1 inch from your goal, do you trim?

[Kimberly]

Here is the scenario.

I am attempting to reach BSL by 12-31-06. Currently, I am about an inch away. I really want a good trim to snip away some thin raggedy ends and freshen my hair up a bit but, at the same time, I am about to leave for military training where I will be away for approximately 12 weeks and I will be required to have my hair bunned up a majority of the time. I think if I don't snip off anymore than an inch, that I should still be able to make it but...

What would you do?

 

[RainbowCurls]

If your hair grows the average of .5 inches per month or more. I say trim! A small trim though, no more than .75". (Can be more if your hair grows faster though)
If it grows slower, maybe don't trim, or do a tiny, tiny, dust.
Reasoning: at a rate of .5" per month, you should be able to grow 1.75" by the end of December. If you cut off .75" you'll still be retaining 1". But you have to retain that 1"! Make sure you don't get any breakage/splits.

ETA: Personally, I would trim before any goals, but that's just me.

 

[moda]

I'd get rid of the ends. I choose hair health and looks and day over length.

 

[Cichelle]

I would wait. But I am a person who does not like putting scissors to my hair. It really depends on the damage, I suppose.

 

[Kimberly]

If your hair grows the average of .5 inches per month or more. I say trim! A small trim though, no more than .75". (Can be more if your hair grows faster though)
If it grows slower, maybe don't trim, or do a tiny, tiny, dust.
Reasoning: at a rate of .5" per month, you should be able to grow 1.75" by the end of December. If you cut off .75" you'll still be retaining 1". But you have to retain that 1"! Make sure you don't get any breakage/splits.

ETA: Personally, I would trim before any goals, but that's just me.

Normally, I would too...but I'm so close and it's never been this long before and I can admit to a slightly irrational fear that my hair will stop growing! Crazy, I know.

 

[Kimberly]

I would wait. But I am a person who does not like putting scissors to my hair. It really depends on the damage, I suppose.

It's not really "damaged"...you know those old pics of Cathy Howse where she was showing pics as proof that you don't have to trim to get your hair to grow? And her ends just looked thin and uneven? That's what my ends remind me of. I call them "raggedy" because they don't have that clean look that people who get regular trims usually have. I do like that look but I havne't trimmed since November of last year.

 

[Kimberly]

I'd get rid of the ends. I choose hair health and looks and day over length.

My mind knows you're right...but I've developed some sort of freaky attachment to my hair I know. I wouldn't admit this anywhere, ISFG! Anyone else would think I was nuts and some of ya'll might, too..

 

[RainbowCurls]

Well, if it's not really damaged, what matters more to you:
- reaching your goal faster
- reaching your goal having 'nicer' looking ends
...?

Choose which one then you'll know whether to trim now or after

The buns you'll be wearing during military training should protect your ends nicely anyway

 

[moda]

My mind knows you're right...but I've developed some sort of freaky attachment to my hair I know. I wouldn't admit this anywhere, ISFG! Anyone else would think I was nuts and some of ya'll might, too..

I understand what you mean, I have been there myself In all honesty if you plan to keep your hair bunned for the next 12 weeks, does losing an inch or so really matter? When that 12 weeks is up I am sure you will retain nearly as much as you cut and your hair and I will thank you for it

 

[Cichelle]

It's not really "damaged"...you know those old pics of Cathy Howse where she was showing pics as proof that you don't have to trim to get your hair to grow? And her ends just looked thin and uneven? That's what my ends remind me of. I call them "raggedy" because they don't have that clean look that people who get regular trims usually have. I do like that look but I havne't trimmed since November of last year.

I wouldn't trim my hair if it wasn't damaged unless I was maintaining a particular length. That's just me, though. I have no problem with uneven ends. HOWEVER, I don't wear my hair straight. I might feel differently if I did.

 

[Kimberly]

I love you guys!

 

[Kimberly]

My poll is split 50-50!

 

[MizaniMami]

I say if they are splitting cut them.

Other than that I say wait it out.

I voted that you should wait.

 

[MzOptimistic]

I voted trim right away. Myself, I would wait until I reach my goals and then trim but thinking about what the ladies said in regards to trim now so when U reach your goal you will not have to trim. I am seriously considering trimming when needed and not wait until I reach my goal. Cuz I want to be apl without splits. I'm doing fine now though. I had my hair trimmed June 8 but if I need a trim I am going to go head and get one. Thanks ladies for the insight because I don't want to reach my goal and then have to trim... it will be kinda like a setback.

 

[Kimberly]

I say if they are splitting cut them.

Other than that I say wait it out.

I voted that you should wait.

Nope, no splits. I've looked, had mom, aunt look, had the lady at Sally's look, and a cosmetology instructor at the high school around the corner... but that's good! I haven't had a split end since I first found the forum almost 3 years ago.

 

[Kimberly]

I voted trim right away. Myself, I would wait until I reach my goals and then trim but thinking about what the ladies said in regards to trim now so when U reach your goal you will not have to trim. I am seriously considering trimming when needed and not wait until I reach my goal. Cuz I want to be apl without splits. I'm doing fine now though. I had my hair trimmed June 8 but if I need a trim I am going to go head and get one. Thanks ladies for the insight because I don't want to reach my goal and then have to trim... it will be kinda like a setback.

I know what you're saying.

There was a post/thread a while ago. The poster said that she would rather give herself little dustings as opposed to trims because when she waited to trim, she usually had to trim off more hair than if she had dusted. That made since to me...I still didn't dust or trim but it made sense.

 

[JustKiya]

Wait, your ends aren't damaged and you want to cut them? Um, why - just to have a perfectly even hemline?

*shakes head* If it's not damaged, don't cut it.

 

[KiniKakes]

I am in the exact same boat! LOL! When i opened this thread i thought i was reading a post i had written myself.

I voted to wait. That's what im doing. *shrug* Either way, the trim is inevitable..... but if you're going to be bunning anyway, i dont see the need to trim right away. Id rather wait to pass BSL, then dust to get back to BSL. My hair, like yours, is not split but just thinner toward the ends (see Progress album in my Fokti). So it wont be any further damaged if i wait longer.

Its really just a matter of personal preference though....

 

[seeminglysweet]

trim. that way you can bun and grow healthy hair. You will have to trim eventually.

 

[secretdiamond]

Kinikakes is right. It is a matter of personal preference. If you're bunning and keep those ends moisturized, then the ends shouldn't get thinner.

I would just clip them (if it were me). I can't stand thin ends. Drives me nuts. Plus if I had to cut when I finally got to my goal, I'd be upset since I wouldn't be at my goal anymore. This is what happened to me. I got back to APL again in Aug. and I had to trim my hair this week so no more APL for me. But I'm loving my ends though.

 

[Lucia]

I am in the exact same boat! LOL! When i opened this thread i thought i was reading a post i had written myself.

I voted to wait. That's what im doing. *shrug* Either way, the trim is inevitable..... but if you're going to be bunning anyway, i dont see the need to trim right away. Id rather wait to pass BSL, then dust to get back to BSL. My hair, like yours, is not split but just thinner toward the ends (see Progress album in my Fokti). So it wont be any further damaged if i wait longer.

Its really just a matter of personal preference though....

ITA, you'll get 2 bonuses, you can get to your goal length and then trimm and have thicker ends.

 

[senimoni]

I say if you are going to continue to bun then wait. To me bunning can be rough on the ends anyway so if you trim fresh now, they may look a little chewed come bsl length anyway.