for those growing out layers

[jennyjukes]

may i ask why?

before i started taking care of my hair it was really fine, however this was only due to constant abuse of heat, shampooing and bad handling, it's looking a lot better now though:)
the hairdresser suggested (more like put it into my brain until i couldn't resist!) i get layers put into my hair to make it look thicker and i can say it does actually look it, when i take out my braid waves it looks a lot better with layers than my friend who does it without

so, why are some of you deciding to grow them out?

[florenonite]

Because I can't do any fun updos with them ;)

I like a bit of layering, but I don't like too much because it means they stick out of updos, and half my favourite updos require all my hair to be at waist or close to it because my hair's thick.

[juliaxena]

I have fine hair and the higher the layer is, the more exposed it is to friction, environment etc. The layer does not have "support" of other ends. It gets dryer, more damaged, you name it...

[bumblebums]

I initially got layers because my hair forms a curl easier when it is cut shorter. But now the curl issue doesn't matter so much to me, as I wear my hair up a lot of the time. My braid has a serious taper because of the layers, though, and I'd like it to be a more uniform thickness.

[lovelylaura]

maybe the layers give the appearance of more "raggy" looking hair when not cut often? I have layers and I'm not having a problem with them looking raggy but I am having a weird problem where the underside of my hair is really "fuzzy". Don't know if thats related to layers, doesn't seem like it would be.

[JenniferNoel]

I'm growing out my (barely there) layers due to my hair texture. It tends to do some fun things in the Florida humidity, and I never liked the way the layers looked. About a year ago I had damaged, just-above-APL hair with the shortest layer being an inch long at the top, and it looked terrible unless professionally styled. Layers are good for some things, like texture, volume, etc; but I personally prefer solid lengths. :rockerdud

[Gvnagitlvgei]

I regret them. I put in some similar to:
http://coollonghairstyles.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/long-layered-hairstyles5.jpg

And I truly regret them. I was growing out a "natural" mullet which was the result of horrid damage I'd done to my hair and I wouldn't let go of the length in the back. I just wish for 1 length of hair but I know it will be a few years until I reach that ...and at hip-length urgh.

[WelshLocks]

It's hard to do all the awesome updos I want to do when my hair has layers that barely reach my collar bone. I'm not growing out all of my layers, just a good portion of them. :)

[LaurelSpring]

I thought I needed layers to make it look fuller and curlier but it has only caused me grief. No more layers, no way, except fringe maybe. The taper and little ends sticking our are a pain in my braid and updos and I cant stand how thin the bottom ends look compared to the thicker middle part. It always makes me want to cut to make it look thicker. Layers are great if I am going to just wear my hair down and curl it but if I am going for really long then it is not helpful. It might be different for someone with thicker hair than mine though.

[NurseMama]

My layers make my BSL hair look thicker, but the ends look thin. I hate that. I also feel like my layers make my hair look frizzy sometimes. Because of the frizziness I feel like I need to curl them or comb it straight while drying if I want to wear it down. When my hair is all one length it waves prettily and the ends flip on their own. Somehow the layers just don't do that. It could be that I need to trim the layers, but frankly I am just S&D those until it is all one length again.

[marikamt]

Because I can't do any fun updos with them ;)

I like a bit of layering, but I don't like too much because it means they stick out of updos, and half my favourite updos require all my hair to be at waist or close to it because my hair's thick.

This, exactly.

I think I will have some very light layering, or at the very least a U shaped hemline but not as drastic a U as I have now and not as many layers as I have now.

[inertia]

I got the layers done for 2 reasons:
1. There were some hairstyles I wanted to try that required heavy layers
2. I like to go to concerts and headbang, and that's easier with layers.

However, after I'd had the layers for a while, I decided I wasn't interested in doing the styles which require them any more. Also, while the layers look great when my hair is ironed or curled, they're not very good with my natural 1c/2a texture. It just looks messy and unkempt. My hair will go straight naturally from the weight when the layers grow out, so why not grow them out and save myself the trouble of styling it?

As for the headbanging, it's become impossible anyway because my favorite indie band became popular and went major. It's like sardines in a can at their concerts now. No room to shake our heads.

[Bellona]

I like layers because they make my thick hair seem more "normal," but I hate trying to put up my hair and having them stick out. Also, because my hair's wavy, it's sometimes annoying when the ends of layers are just sticking out in different directions. I guess it's a love/hate relationship with layers.

[Isadora Lewie]

I love my layers and they make the best of my curls, but then I wear my hear down most of the time. I suppose if I wanted to wear long braids, I might not like the taper effect.

[kimannabella]

for a thicker hemline

[hmmm]

I don't like my layers at all, most of them are just at chin length while the rest is at shoulder. Nothing I do to it can make it look neat. I can't even do a french twist because of them.

[Heidi_234]

Because they are no good if you try to grow your hair out long. Hair won't get longer than it already is, so when you cut layers, there's that much hair left in the longest layer, and it basically cannot get thicker, it can only get thinner when hair falls out or stops growing. So on the long run layers thin out and end up messing up the hemline.

[enfys]

Because they are no good if you try to grow your hair out long. Hair won't get longer than it already is, so when you cut layers, there's that much hair left in the longest layer, and it basically cannot get thicker, it can only get thinner when hair falls out or stops growing. So on the long run layers thin out and end up messing up the hemline.

I never thought of that. I never needed to because it didn't apply to me but can I remember it for future advice?

I only have layering arould the front of my hair, and I am growing it out because braids don't look as good and once my hair is classic again I will be back to wearing braid based styles almost every day. I like sleek looks and layers don't help that.

At classic I allowed barely the front inch of either side of my parting to have some type of face-framing layering and that never bothered sleekness.

Why did I get them in the first place? My hair is thick to the ends without them and until waist that's just too chunky without something to reduce it. I'm also growing out a fringe.

[rogue_psyche]

I don't need any help developing fairytales, let's just keep it at that. ;)

[*Aoife*]

I can't remember why I got them, but they looked great for a while.

Now I hate them because there is about 4 inches difference between some of my hairs. The 21 inches I have on my profile is a stretch. When I braid about half my hair sticks out at a certain point. :(

[Heidi_234]

Enfys, I'm irritated to no ends with my few years old layers. They just keep thinning out. I trimmed practically half of my yearly growth, and I still have few persistently thin inches of ends, which weren't thin back at the time. It's not something that happens right away when you get layers, takes quite a while to show. I definitely learned my lesson, and I hope others could learn from me.

[ButterCup02]

I got the layers done for 2 reasons:
1. There were some hairstyles I wanted to try that required heavy layers
2. I like to go to concerts and headbang, and that's easier with layers.

However, after I'd had the layers for a while, I decided I wasn't interested in doing the styles which require them any more. Also, while the layers look great when my hair is ironed or curled, they're not very good with my natural 1c/2a texture. It just looks messy and unkempt. My hair will go straight naturally from the weight when the layers grow out, so why not grow them out and save myself the trouble of styling it?

As for the headbanging, it's become impossible anyway because my favorite indie band became popular and went major. It's like sardines in a can at their concerts now. No room to shake our heads.

Definitely the bold here for me. They are just getting to be a PIA as my hair gets longer. Harder to do updo's, and my hair just looks messy IMO! I am growing them out, but I am going to get a U-shaped hemline.


can't remember why I got them, but they looked great for a while.

Now I hate them because there is about 4 inches difference between some of my hairs. The 21 inches I have on my profile is a stretch. When I braid about half my hair sticks out at a certain point. :(

Mine too! You can cleary see the huge difference in length from the back. It just doesn't look very good on my hair.

[Pear Martini]

When I got highlights done, that is when my stylest put them in to get rid of the worst damage from the highlights without sacrificaing lenth.

I am growing out my layers because they get so much more damaged than the other parts of my hair. Also, since they are shorter than the rest of your hair its easy for certain layers miss out on trims or just go by unnoticed and ultimatly end up with splits running up the hair shaft.

My layers were cut about 15 months ago are now mangled, uneven, and littered with splits. They also tangle easily because of how damaged they are. The rest of my hair is relativley smooth and healthy.

[Anywhere]

I'm growing out my layers since they used to be (right after the cut), one third of my hair at chin length. One third at APL, and the last third at BSL. It looked fine when straightened, but when I let my hair do as it pleases (which is 99% of the time) the chin length layer would get CRAZY curly/puffy (think 80's hair) and the longest would look thin and stringy since it was only a third of my hair.
I guess I just don't have the hair type to be able to enjoy layers without frying my hair with a flat iron every day. :shrug:


ETA: I hate the taper/sticky-outy hair in my braids too. and it makes my hair look ragged now that I'm growing them out. I would, however, think I'd be okay with layers in my hair if they started after BSL.

[Wicked Princess]

I like layers in my hair...when I can afford to have my hair down most of the time. I look good with them. However, my hair is long enough now that I keep it up at work, for exercising, and very rarely...in a braid. My layers definitely don't help those look smooth!

Really, as much as like my layers, now that I'm getting rid of them/maintaining them, they make my hair look ragged, when it really isn't.

[jesamyn]

I've had layers for years, but I wound up with two many layers that started too high in my hair. It made my hair look thin and ragged, and the taper was pretty bad. I may keep a few layers in the bottom few inches, but I'll decide as my hair gets longer and I see how it looks.

[Juneii]

I get hideous body waves in my hair unless I flat iron it. and when I do flat iron it I get splits - HUUUUGE splits. nope, growing out my layers, no doubt about it.

[Dars]

I'm sick of the taper/thinness at the ends. I want my thicker, blunt hemline back. Certain updos look better without layers.

[GoddesJourney]

I hate the straggly ends look that comes with layers if they're not properly maintained, and I don't care to maintain them. Also, the ends of my hair tend to get damaged regardless, so the top layer just gets worse and worse at a shorter and shorter length. Then growing it out sucks because it takes an extra year to even start cutting the most damaged part unless I want to just chop it all off. The only way around this is to trim the layers, which doesn't get rid of them EVER. I hate them and I hate them a lot. They looked great on me when I first got them and for a couple of weeks after that, them it was nothing but trouble. I re-did them a few times and then just got over it. And it doesn't do much for making my hair look thicker, just changes the texture.

[Tovah]

Layers are why I decided to let my hair grow long.

I had a chin length bob-all one length and then got bored. It was a steamy spring and I had a special event to go to on July 1st. Soooooooo......when I went to have my hair 'touched up', I thought that just instead of trim on the bottom, that a few 'longer' layers would help it be a bit curlier for the event. Well........it seems that my (former) beautician left the color on my hair too long and the layers just made my hair look choppy. And the kicker was that my hair started breaking off and looking like a rat's nest.

I haven cut it since then and haven't colored it since October. My hair is growing great and using all the information from here, I've managed to get my hair softer again. But the layers! It will take me at least another year to trim most of them off-and I don't plan to start that trimming for a few more months.

[Pear Martini]

I hate the straggly ends look that comes with layers if they're not properly maintained, and I don't care to maintain them. Also, the ends of my hair tend to get damaged regardless, so the top layer just gets worse and worse at a shorter and shorter length. Then growing it out sucks because it takes an extra year to even start cutting the most damaged part unless I want to just chop it all off. The only way around this is to trim the layers, which doesn't get rid of them EVER. I hate them and I hate them a lot. They looked great on me when I first got them and for a couple of weeks after that, them it was nothing but trouble. I re-did them a few times and then just got over it. And it doesn't do much for making my hair look thicker, just changes the texture.

Well explained :bottomsup:

[2peasinapod]

With my hair texture, layers only look good if they stay the same length. My hair gets wavier as it gets longer, and when I started growing out my pixie, some layers actually stuck straight out from my head. Never again.

[julliams]

For me it just highlights the frizziness of my canopy. I feel like if I didn't have the layers it would sit better. Could be "grass is greener" since I think the last time I had all one length hair I was 19 (36 now) It's very tempting to cut to all one layer but I'd have to go to shoulder length and at that length I feel like a mushroom when it's all one length so maybe not. I'll have to live with my layers a little longer. Bummer!

Juliette

[mrs_b]

a big thank you for this thread :applause

Finally, I can get off the fence I was sitting on for a while: 1)should I grow out my layers = not trimming at all or dusting only the longer parts or 2) get a little trim allover = keep my layers.

After reading thoroughly this thread I made my decision and option 1) it is!
I will pamper my canopy which is dry and looks like a hay, do some S&D and moisturize all hair and we'll see what happens. I hope I will stick to my plan :meditate:

[Toothe]

Layers look so lovely on some people, but I've decided I just don't like them in my hair. Even right after it's cut, it doesn't look layered, it just looks like the ends are scraggly.

I had layers when I decided to grow to tailbone again, and for some reason my longest layer shot ahead of everything else--it's probably about six inches longer than everything else, and it gives the illusion that all my hair is thin, when it's just the ends. I always wear it up, so it doesn't matter that much, but when I take it down and admire the length in the mirror, it's a little disheartening.

Oh well...the rest will catch up eventually. And I do love it for updos--the taper is easy to tuck in.

[BunnyBee]

My layers stick out everywhere in buns and braids (1a stick straight hair). If I'm not careful I can look like I've been electrocuted :p
They also make my hair look more tapered and I don't have very thick hair to begin with.

[jennyjukes]

a big thank you for this thread :applause

Finally, I can get off the fence I was sitting on for a while: 1)should I grow out my layers = not trimming at all or dusting only the longer parts or 2) get a little trim allover = keep my layers.

After reading thoroughly this thread I made my decision and option 1) it is!
I will pamper my canopy which is dry and looks like a hay, do some S&D and moisturize all hair and we'll see what happens. I hope I will stick to my plan :meditate:
good luck :)


i don't want to grow my layers out! i like how it frames my face along with my fringe (or bangs to some of you guys). if i pull my hair off my face it doesn't look nice so no updos for me unless i have little bits hanging out :(

[Nightshade]

I'll start with this- I like my layers a LOT. I love how my hair looks down, and it looked amazing at waist and hip, and even at tailbone... but my hair is now classic length and the thinning that Heidi mentioned has really kicked in.

So I am growing out my layers from BSL down to a nice U hemline. I don't mind a bit of fairytailing so I can look like an elven princess, but I'd like to look like an elven princess with ends that are thicker than they are now, and a braid that doesn't taper to the thickness of a Sharpie at the end.

[OleanderTime]

when i take out my braid waves it looks a lot better with layers

My hair gets wavier (which I think is prettier) when I have a little layering. I used to want to grow them out, but now that my hair is looking more moisturized and in better condition, I think I'm going to try to keep them.

[yellowchariot]

I had layers put in my hair back in February when it was way past APL length. I got a Keith Urban type of cut. It was a great cut. However my layers would stick in my eyeballs, nose, mouth. . . etc. LOL :D.
When I'd pull my hair back to secure for everyday tasks. My hair would fly out everywhere. There was no practical way for me to actually secure it. So I'm letting it grow back out. Now, my shortest layers is at the bottom of my neck. The rest is now APL+. I've always found "all one length" hair to be easier to deal with. :shrug:

[Naamah]

It's hard to do a nice braid or bun with the layers sticking out. My braid tapers a lot because of the layers, and my hemline looks thinner because I have them. I only have a few, including my bangs that are now shoulder length. I can't wait until they're all gone.

[Chamy]

Because i think that hair thats all in one length is gorgeous!

[sonng]

I couldn't do the hairstyles I wanted and I didn't like how it made my hair look so thiiin. :(

[mrs_b]

good luck :)

i don't want to grow my layers out! i like how it frames my face along with my fringe (or bangs to some of you guys). if i pull my hair off my face it doesn't look nice so no updos for me unless i have little bits hanging out :(

Thank you Jennyjukes, I will need it :scared:
The good thing is I like to have my hair completely off my face when I have an updo. Otherwise I would play with this layer, twist it over my finger, scrunch it, just name it:-)
When I wear my hair down, I don't mind when it touches my face. Weird, I know. That's me :puppy:

Secondly, my hair is not so thick, so I hope I can use this grown out layers to improve thickness.

[curlylocks85]

I do not like how my hair sticks out of updos or how not all of my hair will go into the up-do. I have very thick hair and layers make my hair look poufy.

[catysue]

My hair is almost waist length and naturally wavy. My layers make my hair look messy, damaged, and more frizzy than it actually is - the ends of my layers stick up all over the length. I love the look of a thick, blunt hemline and I think all one length hair would be much easier to deal with.