Spinoff: Length Vs. Health (One-Time Major Decision)

[PaperClip]

What if you came to a point where holding on to the length of your hair had caused such damage that you had to cut off a significant amount to begin again? Or if you had to cease taking hair growth vitamins and/or supplements because of the damaging side effects? How would you proceed? Share your stories!

Disclaimer/P.S. I know this forum is called the LONG HAIR CARE FORUM and therefore, long hair is the optimal form of existence (on this site). I hope this thread generates some honest dialogue about "how much might be too much" to risk for hair and if India.Arie's mantra "I Am Not My Hair" is really true... (Hmmm....)

 

[Amour]

This thread comes at an ironic time. I just posted a journal on how disgusiting my ends are and how lovely my NG is yet im still not willinging to give them up. I crave the length... esp since my fundamental styles in transitioning require that extra length..

eta: I think i got it wrong do you mean in relation to general health? because if thats the case then i'd shave it all off if it was causing a hindernace to my general well being. If supplements were having negative side effects i'd quit then an wouldn't look back!

 

[seeminglysweet]

Well. I voted less than 5 inches.
2 years ago I went from BSL to shoulder length, which was probably about 4 inches. My hair was dull and lifeless and I really needed to just give it a healthy starting point. It was much healthier and grew back very quickly. So if I needed to do that again, I would.

 

[Cichelle]

Well, the only experience I can offer is that I did the big chop months ahead of schedule to preserve the health of my hair. I cut 10 inches and ended up with short hair. So, I guess in that situation I chose health over length.

Right now I am happy to have healthy hair that does not need cutting. I am careful not to damage it, so I won't face that decision. But if my vitamins or supplements were causing bad side effects, I'd stop taking them right away. I happen to know that hair will grow without them anyway.

 

[LocksOfLuV]

I won't lie. I am not willing to sacrafice much length. I am BSL now and the shortes I will go is grazing neck length. So I say about 5 inches even though neck to bsl is waaay more than 5 inches.

 

[camellia]

I voted enough to get rid of the damaged hair.

I had to do this back when my ends were so split and burnt from constant heat abuse. I lost easily more than 6 inches of hair.

Luckilky, it is just hair and hair is constantly growing. Once I started to actually care for my hair I was able to retain length quickly.

 

[HoneyDew]

For me, I have clipped a little at a time so it has not been too drastic.

 

[B_Phlyy]

I have short hair already and even though I want to be natural, shaving it off or cutting it super low is not what i want right now. I picked the last choice.

 

[dlewis]

I will cut enough to get rid of any damage, that includes all of it if need be. I see women with long hair thats damage and it looks awful. I was at a PTA meeting last year and one of the Grandmother's had very long hair, when she sat down it touched the floor, but the last 12" of hair was nasty, it looked like hay. I think it's better to have healthy hair than long hair that's not healthy. JMHO

 

[Softresses]

After having started to care for my own hair, and starting to grow it out, I actually did cut 7" off of my hair after finding this website. I hated to do it but it turned out ok.


Softresses

 

[locabouthair]

Well, the only experience I can offer is that I did the big chop months ahead of schedule to preserve the health of my hair. I cut 10 inches and ended up with short hair. So, I guess in that situation I chose health over length.

Right now I am happy to have healthy hair that does not need cutting. I am careful not to damage it, so I won't face that decision. But if my vitamins or supplements were causing bad side effects, I'd stop taking them right away. I happen to know that hair will grow without them anyway.

thats how i feel. hair vits might work for some but i believe with a healthy diet and TLC hair can grow without the vits.

 

[Shea]

You read my mind I was gonna post a thread lastnight stating that I am just gonna focus on healthy hair for a while.... then focus on length. My hair is breaking a bit and I figured out I may need to clarify I never clarified yet but I will this weekend. If I dont see a curb in the breakage then snip snip I will be trimming I have to baby my ends i guess. But I will not hesitate to cut if it is causing breakage due to thin ends, but if its just dry I have to work on it. I think my hair isnt holding moisture though thats why I came to the conclusion to clarify. But anywhoo I will cut ends if necessary plus I like the even healthy ends look.

 

[LovelyStyle]

Hey there everyone,

I believe in getting rid of the damaged ends of my hair. My hairdressers have convinced me, and I have seen the improvement.

 

[testimony777]

I voted less than five inches, but it would depend on the severity and the type of damage I had. In the past I would get frustrated with my hair because I had a few split ends and I would cut off significant amounts of my length usually going from between APL and BSL to between chin and lower neck.

Earlier this year I started feeling the same frustration; I was about to cut at least six inches off. Instead I posted here and I found out that what I was viewing as irreparable damage was really the result of not having struck the proper moisture protein balance. Instead of cutting off six inches of length I did a micro trim, added misting and MNT to my routine and gave it some time, my hair has thrived. Had I chopped off the six inches I would have likely been back in the same situation a year or so latter because I would not have learned what my hair really needed.

All this to say I am not opposed to cutting off damaged hair, but I think that just as there are people who will hold on to damage for the sake of length there are others (me) who are sometimes too quick to chop. Sometimes damage seems much more severe than it is and what we think only a major chop can remedy can be reversed with minor adjustments.

 

[Sweet_Ambrosia]

I would cut enough to get rid of all the damage.

 

[PaperClip]

This thread comes at an ironic time. I just posted a journal on how disgusiting my ends are and how lovely my NG is yet im still not willinging to give them up. I crave the length... esp since my fundamental styles in transitioning require that extra length..

eta: I think i got it wrong do you mean in relation to general health? because if thats the case then i'd shave it all off if it was causing a hindernace to my general well being. If supplements were having negative side effects i'd quit then an wouldn't look back!

I meant hair health only.... It is my prayer that we're all physically healthy and well, by grace!

 

[ak46]

I voted "enough to get rid of the damaged hair", even if that includes all of it. I rather have healthy short hair than damaged long hair. I have a friend who has bra strap length hair but her hair is so damaged that it's see-thru and not very pretty to look at.

 

[ajargon02]

What if you came to a point where holding on to the length of your hair had caused such damage that you had to cut off a significant amount to begin again?
~ I did go through this w/ the blonde color. I am regrowing about 2+ yrs of growth
Or if you had to cease taking hair growth vitamins and/or supplements because of the damaging side effects?
~I would stop taking all of them, and slowly reincorporate them after getting advice from my doctor. Or I would tweek the amount/type of vitiman that I was taking
How would you proceed? Share your stories!

Disclaimer/P.S. I know this forum is called the LONG HAIR CARE FORUM and therefore, long hair is the optimal form of existence (on this site). I hope this thread generates some honest dialogue about "how much might be too much" to risk for hair and if India.Arie's mantra "I Am Not My Hair" is really true... (Hmmm....)

I will NEVER again do any thing that would keep DAMAGED length for the sake of having length. I am the type that wants to stop the bleeding asap. I am going through the akward hair phases, strange looks ect again, but it's all worth it. I know this time round not to make the same mistake, and I am babying my tresses, so that every bit of length i get I retain

 

[Tee]

I voted enough to get rid of the damaged hair.

I had to do this back when my ends were so split and burnt from constant heat abuse. I lost easily more than 6 inches of hair.

Luckilky, it is just hair and hair is constantly growing. Once I started to actually care for my hair I was able to retain length quickly.

ITA I voted enough to get rid of the damage. I had to have about 4-5 inches cut off. It's better to start fresh with healthy hair than trying to hold on some raggedy ends that will continue to slpit up the shaft.

 

[Carlie]

Been there, done that. I'd cut it off and start over.

 

[lala]

I voted all of it. I made a decision to cut off all of my damaged length b/c although my hair was long, it wasn't pretty. I destroyed my hair by blow-drying at every shampoo, and my hair suffered for it.

In 2003 I went from brastrap to shoulder length and by the end of 2005, I was at waistlength. It was well worth it. Holding on to major split ends or damaged hair will not help you to reach your goal. It will only hinder it. I tell my relatives this all the time, and it really takes a long time for it to sink in. It's better to get your ends trimmed regularly vs. having to do a major chop later on as a last resort.

 

[JustKiya]

I voted none of it - because that's the closest to what I am doing/will do/would do.

I have about 7 - 8 inches of hair overall, and about half of it is damaged from bleaching & dying it - and I'm cutting at about the same rate that it's growing out. I will not cut it all off at one time - at all. Period. Besides me not wanting short hair, me & hubby made an agreement about the minimum required length of my hair many many moons ago. *LOL* But I will trim 1/2-3/4 of an inch off every two months or so (with the moon phases), as well as keeping it in strictly protective styles, as well as deep conditioning twice a week, as well as wearing a scarf to bed as well as only combing once a week as well as..... well - ya'll get the idea - and I'm going to keep doing that until all of the color is gone - and then I'll stop trimming. Being natural helps with this, because my hair is so curly, even when it IS out, you can't tell if it's uneven/thin - my hair shrinks up to about 3 inches long overall!

 

[cocoberry10]

I voted no more than 5 inches, but now I'm not so sure. My ends are pretty badly damaged, and I will definitely need to cut it when I retouch later this month. However, I don't think I need to cut that much length off. If so, I will at least do it in stages.

 

[anherica]

I voted for as much as it takes to remove the damage. If supplements were proving to be a problem, I'd cease taking them immediately.

 

[~*~ShopAholic~*~]

I voted enough to remove the damage. I cut my hair plenty of times b4 and right b4 finding this site I had just cut my hair to neck length w/short layers, I cut about4-6 inch, I was trying to get rid of all the Texturetones dye all but one inch of the dye was left when I got done. As far as vitamins, I have more trouble remembering to take them so not taking them completely would not be a problem, lol.

 

[frankie]

I cut off the damage and work from there. If the vits are causing more harm than good, then they aren't doing their job and they need to go as well.

 

[CAPlush]

What if you came to a point where holding on to the length of your hair had caused such damage that you had to cut off a significant amount to begin again? Or if you had to cease taking hair growth vitamins and/or supplements because of the damaging side effects? How would you proceed? Share your stories!

Disclaimer/P.S. I know this forum is called the LONG HAIR CARE FORUM and therefore, long hair is the optimal form of existence (on this site). I hope this thread generates some honest dialogue about "how much might be too much" to risk for hair and if India.Arie's mantra "I Am Not My Hair" is really true... (Hmmm....)

I listen to "I am not my hair" almost every day . Sometimes you need that reminder.

The valet ticket taker at the office building where I work noticed my hair getting shorter today. I had a major cut at my last relaxer, and now I'm neck length after having been shoulder length all summer. She has very fine healthy APL hair, and I think she was itching to give me some advice.

It's ok to go shorter if it restores your hair, and I feel my hair has been restored. My hair is soft, moisturized, and it no longer looks as if I'm going through something.

 

[dynamic1]

What if you came to a point where holding on to the length of your hair had caused such damage that you had to cut off a significant amount to begin again?

I would cut off the damaged part if it were causing problems for the rest of my hair.

Or if you had to cease taking hair growth vitamins and/or supplements because of the damaging side effects? How would you proceed?

I take vitamins and supplements for my overall health. If they were damaging my hair only (which seems odd) then the hair would have to suffer. Or, I would let my scissor addiction resurface.

Disclaimer/P.S. I know this forum is called the LONG HAIR CARE FORUM and therefore, long hair is the optimal form of existence (on this site).

I think LHCF is dedicated to long hair and healthy hair is just a given.

I hope this thread generates some honest dialogue about "how much might be too much" to risk for hair and if India.Arie's mantra "I Am Not My Hair" is really true... (Hmmm....)

I think some people often confuse style and aesthetics with health. For example, uneven hair is not necessarily unhealthy. Some people see hair that is not sleek and styled and think it is unhealthy, etc. I use to be guilty of the same. I remember combing my air-dried hair out before going to get a haircut. People commented on how healthy it looked and I thought it was a big damaged mess. It did not have a specific haircut or style and I could not see past that.

If it truly is just hair, what difference does it make if someone cuts it off or not? (Of course, it depends on that person's goals.)
People who hold on to damage for length can chant the "I am not my hair" mantra too, no?

 

[Dannygirl]

if it gotta go its gotta go ..hahha aint no worth having damged ends so id cut to where its heathly.. i see unheathly ends and thst crap looks NASTYYY

AND FOR ME.. i feeli can always slap a weave/wig/fall/bun or whatever in on there so it doesnt bother me to much

 

[PaperClip]

If it truly is just hair, what difference does it make if someone cuts it off or not? (Of course, it depends on that person's goals.)
People who hold on to damage for length can chant the "I am not my hair" mantra too, no?

What difference does it make if someone cuts it off or not? The motivation of this thread is to provoke thought at the individual level, the lowest common denominator of behavior, if you will. Of course it makes no difference to me what any of y'all (us) does or does not do with your hair. I support free will with regard to the hair choices of ADULTS (and this thought would bear an entirely new thread).

People who hold on to damage for length? Well, I suppose that's similar to driving a person up to the door of the drug/alcohol rehabilitation facility and forcing him or her inside the door: the first step of recovery is to admit there is a problem....

Deuces!