Its not a question of if, its a question of when...

[maskedrose]

...to trim, that is.

I measured yesterday and I'm at 29.25, meaning that my goal of waist is only 1.5 (ish) inches away. I've always planned on growing to waist and then maintaining until most of my damaged is trimmed away before moving down to hip.

The only problem with this is that my last two inches are driving me crazy right now. My comb and brush always catch on that last little bit, no matter how careful I am. So, I need to trim, but I'm struggling with the "when" factor.

I'm graduating from college in the spring, and I want it to look it's best for the ceremony and subsequent parties, etc. I also want it to look it's best when I leave for graduate school in Scotland this August.

So, I'm thinking that I should try to hold out on trimming until June, then get the 2" cut off. Then, the hem would be nice and thick for graduation and I will probably be back to waist by the time I leave in August.

However, I could trim now so that the hem doesn't break off like it's been doing, and then just do a small dusting before graduation. It would basically be in the same place, but I'm not sure if trimming now or waiting would be best for my hair's overall health, wealth, and prosperity :p.

Any ideas?

[Sissy]

if the hem is breaking off trim now... that's what I think at least.

[spidermom]

I agree. The sooner you get rid of the damaged stuff that breaks off, the faster your hair will appear to grow. I know this from experience.

[HairColoredHair]

You could start with a half inch or one inch trim instead of taking two inches off at once. Sometimes a smaller trim has just as much of an effect and you won't need to trim again. :)

[joyellen]

I've always planned on growing to waist and then maintaining until most of my damaged is trimmed away before moving down to hip.

I just wanted to say that we have the exact same hair goals :D

[Fillette]

You could start with a half inch or one inch trim instead of taking two inches off at once. Sometimes a smaller trim has just as much of an effect and you won't need to trim again. :)

I agree completely! Try a smaller trim first and see what results you get.

[maskedrose]

I did a small trim a few weeks ago, and it didn't help at all. I can actually feel a distinct change as I run my fingers down a lock of hair - the last couple of inches feel like straw :( I think the problem stems from past highlight damage. I used to have my whole head done before I switched to partials and then finally quit completely. However, the last 4" are remnants of the whole head highlight days, and they just don't last very long.

[maskedrose]

One more thing thats making my decision kind of hard - I've never had waist length hair. I've always gotten this close, then had to cut back to around BSL due to these very issues. I almost feel as though I need to prove that I can indeed get to waist, then I won't be so supersitious about trimming it back a few inches. I dunno....

[Elenna]

I think that you might be happier achieving your goal for waist-length hair and then trimming off the damage to maintain.

[kwaniesiam]

Try smaller trims, more frequently. Cut off maybe 1/4" every two weeks to a month until the damage is gone, that way your hair has time to grow and catch up so its like you really aren't losing or gaining length, but maintaining to healthier hair. Also maybe saturating your ends in an oil they like, or a leave in if you are anti-oil and putting it up to ignore it for a while might help.

[WavyGirl]

I think you should trim now. It will make detangling easier and you'll be able to enjoy it more. I know what it's like waiting for waist with damage and it can seem like you'll never make it but you will. From what I can see in your siggy you have minimal taper so waist is gonna happen for you for sure. Better to achieve that goal with hair you're happy with than get there and immediately have to chop. Trust me, I speak from experience. It feels like it takes even longer the second time. :silly:

[Denebi]

I'm more or less in the same situation (but with BSL not waist). I'm trimming my ends whenever they feel like straw again and cannot be combed without breakage anymore. It helps me liking my hair a lot. It's always so frustrating when I feel the dry ends crumble between my fingers. And it always helps to cut just a small bit. I have severe damage from a perm in my ends. Only one or two inches are left. So, I cannot wait to reach BSL, but I know that I wont be happy reaching it with such a mess in the last two inches. And the breakage shortens the hair, that should be taken into account! Oil treatments help a bit, but they cannot repair the damage, that can only be solved with cutting.

[neon-dream]

I would also trim as soon as I could.

[baobhan sith]

If i was in your place, I'd probably trim, but i can't afford a proper one, am scared of using scissors myself, and there is NO WAY i am letting my grandma cut it! not after last time!

My hair's like that at the ends, and i'm just doing S&Ds to keep the splits down to minimise tangles, so it doesn't get worse. Then to try and stop them coming back SMT on hair wetted with catnip, then have a hot (reasonably) shower with my hair in a cap, and turn it down to rinse.

I wouldn't just leave them, because i can only see it getting worse (like mine went from below bsl to above my shoulders full of splits and damage :( ) So i'd S&D, to keep the length but lose the damage! Or at least some of it. Otherwise , i don't know about your hair, but i know i'll never get to jmy next goal with damage! HTH

[xrosiex]

I think trim now so that the hem doesn't break off like it's been doing, and then just do a small dusting before graduation. Not a major trim maybe a inch.:)

[Samikha]

Take an inch off, and see if it helps. If it doesn't, off goes the other inch, and the last two if it has to go. Health before length. And as you say it's breaking off, it'll probably gain length more quickly if you get rid of the damage. Think of your new healthy ends and smile;)

That's some lovely hair you have there, by the way :)

[WavyGirl]

This might be a silly question but have you tried clarifying. I know the old ends sometimes react differently to products compared to the newer hair. Maybe buildup is part of the issue. I would try it before trimming if you haven't already. Sorry, I forgot to mention that in my first post.

[Deborah]

Boy, I'd cut off those bad ends fast. The damage can travel up the hair shaft, causing damage higher up that you can avoid by cutting now. Having good, healthy ends will be so worth it!

[tiny_teesha]

I'd dust pronto and trim a week before the event.

[Presto]

May I suggest a thorough S&D session? This helps a lot with my snags in the last couple inches, sometimes there are just a few nasty feathered splits tying things up.
But then, I also like the fairytale look on me, S&D can mess up a blunt hemline depending on how often and how much you trim out.