Going short! Please help :)

[Steph0087]

Hey, I am new around here, and wanting to grow my hair out after 2 frustrating years of trying to grow out a bad cut, then a bad decision to color-strip my hair, and now loads of split ends!
Here is where I am now: My hair is about 2 inches past my shoulders, with bangs hitting at about the bottom of my eyes. Around my face, I have a lot of split ends and broken pieces, resulting in sections that are only about chin length. They easily blend in and look like face-framing layers, but they are very damaged. I also have split ends throughout the rest of my hair, and because a hairstylist decided to use texturizer scissors on my thin damaged hair, they have crept of a few inches rather than remaining at the bottom.

My plan is to grow out my bangs to about jaw/chin length, and then cut my hair short - finally get rid of all the split ends - and start fresh with blunt healthy ends.

Because I know a lot of you have had short hair or like me, have purposefully cut your hair short in order to start fresh, I thought I would get some advice one which cut would be the better choice to with!

This one, which I *think* would take care of all the damage, but is pretty short and would leave me with layers to grow out:
Keira Knightley #1 (http://www.keiraknightley.net/gallery/data/526/medium/keira-k_com-benditlikebeckham-stills18.jpg)

Keira Knightley #2 (http://www.keiraknightley.net/gallery/data/976/medium/keiraknightley_dot_net_benditlikebeckham_caps_132. jpg)

Or this one, which would give me a nice blunt start, but might require an additional couple trims to really get everything the same length and free of split ends:
Keira Knightley #3 (http://www.aolcdn.com/red_galleries/keira-knightley-400a082107.jpg)

Thanks in advance!

[cindy58]

I'd start with the second cut, plan on some trims, and then see how it goes.

Unless you think you would enjoy the shorter style more for awhile, knowing that it will take longer to grow out.

[Steph0087]

Right, I guess I could start with the first, and then if I feel like I need to go more drastic, I can go shorter to the first one.

Thanks for responding!

Also, anyone who has good tips on handling thin wavy hair, I'd love to hear them!

[Charli800]

I would also go with the second cut, unless you want to take longer to grow it out. I think Kirin wrote an article on looking after thin hair in the hair care articles section, but I can't offer first hand advice! Nightshade has a really good article on damaged hair there too. If you haven't read it, you might find it useful.
HTH

[earthdancer]

I like the 2nd one, also; my hair looks just like yours when it's short, and I started out growing it from just below my ears (4 years ago). I couldn't grow it at all until I found Fructis Length and Strength shampoo and conditioner, and I use their split-end treatment besides (a huge help!) I never thought that an inexpensive line like that could possibly work, but nothing else comes anywhere close, not even the most expensive hair salon products.

One nice think about the Fructis L & S products that I didn't expect: my hair looks much thicker! I used to have a part running down the back of my head because my hair is so fine, but within 2 weeks, the part was gone!:D

My hair just reached waist-length a month ago, so it is possible to do it, even with fine hair. One thing more: I haven't let a hair dresser touch my hair in years because most of them don't know what they are doing, and fine hair takes a lot of skill. Also, some of them will take inches off your hair unasked because they think you "need" it. I cut my own hair, but I realize that is not an option for everyone. Unless you can find one that does a really good job on other people who have hair like yours, I'd say keep the visits to the salon as infrequent as possible.

[Tap Dancer]

The first cut is cuter, IMO. Would these haircuts look good on you? Is her face shape and hair type similar to yours?

[spidermom]

Do you have naturally straight hair? (Because if you are choosing styles that need to be straightened to look good, your ends will dry out and split again.)

[wintersun99]

I like the first one better, but I think the second one will be easier to grow out. :)

[Steph0087]

Great thank-you, I will check it out!

[Steph0087]

TapDancer - that is something I would love to know from you guys, actually! I should have posted a picture of me initially :)

Spidermom - my hair is naturally wavy, but I think I can make those styles work fine just by blowdrying - I know that that is still bad for your hair, but it will be less damaging then blow-drying + straightening every day, which is what I do now! I also am not looking for hair longer than BSL, so I don't mind having to go in for trims necessarily to remove damage.

Here are some pics, I'd love to hear some advice! Thank you everyone for responding, its much appreciated :)

This is my natural texture:
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t72/smmille1/IMG_1287.jpg?t=1236016680

And here is a better picture of my face shape:
(in the center)
http://photos-c.ll.facebook.com/photos-ll-snc1/v348/203/3/36610243/n36610243_35124410_3939.jpg

[missbexy]

I would vote for the second cut as well.
I think it's a nice simple cut and like you've already said you could always go for a more dramatic cut if you decide to later on
G

[spidermom]

I think blow-drying is fine as long as you don't use the hottest setting, and you don't pull and stretch your wet hair with a brush while doing it. (I use a wide-tooth comb to hold my hair away from my head while blow-drying, and I don't pull/stretch.)

[earthdancer]

You have a great face shape; I imagine that almost any hairstyle would look nice. Does you hair look straighter the shorter it's cut? Mine does; when it's short, it has almost no wave to it.

[RancheroTheBee]

I don't think your hair necessarily looks damaged enough to be cutting off that much length, unless that's a really old picture. Anyway, I would second the blunt hemline, just because it tends to grow out better (I speak from experience), but maybe you could just start small with some microtrims? I don't know. Actually, it would only take you like, five months to get back to shoulder with either cut. >_<; Ugn. Now you have me all conflicted.

[Sydney]

I would definitely go for the 2nd cut. You can always go shorter if that doesn't do the job. Your hair looks really nice as it is though btw!

[meriellyn]

I agree that the first one is cuter but the second would be easier to grow out.

[smilinjenn71]

The first is cute but the second will be easier to grow out AND easier to manage, considering your hair is naturally wavy.

You could scrunch some mousse or gel in, then dry on low with a diffuser. That would be such a cute - messy - look for going out on the weekends. That way you wouldn't have to pull it straight to dry it. Embrace the wave!!! hehe

[Steph0087]

Thank-you so much everyone for the responses! There are so many, I can't respond to them all separately :)

I think I will go with the second, just because I am a bit tired of growing out layers, and I can see myself getting pretty frustrated with it.

And thanks for the comments on my pictures! Those have been taken over the past couple of months.. the first one was in December/January, and the second one was in November. I now have bangs that I cut in hopes of getting rid of all the damage around my face. Unfortunately, the damage goes back to far, and if I cut my bangs thicker, I think I will end up with a mullet! Not attractive.. :p thus the reason I am considering the chop!

I will try to put up a pic that shows what I am talking about in a little while..

[Steph0087]

Here we go, this is why I was thinking I should just cut it all even. The short section next to my face is all split ends, so no matter how many trims I have, it won't grow out. I just keeps breaking off.. and I can't just cut it, or I will have a mullet!

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t72/smmille1/IMG_1850.jpg?t=1236024367

These are the ends on a piece of paper, so you can see a bit more clearly:
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t72/smmille1/IMG_1854.jpg?t=1236024456

[spidermom]

I can't see that it's damaged and split - it just looks like lots of different hair lengths. We all have that - old hairs shed out, new hairs grow in. I'd definitely go with the blunter cut if I were you and not as short as you were thinking. It would only take a few trims to catch up to all the old damage I would imagine.

[Pixna]

It doesn't look damaged to me at all -- just a variety of lengths. The hair right around my face never grows long (see my avatar). I've had my hair long, short, and in-between, but if I tried to get everything to be even with my side hairs, I'd have a blunt cut up to my eyeballs. Your hair appears to be in great shape. Other than trying to get everything even, why would you cut it? If the pics you posted are current, your hair looks terrific as is. I'd vote for just letting it grow.

[Tap Dancer]

I think the second cut will look better on you. Your hair isn't fine like hers. It might poof out some if it's short and layered.

[Steph0087]

Really? Wow! Well... those pics that I just posted were taken today.. I can see a lot of split ends around my face, and I guess the OCD in me wants my hair to be split-end free and all perfectly even... but maybe I can get there less drastically. I have plenty of time to think about it I suppose, the earliest I would probably cut it would be May-ish.

[Steph0087]

Yeah, that's a really good point... my hair is actually pretty fine, but the wave gives me a lot of volume.

[Addy]

I say let it grow and do small trims like an inch every 3 months or so if your that bent on cutting damaged split ends off. I think it would give you the bluntness you are looking for, cut off the layers as you grow it out and best of all, get rid of damage.

It's totally up to you but that's what I would do. I know it's a PITA because I've been there done that and it just takes a little time and a lot of patience.

I also think your hair looks great! Just grow it out and do small trims. Hope this helps and it's only my opinion. ;) Do what makes you happy! :)