Layers and growing them out????how???

[indigonight]

I have a lot of layers from a bad experience at a hair-dressers who gave me layers I did not ask for which as you can on my profile pic gives me a very deep V. My problem is my longest lengths are split end free, healthy and well but the upper layers are quite split and probably need a trim. I dont want to go to the hair-dressers again, after too many bad experiences I dont trust them!

a) how do I grow them out if they need to be trimmed again and often (I noticed they seem to get damage much more than my length in general-maybe because they fall out of braids/buns and thus get less protection)?
b) how do I trim without compromising my healthy length?
c) how do I trim them period?

I looked at this site http://community.livejournal.com/feyeselftrim/
but my V is so deep I dont think this method would work.

Anyone with experience of layers please let me know how I should proceed, as I said my lengths are wonderful, I really want to grow out these layers but they seem to be unhealthy so trimming is just driving me crazy as they are impossible (seemingly) to grow out...

[Cherry_Sprinkle]

I'm growing out layers myself. What I am doing is S&D the splits so they don't lead to breakage and I am having professional trims at least 2 times a year (I do this for my damage), my plan is to hit classic length and then maintain there until the shortest layers are even. My hair is cut in a pretty straight style but it forms a V when dry and curly, and since I don't want to chop my hair to where the layers are, the only compromise I have is to get to a length I want and maintain there.

[indigonight]

Thanks Cherry, sounds like a good idea. I shall just trim the splits on the layers and maintain the length.
Layers just seem so hard to grow out as like I said they just slip out of braids and bun thus getting tangled more....plus I have a weird phenomenon layers on one side seemed to have grown longer and healthier than on the other side of my head... hmmm
Good luck growing out your layers! Curse those layering hair-dressers, they are giving us extra work to grow and flow!
May your layers grow long...
x

[AnneAdeline]

I've been growing out my layers for a while now. I'm doing it gradually by only trimming the longest bits of my hair. This way, the rest is catching up. It's been about two years since I started growing, and my layers are still there--but the difference isn't as great.

[Heidi_234]

I'm in a process of getting rid of my ridiculous layers I had (thanks hairdressers, part of the reason I'm not coming back for a trim for you). They were, what, 4"-5" inches deep and made my ends look so thin that I could feel the difference in length trimming 2" off.

Anyway, I noticed that the upper canopy layer, which is to our demise the shortest one so it means it never gets cut when you trim the hemline, is getting really damaged. If I think my hair is due for dusting (trimming the very very ends). What I do, is section my hair, try my best make each section consisting same length hair, and trim each section individually. That, and S&Ds, keeps the upper layer in decent enough shape.

I have overall about 6" of end due for a trim (trimming them would free me from layers, hairloss taper and funky hemline). Since I still what to grow my hair longer, I decided to let it grow to the point where the bottom layer thins too much and starts to look ratty. I use Feye's method and trim decided amount of inches off the bottom layer. I have 2"-3" to go, and then the self trim method will reach the top layer and trim all that damage too.

It's a long process, but I think it worth it.
(sorry this post is not very coherent, I have a slight headache, if you have any questions ask away)

[Cherry_Sprinkle]

I've found if I heavy oil and mix with aloe gel, they don't stick out nearly as much and I try to bun and braid with damp hair for this reason :)

[indigonight]

thanks for the tips on this thread, its great to hear about others facing similar layer dilemmas..
just a terminology question: what are S&D's??

[jivete]

S&D is "Search & Destroy". Basically where you look through your hair and snip off the splits, white dots & other damaged pieces.

[Toadstool]

I am cutting half an inch a month off my bottom layer, even though the top ones are in far worse condition. But my hair is short and I have the added motivation that I will get to all virgin quicker this way. When my layers catch up I will still have to keep trimming for a while I think, to remove their damaged ends.

[Addy]

I grew out layers recently... I too got a horrible layering job in my bsl length by a hair stylist that basically hacked me to shoulder length and layers up to my ears. <I'll be nice> ;) It took the better part of two years and about 10" of hair cut off to fix.:( I did mine in 2 sweeps of the shears <scissors> and grew 8 months or more between cuts. I am so glad to be done with it and finally starting to gain length.

Good luck growing them out. I know how you feel.

[teela1978]

I grew out layers. I pretty much just took a little bit off every so often, and eventually they went away. There were definitely awkward stages. My hair wasn't that long though, so there wasn't really as much to go through.

You probably can manage feye's self trim. Just do a bit from each side every few months or so. Your very deep V will slowly become less deep. It's not a fast thing, it won't happen overnight, hair grows about 1/2 inch per month on average. Figure out how much you have to grow out and you can imagine how long it'll take.

[polywednesday]

I'm growing out layers from a very bad "trim" gone wrong recently. I lost over 6" in the canopy (from almost waist to just below shoulder). The front is just shoulder length, no layers so it can't be worn down. It looks ridiculous. Your layers don't look too bad, though I hear you on getting rid of them.

My plan is to S&D the layers and then have my husband trim the very bottom layer just a tiny bit every month to maintain length where it is (a bit above waist) until the rest catches up, then I'm growing it out to hip length. I figure the whole process should take about 18-24 months. Sigh.

Good luck, and keep us posted on your progress.

[heatherdazy]

With my clients who have this problem, I trim 3/4" an inch off their length, dry the hair, trim 1/4" off their layers, then S&D their layers and tell them to come back in 10-12 weeks. This way their length continues to grow (albeit slowly), their layers start catching up with the length, and all damage is taken care of.

But I get a lot of shocked reactions from new clients who have never seen anyone do this, so I guess it's not all that common.

[indigonight]

I cant bear to trim my long healthy ends so I did an S&D, trimmed my upper land middle ayers and now I have less thickness in the upper and middle length and since my hair is wavey the trimmed layers are oddly not waving at all but trying to act like straight hair which looks odd in the general rest of waviness but hopefully they will grow and resume their waviness.... I always hate cutting hair, seeing it on the floor is almost painful but it had to be done, the ends were just constantly tangling and looking frayed. I'll keep taking my vitamins and oiling with growth-promoting oils and hopefully in a month or so an inch growth will make all the difference to my current hair appearance.
What is also annoying is that the layers were previously starting to fit neatly into buns and braids due to their increasing length but now I am back to that annoying sticking out phase again grrrr....

I guess l'ordre du jour or of the year is cheese!

Good luck to all growing out layers.... hair-loving hugs...