Non-Growth Oriented Thread for Shorter Lengths

**Arctic** · December 14th, 2016, 12:10 PM

Like the title says, this is a thread for those of us who are not focusing on growing our hair, who like to keep it shorter, and who sometimes miss a place without the grow-grow-grow faster-faster-faster atmosphere. We like our hair now, and we want to enjoy the length it is now.

We could just hang around here, talk about hair in general, share styling tips and compare notes. All hair types and styles welcome! We can talk about trimming and going to salon - even using heat tools

- without getting shudders here. This is not really a Length Maintenance Thread, because those thread often still have the growth-related undercurrents - although naturally a length needs to be maintained if person is not wishing to grow. This is for all aspects of shorter hair.

What is definition of short, then? I leave that for you to decide. Maybe it's pixie or maybe it's "LHC short" like my APL hair. I would personally feel that BSL is starting to be "long" to me, but won't mind someone who is happily maintaining at BSL to participate. Also those who have had short hair before are welcome to share styling tips and participate, but in a non-growth oriented way.

Welcome one, welcome all!

**spidermom** · December 14th, 2016, 12:20 PM

I was sitting down to start a similar thread, Arctic. Thank you for getting here before me and starting a thread better than I could have. As devoted as I was to long hair in the past is how devoted I am to bringing out the best in my short hair now. I started out with collarbone length a little more than a week ago, and I swear, it seems to have grown an inch since then. The stylist told me it would probably grow like a weed with all the dried out ends cut off, and it appears she's right. Next time I believe I'll go shorter, like barely grazing shoulders shorter. I don't know if I ever want to grow it out long again. Time will tell.

It takes 2 full sets of hot rollers to set my hair. I'm sitting here with a headful now. Anybody want to see the results later?

**Arctic** · December 14th, 2016, 12:28 PM

I'll start with a short post.

I am not really identifying as longhair, I have had short hair - pixies to bobs to shoulders - almost all my life, with the exception of my LHC membership era, when it's been once almost to BSL. I don't ever plan to grow longer than that. Right now I am at approx. APL, and have been at the almost same length this whole year. I like this length a lot! I have no doubts that in a year or two I will cut shorter again. The last time was around 2010 or so I think! I'm a trimaholic, I just love those fresh ends! I used to be quite obsessive about my hair during the few years after i joined here but I make conscious efforts to not to ever go back there again.

**Arctic** · December 14th, 2016, 12:30 PM

Originally Posted by spidermom

I was sitting down to start a similar thread, Arctic. Thank you for getting here before me and starting a thread better than I could have. As devoted as I was to long hair in the past is how devoted I am to bringing out the best in my short hair now. I started out with collarbone length a little more than a week ago, and I swear, it seems to have grown an inch since then. The stylist told me it would probably grow like a weed with all the dried out ends cut off, and it appears she's right. Next time I believe I'll go shorter, like barely grazing shoulders shorter. I don't know if I ever want to grow it out long again. Time will tell.

It takes 2 full sets of hot rollers to set my hair. I'm sitting here with a headful now. Anybody want to see the results later?

Welcome! I was thinking of you when I started this thread!

I'd love to see your pics! I might post pics of my curling wand curls from last week when I have a bit more time.

Wow that's super growth you've had there! Yes it's probably good idea to go a bit shorter since your hair grows so fast. Mine grows rather showly, which can be a blessing with short styles.

**Eastbound&Down** · December 14th, 2016, 12:38 PM

Well, I ended up cutting my hair because of an unfortunate accident, but I have ended up really liking my hair this length (in b/w chin and shoulder). I think it looks really nice with my face shape which is pretty round and I can wear it natural with my curls or straighten it relatively quickly. Sometimes I miss it long, but when I think about it, I never did anything to it. I had it pulled up in a bun for work everyday and at home it was pulled up to keep it out of the way of my kids and whatever else I was doing. I mentioned in the chin-shoulder thread that I may keep it at shoulder for a while once it gets there and enjoy playing with it. Thanks for the thread, I think it'll be a good one.

Do you still do DTs with your shorter lengths? I try to do one weekly, I missed this last week because I was so sick I couldn't muster up the energy to care. I haven't even washed it since last Thursday I think, just ran it under the water during my showers. Luckily, my hair takes forever to really look greasy.

**Wusel** · December 14th, 2016, 12:45 PM

ME!
Still no photos because of illness... Certified sick since Monday. Bad viral gastroenteritis with vomiting and... don't even want to talk about it... Doc told me to stay home until Friday. Which I would do anyway because I feel so sh***y.

I'm still happy with my "between-collarbone-and-APL-something"

I love it and don't want to grow any longer.
I cut it myself and will never ever enter a salon again because I've cut it way better than they do.
I have nice face framing layers without looking like a toilet brush, which I was always turned into by stupid hair stylists.

**Anje** · December 14th, 2016, 12:58 PM

Hey, cool idea! I'm sure I'll grow mine out again one day, but for the moment I'm enjoying having hair so short it doesn't need combed.

Randomly, I'm finding that washing is very different. I tend to wet it down at least in the morning to reset all the sticky-upy parts, and I started out assuming I'd need to shampoo on at least a similar schedule or more often since I didn't have the hair to absorb the sebum. Apparently not. My scalp is tending to feel dry and tight a lot. It'd be super weird if I end up doing WO again.

**KittyBird** · December 14th, 2016, 01:01 PM

Great idea for a thread! Yes, Spidermom, please post pictures!

I didn't really care about my hair or how long it was until I joined LHC. Then I wanted to grow as long as I possibly could, only to discover that I couldn't grow longer than hip+ before my hair became way too heavy for my scalp. I dealt with scalp pain and splitting headaches for as long as I could, but eventually I started really disliking my long hair. Couldn't wear it down or braided because it tangled like crazy, couldn't wear it up because it was uncomfortable. I also wasn't too fond of how I looked with a bun.

Shoulder length has always been a good length for me, so after contemplating it for almost two years, I took the plunge last July and got my hair cut to shoulder length. Shortly after I started craving even shorter hair, and last week I got it cut to around chin length. I'm so happy with my hair. I feel the same as Spidermom, I'm very devoted to bringing out the best in my hair now. I love how wurly-curly it is, and how easy it is to style. So much easier than my long hair!

**Wusel** · December 14th, 2016, 02:11 PM

I start craving even shorter hair too, KittyBird

An inch or two shorter, I think, might look even better. We'll see

**KittyBird** · December 14th, 2016, 02:28 PM

Originally Posted by Wusel

I start craving even shorter hair too, KittyBird

An inch or two shorter, I think, might look even better. We'll see

I think you're so awesome for cutting your own hair at that length. I could only cut my own hair when it was long, I wouldn't dare to cut it this short myself. I'd completely mess it up!

I hope you'll feel better soon, gastroenteritis is horrible!