Thinking of cutting off 4"

[pittsburgpam]

I'm one that doesn't like thin ends on my hair and I am tired of trying to thicken them up a little at a time. I think that taking off between 4" and 5" would really improve the ends but I'm scared of taking that step!!

The main problem I have is white dots scattered through those last inches, like blow-outs. I can take a hair that has a dot, give it a little tug, and it breaks off at the dot. What is causing that? It it just the old damage from when I would blowdry and heat style many years ago?

If I take off that much then my hair would probably be around tailbone length. It seems that I've been 3 finger widths from Classic for a very long time and if it keeps breaking off, I'm not going to get there.

http://i705.photobucket.com/albums/ww54/sensuouscancer/IMAG0040-1.jpg

[Chromis]

Seems reasonable to me! You may find the blunt ends harder to tuck into updos if you go much higher up, but you still have a little taper at that spot to work with :)

[spidermom]

If it were me, I'd do it. Although I am sure I'd miss the length, I'm not sentimental about it. I had 7 inches cut off this past March because the ends were absolutely trashed. They could not be saved, and I didn't want to fight with them.

[Red Rapunzel]

First of all, your hair is very pretty. Under one of your photos you posted "Goal is a solid classic with no thin ends." So to reach that stated goal, you are going to have to cut the 4" as planned - otherwise, when you reach classic, you will have thin ends, right?

As for the white dots - I think I have seen those in my hair too. They appear where my hair has bent a lot in the same way, weakening the strand so that it breaks off easily at the dot. Cutting those hairs is no loss because they would likely have broken off eventually anyway.

Tailbone length is still nothing to sneeze at - it's long! I share your mixed feelings about, on the one hand wanting badly to achieve a certain length and on the other hand wanting to arrive at that length with thickness and quality in the lower levels. I want knee length, but may end up doing just what you are contemplating because of my thinning ends too.

Good luck with your decision. It will grow back, but will be thicker.

[pittsburgpam]

I'm going to do it. I've been thinking of it for months so it's not a quick decision. :hmm:

I haven't been to have it cut in a very long time so have no idea where to go but I'll do some searching and will definately talk to the person first and that NO MORE THAN WHAT I SAY IS TO BE CUT OFF!!

[Madora]

I'm going to do it. I've been thinking of it for months so it's not a quick decision. :hmm:

I haven't been to have it cut in a very long time so have no idea where to go but I'll do some searching and will definately talk to the person first and that NO MORE THAN WHAT I SAY IS TO BE CUT OFF!!

Could you try Feye's self trim method instead?

[Chromis]

Could you try Feye's self trim method instead?

I agree! At that length it is very easy to do yourself too.

[SpinDance]

It sure sounds like you want to thicken things up and also not have to deal with the damage. I get those white dots, too, broken hairs that haven't come off all the way yet. I always cut them off above the break when I find them during S&D missions.

I don't know your trim schedule, although it sort of sounds like you haven't had one for a while. I was pretty nervous at first, but I've been using Feye's self trim method for about a year and a half now. For about 15 months now I've done a dusting of about 5 mm every week or so, sometimes as long as 3 or 4 weeks between. It has sure helped. Without doing this I'm sure I'd have cut back 4-5 inches, or more, months ago.

Nice thing about cutting, you don't have to do it all at once. If you aren't positive you want to take off 4-5 inches today, look up the self-trim method and then trim off an inch. You might find that an inch or so is enough to start helping right away. And once you've done a trim yourself you may be really surprised at how easy it is. Just takes a few minutes, no waiting for an appointment and all that, either. Even if you end up taking off 4-5 inches, if you do it a bit at a time over the course of a month it won't be such a shock.

[lapushka]

Above posters are right, do try the self-trimming method. You could take off 1 or 2 inches, see how you like it, and may not even need to trim more! Better that way than a hairdresser that takes it all off in one go, maybe even more.

[halizabeth]

Where do we find Feye's self trimming at?

[pittsburgpam]

What I usually do is trim it in the shower every couple of months. I get it all conditioned and combed out then stand under the water so that it runs down my hair and it all comes together at a point. I reached back, pinch the end, bring it forward and trim off a couple of inches. That has done pretty good over the last few years to get rid of the very pointed end (like the picture in my profile).

It's not as thin on the ends as it looks in the picture in this thread. That was pulled forward over one shoulder and twisted so it's thinner than it would be if it was all taken at the back. Still, it's got taper and I want it blunt.

[lapushka]

Where do we find Feye's self trimming at?

Right here in the articles section, or here:
http://feyeselftrim.livejournal.com

[SpinDance]

Yay! You're the one! You're the one I've been wanting to thank for the in the shower trim method. Thank you so much. I'm still figuring out how to do it and get consistent results when I pull the ends around to the front. I am getting different results depending on which side I go to, but it sure is easier than wrestling with hair ties in the middle of my back.

[Maktub]

I would do it to if I were you, your hair and ends will feel fantastic !

I'd love to see a back picture of before and after the trimm !!

[Shelly]

I know how you feel. I've been having the very same thoughts going for a couple of months now. I really don't want to do it but it would definitely help my hair out so much. I'll get a pic and put it in my album of my ends like the one you posted above.

ETA:
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=8760&pictureid=115992

My ends go down to nothing at all.

[pittsburgpam]

I think I'm going to do it today. My hair needs to be washed so I might as well do that first.

Funny that at work, the day after I started this thread, I was wearing my hair in a low pony (it's almost always up) and a co-worker said, "Look at your hair! It's so long!" I said said thanks (?) and that I was actually thinking of cutting about 4" off. She said, "It's so long that 4" wouldn't even be noticable."

[LittleB]

Good idea, try to trim a bit off yourself and if it doesn't work out, ask your stylist to just cut off an inch or so! A win-win. :) Your hair is gorgeous, by the way.

[longhairedwolf]

Go for it. You've been thinking about it for a while, so it isn't impulsive. I think the pleasure from the thickened ends will more than make up for the loss of length.

[krissykins]

Let us know how it goes :cheer:

[Carolyn]

I've done that before and will probably do it again. I'm at 35" now and cut off 2" this week. I can tell the difference but no one else would see it. If the condition of your ends is stressing you out, go for it. Cutting off half of what you think you need is a good place to start.

[thunderlilies]

I just trimmed 7" off my hair yesterday! I went from just beyond classic to about tailbone. The ends feel FANTSTIC :-P I cut it mostly because tailbone is easier to wear down for me (which I enjoy doing). Totally worth it (though I will be growing it back again - lol) :-)

[dulce]

How about the CREA clip? Or a trusted family member to cut? A blunt cut is super easy to do and you won't have to worry about the hair dresser taking too much off,as often happens judging by other threads .

[xoxophelia]

Just throwing it out there that you could consider doing two 2" trims spaced out so that you stay closer to your goal. But considering you will still be at TB.. I would probably go for the 4" off also.

[pittsburgpam]

I just did it! I didn't trim a whole lot, just a few inches. Maybe I'll do more over the next few months. It does feel a LOT better on the ends.

Sorry for the bad pictures. I swear, I can't get a full-length shot to save my life and this is after a couple of dozen tries! Can tell the difference by the pocket on my pants.

http://i705.photobucket.com/albums/ww54/sensuouscancer/IMG_0404-1.jpg

[Carolyn]

I think you did a great job of trimming. I always want to trim when my hair gets to that point too. The back yoke seam on your jeans shows the difference but I don't think anyone will be able to tell.

[lindaton]

It looks so nice and thick now. Not that it didnt before. I bet it feels so good. I just trimmed 3" off of mine last week. Should have done 6.

[pittsburgpam]

I'll get a better picture after I wash it. Maybe the upstairs master bathroom mirror will do better.

It feels smooth all the way down now. :)

[jojo]

I too cut 4" off a few weeks back and my ends feel so much better, your hair looks a lot thicker on the ends and 4" is hardly any length to lose when your super long like you.

Will you be doing periodic trims now or regular dustings? I ask as my goals are the same as yours. I cannot seem to make my mind up on monthly dustings or 3 monthly 1/2" trims; decisions, decisions!

[pittsburgpam]

I prefer doing 3-month trims. I'm too lazy to do it more often. :D

That's how I grew it long in the first place, I couldn't be bothered with getting it cut.