Calling all who have heavily layered hair at APL

[Brenda714]

I know I've beat this horse to death:horse:but I need support, I need to know if there are others out there who have layers all over your head and how you are dealing with it. I need to rant about this cause it's really getting to me. I can't even pull it back! If you have been in this boat and reached the other side, please tell me how you got there :) This in between stage has been tough, I'm trying so hard not to cut it off. It has been encouraging to read how some people have grown out from pixie length, and I commend you!!!

[smileycat]

My hair is only lightly layered, but my stylist is hit or miss with the layers, and my last cut in June was definately a huge miss!

She cut a weird layer in the front/top right side of my head that falls much shorted than it should, almost as if she were cutting it for when my hair was 4" shorter than it is now. Many weeks later now I am going through a very ugly phase growing it out. I complained to my sweetie about this just yesterday, in fact! I am trying for no trims until the end of October, and I am not sure I can make it!

The only problem is I do advocate that the only way to grow out layers is to NOT LET THEM CUT! Sigh... be strong...

[Barniie]

I have kinda chunky layers in my hair which annoy me alot, but then again I dont mind them too much. I'm subscribing to this thread!

[Oksana]

I have awful layers that were cut in March, i hate them! There seems to be more around the front and they are almost half the length of my hair :( I'm going to keep on growing until November then start maintaining my lenght till they catch up. Its going to take a long long time :(

[appletreefalls]

Bobby pins, bobby pins and more bobby pins! I got a haircut a few months back with super-short choppy layers all over the place, and it didn't take me long to realize what a bad idea that was. I guess I can just say to try to keep your hair really healthy, so that they will grow out faster. It's only been three-ish months and my layers have already become manageable, so don't worry too much!

[Alix]

I feel your pain, I have layers from APL to shoulder and my hair is so slick hair styles don't work anyway. I wanted to french braid it, noope.

I desperately want to cut it, but I'm not cutting it till I get to goal and then I'll get it re layered with long layers, and then go back to goal.

[Viechen]

I have APL layers with the shortest ones just below my ear. I like them when my hair is down but it makes it hard to put it up... How short is your shortest layer? I find I can do things like a messy nautilus bun and some modified french braiding with lots of bobby pins and some hair spray... I know this isnt much help but I hope its enough to hold you over some.

[Brenda714]

Thank you all for responding!!! I realized I can put it into a high ponytail, even though the bangs are still short. I wish I could just leave it this so I would stop messing with it, but it seems strange to me to "have to" always wear it up. Guess I'll just mix it up a bit. Good luck to you all in growing your hair. Blessings! xo

[UltraBella]

I do not have heavily layered APL hair, I have heavily layered hip length hair, but I used to have it this length and my hair has been layered ALWAYS.
I really enjoyed the length you are at now, I thought my hair was fun and had lots of volume because of the layers. It was easy to wear it down and I enjoyed that.
My daughter has APL hair and it is layered. She now wears her hear up in a sock bun without any problem. Not a fully rolled sock bun, just the regular kind. I put her hair in a semi-hi ponytail (some of the back pieces fall out but it is pretty, or we bobby pin them up) and then pull her hair through the sock donut, spread it evenly over the sock so none is showing, and then use another ponytail holder to cinch it fairly tightly. I use a rat tail comb to pull the bun edges further out so the bun is as big as it can be without pull the hair out of the bun. Then we style the layers around her face or bobbypin them back. It's a very pretty look.
Loepsie has a great video on YouTube.
I know you are frustrated, but is there not anything you are enjoying about your hair right now ? I just remember thinking it was a fun length but obviously that is not how you are feeling. I hope it gets better for you.
:flower:

[cdt]

Hi, I would like some good tips on how you manage the layers while growing the hair out (I intend to grow out some - but not all of the layers) Do you trim the layers as well as the ends (when needed) or only the ends??( I'm worried that if I go back to the hairdresser in a couple of months time and ask for the layers to be trimmed they will only be shorter and shorter...) Any advise would be very helpful:)

[Lianna]

Layered APL hair is my next mini-goal. :)

I'm growing out a pixie, my shortest layer is about ear lenght. I just managed to do a half-up and a sock bun this week! I think they'll be easy styles with your lenght, and would look better than on me. :)

This is what I could do with such short hair:

http://a.imageshack.us/img255/9230/shalfup.jpg

http://a.imageshack.us/img688/421/sockbun.jpg

I made a pony with a scrunchy then just put another one over it to cover the ends (no sock really).

[cubedcoley]

Lianna that bun looks really cute!!! I am at APL and heavily layered. Last cut was 3 months ago and prior to joining Long Hair Community, I cut every 5 months. So, I would generally really chop it twice a year. I am APL now and my shortest layer is about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch above my shoulder.

I really love the sock bun and can do that (regular style, not fully wrapped) well. I usually alternate between that and a half-up during the day because pulling a stethoscope out of my ears all day causes a lot of pain and hair-tears. While I cannot do some of the more intricate buns, (I am not sure if I could do a nautilus bun but should look it up) I have had a blast playing with conditioner only washing for the last 3 weeks as well as tried my first cassia treatment yesterday. (*DISCLAIMER; read the CO thread as well as the CASSIA thread you find in Very Important Links by Flaxen prior to trying the new stuff to avoid pitfalls and scares of not "doing it right.") I am very very happy with how well my hair has responded to all of this research and while I was BSL about 4 years ago, it has been at least 10 or 15 years since I was waist, so we will see how far I go with this new found hair care.........good luck to all growing out layers. hang in there, the reward will be awesome: or at least, that's what I keep telling myself!

[cubedcoley]

also, I found that any updo can be modified: especially if you start towards the crown of the head rather than down at the base. I was able to wear a 1 stick bun today which I have never been able to manage until I discovered I needed to start the whole situation up higher on my head!! :joy::

[Cosmicfish]

I have long layers, only about two or three and thanks to my stylist they blend in nicely. I like having a little shape to my hair so even when I get to to waist length I will have layers.