When layers get long?

[Heavenly Locks]

I am not trimming for 2009 and I was wondering, does anyone have layers that they just didn't cut off? Most people get to a certain length and then maintain to get rid of their layers. They end up with a blunt hemline...

Will my ends fairytail more/faster if I don't cut off the layers as it grows?

I have a U shaped hemline with layers right now, and I just wanted to maybe see what my hair would end up like in a year or two if I don't do any drastic trimming. (I plan for a small trim in October this year if I need it)

Here is a link to my most recent hair picture - http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/album.php?albumid=2522&pictureid=36296

[steph in tx]

I don't know the answer to your question, but I just wanted to say that your hair is beautiful! I think it looks good with the layers at the ends like that. It gives me hope, as I have the same amount of layering but my hair is not quite at APL yet. I hope my hair looks as beautiful as yours when I reach BSL! :flower:

[Heavenly Locks]

Oh thank you so much Steph! I was APL in October, so 5 months :) You'll be longer before you know it. The compliment really felt good, thanks again.

So far I like the way my layers are looking and don't really want to change them...I just want to like them this much 10 inches from now ;) If they look weird at a 'super long' length...then I will plan to cut them out a little at a time.

[steph in tx]

I think that's a good plan. I'm not sure what they'll look like at a longer length either, but if they don't look as good, just trim them away. I look at Aditi's hair with her layers at waist and I think her hair is beautiful. She has deeper layering, of course, but it may be a similar effect.

[janeytilllie]

This is a very difficult question to answer. I think all peoples' hair differs. With my layers they did fairytale alot. But yours may not?

With my layers I kinda neglected them (bad me!) :) I just left them grow and they were damaged.

I started about 2 months ago trimming them alittle and my hemline is thicker now.

But my hair was damaged so that could be the reason mine were fairytaling. But your hair is beautiful and extremly healthy, so IMO I don't think you will have a problem ;).

[Heidi_234]

I have layers in my hair (or should I say most of my hair is U shaped with the bottom of the U over waist length, and few locks of hair from my nape that are few inches longer and touch hip length). I didn't cut off my layers because the bottom layer is my favorite part of my hair, I just adore how long it is (compared to the rest of my hair). You can see my most recent length shot here (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/album.php?albumid=1927&pictureid=36164).
My bottom layer seemed to thin some, and currently I have this urge to cut it shorter (to match the top layer), but I figured it doesn't bother me hemline-wise when my hair's down, and of course it doesn't bother me at all when my hair's up. I'd prefer to reach more satisfying length in my top layer (tb or at least hip) before trimming my bottom layer away, unless of course it will be too thin by then, so I'll choose not to keep 3 hairs just because they are 3" longer :p.
I don't think you should worry about your layers just yet. Keep them, grow it longer, and if you see they really make your hemline look really thin/bad, then go for it. Less trimming is absolute advantage when trying to grow your hair long. But if you don't enjoy your hair anymore, or it makes you feel bad, then you miss half of the point in growing out hair. The journey is half the fun. :D

[AmandaPanda]

I grew out from a shoulder length cut that had many layers (it was thinned out using a razor).

I never got them trimmed, I just gradually trimmed the ends until they grew out. I think they were gone around the time I hit hip length.

Anyway, they did blend in very well when they got long and you probably wouldn't have known I still had them.

I have pictures of them growing out here: http://cid-0655db17bf1720c5.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/Odyssey%20Progress?ct=photos

for some reason they're not in chronological order there

[vampodrama]

I have layers. my longest layer is BSL, but shortest just brushing the tops of my shoulders. so that's quite a bit of layering going on.

I've been thinking about maintaining at BSL for a while and let my layers catch up, but knowing myself I'll just end up doing nothing and letting my hair continue to be how it is.... cos I'm extremely lazy like that.

[embee]

I didn't have layers but I did have fringe/bangs. That's a kind of layer, isn't it? ;) I thought it would *never* grow out enough to blend in, but it has and now it's "the same length" as my other hair.

That didn't answer your question though.... ;)

[Heidi_234]

Anyway, they did blend in very well when they got long and you probably wouldn't have known I still had them.

I have pictures of them growing out here: http://cid-0655db17bf1720c5.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/Odyssey%20Progress?ct=photos

for some reason they're not in chronological order there
Just wanted to say that your hair looks amazing :thud:

[enfys]

AmandaPanda that was some sneaky layer growing out you did- not at any point did they look odd.

I can't wait to get rid of mine. I think the problem I had was that as it gets longer the more I plait it, and they look awful when layers make them look all fuzzy and thin.

[jel]

Your layers look very long already - it seems to me that you'll get rid of them in the next year or two even with just small trims.

I started with a more drastic layered and razored cut, and haven't trimmed since. The progression can be seen in this album (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/album.php?albumid=40), although the pics are not in perfect order (but most are dated).

[flapjack]

I used to have waist length hair with layers up to my chin. After several years of maintaining a waist and letting them grow out, my hair is tailbone length and I would say 75% of the layers are gone, the shortest ones are now a bit below bsl.


Takes years, though. And you really have to baby them so they don't get damaged because they're more prone to damage than the rest of your hair.

[inertia]

The first time I grew my hair to TBL, it was exactly like you're describing. I started with a layered U-shape BSL style. After 3 years without a real cut, it was TB with fairytail ends. I did S&D myself, and maybe once or twice a year I had my SO take off an inch or two at the very bottom to clean up the wispiest parts.

This is how it ended up.
http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m209/aitreni/misc/jingubashi_black.jpg

It would not have fairytailed nearly that much if I'd started from a blunt cut and taken LHC-standard care of it. My hair is naturally almost black and iii in thickness; I think I ended up a ii after the bleaching, blow-drying, frequent use of hot styling tools, and occasional backcombing. But that was fine because I had fun. :)

[vindo]

I did not trim my layered hair for a year once...you can take a lot at my layers over the years here

No trim was : March 2006 - March 2007

http://docs.google.com/View?id=d245654_2099qbk46hh

I have been trimming the layers of since 2007. They do taper and blend in after some time.

[Longlocks3]

I have had a horrible layer about 5-6 inches up my hair for atleast 4+ years. In that time I have had little cuts but the layer is still there...Ugh I hate it but that layer is still too short for me to cut it up. You can't tell in my current picture but my last one you really could. I'm definitely going to concentrate my S&Ds on that layer though since trims usually don't touch those ends.

[redwoman]

Just wanted to say, you have really pretty hair! :D

[spidermom]

I don't think it makes a lot of difference whether or not you "even out" layers. I have had "all-one-length" (what a laugh) hair for about 2 years (see below), but I've got all lengths, as I think most of us do, since old hairs shed out and new hairs start growing every day. I think layered hair reaches a tipping point when you keep growing it and other people can't tell whether or not it was ever layered.

Actually, I had layers in the front that are now growing out. I don't plan to even out the back length to match them at any point.

[thankyousir74]

I have some slight layers (natural due to a pixie cut) that I'm growing out. I think I'll get to hip first and then maintain to trim them out.

[goodenough]

I know some of you did what I did in the early nineties--shaved off the sides and up the back leaving a ponytail long on the top? (not one of my best looks to be sure). Well the weird thing is that I could hardly tell I had ever done that not even a year later. Likewise, I only notice bangs growing out until they fit into my updos. I think we only notice when layers misbehave (like in braids.) I like both fairytale and blunt ends, so I guess i'm lucky enough to always be happy:)

[AnneAdeline]

My last real "cut" was a slightly layered APL. Since then I have trimmed only the longest layers (and just twice in the past two years I dusted the shorter layers). I'm almost hip, and then I think I will maintain for a bit to get rid of some damage and layers.
The layers blend in quite well, except sometimes in braids.

[Heavenly Locks]

<snip>

but I've got all lengths, as I think most of us do, since old hairs shed out and new hairs start growing every day. I think layered hair reaches a tipping point when you keep growing it and other people can't tell whether or not it was ever layered.



Thanks everyone! I think Spidermom is pretty dead on (once again ;) ) about the 'tipping point'. Unless your layers are extreme or your blunt hemline is super straight it would be hard to tell if the layers were there naturally or not.

I don't know how I want my ends to 'end up' haha. The growing out layers you've all shared are beautiful so I think I will just let it grow. Fairy tale ends are nice as are more blunt/shaped hemlines. Mine is wurly so I can get away with pretty much either.

[GlennaGirl]

Those look like very light layers. They're all going to start blending in the longer your hair gets. My layers don't necessarily grow "faster" than the rest of my hair or anything, but somehow, the longer it all gets, the less the layers stand out.

[ary99]

I have the same maddening issue! To trim those layers or not. Honestly, I jut don't think I can stomach any cutting at this point. It's taken so long for me to get to almost BSL, but I have chin length layers. It will be easier when those are past my shoulders.