To trim or not to trim?

[Mishka_84]

My hair is *almost* BSL, and I'm really enjoying the length of it. But due to my last haircut (chin length, with lots of layers), the last three inches of my hair are varying legths. I don't really want to cut or trim it, because that would put me back to APL, or worse, to my shoulders. I'm enjoying finally being able to do more with it.

My DH wants me to trim it to all one length, and has even offered to do it for me (but I'm afraid he'll be scissor-happy and chop too much). Because of the layers, my ends always look frizzy. I do have problems with those last few inches when I do up-dos as well. My bun ends up with this really thin piece that won't stay under, and I have to fasten my braid three inches above the end. I know I should probably at least trim it up so it's a bit neater, but I'm afraid if I do I won't be able to do anything with it, and it'll take me 6 months to get back to BSL!

Any suggestions/remarks?
Thanks!

[lora410]

Why not just trim little by littlw? You could do 1/2 to 1" now and in a few months do more until it is even

[spidermom]

Don't be afraid to trim. Let me show you something.
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c79/spidermom/pretrim1.jpg
Before trim
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c79/spidermom/compare3.jpg
3 days after trim
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c79/spidermom/sig0418.jpg
4-5 weeks after trim

(disclaimer--results may vary)

[florenonite]

If your layers are bothering you that much, I'd recommend a small trim every few months, or maintaining at BSL until your layers have caught up.

[Paniscus]

I'm kind of in the same spot as you, Mishka 84. I've been contemplating trimming off about 4 or 5 inches, but everytime I think about actually doing it, I think I would miss my length. I agree with others though, it may be worthwhile to just trim a little at first and then go from there. Eventually, I guess, we'll get those pesky layers out of our hair!

By the way, Spidermom, your hair grows fast!

[akurah]

If you are in any doubt, any at all, don't trim. Just don't.

I personally do not suggest trimming it all off at once. If it were my hair, I would keep my hair at BSL, and trim off all the new growth (but no shorter than BSL), until all the layers had caught up and I was happy with how the ends looked.

APL is a PAIN to deal with in terms of updos, and I personally think you'll be very unhappy with trying to put your hair up after a trim to that length.

[Deborah]

What about taking off one inch now, then re-evaluating. You can always cut more later, but you can't put it back on!

[Druid of Alba]

I would. Remember, always put health before length. If your ends are in poor condition, then I would reccomend trimming them. If they are healthy but just layered, it is really up to you. I would probably go for all-one-length, but that is just my preference.

[camillacamilla]

I just trimmed an inch off a few days ago- it was part of some straggly layers and it really made a difference. I still have layers, but the bottom inch or so was thin and splitting. I wouldn't take much more than an inch or two if I were you.

[nomadhome]

I am in a similar spot and have chosen to go with tiny trims periodically, rather than loping off all the layers at once. Blunt cut APL looks awful on me.

[spidermom]

By the way, Spidermom, your hair grows fast!

That's just it. Most of the time I'd call my hair slow to average. Something about lopping off bad ends really gives growth a push.

[Mishka_84]

Wow, Spidermom, that's amazing growth after a trim!

Thank you all for the suggestions! I think I'm going to get a paid of hair scissors, and let my DH go ahead and trim an inch, under threat of having to cook his own food for a month if he takes more than that! LOL, maybe I can keep him from getting scissor happy that way. If the one inch trim does ok, perhaps again in another month or two we'll take another inch, and keep going until the layers are gone.

I hope I get lucky and get a nice growth after my trim.

[Devoted]

I think it depends if you are going for length or trying to get rid of layers.
I did a 1.5 inch trim when my longest layer was almost at the top of my bra strap and my shortest layer was at chin level. I wasn't too thrilled with losing length but it helped with the triangle effect my hair was having.
Now it still layered (jeez it takes forever to get those shorter layers to catch up) and my goal has changed to one length hair. So for me when my longest layer gets to waist I will start doiung 1/2 inch trims to let it all catch up.

[Devoted]

I think it depends if you are going for length or trying to get rid of layers.
I did a 1.5 inch trim when my longest layer was almost at the top of my bra strap and my shortest layer was at chin level. I wasn't too thrilled with losing length but it helped with the triangle effect my hair was having.
Now it still layered (jeez it takes forever to get those shorter layers to catch up) and my goal has changed to one length hair. So for me when my longest layer gets to waist I will start doing 1/2 inch trims to let it all catch up.

[Aronomy]

Trim :D. It's always a good idea, it improves the quality by so much. Here is my hair:

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k41/Aronomy/Hair%20Progress/March2008small.jpg

and after:

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k41/Aronomy/Hair%20Progress/April2008small.jpg

I can actually comb it without the velcro ends tangling! Wooo, it feels so much nicer.

[spidermom]

Wow, Spidermom, that's amazing growth after a trim!

Thank you all for the suggestions! I think I'm going to get a paid of hair scissors, and let my DH go ahead and trim an inch, under threat of having to cook his own food for a month if he takes more than that! LOL, maybe I can keep him from getting scissor happy that way. If the one inch trim does ok, perhaps again in another month or two we'll take another inch, and keep going until the layers are gone.

I hope I get lucky and get a nice growth after my trim.

That sounds like a really good plan. May the growth spurt devas smile on you.

[Ohio Sky]

I have the same problem, my longest layer is past BSL but my shortest is just past shoulder. I think Im going to wait until around waist, my mini goal, and then start trimming back slowly. I dont have much damage and no splits, though. If I did, I might start trimming sooner.

[Euphony]

I also have layers (I still don't know what I was thinking!), my longest hair is at hip, my shortest layer at bsl. Drives me a bit batty with braids and some updos, but I figure my hair is quite full at the hemline (not as full as I'd like though), looks and feels very healthy so I just get 1/4" trimmed every 6 months off the bottom. I'm waiting to get to tail bone then I'll get 1" trimmed every 2 months until the layers are caught up.

But if my hair was fried/frizzy or in a nasty disaray I'd definately be trimming much more, I'm so anal I'd probably just go ahead and whack it back to bsl. I'm a quality over quantity kind of hair person though - which also means I'll never see terminal, I'm going for terminal trimmed :grin:

[birdiefu]

After almost 3 years, I still have layers, too! Don't know what I would have done if I hadn't trimmed along the way as they would be sooo wispy by now. Started with BSL ends and the shortest layers around ear length (hated, hated those layers, all in the back/canopy too). I've been trimming here and there, anywhere from dusting monthly for a while, to 1/2-1" trims every few months or so. I just took off 2" (biggest trim yet) from my ends at a tad past TB when they were looking real wispy, and am SO glad I did! My shortest layers on the back are now about 4" or so from the ends, and the layers on the sides are about 5-6", so I'm getting closer but it's a slow road.

It really is up to you as far as how you want to balance length and hemline fullness. I'm pretty happy with my gradual trim progress as I like my length now. I know I would not have been happy with maintaining at a shorter length, and just trimmed (not too big of a cut) the ends every once in a while when I couldn't stand how they looked anymore. I usually do a big trim period at particular length milestones (waist, hip, TB).

[embee]

I always found BSL the most difficult length - my hair seemed to stay that long for ages and ages.

For that reason I'd be reluctant to trim - it would only make me get stuck at BSL even longer! I'd be really tempted to put my hair up and forget about it for some months. See if it has grown out much in September or October. It wouldn't hurt to wear hair up in summer anyway - cooler and less sun damage! ;)