POLL: Should your hair have the same thickness from root to tip?

hillytmj · #1 11-04-2009, 11:55 PM

I'm asking this question because I'm going to my stylist next Friday for a roller wrap. She ALWAYS says I need a trim, even if I just got one like I did last week. I had a very necessary 2 inch trim (my ends didn't survive a corrective), so I'm back at BSL from MBL.

I don't have split ends (even the hair I trimmed wasn't split), but my hair is thicker from the roots and starts to slim down towards the ends. My hair is not see through, limp, flyaway or weak. However, I think my stylist thinks my hair should be the same thickness from root to tip, and unfortunately, her method of getting there is constant deep trims. When following her method, I never got past NL. Because of this, I haven't let her touch my hair with scissors since Feb. 2007 (I get my trims elsewhere), but I'm sick of hearing the trim speech everytime I see her.

I'm gonna have this discussion with her (I personally don't think everyone's hair has the same level of thickness from root to tip).

What do you all think? I've seen a lot of Fotkis where LHCF'ers have trimmed ends that aren't damaged, but a bit thinner than the rest of their hair.

Kitten45 · #2 11-05-2009, 12:04 AM

IMO, I believe that if your hair is in EXCELLENT condition it should be.

I personally understood that my hair is thinner on the tips because I have 1) layers 2) breakage

like, if I take a lock of hair I notice several shorter strands (most of them from a demarcation line when stretching relaxer)

that is whats going on with my hair...waiting for different opinions!

hillytmj · #3 11-05-2009, 12:06 AM

So that my thread is not considered worthless,

here is a pic of my hair before my trim last week. This is the typical look of my ends.

October relaxer.jpg

hillytmj · #4 11-05-2009, 12:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kitten45

IMO, I believe that if your hair is in EXCELLENT condition it should be.

I personally understood that my hair is thinner on the tips because I have 1) layers 2) breakage

like, if I take a lock of hair I notice several shorter strands (most of them from a demarcation line when stretching relaxer)

that is whats going on with my hair...waiting for different opinions!

I hadn't thought of that before. If I take a large section of my hair and twist it (a common search and destroy method), I see some shorter hairs sticking out the twist. Your suggestion makes sense because it would be impossible for the ends to have the same thickness as the rest of the hair if all the strands don't meet up in one place.

I'll have to explain this to my stylist the next time she goes on a "you need a trim" tirade.

winnettag · #5 11-05-2009, 12:10 AM

So, you're referring to a blunt cut basically?
I don't think that's necessary at all. It's just a personal preference.....and you don't seem to prefer it, lol.
I like tapered ends, it looks more natural to me.
Plus I wouldn't be cutting ANYTHING if my ends weren't damaged.

hillytmj · #6 11-05-2009, 12:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by winnettag

So, you're referring to a blunt cut basically?
I don't think that's necessary at all. It's just a personal preference.....and you don't seem to prefer it, lol.
I like tapered ends, it looks more natural to me.
Plus I wouldn't be cutting ANYTHING if my ends weren't damaged.

No, she thinks the hair should be thick from root to tip even if it's layered. Now it's crystal clear why I stayed NL with this woman.

BTW, I only trimmed last week because the ends did get damaged. Normally I dust with every relaxer (about 1/4 inch or less). I got over it quickly though because I know my hair will bounce back quicker since I didn't hold onto fried ends.

Neith · #7 11-05-2009, 12:21 AM

I chose "As long as your ends are healthy, thickness doesn't matter."

The only way your hair will be perfectly blunt and have the same thickness is if you cut it and maintain it that way.

Hair does not grow in evenly all around. Some spots will grow quicker than others and make "thin" ends.

I used to trim to my lowest layer

I lost so much length that way!

but now it's a new start

hillytmj · #8 11-05-2009, 12:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neith

I chose "As long as your ends are healthy, thickness doesn't matter."

The only way your hair will be perfectly blunt and have the same thickness is if you cut it and maintain it that way.

Hair does not grow in evenly all around. Some spots will grow quicker than others and make "thin" ends.

I used to trim to my lowest layer

I lost so much length that way!

but now it's a new start

I share your philosophy. My stylist has a daughter who is midback, and her hair is thick from root to tip, but she also has a different hair type than mine. I don't think she should assume everyone's hair is the same, especially since all of her clients (even the one's who had APL hair) are SL.

mwedzi · #9 11-05-2009, 12:33 AM

It is technically impossible for hair to be the same thickness from root to tip. There are always more hairs at the base of your scalp then there are at the ends. This comes from the fact that hair grows from your scalp and not from the ends. So the ends of your hair will only have the oldest hairs. Say you've been growing your hair out for 2 years, the ends will have only hairs that are 2 years old. The roots of your hair, however, will have hairs that are 2 years old, 1 year old, 6 months old, 3 days old, etc. While only part of your hair reaches the ends, all of it exists at the roots.

I hope I was clear.

I do think, though, that hair should remain relatively thick to the tip. If it's too scraggly, that's a sign that there has been a lot of breakage and/or damage.

Chaosbutterfly · #10 11-05-2009, 12:36 AM

I definitely do not think that a strand of hair should be the same thickness from root to tip, especially if one is trying to grow her hair long. With long hair, the ends are generally old, and with that age comes a thinness. It doesn't mean that the hair is unhealthy, breaking or needs a trim, it's just not as young as the hair at the top of the head and has been exposed to more.

Even long hair in really excellent condition won't have strands that are the same thickness all the way through. There's bound to be some taper. I'm thinking about it, and I don't even think it's possible...you'd have to cut so much, your hair would never have a chance to get any real length. Even the really natural looking weaves have tapered ends.

Anyway, I just think that as long as you aren't getting breakage, splits, excessive dryness, or color changes (like it'll go a weird light brown) at the ends, then you don't need a trim. And I hope that your stylist listens to you when you talk to her...your hair is too pretty to be getting trimmed for no reason. And it must be so annoying to hear the same speech every time you go in.