Inspirational stories to help us say "NO!" to the scissors?

[lillyofthecelts]

I hope this is not a thread somewhere else, if so I do apologize! Would anyone like to share a recent or past story where you had a weak moment while growing your hair out? Perhaps when you cut your hair short, damaged it somehow, or had a bad salon experience? Or perhaps one about when you almost picked up the scissors but a certain thought/ person/ thing (besides LHC) helped you say "no"? I myself have always started growing my hair out until maybe shoulder length, then I get distracted and see "the cut" that I must have, or a certain color that I must have. I always regret the cut or color a mere few days or weeks after doing it.

My worst experience was my last salon visit where I asked for a half inch trim. I went to a "cheap" salon because I figured it was only a simple trim; I was wrong. The stylist said she had to even it up, so I said ok, but that I am trying to grow it out. She kept "evening it out" until she had cut about four and a half inches off when done! She had even blow dried my hair in some odd 80's style. I should not have trusted a stylist with bad 80's bangs! I cried when she turned me around to look at the mirror. I looked like Marcy from married with children (mind you, I am 27 years old)! (see link for picture of her)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/arboghast/3546536013/

Ever since that incident, which was about two months ago, I have not cut my hair, blow dried it, or used product except Henna, organic shampoo/ conditioner, and cocoveda oil. I look like I have a mullet now, but I am determined now!
I hope that I will think of that salon horror next time I get antsy or bored with my hair. :pray:

[Dark Queen]

This isn't a bad experience, but I was feeling kind of down on my hair for being thin and limp (also freshly washed). The other day I wore it down, one of my professors walked by and said, "Wow! I've never seen you with your hair down, it's beautiful!" She was amazed when I stood up to show the whole length (classic). Either way, it made my day, and I felt much better about it :).

[Seharia]

I'm so sorry about your bad experience.
I got my hair cut to shoulder with layers last august by the same stylist who had messed up my hair before in the exact same haircut :o I'm not sure what made me think it would turn out nice this time around. Good luck growing it out this time!

[lw8666]

My friend had just graduated from cosmotology school. It was an expensive, high end school. I trusted her because she raved about how much money it costed to go there and how hard it was. Well, one day, I asked for her to trim my hair. One inch off the layers and once inch off my length. What I recieved was literally, a mullet. I wish I had pictures of it, before I had to go to a Salon to get it fixed. Those two days of horror, I went from BSL(slightly longer), to Chin. I vowed Not to cut my hair until its at waist! Only microtrims... from my mom, which I have forever trusted with my hair.

It has now been a year since I had a cut. Im at APL now.

[evampr18]

Holy cow! Punch that lady out.....or don't. Haha. I am so happy I have found a great stylist after years of going to not so great ones.

I haven't really said NO SCREW YOU SCISSORS, but I do not self trim anymore, and I have been going to my hair stylist every three months for micro trims. Well worth micro trims.

Here is the album link to track the disaster I made on myself whilst in China June of 2010 till now:
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/album.php?albumid=6316

Yeah....I got about half the hair on my head, grabbed some paper cutting scissors and just cut straight across. Then I showed my roommates who remained quiet for about 6 minutes. Then I laid in my hotel room bed, cried, hungry and didn't even have the nerve to be seen ( in a foreign country) with these ridiculous bangs......

I will never, ever, ever, ever, cut bangs into my hair...EVER!

BLEH! Bah, Humbug!

[HintOfMint]

The other day when I had (stupidly) taken a pair of scissors to the front of my hair and had to go to the salon to have my single wonky layer blended in, they offered to give a full hair cut and as they ran their fingers through the back of my hair they talked about how I "really needed one."

I LOVE getting haircuts, from the shampoo to the snipping to the blowdrying. However, I did NOT need a haircut save for a few snips in the front to fix my mistake. My hair was a bit tangly and dry from the winter weather, but not damaged. I explained that to them and stuck to my guns.

[Brenda714]

Yeah, I recently had a hair disaster by this lady hairdresser. Went in for a trim and she cut 3 inches off and to boot she cut my layers too short. The ends are kinda thin because of all the layering. I have been trying clip in extensions cause I am so distraught to see my hair at shoulder length. No trims for me at all this year, and I'll never go back to her, except when I get my hair back, I'll go in and show it off to her and walk out! But in the meantime... let's hope we go through a big growth spurt!

[lillyofthecelts]

My friend had just graduated from cosmotology school. It was an expensive, high end school. I trusted her because she raved about how much money it costed to go there and how hard it was. Well, one day, I asked for her to trim my hair. One inch off the layers and once inch off my length. What I recieved was literally, a mullet. I wish I had pictures of it, before I had to go to a Salon to get it fixed. Those two days of horror, I went from BSL(slightly longer), to Chin. I vowed Not to cut my hair until its at waist! Only microtrims... from my mom, which I have forever trusted with my hair.

It has now been a year since I had a cut. Im at APL now.

Oh that's terrible! I look like I have a mullet now too!:blueeek:

[spidermom]

I stopped being so impulsive about my hair in my mid-40s, and honestly - none of my hair cuts or perms or color experiments looked as good as my long, natural hair. That's motivation enough.

I don't say "no" to scissors, however. My stylist is awesome. She helps me keep my hair looking beautiful.

[HeatherJenae]

I hate that! When I go into a salon, knowing I have healthy hair and just need a trim, but letting them cut more. For instance, I go in, say I just want it trimmed with no more than half an inch off. The stylist is never satisfied with just doing what you want, they always want to take a little bit more off which turns into a bunch! They always go, yeah but it would look really great if I did 3/4's of an inch, the ends really NEED it. I always say ok even though I know it's not true! I have never once walked into a salon, said just a trim and actually walked out with one. Why don't they just hear that and go ok and do that! Do they never get suspicious when people go once and never go back to them??? The only positive experience I ever had was when I went to a man who usually only cut men's hair. I think he was so terrified of cutting my hair that I couldn't even tell he had done anything when I left! But I guess that's better than too much being gone. No happy medium. (Goes off in a corner to pout...)

[Missa]

Luckily for me my hair grows fast because many times I've gone to the salon for a trim and come out 4 inches shorter! My mom was a stylist in her 20's and she has been cutting my hair most of my life every 6 months or so since I've been greatly disappointed with every salon experience. I moved to Australia a year ago and have been cutting my own hair since my mom is back in Canada but it's really hard to do the back without taking off too much. I recently got my boyfriend to trim it for me and he had no experience but did a great job since he is so patient and earnest.

My most inspiring time for growing my hair long was when I was 18 and I cut my BSL hair to a pixie cut like Emma Watson/Hermione Granger after seeing a Vogue cover with Wynonna Ryder with pixie hair. I loved the ease of it and the change, since I've always had medium to longish hair. I started having dreams where my hair was long again and then I'd wake up and realize how short it was and cry. I guess I never knew how much of a security blanket having long hair can be.

I remember my dad saying that he missed my long beautiful hair and he never comments on my looks since he's quite shy, so that was such a touching moment for me. Also when I met my boyfriend he was in awe of my long red hair and he hates if I change the colour or cut it shorter than BSL.

My biggest inspiration though is my younger sister who is 22. She has waist to hip length hair and it is the most rare shade of red (dark red auburn with a copper sheen). She has never dyed it or permed it despite me trying to get her to and she trims it herself. It is complete virgin hair and I'm so proud of her. I wish I had her perserverance.

[GypsyGoddess]

I did everything bad with my hair before coming here, and I keep getting to this terrible in-between spot just above chin length where I am at now. Last time I hit this length I got so frustrated I went back and got another pixie cut, but not this time! I will get through this phase and have long hair in about two years when I graduate from college.

I must have super strong hair though, because before coming here I had permed, highlighted, blow-dried daily, flat-ironed and brushed my curly hair while dry and for the most part it was between BSL and mid-back. I just have to remember what it looked like then and think "I can make it look even better now that I'm not destroying it".

Seriously though, it is hard not to chop.

[knoxkatie]

i have found that underestimating works. i always tell my stylist that i want a 1/4" DUSTING and then i end up getting the 1/2"-3/4" trim that i wanted. it also helps if i ask her to show you what 1/4" means to her before she starts cutting.

[Kherome]

I went in last year for "NO MORE than ONE inch" and came out sans three and a half inches. That was it for me. I called the owner of the salon and gave them what for! Not that it got my hair back but my hope was that they would speak to the stylists and reiterate that they are supposed to give the customer what they ask for!

[elbow chic]

My problem is that I actually LIKE what my stylist does-- beautiful layers that make my APLish hair look really really good down. And it feels so light and freeing!

aaah, now I am so tempted to call her.

But I only like it for two months, and then I'm back to wishing I'd left well enough alone. Like right now I have this weird tuft that sticks out of all my braids and updos.... which is of course the consequence of my last layered cut.

[BabyRay33]

I had this happen in late October. I was dying it (AGAIN!) for probably the 5-6th time last year...crazy...and I said I was growing it out and she chopped layers into it and cut off about 2 or 3 inches. Ridiculous. I was grinding my teeth once I saw how much hair is on the floor.

But, thanks to her, I decided to not dye it again, at least, not anything but henna. And I found LHC and the condition of my hair is so much better. I was destroying it before and no crazy color changes are better looking than HEALTHY!

So I am oddly thankful that that happened because now I have a goal of LONG and HEALTHY hair.

[silverstars]

What has helped me is being a poor college student. I'm a first year graduate student and most of my money goes to rent and food. I try to keep reminding myself that it is going to cost me $20 to cut it. It helps that the only hairdresser i trust with my hair is an hour away in my hometown. :) I currently want to grow mine to my waist. It hasn't been that long since I was 12.

[jaine]

I inspire myself not to cut my own hair in the bathroom by looking at pictures of what it used to look like when I did that. And then I look at a picture of my hair when it was cut by a professional. HUGE difference. I don't want a wonky uneven mess, so I don't cut my hair - easy!