The BIG CHOP!

[trinidarkie1]

How did you know you were ready to do the big chop?
How many inches of new growth did you? Or did you just cut it all off anyway and had a bald head.

How did you feel after you made the first cut and realised that there was no turning back?

Tell me your stories please. TIA!

 

[baglady215]

Are you thinking about chopping?

 

[Enchantmt]

I had originally planned to transition for a year but after 8 mos I started to experience breakage so I chopped early. If I had remembered the BBD stretch I wouldnt have had a problem, but I didnt remember it until after I had chopped.

 

[KiSseS03]

I'm not chopping at all this time since I am also trying to grow my hair out. The first time I transitioned I did mini-chops once a month for 13 months until I was natural.

My Mom on the other hand transitioned for about 4 months and got so sick of dealing with the two textures she cut her hair down to about an inch.

It really just depends on what you feel comfortable with. For me, I like the option of wearing a bun/ponytail and I also want to reach some length goals... I want to be 100% natural BADLY, but I'm trying to be patient. If you feel comfortable with a short do, then I think that chopping early is the way to go... my Mommy has it sooo easy right now, it's just wash and go!

 

[facets]

i've had about 5 BC over the years. three for damage/trans...two from sheer insanity(i thought i'd be cute :/).

they were all very short w/around 1 inch of hair remaining at most(slightly differing lengths to balance head shape/contours.)

I've never been skin bald, but close.

I felt alright...mostly reactions from some others that got on my nerves. i love the way it feels, the ease of it. I just don't have the bones for it. :< if i did i wouldn't even be trippin' about hair.

the downside of the BC is always having to wear my more femme clothes to not look too masculine/butchy.

I'd say wait until warm weather to BC...in the winter you have to wear so many layers, coats and ish..it's not as cute, IMO, as having ultra-short hair in the spring/summer... more dresses, pretty shoes, glowing skin, a flower behind the ear, etc. you can really work it in good weather.

 

[trinidarkie1]

Just wondering. I know exactly how I would look if I did the big chop. But I so want long hair, I rather deal with th two textures until I get the length that I want by stretching my touch ups yuh know?

I was just wondering.

Someone said in an earlier thread, when you're ready, you'll know.

 

[RainbowCurls]

I'd say wait until warm weather to BC...in the winter you have to wear so many layers, coats and ish..it's not as cute, IMO, as having ultra-short hair in the spring/summer... more dresses, pretty shoes, glowing skin, a flower behind the ear, etc. you can really work it in good weather.

Very good point...

 

[a_ caribbean_dream]

I had my BC almost 5 years ago and if I remember correctly my stylist waited until i had just enough hair to pull a hally berry short cut- so basically just enough hair to curl under those mini curling irons. I was crying hysterically when i saw all my hair on the floor.

 

[Gryphyn]

I transitioned for almost 5 months. I chopped when I got sick of dealing with 2 textures. My relaxed hair was extremely damaged an uneven. The top was twice as long as the back and any style I tried looked jacked. When I chopped (July 05) it was extremely hot, it felt sooo nice to have short hair during that time.

However, when it started growing out, the in-between stage was a pain. As it grew it got too long to wear in a certain way, but too short to wear another way. That sucked, but it did allow me to learn how to deal with my hair as it grew out. I think I would have gone mad if I was just chopping now after a year and had to deal with all this hair all of a sudden. I wouldn't know what to do with it.

 

[ekomba]

How did you know you were ready to do the big chop?
How many inches of new growth did you? Or did you just cut it all off anyway and had a bald head.

How did you feel after you made the first cut and realised that there was no turning back?

Tell me your stories please. TIA!

i knew after transitioning for one year!!!!!! i would lose entire strands of hair and the friction at the demarcation area. dont get me wrong the hair was thicker and the ends long thin strands. I did not know how to deal with the whole texture so first i cut 5inches than another 3 than i was so frustrated with the scab hair i shaved everything bald to start fresh. I had no length at all in june and waited to grow 2inch and quickly put some pencil braids and take vitamins and protein shakes.I was tempted to perm it cause the hair was past shoulder with the new growth and the old length i was so tempted but then i was tired of being a slave to the perm cause i know it would result in thinning for me. my hair had gotten so thin with the years. i was forced to use heat daily to make it look nice

 

[Cichelle]

I had a plan to wait 18 mos, but I cut it after 14 mos because my hair was starting to break at the line of demarcation. It was hard to cut so much hair off, but I was surprised at how relieved and happy I was after I had done it.

 

[Cheleigh]

However, when it started growing out, the in-between stage was a pain. As it grew it got too long to wear in a certain way, but too short to wear another way. That sucked, but it did allow me to learn how to deal with my hair as it grew out. I think I would have gone mad if I was just chopping now after a year and had to deal with all this hair all of a sudden. I wouldn't know what to do with it.

This will be me. I'm BC'ing in 23 days, and I'll have a year and some change worth of natural hair. I started realizing a few months ago that a year's growth would put me at an unfortunate "in-between" stage between super short and medium length hair. As such, I'm not expecting too much from my styling skills or my hair. I KNOW I will be able to do a headband and shrunken fro in the back. I KNOW that I'll be able to do small twists and twistouts. Sooo, that's what I'm focusing on. I missed the TWA stage, which in hindsight I'm a little sad about (although my hair will still be short enough to be a shrunken fro).

Answering Trini's questions: I knew it was time to BC because I was tired of wearing buns. I am also tired of feeling all this beautiful natural hair and then sliding my hand down to limp stringy ends. Finally, I'd never thought I was going to transition forever, and I want to be fully natural NOW.

I will have anywhere from 4.5"-5.5" once I BC. Unstretched, my natural hair is anywhere from bottom ear length on the looser curls to upper ear on the tighter kinks.

 

[SNyeema]

Well, when I first went natural in last year I big chopped at 3 months post, then went into braids for the remainder of the winter (3 months) and then sported the fro all summer long (April - December).

Recently (December 2005) I went back to the relaxer. Big mistake!!! I miss my natural hair now and I'm going back baby!! Currently I'm 6 weeks post and my hair touches the very bottom of my neck in the back. I'm getting braids tomorrow and the "plan" is to keep them in by July. Hoping to get about 2.5 inches of natural hair before I chop.

Knowing me, I'll chop after the first set of braids!!! I loved my hair then and seeing how I know which products work now and what to do (struggled there in the beginning), I'm sure I won't be able to wait.

 

[rmw35]

Hi, I BC'd about 2 years ago. I transitioned for about 2 1/2 months and just decided to cut it all off! I couldn't deal with the two textures. I started with about 1/2 inch of hair. I was scared to say the least, but I felt so liberated. My hair grew really fast and I love it!

 

[balisi]

I knew it was time to BC when the length was just no longer as important as the freedom and ease that I expected as a result of becoming relaxer free.

Like many, I had planned to transition until all traces of my relaxed hair had grown out. My hair didn't seem to suffer any extra breakage from the line of demarcation, and I had a relatively graceful transition, but being limited in my styling options due to relaxed ends is what did it for me. Further, against the vibrant, strong new growth, the relaxed ends looked weak, ugly and unworthy .

After a nine-month transition, I had approximately five inches of new growth to work with and I was SO ready to move on with my new naturalness. By then, I couldn't BC soon enough. I felt a surprisingly tremendous sense of relief, freedom and SELF after my BC, which I did myself. No turning back? I didn't want to turn back. There was absolutely NO sense of loss or regret for me. It was more of a "good riddance" feeling.

Looking back, the only thing I would have done differently is that I would have chopped sooner. I feel as though I missed out on the experience of rocking a TWA.

 

[blazingthru]

I can't stand it anymore. I have had enough I am going to cut my hair off this week. I have been trying to go the whole mile Its almost 6 months almost but I can't wait any longer its to short to do to much to and I am been wearing the ponytails and I hate it I am going to cut it all off and see if I can do the staws curl thingamachig. I am ready to see and deal with the natural me. I am scared don't get me wrong but working the two textures is such a pain for me I think if my hair was longer when I started it would not be a big deal but it was layered and cut scalp close so I do not have much perm on the sides or back but the top forget it I cut some inches off and it has since grown back and I ready to get rid of it all today. Just not sure how I am going to wear my hair after I cut it what if the straw thing doesn't work.

 

[trinidarkie1]

I know for sure that the goal of me stretching is to gain length.
I miss having my long thick black hair. It's still shorter in the front than in the back. My first goal is to have my front reach the back of my neck. I think that's about 7 inches of growth needed.

So far I am kinda fed up of how my natural two textured hair looks, but I love using the products to keep my roots and ends moisturized.
I cant do the braids, they itch, I pull them out and I think they are just too tight for me. I cant take sitting down for all that time.
So should I decide to get it all up, I'm going to do a full weave, but in the meanwhile, I wear an instant weave over my hair.

I dont know if I will ever get the BC feeling. But I know if I do, my hair better be long enough to look cute, cos Mr trinidarkie1, is NOT gonna have that

 

[Victorian]

I wanted to have enough hair to do the headband/curly fro thing, and since in those days I was growing at a rate of about 3 inches per year I had planned to transition for 2 years. As it turned out I was itching to chop after 18 months and after determining that I would in fact have enough natural hair to do the desired style I wacked off the relaxed ends and was happy I was ready to get started with the daily wash n go's as I had heard a lot of naturals say their hair thrived doing this. So I guess that was my main motivation, as well as just being ready to have ONE texture again.

After I cut the first bit of hair I was like "this is it!!" and I just kept going. Then I tied on a scarf for my first "style" and ran out to show my family. Everybody was like "oh, you did it! It's cute!" and that was that.

 

[honeycomb719]

How did you know you were ready to do the big chop?
I knew it was time when I did that last wash, and them tired relaxed ends was jus a matted , tangled mess.
How many inches of new growth did you? Or did you just cut it all off anyway and had a bald head.
I had about 2 1/2 0r 3 inches of new growth I think. Not sure, but you can check my album to see how must newgrowth I had after the CHOP, I posted pics the next day.

How did you feel after you made the first cut and realised that there was no turning back?
After the first cut I must say, I had an overwhelming sense of freedom. Cause my dad was the only other set of hands around, he helped my snip the areas I couldnt see.
Tell me your stories please. TIA!

 

[plove]

when i was preg i became very ill
so my hair started to fall out
one day when i made it to
wash my face i looked at my
hair and cut most of my hair off
i had about a inch when i was done
at that time i did't care about
my hair because i was so sick
now i just want to see
how long it can grow
if i don't cut it off
i would cut my hair real short
after it would grow to SL
so no more cutting for me



http://public.fotki.com/lovep
pw:havefun

 

[SignatureBeauty]

This is my 4th time Big Chopping and I do believe my last,I never went longer than 8 weeks transitioning because I am not patient and plus I already know that I will not deal with 2 textures, I came to realize that I love my natural hair and it has taken me 4 times to get that through my head.

I recently relaxed my hair in December '05' I think and I knew that it was a mistake for me, I only relaxed because I wanted something different and I couldn't find a braider that was affordable, But Now I have all my Phonys to help me out when I want to change styles and I have a neighbor who is 15 that can braid her a** off.

But I missed my hair smelling so good,I missed daily washing, I missed not having hair all on my shirt lol!!
Most of all I Missed my waves!!! But I noticed when I relaxed my hair my sides started to thin out and when I was natural they were thick,so that told me something.

But Good Luck to All! HNHG! (happy nappy hair growing)

 

[KiSseS03]

BUMP! I'm thinking of chopping earlier so I need stories!

 

[so1913]

I transitioned for about 1 year and 4 months....if I had to do it all over again, I would have gone no more than 6. I feel now I dragged out the process to long, feeling the way I do now, there was no purpose for me to hold on to my old hair for so long, however, my intentions weren't to transition to natural during about a year of that time I went without a relaxer. I applaud all the women on this board who, for lack of a better phrase, don't "F" around with it and just "do it", LOL.

 

[aivonfay]

I barely transitioned when I did my big chop. It was only about 2 weeks after I got a relaxer that I decided to cut my hair. I was tired of being a slave to the relaxer and I really never liked my relaxed hair no matter how many people told me how nice it looked.

I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders after the chop. I'm loving the short hair, it's so low maintainance. BTW I just did the chop on 03-03-06!!!

I agree with the other ladies, you'll know when it's time.

 

[KiSseS03]

I transitioned for about 1 year and 4 months....if I had to do it all over again, I would have gone no more than 6. I feel now I dragged out the process to long, feeling the way I do now, there was no purpose for me to hold on to my old hair for so long, however, my intentions weren't to transition to natural during about a year of that time I went without a relaxer. I applaud all the women on this board who, for lack of a better phrase, don't "F" around with it and just "do it", LOL.

That bolded part is how I'm starting to feel now... the reasons I have for hanging on to my relaxed hair I'm realizing aren't valid/important...

 

[SignatureBeauty]

I barely transitioned when I did my big chop. It was only about 2 weeks after I got a relaxer that I decided to cut my hair. I was tired of being a slave to the relaxer and I really never liked my relaxed hair no matter how many people told me how nice it looked.

I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders after the chop. I'm loving the short hair, it's so low maintainance. BTW I just did the chop on 03-03-06!!!

I agree with the other ladies, you'll know when it's time.

You do feel like weight has been lifted when you do that Big Chop! My head feels so light and the water feels so good on my scalp and you can feel a difference when the relaxed hair is gone, But you have to be Mentally Ready to do a Big Chop, My last big chop I just shaved my head bald because I made a plug (will never do that again) Hubby came home and fixed it for me.

This time I have about 1/2 inch of newgrowth so I have a head start with growth, I just put A phony bun in and go because I hate hearing all the questions about why I keep cutting my hair, But once they see 'Dem' waves they will know!! Ya'll I Love my waves I like to kid around with my Nephews who brush they hair to death to get some waves When they look at my hair I say to them " You Think You Looking At The Ocean"
All them WAVES!!

I am sorry Off Topic but I had to share!

 

[Poohbear]

How did you know you were ready to do the big chop?
The relaxed ends kept breaking off at the demarcation line in different sections.
I was tired of trying to make my transitioning hair look decent.
My new growth was extremely thick and my relaxed ends were extremely thin... not a good combination.
Detangling was a horrible experience.

How many inches of new growth did you? Or did you just cut it all off anyway and had a bald head.
When I did my 1st big chop (May 2005), I had 3-4 inches of new growth. The second time I big chopped was almost 2 weeks later due to heat damage. I cut it down to less than 1/2 an inch.
How did you feel after you made the first cut and realised that there was no turning back?
Relieved, excited, happy, and free!!!