new thread
So basically I'm at a crossroads. I don't know whether to keep my long hair or not. My hair is more of less midback length and I just hate having to take care of it, and be gentle with it and brush it. I ALWAYS have my hair in a ponytail, just because I think it gets annoying and can't stand it any other way. I think it'd be great just to have short no maintenance hair, but on the other hand I just don't know whether I would regret cutting it or not. I mean I know I could feasibly just grow it back again, but that would take years (I started growing it in the first place about 4.5 years ago).
Anyway, I've been thinking about cutting it off and on for the past few weeks and I've always leaned towards cutting it but never had the guts to go through with it. I mean, my local salon told me they'd give me a free cut if I cut off 10in or more cause my hair would get donated to make wigs for children with cancer, which I think is a good cause.
I'm just looking for any advice/experiences anyone else has on the subject. I know most people that post here are long hair enthusiasts so I may get a biased response but I feel this is better than say Yahoo Msg Boards. Thanks and I appreciate it.
PS: I will try to get around to finding my digital camera so I can upload a pic or two as well.
If you are planning to donate the hair for some noble cause then I dont want to comment on it.
If you are cutting your hairs just because you are now worried about your mainteanece then I should say that please dont do that. After 4.5 years your long hair is part of your identity. You dont want to loose it ... do you?
Everything good in life takes time and patience (this is what the board says). C'mon man remember those good times when people talk good about your hair ... why do you want to cut ... you will just regret it !!!
Srini.
Cutting or not is a decision you have to be happy with although 10 minutes with clippers could equal 2 years distress.
Don't however fall for the one about giving your hair to charity. Locks of Love pushes this argument but in reality children are rarely given real hair wigs it seems and most of it ends up in the bin. Don't let this influence you.
I mean, my local salon told me they'd give me a free cut if I cut off 10in or more cause my hair would get donated to make wigs for children with cancer, which I think is a good cause.
My suggestion is always the same for such issues. If its too difficult to maintain at such a long length for you, before you cut it all off, try shortening it. Maybe cut the 10 inches off for free (making sure they dont take more) and see if you like it better being a little shorter and easier to care for.
Shorten before cutting.
I agree.
Bruce
Hi Kevin
Maybe give it the "two week rule". Give it some serious thought for two weeks before making any sudden decisions, then if your hair still really bothers you, cut a moderate amount off, to see if you do like it shorter. (you can then decide if you want to cut more off) I know a sudden move to hack it all off now may amount to a decision you may regret later. I know that a decision to cut mine off in 1999 is a decision I really regret now, as I don't have the same abilty to grow mine really long now (I'm 7 years older) than I did back then.
All the best, David
Hi Kevin,
is the trouble to take care of it your main reason for wanting to cut it? There are other nondestructive solutions (see below).
One important thing: What were your feelings when you grew it out? Did it make you feel good? Did you get a sense of relief when you finished the awkward stage? If the answer is a degree of "yes" to any of these questions, then I'd be VERY careful about cutting it off. I'm sure it has "grown on you" in the double sense of the expression. People have been known to become depressed after they noticed what kind of big mistake they had made.
Have there been negative remarks a few years ago? Discouragement from parents, destructive remarks like "you won't make it, it's too much trouble to care for"? Negative remarks can linger in our subconscious for years and still poison our thinking. If you have heard negative remarks in the past, do a little mental exercise and imagine throwing them out of your thoughts and your personality - be free again.
By the way, I'd NOT go for the free cut - they almost certainly WILL take off more than 10 inches (i.e. over 2 years worth of growth), and they will use as an excuse that the lower end of the hairs are "dry" or "split" even if it isn't really true. And, most hair donated to "locks of Love" or similar organizations is NOT worked into free wigs for cancer victims but sold or trashed instead. Little girls with cancer will NOT get wigs made of natural hair!
I'd take a minute and analyze why and when you get annoyed with your hair care. Does brushing take too long? Does it fly in all kinds of directions? Do you find tangles regularly? Are the lower ends dry? Other things that annoy you?
All these problems can be solved, re-instating a simple and quick way of hair care that can be handled easily. If, eg, your hair is dry and tangles easily, any "anti-frizz" lotion containing dimethicone and cyclomethicone and hardly anything else (a clear oily fluid) can work wonders.
We'll be happy to give more advice once you give a very detailed description of when you have the problems.
In any case, I think the two-weeks rule is not for you. Make it a two-months rule! If you have had so much patience caring for your hair even when it got annoying, then you probably ARE a genuine long-hair. Don't let others tell you otherwise, try to see what's inside of you.
All the best, and, let us hear from you again soon!
Hans-Uwe
Hey Kevin, I'm having the exact same thoughts these days. My hair isn't quite as long as yours, just 3 years of growing, but well out of the awkward stage. Also, mine is usually in a ponytail, and I feel that when it's like that, I'm not enjoying it as much I used to.
As the other guys said, the donation stuff might not be worth looking at, since apparently the hair wouldn't usually go to a kid who really needs it. Also, the price thing is not an issue AT ALL--haha, it really wouldn't matter to me whether I'm paying 10 bucks, or 100 bucks for a decision like this, the issue is weighing the pros and cons of short vs. long hair.
All in all, I'm seriously thinking about cutting it, and am so tempted to, but any quick decisions are a bad idea. I agree with what someone else said about making the 2 week rule into the 2 month rule. You should give yourself a lot of time to decide. I don't know if your job plays a factor, maybe it does, maybe not.
Well I just wanted to say thank you for those are you that replied with your suggestions and advice. I have been thinking about this for a month or so, so it's not a sudden decision. Also, the thing about donating my hair, that wasn't the main reason I was going to cut it. That was just something extra I'd heard and thought it was nice. Anyway, honest to God the main reason I started growing my hair out was because I was really into metal music at the time and wanted to be like those guys, headbanging with the long hair haha.
Anyway, I'll see where life takes me, if I decide to keep it or cut it. Maybe I'll post an update sometime about my decision. Thanks.
I would seriously think about it, but if you must then just try doing it in stages. That way if you regret it, it won't be completely gone. Too many people go from one extreme to the other. Why not just start with shoulder length and see how that goes first! Trust me, I've been there. Good luck in your decision.