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

[sareca]

I voted 'enough to get rid of damage' because that's exactly what I did. I cut off about 4-5 inches around this time last year and I don't regret it.

 

[PinkSkates]

You gotta get rid of the damaged ends. If you can't bare the pain of cutting it all off at once. Snip 1/4 inch at a time. I cut off a little over an inch this past summer and I'm so glad I did. I still retained length progress.

 

[gymfreak336]

IMO Shorter fuller healthy hair looks better than long nastly hair any day of the week so I would cut as much as it would take to get to a healthy point.

Now I have learned how to also not be so scissor happy because I do tend to get carried away. I am planning on triming close to an inch before March because I need to.

 

[ChanelNo5]

Okay guys, but what if the hair isn't exactly damaged but the ends are thinner as it gets longer.

My hair doesn't exactly look raggedy per se, however, frequenting this forum and seeing ends thick as a brick has caused me to do some compulsive trimming that may not have been necessary.

And right now I'm agonizing over whether or not cut 3 more inches. If I do that my hair will be have the same thickness consistency all over (I hope that makes sense). But will have literally set myself back a whole year and right now I just can't stomach it.

Should I hold on or let it go?

 

[dlewis]

Okay guys, but what if the hair isn't exactly damaged but the ends are thinner as it gets longer.

My hair doesn't exactly look raggedy per se, however, frequenting this forum and seeing ends thick as a brick has caused me to do some compulsive trimming that may not have been necessary.

And right now I'm agonizing over whether or not cut 3 more inches. If I do that my hair will be have the same thickness consistency all over (I hope that makes sense). But will have literally set myself back a whole year and right now I just can't stomach it.

Should I hold on or let it go?

I cut 2" of mine this weekend because I wanted more even hair. I'm so glad I did. Last month I cut about 1" off my pony tail. I'm doing another cut in March of next year, at least another 1". I should be where I want to be then.

If I were your I would cut in stages so that you don't feel like you're loosing all your hair at one time.

 

[kiesha8185]

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....)

Hmmm, this was the predicament I was in when I first joined this site. My ends were JACKED up (see siggy). But I never cut them off cuz I realized they were not damaging the rest of my hair. I didn't have any splits or extra breakage. After a while, they just started to look like layers (see avatar). Now I'm soooo thankful that I never cut my hair. I was able to keep my length without sacrificing the health of my hair.

HOWEVER, if I was in a situation where my ends were causing damage to the rest of my hair, I would cut it off without thinking twice. If I'm trying to achieve longer hair, I'd be shooting myself in the foot by keeping them, simply for length. I would cut off as much as I need to cut off, and just wear twists until my hair gets back to my desired length or something. Health before length will always be my theory when it comes to me and my hair. No questions asked.

 

[blackbarbie]

After I graduated from college I just decided to continue to grow my hair out and not cut again. I used to have this wonderful hairdresser in college that wet wrapped my hair each week and it was really healthy. I lost touch with her after college but I had another stylist that would rollerset it on the really small magnetic rollers each week.

Fast forward to a few years and I was rollersetting it myself each week. My hair was still long but I ran into the old stylist (from college) and went by her shop. I told her I was going to start coming back to her. She gave me an assessment of my hair and told me that although it was still long, it was all many lengths (due to me not properly detangling when rollersetting and snapping it off). She said because of my texture, it was hard to tell that unless you were all up in my head. Basically, even my stylist said the untrained eye couldn't tell all the different lengths. I was just anal b/c I was always used to a blunt cut. She suggested cutting it all one length to get a fresh start but said if I were afraid, she would do it in stages.

I told her to go for it. In February 1999, I went from BSL to chin length. Again, I am sure I could have left it like it was and maybe the shorter parts would have eventually caught up, but even if it were damaged, I still would have done that drastic of a cut. (besides, I was really enjoying the little short bob; was kind of sad that it grew back so fast!!)

BB

 

[Spongie Bloom]

for me cutting it wont be that big a deal i spent the best part of high school with a cute twa out of choice and when i grew out my hair to shoulder length i cut i all off to just 2 inches of natural hair in 2006 cause i wanted to start over ...if i had to do it again ...i could

 

[SouthernTease]

First, this would never happen to me.
but I voted enough to remove damage.

 

[leleepop]

When I first started my journey I would have, but now I wouldnt cut more that two inches while I am activly growing my hair out. So my answer for now is length.

 

[Lavendar]

I voted more than 5 inches because I just cut 6 inches this past May. I started my hair journey with bleached, extremely fragile hair. As it grew out, that hair at the ends was frizzy, dry, and couldn't hold a curl. It also began to break in little pieces and split. I was so afraid it would adversely affect all of the new healthy hair I had obtained, so I chopped. My hair is so much different now than before and I've almost grown it all back in less than a year. My hair is thicker than it's ever been and I no longer have see-through ends, even though my hair is extremely fine.

 

[PaperClip]

Wow.... I forgot I started this thread!

Carry on....

 

[Healthb4Length]

I cut my hair last week. I went from 1 inch away from BSL to above APL, I was sad at first, then I was Mad and now I've come to a place of acceptance. It's hard getting used to but I do love how soft and smooth my ends look. It makes a BIG difference, I can wear my hair up in a twistie or sloppy updo and my ends look good and healthy. So I say if you must cut the hair to achieve the health then go ahead. I won't be an easy decision but keeping those raggedy ends is just delaying the inevitable.

 

[thegirltolove]

I was looking at my hair today. I was hiding 'til Christmas, but I think I need to just give my hair some TLC. My hair grew a little past APL, but I just don't like the way it grew. The ends look nasty to me. Little bits were all over the place when I tried to flatiron.

I was holding on to length, but I don't want my hair to grow out looking all nasty and ratty. I will definitely cut....

...my vote is cut what is necessary to remove damage.

 

[*Luscious*Locked*Doc]

I just just did this 6 weeks ago cutting off almost 4 inches of SL hair because it was damaged, ugly, dry and breaking. This is the reason why I joined LHCF in the 1st place because I was tired of not knowing how to take care of my hair. When the stylist cut my hair I asked her what I should do to take care of it and she said I would have to come to her EVERY WEEK and she would do moisturizing and protein treatments....but when I went in the first place the relaxer cut and style came close to 95 without tip . I decided then and there I would learn how to take care of my own hair b/c A I don't have free time every week to be sitting around a beauty shop and I don't have funds like that I'm in school and on a budget. It was worth it IMO my hair has never looked better or been healthier b/c I'm finally interested in it's overall health rather than just the "appearance of good looking hair". If my hair is dry and breaking I know that I need to moisturize it more or I can come on this board and find support. When my NG is OOC I can ask on this board - I don't need to rush off to the salon because I know I can handle it myself...thanks to LHCF

 

[silverlotus]

I voted less than 5 inches. Even having to cut off 3 inches would make me cry. If the damage was that serious, I'd cut up to SL and then protective style until the rest grew out, trimming gradually. At this point, I cannot imagine doing anything to my hair that would require me to cut off more than 2 in or so.

 

[bronzephoenix]

I've bc'd to a twa twice already since 2009. Right now I'm at MBL and I know I'm getting ready to chop to SL. I know I could cut more than that if I wanted to completely remove all of the texturizer & restore my curl pattern. Im also experiencing a ton of shedding that has thinned my hair considerably. I don't want my ends scraggly when it grows back in. I chose more than 5" mainly because I really don't know what I want with my hair. Usually, I cut without a second thought... This time since I've been "actively growing", though the conscious decision to cut is much harder, I'll still do it.

Sent from my iPhone using LHCF

 

[Barbara]

Wow, this thread was idle for six years. Now it's back.

 

[PinkSunshine77]

I have a pretty face. I don't need to hide behind length. I chose to cut my hair in order to be natural. My hair will grow back and I in this situation, would cut all of the damaged hair off. Damaged length is no better than no length.

 

[Jewell]

I have cut my hair 3 times in the last 7 years off to TWA/faux hawk length (after transitioning to natural 2 separate times...faux hawk from nearly WL in Sept. 2007, TWA from NL in July 2008, TWA from nearly WL in Jan. 2011). About 2" on the sides and 4" in the top going back to the nape would characterize the faux hawk. If I had to let go of length due to damage, I would cut max 5". But I doubt I would do it all at once. Sometimes a small trim can allow one to get through the reparative phase without sacrificing all the length.

But one time a so-called friend sabotaged my hair by sneakily putting relaxer all on the ends of my hair. Previously relaxed hair. Hair came out in clumps in the sink. I went from MBL to above shoulder overnight because the damage was so severe...I went to a stylist and let her give me a layered bob. I actually had this chick (not the one who damaged my hair) openly state she was "happy" I had to cut my hair cuz her hair was now longer than mine. Gtfoh. But what does your hair look like now, honey? God don't like ugly!

So I have been there before. I've drastically cut my hair so much in the last 7 years that I dare not do anything damaging. I refuse to use heat or chemical color. I dust maybe twice a year if needed, and I'm on a personal journey to grow and never cut again, just to see what happens.