Considering a new style, advice appreciated

[missbexy]

Hi everyone
My hair doesn't seem to be growing and something doesn't seem to look quite right about. Also I seem to have a lot of breakage at the end so I am considering caving and going to have it styled. I really don't want to loose much length if I can help it (just what would be absolutely necessary) so I'd like some advice on styles I could get.
I quite like the look of 'flicky' sort of styles like the one Alyson Hannigan had a few years ago (shown on the site below) but i've never seen one longer than about shoulder length and I rather not go that short.
http://hairstyles.hairboutique.com/details.php?ID=7228
If anyone can suggest something which will give the 'flicky' thing but keep my length or suggest other styles which might suit me that would be great.
Thanks, any advice would be much appreciated :)

[lapushka]

Here are some examples:
http://www.hairzingers.com/images/sce/sandra-bullock-long-layered-hair.jpg
http://www.hairuwear.com/ProdImages/Layered-Straight-PIP_03.jpg
http://z.about.com/d/beauty/1/5/M/H/curls15.JPG
http://www.hairstylezone.com/gallery-pages/2009-hairstyle-pictures/images/2009-long-hairstyles24.jpg
http://www.imagecows.com/uploads/8ff7-Leighton-Meester-long-layered-hairstyle.jpg

[missbexy]

Thank you lapushka those were nice, there are a couple which look quite a lot like what i was thinking of. Do you have any idea how high/low maintenance those kind of styles are?

[lapushka]

I think a fair bit of styling and blowdrying would come into play. But I guess it depends on the cut itself and on how your hair responds. Some styles are so nicely cut that you barely have any styling to do. You'll never know until you've tried it yourself.

[Roseate]

Do you have any idea how high/low maintenance those kind of styles are?

I've had a variety of styles in that genre, and how good they look and how high/low maintenance they are depends entirely on how good a job your hairdresser does at cutting the layers to work well with your hairtype.

It may not be as big an issue with your hair as mine; I have very wavy hair and if the layers are not shaped right the whole thing can turn into a giant puffball, or each layer can flip a different direction, or some horror like that. But even with straighter hair, the layers have to be well cut or they will look ratty. So find a hairdresser whose work you've seen, ask around. And make sure you discuss how you want to style your hair with the hairdresser before the cut: do you want to use heat? Do you want to be able to let it airdry and look good? Do you use products? How often do you plan to come back for trims? Stuff like that.

And don't let them cut your hair with a razor! Trust me. Some stylists like it for giving "texture" to layered ends, but your hair will fray and look like you got it cut in prison with a nail clipper after a short time.

[missbexy]

Thanks again.
I have no idea how my hair will respond because it's only ever been one length or with normal Jennifer Anniston type long layers. I think i'll have to spend money to go see the hairdresser in the town where I used to live, he tries to style so that the cut will hold the style instead of people having to work hard to maintain it every day.
Is it likely to be possible to maintain quite obvious flicks/flips with little product or heat? because the last thing I want to do is start damaging my hair after removing where my hair keeps breaking now

[jojo]

I think it would be pretty hard to get the flick look on longer than shoulder length, but some layers if your willing would achieve this without loosing the length!

[Madame J]

It looks like we have pretty similar hair types, just different colors, so I can tell you that my experience with a layered cut like the Sandra Bullock link that lapushka posted was very positive. If you lived in my area, I'd give you a hairdresser recommendation!

I got my shoulder-length, one-length hair cut into lots of layers that gave it movement and made it feel like short hair (much, much lighter), but with long hair sex appeal. And because of the layers and my slight natural wave, I rarely had to do anything to it on a regular basis, except wash and brush. It even grew out gracefully, with the layers/fringe in the front becoming cheekbone-length, and then chin-length layers as it grew out. In fact, going back to old pictures from about 6 months after I got that cut was what made me want to grow my hair back out.

[lynnala]

I'll chime in here too, you'll probably have to work at it to have the 'flick'. My hair is fine and thin, not like yours, but when I've had layers, they just lay there and don't do anything. I think there will be curling, blow drying and products involved.

[spidermom]

If you are maintaining a style and getting it trimmed a lot, damage won't come into play.

[spidermom]

By the way, how long have you been growing your hair? It takes years and years. I used to grow my hair to about APL and then freak out about how I'd been growing my hair for a long time (2 or 3 years) and it wasn't getting long so I might as well get it cut. Flawed logic; don't do like I did.

[missbexy]

Looks like i'll have to do some serious discussing with hairdressers in my area before I decide if it's worth it.
I've been trying to grow my hair out my whole life, I've had it cut three times before, all with layers to about APL (which was only about 3 inches of its full length). This is its longest ever been but because of the breakage i'm starting to think either it's terminal or i've done it a serious injustice somewhere alonng the line and it hasn't recovered yet.

[Nat242]

<snip> This is its longest ever been but because of the breakage i'm starting to think either it's terminal or i've done it a serious injustice somewhere alonng the line and it hasn't recovered yet.

Breakage isn't a symptom of terminal length. When hair is at terminal length, it lies dormant for a while and then falls out from the root to be replaced by a new hair. Hair breaks when it's damaged.

If your hair isn't getting any longer due to breakage, with better care and protection and lots of patience it's highly likely you can grow a fair bit longer.

[missbexy]

I've tried caring for it, I can't see much damage above the very ends but the bits that break of range from a couple of millimeters to a couple of inches. I can't figure out the cause but I am going to do a clarifying wash this week to see I find figure out what my hair is lacking.
Sorry for all the long posts and thank you all for your advice. Even a little cut is a big thing for me so it's nice to have people help me figure out the best thing to do.

[Nat242]

I've tried caring for it, I can't see much damage above the very ends but the bits that break of range from a couple of millimeters to a couple of inches. I can't figure out the cause but I am going to do a clarifying wash this week to see I find figure out what my hair is lacking.
Sorry for all the long posts and thank you all for your advice. Even a little cut is a big thing for me so it's nice to have people help me figure out the best thing to do.

The effects of proper care can take a long time to become apparent. I've been very protective of my hair for over 18 months (henna, diluted shampoo, I wear it up all the time, no heat styling, hair friendly tools, deep treatments, etc.), but I still have breakage and lots of splits. That's because the damage has already been done. What I'm doing now is preventing *more* damage.

Growing hair is often two steps forward, one step back (trims, breakage, whatever).

In all honesty, I wouldn't recommend getting your hair styled like in the pictures people have posted if you still want to try growing your hair. In my opinion they would require styling (probably blow drying and styling products) and they would probably make protecting your hair (through buns and other updos) more difficult. It would probably also require frequent trims, which even when you have a good hairdresser, makes you lose more length than you probably need to.

If you want to grow long hair, you just have to stick with it. Some damage is done, and can't be undone. Some parts of your hair will be especially fragile and eventually the damage will show. Your hair may not be "lacking" anything - but you can't repair damage that's already done. The new hair coming through now will be healthy and strong.
Snip off splits/white dots when you see them, but otherwise, just leave it be, or do microtrims.

My hair grows slowly, and I've got 4-5 inches of damaged/fragile hair in which splits and breakage can occur (even though those inches don't look or feel bad at all). I feel your pain. I've had some luck using catnip tea as a prewash treatment, but right now I'm just S&Ding breakage when I see it, and keeping my hair up.

So no, if you want long hair, I wouldn't recommend getting it cut in a heavily layered, thinned out "flip" style. If you're done with the idea of long hair, then sure, go for it. It's a cute style.

[missbexy]

Ok the cut is done. I've gone back to 21 inches, the shortest its been since i was about 10, quite a bit more than she was supposed to take off but it looks much healthier and I feel confident that I can now focus on keeping my hair healthy from here on out now its damage less. Thanks to everyone who offered advice, I'll be uploading some pics if anyone is interested.

[Roseate]

I hope you love your new style! And now that all your damage is gone for sure, you can proceed to treat your hair like a queen as it grows.

[squiggyflop]

huh ive been trying to get rid of my hair's flickyness.. it always flips up at the ends.. it makes my hair look shorter..
but my hair is weird.. when my hair is short it naturally trys to be farrah hair.. my wave pattern is just weird like that..

[Natalia]

Hi everyone
My hair doesn't seem to be growing and something doesn't seem to look quite right about. Also I seem to have a lot of breakage at the end so I am considering caving and going to have it styled. I really don't want to loose much length if I can help it (just what would be absolutely necessary) so I'd like some advice on styles I could get.
I quite like the look of 'flicky' sort of styles like the one Alyson Hannigan had a few years ago (shown on the site below) but i've never seen one longer than about shoulder length and I rather not go that short.
http://hairstyles.hairboutique.com/details.php?ID=7228
If anyone can suggest something which will give the 'flicky' thing but keep my length or suggest other styles which might suit me that would be great.
Thanks, any advice would be much appreciated :)

OMG Alyson Hannigan! I LOVE her <3 ok done with that lol but i had to say it no one knows who she is when i talk about her! Anyways i did something simmilar at low BSL. I got layers around my face (i dont look good with a blunt front) more like tapering than layer and then flipped them out like that in VERY downplayed farrah fawcet look :p. I hope you find something you like :)