The best trimming method for length retention?

[MiamiChic]

What is your best method for trimming your hair in which helped you retain length?

Do you stretch trims and cut at certain times of the year?
Do you search and destroy?
Do you cut whenever your ends start looking "raggedy"?

 

[Kaitlynrs91]

Every 3 months I do mini twists and if the ends are frayed and raggedy I snip them off so I can have nice fully coiled twists. I rarely straighten my hair so complete evenness doesn't really bother me

 

[Bun Mistress]

I just trim when I need to, this can be every 4 to 6 months. Now I have always been a low mani protrective styling woman. I look at my ends and see if trimming is needed and I don't let knots bother me too much.

 

[Bunnyhaslonghair]

I try to trim about every two months.

 

[Prettymetty]

I trim once a year usually in the fall. I trimmed last October so I am due for a trim this month. I retain about 4 inches a year and my growth rate is about 1/3 inch per month.

 

[MiamiChic]

Thanks ladies!

 

[ChocolatePie777]

Always search and destroy. ..if you see it snip it...keep a pair or scissors around when you are doing ur hair always and just around the house in general...I have to trim much less by doing this and my ends are not thin all

dustings happen sporadically.....usually every two months but ive gone 4-6 months

 

[NaturalBritt87]

I trim my hair when my ends no longer feel smooth and I have this thin "tail" at the end of my two-strand twists. I always twist my hair to trim, and I make my twists small and try to grab an even amount of hair. I snip off the "tail" of the twist to reveal a nice plump, twist. I usually end up taking off maybe a 1/8". I try to trim every 3-5 months, no longer than 6 months, but this time frame is solely dependent of how my hair feels or if I notice that my hair seems to tangle easier than normal or is no longer retaining moisture like it used to.

 

[missyrayne19]

I dust every time I use direct heat. For me, that's twice a stretch or roughly every 6 weeks or so. Not sure why I started doing this but it's worked really well for me. Up until my June touch up, I hadn't had a real "cut" for two years. Dusting is all I really need in my life, just so long as I keep up with my regimen.

 

[Dee Raven]

I trim every 4 - 6 months. I used to do search and destroy, but I just didn't feel like it was helping. Maybe others had better experiences with it.

 

[DarkJoy]

Dust once a month. Seek and destroy randomly as necessary for ssk only

 

[ElevatedEnergy]

I don't search and destroy...my ends always remain fairly healthy from roller sets as they keep them smooth & moisturized. I've been trimming annually for the past few years....but will move it up to every 6 months once I hit hip length to get rid of the last of my relaxer, then back to annually I'll go.

My trimming method is doing a ponytail roller set to stretch the roots as much as possible, then trimming 1/2 inch to 1 full inch before I remove the ponytail holders one at a time. Easy peezy.

ETA: my hair was cut in layers some years ago so I don't worry about a particular shape. I just use the existing layers from that cut as a guideline.

 

[lenu80]

I dust my ends every 3 months.

 

[bluenvy]

Trim twice a year, usually every six months. I trim during growing moon (Moroccan method). I seen a big difference last year cutting by the moon, maybe due to cutting 2 inches. My hair grows back in a hurry if too much is cut off. This year growth been good about 5-6 inches.

 

[toaster]

I trim once a year. SSK's don't really hinder my length retention and I haven't straightened my hair in 2 years so I'm not looking for it to fall perfectly even.

 

[MiamiChic]

Trim twice a year, usually every six months. I trim during growing moon (Moroccan method). I seen a big difference last year cutting by the moon, maybe due to cutting 2 inches. My hair grows back in a hurry if too much is cut off. This year growth been good about 5-6 inches.

Hmm...cutting by the moon. First I heard of that. Quite interesting. Are you aware of how many inches you retained prior to beginning this method?

 

[MiamiChic]

I just trim when I need to, this can be every 4 to 6 months. Now I have always been a low mani protrective styling woman. I look at my ends and see if trimming is needed and I don't let knots bother me too much.

So do you wear buns most often? If so, do you see that your ends suffer from tucking and bunning?

 

[MiamiChic]

I trim every 4 - 6 months. I used to do search and destroy, but I just didn't feel like it was helping. Maybe others had better experiences with it.

Why do you think that it wasn't helping? Were your ends still splitting? Or were they just not smooth enough for you?

 

[MiamiChic]

I don't search and destroy...my ends always remain fairly healthy from roller sets as they keep them smooth & moisturized. I've been trimming annually for the past few years....but will move it up to every 6 months once I hit hip length to get rid of the last of my relaxer, then back to annually I'll go.

My trimming method is doing a ponytail roller set to stretch the roots as much as possible, then trimming 1/2 inch to 1 full inch before I remove the ponytail holders one at a time. Easy peezy.

ETA: my hair was cut in layers some years ago so I don't worry about a particular shape. I just use the existing layers from that cut as a guideline.

Your hair is gorgeous!

How many ponytails do you have there?

 

[ElevatedEnergy]

Your hair is gorgeous! How many ponytails do you have there?

Aww thank you. I usually do 10-12 ponytails and each ponytail gets 2-3 rollers....depending on that particular ponytail's thickness.

 

[kandake]

I trim once a year usually in the fall. I trimmed last October so I am due for a trim this month. I retain about 4 inches a year and my growth rate is about 1/3 inch per month.

Wow, I didn't know there was someone else who's growth was a s slow as mine.


I trim twice a year. There's no rhyme or reason other than me thinking 6 mos. is long enough to go between trims. It's completely random. My last trim was a professional trim and I think I going to keep getting it professionally trimmed.

 

[FoxxyLocs]

When I was wearing my hair curly most of the time, I dusted every 2-3 months while my hair was in twists. Now I wear it straight most of the time and I S&D every 2-3 months and trim about once a year.

The S&D method keeps splits and knots from causing too much damage to my ends. When I trim, I'm cutting to even up my ends, not to remove damage, so I end up retaining a lot more length.

 

[EnExitStageLeft]

.....I'm addicted to scissors, so I need not to reply .

 

[bluenvy]

Hmm...cutting by the moon. First I heard of that. Quite interesting. Are you aware of how many inches you retained prior to beginning this method?

My hair was stuck at sl/apl when I was relaxed. Poor hair habits and cutting a lot. I incorporated the Moroccan method the same time I bc last year. I believe it do not improve my growth rate due to average growth. I guess I stick with it because I have a set time to trim instead of just cutting out of order.

 

[PlainJane]

Any tips for trimming hair that's extremely uneven? My hair has so many different layers I always feel like I'm not trimming all of what I need to.

 

[PlainJane]

I don't search and destroy...my ends always remain fairly healthy from roller sets as they keep them smooth & moisturized. I've been trimming annually for the past few years....but will move it up to every 6 months once I hit hip length to get rid of the last of my relaxer, then back to annually I'll go. My trimming method is doing a ponytail roller set to stretch the roots as much as possible, then trimming 1/2 inch to 1 full inch before I remove the ponytail holders one at a time. Easy peezy. ETA: my hair was cut in layers some years ago so I don't worry about a particular shape. I just use the existing layers from that cut as a guideline.

Please tell me you have a post somewhere explaining this method!

 

[ElevatedEnergy]

Please tell me you have a post somewhere explaining this method!

PlainJane I don't wanna lie & say I do, so I'll just explain it right here

Keep in mind the hair should already be pulled taught by the ponytail holder at the base & the length should already be pretty smooth from the roller.

I don't take all the rollers out at once. I take them down one at a time, place the hair in between my index & middle finger at the base by the ponytail holder, slide my fingers down towards the end and stop maybe 2 inches before I get to the end and evaluate. I trim what I feel is needed in that area and it's usually no more than 1/2 inch (if that). In the colored areas, I tend to trim a little more since that part of my hair is weaker.

I repeat this process until all the rollers have been removed, so I'm then left with the picture I attached upthread....just a head full of ponytails. lol

I don't really focus on making sure everything is all perfect and even because that's not the nature of how my hair grows. I rarely wear it straight and when I do, it's usually with a little bend of curl on the ends & that generally hides any unevenness.

 

[Bun Mistress]

So do you wear buns most often? If so, do you see that your ends suffer from tucking and bunning?

No. My ends are fine. I used to bun everyday now half and half. I would moisturize amd seal the ends twice a day. No bobby pins. No stress on the ends of the hair.

 

[curlicarib]

I trim twice a year - Winter Solstice and Summer Solstice. No particular reason except those dates are fixed and I can remember to do it. I don't straighten my hair so I just part down the middle, put ponytail holders and pull them down to where I want to cut. Snip off ends and I have a perfect "V" cut.

 

[PlainJane]

lulu97 thank you so much for explaining!! I plan to wear my hair mostly in curly or textured styles so I shouldn't care if it's not even either.