No trimming?

[lidapida]

Is this actually doable? A girl with curly, long (healthy!!) hair said she hadn't cut hers in 10 years! And my problem is simply that my curls prevent my hair from looking long even if I did eventually manage to save up a decent amount.
It should be mentioned that her hair was probably of the strong type (dark, thick, curly - latino type), and mine is thin and blonde, but is there a way?

I appreciate all responses! I'm so tired of cutting it every time I get some length!

[barely.there]

She probably doesn't do anything to her hair...no blowdrying or flat irons, no cones, no harsh shampoos, no dyeing, no perms, keeps it protected in harsh weather conditions, uses a BBB and/or a handmade comb (like a boxwood or horn comb), no styling products, ect ect.

she might do some S&D (Search and Destroy) where she manually looks for bad ends and cuts them off individually.

Check out Curly Girl http://www.naturallycurly.com/ for good tips on how to save your curls and make them looks beauuutiful!

and of course, patience ;)

[lapushka]

I appreciate all responses! I'm so tired of cutting it every time I get some length!

Why do you cut it every time you gain some length? Is it because you think that's what you should do, or is it because there's actual damage (from straightening).

[lidapida]

She probably doesn't do anything to her hair...no blowdrying or flat irons, no cones, no harsh shampoos, no dyeing, no perms, keeps it protected in harsh weather conditions, uses a BBB and/or a handmade comb (like a boxwood or horn comb), no styling products, ect ect.

she might do some S&D (Search and Destroy) where she manually looks for bad ends and cuts them off individually.

Check out Curly Girl http://www.naturallycurly.com/ for good tips on how to save your curls and make them looks beauuutiful!

and of course, patience ;)


Maybe there's something to the harsh weather conditions, I do live in Norway after all. Other than that and the handmade comb I do all the other things you mentioned (except for the BBB thing, what is that?).
Other than that, thanks for the reply! and I'll try my best with the patience and I love the site!

[Vallena]

Maybe there's something to the harsh weather conditions, I do live in Norway after all. Other than that and the handmade comb I do all the other things you mentioned (except for the BBB thing, what is that?).
Other than that, thanks for the reply! and I'll try my best with the patience and I love the site!

BBB = boar bristle brush. :) If you want one, I would recommend one with only boar bristles, no nylon!

[Of the Fae]

I'm a non trimmer myself. I only S&D once in a while, but have not trimmed for a year and a half. Planning not to for as long as possible. My hair looks fine.
Try it, don't flat iron or blow dry and be careful not to rip through your hair with any comb, especially when wet. Most importantly, keep hair from getting dry and brittle, so don't overwash and use mineral or veggie oil when damp.
Good luck :)

[longcurlygirl<3]

It should be mentioned that her hair was probably of the strong type (dark, thick, curly - latino type), and mine is thin and blonde, but is there a way?

I appreciate all responses! I'm so tired of cutting it every time I get some length!

Hahaha that made me think of my hair! And usually latinos DO NOT do anything in their hair except shampoo maybe condition, gel or mousse and air dry. Some straighten and stuff but majority I know do not. They use scrunchies to tie their hair up and oils from drugstores.

My hair is just like hers but I am terrible at benign neglect :p haha oh well!

And back to you.. make just do benign neglect and be careful when manipulating your hair like combing, hairstyles etc.

[longcurlygirl<3]

Oh I try to only trim once a year and with a month extra so every 13 months, I cut like 2inches and still have a lot of growth!

[Vintagecoilylocks]

I have curly fine delicate hair. It would break if I looked at it side ways. No possible way can I be harsh or use benign neglect. I was always cutting away length due to damage or it just did not make any progress.

Advice from The long hair club site changed my approach to my hair. I have now not cut or trim my hair for since 2001. One big S&D session and then only as needed after that. In the last year when I gave up combs I have not even needed S&D.(wish I did that 10 years ago) Moisture, seal and protect your hair and especially your ends and you will gain length comparable to your growth.

I no longer use shampoo, and had to change the way I even handled my hair. Yes it is doable with determination and care. You may have to completely change your products and approach but the most important is to do what is good or your hair not what you like to do. My hair is stronger now but I still handle it like fine antique lace.

[catamonica]

In 2009 I used horse shampoo from wall mart. I added two capfuls of olive oil to the shampoo & conditioner. And aloe vera to the conditioner. Aloe makes it baby soft. They both promte hair growth. My hair grew fourteen inches from just past midback to one inch past waist.
Since November 2011 I have been wearing a braided bun. I wear it in a bun five days a week. It grew to hip in four months.
There is a web site called blessed Mommy. The woman has a picture of her hair down to her knees. On her blog she says buns promte growth. She has not cut her hair in twernty years. I have no split ends. Buns promte growth. I hope this helps you.

[Vallena]

Oh, I forgot to add! I don't trim my hair, but I do search and destroy. I chopped my hair about a year ago. I keep my hair in some sort of updo most days, to protect the ends of my hair. When it is up, it doesn't get damaged as much, and less damage is more growth and less need for trims! Also, I don't blow dry or flat iron my hair.

[spidermom]

I favor regular small trims. It keeps my ends in much better condition.

And yes - I have tried non-trimming. My ends get seriously trashed out after not trimming for a year, even though I don't do the bad stuff like straightening, etc.

[QMacrocarpa]

I'd go nuts without occasional self-trims (http://feyeselftrim.livejournal.com/) as needed to keep my splits in check (I don't search and snip individual split ends, which would make me crazy). Effective trims can be quite small, you may not need to lose significant length each trim. My last trim, I didn't notice the length difference (1/4" or so) afterwards at all, but it did make a big improvement to my ease of detangling.

[Of the Fae]

In 2009 I used horse shampoo from wall mart. I added two capfuls of olive oil to the shampoo & conditioner. And aloe vera to the conditioner. Aloe makes it baby soft. They both promte hair growth. My hair grew fourteen inches from just past midback to one inch past waist.
Since November 2011 I have been wearing a braided bun. I wear it in a bun five days a week. It grew to hip in four months.
There is a web site called blessed Mommy. The woman has a picture of her hair down to her knees. On her blog she says buns promte growth. She has not cut her hair in twernty years. I have no split ends. Buns promte growth. I hope this helps you.

http://singingmommy.hubpages.com/hub/MY-LONG-HAIR-JOURNEYPICSSTORY

Is this her?

[Kinkycurlygurl]

I have curly fine delicate hair. It would break if I looked at it side ways. No possible way can I be harsh or use benign neglect. I was always cutting away length due to damage or it just did not make any progress.

Advice from The long hair club site changed my approach to my hair. I have now not cut or trim my hair for since 2001. One big S&D session and then only as needed after that. In the last year when I gave up combs I have not even needed S&D.(wish I did that 10 years ago) Moisture, seal and protect your hair and especially your ends and you will gain length comparable to your growth.

I no longer use shampoo, and had to change the way I even handled my hair. Yes it is doable with determination and care. You may have to completely change your products and approach but the most important is to do what is good or your hair not what you like to do. My hair is stronger now but I still handle it like fine antique lace.

I second that! I've come to the same conclusions about how to handle my hair. Water, sebum and coconut oil only and I've given up the comb entirely.

[lidapida]

Why do you cut it every time you gain some length? Is it because you think that's what you should do, or is it because there's actual damage (from straightening).
It's due to old damages caused by bleach and straighteners and dyes and all that is bad. I came to my senses about a year ago but I'm still working with the aftermath. My ends are still part of that poor abused hair and they break off and split like dry leaves. I don't want to take it all off at once because my hair would be so short so I try to treat them nicely.
This could maybe be the main cause I won't be able to never trim. Until that stuff's gone I'm doomed to trimming.

[lidapida]

I have curly fine delicate hair. It would break if I looked at it side ways. No possible way can I be harsh or use benign neglect. I was always cutting away length due to damage or it just did not make any progress.

Advice from The long hair club site changed my approach to my hair. I have now not cut or trim my hair for since 2001. One big S&D session and then only as needed after that. In the last year when I gave up combs I have not even needed S&D.(wish I did that 10 years ago) Moisture, seal and protect your hair and especially your ends and you will gain length comparable to your growth.

I no longer use shampoo, and had to change the way I even handled my hair. Yes it is doable with determination and care. You may have to completely change your products and approach but the most important is to do what is good or your hair not what you like to do. My hair is stronger now but I still handle it like fine antique lace.
Thank you very much! That's very helpful. I've been looking around here for a while now (newbie deluxe) and I was considering CG and CO. I will definitely try this!

[Hollyfire3]

Hahaha that made me think of my hair! And usually latinos DO NOT do anything in their hair except shampoo maybe condition, gel or mousse and air dry. Some straighten and stuff but majority I know do not. They use scrunchies to tie their hair up and oils from drugstores.

My hair is just like hers but I am terrible at benign neglect :p haha oh well!

And back to you.. make just do benign neglect and be careful when manipulating your hair like combing, hairstyles etc.


Is mousse damaging? I use it to scrunch my hair as descirbed above, can it cause breakage or damage?

[Vintagecoilylocks]

Thank you very much! That's very helpful. I've been looking around here for a while now (newbie deluxe) and I was considering CG and CO. I will definitely try this!

One thing I had to come to terms with was whether I wanted beautiful long hair or long hair to be out and stylish. For me, my hair can not with stand the elements. So Long hair, even though I always wear it up or in a single braid, is the only way I will be able to have it. But that is O.K. If it s what my hair needs, then so be it. My avatar was my original goal. She seems to have fine, curly, thin hair. It looks like it would just be wild and fly away if loose but, it is so lovely gently wraped in the cord. I am now going for terminal.

[longcurlygirl<3]

Is mousse damaging? I use it to scrunch my hair as descirbed above, can it cause breakage or damage?

Well, Hollyfire I tried mousse once was great, but then I researched what the ingredients were that I was putting in my hair (the pantene curl one) and it turns out it has ingredients they use in car freeze sprays?! So I think it is damaging but I haven't used the bottle since.

[catamonica]

Of the Fae. Yes that is singingmommy.

[julya]

I only trim very infrequently, like every three or four years. And it hasn't seemed to hurt my growth any.