How often do you dust or seek and destroy?

[BlackMasterPiece]

I definitely agree with the difference between fine stranded folks and coarse heads like me. There is definitely a difference in how they need to be cared for, so long as someone is trimming according to their hairs actual needs and not just an arbitrary schedule they feel they're supposed to follow, they're on the right track. I trim like every 6 months to a year sometimes and I've exceeded MBL (avi's super old), so my hairs the longest its ever been as well, I say just listen to your hair

 

[Nonie]

I definitely agree with the difference between fine stranded folks and coarse heads like me. There is definitely a difference in how they need to be cared for, so long as someone is trimming according to their hairs actual needs and not just an arbitrary schedule they feel they're supposed to follow, they're on the right track. I trim like every 6 months to a year sometimes and I've exceeded MBL (avi's super old), so my hairs the longest its ever been as well, I say just listen to your hair

@BlackMasterPiece, how does one determine what their hair needs? Coz had I not started off with the "arbitrary schedule" then I'd have been stuck at SL for a few more years waiting too long...because I'm afraid to cut "too soon".

Does one have wait like I did to find out how long it takes for damage to cost them length (like how I found out that waiting 4 months to trim means losing 2 inches as opposed to trimming after 2 months where I can get away with trimming only 1/4 inch) and then after that sacrifice try 3 months and lose whatever again...and then work downward?

I ask, because I know that when I joined the forum, the idea that "trimming is unnecessary" sounded awesome, just as the idea "you don't have to trim as soon as 2 months sounds like the best news ever". But clearly as good as that sounded to my ears, it was not good advice FOR ME. I found the so-called "arbitrary schedule" that has worked for Brenda (www.blackwomenrejoice.com), for Wanakee, for Oprah (coz IIRC André her stylist uses the rule "trim every 6-8 weeks") and which is preached by many worked for me. And so IMO it's a good schedule to start with. And then if you're daring enough, wait another 2 weeks or so and see if you still like how your hair looks...and sorta decide then.

The reason I don't see the problem with the "arbitrary schedule" is if we grow 1/2 an inch a month and one decides to trim a little every 2 months, one can make that "little" whatever one wants. Even if one's hair wasn't damaged (which IMO is wishful thinking coz all organic matter will wear), you'd be losing a tiny fraction and retaining a lot more of stronger strands with no tear notches.

In two months, you grow about one inch of hair. Then you dust about 1/4 or so every 2 months. In a year, you'd retain 4.5 inches of nice thick strands. I bet many who wait longer to trim, end up chopping off more inches than the 1.5 inches you'd lose a year if you were on a 2 month-1/4 inch trimming schedule.

 

[IMFOCSD]

This thread has me rethinking some things lol. I think I will change dusting from every month to every 2months...hmm....we will see.

 

[manter26]

I search and destroy every day. I have my hair in large braids most of the time and I cut SSK when I feel them. I can only see the splits in the braids up front so I can't do all of them; but some I can kinda feel because the strand gets thicker at the bottom. I usually have 2-3 knots a day at most.

I trim every 3 months.

 

[Embyra]

I agree with blackmasterpiece 100% my hair is healthy grows and retains just fine without routine trimming just for the sake of it

If you trimmed your hair 8 weeks ago and then you go back to trim healthy unsplit ends i just dont see the point and never will its pointless to me and always will be

nor will i have to hack off several inches at the end of each year because my ends are so weathered

my relaxed hair here 5 months since trim



Uploaded with ImageShack.us




Uploaded with ImageShack.us

If my hair was combed out straight you would see my ends better but you get my point
If it was raggedy you would see that

 

[CurlsBazillion]

I hear all of your points and I agree with everyone's theory to a certain extent. Trimming on a schedule is good only if what you are trimming is split. For example, I dusted my ends yesterday and in some areas of my head I didn't need to cut at all while in others about 1/8-1/4 of an inch needed to go. I don't cut what looks good to me. Hopefully when I go to dust next month all of my hairs will be perfect but I am prepared to let the splits go if needed.

BTW the way I trim allows me to truly dust and not take more than whats needed and in some spots what gets trimmed is about 1/8 of an inch.

 

[Nonie]

I guess everyone is entitled to their opinion. But as I showed from the magnified pics of my own hair, just coz something LOOKS good, doesn't mean it is good. Plus what looks good to one, may not look good to the next person. Split ends don't stick around so that they always look like a fork. But you can tell when ends are beyond splits because instead of hair looking thick all the way to ends the hair sort of has spaces between strands as you get to the ends or strands become narrow if all the hair is together.

I LOVE when hair looks as full as topnotch1010's hair looks in this pic:

(Source of pic: http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showpost.php?p=12288116&postcount=8)

Anyway since we all have different standards of what is cute, what matters at the end of the day is that each person is happy with his or her hair. If you like it, I love it!

 

[LunadeMiel]

I do search and destroy daily (it's how I relax ). I trim quarterly.

 

[Khaiya]

Thanks to everyone that has contributed to this thread so far.

What i've learned: everyone's head has different needs, figure out what yours needs and do it.

I've been dusting whenever i think i need it, which to me is usually quarterly but now i'll watch my hair more carefully to see if i need to be doing it more or less.

 

[greenandchic]

I voted "not very often", but I'm learning I should do it more.

 

[greenandchic]

I rarely trim and it's not that big of a deal for my coarse strands *shrug* lol, I have some splits and ssk's in there but it's definitely not wreaking havoc on my entire strand. It definitely doesn't impact the way my styles come out either, that's just a matter of technique. If I was really on top of things though, I would dust no more then every 3-6 months and search and destroy in between.

I believe if you care for your ends properly, you can preserve their health and not have to trim/dust them repeatedly. Also if your dusting & trimming too often, you're definitely canceling out or severely limiting your yearly progress. I don't believe in trimming on a strict schedule just for the sake of it, I believe you should trim when its time for your specific head of hair, because the reality is, everyones ends weather differently. Also if your doing things properly you shouldn't need a trim after only 4-6 weeks your ends should be in good shape for at least 3-4 months.

I'm due for a trim, and I'll do it soon enough, when the wind strikes me lol but my hair looks full and healthy.

Sent from my iPhone using LHCF

@BlackMasterPiece

I wish that was the case with me. I mentioned in another thread last night that my hair just about the same length today as it was 9 months ago. That's with regular protective styling (only wore my hair out 3 times in that period), almost daily moisturizing, constantly sealing my ends, NO direct heat in 10 years - doing all the right things. I think what's holding me back is the lack of trimming. I have to come to terms with the fact that my hair is not like EllePixie or any other fast growing, coarse hair natural who's hair can take a bullet. I have to do much more if I want long hair.

 

[BlackMasterPiece]

greenandchic This thread is so eye-opening because I always thought you fine haired ladies had it easier in a way lol. You all can slick your hair back with just a little gel, easily do wash n go's at any length which I can't with my hair type (unless its in mini braids) but I guess fragility is the tradeoff. I will admit, I can do some pretty extreme things to my hair and it will just keep on truckin.

I transitioned before I started my HHJ or knew anything about the hair rules so I literally just did nothing but back to back presses and that was it! lol somehow I still attained BSL and I was still able to rock a perfectly round shrunken afro at will. Bulletproof is pretty accurate.

My HHJ has really shown me what a gift these rough coarse strands really are, still get on my nerves regularly though

 

[Aviah]

I rarely trim and it's not that big of a deal for my coarse strands *shrug* lol, I have some splits and ssk's in there but it's definitely not wreaking havoc on my entire strand. It definitely doesn't impact the way my styles come out either, that's just a matter of technique. If I was really on top of things though, I would dust no more then every 3-6 months and search and destroy in between.

I believe if you care for your ends properly, you can preserve their health and not have to trim/dust them repeatedly. Also if your dusting & trimming too often, you're definitely canceling out or severely limiting your yearly progress. I don't believe in trimming on a strict schedule just for the sake of it, I believe you should trim when its time for your specific head of hair, because the reality is, everyones ends weather differently. Also if your doing things properly you shouldn't need a trim after only 4-6 weeks your ends should be in good shape for at least 3-4 months.

I'm due for a trim, and I'll do it soon enough, when the wind strikes me lol but my hair looks full and healthy.

Sent from my iPhone using LHCF

Like you said, everyone's ends weather differently. My hair is fine and needs it more or less on 8 weeks. Not sure why that is, but no matter the religious DCing, no heat, wet bunning, PSing, they just don't hold up. Wish I could make them last longer but the bolded isn't true for everyone unfortunately.

ETA: Just saw your response we posted at the same time!

 

[greenandchic]

BlackMasterPiece - LOL! You take the good, you take the bad. I wish I could highlight my hair or lighten the front, but that just wont fly with my hair. It will be a big deal with a do a blow out sometime this spring or summer. :yes:

The good news is, yes, I can do a WnG, but I still need to watch the ends, but all I need is a little pomade to slick it back and its a go.

 

[Meritamen]

I do an actual trim about every 5 months but dust in-between on no set schedule. If I see a knot or a split end while braiding or playing with my hair I simply cut it. There's no method to the madness really. When all my hair is long enough to see without becoming cross-eyed I will probably dust more regularly instead of trimming.

 

[abcd09]

I guess everyone is entitled to their opinion. But as I showed from the magnified pics of my own hair, just coz something LOOKS good, doesn't mean it is good. Plus what looks good to one, may not look good to the next person. Split ends don't stick around so that they always look like a fork. But you can tell when ends are beyond splits because instead of hair looking thick all the way to ends the hair sort of has spaces between strands as you get to the ends or strands become narrow if all the hair is together.

I LOVE when hair looks as full as @topnotch1010's hair looks in this pic:

(Source of pic: http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showpost.php?p=12288116&postcount=8)

Anyway since we all have different standards of what is cute, what matters at the end of the day is that each person is happy with his or her hair. If you like it, I love it!

Beautiful hair, but the reason why her ends look thick is because her strands are thick too. Hair that looks like this would be impossible for fine haired women no matter how many trims or years of PSing and no heat they do. I do agree with your point, but if your hair will never look like this, may as well be happy about it regardless and grow it.

 

[SerenavanderWoodsen]

Beautiful hair, but the reason why her ends look thick is because her strands are thick too. Hair that looks like this would be impossible for fine haired women no matter how many trims or years of PSing and no heat they do. I do agree with your point, but if your hair will never look like this, may as well be happy about it regardless and grow it.

I have fairly fine hair that once past bsl gets thin looking at the ends. If my hair were that length it would look thick too so that's no feat to me even as a fine haired person lol. Right now I am past waist and my ends are shamefully thin and it seems no matter how many times I trim they get thin again once they get past mid back or so...

 

[kinkycurlygurl]

I don't dust. I just S&D as needed. Usually less than once a month, it works for me because I never wear my hair straightened so I don't have hemline issues.

 

[greenandchic]

Nonie Aviah abcd09

I dusted last night and my hair looks so much better as a result. I only took off about ___ from each tiny section. How I trim is I do it in conjunction with DC so that I have a lot of control and can detangle at the same time. I think I will do this about every 8 weeks and see what happens...

 

[Nonie]

Beautiful hair, but the reason why her ends look thick is because her strands are thick too. Hair that looks like this would be impossible for fine haired women no matter how many trims or years of PSing and no heat they do. I do agree with your point, but if your hair will never look like this, may as well be happy about it regardless and grow it.

@abcd09, I beg to disagree. I think you think that because coarse strands are more durable so yes that hair can be abused a lot and still it looks good and full even when they have damage. But fine hair can look full. Allow me to introduce to you @PJaye who not only has fine strands but also says she has low density so surely she should have sparse looking hair, right? NOT! And that's with hair that is way longer than that posted so far:

Exhibit 1

Another person with nice full ends is @cutiepiebabygirl whose hair you can see in her avi:

Exhibit 2

@Pokahontas is another fine-haired lady whose hair should be looking really stringy by now coz she's just about at tail-bone or booty crack length and we all know that fine strands break when you just look at them, but thanks to her regular dusting, her hair is holding on and looking thicker than that of many of us at shorter lengths. :notworthy

Exhibit 3

So yeah, hair while each hair texture has different needs, with fine strands needing more TLC than coarse, if you stay on top of the needs of what you have, you too can have fullness.

 

[Miss AJ]

To keep from needing major trims, I dust every other month. Going any longer than that will mean losing length and I've been there, done that, got the T-shirt.

 

[Evolving78]

i dust every 8 weeks and i take off 1/8-1/4 inch. i have fine hair. i dont get splits, but my ends will look beat up, withered. i have fine hair too.

 

[PJaye]

Nonie is correct - having slow-growing, low density, fragile, fine strands is definitely no picnic (my hair is as frail as an 80-year-old’s hip), but I credit my ability to “perpetrate a fraud” to regular sealing from root to tip with castor oil. I don’t S&D because…I have no idea what that is ; I also don’t trim very often (my last trims were in January 2012 and May 2011).

BTW, BlackMasterPiece, I’ve been waiting patiently for a hair update from you, Madame. Methinks thou art overdue.

 

[CurlsBazillion]

Its hard out here for a fine haired lady smh. I'm going to keep using protein twice monthly and dusting monthly until I see that my hair doesn't need it as often. If I only trim 1/8 in monthly with a growth rate of 1/2 in per month I will retain 4 1/2 inches in a year. If I could stand to to do it every other month I would retain 5 1/4 inches in a year. I'm ok with either way because I'm still retaining. If I ever make it to my goal of WL and I have thin looking but healthy ends I'm ok with that.

 

[GaiasDaughter24]

Yup. Having fine hair is HARD. I just finger detangled for the first time today because I think my hair is breaking excessively from the comb. I also have to do hardcore protein every 4 weeks and aphogee 2 step every week. My strands are so weak.

 

[lamaria211]

Not often ive trimmed maybe 4 times since my bc in 2010

 

[abcd09]

If they make a pill to make hair thicker, I'll do the trial run.

 

[CurlsBazillion]

^^^yessss!!

 

[cutiepiebabygirl]

@abcd09, I beg to disagree. I think you think that because coarse strands are more durable so yes that hair can be abused a lot and still it looks good and full even when they have damage. But fine hair can look full. Allow me to introduce to you @PJaye who not only has fine strands but also says she has low density so surely she should have sparse looking hair, right? NOT! And that's with hair that is way longer than that posted so far:

Exhibit 1

Another person with nice full ends is @cutiepiebabygirl whose hair you can see in her avi:

Exhibit 2

@Pokahontas is another fine-haired lady whose hair should be looking really stringy by now coz she's just about at tail-bone or booty crack length and we all know that fine strands break when you just look at them, but thanks to her regular dusting, her hair is holding on and looking thicker than that of many of us at shorter lengths. :notworthy

Exhibit 3

So yeah, hair while each hair texture has different needs, with fine strands needing more TLC than coarse, if you stay on top of the needs of what you have, you too can have fullness.

I haven't been in the hair forum in ages...LOL

But ITA with Nonie, it is very possible. My avi picture is from December 2010, I'm WL now and my ends look the same. And I'm not a freak of nature fine haired girl!! I have all the same struggles.

I have to be extra careful about heat usage, I cut every relaxer now that I've reached my goal to maintain those fresh ends. My hair is extremely tangly!!!! I can do moderate protein, but hardcore protein scares my hair still.

Honestly, even though I'm relaxed, my hair acts like it's natural. All my haircare tips, I steal from natural ladies, they help with my fine hair the most.

I co-wash every 2-3 days, I detangle with the Magic rack comb. I only use seamless combs. I do catnip rinses 2x a week, steam twice a week, and do an ACV rinse once a week. I airdry in two large braids. I pineapple my hair at night in my silk scarf with the ends tucked, because if it's loose in the scarf/bonnet, my ends suffer.

So yeah more work involved...but the same result .

 

[Vshanell]

@BlackMasterPiece

I wish that was the case with me. I mentioned in another thread last night that my hair just about the same length today as it was 9 months ago. That's with regular protective styling (only wore my hair out 3 times in that period), almost daily moisturizing, constantly sealing my ends, NO direct heat in 10 years - doing all the right things. I think what's holding me back is the lack of trimming. I have to come to terms with the fact that my hair is not like EllePixie or any other fast growing, coarse hair natural who's hair can take a bullet. I have to do much more if I want long hair.

greenandchic I think fine hair needs to be trimmed more frequently. Definitely try more frequent dustings and I feel like you will retain more length.

I've told this story here before but i have fine hair and before hair boards I was scared to trim. I had a decent length but my hair never budged in length for like years. Well people kept telling me i needed to trim (ends looked fried) and I finally decided to do it but still scared. I taught my mom to do a basic trim and let her dust (I thought it was a trim then but it was so little hair that now I know it was a dusting) my hair like every 3-4 months. With that tiny amount of hair being trimmed in a short time I started to retain! I was still scared to trim much but I kept letting her dust and I saw new lengths. Then I found hair boards and I learned to care for my hair and wasn't so scared of trims....my hair really took off then. I still dust and S&D regularly so I can retain and not have set backs.