Grow out layers or gain length first?

[jenjen10]

I always seem to get the urge to cut some layers into my hair when it nears BSL and a few months ago I asked for "some light layering"... of course, I ended up with MAJOR layering. My hair overall is slightly past BSL but my shortest layers are at shoulder length now (yes, I almost cried)

i am having troubles making buns and braids because I have a lot of hairs that stick out due to the difference in lengths, which is frustrating. However, I always end up cutting at BSL because of this and wonder if I should just get through to waist and then maintain there... what do you think? Will my hairstyle options increase a bit more with some more length or should I cut it back to APL?

[wooliswonderful]

I wouldn't cut it if your hair is healthy and if you like the look of layers when your hair is down.
I'm sure UltraBella and others can suggest updos and styles that accomodate layers nicely.
I cut my layers off last week but my ends were splitty and I prefer an even hemline on me.

[Roscata]

If you want to have tidy buns and braids the best course of action is to avoid layers at all costs. You are definitely not alone in the wanting to grow out layers journey: Growing Out Layers- A place to complain (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=47351).

I have been struggling with layers for over two years now, recently I got rid of my length layers and I think it was worth the wait. For me length has been more important than getting rid of layers. I can't really give you an advice to cut or not to cut, I can only tell you what I did. It is up to you to decide what is more important in your journey. Whatever you decide I wish you good luck! :D

[Cassie 123]

I say neither, but rather microtrim and maintain where you are until the unwanted layers grow out.

[dulce]

I also am growing out layers,had shoulder length layers and APL hair.Now I have waist length or so with longer than APL layers .Finally I can do buns and twists and braids and the shorter ends don't stick out.My advice is to just grow,if you cut you will have even less choice of styles plus you must wait for it to get long again.As the layers get longer they seem to blend better with the rest of the hair and styles.So do a french twist or some such style where layers are not such a problem and just grow.

[PraiseCheeses]

Maybe try some oil or aloe gel (or both) when you bun or braid to rein in the poky-outies?

If you like your layers, there's no reason to chop. Just think of your present ends as a buffer zone between typical end-damage and that nice blunt hemline it sounds like you want someday. They're your sacrificial inches. :) Also, from your sig pic, your hair seems pretty thick... which can seriously limit styling options at shorter lengths. Even with thin hair, there wasn't much I could do until I was at APL.

I had the same thing happen to me a little over a year ago - went to a salon for a cut, requested "just a tiny bit of taper to soften the ends" and walked out with razored layers from APL to just above my shoulder. I waited a few months while the shortest layer grew to about collarbone, and then I went to a barbershop and had it cut to that shortest layer. I wish I could have let it grown out through microtrims, but those layers were godawful in my hair and I couldn't wait to get them out. As long as you like your layers, I'd keep 'em for now.

[julliams]

I say grow to waist and maintain - of course that was my plan but I'm on to hip now. The most frustrating place to be is where you are now because of the shoulder length layers. They make your hair appear shorter (to you) at the front - I know - I was there.

I was in the same boat as you and I was encouraged to go for length rather than cut out layers. I'm directing you to this thread because there is a collection of photos of my growth where you can see how much my hair changed as it got longer. The layers seem to magically become part of the length so that they no longer looked like layers - http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?p=1373613&highlight=julliams#post1373613

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=35093&highlight=julliams&page=72

- just scroll down to me with the black and white shirt on.

[ddiana1979]

I continued to grow. I'm planning on cutting the last remaining layer when I get solidly at waist. It would've driven me batty to have to cut back to the top layer and wait even longer for long hair!

[celebriangel]

My experience with this is that I was at MBL, with my shortest layer at APL. I chopped. Best decision I ever made regarding my hair.

I might have done it differently if my shortest layer had been at shoulder, maybe. Also bear in mind that I HATE layers with the fiery burning passion of a thousand suns - they make my thick, wurly hair incredibly unmanageable. I was fundamentally more unhappy with my layers than I was impatient for long hair - try to work out how you feel on this issue, and you'll know what decision to make.

In future, if you decide to get layers, say, "with the shortest layer no shorter than (point to place on body, slightly lower than your actual limit)".

[moxamoll]

You don't list a hair type under your avatar, but from your profile pic, your hair looks fairly straight. Mine's like that too, so when you get layer "sticky-outies" they are really noticeable! (I think if your hair is curly, those guys look more like they are there on purpose.)

I grew out from a pixie cut into an ear length bob and then grew from there, just because I hate layers that much. I'd at least microtrim and maintain your current length, if you don't want to chop. But it's your hair - you have to balance your frustration with your desire for length!

[bratz81]

I'm in the same boat - I have layers and have been wondering about whether to grow or chop. My hair is between SHL and APL, and my layers are around chin length now. I really don't want my hair that short again!!

What I've decided is just to grow for now, and when my shortest layer gets to around APL to chop so it's all the one length. That will lose a few inches of length sure but my hair looks better all once length.

[Mayflower]

I feel your pain. I'm just gonna grow until my hair reaches hiplenght, which is my ultimate goal. Then I'm gonna stay there and trim the layers out one by one. I reckon that's going to take some years since my layers are anywhere between ear lenght and BSL.

[lapushka]

It'll be like running around in circles, IMO, if you cut back to APL now. You'll have to regrow the hair, then when you hit BSL again, you'll be going through the same thing all over again, wanting the layers.

I'd grow to WL and microtrim, as has already been suggested.

Good luck whatever you decide! :)

[Mairéad]

Granted I have far less hair and don't have any options for updos yet, I'm doing a combo of both. I'm gaining length but have decided when my shortest layer reaches shoulder than I'm going to cut the ends back to get me some one length hair. I'll only lose a couple inches overall and I'll be able to cope. After all, shoulder length sounds like a dream right now so I wouldn't mind hanging around it for awhile if it means I can get these darned layers out.

[Amber_Maiden]

I personally would just let it all grow out, not maintaining anything. Eventually it will all look about the same length.

[LVue86]

I had the same problem too. I had layers and the front layers around my face were really short (collar bone length) and I had long hair in the back (Bra strap length). I was planning on growing the layers out but I just couldn't take it. It bothered me that the front of my face looked like I had short hair and when I turned around I had long hair. I decided to just cut it. I feel better now and I can actually do buns with my collar bone length hair. It feels thicker and healthier.

What you can do is trim it little by little if you really want to keep that length and just wait till it all evens out. Or if you are impatient like me I would just chop it to the shortest layer and grow it out all in one length.

[ssjhotau2]

Honestly- without reading any other responses- I would say do what YOU feel you can live with. I personally am a fan of chopping. I think that we should enjoy our hair and if damaged ends or an ugly cut makes us hate our hair than something needs to be done to make us at least like it again . If you like the length of the layers, just not how short it has made your hair- then I would say go ahead and grow them out.
If you think they make your hair look too thin or you don't like how many layers you have than I would say trim up to how short you wanted your layers to be and then grow out from there.

I had a similar experience though I closer to waist length hair when I did this. I too have always gotten the urge to cut/trim/layer right around BSL
I stressed to the stylist that I wanted to keep my current length when I asked for a few inches of layers. I got layers starting from chin length and ending at just below BSL. My hair was so thin from APL down that I couldn't stand it and had it chopped to just below shoulder length (still a good 6+ inches of layers left). I had a different stylist even up the layers after a few months and then didn't cut again for almost a year. I just used the pony tail bun to keep it up and protected.

I was almost waist again when I went in and had all the layers cut out (brought me back to APL) and then started growing again- fighting the same urge to cut until I finally just embraced neglect and took the "Wear it up for a year" challenge and now I'm brushing hip :)

And I recently used the Pony Tail method to trim my own layers and I love them- they look much better to me than any layers I've paid for- AND I didn't lose any noticeable length.

[fiddlefananb]

I hate my layers. I have been growing them about a year and they are just now getting long enough to not poke out as much in updos. I have just been growing and keeping the length and having microtrims until they are all even.

[jacqueline101]

I'm in the same boat. I wanted a trim the lady cut off four inches of hair. I got layers. I hate them part of me wants to cut my hair off start over again and the other half wants to grow them out. I do want my tail bone length hair. I will probably grow them out and take my picture of how I expect my hair to look.

[torrilin]

My personal vote is just keep growing. Shoulder length is long enough that lace braids and French braids can be used for layer containment, and a lot of the time accent braids can take a simple style from bland to amazing looking.

Eventually, your hair *will* even up, since you'll have small trims here and there as needed to deal with splits and other damage. Plus not all hairs on your head grow at the same rate, so natural layering eventually takes over. No one who has a blunt cut really has all their hairs at exactly the same length... even at chin length there will be some variation because not all your hair will have the same terminal length.

[RachelRose]

I am going with gaining length first at least to my intermediate goal of waist then I will maintain prob with monthly micro trims to thicken up my hemline and allow layers to catch up . I can't bear to cut off healthy length :(

[LauraLongLocks]

I would trim once every two to three months, 1 cm each time, and other than that let it grow. Eventually those layers will blend in and the small trims will add up. One day you'll wake up with long hair, free of layers.

[AZDesertRose]

I have some layers myself; my hair was in a shoulder-length layered cut with the shortest layers around chin length. Now I'm at about APL with the shortest layers at shoulder length. I'm probably going to just let it grow, layers and all, until I get to waist length and then maintain and grow the layers out.

Right now, waist length is my goal, but I may change my mind (to something longer) when I get there. :)

My hair at its longest was classic with no layers and a blunt U-hemline (I used to do the Feye's self trim in the U-shape) and showing no signs of being terminal length, and part of me is curious as to what terminal would be on me. :) I suspect I could probably grow it out to knee length or longer.

[strawberryfine]

I love this post! I, too, despise layers with a hatred for the lowest depths of hell!!! I'm keeping the length at just-above-shoulder length until it gets to all-one-length. This goal is the most important goal for me even more important than gaining more length. It's maddening but I will have the satisfaction of my layers and bangs reaching my hemline more quickly as they won't have so far to grow. Thanks for the above post!

[strawberryfine]

I love this post! I, too, despise layers with a hatred from the lowest depths of hell!!! I'm keeping the length at just-above-shoulder length until it gets to all-one-length. This goal is the most important goal for me even more important than gaining more length. It's maddening but I will have the satisfaction of my layers and bangs reaching my hemline more quickly as they won't have so far to grow. Thanks for the above post!

[Jane99]

I believe sleeping with my hair in a braid is protecting those pesky layers so they actually grow and don’t just disintegrate from sleep damage. I do super micro microtrims quarterly. I might not ever grow out the layers but at least they're getting longer.

[Bat]

For ages I was torn with either length or getting rid of layers it’s why I kept cutting back to chin I think for now my focus is length I’ll just keep the layers I have for now, I’m really focused now on getting past apl

[0xalis]

Personally I despise layers in my fine, flighty hair SO MUCH that I chopped from bottom-of-neck length back to chin length in July of last year just to get rid of them.
On my hair, to me, layers make it look shredded and damaged no matter how healthy it actually is. I *need* a blunt hemline for the sake of my sanity!
I hadn't gotten them put in, I know better by this point hahaha, I was growing out a buzz cut and so they're inevitable.

[strawberryfine]

I think I'm the exception here. My hair is chopped to jaw bone length where I will keep it until it's a blunt cut, all one length. My hair is fine, prone to splits. Also color treated on just the tips of some shorter layers so that's got to grow out and be cut off. It's finally beginning to look like a short bob and the bangs are almost completely grown out, same length as the hemline. For my fine hair, layers just leave more ends exposed to be damaged. YMMV

[Bat]

If I wasn't a hair cutting lunatic I'd get to the length I want quickly but since my goal is between hip and knee that's way too long to deal with layers, I'll be microtrimming out layers.