Split ends?

[wissles]

I read everywhere that you're supposed to cut at least 1 inch ABOVE the split end, so if the split end is really, really small, so you barely notice it, do you still have to cut as much off?
because my trimming plan right now is 8-10 weeks between trimmings, and by trying to grow it out I can't afford to cut 1-1½ inch off just because I may have small split ends (about 1 mm long or so.) :confused:

[Arctic]

Where have you read that? Surely not on LHC?

The idea is to cut as minimally as possible but always cut to the healthy hair. If the split is small, trim couple mm above it, if a longer area is damaged, cut so that you get the damage all gone. Of course if your hair is really damaged, then a real trim might be in place. There are great articles at the article section from Nightshade, Teacherbear and others about splits, trimming and damage.

[wissles]

Haha, no, not on LHC.
But if I google it, I read it pretty much everywhere! And I don't get the point. Well, I do understand that you have to trim above the split, otherwise it's no point. But 1½ inch sounds weird.

I've actually already read the articles, but I may have to read them once again to convince myself that it'll be okay. :rolleyes: Thank you.

[earthdancer]

Are you planning an all-over trim or just trimming individual splits as you find them?

[wissles]

Are you planning an all-over trim or just trimming individual splits as you find them?
An all-over trim. But if I do find a split end weeks before I've planned my trim, I just pull the entire hair shaft off (bad idea, I know..)

[kdaniels8811]

There are threads on this elsewhere but catnip tea soaks helped all but eliminate my split ends. I have not cut or trimmed in over a year and found one split end when I searched two days ago. A lot better than trimming, especially if you are trying to grow any length out.

[enfys]

Have you tried to do S&D? Where you seek out splits and trim a few mm above them? That would be a lot better than pulling the whole strand out, and you already have hair scissors if you've trimming yourself.

I think the trim an inch is made up by hairdressers. There's no logic to it at all.

[longhairedfairy]

I've read that somewhere before as well, but I don't think it's necessary.

[wissles]

Have you tried to do S&D? Where you seek out splits and trim a few mm above them? That would be a lot better than pulling the whole strand out, and you already have hair scissors if you've trimming yourself.

I think the trim an inch is made up by hairdressers. There's no logic to it at all.

Yep, but thing is that I have a LOT of hair, and it's pretty short so I have to look really close in a mirror, and it's very layered too so I think it would be best if a hairdresser did it.
But sometimes I just look through my hair just to make sure it's not _full_ of split ends. What a nightmare that would be!

[Arctic]

I missunderstood your first post, sorry. I thought you were talking about S&D.

In an overall trim, I think about 1 cm/ 0.4" is good, but less is also ok. Many say that even a teeny tiny trim makes difference.

[wissles]

I'm thinking about just trimming about 1/5 inch every 8-10 weeks, if my ends are okay. If not, I may take about 1/4 inch instead. I hope that will be okay. I've given up heat styling and bad products and brushing and other stuff that's supposed to cause split ends.
Now I'm all natural, and I use good protein (and moisture) rich products, I don't dye or bleech my hair anymore, don't wash my hair often at all.. And I never used to have split ends before I did the bleeching and started using heat styling. So I hope I won't get them now either.

But I do understand though that I probably will have a few split ends until I've cut ALL chemical treated hair off, and that's going to take a while I guess. But as long as it's getting a little bit longer and I'm heading in the right direction, it'll be okay. It would feel so depressing to cut all my length off every month or so, even though I would get rid of all the damage faster. But I can barely stand my hair, it's so short..

Sorry for my long post. Didn't realize. :disbelief

[Carina]

I usually get a small trim at my hairdresser twice a year.Oils did work out pretty good for me when it came to fighting split ends.

[jera]

There are threads on this elsewhere but catnip tea soaks helped all but eliminate my split ends. I have not cut or trimmed in over a year and found one split end when I searched two days ago. A lot better than trimming, especially if you are trying to grow any length out.

I've read about the benefits of catnip but haven't used any on my hair as yet. What is the recipe for a soak? :confused:

wissles, I spent my first seven months on LHC trimming off damage. As much as was necessary, even though it was more than I wanted to sacrifice. But finally all the good advice I got here has helped my hair so much I haven't needed a trim since last November. :D

So don't feel bad if it seems like you have to trim off all that damage for a while. The end result will be worth it and your hair will grow longer and stronger as the result of it. :)

[wissles]

wissles, I spent my first seven months on LHC trimming off damage. As much as was necessary, even though it was more than I wanted to sacrifice. But finally all the good advice I got here has helped my hair so much I haven't needed a trim since last November. :D

So don't feel bad if it seems like you have to trim off all that damage for a while. The end result will be worth it and your hair will grow longer and stronger as the result of it. :)
Yes, I know it will get better, someday.. :rolleyes: And I will continue to cut the damage off, but I really want to grow it a little bit too, even though I'm still trying to cut the damage off. I don't even want long long hair, I will be fine when it's below my shoulders, but my goal is reached when it's armpit length. So I hope it won't take like three-four years just to get there. My longest hair touches the shoulder line now, so it's just about 14 cm left. (Why do I always seem to write extremely unnecessary long posts!? :confused: I think it's some kind of hair therapy or something to remind myself of my goals..)

[Rebelkat]

(Why do I always seem to write extremely unnecessary long posts!? :confused: I think it's some kind of hair therapy or something to remind myself of my goals..)
I don't think you write "extremely unnecessary long posts." Believe me, lots of people on here write very long posts.

But, anyways, there's no logical reason for cutting an inch above the split. I was told by a hairdresser (the lady who used to trim my hair before I learned to do it myself) that anything more than 2" is a cut, not a trim... so if that's the case, why would anyone cut an extra 1.5" above the damage?

[wissles]

I don't think you write "extremely unnecessary long posts." Believe me, lots of people on here write very long posts.

But, anyways, there's no logical reason for cutting an inch above the split. I was told by a hairdresser (the lady who used to trim my hair before I learned to do it myself) that anything more than 2" is a cut, not a trim... so if that's the case, why would anyone cut an extra 1.5" above the damage?

Well, maybe not. But I tend to write stuff that's not really.. relevant sometimes. :p
I never get that either. I don't see why cutting far up above the split would do you any good.
But it feels better now when everyone here said that it's enough to just cut a little bit above it, like a few mm.

[Arctic]

Generally speaking many stylists and articles in magazines etc. are not interested in long hair, because it's not trendy and it doesn't bring customers/money to the hair dressers etc. Many hairdressers are not familiar with how to treat long hair (gently). If one is trying to grow their hair, getting 2" trimmed every 6 weeks would make this very difficult-- In my case impossible because I would be bald soon (slowly growing hair)!

Good luck on your long hair journey! Enjoy yourself! :flowers:

PS. Your posts haven't been too long or anything :)

[marzipanthecat]

All that stuff about cutting split ends off at about 1 inch ABOVE the split - am sure this is all written by people who do not have long hair. I just snip the split end itself off, so only lose about 1 or 2mm of hair above the split!

I used to be frequently approached by women (complete strangers) telling me what to do to make my hair nice. Heaven knows why I would listen to someone who has hair not in as good condition as my own. This hasn't happened for a few years now - I do wonder if it was the sort of thing that only happens in London! (where I used to live)

[JamieLeigh]

I too don't see a reason to cut off so much healthy hair above the split - just as long as you are cutting ABOVE it and where it is healthy. I try to trim as minimal amount as possible. Regular S&D's, coupled with good care, should help you to find fewer and fewer splits as time goes on. (It's finding the care routine that's right for you that's the hard part......lol ;))