Thinking about a (fairly) big trim

[maskedrose]

Ugh. I've been toying with this idea for months now. I don't really want to, but I think I need to trim a good 3". I've just reached my first mini-goal of waist this month and I was hoping to have more time to enjoy it, but I think the ends have got to go. They're left over from when I did a full head of highlights and they are so splitty, tangly and dry, dry, dry. I end up pulling out a bunch of hair whenever I comb, no matter how carefully I do it and the breakage down there is getting ridiculous. S&D is pointless. The other part of it is that I'm wearing my hair down much more lately, about 3 times a week, so "putting it up and forgetting about it" won't work.

So, I'm about to make the appointment, but I just need some moral support. It'll still be BSL or slightly longer, but I'm going to miss this length. I love it. But, I think I'm also going to love not having a snarly mess, and the upside is that I'll be trimming away the last of my layers as well. Bah, I still don't want to do it :(

[WelshLocks]

Well look at it this way: It's summer and hair is known to grow a little bit faster in the summer.
You'll only be missing the length for 6 months(or less) and then you can enjoy a full, beautiful 30" again! Your hair is really a beautiful color and I'm sure it's not going to be that big of a deal once the ends come off. I'm sitting at where you'll be actually. :) It's not so bad.
Just make sure you have a good person cutting it, not someone whowon't listen to you.

Can't wait to see pictures.Good luck!

[gmdiaz]

I've gone by this one motto: if you have a doubt about something, don't do it.

How much does your hair grow a month? I'd cut off a good inch now and then half the amount your hair grows a month, every month until I got rid of the damage.

Trying to keep it CLOSE to waist length. . .that way, you'll still be happy and your hair will look healthier all the time, with no agonizing loss of length.

But if you've got to do it, do it. lolol I've done it many times and it isn't a totally big deal. Hair DOES grow back.

I guess I am saying that now, after all those times that I made big cuts, I wouldn't do it. I'd be more patient. *big grin*

[smerrie]

Personally, I think nice ends are more important than length!

[Wanderer09]

If you don't want to cut the three inches off in one fell swoop, you could do as gmdiaz said and do it gradually. That way it won't be too much of a shock, and you may even gain a little length.

Just focus on how nice the ends are going to feel, and how easily you'll be able to detangle! :D

[kam984420]

If i was doing it, i would cut 1 inch per month for 3 months. If your hair grows the average rate of 1/2 inch, you'll grow half of that three inches back over the next 3 months. Then you'll only be missing an inch and a half.:cheese:

[yogachic]

This is the exact same story as me, except i cut to my shoulders. My ends were so tangly, split, and dry. I thought I needed at least 3 inches cut off. I had more like close to a foot cut off. Sure I have no splits now and healthy hair, but short hair. Good luck in whatever you decide.

[Flotsum]

I would cut. Having splitty, tangly, dry ends can take away the beauty that is your hair now.

[nancy33936]

If you feel that you need to get it trimmed then do it, In the long run you will be happier.

[Roseate]

Personally, I like one 3" cut more than three 1" cuts. It just takes up less mental space for me; I only have to worry about one haircut rather than three! Obviously, YMMV. But either way, enjoy your fresh ends!

[GlassEyes]

I'd just cut it off all at once if it bugs you.

You could drag it out, but you'd stil ahve tod eal with damaged ends, and you seem to be at the end of your rope with that anyway. With more damaged hair I'd recommened that, but...a 3 in. chop for nice ends?

Worth it.

[Debra83]

Personally, I like one 3" cut more than three 1" cuts. It just takes up less mental space for me; I only have to worry about one haircut rather than three! Obviously, YMMV. But either way, enjoy your fresh ends!

What does YMMV mean?

[rose_in_bloom]

What does YMMV mean?

Your Mileage May Vary. :)

[ericthegreat]

Remember the 2 week rule...........don't rush out and get it unless you are certain this is what you want to do. From what I can see, you have absolutely no need to trim more than say 3/4 of an inch. The most damage is located only with the last 1/4 inch of our hair anyway, so if getting rid of damage is your true goal then stick with that alone. And some would even say that the split endy look is quite natural, look at it this way you will very soon get those natural looking fairy tails.

[enfys]

If you're paying for it I'd get all 3" off at once! No point in paying three times for the end result. If you don't want to do it yourself could a partner/parent/friend cut a bit off the bottom for you?

It's the miser in me thinking cut all the remaining damage off at once, but the hair brained part wouldn't want to lose the length unless it was utterly neccessary.

How long has it been since your last trim?

[maskedrose]

I got a 1" trim in May but it really didn't help much at all. When I comb I always snag in the last three inches, so I really don't think that cutting my growth off is really going to help the problem right now. Sure, I'll keep the length, but I'll still be snagging and pulling hair out.

And as you pointed out enfys, I'd rather just pay once for a trim. I'm a chicken about self trims and I have a really good stylist who only takes off what I want. I'll really miss the length, but since this is the last of my real damage I probably won't have to trim much at all in the next year...meaning that I'll still reach my final goal of hip in the very near future. I've been trimming regularily over the last two years - 1-2" trims every four months or so, although I've tried to stretch them out lately. I think it will be a lot easier to just let it grow and only trim to maintain my blunt hem if all of this crap is gone.

At least I have photographic evidence now that I can indeed grow my hair out to waist +, which I wasn't sure was possible a couple of years ago. Lesson learned? Don't highlight fine hair if your natural color is only a shade darker. Pointless damage.