Trimming my ends

[laurend085]

I am feeling really anxious and needing to trim my ends. I don't know what constitutes when you "need" a trim but I feel I do. I have brought scissors to my own head but think that's the best option. Currently my hair is in two strand twists which I plan to keep in at least another week (pic below). I can't find what I'm looking on exactly how to do it and how much to take off. Can I trim on dry two strand twists? How do you know how much to take off each one?

 

[Missjae09]

"Needing" a trim is when you have split ends and knots and or weathered or "thin-looking" ends. Generally I know its time for a trim when I notice more than a few strands with the symptoms I mentioned above. The amount you take of is soley up to the needs of your hair. Some people will trim a quarter of an inch while others feel they may need to trim 1-3 inches. Trimming as with everything else in this hair journey is about paying attention to your hair and giving it what is needed.

 

[laurend085]

To me I feel like I need one because when I flat iron my ends will be straight but will feel rough and not look as silky as the rest of my hair and look kinda poofy. It's hard to explain. They're not dry I moisturize and dc as needed

 

[kittenz]

Yes you can trim your twist as is. Take the same small amount off each twist. Later if you feel like you didn't trim enough do it again. Taking a small amount off each time.

 

[Nonie]

Yes you can trim your twist as is. Take the same small amount off each twist. Later if you feel like you didn't trim enough do it again. Taking a small amount off each time.

I agree with kittenz.

laurend085, if you WAIT to see splits, you've waited too long. The smart thing is to dust before you can see them. So depending on how long it's been since you last dusted, you may need to take off more this time and then if you do it say every 2 months, you can get away with taking off a little. Kittenz advice is good. Take off just as small as you are comfortable with. If you've removed the bad ends, your hair should behave very well. No tangles or SSKs at the ends and no dry ends. And if you start to keep up with dusting, you'll find you'll always have good ends. Some people figure out what their "safe schedule" is depending on how their hair behaves. You may just go with the 2 month suggestion or wait a while and see if you can wait 3. If your hair starts acting funny after you miss 2 months, then you know that you can't wait that long and you know that 2 months is the threshold when your ends are beginning to get out of hand.

There are people who didn't believe in dusting regularly until they tried it and not only has their hair thrived, but they have also found that the amount of hair they take off a year is so much less than what they had to take off when they waited for long. Dusting should be a preventative/maintenance measure, not a corrective/curative measure.

No one has hair of steel that can go day-in, day-out without splits. They may be minuscule but doesn't mean they aren't there. Folks with coarse strands may be able to go longer w/o needing to dust than those with fine strands, but if you don't catch the splits when they are tiny, you'll have to pay for that by loss of length when a trim become a necessary step to save your hair from further breakage.

 

[kittenz]

Nonie I learned it from you. I just decided to tell her myself instead of tagging you for the 50-11th time. Thanks for co-signing your own advice

 

[Nonie]

kittenz I'm pleased you gave my suggestions a chance and that they worked for you. I'll be tagging you to preach on this from now on because you're able to be concise and not put people to sleep with an endless ramble.

 

[laurend085]

Thanks for the advice I will keep it in mind when I do my 1st trim!