Ladies that don't trim until hair goal.. PROS VS. CONS

[PrettyBlackHair]

I wish I could do this for more than 6 months without getting worried but for some reason its just hard for me to really tell I have split ends unless i somehow stare at every stranderplexed. How can you guys really tell you have split ends without staring at every one?

 

[aloof one]

I wish I could do this for more than 6 months without getting worried but for some reason its just hard for me to really tell I have split ends unless i somehow stare at every stranderplexed. How can you guys really tell you have split ends without staring at every one?

Everyone has split ends somewhere. It is impossible to get rid of all of them. However, if you leave them unattended long enough (not using products to smooth and protect them or trimming them away) they could very well start to break off in uneven spots, making your ends of your hair look uneven, see through, scraggly, and undesirable.

You will be able to tell when your ends just feel off on the ends--- like they catch on things they normally wouldnt, snap-crackle-n-pop when you comb or run your fingers through them, and your hair doesn't lay completely flat when straight (not quite flyaways, but a bunch of bits and pieces sticking out of your hair that are broken off the strand)

 

[sexyeyes3616]

Everyone has split ends somewhere. It is impossible to get rid of all of them. However, if you leave them unattended long enough (not using products to smooth and protect them or trimming them away) they could very well start to break off in uneven spots, making your ends of your hair look uneven, see through, scraggly, and undesirable.

You will be able to tell when your ends just feel off on the ends--- like they catch on things they normally wouldnt, snap-crackle-n-pop when you comb or run your fingers through them, and your hair doesn't lay completely flat when straight (not quite flyaways, but a bunch of bits and pieces sticking out of your hair that are broken off the strand)

Good advice you are very knowledgeable about split ends.

 

[Amarech]

I trim now because I'm nursing my hair back to health. Before it broke off I only trimmed during touch ups.

 

[PrettyBlackHair]

Everyone has split ends somewhere. It is impossible to get rid of all of them. However, if you leave them unattended long enough (not using products to smooth and protect them or trimming them away) they could very well start to break off in uneven spots, making your ends of your hair look uneven, see through, scraggly, and undesirable.

You will be able to tell when your ends just feel off on the ends--- like they catch on things they normally wouldnt, snap-crackle-n-pop when you comb or run your fingers through them, and your hair doesn't lay completely flat when straight (not quite flyaways, but a bunch of bits and pieces sticking out of your hair that are broken off the strand)

Thanx for the advice! But the only time i see hairs sticking out is when i braid my hair in four braids at night. My hair is layered, but could this mean i have split ends or is this normal?

 

[aloof one]

Thanx for the advice! But the only time i see hairs sticking out is when i braid my hair in four braids at night. My hair is layered, but could this mean i have split ends or is this normal?

That's usually just some hairs shorter than others, most likely the layers or just a little breakage. You shouldn't trim them off or anything, especially in braids, that is normal.

A lot of people find that if they do have split ends, they can use products formulated to smooth them down so they do not split anymore. You don't HAVE to trim, but if your ends are damaged enough to where close to half or more of your ends are split, I think it is a good idea to consider trimming. But then again, it just sounds like its just the layers that make your ends look different

 

[sareca]

Off topic: Your November update in your sig is fabulous!!!

:blush3: Thanks

 

[cmw45]

Hmmm...I have trimmed in five months and I've found only one two pros and one con:

Pros: 1) I get to SEE the length as it progresses which keeps me honest and working hard... 2) my raggady ends prevent my good ends...the ends I will have once I trim protected...

Cons: My ends are tangling which mean STRECHING of the hair...which is very bad and unecessary breakage as I try to detangle.

I think the con outweighs both the pros because it sets back my hair growth! So, I think I will be trimming once I take my twists out.

 

[br0wney3z]

OT a bit ...ummm for those of you who do trim on a 'regular' basis and not just when you reach your gaol, how do you know its time to trim. I am currently 6 weeks post, and usually around this time my ends start looking extra dry, frazzled and thin like I need to get about 1.5 inches trimmed. I didn't get a trim last time I relaxed (to the utter dismay of my stylist), but I did get one back in August. I keep my hair up and hidden 95% of the time so I don't really have many split ends, and the ones I do see when I do a weekly check, I trim. I really don't want to get a trim from a stylist, lest she chop off more than I want her to, but I am just not sure....any advice? When is the best time (post relaxer) to decide if/when you need a trim

 

[brittanynic16]

I really want to try not to trim until May or even until the end of 08. I hope I can make it. I really want to reach my goal already!

 

[bLackButtaFly]

I usually trim very infrequently, and usually not before i reach a goal. I'm natural and usually wear curly styles, so it's not as big of a deal for me to have some splits. But I used to do the same thing when I was relaxed. When I do straighten I'll do a search and destroy. My next serious trim will probably be in mid 2008 around my birthday by then I should be safely at bsl so I won't mind taking an inch off.

 

[PinkPebbles]

When I first got on this board, I tried the 6 months no trim thing. I deep conditioned, laid off the heat and my hair looked A HOT MESS within six months. I actually had better looking hair BEFORE taking that advice.

Now I've learned my lesson and I do my own trims when needed. I can tell it's needed because my ends will look frayed, frizzy or have visible splits. My hair doesn't split all the way to the root, I don't believe that's possible. But it will split in various places and you end up with fried looking hair.

I actually took this advice from Cathy Howse. I tried it twice for 12 months and each time my hair looked a hot mess. I had to get a major cut twice and start all over again. I've finally learned my lesson. After each touch up (3 months) I do the seek and destroy method. My hair has been looking so much healthier and thriving. In my experience split ends cause breakage.

 

[crazydaze911]

I went to the salon two weeks ago and I asked for a trim and she cut my "V" off to a blunt cut. I was really disgusted when I left because I went from midback to brastrap. I don't think I'm getting a trim for a long time.

this happened to me too and i went from bra strap to alittle above APL in seconds. i was soooooooooooooooo upset. This was almost 3 years ago and i still havent recovered. i continued to have trims every three months (which i THOUGHT was a long enough interval) up until December 06 when i realized i wasnt gaining any length. My hair is STILL not back to brastrap length and its so discouraging. My last trim was 6 months ago and i think i might just wait till i reach a goal to trim again. I have yet to meet a stylist who trims 1/4 inch and when i've tried trimming myself, i do it in sections and end up trimming too much as well b/c i'm not seeing 'the big picture'.

 

[aloof one]

this happened to me too and i went from bra strap to alittle above APL in seconds. i was soooooooooooooooo upset. This was almost 3 years ago and i still havent recovered. i continued to have trims every three months (which i THOUGHT was a long enough interval) up until December 06 when i realized i wasnt gaining any length. My hair is STILL not back to brastrap length and its so discouraging. My last trim was 6 months ago and i think i might just wait till i reach a goal to trim again. I have yet to meet a stylist who trims 1/4 inch and when i've tried trimming myself, i do it in sections and end up trimming too much as well b/c i'm not seeing 'the big picture'.

I thought trims were only 1/4-1/2 in, how much was she taking off? If she was waiting every 3 months to trim you would have probably only gained 1.5 inches. So if she was chopping more than an inch she was probably hacking off all your progress I do trim every 2 months, but I only take off 1/4-- have you tried letting a friend help you trim?

 

[EMJazzy]

I do the seek and destroy method, there will be NO serious trimming til I surpass my goal. My wash n' go hides a lot of the uneveness I'm sure is there.

 

[crazydaze911]

I thought trims were only 1/4-1/2 in, how much was she taking off? If she was waiting every 3 months to trim you would have probably only gained 1.5 inches. So if she was chopping more than an inch she was probably hacking off all your progress I do trim every 2 months, but I only take off 1/4-- have you tried letting a friend help you trim?

I heard u should only trust 'long haired friends' to trim - dont have many besides you guys - . The ones i do have, have 'easy' hair and wouldnt understand slow growth and shrinkage, etc.
Ive had so many baaaaaaaaaad trimming experiences, i guess im scared someone will make a mistake that cant be undone. after 3 years trying to get back to BSL and not succeeding, that 'its just hair, it will grow back' excuse just isnt convincing me anymore - lol.

 

[aloof one]

I heard u should only trust 'long haired friends' to trim - dont have many besides you guys - . The ones i do have, have 'easy' hair and wouldnt understand slow growth and shrinkage, etc.
Ive had so many baaaaaaaaaad trimming experiences, i guess im scared someone will make a mistake that cant be undone. after 3 years trying to get back to BSL and not succeeding, that 'its just hair, it will grow back' excuse just isnt convincing me anymore - lol.

I wanna send some thungs to beat that stylist up for chopping off your hair for so long. You know she was just jealous and wanted you to think she was helping

I know its redundant, but I promise you, it will grow back. I guess that is smart not to trust people who can't grow their hair to take care of yours. I think for you it would be a good idea to point to EXACTLY where you want them to trim, and then profusely explain to them that you want nothing more and nothing less taken off. When I started cutting my own hair, I only took off 1/4 in. no matter what--- I did this every two months, and I would notice that even though I was trimming, I was getting about 3/4 an in. every 2 months. That is how I survived without a significant big trim or haircut and made it from neck length down to shoulder length, and that is how I plan to make it back to APL.

 

[fluffylocks]

I thought i posted in here already....

I didnt know what split ends were for my entire first year of haircare, i thought they were just uneven frizzy ends---i thought i didnt have any because my ends were staying blunt from my first initial trim i had at the start of my haircare journey.

In reality i did of course develop splits over the course of a year and i probally already had some from before i knew anything about hair, some traveled up the middle of my hair in a slanted way, making some hair strands break in the middle, or be very light, weak, and thin on the ends---some hair strands developed splits in various spots of my hair or traveled up there, some of them had multiple splits from the middle to the bottom ect. ect.
It made my hair look thin, it was weak, it broke easy---just horrible.

It ened up making my little hair journey here much more difficult and longer. My hair got cut in layers of eye, ear, and neck. Which imo makes your hair grow much slower (layers), and still makes your hair look thin. So now i have an entire extra year added on before all of my hair can be the same length.


Now that i know how bad things can get if you dont trim---i make it a point to do so. I know it will never get like that again because i have healthy hair now to begin with and i know what splits are, but just the thought of what they can do *shudder*

 

[crazydaze911]

I wanna send some thungs to beat that stylist up for chopping off your hair for so long. You know she was just jealous and wanted you to think she was helping

I know its redundant, but I promise you, it will grow back. I guess that is smart not to trust people who can't grow their hair to take care of yours. I think for you it would be a good idea to point to EXACTLY where you want them to trim, and then profusely explain to them that you want nothing more and nothing less taken off. When I started cutting my own hair, I only took off 1/4 in. no matter what--- I did this every two months, and I would notice that even though I was trimming, I was getting about 3/4 an in. every 2 months. That is how I survived without a significant big trim or haircut and made it from neck length down to shoulder length, and that is how I plan to make it back to APL.

Thanks for the sympathy - ur a sweetheart!

 

[kuwait]

I'm against trimming. I noticed when i trimmed my ends over a month ago, they look worse! I will no longer trim until i reach my goal of bra strap length.

 

[prospurr4]

I'm doing a personal, one-year no-trimming challenge. It's been 5 months since my last trim, and I'm not going to trim again for at least another 7, when I expect to reach waistlength.

I really "baby" my hair, and as a result, hardly ever see a split end. I never use direct heat, moisturize my ends twice/day, never use a brush, and comb ONLY with a Jilbere shower comb, once/week, on wet, conditioned hair. When dry, I finger-comb only.

My hair is a little uneven, but that's no problem for me because I wear mostly updos and curly styles anyway. When I do decide to trim, I will get a "trusted" family member to do it.

 

[MariposaSexyGirl]

I think in order to be able to go along time without trimming you have to start off with heallthy ends. You can't just start with straggly ends and expect to have spilt end free damage free hair.Especially if you manipulate your hair alot.

 

[Moroni]

I actually started taking care of my hair AFTER a 4 to 5 inch trim because my ends had gotten so ragged (results in my avi). I refused trims from the stylist, because I noticed that after 4 years I had retained NO length, although my hair looked healthy.

Now, after having my hair damaged at the salon, I've GOT to include regular trims (1/2 in. every 2-3 months) to get rid of the burnt ends, because I do not want to do a BC. Once I reach 3 inches past my goal, I'll trim those 3 inches off, and have healthy blunt ends. CAN'T WAIT!!!

The PROS for not trimming until goal, though, is to retain length. Dusting can keep the splits away just as effectively IMO.

 

[tess1913]

I really think it's a personal preference if have scraggly ends but longer hair doesn't bother you kep them. But if you are a person the wants to have an blunt cut with clean looking ends trim your hair. It's all person preference....

 

[sylver2]

havent trimmed in over a year, probably longer...don't even remember. nothing bad happened..lol

 

[SouthernTease]

I haven't trimmed in 9 months...
I'm paranoid about my ends though.
Some people have ends that looked chewed
up and need to get them trimmed off...
I think if you protect them... there's
no earthly reason to ever get a trim unless you
just want super even ends or a new style. My ends are still
pretty even. I'm not trimming until April 2008...
maybe not even then... but that's my first goal.

 

[aloof one]

I think in order to be able to go along time without trimming you have to start off with heallthy ends. You can't just start with straggly ends and expect to have spilt end free damage free hair.Especially if you manipulate your hair alot.

I completely agree. Now that i have good ends I plan to keep them. I even started the whole baggying thing like 5 minutes ago to do just that erplexed.. guess I can't make fun of it anymore lol. Walkin around with a sandwich bag on my head and lettin my soul glo with some S-Curl... I don't expect to NEED to trim, but if I see one split end I'll trim off my 1/4 inches just to be safe in February.

 

[Lucia]

I'm following Chicoro's method and I haven't had a real cut in a long time and it's working for me. I just do S&D myself so I take very little off just the split part, I won't cut until I'm well passed my goal because I already know they'll blunt the ends and take away my progress, oh no not me.

 

[MariposaSexyGirl]

I completely agree. Now that i have good ends I plan to keep them. I even started the whole baggying thing like 5 minutes ago to do just that erplexed.. guess I can't make fun of it anymore lol. Walkin around with a sandwich bag on my head and lettin my soul glo with some S-Curl... I don't expect to NEED to trim, but if I see one split end I'll trim off my 1/4 inches just to be safe in February.

You crazy. I think I changed my mind about dusting at my next relaxer. My ends don't look bad. I was going to relapse yesterday and I was planning to cut hair that wasn't even damaged.But a couple of people stopped me.

 

[nymane]

nice thread