimming every month.

My hair is so thin at the ends and see through that it only looks like I am about 1 inch past tailbone (when loose and dry). The real thinning begings at waist and even more (most) at hip.

I came to LHC a little over two years ago with waist length and I don't want to whack off all that growth :( I really hope I ever get thicker ends and I know I have to cut back to waist to have thick ends, when I cut back to tailbone it still looks whispy.

I really don't understand why because I have been taking much better care of it since I came to LHC.:rolleyes:

Well I'd encourage you to hang in there...it may take a few years more for all the good stuff you've been doing to your hair these past 2 years to 'make its way downwards' and start showing at the ends, if you see what I mean. I mean, your thinner ends now may well be pre-LHC damage.

For what it's worth, I can't wait to be able to say anything at all referencing cutting my hair 'back to waist' :). To get my ends thicker/even, I'd have to go back to APL.

mira-chan
January 6th, 2009, 09:42 AM
I'm trying to thicken up a little bit of the thinness that was caused my the major shed and let the newer hairs catch up. Trying is the operative word. My hair is just a bit past classic and soon after I started trimming to keep it at that length it went into a stall. :justy: Normal growth for me is about 6.5", this year... 2.5". Half a year of no growth so far. :( Apparently something is against my plan.

Katze
January 6th, 2009, 10:17 AM
For what it's worth, I can't wait to be able to say anything at all referencing cutting my hair 'back to waist' :). To get my ends thicker/even, I'd have to go back to APL.

Heh heh. To get my ends even, I'd have to cut to chin, which is a terrible length on me. If I wanted to look 20 pounds heavier and 30 years older, then maybe...

My taper is unfortunately pretty even so no amount of trimming will really get rid of it. Hopefully, I will soon reach waist and can maintain there until the thickness I have at nape/chin moves down. This will probably take many years, but since I really only ever wanted waist length hair, it's not too bad. I just hope I don't have a terrible postpartum shed...

MsBubbles
January 6th, 2009, 11:15 AM
Heh heh. To get my ends even, I'd have to cut to chin, which is a terrible length on me. If I wanted to look 20 pounds heavier and 30 years older, then maybe...

My taper is unfortunately pretty even so no amount of trimming will really get rid of it. Hopefully, I will soon reach waist and can maintain there until the thickness I have at nape/chin moves down. This will probably take many years, but since I really only ever wanted waist length hair, it's not too bad. I just hope I don't have a terrible postpartum shed...

:cheer: Go Katze! May you be at waist real soon.

You crack me up with that 20 pounds heavier, 30 years older business :laugh: .

MsBubbles
January 6th, 2009, 11:19 AM
I'm trying to thicken up a little bit of the thinness that was caused my the major shed and let the newer hairs catch up. Trying is the operative word. My hair is just a bit past classic and soon after I started trimming to keep it at that length it went into a stall. :justy: Normal growth for me is about 6.5", this year... 2.5". Half a year of no growth so far. :( Apparently something is against my plan.

Well feel free to vent here :). I feel your pain when it comes to having to rethink hair-length goals, which I guess is why I started this thread. It helps me not feel so frustrated at having to keep on trimming. Did you figure out what caused the major shed?

mira-chan
January 6th, 2009, 11:33 AM
Well feel free to vent here :). I feel your pain when it comes to having to rethink hair-length goals, which I guess is why I started this thread. It helps me not feel so frustrated at having to keep on trimming. Did you figure out what caused the major shed?
Hormonal cause (end of puberty) most likely. The hair grew back in as a different hair type (wavier and coarser). I'm already at my goal length, I'm happy with it, though reducing the drastic drop in thickness would be nice. I just find the timing annoying. I don't trim for years and it grows fine, I start trimming and it stops growing. It's angry with me. :mad:

VLoving
January 6th, 2009, 04:18 PM
It is nice to know that I am not alone on this journey to grow out my layers. I have decided to stop lurking and step out of the dark. I stumbled upon this site while looking for hair styles and ways to minimize damage. I was getting extremely frustrated with my hair.

I have a very oily scalp and resorted to using a clarifying shampoo everyday with out any sort of moisture/conditioner…*insert gasps of horror*…and let’s just say it was like Velcro. :brickwallI would then put it in a pony and call it a day.

This has been the cycle for the past 10 or so years. Grow it out. Get frusterated. Cut it off. Repeat.

The past month I have been using the CWC method and oiling with Grape seed daily and Jojoba/Coconut for deep oilings. I have given up elastics…if the picture works, the first two bumps are damage from elastics. I have been using barrettes instead but can only do so much with them. My hair is starting to forgive me and is starting to form these long twirls.

I have iii hair and have a hard time getting all of my hair into a style with out it sticking out in every direction...that is if I can get it to hold. I don’t even attempt braids...they look like a lawn mower went over them. :trainwreck:

So...How do you style your hair that either works with the layers or minimizes them?

http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/26/l_ac0801859a50442da65df186f2fe30c6.jpg

Silver Strands
January 6th, 2009, 05:07 PM
I had the henna cut out of my hair in May of 2007 into a 3-4" layered cut.
I then let it grow to collarbone and started to self-trim the layers out until Sept. 2008.

So, in the last 19 months I have cut anywhere from 4-6" off.

There is 1 remaining layer and it blends in well enough to leave it be and start growing again.
But it is a long and frustrating journey and as Katze said it's hard to see everyone else galloping along while you're in a holding pattern.

I am hoping to make it to armpit lenght this year. I've earned it.

Anje,
There is a lot of difference in your 2 pictures. It looks much thicker on the ends.

And I agree with 39isthenewblack when she says that curly hair hides a lot of sins.
Those of us with straighter hair usually have to trim out layers on a short cut or risk "the mullet", whereas on someone with curly hair it would just flow beautifully down their back.

Demetrue
January 6th, 2009, 05:25 PM
I have decided that I will re-evaluate the layers on the 24th of every month. If necessary, I will trim a little off the ends - if it hangs okay, I will wait another month and then re-evaluate again. While waiting I will do banana-yogurt/honey masks, cassia treatments and catnip tea rinses, etc. I would rather maintain it at a length that does not flip up. I think in 4 months, if I can get another 2 inches of growth, it will be at a less awkward length to maintain and keep evening out the layers at that point. I am noticing that I do not have tons of splits - what looks like damage is just all the different lengths as the more heavily layered sides grow out.

Katze
January 7th, 2009, 04:34 AM
It is nice to know that I am not alone on this journey to grow out my layers. I have decided to stop lurking and step out of the dark. I stumbled upon this site while looking for hair styles and ways to minimize damage. I was getting extremely frustrated with my hair.

I have a very oily scalp and resorted to using a clarifying shampoo everyday with out any sort of moisture/conditioner…*insert gasps of horror*…and let’s just say it was like Velcro. :brickwallI would then put it in a pony and call it a day.

This has been the cycle for the past 10 or so years. Grow it out. Get frusterated. Cut it off. Repeat.

The past month I have been using the CWC method and oiling with Grape seed daily and Jojoba/Coconut for deep oilings. I have given up elastics…if the picture works, the first two bumps are damage from elastics. I have been using barrettes instead but can only do so much with them. My hair is starting to forgive me and is starting to form these long twirls.

I have iii hair and have a hard time getting all of my hair into a style with out it sticking out in every direction...that is if I can get it to hold. I don’t even attempt braids...they look like a lawn mower went over them. :trainwreck:

So...How do you style your hair that either works with the layers or minimizes them?

http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/26/l_ac0801859a50442da65df186f2fe30c6.jpg

VLoving, you have BEAUTIFUL hair! It's sort of a dark silver, at least on my screen...breathtaking!

First of all it sounds like your hair needs more moisture. I think it could be wavier than you think...it looks more like 2b/2c (but hard to tell without an airdried, untouched photo) so might just be asking for more moisture. My BF has similar hair to yours, and using a daily "pomade" (Burt's Bees Avocado Pre Shampoo Treatment) is really helping the frizz and flyaways...

Anyway you ask about layers. I "work with them" best by just leaving my hair down a lot, or when I put it up, having it look like the messiness is on purpose. My hair will never be smooth, though if I do brush and oil "dirty" hair I can make it smoothER than it is when it is freshly washed.

A favorite updo of mine is just to twist and put my hair back in a flattering way, then clip with a Ficcare. I now have about 6 of these little gems and find them much easier, and better looking, than any other hair accessory.

Your hair looks beautiful and your hemline looks blunt already, at least from here, but we all know how photos can be decieving... ;)

happy growing and welcome here!

VLoving
January 7th, 2009, 11:32 AM
VLoving, you have BEAUTIFUL hair! It's sort of a dark silver, at least on my screen...breathtaking!

First of all it sounds like your hair needs more moisture. I think it could be wavier than you think...it looks more like 2b/2c (but hard to tell without an airdried, untouched photo) so might just be asking for more moisture. My BF has similar hair to yours, and using a daily "pomade" (Burt's Bees Avocado Pre Shampoo Treatment) is really helping the frizz and flyaways...

Anyway you ask about layers. I "work with them" best by just leaving my hair down a lot, or when I put it up, having it look like the messiness is on purpose. My hair will never be smooth, though if I do brush and oil "dirty" hair I can make it smoothER than it is when it is freshly washed.

A favorite updo of mine is just to twist and put my hair back in a flattering way, then clip with a Ficcare. I now have about 6 of these little gems and find them much easier, and better looking, than any other hair accessory.

Your hair looks beautiful and your hemline looks blunt already, at least from here, but we all know how photos can be decieving... ;)

happy growing and welcome here!

Katze-Thank you for the complements and advice.

I do agree that I could have more of a twist/wave than I would like to admit. I need to commit to “untouched” and reevaluate my waves. The photo I posted was air dried…but I cannot seem to keep my hands OUT of my hair and the fact that it takes over 2-3 hours to dry when down does not help the cause. :?

If my memory is correct…that picture was taken only a few weeks after starting CWC and oiling. Everyday my hair calms down a bit. It is just taking a while to figure out how to maintain the moisture with washing 5-7 times a week. I wish there was a way for me to stretch out my washings but my roots start looking oily after about 12-16 hours. I’ve learned the less I mess with my scalp the longer it looks fresh. Funny you should mention Burt's Bees Avocado Pre Shampoo Treatment…I was looking at it last night. I have put myself on a “temporary restraining order” for buying new products so that I can see how they affect my hair.

It is a deceiving picture. My layers start just below shoulder and continue down. My goal is waist and I think my plan of attack is to slowly trim the layers away without giving up the length.

I am a fan of wearing my hair half up or all in a ponytail. I can do most any style using HALF of my hair but cannot find anything protective for ALL of it…without it poking out everywhere. I am going to order a Ficcare or two. I have been looking at them for a few weeks and have not heard a single bad thing about them. Now comes the hard part…which one?:grin:

MsBubbles
January 7th, 2009, 11:36 AM
I agree with Katze, VLoving - your hair looks gorgeous and thick, and probably the best method I use to contain layers in an updo, is to twist it first off as if I were doing a french twist, and continuing twisting the rest of it until it coils into a bun, then I squash it with a ficcare (the smallest one they have for my small bun). I usually only ever do this on my non-wash day so there's enough grease on there to hold it all down. Ugh.

Katze if your husband has hair like VLovings, no wonder you are totally enthralled by it :).

VLoving, your hair looks great in a V hemline, BTW.

jivete
January 12th, 2009, 09:30 AM
I think I'll join in on this one. I've been on the fence whether or not to maintain at this length or grow to 27" and maintain there. I'm at 25.5" now, so it's not long til I'm at goal. Last night I decided to start maintain, or at least trim a little each month for 3 months and then let it grow for a while.

Today I'm still a little wishy-washy. My hair tends to look pretty good freshly washed. On the 2nd day though, the layers look bad and that's when I think I want to start trimming. A full 25.5" would feel pretty long and I don't have long to go, so I will trim in a month and see how I feel then. I really want to start trimming my layers since they're looking pretty bad, but they need to catch up first.

Eventually we'll all get there. It's just so hard to sacrifice growth, especially when you work so hard for every inch.

JamieLeigh
January 12th, 2009, 09:32 AM
I was actually maintaining the longest of my hairs at tailbone for ages, until my bangs caught up. LOL. I'm finally completely blunt and intend to remain so until I reach thigh. :)

Katze
January 12th, 2009, 10:58 AM
my hair is looking thicker because of pregnancy, but I am still keeping an eye out and might trim in Spring again if it needs it.

One thing that bugs me is that since my ends are so thin (damaged?) they get kinked and bent in a weird way when I put them up. I can only use a teeny, tiny elastic if I braid to the end, but then the ends take on this weird bendy consistency and seem to get more damaged. So in my case, thin ends get damaged because they are thin, making them more damaged, making them thinner...I just try to take care of them as much as I can with leave-in conditioner etc.

MsBubbles
January 15th, 2009, 07:13 AM
Hi Jivete, :waving: and wecome to this thread!

JamieLeigh - it's fun hearing things like 'maintaining at tailbone' :).

Today is one of those days where I need to just be thankful that I have hair, and that I should not go ogling other people's TBL hair, while being dissatisfied with my own. Actually I'm disgruntled at other things in my life (weight gain, lack of money, etc.) and am taking it out on my hair. I am so tempted to just let it all grow, to let that speedy bottom layer (that grows from the back of my head, under the canopy) just take off and let it go where it wants to, but at my age and with my hair type it's better for me to look tidy. I can't achieve 'tidy' with layers in my hair when it's this long. I guess I know deep down that I'd rather keep it trimmed at 25-26", than let it all grow, get a glimpse of what 28" would feel like, and then have to take off 3+" later. I think I would mourn that loss :p. Ok whiney rant over!

Katze
January 15th, 2009, 07:44 AM
Katze if your husband has hair like VLovings, no wonder you are totally enthralled by it :).

VLoving, your hair looks great in a V hemline, BTW.

Seconding that! Beautiful hair!

Yes, BF's hair is to die for. Why do men get the thick hair and eyelashes?!? Hopefully our kid will inherit his hair more than mine.

I have a question for those of you who still have thin ends. What do you do to secure them without them getting bends or kinks in them? Elastics (even the tiny ones, which are the only ones that hold my hair), bobby pins are the worst, but even if I coil my hair and tuck the ends away, they get kinked and bent and damaged (or so it seems). So I have to cut them, so they are thinner, etc.

I am really trying not to trim for a while just to let my hair grow, but am a bit worried that my thin ends are causing my ends to thin more, if that makes sense.

Nera
January 15th, 2009, 08:58 AM
after months of lurking, i've still not manage to find out what a blunt hairline is!

jivete
January 15th, 2009, 09:38 AM
Katze, my ends get weird kinks when tucked too. When I wash or mist they go away, so I just ignore them since otherwise they seem to be healthy.

MsBubbles
January 15th, 2009, 03:39 PM
after months of lurking, i've still not manage to find out what a blunt hairline is!

Blunt HEMline, not hairline, lol!!

It just means that the majority of your hair-ends are all the same length, and the ends are cut 'straight across', so that they hang straight across-ways, rather than in a "V" shape or a "U" shape. Does that help?

MsBubbles
January 15th, 2009, 03:57 PM
I have a question for those of you who still have thin ends. What do you do to secure them without them getting bends or kinks in them? Elastics (even the tiny ones, which are the only ones that hold my hair), bobby pins are the worst, but even if I coil my hair and tuck the ends away, they get kinked and bent and damaged (or so it seems). So I have to cut them, so they are thinner, etc..

Not sure if this will help at all, but I had to quit using those regular thin-ish hair ties like these (http://i.pbase.com/g4/25/627025/2/63078959.NnnZtM1Q.jpg), and had to start using these (http://www.walmart.com/catalog/detail.gsp?image=http://i.walmartimages.com/i/p/00/07/41/08/49/0007410849760_500X500.jpg&product_id=10322958&iIndex=1&isVariant=false&corpCard=false&type=0). I thought they wouldn't stay in my ends at all but they do. And even if I fold them over enough to have them stay in my hair they don't leave kinks in the ends, even on the dry brittle parts. I think it's because they're made out of really soft, stretchy material. It's like someone cut rings out of a sweatshirt sleeve.

I don't use that look though (thin braids with big chunky sweatshirt rags at the ends) for work, but I do for working out or sleeping in. For the nicer updo I pretty much use my ficcare maxima all the time, and the ends are stuck under the main bulk of the bun. Not that there is much bulk.

squiggyflop
January 15th, 2009, 04:12 PM
i was sort of doing this however i gave up on the quest when i realized that my underside grows twice as fast as my canopy.. so it always looks like ive got layers.. ill never be layerfree for more than 2 weeks

goodluck to you all!

MsBubbles
January 15th, 2009, 06:20 PM
i was sort of doing this however i gave up on the quest when i realized that my underside grows twice as fast as my canopy.. so it always looks like ive got layers.. ill never be layerfree for more than 2 weeks

goodluck to you all!

Thanks for the thought-provoking post, Squiggyflop!

Well I have been considering this eventuality. The same thing is happening to my hair and I'm sure it's more noticeable since it's straight. I have even thought about this fact while considering abandoning my quest for an even hemline. And actually, come to think of it, on some people having a blunt hemline isn't the same as having all the layers down - but it is on my hair because it's so thin!! Some lucky people have hair thick enough that they can afford to keep some bits shorter and can still pick & chose whatever hemline they want - their hair looks good with any style, but I want my ends to be as unseethrough as possible.

I also consider the possibility that you are pointing out, and wonder if perhaps my lousy, frail canopy will never be the same length much past BSL as my underside hair. I then conclude that if my hair is so crappy then maybe that means I have no business trying to grow it long. This is usually followed by the thought that there are many people who have taken 5-7 years to grow out their hair and varying kinds of damage, and they inspire me not to give up. I cycle through this thought process about once a week :). I know I do not want long hair that looks weak and damaged, but long hair that looks strong and whole. It may just mean that all I can ever achieve is somewhere between BSL and waist so that's ok. At that point I'll go get some highlights :p.

Katze
January 16th, 2009, 02:17 AM
I also consider the possibility that you are pointing out, and wonder if perhaps my lousy, frail canopy will never be the same length much past BSL as my underside hair. I then conclude that if my hair is so crappy then maybe that means I have no business trying to grow it long. This is usually followed by the thought that there are many people who have taken 5-7 years to grow out their hair and varying kinds of damage, and they inspire me not to give up. I cycle through this thought process about once a week :). I know I do not want long hair that looks weak and damaged, but long hair that looks strong and whole. It may just mean that all I can ever achieve is somewhere between BSL and waist so that's ok. At that point I'll go get some highlights :p.

Again, MsBubbles, I am right there with you (but with more damage, frizziness, and even thinner ends than yours). I would love to have my hair look like yours! Do you know how hard it is for me to take a picture that does not look like I have a ratty, stringy mess on my head?!?

I look at other peoples' hair, here and in real life, and very often despair. Perhaps the severe and dramatic taper I have between neck and BSL is just how my hair is and will always be, but it seems so unfair. Perhaps I, too, have "no business trying to grow it long" - but the fact that my hair seems happy (despite taper, layers, damaged ends) makes me think that I am doing something right.

One of the most important things I have to keep in mind when I come here is not to compare my hair to other peoples'. They weren't dumb enough to home-bleach their hair or spend hundreds and hundreds on salon highlights. I am paying for my stubbornness and ignorance, and my hair is letting go of the damage at its own (slow) pace.

Katze
January 16th, 2009, 02:23 AM
Not sure if this will help at all, but I had to quit using those regular thin-ish hair ties like these (http://i.pbase.com/g4/25/627025/2/63078959.NnnZtM1Q.jpg), and had to start using these (http://www.walmart.com/catalog/detail.gsp?image=http://i.walmartimages.com/i/p/00/07/41/08/49/0007410849760_500X500.jpg&product_id=10322958&iIndex=1&isVariant=false&corpCard=false&type=0). I thought they wouldn't stay in my ends at all but they do. And even if I fold them over enough to have them stay in my hair they don't leave kinks in the ends, even on the dry brittle parts. I think it's because they're made out of really soft, stretchy material. It's like someone cut rings out of a sweatshirt sleeve.

I don't use that look though (thin braids with big chunky sweatshirt rags at the ends) for work, but I do for working out or sleeping in. For the nicer updo I pretty much use my ficcare maxima all the time, and the ends are stuck under the main bulk of the bun. Not that there is much bulk.

MsBubbles, your first link didn't work. But those chunky soft elastics fall out of my hair, and they don't look good for the few minutes they do stay, just as you mention. I ended up getting super tiny elastics from Goody last time I was in the USA (good hair stuff is very hard to find here, most elastics have metal or are rubber - ouch!).

I have trouble even getting my ends to stay under anything - I end up with a poky little orange end that I either secure with bobby pins or try to "tuck" in, but the rest of my hair is so much heavier (not that it is heavy, but in comparison) that it falls out. Part of the problem is that I am an updo idiot, and buns look really, really terrible on me (the orange, thin ends, poofy neck hairs that don't stay put, messy wisps overall, combined with a teeny, tiny lump of a bun on a big round head...sigh!).

Maybe some day I will resign myself to finding a bun that 1) stays, and 2) flatters, but every time I try I end up taking it out and doing some kind of messy twist with my hair where the messiness looks like it's on purpose, and where it hides my ugly, thin ends somewhat.

Kuchen
January 16th, 2009, 02:32 AM
I've been maintaining at BSL for – um, I'm not a good record keeper! – nearly a year? This to get rid of layers, damage and to get a blunt hemline. I'm now exercising a little restraint with the trims so I can get closer to my goal length, waist.
I think it helps that I've been growing for so long and gone past that "quick! I want waist length NOW!" stage and become more philosophical. What I want will take time, and now my hair is sufficiently long for me to feel like it's an achievement and something new to me. So I'll go on trimming and growing.

30isthenewblack
January 16th, 2009, 05:12 AM
Thanks for the thought-provoking post, Squiggyflop!

Well I have been considering this eventuality. The same thing is happening to my hair and I'm sure it's more noticeable since it's straight. I have even thought about this fact while considering abandoning my quest for an even hemline. And actually, come to think of it, on some people having a blunt hemline isn't the same as having all the layers down - but it is on my hair because it's so thin!! Some lucky people have hair thick enough that they can afford to keep some bits shorter and can still pick & chose whatever hemline they want - their hair looks good with any style, but I want my ends to be as unseethrough as possible.

I also consider the possibility that you are pointing out, and wonder if perhaps my lousy, frail canopy will never be the same length much past BSL as my underside hair. I then conclude that if my hair is so crappy then maybe that means I have no business trying to grow it long. This is usually followed by the thought that there are many people who have taken 5-7 years to grow out their hair and varying kinds of damage, and they inspire me not to give up. I cycle through this thought process about once a week :). I know I do not want long hair that looks weak and damaged, but long hair that looks strong and whole. It may just mean that all I can ever achieve is somewhere between BSL and waist so that's ok. At that point I'll go get some highlights :p.

My layers grow at different speeds but I prefer a V or U shape hemline. Until I read your post MsBubbles, I never really thought about the fact that some people don't have a real choice in the hemline they choose and not everyone can have a V or U shaped hemline. I just read your blog and I think perhaps you have to choose between length and highlights. Some people have hair which can withstand highlights but mine certainly doesn't and I'd rather have length than colour. I am looking forward to having my black hair back! Having said that though, I think your hair is lovely and all your hard work is paying off.

Katze
March 13th, 2009, 04:30 AM
Yesterday I cut another bit off the very longest, thinnest ends. I suspect these are "sprinter hairs" but my ends were doing that weightless, wisping-into-nothingness, floaty thing that makes them look dry and damaged (even though they are in better shape than ever) and I hadn't trimmed since October, so I decided to get rid of the longest tips.

Question: have any of you with thin layers or severe taper noticed that this goes away over time? I would like to have ends with "weight", that don't float out into space on their own but hang down, and nothing I do - leave-ins, hair gel, oiling, even all the trims - have changed this.

The good news is that both my longer layers and my coarser nape hairs are finally reaching shoulder length, so I can get them into updos better. I do have a new crop of growth, probably from pregnancy,that sticks up all over the place - more than a halo - but the layers before this are finally feeling longer.

I wonder if my hair is just doomed to have so many different lengths? it will be hard to tell until I get rid of the layers that were artifically created (shoulder-to-BSL), at least...

Altocumulus
March 13th, 2009, 08:28 AM
I have taper due to old layers and post-pregnancy shed and regrowth (from 4 years ago!). It is gradually moving down. The first picture was taken last summer. A few months earlier, I had been at TB, but cut 5" off because my ends were so thin. To get truly thick ends, I would have had to cut more, but I was unwilling to go shorter. It's hard to see because of my cave-like apartment, but the thickest part of my hair ends at about BSL or a bit lower.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3075/2601482168_66ef62ed56_m.jpg

Here's a current photo (from about a month or so ago). I've trimmed 0.5" every three months since the big chop last May. The thicker part has moved down, and is about waist now.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3435/3269780396_6b3bfa9aca_m.jpg

I plan on maintaining at TB to thicken my ends before growing further. I don't know how much taper I can get rid of, but it does seem like the thickness has been moving down, so I have hope that it will improve further. I think it just takes a really, really long time.

MsBubbles
March 13th, 2009, 09:38 AM
I think it just takes a really, really long time.

Amen. This is the bottom line for people like me. Unfortunately, I tend to compare my hair with other, more curtain-like hair, which is plenty thick all the way down. That is, it's thick enough not to have see-through ends. These are the people who just let it grow and only ever need to trim it to achieve a certain type hemline, or if they have a bunch of splits. They achieve new lengths way faster than me.

JamieLeigh
March 13th, 2009, 10:00 AM
If you thought "maintaining at tailbone" sounded fun, try "maintaining at classic". ;) I've finally reached classic, and I'm going to micro-trim and maintain here until my ends thicken up a bit more. I had decided to let it just grow, since I was so close to a milestone goal, and I figured I could play catch-up later. So it looks a little thin down there right now.

That said, I'm not maintaining it to be blunt anymore, but now just to thicken up before I continue to grow. I think I'll probably be keeping it right here at 42" for the next year or a little over a year. :) But....you never know! I might change my mind again LOL.

Quahatundightu
March 13th, 2009, 02:17 PM
Woow I am so happy to find this thread! Well, actually I want to cry! I've been hovering between waist and tailbone for almost FIVE years now, and although my hair has thickened up slightly, it still feels quite pathetic to me :( I just want it to be thicker at tailbone! I also had bangs which have grown out to almost elbow length from eyebrow in a year, so it seems the upper layers are all growing quite fast now... just waiting for them to catch up! >< My frustration and sadness about how slow my hair is growing feels irrational, but it gets me down. One thing giving me some hope is that I have heaps of microhairs which suddenly appeared in the last 4 months, now almost long enough to tie into a high ponytail. Wouldn't it be great if my hair was finally growing?! I average about 1 inch a year, or so it feels like!

Pics:
Naturally dried (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/album.php?albumid=2713&pictureid=34029)
Braid dried and brushed out, illustrates my taper. (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/album.php?albumid=2713&pictureid=34028)

AngelInDisguise
March 14th, 2009, 02:24 AM
Is it possible that you may suffer from brakeage in the last third of your hair? Although I also always have the feeling that my hair doesn't like to grow it in fact does get longer.

Good sign it is anyway that your microhairs grow so lovely.

Do you plan to trim regularly to help the hemline thicken up?



Although my task is (or rather say was) to grow out unwanted layers I fear I must have an even more closer look to my hemline as I did recently. I never really head breakage - until now. If I comb or brush my hair I likely find a lot of bits of hair on the ground about half inch to 1,5 inch long. Must be a reminiscent of my last "professional" hair dye (acutally this last visit at the hairdresser made me search for a possibility to cut hair oneself and made me hit longhair-boards) which now shows to have been to harsh.

I don't want to loose length now that I am just over the critical shoulder length so I hope the breakage will stop eventually and I will be able to keep the length with only the natural taper. As I have fine and thin hair anyway I am unfortunately also a candidate for getting see through ends very quickly.

Denebi
March 14th, 2009, 03:23 AM
May I join you?

I'm trying to get rid of layers and permed ends since over a year now. The frustrating part is the breakage all the time and that it seems I'll never reach BSL. But, I made some progress in the last months, and I can confirm that micro trims help a lot.

My hemline is nearly even now, permed ends mostly gone and only one last big layer left. Some single strands on the sides are still a lot shorter, but I can live with that.

So I'm going to more or less maintain the current length over the next months and hopefully I'm ready for a fresh start in summer.

Quahatundightu
March 14th, 2009, 05:24 AM
Is it possible that you may suffer from brakeage in the last third of your hair?

I think I've trimmed out most of my breakage, so if anything appears it only seems to be in the last cm of my hair. I S&D occasionally though so I'm trying to keep on top of it!


Do you plan to trim regularly to help the hemline thicken up?

Well that's what I have been doing for the last years, doing feye's method for blunt cuts, every few months. I think I want to just keep it tied up for a while to see what happens.... but knowing me I will probably go back to trimming more often! I'm not sure, maybe I should just lose more length.. but as we all know that can be such a difficult choice to make!



I don't want to loose length now that I am just over the critical shoulder length so I hope the breakage will stop eventually and I will be able to keep the length with only the natural taper. As I have fine and thin hair anyway I am unfortunately also a candidate for getting see through ends very quickly.
Yes, the curse of the see through ends! :P Ahhhh, run! Haha. I think your plan sounds very good, it's all a balance between keeping it at a length you're happy with and having thicker ends, isn't it?? Good luck! :)

Katze
March 14th, 2009, 08:37 AM
I have taper due to old layers and post-pregnancy shed and regrowth (from 4 years ago!). It is gradually moving down. The first picture was taken last summer. A few months earlier, I had been at TB, but cut 5" off because my ends were so thin. To get truly thick ends, I would have had to cut more, but I was unwilling to go shorter. It's hard to see because of my cave-like apartment, but the thickest part of my hair ends at about BSL or a bit lower.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3075/2601482168_66ef62ed56_m.jpg

Here's a current photo (from about a month or so ago). I've trimmed 0.5" every three months since the big chop last May. The thicker part has moved down, and is about waist now.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3435/3269780396_6b3bfa9aca_m.jpg

I plan on maintaining at TB to thicken my ends before growing further. I don't know how much taper I can get rid of, but it does seem like the thickness has been moving down, so I have hope that it will improve further. I think it just takes a really, really long time.

Altocumulus, your story, and pics to prove it, are inspiring. How long did it take for your hair to get from pic 1 to pic 2? Since coming here I have had similar experiences but going from shoulder length to BSL. This has taken about 3 years, with trims.

It does often seem like other peoples' hair grows more evenly, as MsBubbles says, needing only to trim because of splits, or to change their hemline. In fact every long(er than shoulder) haired person I know in real life has hair like this. I keep asking myself 'what did I do wrong?' - but while the years of bad treatment are certainly to blame, I was also dealing with thinning hair, not knowing how to care for my coarser, brittle underlayer, and not understanding fine or wavy hair.

Is there something besides trimming (and better treatment) we can do to finally get 'curtain-like' hair?

MsBubbles
March 14th, 2009, 09:22 AM
In fact every long(er than shoulder) haired person I know in real life has hair like this. I keep asking myself 'what did I do wrong?'

Is there something besides trimming (and better treatment) we can do to finally get 'curtain-like' hair?

I catch myself out in public oohing and aahing over someone's thick, straight, swingy hair that is holding all together. Then I have to remind myself they probably blow dried it or flattened it to look that way, straight. It's such a popular look here. If I blow dried mine it would look absolutely incredible to me - for about 20 mins until the humidity hit it. Then it would just look flat and fried for the rest of the day :).

Besides trimming, nurturing, treatments...etc...well I wish I knew! I think you're on the right track, Katze, doing what you're doing, and it sure does help seeing other people's similar experiences at longer lengths. I love it when people say they're having these troubles 'between waist and hip' or something. It gives me hope that I will one day get there. I think we just need to keep on keepin' on, tweaking our routines when they don't work any more, and keep on doing the dustings/trims.

And Katze btw your hair is getting long!!! It looks very pretty.

MsBubbles
March 14th, 2009, 09:26 AM
Woow I am so happy to find this thread! Well, actually I want to cry! I've been hovering between waist and tailbone for almost FIVE years now, and although my hair has thickened up slightly, it still feels quite pathetic to me :(
Pics:
Naturally dried (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/album.php?albumid=2713&pictureid=34029)
Braid dried and brushed out, illustrates my taper. (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/album.php?albumid=2713&pictureid=34028)

Ooh! Your hair is lovely! Lucky thing to have wavy fairy tale ends. Honestly to me it all looks like it should do. I think you hair would look great either way: fairy tale ends or blunt/V/U shaped. It looks very pretty now already, to me.

MsBubbles
March 14th, 2009, 09:31 AM
May I join you?

I'm trying to get rid of layers and permed ends since over a year now. The frustrating part is the breakage all the time and that it seems I'll never reach BSL. But, I made some progress in the last months, and I can confirm that micro trims help a lot.

My hemline is nearly even now, permed ends mostly gone and only one last big layer left. Some single strands on the sides are still a lot shorter, but I can live with that.

So I'm going to more or less maintain the current length over the next months and hopefully I'm ready for a fresh start in summer.

That's about when I hope to be done with the layers too. Your hair looks thick all the way through, in your avatar, layers or not! It'll be about a year for me too, trying to get rid of my V hemline.

Darkhorse1
March 14th, 2009, 12:20 PM
I maintain my even hemline with mini trims from my hair dresser. I've failed at my own trims every time, due to a natural wave that loves to crop up the minute scissors hit it. ;)

Natural hair does not have an even hemline, as each hair grows at different speeds, and some hair breaks off, others don't. I get a mini trim every three months, or if my hair is hitting a growth spurt. My hair grows VERY fast, but the longest I've gone is six months.

I do fiddle with my own bangs when I can't get to the hair dresser :)

Katze
March 15th, 2009, 06:33 AM
I catch myself out in public oohing and aahing over someone's thick, straight, swingy hair that is holding all together. Then I have to remind myself they probably blow dried it or flattened it to look that way, straight. It's such a popular look here. If I blow dried mine it would look absolutely incredible to me - for about 20 mins until the humidity hit it. Then it would just look flat and fried for the rest of the day :).

Besides trimming, nurturing, treatments...etc...well I wish I knew! I think you're on the right track, Katze, doing what you're doing, and it sure does help seeing other people's similar experiences at longer lengths. I love it when people say they're having these troubles 'between waist and hip' or something. It gives me hope that I will one day get there. I think we just need to keep on keepin' on, tweaking our routines when they don't work any more, and keep on doing the dustings/trims.

And Katze btw your hair is getting long!!! It looks very pretty.

Thanks MsBubbles! If I blowdried my hair and used lots of product, it might do that too. The curling iron always made it look so good - just a little bit enhanced my spirals. But when I used to do all that, my hair would never grow. Now it is indeed longer than it's ever been, so what you say makes sense.

And, like you I suspect, I am also harder on myself than I perhaps need to be. At almost 28", I will technically reach waist very soon, but that's just the longest tapered ends. The bulk of my hair is still around shoulder/APL. Down, it looks long and full when it's freshly washed. Up, the shoulder-length bits fall out and the shorter baby hairs stick out, but down my hair does look better than it ever has.

I think we all just need to stick together and remind each other that our hair is growing and is getting thicker and longer. :)

Denebi
March 15th, 2009, 07:18 AM
That's about when I hope to be done with the layers too. Your hair looks thick all the way through, in your avatar, layers or not! It'll be about a year for me too, trying to get rid of my V hemline.

Thanks, MsBubbles!
Pictures are sometimes very euphemistic ;)

Here is my progress, starting December 2007:
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_tY1hGv3U2vU/R3FDB3fWDLI/AAAAAAAAAEM/CKjpazdzvo0/s400/Haar4.jpg

This a year ago in March 2008 after a cut of about 2,5 inches:
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_tY1hGv3U2vU/R8sBscIW14I/AAAAAAAAAKA/CWySANnM_08/s400/DSCF0315.JPG

As you can see, the length is the same, but less taper.

After that I started with micro trims and I'm doing this since now. I do not have a pic of the current length, but this is February 2009:
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_tY1hGv3U2vU/SY39I-fgtHI/AAAAAAAABl4/l4opMLJGTac/s400/Laenge-Feb09.JPG

As you can see, the layers and perm aren't really visible anymore. It's still a bit left in the last 1 to 2 inches. I can feel the different hair structure in the permed ends, and when I do a braid, I have still some paint-brushes sticking out at the very end.

Yes, but I'm nearly there! Yeeha! :cheese:

And yes, Katze, you are right... sticking together and motivate each other is a great help!

Quahatundightu
March 16th, 2009, 05:09 AM
Aww this thread is really sweet :) Thank you MsBubbles!! You have posted such great comments to everyone!


And, like you I suspect, I am also harder on myself than I perhaps need to be.
I think this is totally true.. I have been looking at all the pictures in here and just thinking how beautiful everyone's hair is! So perhaps we often are too critical about our own hair because it doesn't look the way we *want* it to look, but that definitely doesn't mean it's not gorgeous still!!! :)

And Denebi what awesome progress you have made!!! :D It's very inspiring actually :) How often do you do microtrims now?? :)

Denebi
March 16th, 2009, 05:16 AM
Thanks, Quahatundightu! I started with trims last year in summer and trimmed something between 1/2 and 1 inch roughly every 4 to 8 weeks. Since the beginning of this year, I first started with a one inch trim and after that, I'm now doing micro trims every month, and cut off about 1/4 of an inch. Huh, complicated ;)

Altocumulus
March 16th, 2009, 08:26 AM
Altocumulus, your story, and pics to prove it, are inspiring. How long did it take for your hair to get from pic 1 to pic 2? Since coming here I have had similar experiences but going from shoulder length to BSL. This has taken about 3 years, with trims.


Thank you! 8 months passed between pics 1 and 2, and I trimmed (0.5" to 1") twice during that time.

Katze, your hair is looking much longer and thicker than before. Your efforts are really paying off!

Quahatundightu
March 16th, 2009, 09:04 AM
Hey did anyone else bother to measure the circumference of their hair along the lengths, to see how their taper is? I thought it was a great way to keep track of how we are reaching our thickening or blunt goals! :) This is what I measured today, it's interesting that it stays the same for me from BSL to Waist?? I would have thought it would have a more even triangular taper pattern. Too bad I didn't think of doing this before, it will be nice to see how the measurements change in a few months.

Nape 6.5cm / 2.6"
BSL 3.5cm / 1.4"
Waist 3.5cm / 1.4"
(just above) Hip 1.5cm / 0.6"

Quahatundightu
March 20th, 2009, 09:34 AM
No one else measures the circumference along the length?

MsBubbles
March 20th, 2009, 10:22 AM
No one else measures the circumference along the length?

Not yet, but it's a great idea. When I saw your last post I made a mental note to go back and do that and then post about it but I totally forgot! Thanks for the bump. I wish I had taken those measurements when I had a deep V hemline because it's definitely thicker now!

Finoriel
March 20th, 2009, 12:52 PM
Actually measuring the taper is done from time to time, it´s not too uncommon. :) At least I saw some threads about this topic during the years. Not terribly often, but definitely more than ´no one´ :wink:.
From what I remember most people seem to have a significant drop in thickness around BSL.
It´s a nice way to see how thickness moves down with better haircare, after a shed or other things influencing the ponytail circumference. It´s not very exact, because circumference is hard to measure, but it can give nice hints for comparison measurements. Sometimes we imagine drastic changes, which are not that big in reality. Monitoring the taper can prevent one from stressing over nothing or can give good hints when there is something wrong.
I also took my measurements, guess it was last summer, for later comparison :p just can´t be bothered to search for them at the moment. Too much food in the evening makes me a lazy bone.

Katze
March 21st, 2009, 05:42 AM
Thank you! 8 months passed between pics 1 and 2, and I trimmed (0.5" to 1") twice during that time.

Katze, your hair is looking much longer and thicker than before. Your efforts are really paying off!

Thanks! :) It's very slow progress, and pregnancy hormones are probably a factor, but I am really happy with my hair at the moment.

I can't measure my circumference for most of my length because it is too thin for my measuring tape! :( However, i did try and estimate, forgot where I put the numbers...

One interesting thing I realized after posting a progress pic recently and thinking about it for a while is that I HAVE had my hair cut blunt (December 2007) but it grew out into 'wispies' again. So perhaps I just have the kind of hair that grows wispy on its own, despite all the trimmings. Wondering how often I need to trim to stop this from happening...

Quahatundightu
March 22nd, 2009, 07:03 AM
Oh I meant no one in the sense that no one had yet replied! :) I have seen quite a few people use the measuring technique before.



I can't measure my circumference for most of my length because it is too thin for my measuring tape! However, i did try and estimate, forgot where I put the numbers...

Maybe you could try with a piece of string, and then use your tape to measure the string? That's what I did for mine anyway!



One interesting thing I realized after posting a progress pic recently and thinking about it for a while is that I HAVE had my hair cut blunt (December 2007) but it grew out into 'wispies' again. So perhaps I just have the kind of hair that grows wispy on its own, despite all the trimmings. Wondering how often I need to trim to stop this from happening...

That's an interesting point! I guess some of us not only have thin hair, but the style that just grows wispy too. Would you still maintain blunt ends once you reached your goal?? I think for me I'm trying to maintain it more bluntly just to get my hair as thick as possible, but it's not that I mind wispy ends per se, as long as they're not preventing me from reaching my goal! I feel like the thicker my hair is, the stronger it will be and hopefully the longer it will grow. In fact with the kind of curls I have I know my hemline will never look blunt, but I definitely want to reduce my taper.

Katze
March 22nd, 2009, 09:32 AM
That's an interesting point! I guess some of us not only have thin hair, but the style that just grows wispy too. Would you still maintain blunt ends once you reached your goal?? I think for me I'm trying to maintain it more bluntly just to get my hair as thick as possible, but it's not that I mind wispy ends per se, as long as they're not preventing me from reaching my goal! I feel like the thicker my hair is, the stronger it will be and hopefully the longer it will grow. In fact with the kind of curls I have I know my hemline will never look blunt, but I definitely want to reduce my taper.

For me, it's either just my hairtype or perhaps a result of lots of S&Ding. I did have a blunt hemline at around APL in Dec07. Pics prove it. It wasn't straight across, but it was blunt, not see through. Now many small trims and countless S&Ds later, my hair is longer, but wispy on the ends. Why is that?

I will be happy when my hair looks as thick as it now is at APL at waist. That is a long way off, but then I can cut the wispies off. The rest of the world is not as forgiving as LHC, and because I really enjoy my hair down (within reason) I do want it to be the best possible advertisement for good hair care that it can be. When the ends LOOK damaged (because they are so thin) I feel like my hair doesn't look as healthy as it is.

This has gotten me curious and I am going to see if I can find any threads about why hair grows like this...

Katze
February 5th, 2010, 06:09 AM
Replying to my own last post here - that blunt haircut I gave myself over two years ago might just be my goal again.

After a massive postpartum shed my hair is really, really thin from about APL downwards. The ends are actually in pretty good shape - feel soft most of the time, much less splitting than they used to - but they are terribly thin. I do not think this look is good on my hairtype - with all the mess and frizz, it just looks like my hair is uncared-for, which is really sad!

I am going to wait two weeks and then perhaps hack it off again. If I do indeed have a short terminal length (just past BSL) then I might just have to accept that I will either have waist length with severe taper, or ends that look healthy at APL.

I would love to have waist length hair with a blunt hemline. I see it around me in real life, but cannot seem to achieve it myself.

Nae
February 5th, 2010, 07:09 AM
I have a couple of questions. I am growing out a Pixie and for all of 2009 I let it grow and trimmed here and there trying to make it look somewhat tolerable. I can finally pony it but I still have layers some about 5 inches above my length and some about 6/7 inches above my length. I am about at 16 or 17 inches at this point.

Anyways, I want to get to a point where I can do updos, (besides the pony) and then just maintain there. I also want to try and avoid the "triangle head" syndrome. I am not trimming for the entirety of 2010, maybe S&D if I need to here and there. What length is good for a few decent updos but won't turn into triangle head if I maintain there to get rid of these layers (which will probably kill a year and a half of growth to just cut them out.)

Would you other layered souls recommend BSL? Mid-back? I really hate a taper to my braid so I hate to wait until waist......what are your ideas? I really want to have a clear idea of where I am going ya know? Thanks for any input.:)

Fantak
September 12th, 2012, 03:35 AM
Resurrecting this thread.

How is everyone who used to post here doing 3/4 years later?

I posted on here four years ago when first joined and I'm still stuck in the same rut! TB trying to get to classic! The good thing is this has shown me that my hair needs extra special care to get past TB which I hadnt realised but am now willing to give a try.

I've got a trim coming up in a couple of weeks and am considering taking off 5cm instead of my usual 2.5 (I trim every 3 months, very average growth speed). My ends are suffering and make my hair seem tangled and unkept. Even my mum, who's my biggest long hair supporter, told me I need a trim :/

lydiajo
September 12th, 2012, 05:15 AM
I'm interested in how everyone is doing as well. For the last 6 months I've been maintaining at between bsl and waist. Except for 2 in of damage my hemline looks good. I am ready to let it grow.

MsBubbles
September 12th, 2012, 06:09 AM
Wow! I was so surprised to see this thread title on the mane page! LOL. Hi Fantak & Lydiajo! :waving:

I'm between hip & tailbone right now. Shooting for tailbone ultimately. Then I will maintain again to try to thicken up my hemline again. But honestly, I have a limited amount of control as to whether that'll actually happen, because I have learned that if my body decides to go through a shed, it's just going to do that no matter what, and any semblance of hemline I had, will become wisps again :rolleyes:.

I maintained around BSL for about a year back in 2009, I think, albeit making progress by the millimeter. When I decided to let my virgin hair color grow out, I was able to let it grow down more, as there became less and less damage. Although there is still bleachy/brassy bits on my lower 8" or so of hair.

I briefly had my thickest hemline ever...I just didn't realize or appreciate it at the time...somewhere in 2010 before my first massive, illness-induced shed. :( So I had a taster of it, then pouf it was gone :). I can tell it's all growing back though but it's going to be YEARS before those baby hairs fill in the tailbone hemline. Oh well. could be worse. I went from 3.25" circ to 2.5" circ after the second bad shed. But I'm back up near 3" again. Sigh.

Fantak, are you doing self-trims? I have done nothing but those since I learned how to do them here. But it's ridiculously easy with fine, thin hair.

Lydiajo...yay! Let it grow...

Katze is around periodically but has also been through a vigorous shed (postpartum related). I hope she pops in!

Fantak
September 13th, 2012, 12:34 AM
*waves* Yay so glad you posted :D

Yes I only do self trims I don't trust scissor-weilding hairdressers any more :evil:

I'm going to try and keep my hair up for the next few months and see how that goes. I never use any heat on my hair, always comb gently and always oil my hair but it still seems to stop and get really thin and straggly at tailbone so I'm going to try and keep it up and see if that helps. Will be trying to thick up the hemline too :)

Shed's suck but you still gorgeous hair MsBubbles!

MsBubbles
September 13th, 2012, 05:47 AM
Hey Fantak!..I haven't read back through the thread (actually I'm afraid I'll read something that I wrote that'll make me cringe now :)), but you're saying that in 2008 & 2009 you were at tailbone, and now you're still (back) there? I wonder what is happening to your hair at that length/age. Hmm. You've been putting it up most of the time and trimming regularly for the past few years but it still has the same pattern?

I don't know if you have colored or bleached your hair - I know bleach really shortens the life of my hair because my strands are so fine. Also, at the risk of making everybody's eyes roll because I talk about it so much...I do scalp washes instead of full washes, because I have such a greasy scalp and have to wash every day or every other day at most - I can't get away with washing the whole length like that without my ends disintegrating. So doing scalp washes instead eliminates a whole load of wear and tear that shreds my ends. Once I got in to my own routine with it, is as easy as doing self trims. This way I don't have to detangle after washing really, much, if at all. The detangling after a wash was absolutely killing my ends.

Fantak
September 14th, 2012, 10:16 AM
Sorry I must have rambled on there.. I did everything except keep it up, I lovvvve my hair down!

Scalp washing is a good idea will give it a try!

Ah yes you're right I've been bleaching and highlighting for 3 years >.> completely forgot that is probably a reason it's not faring too well >.<

I'm going to try and keep it up all the time now I so want the ends to thicken up so I can grow to classic!

Maverick494
September 14th, 2012, 11:17 AM
I've been maintaining my hemline ever since I seriously started posting here (2010 somewhere). I've also had some sheds so my growth progress has been painstakingly slow. But it's worth it as my hair looks presentable when down. I'm however stuck at the irritating gap length between waist and hip. Can't wait for that to pass.

I'm going to get my Elumen treatment wednesday at a salon (to match my orangy/brassy dyed length to match my virgin hair without further damaging it). I will not get a trim (I do that myself) so afterwards I'll post a before and after pic (before being my first hair pic when I started maintaining a blunt hemline and after being the pic taken on wednesday.) I usually trim every 3/4 months depending on damage.

Hopefully that'll help people trying to do the same. I'll probably have it up by the next weekend.

Fantak
September 14th, 2012, 12:40 PM
Can't wait to see it Maverick :D

Have you done elumen before? I want my mum to try it but their aren't any salons here that do it and I'm worried about trying it at home :/

HadessThera
September 14th, 2012, 12:41 PM
I also have very fine hair with a mind of it's own, I'm still growing out a choppy pixie cut, so layers galore :( my current goal is waist length with a straight or an ever so slightly u-shaped blunt hemline, loooooong way to go still but here's hoping I get at least halfway by this time next year

Maverick494
September 14th, 2012, 03:44 PM
Can't wait to see it Maverick :D

Have you done elumen before? I want my mum to try it but their aren't any salons here that do it and I'm worried about trying it at home :/

Hey Fantak :) Yes I have. Did it almost a year ago, when my dyed length was so reddish/orange brown it made my ashy virgin roots look grey in comparison. I visited a salon called HairToday (among others) to ask how they would go about correcting this. Most salons described an extensive dye job, and HairToday was the only one who said they had a color treatment that would slowly wash out and fade over time, but hopefully tone down the warm tones in the process. So I got it done.

They mixed two ashy tones and applied it to my hair. To be honest it was quite the process, but most of it was just spent by getting the stuff in my hair. Being a long hair is not easy for hairdressers haha.

Anyway, when they were done my hair was shiny, but not in the usual I-got-my-hair-dyed way. It feels more like your own hair, if you get what I mean. It was however quite dark in the beginning. I'm a light brown and when I returned from the salon my hair was medium to dark brown. However, that fades quite quickly to your own color. I didn't have any roots to worry about. The virgin and the dyed part now looked more like a whole. Right now the transition still looks gradual instead of abrupt like it used to be, but some of the redness is still there and with winter approaching I thought it would be a good time to get it redone.

I don't know about self appliance. I'll pay attention and ask the stylist about it. I've heard it can be a mess though. But then again, so is Henna or any dye I've come across. What hair color does your mom have and what is her dyed length like? I think that for best results you need to mix different shades and try it on test strands. Just keep in mind that a bit darker isn't necessarily bad.

Hope that helps. :)

Oh and sorry for temporarily straying off topic

Fantak
September 14th, 2012, 04:09 PM
My mother has APL length dark dark brown hair. She has very pale skin and I don't think would be happy with it darker :/

Thank you so much for asking! let us know how it goes :)

Hadess Thera Hang in there :D I've been here for 4 years and the time has jus whizzed by! You'll be at your goal before you know it :) everyone here is so sweet and helpful and all the pictures and encouragement really help you stay on target!