trimming your halo

[SpeakingEZ]

For those of you growing out layers or (like in my case) a halo of hair caused by ponytail damage, have you noticed how damaged the ends of these hairs are?

I've been trimming off damage slowly from the longest strands of my hair, hoping that the shorter layers would catch up. And the shorter layers have gotten significantly longer--they are inches beyond where a ponytail holder would have been placed before. However, their ends are incredibly grabby and make combing a pain. I feel like I'm ripping through them sometimes when there are no tangles.

So I decided to take off half an inch from the halo layer. I'd have to take off a couple more inches from it for it to be manageable, but I didn't want to wait another half year before it would be long enough to twist into my buns or actually stay in my sleep braid (it doesn't yet).

ETA: I guess I should mention that I'm asking fellow LHC'ers their thought on trimming damage from shorter layers. Have you had to do this? Was it successful or did it backfire in some way (as in, too short to be contained in protective styles)?

[ravensinger13]

The halo is the worst place for splits in my hair. Currently I've just been S&Ding them as I see them, and trying to keep them oiled.

[SpeakingEZ]

I S+D whenever I see them, but the problem with my halo doesn't seem to be splits, it seems more like the cuticle has been roughed up. . . . *sigh* this is one of those things that makes me want to cut it all off and start from scratch. But I could never do that.

[Arctic_Mama]

One of the best ways to trim damage in higher layers or your halo is the twist/snip method of S&D - twist a strand about the width of a pencil, brush your fingers up the twist to raise any hairs thst might stick out, and then proceed to trim them down from there. It is almost the only way I can get those shorter hairs in any fashion beyond dumb luck of spotting them.

[IcarusBride]

I have no advice but I can definitely sympathize! I stress out because some of the shorter pieces of hair I can't S&D because I can't see them! I've stopped using scrunchies entirely except for the loose cloth kind, because of this! Good luck.

[FrannyG]

I have an unintentional layer from breakage, and at the moment it barely reaches shoulder length. Because it exists only due to breakage and not because it was cut, it is damaged.

While I really am tempted to trim the layer, I'm hesitant, because I'm afraid it will look like too sharp a line. It is growing, so the breakage seems to have stopped, but it really is a pain.

I would be concerned with you too that the "layer" might be too blunt looking if you actually trim it. I'm leaning toward the side of suggesting S&D.

In any case, I do understand the frustration. May the grow-out be swift. :blossom:

[Tiina]

I have the same problem. My shortest layers are around my jawbone while the longest are APL. But I don't think cutting them would fix the problem permanently if it is not damage from former bad habits. Afterall, if it doesn't get the moisture it needs now, it will not get it if it is shorter either, right? The only way is to wait and trim until the layers are even and til then oil and moisturise like crazy.

[sibiryachka]

Curse that breakage layer! Lucky me, I have it not only in my canopy, but also on the underside, thanks to years of fastening my ponytails with French clips, almost daily. The top one is just about jaw length now, so it's just getting long enough for systematic S&D.
Those shorter hairs on the underside fall out of everything. And I don't mind a few wispy curls at my nape when my hair's up and I'm sweaty, but right now it's not so much a few wispy ringlets; it looks like one of those hair ties with the fake hair on it, that people use to fake a messy bun... Feh.