So, one month after the big chop, am I happy I did it?

[Evie]

:hmm: Hmmmm

Good question. My hair was doing pretty well, it was almost APL, and shiny with henndigo.

Problem was, I had damaged much of the upper layers in the past, and the area around my face in particular had so many bits of damage that took lots of work each time I washed to make look decent.

So. I cut it all off, into a pixie crop. It had to go that short, to get rid of the damage on the top layers without looking like a very bad mullet :rolleyes:

A month on, it is amazing to run my hands through it and feel not one shred of damage on the ends! Not one! Whilst I miss my hair, and my hair toys sit gathering some dust, it is a huge relief to get rid of the trashed stuff and start afresh.

And now I get the chance to baby it back to where I was, and get growing all over again! Wish me luck, folks - will post some comparison pics later so you can see the extent of the scissor job :scissors:

I'd be interested in your views, too - have many of you done this, and then grown out long again? I could do with some inspiration, :magic:

[RancheroTheBee]

When I was about sixteen, I got the brilliant idea to bleach my hair. I looked exactly like Nancy Spungen, but anyway. I had to cut it up to my ears. About a year and a half later, it was back down to a bit below my shoulder, and it felt great.

But then later, I bleached it again. Then I shaved it all off. And now I'm about five months away from reaching shoulder again. It took a while, because I was enjoying having short hair, but now I'm on the long trek to waist.

:D Hang in there! Growing your hair is about 90% of the fun!

[spidermom]

I have cut short and grown out to about APL so many times. I was so clueless. I'd grow from pixie, it would get about APL in two years, and I'd decide "I've been growing my hair FOR YEARS, and it still isn't long." So to spite myself, I'd cut it short again.

I finally developed some patience in my mid-40s, thank goodness. I finally have the long hair I've dreamed of having all my life.

Have a good grow and be patient.

[Honey39]

I take the long view with hair growing - hair will grow six inches in a year, give or take an inch. You have the opportunity to grow lovely, long, undamaged hair and relish every step. Sure it will take time, but say it takes six years to grow to classic - most of us could do that ten times from bald in our lifetime if we wanted! Just be really patient and enjoy your hair in every stage, it's going to be fabulous at every stage! Happy growing.

[wintersun99]

Yep - did it back in Dec. (also went from APL+ to Pixie) with layers about 2-3". Having a chance to do it over, would I? No. I would choose live with the darkened henndigoed hair and not put it through the steps I did to try to lighten it (but damaged it instead).

I am glad that you are enjoying the healthy hair you have now!

[Debra83]

Been there, done that, will probably (gasp) do it again someday!!! But, I'm gonna hit waist first if it kills me!!!!

[ratgirldjh]

i used to regularly shave my head - well i would cut it with clippers to 1".
then for some reason i stopped and my hair grew to waist length. then one day i just started shaving it again - LOL
now it is about an inch away from APL and i definitely need a trim - i do S&D - but my ends are so thin and wispy that i need to have it trimmed about an inch - but i am afraid to go to a salon - so until i can find someone i trust to trim it - i will just keep trimming a tiny bit off myself - LOL
i'm also going to grow to terminal ;)

[Evie]

wow, folks, that is some huge amount of inspiration you've all given me!

Thanks, its good to hear how other people have gone through it sometimes!

Have some cheese, all of you, by way of thanks! :eyebrows:

:cheese::cheese::cheese:

ps I'm sure I'll drive you all mad by posting every time it's grown a fraction - I will be glad when I can even just pin the sides up, and leave the rest alone, I stop noticing it so much then...

[RancheroTheBee]

:laugh: I have to physically restrain myself every time I want to blog again about how much my hair has grown.

[LHGypsyRose]

I just wanted to congratulate you on having the strength and courage to cut so short in order to have healthy hair and a fresh start!:applause

[dearladydisdain]

I cut from thigh length to waist. I'm now at BSL and love being able to wear it down - and no velcro ends! If I decide to grow superlong again I'll make sure I have time to take care of it along the way.

[naomimcc]

I take the long view with hair growing - hair will grow six inches in a year, give or take an inch. ....

6 inches a year??? I WISH!!!

[sandrak]

I just did the same thing, except I didn't go that short. My hair was constantly breaking and looking horrible, so last week I had it cut to just above my shoulders. It feels so good not to have all that orange breaking hair. Now my hair is pretty much damage free and one color. While I miss my longer hair, I don't regret cutting at all!

[Evie]

I just did the same thing, except I didn't go that short. My hair was constantly breaking and looking horrible, so last week I had it cut to just above my shoulders. It feels so good not to have all that orange breaking hair. Now my hair is pretty much damage free and one color. While I miss my longer hair, I don't regret cutting at all!

I can so relate to this. The ends of my hair were crunchy, twisted, and so badly damaged, and this ran up the hair shaft in the top layers around my face...

I henndigoed my hair yesterday, and in the past the damaged bits would take colour so unevenly, so I would have this dark band of trashed hair....and now that does not happen anymore! Just dark, shiny hair....

I've even found a way to keep oiling it - I've found coconut oil is great for use as a styling aid on my short hair, much better than wax as it washes out with the CO method I like. I'm SO determined to look after it this time :D

[Evie]

so, I promised pics

Here is the longest it got prior to the cut....in Dec 2007

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u63/evie_066/ImageDec20072.jpg

And here it is now! Taken in Jan this year

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u63/evie_066/newstyle2.jpg

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u63/evie_066/recentlength.jpg

The top photo of it longer just does not show the damage, but it did not feel good. I could hardly run a comb through the front part for all the broken bits of hair....

[TeresaUK]

I used too much indigo and my hair became almost black. So, I researched my options to lighten the indigo and tried honey lightener. Did not work. Bought and used peroxide. Did not work. But, it did spoil my hair. So, indread of growing it to long, I have to have it cut every 2-3 months to cut out the hair which is very weak. I think that if I did not cut out this hair, it would eventually split. Where I have used peroxide, there is no elasticity in the hair. I am gonna have to have chin length hair for the rest of the year due to my silliness.