On Your Journey to SL, BSL, APL, WL....

[MizaniMami]

Did you ever get the "I want to cut it" feeling?

I am looking at pics of my hair and I am thinking about chopping about 3 inches off.

Which is really sad because I am about 2 inches from BSL. I could (if I keep doing the no heat/manipulation that I am doing) be there by the end July or beginning of Aug. But, my ends looks so thin (damnit heat, I wish I only knew!) and I want to kind of start over.

I keep thinking if I grow and retain an inch per month, I can still be at BSL in December like I wanted to be.

But I know me, and I will seriously regret my decision. lol I probably will cry, even though it's not that serious.

Should I get over the hump? When or if you were in the situation what would you do?

 

[Lucia]

I'm sort of having that crisis right now, I started a thread for suggestions

 

[beyondcute]

Yeah I get that feeling alot but I know how I felt when I first cut my hair. Give yourself 2 weeks. No short cuts and if you change your mind in 2 weeks then so be it but if youre still set on it go for it.

 

[MizaniMami]

I'm sort of having that crisis right now, I started a thread for suggestions

I just read it! That's crazy. Let us know what you decide to do!

 

[leleepop]

I feel that way about armpit length. When I get to it I plan to maintain to let my layers catch up. BUT my goal is bsl with layers so wtf? I dunnoerplexed When I get indecisive I have to keep telling myself not to be anxious for ANYTHING.

 

[Lucia]

Well I'd say don't do anything quick, think about it and think about what you really want to acheive 1st, if it's BSL then maybe let your hair get some more length and thicken up on it's own 1st then see where you are when you reach BSL, it might not be as bad as you think, I really need to start taking my own advice too . hth

 

[inthepink]

Yes, I understand what you're going through. I have the urge to also even up my hair before I start growing again. But the reality is that to completely even it would put me above shoulder length and I know I ultimately would not be happy with that so I have to just be patient and grow into the style/shape I want.

 

[Angelicus]

Sure. Everytime I had the urge, I'd ask a stylist to cut. Actually, I regret it every time. I got a three inch cut in January but it's growing back. I am going to stop cutting my hair completely until I get to waist length. I promise!

 

[Kimberly]

I feel that way about armpit length. When I get to it I plan to maintain to let my layers catch up.

This sounds like my plan for BSL...I think I have less than two inches to go but I need a fresh relaxer to be certain. It gets hard. I get frustrated. I understand what you are going through. I'm thinking about braids or phony ponies and new halfwigs to help distract me. That way, I can also play around with some different looks while I'm waiting out the summer. I'm hoping to be there by the end of August. I think that's plenty of time for me to grow out 2 inches...3 inches to get a good trim and still be at BSL.

 

[simplycee]

I know how you feel. I have been thinking seriuosly of cutting my hair to a little past shoulder legnth in a long bob. But the last time I did this back in 2003 I regretted it as soon as I left the salon. Everytime I get that urge I look at my pic from 2003 and the urge quickly passes.

 

[senimoni]

Add me to the list. The last 3 inches of my hair are thinner and overprocessedI don't even enjoy wearing my hair down really anymore. Sometimes I think I will chop a little at a time, others I say I'll just hack off what i hate, then I say I'll wait until I'm past my goal so I can cut it and be where I want, in the meantime, I wear a bun and don't think too much about it.

 

[Elizabeth26]

Add me to the list. The last 3 inches of my hair are thinner and overprocessedI don't even enjoy wearing my hair down really anymore. Sometimes I think I will chop a little at a time, others I say I'll just hack off what i hate, then I say I'll wait until I'm past my goal so I can cut it and be where I want, in the meantime, I wear a bun and don't think too much about it.

That's the way I feel. I don't like wearing my hair down anymore either. I'm waiting for it to get a certain length before I start cutting some of it off.

 

[testimony777]

I know exactly how you feel. In fact it has been me acting on that feeling that has kept me from having long hair in the past. This is the first time in my adult life that I have had BSL hair and it is not because I’ve had terrible practices that have kept my hair from growing or kept me from retaining length, it is because year after year I would get caught in the vicious cycle of setting a goal of BSL, getting frustrated at around APL and chopping it all off.

In Dec I made a commitment to myself not to do a major cut for one year (something I have never done before). By February I was frustrated and ready to cut it very short because I felt like I wasn't making progress and despite my best efforts I was experiencing breakage.

I had started looking at styles and researching stylist when I read a post on this board about protective styling and got some new ideas for buns. I decided to hold out and honor my commitment. I did a trim (I cut 3/4 of an inch), added more moisture to my routine, did some protective styles for a while and in April when I straightened my hair I was so thankful that I had not chopped it off. I had reached BSL and I was so pleased with how my hair looked and felt!

I hope this is encouraging

 

[ChocoKitty]

I've been think about getting a cut. My hair is creeping towards waist and I want to see my ends blunted. But I know if I have them blunted now I gotta wait even longer to get to waistlength. So I keep going back and forth in my head. Plus I'm even cosidering getting a weave so I can have cut into a chin length layered bob.

 

[KhandiB]

I want layers, but Im not spose to cut my hair til Decemeber...

 

[Miss Nina]

I know what you mean, I keep cutting my hair, it's a habit that I'm trying to get rid of. My hair has been at BSL for the longest b/c everytime I got a touch-up, I would have 1-2 inches cut off. Then in December of 04 I decided I was going to go natural since I stopped going to the salon, I stopped cutting my hair, by October of 05, My hair including the relaxed part was at my waist. As usual, I got bored and had my aunt cut it to two inches above BSL, and then in Dec of 05, something came over me, and I cut my hair to about 2inches below my shoulder and RELAXED again (no idea why). lol, so now I haven't been to a salon since February and havent cut since december, and now I'm going natural again.

So, I guess what I'm saying is that you should stay away from the salon when you want a cut.... especially since most stylists I know always want to cut hair regardless of whether or not you need it.

Or maybe you could try the protective styling so you don't have to look at your hair, I've never done that because I get headaches when I wear my hair up.

On the other hand, if after a while you still feel like cutting, then go for it, at least with all the info on the board, if you don't like the results, you can find many ways to make it grow back fast.

Good Luck!!

 

[MizaniMami]

I want layers, but Im not spose to cut my hair til Decemeber...

KhandiB! I will kill you if you cut that hair of yours! Don't do the laaaaayerrrs! Girl that's the one thing I regret!

Nina, I feel you on that. Your mind is like mines. I get bored super quick. Tomorrow night I will put my hair back up for another month!

 

[fanofau1977]

My classmate just cut her hair and it was past BSL and now I'm wanting to go there too. I've worn short hair styles most of my life, only reached the shoulder length a few times. I'm itching for it and its getting close to summer which makes it worse.

 

[gradygirl]

I also started to cut my hair last week to even it out. I'm about 2 inches away from full APL which is my first goal. If I wear my hair straight I know I will cut it but if I keep it in other styles it doesn't bother me as much.

 

[Sistaslick]

I get the urge too I have about 3 inches of ends that I wish would just die already. These ends are healthy, but thinner than the rest of my hair b/c its the last of the hair that was relaxed bonestraight when I was frequenting salons. Then its layered. The rest of my hair is texlaxed and full--so airdrying really makes it stand out. Can't tell when its straightened though. Most times, when I crave short hair, I just do athe faux bob down in my siggy for a few days to satisfy the urge. Usually gets me back in focus.

 

[KhandiB]

I love layers, when I get my hair where I want it I plan on getting slight layers, Im getting to this point where I feel like my hair has no style

KhandiB! I will kill you if you cut that hair of yours! Don't do the laaaaayerrrs! Girl that's the one thing I regret!

Nina, I feel you on that. Your mind is like mines. I get bored super quick. Tomorrow night I will put my hair back up for another month!

 

[taraglam2]

Should I get over the hump? When or if you were in the situation what would you do?

Stay away from the scissors--keep deep conditioning--you will get past the hump. I went through the same thing in July 2005 and I went ahead and got 2.5 inches cut off. I wished I had just waited it through. Yes--the trim got me off to a "new" fresh start and my hair was sooooo even---but I really missed that 2.5 inches. I am always thinking, should I have just waited it out ?

 

[Legend]

Man, oh, man!!! I saw this lovely Mohawk (well, “Faux”hawk) style on this women just last week and had to restrain myself. Sista had the auburn highlights and all—very fashion-forward!!!! I asked my mother, who was with me, if I should get the cut. She told me to go for it! But I didn’t. I’m trying to look a little more conservative and am letting my hair grow out some. However, I just may be able to fake the style, if not the color. (Something to try this weekend.) But, I just had to remind myself of my goals to shake the desire for a chic new cut.

 

[inthepink]

I love layers, when I get my hair where I want it I plan on getting slight layers, Im getting to this point where I feel like my hair has no style

Don't do it!! I almost got layers when my hair was waist length and didn't do it. I was so glad later. Taking care of layers is so much more difficult than blunt-cut hair. Though layers can be really pretty - sometimes. Just hard to maintain.

 

[inthepink]

Should I get over the hump? When or if you were in the situation what would you do?

Stay away from the scissors--keep deep conditioning--you will get past the hump. I went through the same thing in July 2005 and I went ahead and got 2.5 inches cut off. I wished I had just waited it through. Yes--the trim got me off to a "new" fresh start and my hair was sooooo even---but I really missed that 2.5 inches. I am always thinking, should I have just waited it out ?

Hmm, this is interesting. I always wonder how that would feel if I were to do that. Maybe .5 inches at a time or an inch at a time would be easier.

 

[BMoreFlyy]

I'm in a phase like this now... wanting to go natural... though I said I wouldn't ever, wanting to even it all out, but still wanting it be thick, healthy and down my back all at the same time. Then just coming to the conclusion that all this stressin is only messin' up my tresses... lol. I'm going to give it time, I'm back on my Surge kick... hoping that by the end of July I see some kind of satisfactory change... then hoping that by August I've made some more progress..