In your quest for longer, healthier hair...

[charmtreese]

I started off my journey by just caring for my hair. Later I realized that not only my ends were damaged but I also had damage all along the hair shaft. Therefore a trim was not going to solve my hair issues, a Big Chop would have nipped everything in the bud, however I did not want to do anything that drastic. Prior to starting my healthy hair journey I was a weaveaholic, therefore getting use to my then neck length damaged hair was a huge feat. So, I opted for the trim as you grow process to get rid of all the damaged hair a little at a time. My hope is that Dec 07 will be my last "real" trim.

 

[prospurr4]

I have about 2" of overprocessed, thin ends, that need to go! All the babying, moisturizing and protective stying hasn't helped them. But I just can't bring myself to cut it off, all at once so, starting in December, I plan to trim 1/2" off after the next 4 relaxer touchups (every 10-13 weeks). By my calculations, in July 2008, I should reach WSL with thick, blunt ends!

In the meantime, I'm "hiding" my ends in updos and curly styles.

 

[JustKiya]

I foolishly bleached, then dyed my hair red....that was about the last reallllly stupid thing I did to my hair. I trimmed that off, ending with a BC of about one to two inches in Feb. 07 to get the last of the color out of my head. I was supposed to take it slower, but I was impatient and wanted it GONE.

 

[nappity]

I trimmed.
I'm a strong advocate for health vs.length. My ends were beyond repair in my estimation and raggedy ends would just frustrate me when trying to style so I just grabbed the scissors. I figure as long as I remain on a regimen- it'll grow back and then some!

 

[amwcah]

I have about 2" of overprocessed, thin ends, that need to go! All the babying, moisturizing and protective stying hasn't helped them. But I just can't bring myself to cut it off, all at once so, starting in December, I plan to trim 1/2" off after the next 4 relaxer touchups (every 10-13 weeks). By my calculations, in July 2008, I should reach WSL with thick, blunt ends!

In the meantime, I'm "hiding" my ends in updos and curly styles.

Eventhough I did a trim in the beginning of my journey, I find my ends are still suffering. Maybe I need to follow suit with what you plan to do.

 

[Aggie]

I trimmed and nurtured my hair back to health. Now I trim only when necessary. My last trim was in June and to date, I have no split or frizzed ends. I wash and deep condition twice a weeek and I use a mild protein treatment once a week or once every two weeks depending on how my hair is behaving.

 

[nakialovesshoes]

I did the BC b/c I didn't know about LHCF at the time. Knowing what I know now, I probably would've just trimmed.

 

[skyborn09]

I trimmed about 2-4 inches off of my hair...my mom freaked out and hated what I did but now its recovering and growing back healthy and strong.

 

[BillsBackerz67]

I did a BC even though I did not need it....and ive been trimming since

 

[MariposaSexyGirl]

I did the last three

 

[curlcomplexity]

I trimmed off my ends last year every few months until all of the overprocessed ends were gone.

 

[wheezy807]

I just nurtured my hair back to health without cutting by moisturizing, stretching my relaxer, deep conditioning, etc.

 

[Queen V]

I trimmed off several inches of damaged hair near the beginning of September when I started my hair journey. Smartest decision I could have made.

 

[IntoMyhair]

I selected big chop since to me the length i cut was major.

 

[moni_kerr]

Well I did the big chop to get rid of my dyed and relaxed ends that could have been causing harm to my hair. But then I dyed it again lol So in a few months I plan on cutting it out again. I think my hair would be better off without the chemicals. So for now im just going to trim a little at a time until the dyed ends are gone!

 

[Lady Esquire]

...did you take the big chop, trim, dust, or just nurtured your hair back to health without cutting. I'm curious about this because it seems that a few of you have opted to take the big chop and I'm contemplating whether I should do the same. Please elaborate by stating why you proceeded with the service you did. Thanks ladies!

In 2005, I started off wearing braids, in 5-week intervals, with a one-week break in between. I did this for 5 months. I switched to wigs, while transitioning underneath, and slowly cut off my relaxed ends. A few months later, I chopped off everything down to 2 inches or so, I wore the wig for another few months. A year of being all natural, I relaxed in 2006. And have been healthy since.

 

[Fine 4s]

My goal is to gain some length but my hair has tons of heat damaged ends.

I decided not to do the BC. When I get to my hair goal I'll trim most of the heat damaged ends off.

People has suggested cutting several inches off...I want my length though. It's like carrying dead weight but

 

[Misseyl]

I started my journey by dusting as needed. I wasn't sure all the recommendations and products mentioned on this site were going to work so I created a regime and tried to stick to it. Thank God I listen to some of the suggestions here because I wouldn't have learned how to self-relax and how to properly stretch my relaxers which I believed helped me grow my hair to collar-bone. I choose dusting because I didn't want to sport a short look and in retrospect, I should have cut it off...

 

[Lavendar]

I started my hair journey with a trim, but overall my hair was a mess from highlights and overprocessed hair. It took almost 1.5 years to reach almost BSL, then I did a BC of 6 inches. I just couldn't take that frizzy, choppy old bleached hair anymore. It wouldn't curl and was see-through. I just took some shears and hacked it off before I could chicken out. Besides, by that time, I knew for the first time in my life that my hair actually grows beyond shoulder length. I knew I could grow it back, and it did grew back thicker and healthier than ever, relatively quickly.

 

[*Luscious*Locked*Doc]

I cut my hair off!!! Maybe like 4-5 inches of hair. It was so damaged b/c I never washed, moisturized, DC'ed nothing. I just neglected my hair and kept getting micros. By the time I decided I wanted to wear my hair out and had it pressed my hair was a mess. Damaged ends everywhere, plus I had basically ripped my hair taking out the dirty tuffs. I just had the stylist chop it into the V-beckham bob in November and started growing it back out. As as matter of fact I had her cut more than she needed too just to be sure. Then I joined LHCF...and thats how I got my start!

 

[ajargon02]

...did you take the big chop, trim, dust, or just nurtured your hair back to health without cutting. I'm curious about this because it seems that a few of you have opted to take the big chop and I'm contemplating whether I should do the same. Please elaborate by stating why you proceeded with the service you did. Thanks ladies!

As for me, I had SERIOUS damage from hair color. I knew that "big chopping" was the best option, but I didn't want to deal with hair that short again right away. I took about 1-1.5 years to cut all the color off and started again from that point. I trim as needed and now I am back on track with retention/moisture balance ect. I am certainly learning this is a journey

 

[precious2Him]

I hope to achieve my hair goals by trimming and nuturing my hair back to health. I would rather have short healthy hair then long unhealthy hair.

 

[Lucky's Mom]

I transisitioned in Braids....................

 

[cupcakes]

i only "trim" once a year.
baggying is my ends best friend

 

[guudhair]

BC because of color/relaxer damage...

 

[nappy85]

I did the big chop (about 7-8 inches) because I was trying to wear my hair naturally curly, but the front left half of my hair was damaged (it had no curl to it) so I cut it off. I hadn't had a perm for about 2-3 years at the time so the rest of my hair was curly. But I was getting a hard press (first a hot comb, then flat ironed) every week and that was too much for some parts of my hair. I didn't like having to cut off about 7-8 inches for just one section of my hair, but it was the only way to make it work. But it all worked out for the good. I grew all that hair back and then some...and it's still growing.

 

[ajoyfuljoy]

cut about four inches but it was well worth it

 

[LadyKaypnyc]

I transitioned for a year, then I chopped the permed ends off...I wouldn't say I BCed b/c most of the damaged ends broke off, so I just had to cut off the remainder , which wasn't much

 

[2Cute!]

Just today, I trimmed 2"...and before that, I trimmed 2" in December. I just cannot grow my hair without trims. To me, trimmed ends make hair look healthier... and I retain more length that way.

My hair is actually shorter than it is in my avatar because I just could not stand having my ends look sparse.

 

[danigurl18]

I trimmed and when I decided I was ready to be natural, I did the BC