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julliams
January 20th, 2011, 03:48 PM
I should start by saying that I am half an inch off my goal of waist. I am very happy with the condition of my hair however I have noticed an increase in splitting of my bottom layer.

When I joined LHC in September 2009 I remember looking through my hair with eagle eyes and could not find even one split end. I had APL length hair at that stage and I had previously straightened about 3 times a week using a ceramic flat iron.

I began going cone free for the next 6 months after that and discovered that my hair was splitting which I had attributed to going cone free at the time. (I understand now that it was more likely due to having flat ironed so much previously).

I got a trim in late March 2010 and went back to cones. Not all splits were "got" because I only had about 2 inches off the length but you would have to think that most of the splits would have been removed in this trim.

I made the decision to not trim for exactly one year so I could see the progress my hair could make in that time. I would say that I have used my flat iron about 4 or 5 times in total since April 2010. Every time I do, I find that afterwards I have more splits (that's what it seems like). I was at the "if I look for them I find them" stage, then at the "they are easy to find but every so often" stage and now I am finding them very readily and performing an S & D would involved cutting many hairs in one section. The splits are mostly in the hairs coming from around the nape of my neck which would also be my longest hairs (the one brushing waist) and possibly ones that I "play" with when I'm not realising it.

So, I have to assumed that the splits are only getting worse as my hair finally gets to my goal. Whether it's due to previous flat ironing or general wear and tear I'm not sure.

Here I am at the end of January and I have two more months until my "year of no cutting" goal.

Should I :

a) forget the goal and go get a trim - this would mean that my goal of waist could take another few months and I'm not guarenteed that the splits won't come back in that time.

b) get to my waist goal and then trim which would again set me back.

c) wait the two months which will have me overshoot my goal and then trim every 4 months or so until I see less splitting. This would give my layers a chance to catch up, keep it at my goal and maintain there for a while.

d) trim at the end of two months, then grow to hip and get it all cut back to waist

I'm thinking that "c" makes the most sense to me and maybe I can just wear it up as often as possible until then?

What are your thoughts?

Rocket22
January 20th, 2011, 03:54 PM
I think personally I would wait the two months out (keep your goal) and then trim a tiny bit each month until you are happy and then continue on if you want to. :) but that is just my opinion. I think your hair is beautiful and healthy looking and no need to start chopping a bunch off.

IndigoAsh
January 20th, 2011, 03:59 PM
Personally, speaking as someone who has dealt with splits since I was a fetus...

I wouldn't do a chop or anything. I just do s&d's, oil it with some almond oil, and condition the ends only when you clean your hair. I can't seem to get rid of them no matter what I do, I think splits are just a part of being human. I quit brushing my hair for the most part(I brush my scalp before I shower), I finger comb when needed I haven't touched my blow dryer in ages I keep it bunned when I can or braided, I pat it dry... I don't know what else to do. If I ran to get a trim every time I'd have short hair for sure.

I think that if you do what you can and really are making an effort to keep your hair in the best condition that's all you can do and hope for the best. Hopefully someone posts with a magical cure for them.

ellen732
January 20th, 2011, 03:59 PM
IMO, I think long hair is always going to have a few split ends here and there at any given time (bravo to those with really long hair and no split ends, I don't know how you do it:)). If I were you I would get a trim, a small trim, and than continue to goal. When I see split ends on my hair, even when I am trying to reach a goal, I know I need to trim and I will not stop obsessing about those split ends until I trim.

pepperminttea
January 20th, 2011, 03:59 PM
I'd be tempted to do option A and C. A micro-trim now, half an inch or less just to make your ends that bit easier to handle, and then no more until you can trim back to your goal length.

haibane
January 20th, 2011, 04:22 PM
My hair used to be extremely splitty. I think when I first came to LHC, pretty much every hair was split. I'm pretty stubborn about not trimming right now, so I've been trying to figure out how to get my hair not to split in the first place. I have been doing a LOT of S&D (pretty much daily) which helped me figure out what kind of routines help prevent splits. My routine right now is pretty extreme but it has almost completely eliminated splits.
I henna gloss once a month (not for everyone obviously) use coconut oil shampoo/CO, do a catnip soak after every wash, (only 5-10 minutes though) followed by a lot of regular conditioner as leave in (I mostly use Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition) let it dry without touching, and then mist my hair every morning and night with water and a tiny bit of more triple nutrition and a few drops of coconut oil.
I gave up my beloved BBB completely, all combs, and finally gave up fingercombing too. (last one again not for everyone. :o ) Wearing it up helps a lot too, though truthfully I wear it down a lot and with this routine it still doesn't split. (I am extremely cautious and gentle with it while it's down though, carefully and slowly move it out of the way etc.)
Anyway, long post, but maybe it can be of some help. :)

spidermom
January 20th, 2011, 04:43 PM
I used to keep getting my hair cut to get behind the splits, but guess what? I can always find some. Always. I'm trying to get over it. I haven't trimmed in more than a year, but I sure have been doing the S&D thing a lot lately. Bleh! I hate it!

Artsy
January 20th, 2011, 05:01 PM
First of all your hair looks very pretty on the picture.
Most people's hair gets splits at some point and the best way to combat it is microtrimming once a month ~1/8" at a time. I know for myself that while trying to get to goal length I am not even doing that. Usually after I cut all of my rough ends off my hair feels perfectly soft on the ends and split free for about 2 month. My last trim was in September and I am doing a year without trims as well. This means that I have to baby my splits and close my eyes on them in order to get to my goal, a bit past may be. So that when I trim finally I will feel accomplished:) I personally think 2 month with gentle handling you should be able to suffer through without trimming, and then you can take a look at your ends and see how much do you need to take off. If you see that splits are "traveling" up, you can always cut earlier.
That's just my opinion.

Teilani
January 20th, 2011, 05:14 PM
This is a timely topic for me as I just came back from the salon. I had an inch and a half cut because my hemline was beginning to resemble Velcro. Winter up here is brutal on my hair even when I'm doing everything right.

I will not tell you what to do, you do know your hair and preferences best, but when mine becomes too frayed I cannot love it and would rather have it shorter and lovely. I do S&D sessions regularly, but that plays into why I go in for those once or twice a year trims - I don't care for that feathered or fairy tip hemline on me, and too many S&D sessions helps that effect along really well.

So, as for me today, my hair looks better - if shorter - my friends have laughed at me as I fortified myself for the trim, and I like my hair far more now than this morning. I will reach my goal length yet.

Hope you make a choice you're happy with soon.

julliams
January 20th, 2011, 08:36 PM
Yes I can remember how much lovelier my ends felt after that trim back in March last year. I don't really have the velcro end thing going at the moment. I had a look today and have been doing an S & D for the last half an hour or so and it's really not as bad as I thought.

I think I have worked out what is happening. My hair is full of different hair strand thickness'. I'm finding that the hair at the nape of my neck is actually very fine (also very soft) and these are the hairs that are splitting. So it's more likely just that type of hair.

I think I'm going to wait the 2 months and then go to the hairdresser for a nice trim of maybe an inch or so. Then I will maintain at waist for a little while or else grow to hip and see what I think.

It would be a shame to get so close to the year and then cut. I don't know if I'm going to document so well as I have done for the last year in the future. I would really like to have a year of photos all lined up, so that is the priority for me right now.

Thanks for your input everyone. It's reasurring that lots of others are dealing with splits and that they aren't necessarily due to the straightening on rare occasions. I do notice that my hair is drier following using my ceramic straightener so I will definitely continue to only use it rarely if at all.