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Dangers of not trimming

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Interesting thread. When I used to trim every 3 months - for the "full" blunt ends look that seems to be favoured around here - my hair never got past BSL. Obviously was cutting as much as I was growing, maybe more. Stopped trimming, hair finally grew out. It wasn't the only change I made, but I can't see that it hurt. I trim a bit once a year, but cut off any splits when I happen to notice them.
 
darlingdiva said:
First of all, I must say that this is one of the most informative threads I've ever read on LHCF.

For quite a while, I was confused about whether I should trim or dust or not trim at all. I know that I'm always saying "listen to your hair", but I truly didn't understand my hair's signals.

I hopped on the "no-trimming" train, and it just wasn't for me. My ends just looked bad (even with regular sealing and protective styling).

Now I trim every three to four months and my ends (although they still have a long way to go from the former abuse) are doing better. I agree w/ Pokahontas about fine hair being prone to splits. Despite the moisture/protein balance, deep conditioning, sealing ends, and protective styles, my hair still splits quite a bit.

Although retaining length is one of my major focal points, having healthy hair is my primary focus.

P.S.: Nonie & Pokahontas (the knowledge-droppers): you guys are the bomb--SERIOUSLY!!!
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Thanks so much for your post. I seriously thought i was starting beat a dead horse here....or whatever the phrase is:lachen:. I didn't think anyone was listening, lol.
 
Pokahontas said:
Thanks so much for your post. I seriously thought i was starting beat a dead horse here....or whatever the phrase is:lachen:. I didn't think anyone was listening, lol.
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Nope not beating a dead horse at all. Believe me I am listening. It makes total sense.
 
Pokahontas said:
Thanks so much for your post. I seriously thought i was starting beat a dead horse here....or whatever the phrase is:lachen:. I didn't think anyone was listening, lol.
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I'm listening Poka! You, Nonie, and other ladies have convinced me. I'm going to do my own trims from now on. Do you have a set schedule or do you trim whenever you fell like it? What to you think of the lunar schedule? Also do you trim on wet or dry hair if it makes any difference at all. Sorry for all the questions
 
yamilee21 said:
Interesting thread. When I used to trim every 3 months - for the "full" blunt ends look that seems to be favoured around here - my hair never got past BSL. Obviously was cutting as much as I was growing, maybe more. Stopped trimming, hair finally grew out. It wasn't the only change I made, but I can't see that it hurt. I trim a bit once a year, but cut off any splits when I happen to notice them.
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I think trimming is great if you have NORMAL hair growth, but since i DONT and i get only 1/4 a month - 3 inches a year, trimming does not lead to length... i've tried it for many many years - both at different salons and on my own - my hair just grows too slow to benefit from it. i WISH i had enough growth to trim and have beautiful ends cuz the arguments make sense, but it kept me between SL and grazing BSL all my life. Now that i've stopped, im almost MBL but my ends are a V. I cant win...but i understand both sides...

oh sorry, i do s & ds though....
 
crazydaze911 said:
I think trimming is great if you have NORMAL hair growth, but since i DONT and i get only 1/4 a month - 3 inches a year, trimming does not lead to length... i've tried it for many many years - both at different salons and on my own - my hair just grows too slow to benefit from it. i WISH i had enough growth to trim and have beautiful ends cuz the arguments make sense, but it kept me between SL and grazing BSL all my life. Now that i've stopped, im almost MBL but my ends are a V. I cant win...but i understand both sides...

oh sorry, i do s & ds though....
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Have you used any growth aides or vitamins to boost some growth?
 
As for me, I haven't had a cut or professional trim since Aug 2007 and my hair is doing just fine. I do self dusting sometimes when I do a braid-out, but since I haven't used direct heat on my hair in over 2 years there is no need unless I was going to even my hair for aesthetics. Cathy Howse doesn't trim her hair, and even though aesthetically her ends looks bad, her hair stills grows and retains it's length.
 
In my experience, trimming was not necessary as OFTEN as i had been lead to believe. I had this conversation with one of my stylist.

Short version: I am natural and only get my hair straightned every 5 or 6 months. And only get a trim at those times. My stylist asked me when I was gonna let her straighten it (or was my other one gonna do it). I told her April. She mentioned something about getting my ends trimmed and I said I hadnt had it done since the last time I got my hair straightened...in ocotober. She FLIPPED out! Apparently she thought I had just been frequenting the other stylist to get trims and talked about how horrible my hair was gonna be and have to have so much more trimmed. My argument was...this was how often I had been getting it trimmed for the last two years and neither she nor my other stylist had ever complained or cut off more than 3/4 in. so obviously my hair didnt "need" to be trimmed every 8 weeks cuz if it did they would have taken off three times as much. Also challenged her to show me a client of hers who went from twa to BSL in 2.5 years getting trims every 6-8 weeks. (I will definately not be going to her for my next trim...she may feel the need to cut more than necessary to prove her point lol)

I agree more with letting my hair grow out to my goal length (MBL) with trimming only twice a year. At MBL I will trim more often only to maintain a more even blunt cut.

My conclusion: Split ends are not inevitable...do what your hair desires to prevent split ends in the first place and you will only need to trim a couple times a year.
 
spelmanlocks said:
Not trimming cost me more length than anything, but I went super extreme and did not trim my hair in over two years until this past December. As a result, my hair had to be cut back to APL.
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I am cosigning big time with you on this...in conjunction with not trimming and using henna it set me waaaayy back so I would advise no one not to trim. Not as often as most folks say but it is a must.
 
I haven't trimmed I believe since 8/2008...I've done S&D every once in awhile and this is the first time I've been able to actually see length doing it this way. My ends are in great condition thanks to good ol faithful dc-ing,moisturizing &p/s.This definitely works for me.
 
Damn, maybe that's part of the reason I haven't had much length retention? I trimmed my hair in August 2008, then didn't trim again till January 2010. The reason why I didn't bother in the whole of 2009, was because I read that you don't need to trim when in protective styles (buns, braids, etc). But I guess not everything works for everyone?
 
Juspri said:
I haven't trimmed I believe since 8/2008...I've done S&D every once in awhile and this is the first time I've been able to actually see length doing it this way. My ends are in great condition thanks to good ol faithful dc-ing,moisturizing &p/s.This definitely works for me.
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Your ends look great...what method do you use to S&D?
 
CoilyFields said:
In my experience, trimming was not necessary as OFTEN as i had been lead to believe. I had this conversation with one of my stylist.

Short version: I am natural and only get my hair straightned every 5 or 6 months. And only get a trim at those times. My stylist asked me when I was gonna let her straighten it (or was my other one gonna do it). I told her April. She mentioned something about getting my ends trimmed and I said I hadnt had it done since the last time I got my hair straightened...in ocotober. She FLIPPED out! Apparently she thought I had just been frequenting the other stylist to get trims and talked about how horrible my hair was gonna be and have to have so much more trimmed. My argument was...this was how often I had been getting it trimmed for the last two years and neither she nor my other stylist had ever complained or cut off more than 3/4 in. so obviously my hair didnt "need" to be trimmed every 8 weeks cuz if it did they would have taken off three times as much. Also challenged her to show me a client of hers who went from twa to BSL in 2.5 years getting trims every 6-8 weeks. (I will definately not be going to her for my next trim...she may feel the need to cut more than necessary to prove her point lol)

I agree more with letting my hair grow out to my goal length (MBL) with trimming only twice a year. At MBL I will trim more often only to maintain a more even blunt cut.

My conclusion: Split ends are not inevitable...do what your hair desires to prevent split ends in the first place and you will only need to trim a couple times a year.
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For me splits are definitely inevitable. I've been in the hair game a long time now and I know it for a fact. I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one that has the problem.

I agree that trimming a couple times a year should be sufficient. It's possible that I may be being misunderstood when I say frequent trims/dustings. I don't mean like every month or two. When I first started doing it I only did light dustings every 3 to 4 or even 5 months and saw the world of difference. That's not a lot of hair so I don't mean you have to hack off you hair ever 4 to 5 weeks, just to clarify myself.

Even if I didn't have splits I would still trim because the longer your hair is the older those ends are. To our eyes they may look healthy and split free but IMO they are old and weaker, they need to be freshened up to give those strands a fresh new start.:grin:
 
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BellaLunie said:
I'm listening Poka! You, Nonie, and other ladies have convinced me. I'm going to do my own trims from now on. Do you have a set schedule or do you trim whenever you fell like it? What to you think of the lunar schedule? Also do you trim on wet or dry hair if it makes any difference at all. Sorry for all the questions
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The questions are welcomed. Right now I trim whenever I feel like it which is approxamately every 3,4, or 5 months....it just depends. They are usually very slight trims, no more than a half inch (probably not even that) and I do frequent S&D's in-between.

I trim on dry hair always. I don't follow the lunar schedule. HTH

Definitely do your own trims.:yep:
 
I have not had a professional trim since I BC'd last March....I have never ever used heat (except for an occassional DC with a heating cap) since this time.. But I guess from all the detangling I have about two inches of spit ends...I'm getting a trim on Tuesday...(It'll grow back...)

Now occassionally when I feel or find a ragged end I'll cut it but I know that's not enough.
 
I'd rather trim or dust regularly than to go without trimming for an extended amount of time. Usually the results aren't worth it in the end. Most of the women I saw on here with long hair that I really liked trimmed regularly.
 
I just started doing Traycee's method for my dusting and it is time consuming. I just purchased a splitender. It should be here in few days. I plan on doing that every 6 week or so for my dustings.
 
Kellum said:
I just started doing Traycee's method for my dusting and it is time consuming. I just purchased a splitender. It should be here in few days. I plan on doing that every 6 week or so for my dustings.
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It is very time consuming that's why I got the split ender. Her method is more effective and thorough for my needs. I hope you have a good experience w/ the split ender.
 
My ends were horribly broken, split, & see through, with a w shaped hemline, and stayed between sl and apl for years until I started trimming. I thought as long as I was protecting those ends I should grow long, but instead year after year passed with thin fly away hair. Trimming is definitely my friend
 
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Pokahontas said:
It is very time consuming that's why I got the split ender. Her method is more effective and thorough for my needs. I hope you have a good experience w/ the split ender.
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How was your experience with the split ender? Do you like it? If not why? Do you still have to use Traycee's method also?
 
Spring said:
My ends were horribly broken, split, & see through, with a w shaped hemline, and stayed between sl and apl for years until I started trimming. I thought as long as I was protecting those ends I should grow long, but instead year after year passed with thin fly away hair. Trimming is definitely my friend
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your hair is beautiful!
 
Kellum said:
How was your experience with the split ender? Do you like it? If not why? Do you still have to use Traycee's method also?
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I didn't like it. I did a review in my blog if you wanna check it out. With the split ender i would still have to do Traycee's method.....very much so, lol. I returned it.
 
Pokahontas said:
I didn't like it. I did a review in my blog if you wanna check it out. With the split ender i would still have to do Traycee's method.....very much so, lol. I returned it.
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Aw man, well I will try it out anyway and see. If I don't like it will be going back, thanks.
 
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