Should I cut my hair???

The state of my ends are driving me crazy!!! I think about them all the time. I really was trying to hold out until I got to bsl before I started trimming my hair again but now I'm thinking about just cutting it back up to armpit. What should I do?

And the reason I try to hold out on trimming is because I feel like everytime I trim, the new ends start thinning out. So I'd rather that the old ends get chewed on til I'm finally ready to cut. But right now I just want to see full, even, lush ends. Maybe I'm being impatient and should just wait a few months when I (hopefully) reach brastrap?

Here's pics of my hair
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=112768&highlight=year+progress

I would wait, but that's just me. I've never been about these major cuts, but I AM all for trimming damaged, progress-inhibiting ends.

Yours don't look particularly bad to me, just uneven. If you're dying to have blunt ends, then go for it, but keep in mind, that as your hair grows out, your ends won't always be perfect. You may have to sacrifice that look for the sake of getting to your goal.

I suppose it depends how you wear yur hair on a regular basis. I say keep it...don't cut it

Divine Inspiration said:

I would wait, but that's just me. I've never been about these major cuts, but I AM all for trimming damaged, progress-inhibiting ends.

Yours don't look particularly bad to me, just uneven. If you're dying to have blunt ends, then go for it, but keep in mind, that as your hair grows out, your ends won't always be perfect. You may have to sacrifice that look for the sake of getting to your goal.

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Ditto. I had the same problem.

My ends weren't damaged just uneven. I trimmed them about 2 weeks ago AND I REGRET IT! I miss them. But it was nagging me. I would be staring at the scissors from across the room. Getting urges and ish, like it was a drug addiction.

So finally I went for it. I am glad the nagging feeling is gone but I miss the additional length. I hate being back to APL too. Anyways, I say no more than 2 inches should do. But if you know you are a complusive trimmer, why even waste the time.

I vote that you wait, unless it just bothers you that much. It does not look bad to me.

I cut about 3-4 inches off and I've never looked back.

Your hair is thick and gorgeous! Don't worry about those ends girl! You only need 1/2 inch to an inch cut off and that can wait until you claim bra strap! However, if you really WANT to cut it off, then go ahead! I know that I'm getting a 1-2 inch trim in March when I relax because my ends are constantly on my mind! It's all about what you want to do for your hair.

In a word no.

I say no. If you trim your ends there is no guarantee that when your hair starts growing again that the ends will grow together in thickness. Sometimes different parts of our hair grow faster than others and if for instance the back of your hair grows faster and you trim for thickness now then it's just going to be a problem again later and you'll have to keep trimming unless your growth pattern changes.

If your ends are severely damaged beyond repair (which yours aren't), then it's different.

If you are feeling frustrated maybe you should trim a little and see how you feel. But I don't think you have to trim all the way to APL. Do you layers that you want to even up?

I feel you girl. I am always on the fence about trimming, but I do it when there's a need. Your ends really do not look that bad at all, but if you are planning to wear it down I do think you might want to tighten up that hemline just a bit. You know us here on the boards, we understand what 'growing out' looks like, but out there people see uneven ends-- even the healthy uneven ends-- as not exactly healthy looking or cute. You don't want people secretly doing visual trims with their eyes on you, do ya? If your ends aren't visible, then you really don't have much to worry about assuming there's no damage there. Pics only show us so much, only you know what you're working with over there. If you do decide to snip now, I wouldn't take off more than 1/2 an inch.

I'm a stickler for nice ends myself. I don't care too much for whispy, thinned out ends. (and yours hardly look whispy or thinned out, btw) I believe that you can maintain a nice hemline without sacrificing incredible amounts of length. Now, growing blunt may cost you quite a bit of length over time-- but maintaining nice, full U's and V's are definitely possible to maintain without a super aggressive trimming schedule. Just trim at (to maintain) or a bit less than (for growing) your normal growth rate at your relaxer to keep it neat. Just do it gradually, you don't have to lose it all in one go.

My personal resolution for 2007 is to maintain thick, even ends during my grow out. Its frustrating and slower getting to where I'm trying to go, but I know my hair is on point at all times. I can bun it or wear it down without the worry. My hair also moves better with my ends on point. I'd rather get to my goal with hair intact than to go through the pyschological damage of getting there and then having to trim back up to some shorter length and have to re-reach my goal. But do what makes you feel good girl!

I agree, your ends don't look bad, I wouldn't cut it.

Divine Inspiration said:

I would wait, but that's just me. I've never been about these major cuts, but I AM all for trimming damaged, progress-inhibiting ends.

Yours don't look particularly bad to me, just uneven. If you're dying to have blunt ends, then go for it, but keep in mind, that as your hair grows out, your ends won't always be perfect. You may have to sacrifice that look for the sake of getting to your goal.

Click to expand...

oops i voted b4 i saw ur ends
u don't need 2 cut!

I really don't think your ends look bad at all. I was expecting something much worse when I read the thread. I really think you could wait for the trim. If you hadn't pointed it out I probably would have never looked at your pictures and thought that your ends looked too sparse.

Chayil

I don't see anything wrong with your ends. Don't cut.

I say wait. They don't look bad to me.

I don't play around with uneven see through split ends. That is a nightmare waiting to happen. I am not "frightened for hair length". I been there done that.
Do what works for you. Listen to yourself when it comes to hair trims. If everytime you comb your hair you see more breakage, it might be time for a cut...besides I heart blunt cuts. It is just healthy hair!

i also voted for wait untill you go a bit beyond your goal.

my ends look similar to yours and what i find that helps me the most is dusting, and keeping my ends curled because when it is curled its not as easy to tell that its not exactly even. i have not had a trim in almost a year but i know my length would not have gotten to the point it is now if i would have gotten regular trims on the way. as long as the hair is not split i wouldnt worry about a trim.

Divine Inspiration said:

I would wait, but that's just me. I've never been about these major cuts, but I AM all for trimming damaged, progress-inhibiting ends.

Yours don't look particularly bad to me, just uneven. If you're dying to have blunt ends, then go for it, but keep in mind, that as your hair grows out, your ends won't always be perfect. You may have to sacrifice that look for the sake of getting to your goal.

Click to expand...

That is true...

LocksOfLuV said:

Ditto. I had the same problem.

My ends weren't damaged just uneven. I trimmed them about 2 weeks ago AND I REGRET IT! I miss them. But it was nagging me. I would be staring at the scissors from across the room. Getting urges and ish, like it was a drug addiction.

So finally I went for it. I am glad the nagging feeling is gone but I miss the additional length. I hate being back to APL too. Anyways, I say no more than 2 inches should do. But if you know you are a complusive trimmer, why even waste the time.

Click to expand...

Yup! That is exactly what I'm going through. I'll be just sitting in class visualizing my ends and saying to myself "them suckers gots ta go!"

JustMeSteph said:

I suppose it depends how you wear yur hair on a regular basis. I say keep it...don't cut it

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See, that's probably why it's bothering me so much. I tend to wear my hair down with no curls whatsoever. I might have to start breaking out the scarf on a more regular basis for now cuz I'm not too fond of rollersets and I don't want use curling irons too much.

Recently went through a similar dilemma. I was bra strap but had dry, straggly see through ends. I was trying to be patient and just trim a little here and there but once I saw that the shorter I went the more thickness and fullness I got, I became addicted! I first cut it to armpit length but have recently now went to shoulder length (just barely grazing the shoulders).
It was a shock at first but I do love how much fuller it looks now. However, I realize I have to start all over again in my hair growing process. My old waistlength goal is now a pipe dream and I can now only focus on armpit and maybe someday bra strap.

So beware! This could happen to you!

dtachi said:

Recently went through a similar dilemma. I was bra strap but had dry, straggly see through ends. I was trying to be patient and just trim a little here and there but once I saw that the shorter I went the more thickness and fullness I got, I became addicted! I first cut it to armpit length but have recently now went to shoulder length (just barely grazing the shoulders).

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Oh no!!! Nah I wouldn't go that far, I've had my hair "trimmed" to my chin against my will TOO many times!

If you do decide to trim be careful.

I got CRAZY with the scissors. Now I see why stylist do it-I felt powerful!! I took off waaaay too much.

Sistaslick said:

I feel you girl. I am always on the fence about trimming, but I do it when there's a need. Your ends really do not look that bad at all, but if you are planning to wear it down I do think you might want to tighten up that hemline just a bit. You know us here on the boards, we understand what 'growing out' looks like, but out there people see uneven ends-- even the healthy uneven ends-- as not exactly healthy looking or cute. You don't want people secretly doing visual trims with their eyes on you, do ya? If your ends aren't visible, then you really don't have much to worry about assuming there's no damage there. Pics only show us so much, only you know what you're working with over there. If you do decide to snip now, I wouldn't take off more than 1/2 an inch.

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get outta my head!!!

LocksOfLuV said:

If you do decide to trim be careful.

I got CRAZY with the scissors. Now I see why stylist do it-I felt powerful!! I took off waaaay too much.

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I've had that feeling before. Now I get my fix by trimming my Yorkie's hair.

Thanks to everyone for the feedback ! My fiance would be singing you guys' praises right now for the comments if he knew I was thinking about cutting so much off. I think I'm going to leave the scissors alone until bsl and maintain, or maybe i'll do some dusting in between. I guess in the mean time to make it easier on myself I'm going to keep my hair hidden or in a bun or something so that the urge doesn't come back. I would like to see myself at brastrap sooner than later.

LocksOfLuV said:

If you do decide to trim be careful.

I got CRAZY with the scissors. Now I see why stylist do it-I felt powerful!! I took off waaaay too much.

Click to expand...

:scratchch hmm, never thought it about it like that. That does make sense - a couple snips and... Voila! a healthy head of hair

LocksOfLuV said:

If you do decide to trim be careful.

I got CRAZY with the scissors. Now I see why stylist do it-I felt powerful!! I took off waaaay too much.

Click to expand...

It is a powerful feeling and truly is addictive. Once you start you can't stop!