Ends are gone!..tail BSL...I don't flat-iron. Pix

[Chevelure618]

SylverII once said to becareful of thinking your ends are thin when you are into a stretch because the stretch makes them look thin, but I'm suddenly shocked at mine. I flat-iron for length checks only (3x per year) and never out to the ends. I PS 80% of the time.

Ironically, last week I was so happy with my hair and even made a video to upload to Buildable Beauty's channel because she was having a contest and I thought it would be fun. My hair didn't look bad then, but this week I am shocked. I think I am going to have to cut it.

It seems I will NEVER get to BSL....something always happens at this point. When all my hair is down it doesn't look that bad, but geez was I shocked this morning to look at the ear-down portion of my hair.

 

[urbanchic]

When was the last time you had a trim? Sometimes it's good to get a regular trim to keep the hair looking healthy. It doesn't have to be drastic; something like every 6 to 9 months. Or maybe dust every 3 months.

 

[ebonyseas]

You look a bit overprocessed to me. At least, that's what my hair looked like until I started texlaxing. Trim just a little, maybe half an inch, and then half an inch every month until the ends look better. That way you won't have to go through a drastic change.

 

[TLC1020]

Yeah ends does look thin when stretching that's why it is best not to trim until after you get a relaxer. You said you protective style 80% of the time, not sure how much protein you are using maybe use less, it seem as though you are not retaining your growth.

 

[FutureMD]

Whether you protective style or not, the ends are the oldest part of your hair, and they get weathered and will split. Maybe it's a slower process if your ends are tucked away, but it happens. To get the hair that you want, you need to keep your hair trimmed so that when it does hit the length you want, it will have both the length AND the thickness of the rest of your hair.
You aren't going to find anyone who doesn't get regular trims who has nice thick ends. Don't be afraid of the scissors, and you'll get where you want faster than you'd think.
The rest of your hair will never catch up to those wispy ends, and i think that having a few long strands hanging just leaves them vulnerable and weak and waiting to break off.
Once I committed to getting my ends blunted on a regular basis (every 3 months), they started staying perfect and my hair kept both its length and its thickness. And I tend ot prefer people who trim liberally b/c I like to know that it's been done.
Oh, I wore my hair down ALL of the time too and yeah, it gained length REALLY quickly. For me at least, the trims worked better than anything else. So I got a solid clean up cut in January of one year, that took me to collar bone I think, and by August I'd hit BSL.
Was growing out the perm so got short layers by the end of the year, but following the same routine last year yielded similar results.
Just hang in there and find someone you trust to do your trims.
I don't know...people freak out but I feel like the people who get their hair trimmed usually wind up having long healthy hair. I don't know anyone who has short hair b/c someone went nuts and cut like 10 inches off when they asked for a trim. Maybe that's not everyone's experience but I find people who are paranoid about trimming never get the hair that they want.

 

[Chevelure618]

It took me 2.0 years to completely texlax. I'm happily texlaxed with Affirm Mild and do 10-17 week stretches. I'm wondering if maybe the bone-straight wasn't completely off. You can definitely see the different where the thin ends start. I'm also wondering if stretching isn't for me.

I dust regularly. I DC regularly. I can only say that dusting wasn't enough for me perhaps.

 

[Charz]

Whether you protective style or not, the ends are the oldest part of your hair, and they get weathered and will split. Maybe it's a slower process if your ends are tucked away, but it happens. To get the hair that you want, you need to keep your hair trimmed so that when it does hit the length you want, it will have both the length AND the thickness of the rest of your hair.
You aren't going to find anyone who doesn't get regular trims who has nice thick ends. Don't be afraid of the scissors, and you'll get where you want faster than you'd think.
The rest of your hair will never catch up to those wispy ends, and i think that having a few long strands hanging just leaves them vulnerable and weak and waiting to break off.
Once I committed to getting my ends blunted on a regular basis (every 3 months), they started staying perfect and my hair kept both its length and its thickness. And I tend ot prefer people who trim liberally b/c I like to know that it's been done.
Oh, I wore my hair down ALL of the time too and yeah, it gained length REALLY quickly. For me at least, the trims worked better than anything else. So I got a solid clean up cut in January of one year, that took me to collar bone I think, and by August I'd hit BSL.
Was growing out the perm so got short layers by the end of the year, but following the same routine last year yielded similar results.
Just hang in there and find someone you trust to do your trims.
I don't know...people freak out but I feel like the people who get their hair trimmed usually wind up having long healthy hair. I don't know anyone who has short hair b/c someone went nuts and cut like 10 inches off when they asked for a trim. Maybe that's not everyone's experience but I find people who are paranoid about trimming never get the hair that they want.

The bolded is simply not true.

 

[Chevelure618]

"And I tend ot prefer people who trim liberally b/c I like to know that it's been done."

What do you mean?

 

[Chevelure618]

The bolded is simply not true.

I agree. I am someone who dusted regularly, and I trimmed about an inch off at my last touch-up 9.5 weeks ago.

I am still thinking what could have changed things. I DID have a Beautiful Browns color done on January 7th...that is about 6 weeks ago. I wonder if that caused weakness on the ends.

And remember, I was POSTING VIDEOS a week ago!

Any other input?

 

[Chevelure618]

Yeah ends does look thin when stretching that's why it is best not to trim until after you get a relaxer. You said you protective style 80% of the time, not sure how much protein you are using maybe use less, it seem as though you are not retaining your growth.

You are right. I am not retaining my growth. I can be protein sensitive, though the Aphogee regimen makes my hair feel soooo strong. Perhaps I am mistaking brittle for strong?

I am shocked too because I was growing out an area of ponytail breakage and thought it was catching up nicely.

I am going to get a touch-up (I'm 9.5 weeks post) and then a good trim.

I'm heartbroken, but I will post pictures after. I figure I will be barely APL after that.

 

[Nonie]

The bolded is simply not true.

Charzboss, do you have examples? I feel like FutureMD. I'm yet to see someone who doesn't dust or trim regularly who has Wanakee thick ends. They might have long hair but I see either skinny ends or the hair tapers to a tail.

They aren't even at knee length where you expect the hair to be down to a string yet even at those lengths I rarely see JJJ's fullness: http://www.youtube.com/user/JJJLongHair4u2c#p/a/f/2/SGgqPMD8XQY

 

[Charz]

Nonie

Here is me last year in November. I had not trimmed my ends in a year. And I still have not trimmed. I don't think my ends are thin. Maybe a little uneven.

 

[Nonie]

Charz ^^ I appreciate that. I stand corrected. I think I'll start a thread asking no-trimmers to post their hair progress pics with how long the have been growing their hair. I'm intrigued because you're the first I've seen.

When I don't trim, my hair doesn't retain as well. So even if I didn't have thin ends--which I always get--I wonder whether my progress would be steady.

I will start the thread coz I think it can inspire those who'd rather not drink the Kool Aid FutureMD and I are drinking...by giving them role models to follow.

 

[ms-gg]

IMO, there is a difference between having blunt ends as that lady JJ has and hair that is still healthy and thick at the ends, but does not get regular trims.

Her hair is cut blunt like that, whereas if someone does not get trims regularly, then their hair is naturally going to have different lengths because hair sheds constantly and naturally you will never have even hair because it is growing and shedding at different rates. It doesn't mean that you will have damaged ends, it can still be thick, but it will just not be as even as hers

A perfect candidate for healthy hair that never gets trims (10 years without a trim?) is Teri: http://www.tightlycurly.com/photos/photohistory/

 

[ProtectiveStyling]

I actually think trimming your hair every now and then is a good thing.... after going so long without trimming, even if its years, the hair starts to look unhealthy and just ugh .... i can go around 3 to 6 months without a trim if i take care of my hair. i actually can go longer than that, but i be so nervous about my ends . i have had many stylist tell me that my ends are perfect after 3 months of no trims ... but that doesnt mean i think i can live without them.. trims just make my hair look 100 percent better and feel soooooo good when i run my hands thru my hair. PLUS my stylist only trim half an inch, if that because thats all i need. honestly, i hate looking at pictures of women who hair is very long, but uneven and thin. i prefer looking at the thick even BSL or APL ones!..... my hair is beyond thick and grows really fast... i dnt hide my beautiful hair, but wear it straight or natural for the world to see!!! it grows great with my trims and i get to show it off... why do some ladies hide their hair though you guys??? &&& alot of protective styles??? wouldnt that defeat the purpose of long beautiful hair that u can show off??? i dnt want long pretty hair that no one see but me... these are just my questions because a lot of ladies on here do this and the ladies who actually wear their hair out mostly have the best looking hair and little problems it seems... just curious

 

[BostonMaria]

SylverII once said to becareful of thinking your ends are thin when you are into a stretch because the stretch makes them look thin, but I'm suddenly shocked at mine. I flat-iron for length checks only (3x per year) and never out to the ends. I PS 80% of the time.

Chevelure618 what protective styles are you doing while you're stretching?

 

[ms-gg]

my hair is beyond thick and grows really fast... i dnt hide my beautiful hair, but wear it straight or natural for the world to see!!! it grows great with my trims and i get to show it off... why do some ladies hide their hair though you guys??? &&& alot of protective styles??? wouldnt that defeat the purpose of long beautiful hair that u can show off??? i dnt want long pretty hair that no one see but me... just curious

I wear protective styles because I like them. I like wearing my hair out too but I like wearing protective styles better....different strokes for different folks I guess

 

[Chevelure618]

French rolls, buns with pantyhose "scrunchie", french braid. these are all loose and not tight and usually after an airdry when my hair is nice and soft.

 

[SerenavanderWoodsen]

TRIM! Just get it over with. You will see healthy growth once you trim. If you allow your hair to continue growing with ends in that condition it will never look healthy. I had my hair at midback and super uneven for a couple of years and it just never looked good I finally did a 4 inch trim and months later smaller trims and finally my hair is farrr more even and full. Just trim!

 

[SerenavanderWoodsen]

@Nonie

Here is me last year in November. I had not trimmed my ends in a year. And I still have not trimmed. I don't think my ends are thin. Maybe a little uneven.

The bolded is simply not true.

I disagree. In time as your hair grows longer the ends will become thin. They won't appear thin when the hair is curly or maybe even blown out but if you were to flat iron bone straight they will probably appear thinner, due to unevenness and natural breakage. Your hair doesn't seem fully straight in that pic. If I don't thoroughly flat iron my hair my ends will be thick but in a silky straight state they are much thinner.... I'm not denying that you have healthy, full ends but almost all hair when very long and straight will have thinner ends.

 

[FutureMD]

That's fine, but she won't get from where she is to where you are if she doesn't get a trim. So show a you tube journey where someone with jacked up ends magically wound up with nice thick ends without cutting them off at some point.

Are you honestly going to tell her that her hair will look like yours a year from now if she doesn't get it cut? B/c that is patently NOT true and even if you did well never trimming, once the stuff is broken off and uneven, nothing but a pair of scissors will fix it. End of story.

Liberally means liberally. If you don't know what that adjective means, look it up. I tend to prefer people who use the scissors liberally. Have my cuts sometimes lasted longer than expected. Yes. But once something happens and they wind up uneven, holding on to scraggly ends for years and years won't get me or anyone else anywhere.

What I said about hair ends being old and weathering is true, although the amount of time that it might take for YOUR ends to reach that point might be, and clearly are, much longer than they are for the original poster.

If she doesn't get a trim, then when she hits BSL it will be with only a fraction of her hair strands reaching that length.

 

[Charz]

........................

 

[shandaw]

I know how you feel sis! I went to Reneice today and she told me I have thin & brittle ends and that I may need to trim 3 inches, she is not sure she wants to see my hair wet. Maybe not trimming works for some, but not others. I'm going to let her cut off whatever needs to be cut off and it will take me about 6 months to get back to where I currently am.

What works for some, doesn't work for others. I say trim sis, I'm right there with you and it sucks I know. This is a total setback for me!!! and it changes my hair goals now.

 

[BostonMaria]

........................

LOL Charz

OP you might need a trim. I rollerset my hair at least twice a month and I always know the state of my ends. Maybe you can try rollersetting, you don't even have to flatiron either.

Charz and I can get away with no trimming for years. My ends aren't thin, but I know this might not work for everybody.


Sent from my iPhone using LHCF

 

[SerenavanderWoodsen]

BostonMaria and Charz... do you have coarse hair? I'm trying to understand hair outside the realm of my own which is fine, poofy and grows rather unevenly .... I have to trim mine.

 

[ms-gg]

I use to be a religious trimmer, until I realized I was cutting my ends for no dang reason. Just cutting because everyone else said to cut. I stopped that in September 2010 and I am not looking back. If I get split ends (which has never been my problem), then I will cut then, but I am of the mindset now that trimming just to trim is totally unnecessary.

I do have coarse hair btw... in the OP's case, yes she needs to cut and not trim. I think the majority of us were responding to what one poster said about hair not being thick due to not trimming which is not true. If your hair doesn't break off or split, what are you trimming?

 

[blessedandlucky]

i'm not quite sure what happened, OP, and i'm sorry that you're experiencing this. i feel your pain. i've been battling with breakage and had to trim 1" today maybe take the leap and make the necessary cut and protective style for the next month so you won't have to see it.

also, what is your reggie? do you think it's the color?

 

[Chaosbutterfly]

I use to be a religious trimmer, until I realized I was cutting my ends for no dang reason. Just cutting because everyone else said to cut. I stopped that in September 2010 and I am not looking back. If I get split ends (which has never been my problem), then I will cut then, but I am of the mindset now that trimming just to trim is totally unnecessary.

I do have coarse hair btw... in the OP's case, yes she needs to cut and not trim. I think the majority of us were responding to what one poster said about hair not being thick due to not trimming which is not true. If your hair doesn't break off or split, what are you trimming?

I know that Nonie has mentioned this several times, but I think the rationale behind clipping the ends every x months is so that you don't get visible splits in the first place.
When your hair actually begins to split, you can't see it with the naked eye, because the split is so miniscule. By the time you can see it, the actual damage to the strand is way worse and probably continues further up the strand than what you can see. When you do the preemptive trim or dust, you remove that microscopic damage at the ends and keep it from becoming worse.

Personally, I've learned my lesson about not trimming. Never again.

 

[ms-gg]

I understand that thought too, that is one reason why I use to trim, trimming to prevent damage in the future. Then when I did get damaged hair, I would trim again. So I would trim to keep ahead of the game then trim again when something did happen. So I said screw it lol...I'll just trim if I ever get damage, which hasn't happened yet...it really depends on your regimen though, not even going to front....

So far it has been almost 6 months and I have yet to see a split end or breakage....*crosses fingers, toes, and legs*

 

[LovelyNaps26]

Nonie

Here is me last year in November. I had not trimmed my ends in a year. And I still have not trimmed. I don't think my ends are thin. Maybe a little uneven.

that's why i don't really trim. my hair had not been dusted (not to be confused with trimmed) in 7 months. it's uneven but not thin, IMO.​