I Finally Get It - Last Relaxer Was 2007; I Finally Understand The Need For Regular Trims

[naturalmanenyc]

Yeah, it's taken me years to finally realize that I need to trim my hair regularly although I weave protective styles. I'd been resisting it for a long time since I figure why keep cutting off my progress, but it finally clicked.

I got a trim in March but it was just a dusting. I got another trim last week (a bit more layered) after taking out crochet braids and my hair is so much easier to manage. I've been wearing a wash & go this week (wash, condition, add gel to soaking wet hair, wet hair again, shake vigorously, and go). I had no tangling issues at all when washing, conditioning or styling. I do think wearing protective styles is helpful if length is the goal, but you still have to trim every few months even if you hair hasn't been "out" at all.

Going forward I will at least get what my stylist calls "an invisible trim" aka dusting but he didn't call it that. Going natural is still a learning journey.

 

[LeftRightRepeat]

I'm not natural but I recently got a trim that evened out my hair. It was more than a dusting, but i think it was really needed, as before my hair just kinda hung there looking thin and limp. After the trim, it looks thicker, has body and just falls so much better, so even when I do it at home (with my hair skills challenged self) it looks ok. When the hairdresser styles it , I think it looks pretty good.

 

[starchgirl]

I completely agree OP. I was in a similar boat. I figured if I did not use heat and only straightened my hair once or twice a year there was no need to get regular trims. I even went one whole year without a trim.

I wondered why I was struggling to detangle, and dreaded washing my hair earlier this year. I got a trim right before going into a long term protecive style. When I took it down, I noticed how easy it was to detangle and how much thicker my hair is. My goal is to have quarterly dustings going forward!

 

[overtherainbow]

I agree! I think I trim my hair more often than the other naturals I know but I think this is because I do not protective style. I do a good trim every three months and a dusting once or twice in between that if needed. I still am retaining every year and detangling is always a breeze after a trim.

 

[Dee Raven]

Yes, there is nothing like the feeling of the comb gliding through the ends once the hair has been trimmed. I really need to trim my hair, and this is just the reminder that I need.

 

[Prettymetty]

I admit that regular trims help me retain length better, but I still hate doing it lol.

 

[tuffCOOKiE]

Same - I know that I need to get a trim once managing my hair gets too annoying and it tangles ONLY at the end. Also, when I get too many SSK

 

[lana]

At the beginning of my healthy hair journey. I went six months without a trim, yes my hair grew the standard amount in three months, but I ended up cutting off a lot because of what I call "scraggly" ends.

Now I schedule my trims on my phone and I do them myself to avoid someone else "over-cutting" my hair. It's that simple.

I will say that at times, I will let my hair grow if I have experienced breakage or a set back. But I'll still separate the hair and trim the top if I'm letting the bottom grow. No matter what, eventually I always have to trim the section that I've let "grow out" if I want an even, clean look without tangles at the ends.

 

[sgold04]

I S&D every once in a while, and get professional trims twice a year. May was the first time I trimmed (or maybe it was more like a dusting) my hair myself and it was easy peasy (I was paranoid). I will get one more professional trim the next time I straighten (either October or the holidays), but then I will trim my own hair from then on. I will trim more often starting 2016, every 3-4 months. I also notice a huge difference in detangling with regular trims.

 

[Britt]

I'm a new natural but since forever I've always been a trimmer regularly. So far I've gotten 3 trims since I've been natural. I think every 4 months is a good time for me, my ends are still in tact and the stylist only has to take off very little.

 

[Dove56]

I have learned the opposite! I trim my hair usually 4-7 x a year to keep my ends healthy. I haven't had a trim in almost 9 months and now my hair is full BSL only 3 inches from the top of my waist finally. After all that time I will only have to trim off 1/2 inch. I will do no more than 2 trims a year.