The Chop and Regrow Thread

[Amara]

Hey all! I've been here and there for a while but I haven't seen a thread like this... point me in the right direction if there is one!

I've noticed at least a dozen people - and I bet there's a lot more out there lurking, or whose posts I haven't seen - who have had pretty long hair and then chopped to pretty short hair for one reason or another in order to regrow from a fresh start. How's about we start a thread!

Why did you grow long in the first place?

How long did you grow?

Why did you cut short? How short did you cut?

Why are you regrowing?

What are you hoping will be different from the first growing period?

How long are you planning on growing this time?

[Amara]

I grew long because I never had hair longer than BSL before, and when I happened to be there at one point I thought... I should grow longer! My hair at that point had been dyed, bleached, treated fairly roughly... so I didn't start from a great point, but I learned a lot from LHC and babied it, hennaed it, and loved it. I got to 40".

I wanted a fresh start - I wanted to enjoy short lengths again (hadn't been there in quite some time! and have always liked shorter hair too) and also feel like all the damage was finally gone. No old splits, no old bleach, no old dye, no nothing! I discovered partway through my growing journey that I liked my natural color, which I had not seen in 10 years or so, and started to grow it out. I hated the two toned look. It drove me nuts. Soooooo... off with her hair! After long deliberation, I chopped to a pixie in order to really have fun with short hair and go all the way with natural hair. :) I loved it. I'm currently at what I'm calling "jaw" length for lack of another marker. It's been a year since I cut.

I kept my pixie for about 6 months and then decided it was time to grow again! I knew I had a long, fun journey ahead of me and was eager to start. I want waist length hair - my favorite length of all the long ones I had - this time with no bangs. HAH! We'll see if I can make it. :D I cut some shorter bits in the front to help with this ear-to-chin-length 'do that is not flattering without bangs, but is super cute with bangs. :) From here on out though, I'm not trimming bangs or length until I can put it all in a scrunchie under my chin and trim that way.

This time, I will have NO layers, so S&Ding won't be so necessary. S&Ding caused my hair to look thin and feel even more layered. I couldn't get rid of splits with a trim because of the thousand layers. As I grow beyond the chin-scrunchie trim possibility, I will trim back the length here and there (my shortest bits are 2" behind my longest bits) until I am all one length, and then trim as needed to maintain the hemline (I liked a blunt u before...) until I get to WAIST, with NO LAYERS, and NO BANGS. I estimate this will take 3 years! <3

[Brat]

Why did you grow long in the first place?
I wanted to see how long I could get it

How long did you grow?
Actively, probably 2 years or so


Why did you cut short? How short did you cut?
I thought I had grown out and cut off all the henndigo, and I wanted highlights. I didn't grow it all off, and the last several inches turned green... So, off it went. Should have kept it, since I dyed it black anyway :(

Why are you regrowing?
I really really really dislike it this short (just past shoulder, close tp APL?)

What are you hoping will be different from the first growing period?
Hoping it goes fast... lol but it won't cause I want it to. Before I didn't really care.

How long are you planning on growing this time?
As long as it takes to get back to waist :)

[CurlAhead]

This is totally off topic, but Amara, I love your profilepictue! :laugh:

Why did you grow long in the first place?
I don't know, it wasn't something I aimed for. It just grew :D

How long did you grow?
2 years, maybe. Or well, it was APL and 2 years later it was waist. Oh, waist-lenght, HOW I MISS YOU..

Why did you cut short? How short did you cut?
Didn't really do it on purpose, and it was the hairdresser who did it. But I wanted to get a new hairstyle, (read: one or two LONG layers) but ended up with my hair being about SL.

Why are you regrowing?
Because I love everything that has to do with long hair, and my short hair is actually making me depressed. Hair obsessed??? ME?? :D

What are you hoping will be different from the first growing period?
Hoping it goes fast... lol but it won't cause I want it to. Before I didn't really care.
(Just going to have to agree with Brat on this one)

How long are you planning on growing this time?
Waist and beyond to far far away land. :p

[Freitzeit]

Why did you grow long in the first place?
I love long hair, since childhood I've only had my hair above waist once (I cut to shoulder length and haaated it)

How long did you grow?
I grew it out to tailbone length, mostly because I didn't want to spend the money on the hairdresser.

Why did you cut short? How short did you cut?
I cut my hair because I was tired of dealing with my layers and my wedding dress happened to have a detail at the waist I wanted to show off. I got it cut from tailbone to a little below BSL.

Why are you regrowing?
I miss my long hair :( I feel like I can't do as much with it at this length as I could at hip

What are you hoping will be different from the first growing period?
Since I didn't really pay attention to the first growing period, I'm not sure. I have noticed that it is staying nicer for much longer than usual after a haircut, so I must be doing something right.

How long are you planning on growing this time?
I'd like to grow to at least hip, I'm not sure if i'll maintain there or go on to tailbone again. We'll see how I feel, but where ever I end up it will be with no layers!

[Cupofmilk]

Why did you grow long in the first place?

How long did you grow?

Why did you cut short? How short did you cut?
I had a sick child at the time I didn't know how to care for me hair and one day I'd had ebough. I cut from TB dry to BSL wet

Why are you regrowing?
I realised I prefer longer hair

What are you hoping will be different from the first growing period?

I think I will know how to look after my hair better. I am currently 3 inches shorter than when I cut and I am doing quite well

How long are you planning on growing this time?
Classic

[Becky9679]

Why did you grow long in the first place?
I've always had reasonably long hair except a couple of times in my life but the last time i grew it longer than 'normal' I was inspired by a friend whose hair I loved.

How long did you grow?
This long :D
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=8101&pictureid=105737

Why did you cut short? How short did you cut?
I was bored with black (yup, I know now it's black again, ridiculous eh?) and was told I couldn't have it bleached or stripped without serious damage so I cut to my nape.

Why are you regrowing?
I've remembered how much I love long hair and love having mine long.

What are you hoping will be different from the first growing period?
Last time I was using chemical dye, ripping a brush through tangles and wet brushing. I didn't trim for 2 years and didn't know about S&D so virtually every end had a split when I finally did cut them off. This time around I'm wiser and plan to get long healthily!

How long are you planning on growing this time?
Terminal as I don't believe I reached it before

[ZeppHead]

Why did you grow long in the first place?
I hate people near me with scissors! And I love playing with long hair and seeing it shine in the sun.

How long did you grow?
I just never cut my hair, I was always S&Ding. The longest my hair has been is mid back but I always ruined the health by heat, it was never allowed to grow longer.

Why did you cut short? How short did you cut?
I had a lot of damage from heat styling and I have thin hair so it looked horrible. I also just went through a break up so I wanted a cute new style. I cut to about collarbone.

Why are you regrowing?
I missed my hair after a few weeks and it doesn't seem so cute anymore now that it has grown out a little. I miss feeling my hair on my shoulder!

What are you hoping will be different from the first growing period?
Well, it is way healthier and have vowed to stay away from heat and chemicals so it will grow faster and healthier this time.


How long are you planning on growing this time?
I know my hair is quite thin so I will not go longer than waist but I am aiming for MBL.

[ZeppHead]

Oh my goodness Becky that is such a cute picture and what lovely hair!!:rockerdud

[Becky9679]

Oh my goodness Becky that is such a cute picture and what lovely hair!!:rockerdud

Thank you! It's from my wedding. The only picture I have from when it was long where you can actually see the length.

I love how my husband's hand has got slightly caught up in my 'web'

[pink.sara]

Why did you grow it long in the first place?
After cutting my knee dreads to pixie I just let it grow! I don't feel the need to line a hairdressers pocket every 8 weeks like most conventional people so as long as it wasn't split I left it to grow. Once I got past BSL I began to really love it.

How long did you grow?
I left it to go to 42 inches in front and classic at the back (it was a soft U shape) with front layering. It was beautiful.

Why did you cut it short? How short did you cut?
Lots of reasons. I got sick of all the dumb comments about how long it was, how much of it was extensions, is it heavy, why dont you donate it etc. Plus my family were always saying "oooh Saras got really long hair let it down and show the stranger..." just weird and made me feel like a circus freak. I kind of became my hair, people used refer to me as "you know, Sara, with all the pink and black hair" plus being in a band it was tied to a certain timeframe in my life by the promo shots.
When the we disbanded and I met my current SO I decided to take the plunge and go White blonde, unfortunately a hairdresser advised I would have to cut to shoulder to achieve this and in a weak moment I let him :(

Why are you regrowing?
Because I adored it long, and now I'm a little older I have a thicker skin and don't really give a crap what others say or think of my appearance!
My hair is crazy colours because colour makes me smile. And im growing it long because I love the feel of having a silky mane on my shoulders. It's my personal luxury!

What are you hoping will be different from the first growing period?
I will be more conscious of damage and try to take care of it more as it grows.

How long are you planning on growing this time?
That's the question isn't it?! Waist is my goal but once it's there I won't be in the hairdressers every 8 weeks maintaining ;) so it will prob hover between there and TB. I love the idea of finding my terminal but at classic it was still 3 inches circumference so god knows where that would be?! I know my Navajo granny had beyond floor and I seem to share her hair type and colour.

[Amara]

Ah it's fun to hear from you all!!!

I think it's more fun this time around - I've been growing from the pixie for about six months and rather than stressing about it I'm enjoying it.

Last time as I grew I was always all "how long is now/how long do I have to go/how long will it get/what will I do/when should I trim" blah blah. Now I know how it works, I guess, but I'm not worried about it. It will grow, and this time with no two tone nonsense, and I'm happy. :)

I did my first measurement, 13.75! :) I figure I have about 3 years to go to my goal of waist with no layers.

[callisa]

Why did you grow long in the first place?

Ans: To dispel the myth in my country that black hair need to be in dreadlocks to grow

How long did you grow?

Ans: I was nearly out to bra strap length

Why did you cut short? How short did you cut?

Ans: I cut it to about 2 inches which looks like only 1 inch because of my super curly hair, but now it to 4 inches :cheese::cheese::cheese: yayyyyyyy

Why are you regrowing?

Ans: because i started to suffer from bubble hair from this darn deep conditioning with a hooded dryer, and i am still angry about it

What are you hoping will be different from the first growing period?

Ans: Nothing really, but what i know will be different is not heat NONE AND NEVER AGAIN

How long are you planning on growing this time?

Ans: Waist Length


Lady Azaleia, Ruler of the Acid Waters in the Order of the Long Haired Knights

[InTheCity]

Why did you grow long in the first place? I wanted "Victoria's Secret" hair

How long did you grow? - About a year to get from almost APL to BSL

Why did you cut short? How short did you cut? - Once I got to BSL, my hair was thin and scraggly, with not even 1/4 of the amount of hair VS models have (fake, I know) so I had a dose of reality and went for a cut. Wanted about 4" cut off but the &**#$! stylist cut off 8 for my longest layer and 10+ for my shorter layers :(

Why are you regrowing? - I didn't want it this short to begin with

What are you hoping will be different from the first growing period? - My expectations of what long hair will look like, finding the length that will look best (thickest) on me - with the hair I was given.

How long are you planning on growing this time? - It'll probably take a year to get to APL, all one length, which may turn out to be the most flattering for me.

GOOD LUCK ALL!

[InTheCity]

I love the idea of finding my terminal but at classic it was still 3 inches circumference so god knows where that would be?!

Consider yourself a whole lot of lucky!
Once I got to BSL, the bottom half of my length had like a 1" circumference, with barely-there ends. It took a whole year of having that hair to realize that my hair isn't cut out for extreme length. Even with regular trims.

[MissCoco]

Why did you grow long in the first place? I just loved the look of super long hair for its femininity and traditional look (personal opinion) and finally thought I could grow my dream hair!

How long did you grow? For over 2 years.

Why did you cut short? How short did you cut? I had 3 reasons. 1. I had chin length bangs that were starting to look extremely awkward and feel annoying against my nearly hip length hair. 2. I used an organic shampoo that had indigo as one of its ingredients and it kind of messed up my hair color. 3. I was starting to obsess over my length too much and felt like starting over. To just tie it back and let it grow.

Why are you regrowing? Because I want to finally be able to have really long hair, since I've desired since I was 5 years old and saw Pocahontas! :D

What are you hoping will be different from the first growing period? That my hair will be healthier and will be less overwhelming to me.

How long are you planning on growing this time? I will never again go through a big chop and plan on growing to at leasr hip, but most likely tailbone or even classic length! :cheese:

[greygardens]

I had BSL (unstretched) hair. Not really 'long' by the standards around here! Then I started losing it by the handful due to the medication I was on. I tried to disguise it as best I could but in the end it just become impossible.

I cut it short, then, after stopping the medication, decided to grow it again. Just as I was getting started I realised I wanted to stop dying my hair and go with my natural gray. It made sense to me to buzz it while it was still fairly short so I did.

And now I'm just growing it. No goals really other than 'as long as I can!'.

[duckhugger]

Why did you grow long in the first place?
I just enjoy long hair :) its so fun and pretty.

How long did you grow?
The longest my hair has ever been for any amount of time is apl. My mother never liked me having it longer than that.

Why did you cut short? How short did you cut?
I cut it for a number of reasons. I wanted to donate it to charity, and I had just lost 25 pounds last summer, so I figured it was a great time for a change.

Why are you regrowing?
While I have enjoyed my short awesome pixie cut for the last year, I greatly missed the length! Also in order to maintain any kind of style, I have had to blow dry and straighten my hair because it is extremely wavey. I really hate doing that to my beautiful locks. Plus I moved to Newfoundland in September, and it rains nearly every day here. So the majority of the time I have wasted effort on trying to maintain a look.

What are you hoping will be different from the first growing period?
I want to grow it longer!! So much longer. Also I am not going to let the hair dresser thin it out, because it just ends up looking all scraggly. I actually won't be getting a hair cut until next June.

How long are you planning on growing this time?
I want to grow my hair out to waist length. Its never been that long before! I will most likely cut it and donate it again, but I won't cut it nearly as short when I do that next time. Probably just shoulder length.

[TheMechaGinger]

Why did you grow long in the first place?
Because everyone in my family had long hair and always talked about how great it was to have it

How long did you grow?
About to waist

Why did you cut short? How short did you cut?
I cut it to chin length, because it was damaged from me being a silly and rebellious teenager (dyeing, teasing, blow drying. There's a picture in my albums of the wild thing I used to be)

Why are you regrowing?
I loved having long hair before I trashed it so I'm hoping to get back to that

What are you hoping will be different from the first growing period?
I'm hoping this time now that I know how to better care for my hair it will be in even better shape by the time it gets long

How long are you planning on growing this time?
At least to hip length this time, but I've noticed a lot of people reach a goal and then set an even longer one so we'll see
Right now I'm at apl so I've still got a ways to go

[jfeg116]

I don't quite fit in with these...I grow and chop fairly regularly.

Why did you grow long in the first place?
My parents wouldn't let me cut my hair :) I was 10 before I got my first haircut that wasn't my mother trimming off the last inch or so in the kitchen with a pair of craft scissors, haha.

How long did you grow?
I think my terminal length is the top of my hips, but it's been a while since I let it get THAT long.

Why did you cut short? How short did you cut?
I donate my hair semi-regularly...whenever I get tired of having long hair I cut it to my shoulders and donate the length.

Why are you regrowing?
Same as always :)

What are you hoping will be different from the first growing period?
PRETTY HAIR. I mean, I feel good donating, but I feel bad giving such ugly hair to the poor little cancer kids... I read they don't make wigs with the ugly hair, though, they sell those or something, though I can't imagine they make much off of mine...eep

How long are you planning on growing this time?
Until I get tired of it...but finding this wealth of style ideas and HELP I may not get sick of it as soon as I usually do :)

[rapunzhell13]

Why did you grow long in the first place?
I just want to have long pretty hair to play with. :)

How long did you grow?
It got down to APL and then I cut back to pixie.

Why did you cut short? How short did you cut?
Stress. I was going through a very rough patch and I did it as a release. I regretted it instantly.

Why are you regrowing?
As a I said above, I regretted the cut. I decided that moping wasn't gonna do anything and that it was more productive to see it as a fresh start.

What are you hoping will be different from the first growing period?
I'm growing out my natural colour. I may or may not use henna, but definitely no "chemical" dye. Minimal trimming.

How long are you planning on growing this time?
I want to reach hips. From there decide if I like having long hair, if I want to keep growing, cut back or go short again.

[Amara]

Why are you regrowing?
As a I said above, I regretted the cut. I decided that moping wasn't gonna do anything and that it was more productive to see it as a fresh start.


that's a very good attitude! I've done haircuts I've regretted and it's hard to be positive. Good job!!!!

[Amara]

One thing I love right now is how obvious progress is. When my hair was longer I could not see progress at all. Even measuring wouldn't always show it. Part of that was the frequent trimming I needed to help the ends feel nice, and all the S&Ding. Right now my hair is healthy and I'm not trimming, plus at this length (jaw-ish), every half inch is super obvious. <3