Carrie Ingalls
May 14th, 2012, 02:04 PM
On a side note this month marks my three year anniversary of joining the LHC.
As many of you know I have been maintaining my hair at ankle length since it hit floor in the spring of 2009. My sister “Grace Ingalls” has never had her hair cut. Well, we both got our hair cut this spring. Don’t freak out, these were long contemplated cuts.
Grace mostly just wanted to get her ends cleaned up and evened out a little. When we measured it was nearly nine inches longer than her height (when wet). So, I cut it back to ankle (when wet) for her, a total cut of 11.25 inches. It is still calf length when dry.
I have been contemplating cutting my hair on and off for the last couple years or, but pretty seriously since this past fall. In December I skipped my normal semi-annual trim because I knew I would probably be cutting in the spring. For those of you that are wondering there were a number of factors that contributed to my decision (in no particular order): this fall I am starting an intensive and demanding academic program in the field of healthcare and I didn’t want my hair to be long enough to touch the hospital floor if I had to redo it while there. Similarly I didn’t want my hair to touch the shower floor every time I washed it (dorm style housing). I am staffing a wilderness backpacking program this summer and wanted to easily be able to redo it in in the woods quickly and simply so as to not let the sheds build up. I wanted to see how braiding would change and be different because currently I get a LOT of rebraiding or reverse braiding because it is a whole body chore to separate the hair all the way down (my length was 2+ feet longer than fingertip length). I sorta wanted to be able to wear it down at least around the house without risking stepping on it or getting it caught in the backs of my shoes (forget flipflops). I was just curious what it would be like. I wanted to.
When my hair was measured it was 3.5 inches longer than my height (not surprising since my last trim was in August of 2011 and the skipped Dec trim.) I had been waffling back and forth about exactly how my I wanted cut, but decided on cutting about 11 inches from floor length. I might get a dusting/small trim in August before the start of the school year depending on how I like the cut over the next couple months. So in the end I cut 14.5 inches. I had my mom do the actual cutting.
Now my hair is upper-mid calf length. I know, it didn’t happen unless there are pictures, and I have them cropped resized and ready to upload…but I’m only going to upload them to my albums here…and we all know the uploading it experiencing technical difficulties. So stay tuned.
My hair doesn’t feel dramatically lighter, but I have noticed less pulling on my scalp (cool unexpected bonus) and the ends poke out of pretty much any updo but I was expecting that. I know that it is all in my head but I feel a little freer, which is nice. I am still planning to grow it right back out (though possibly keeping it “short” until I’m done this academic program), which is only about two years of growth to hit floor again (a year and a half to hit ankle again). I’m also hoping to try more different styles as I grow back out.
P.S. No, I am not donating my hair, out of principle: hair does not cure cancer or alopecia, research does. I do not have great confidence in any of the hair donation organizations. I am not caving to the pressure of others, I chose to cut my hair because I wanted to. I know the condition of the ends and they wouldn’t be the best for wigs/extensions. Lastly, I have been tracking all my trims and saving the cut hair so that I can compare the condition of my ends over time.
As many of you know I have been maintaining my hair at ankle length since it hit floor in the spring of 2009. My sister “Grace Ingalls” has never had her hair cut. Well, we both got our hair cut this spring. Don’t freak out, these were long contemplated cuts.
Grace mostly just wanted to get her ends cleaned up and evened out a little. When we measured it was nearly nine inches longer than her height (when wet). So, I cut it back to ankle (when wet) for her, a total cut of 11.25 inches. It is still calf length when dry.
I have been contemplating cutting my hair on and off for the last couple years or, but pretty seriously since this past fall. In December I skipped my normal semi-annual trim because I knew I would probably be cutting in the spring. For those of you that are wondering there were a number of factors that contributed to my decision (in no particular order): this fall I am starting an intensive and demanding academic program in the field of healthcare and I didn’t want my hair to be long enough to touch the hospital floor if I had to redo it while there. Similarly I didn’t want my hair to touch the shower floor every time I washed it (dorm style housing). I am staffing a wilderness backpacking program this summer and wanted to easily be able to redo it in in the woods quickly and simply so as to not let the sheds build up. I wanted to see how braiding would change and be different because currently I get a LOT of rebraiding or reverse braiding because it is a whole body chore to separate the hair all the way down (my length was 2+ feet longer than fingertip length). I sorta wanted to be able to wear it down at least around the house without risking stepping on it or getting it caught in the backs of my shoes (forget flipflops). I was just curious what it would be like. I wanted to.
When my hair was measured it was 3.5 inches longer than my height (not surprising since my last trim was in August of 2011 and the skipped Dec trim.) I had been waffling back and forth about exactly how my I wanted cut, but decided on cutting about 11 inches from floor length. I might get a dusting/small trim in August before the start of the school year depending on how I like the cut over the next couple months. So in the end I cut 14.5 inches. I had my mom do the actual cutting.
Now my hair is upper-mid calf length. I know, it didn’t happen unless there are pictures, and I have them cropped resized and ready to upload…but I’m only going to upload them to my albums here…and we all know the uploading it experiencing technical difficulties. So stay tuned.
My hair doesn’t feel dramatically lighter, but I have noticed less pulling on my scalp (cool unexpected bonus) and the ends poke out of pretty much any updo but I was expecting that. I know that it is all in my head but I feel a little freer, which is nice. I am still planning to grow it right back out (though possibly keeping it “short” until I’m done this academic program), which is only about two years of growth to hit floor again (a year and a half to hit ankle again). I’m also hoping to try more different styles as I grow back out.
P.S. No, I am not donating my hair, out of principle: hair does not cure cancer or alopecia, research does. I do not have great confidence in any of the hair donation organizations. I am not caving to the pressure of others, I chose to cut my hair because I wanted to. I know the condition of the ends and they wouldn’t be the best for wigs/extensions. Lastly, I have been tracking all my trims and saving the cut hair so that I can compare the condition of my ends over time.