Big Chop Jitters

[WelshLocks]

I've been posting rather recently about my tangles, and I got some good advice on clarifying, but I need to get my hair cut. I realize I will regret cutting it because of the length I will loose, but I'm cutting it so that I have no more layers and my hair looks less ratty. I can't believe I didn't do this before. It probably would be a lot less hard. My hair is at midback and about two inches from waist in the front. I am going to be cutting it above BSL and probably in a U shape. I really hope my curls will show up more prominently when i cut it this time.

I really trust the salon stylist I am going to, so I'm not worried about a bad cut. I am just sad that I can't keep the length and get rid of the layers. I'd rather get rid of the layers and the ratty-ness in one fell swoop. Plus my hair has been shedding like nobody's business. :(

I actually am excited about being able to do some of the 1940s hair styles again. I used to do them when my hair was shorter, but I stopped once my layers got in the way. They seem to be the root of all my problems.

Wish me luck!

(I'll post a before and after picture later)




p.s this is not a "I'm leaving TLHC" post, but a " I need to do this for myself and start fresh" post.

[Dreams_in_Pink]

if you really want to cut it then go ahead :) sometimes you have to go back to the beginning to realize what long hair actually means. I hope you won't regret it half as much as i did back then.

(eh, don't expect anything more positive coming from me; my hair's just past shoulders and my goal is waist :D )

[WelshLocks]

Dreams In Pink, I'm not going back quite that far. :) It's only about 4 inches and my ultimate goal is healthy,curly waist length hair. I'm pretty sure this is a good move. Thank you for the enouragement. :)

[trillcat]

It will be OK!!!
I totaly sympathize with loosing some lenght, but if its ratty looking like you say, and full of layers you hate, best to be off with it! Just think, what you loose in lenght you will make up for in a head of healthy curls!
And BSL is still long hair!

[Dreams_in_Pink]

Dreams In Pink, I'm not going back quite that far. :) It's only about 4 inches and my ultimate goal is healthy,curly waist length hair. I'm pretty sure this is a good move. Thank you for the enouragement. :)

excuse my suspicious approach, the words "big chop" send shivers down my spine :D

[WelshLocks]

excuse my suspicious approach, the words "big chop" send shivers down my spine :D



haha maybe i should say "moderate trim" instead. :D

[Dreams_in_Pink]

sigh...i feel better now :)

[spidermom]

Do what you have to do, but remember, whatever it is that you want, you don't have to do it all at once. My hair is "all one length" (except for some former face-framing but growing-out fringe), but that's a joke. I have hair of every length and sometimes it all looks ratty. (No insult toward rats intended.)

[WelshLocks]

Thank you, Spidermom. :)
I mean that I have about 5 inches of growth inbetween my layers.My longest layer is at midback while my shortest is 2 inches past my collar bone. I really just want my hair to regain the curl that I know is under there and stop being so knotted and tangly.(that's what I meant by ratty-it's tangling and knotted and just...bad)

But still...thank you.

[sherigayle]

Have you tried dusting to get rid of some of the ends? I thought I was going to have to cut off a couple of inches, but a dusting took care of my tangled, prickly ends.

[spidermom]

Have you tried dusting to get rid of some of the ends? I thought I was going to have to cut off a couple of inches, but a dusting took care of my tangled, prickly ends.

Sometimes the littlest trim makes a huge difference. If you want long hair, I think it's a mistake to look at cutting as a way of solving problems for obvious reasons. Not long after you cut to even out all the layers, for instance, you will notice that you still have thousands of shorter ends everywhere. You will never get all your hair grown out to one even length because new hairs are always growing in. But again, do what you feel you have to do and be happy with your hair.

[rogue_psyche]

I'd have to agree with spidermom and sherigayle. If you do several frequent micro trims, you'd get rid of the layers rather quickly, but it would just feel like a stall. I would track my growth, and just cut all growth every three months until all the layers are gone. Then you will still be mid-back, but now with healthy ends.

If you chop, and then go a long time without trims so that you can get to waist, you might end up with ends just as ratty as before, thus starting the cycle over again.

Of course, it is your hair, but I hope you consider other options before you chop. :flower:

[trillcat]

I hate to be the voice of dissent, not being a known member, but for me, and this is my personal preference only, it is easier to cut the damage in one fell swoop, given that it is not a huge chop, rather than micro trimming, been there done that with both.
I know everyone is very against a cut of 4 inches, that is a year worth of growth for a lot of people, but really, is it better to have longer hair you hate and looks bad as opposed to a bit shorter hair that looks healthy?
Again, my personal opinion only, dont want to offend. :)

[Stormy1]

Sometimes taking a step back to move forward makes sense.

[spidermom]

My knowledge is hard won. I thought nothing of chopping a lot of length and advised others to do it, too. I hung out at LHC and watched other people who either didn't trim at all or trimmed a little bit at a time. The ones who trimmed a little at a time made the most attractive progress to my eye because they got to their goals quicker than I did, with ends that looked as good as mine looked when I got to the same length.

[trillcat]

My knowledge is hard won. I thought nothing of chopping a lot of length and advised others to do it, too. I hung out at LHC and watched other people who either didn't trim at all or trimmed a little bit at a time. The ones who trimmed a little at a time made the most attractive progress to my eye because they got to their goals quicker than I did, with ends that looked as good as mine looked when I got to the same length.

Ah I love a good debate, and would love to discuss it further, but for fear of derailing this thread, I will not comment on it further except to say go with what works for you personaly, no one can tell you what is right to do for your hair when it comes to the subject of cutting, we are all different, and thank goodness for that! How boring the world would be if we were all the same.

[Mutinous]

May I suggest trimming little and often as well?

I used to have a million layers, and awful ends, and I've been tempted to cut out all the damaged (the dyed) part so many times, but then you miss all the little accomplishments. I like knowing that every time I do a little trim, a little more damage comes off, and that my hem gets a bit thicker, and I haven't lost any length reall this way.

But to each their own, just make sure you won't regret anything and good luck :)

[WelshLocks]

I had dusted the ends previously(about a week and a half ago), but it did not seem to help. My ends were just ad looking and it make my hair looks longer, but thin(which it is absolutely not...my hair is ridiculously thick)


I am very happy with my new hai cut. I only had an inch and a half taken off. I took into consideration what everyone said here and I took the leap. My hair looks beautiful and very put-together. The only thing I don't like is that my hair stylist had to blow dry my hair and it make it very straight which feels weird to me because I like my curls.

anyway here is what you all came to see:



before(it's a lot closer but you can see the pretty curls I have underneath that were tangling):

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL152/9001157/20763659/381151977.jpg


and after:

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL152/9001157/20763659/381151975.jpg





Comments? I really appreciate everyone advising me so nicely. You all are so nice about it! :)

[WelshLocks]

Oh and my camera hate the lighting, so i had to add the red color to my hair and I didn't do it for the "after" picture. My hair is really the same color as the first one. :)

[spidermom]

It looks great, and an inch and a half often grows back very quickly.

[LaurelSpring]

Honestly, what I would do if tangles are the issue is just to touch up the layers. Before LHC, keeping layers is the only way I could keep any length because the layers were less tangly. That way you get the best of both worlds.

Now that I have more knowledge and styles, I can stay long without layers because I know how to take care of my hair. Layers are a great crutch for tangles. If I had tangle issues again I would layer before choping.

[melikai]

It looks gorgeous - I understand about wanting to trim more than a little bit to get rid of damage and make the ends nicer.

Also, wowzers your bathtub and bathroom are nice!

[bttrfly857]

Can I move into your bathroom? :p
(now there's something I never thought I'd say)


Your hair looks great!

[halo_tightens]

It does look lovely after your trim-- no regrets needed for this one! :)

[pinkbunny]

If it's too ratty, just give it some cheese! :D:cheese::D

LOL Seriously, though... Your after photos look fine. The decision to get a noticeable trim is a personal choice which should be based on your long-term goals. I did it - when I was growing my bangs out, my hair was cut in 2 layers: fringe length (all around the top) & full length. I grew it out as long as I could stand it. Then I got to the point where it just looked silly for the length (plus layers in straight hair don't always work). My short layer was APL and my long layer was at waist at the longest part, & cut in a severe V I didn't like. So I put it in a ponytail and cut about 5-6 inches from the longest part ( just past BSL ). That way, my short layer caught up with the length quicker and I got rid of most of my perm & dye damage (& discoloration). It was traumatizing, but continuing with microtrims would've taken longer to achieve the overall style I wanted in the end. Now I'm happily at Classic/Knee (depending on its mood lol) and still growing!

[Isa-belle]

It looks beautiful - that trim does make a big difference in the general look of your hair (though your hair did look lovely in the first pic - but I understand what you wanted, and I think it's a great success).

Another one getting total bathroom envy! :shocked:

[Spike]

You hair looks great. I'm glad you didn't go for the years' worth of chop right off the bat, but instead took about three months' growth.

Hope this solves your problems. Happy growing!

[WelshLocks]

You all are so silly. :P
This is my mom's master bathroom(I still live at home since I'm in high school)and she keeps redecorating it. My bathroom is muh smaller and the lighting is nearly as good.

I'm so glad I didn't cut off a whole year's growth ,as well! I believe I would have been making a huge mistake. My ultimate goal is to be at waist by June 2011(graduation!). I think I'll be well beyond that point and my hair will look even better. I'm really excited to be able to try buns and braids now that the layers are more even. I also might be trying more vintage hair styles. :)

Everyone at school today thought my hair looked amazing.(It was also straighten by the salon) Several people didn't even recognize me because I have a habit of putting my hair up at school. This was a big confidence booster.

Is there anything I should be doing on a regular basis so that I don't have the same problems(tangles,knots)? My hair was getting tangled and knotted, I think, because of how thick it is and the fact I couldn't get a comb or brush through it. How do I comb if it's tangly? :/

[Isa-belle]

You just need to find out what works out best for you to make it less prone to tangle.
(what works for me is oiling before shampooing, have conditioning agents in my shampoo and never skip the conditioner after shampooing, but of course YMMV).

[jojo]

Looks lovely and will grow back in no time.

[FrannyG]

Your hair looks fantastic, and that small amount of length you lost will be back way before you expect. Just lovely. :inlove:

[Fiferstone]

Congrats, it looks beautiful, and you're re-starting with hair in better condition than the older, more damaged stuff. Looks like a win to me.