To keep my layers or cut them all off...that is the question!

[Aimskylove]

Hey all! I think the title pretty much covers my question. lol. I have layers and now that they have grown out im so annoyed by them! One side of me wants to cut them all off but my shortest layer is so short :(. My other side says to leave em alone and let them grow out and them cut them so I dont have super short hair.

What were your experiences? Did you regret cutting it all off? Or did you regret not cutting it all off? lol.

[Sundial]

I have alot of layers too and the shortest start around chin length. I'm opting to trim them out slowly over time - I've invested too much in hair toys to do the big chop. So for now, monthly trims is the way to go for me

[spidermom]

I'd just keep trimming the bottom until the layers catch up. You might need to minimally dust the ends of the layers every other trim to prevent damage from spreading.

Because the shed and regrow cycle causes everybody to have hairs of every length, it really doesn't make a lot of difference whether you cut away all the layers now or do it gradually. You're still going to have hairs of every length. In fact, I think if someone with layers grew for 10 years without trimming and somebody else evened up the layers before growing, you wouldn't be able to tell which did what.

[Aimskylove]

Thank you for the ideas!
Sundial my shortest layer is on my shoulders and my hair length is a bit past bsl. Imagine the difference! Lol

Spider mom I think that is what I am going to do. I cannot imagine cutting it all off after so much progress only to be at the same place if I would've kept them :) btw spider mom I love your new hair color! Beautiful.

[Sundial]

Aimskylove it doesn't seem too bad :p why don't you do small trims and wait for the shorter layers to catch up?

If you want the gap to shorten faster, you can even maintain at BSL and cut off any growth you get and that way you will get an even hemline within a year or so.

If you want to maintain some growth while shortening the gap, then just trim less than your monthly growth amount. Evening out the layers will take a longer time but it ensures you are gaining overall length while minimizing the gap between the layers. So what I am trying to say here is that the big chop isn't necessary if you don't want to go that route :flower:

[growingpains]

I'm glad you aren't planning on doing it. Your hair looks great and there is no need for a cut! I agree to just trim as you grow (or possibly maintain).

[McFearless]

Your hair looks great. Leave it alone! The layers will blend more and more as your hair grows.

[sharicat]

Trim as you grow :) I'm trying to grow out layers too and it seems like it takes forever!

[Raqdoll]

I'm in the same boat. I put long layers in it about a year ago and now want them out. It would mean going from a little past BSL to my shoulders, and I'm not sure I want go that drastic. I think I'll do what Sundail suggested.

[julliams]

I chose to keep mine and I'm glad I did. I made it to waist and if I had have cut back to my shortest layer I would only be BSL now. Now that it's longer, the layers kind of blend in more and they aren't such a problem.

[|Xei]

A couple years ago, I pretty much did what Spidermom suggested above to grow out a severely layered cut. I have a comparison picture in my album showing the difference of one year, if you are interested. For reference, my hair growth averages to a little more than half an inch each month, so 6-7 inches of growth per year.

It wasn't perfect, I still had many layers, and my hair didn't really look spectacular, but the difference was pretty significant, so I think it will be worthwhile for you to try Spidermom's method, instead of going for the big cut. Layers also become less noticeable as they grow out, so further down the road, you probably won't be as frustrated with your hair as you are now.

[ericthegreat]

I agree with everyone else here. It would be such a waste of good length to suddenly chop off 6 or 8 inches of good solid hair just so that you can even up the shorter top layers with the bottom longer layers. IMHO, a long, layered haircut that is being grown out looks much more graceful than a short, blunt shoulder-length bob............because that is exactly the kind of awkward length that gives you all those unwanted flips.

They best to do about layers is to definitely keep the longer layers. You could always trim off the bottom layers very slowly, and wait for the shorter top layers to grow down and catch up. That way, there is no significant loss of length, in fact you can still even gain more length while growing out all the layers.

[pepperminttea]

Do you wear your hair up or down more? I find layers were a right pain for updos, popping out at every opportunity, but I really enjoyed the movement they gave my hair when worn down. Especially in summer, the light feeling of heavily layered hair can be wonderful.

I never managed to make up my mind with regards to a big chop to get rid of them vs. maintaining the same length for a while, so I ended up growing and just trimming the bottom 2" every six months or so until they were gone. My hair still gained length, albeit slowly, and the layers slowly but surely got cut out. If you do decide layers aren't for you, a dramatic big chop isn't the only option. :flower:

[cobden 28]

Provided you don't have split ends, which always look dreadful on long hair, then you could keep the longest layers the length they are and have the shorter layers trimmed regularly so's the growth catches up and you end up with all your hair the same length. If your hair is in dreadful condition then my recommendation would be to be brutal and have your hair cut as short as you can get away with, and start growing again from scratch .

Up until 4 years ago my hair was long enough for the ends to be tucked into my waistband, but I was growing out a bob with a full fringe at the time and the shortest layers - my former fringe - were bra-strap length. I then had a stroke and was unable to get out to a hairdresser for a trim to keep my ends neat so by the time I was able to get out and about i had the length all right but a lot of it was awfully split-endy. The only thing I could do, in order to look neat and tidy at work, was to have my hair cut short to shoulder-length all round.

I had my hair cut to my shoulders in 2008 and after twice-yearly trims it's almost down to my waist again.

[Sunny_side_up]

You have pretty hair:) teeny trims while you grow out is a good idea. Like just taking off length from the ends if your hair is generally healthy all round. Myself, had a ton of layers end jan '10 have not really gained any length in a year because i did regular large trims and its pretty much even now. Had some hankering for layers again a week or so ago:rolleyes: However thats left me now:D Going for growth and holding off on the trimming for a bit now:eyebrows:

[dulce]

1 am doing what spidermom suggested as 1 don't want to cut-my layers range from just past shoulders to close to waist-will be glad to get it all one length-