Those Who Don't Trim...

[DominicanBrazilian82]

This is for my ladies who have retained length without snipping. I'm curious what methods you're using to keep your hair from breaking, splitting and having raggedy ends.

I started my HHJ in June 2012 and haven't trimmed since April 2011 (more like a deep trim/cut). I've never been a consistent trimmer; however, I know that some people retain more with frequent trims.

I always say that I will trim at the end of my next 20 week stretch (twice now); but I hate the idea of losing my progress. I set on magnetics weekly and I never use direct heat on my ends (except for a recent two week period where I had to quickly obtain a sleek, straight style without the time to set and dry).

So ladies who have retained without trimming, please share your secrets. TIA

 

[SunySydeofLyfe]

I think Cathy Howse advocates no trimming and from reading the feedback here...it was brutal. I've trimmed because of the random growth of my hair in the past. I'm choosing not to now because that's how my hair grows and I'm not a fan of a blunt line. I think if you take care of your ends, minimize heat you should only need to trim by choice. I'm not long haired per se but I'm keeping all mine unless i notice splitting.

Suny

 

[hillytmj]

I've done it both ways - grown to WL with regular trims and grown it to WL again without trims. I too am an avid rollersetter, rarely use direct heat, moisturize/seal, etc. You can grow without trims, but the bigger question is how do you want your hair and ends to look?

For me, doing the regular trims and dustings gave me a more desireable look - fullness and thickness throughout with healthy ends. Without trims, I hit my length goal but my ends were thinner and flyaway, despite me PS'ing and doing all the right stuff.

Here are two pics to show what I mean:

WL with trims


WL without trims

After trying it both ways, my philosophy on trimming/dusting is that it's like pruning a tree. Left unpruned, it will grow but be wild, while pruning makes the tree look fuller and consistent throughout. I've trimmed since the second pic, and anticipate being health WL again in no time.

This is only my experience; others may feel differently.

Hope this helps!

 

[rririla]

[USER][/USER]hillytmj....I am scraping wsl now, but my ends look like yours in the second pic....I haven't trimmed in about a year and a half, but still managed to grow albeit slowly. My question is did you do a major cut to get your ends back to the way the first pic looks, or can I wait a lil while longer and then just start dusting when I reach full wsl?....to even out my ends and make them fuller? I love both pics, but your ends are amazing in the first pic!!!!

 

[Nonie]

DominicanBrazilian82, here is a thread you may find informative: http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=529819

 

[koolkittychick]

Non-trimmer here. I haven't had a trim since Ocotber 2012, and how I've been keeping my ends from snapping off is by moisturizing and sealing, using no heat on them and basically keeping them up and off my clothes 90% of the time. They are no longer blunt, but that is fine for me, since I like a more natural looking hemline. I just do what it takes to try to keep them from looking broken off and anemic. Once I get past WL, I will see if I want to trim it back to a more blunt hemline.

 

[hillytmj]

@hillytmj....I am scraping wsl now, but my ends look like yours in the second pic....I haven't trimmed in about a year and a half, but still managed to grow albeit slowly. My question is did you do a major cut to get your ends back to the way the first pic looks, or can I wait a lil while longer and then just start dusting when I reach full wsl?....to even out my ends and make them fuller? I love both pics, but your ends are amazing in the first pic!!!!

Thanks, @rririla. The good news is no, you don't have to do a major chop all at once. What I've done recently, and in the past, are mini trims, and I recommend doing them yourself if you can. A mini trim can be a 1/2 to an inch, depending on how frequently you plan to do them and how much hair you can stand to lose. After you do these on a regular cycle, you'll see how little hair that is. I think you'll also be surprised to see quickly your hair grows back.

As you start getting comfortable with the mini trims, you may decide to do 1.5 or 2 inches, depending on how quickly your hair grows back. But in the end, the amount is always up to you. That's why I strongly recommend doing it yourself versus letting a stylist decide how much you should trim. Nine times out of ten, it will be much more than you anticipated. I would also use a measuring tape or ruler to ensure that you're not cutting off more than you desire.

As far as starting now or once you reach WL, I would make that decision based on what you can handle emotionally. I'm not being dramatic, but I know how upsetting it can be to feel like you're losing progress. You're not that far from your goal, so if you decide to wait till you reach it, promise yourself that you'll start the mini trims once you get there. If you do, in the end, I think you'll have better retention and get the look you are seeking.

Best wishes to you.

 

[Jewell]

I haven't trimmed in over a year, and last June I only got 1/2" taken off due to SSK's. I just m&s my ends at least once a day, and I protective style a lot. I stopped roller setting using magnetic rollers years ago...they caused broken hairs so I have been air drying for years. And at one point, I was an avid roller setter. I had it down but eventhough my hair was healthy, it became too much work.

I only get splits when I use direct heat like flat irons or curling irons heavily, and that never happens...or if I go months without protective styling somewhat. I found 1 single split during my last s&d session in over a year of no trims, so I'm very pleased. No need for trims here.

I took a good look at my ends a few weeks ago, and there is a 2-3" portion in the middle that is a bit longer than the rest, but these ends themselves are blunt...like a shelf below the rest of the hair if you can imagine. So they aren't flyaway or thin, just longer than the rest. I'd rather not lose length over some hairs in the back middle of my head that grow faster. For me, that is not reason enough to trim. It looks pretty good worn down...like hillytmj's first pic but just in a gradual U shape.

So I just keep the ends moist and protected. It will be several years before I trim again...more like 5-7 years as I just don't see the need unless damage is present or I decide to maintain at a certain length, OR I need to change my hemline. Fairy tale ends (a naturally tapering hemline) have grown on me and I don't remotely foresee a trim to even things up for a LONG time. I also condition my hair a whole lot. I use conditioner 80% of the time, and shampoo about 20% in a given month.

The lead hairs grow longer then the rest catches up. Chicoro talks a lot about the lead hair theory. Longhaircommunity.com is full of women with uber long hair who don't trim and have healthy hair. There is even a "No Trimming Club" since trimming does NOT make hair grow faster.

 

[Ivonnovi]

I initially read the title as "Those Who Don't "Rim""



I need to stay out of the controversial threads....

 

[rririla]

[USER][/USER]hillytmj...Thank you very much for the advice, very well spoken I might add....I think I will wait until I reach full waist length and then begin the mini trims.

Also you weren't being dramatic, the thought of trimming makes my skin crawl lol, and I HATE to lose a drop of my hair...takes too long to grow.lol....but I appreciate the advice and hopefully I won't be too chicken to trim once I reach my goal...

Ur hair is inspiration however....I will keep the masses posted!!!

 

[LaVgirl]

I don't trim/cut. Besides the trim I gave my two straightened ponytails at around 13 or 14 (a good 4 years ago) with my little craft scissors lol. I don't have perfect ends, of course, but trimming isn't necessary for MY hair growth. I think it helps that I am a protective styling fanatic. On just about any day of the week, you'll catch me with my hair in frizzy (but well moisturized) chunky twists drawn into a bun. My hair is rarely straight and even when it is, I don't mind tapered ends at all so...