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I think for the time being at least, I've officially switched camps from doing very little trimming in my pursuit of terminal length to now doing lots of it.
It's hard to pinpoint one exact reason but I guess the factors that come to mind are:
1) It's something different. I'm planning on cutting at least 1 inch every 3 months for the foreseeable future. I've never had this routine before and I love experimenting and seeking ever new ways of enjoying long hair and what results will come of it.
2) I've read and seen the success of others who do this - particularly those with fine hair. I know of several women at another site who trim frequently and have classic length or longer hair. They are continuing to gradually not only gain length but thickness at their hemlines. Their view is that the frequent trimming improves the health of their ends thus causing less breakage and move overall growth. From my observations, I think there may be something to this theory. I just had my wife trim two more inches and even though my last trim was just two months ago, I noticed a lot of growth in that amount of time. Even after the cut, my length seems to be very similar to how it was when it was cut two months ago.
3) I love the feeling of newly cut, fresh, blunt ends. I can run my fingers through most of my hair with no snapping and no knots.
This third point is what brings me to my question. I said most of my hair is free of snaps. My wife did the trim in the usual way with my hair all brushed out and she cut straight across the back. I'm not sure how much my bangs are really getting cut. This is the part of my hair the feels the least healthy and still has some snaps and lacks the silkiness that the back has. I desire all one length hair but I'm not sure if I should be modifying this slightly so that the front hair is having the unhealthy parts cut more regularly.
So, I guess this question is more for those who have their hair professionally trimmed...how do you have it done? Is it just straight across the back or the front hair cut separately? I absolutely don't want short bangs or anything remotely resembling that but I'm wondering if there's some middle ground.
Sorry for the long-winded line of thought/questioning!
So this post isn't all words, here's how my hair looks after the recent trim:
I have noticed that with my hair too; the hair which would otherwise make up my bangs feels the dryest and growth there has lagged behind that of the rest of my hair. If its windy the former-bangs are also the areas which tangle the quickest. I try to oil them from time to time. I've also considered cutting the former-bangs into "proper" bangs, like eyebrow length or maybe longer (I love bangs but dread the long growing-out phase!).
But I'll be watching the answers posted here close. I'm thinking of getting a trim myself soon; I want to even out the ends and gradually lessen the slight "V" shape at the back. Ideally I'll transition to a straight-across cut, and if promotes additional growth, all the better!
I think part of the problem is that that front hair takes the most abuse too. It gets manipulated more than the back hair and that can wear it.
Hi Jason,
I been going to the same stylist every 7 to 8 weeks for I guess over 5 years now. He only trims the ends of my hair and cleans up the hair around the ears. He combs my hair back after washing and just trims very little off the ends across the back while the hair is wet. He never trims it any other way and I would have to say that my hair is mostly one length except for the new hairs growing in. I'd say do not touch the hairs in the front and just let them catch up with the rest of your awesome mane.
Karsten
Hi Karsten,
Your trimming routine has certainly worked well for you as you've continued to gain length with great ends. I think there really may be something to the theory of hair breaking less when it's regularly trimmed.
The problem for me is that I think the hairs in the front may not be fulling reaching the back to get trimmed much. Maybe in time that will change.
Thanks,
Jason
Hi Jason, Karsten and everyone.
Jason,
I know from your posts that you have an active lifestyle like myself. I know you bike a lot and exercise often. I find that sports, working out, biking is harder on the front portion of long hair. I sometimes have more damage to the front than the back. I get my hair trimmed every six months and she trims it all one length across the back. She usually washes if first and trims it wet. I had mine trimmed in 11-28-2014 and I may get is trimmed again soon. It has been two months today. I have experience good growth and my hair is approaching belt length.
I'm now firmly in the camp of doing very little trimming. Two years ago in April I trimmed off about six inches of ends to even the hair up. A year ago I again trimmed off another six inches to
even up the ends. (Both times were just prior to the state encampment for our civil ware group, the second year was just prior to a friends wedding.)
This year i'm not going to trim anything, Even though I trimmed off six inches the hair has only grown about three inches. I'm note sure if that means i'm now approaching terminal length. (My age is now 59.) I've been extremely careful with the hair, and
have noticed very little damage and very few hairs being shed.
If i ever find a stylist that I trust, after I get back to terminal length, i'd go for a trim straight accross. I prefer that over the "v" shape. I haven't noticed any improvement in the ends after those trims. (Again i'm wondering if this is due
to reaching terminal length especially where my hair is all grey now.)
Now i've also been very careful with the hair, have had no tangles or snaps. Right now my hair is about 3.5 inches below the nipples. I also have no bangs.
Hi LHA,
When your self trimming are you using quaility professional hair cutting scissors? I do not trim my own hair, but I have heard from people that do, that this makes all the difference. If your scissors are dull, you are creating more splits.
Darrin
i'm just using regular scissors.
I've been going to the same stylist for 15 years. She's known me with short hair for many years and has now been very supportive since I've told her 3 years ago that I finally wanted to let my hair grow long. Now that it reaches armpit length, she actually likes it better this way and that it makes me look younger! She recommends that I have my hair trimmed 2-3 times per year. She trims approx 1/2 inch each time. It ensures healthy growth. I always make sure to see her late August / early September to make sure my hair is not damaged by swimming in chlorine and/or salty waters during the summer months. I also wash my hair with avocado-olive oil shampoo and conditioner, which I'm sure helps! Hope this helps!
A.D.
Does she cut a half inch straight across the back or is a different trimming techique used?
Straight across the back. Look at the recent picture attached.
I grew my hair with a standing hair-trim appointment every 10 weeks. Every ten weeks, my stylist would trim 1/8 - 1/4". It grew to my waist in 3.6 years. All along, I received compliments about how healthy my hair looked.
I now have about 1" cut every 8 weeks, since I've been maintaining this length for years.
I am a firm believer in trims. I don't quite understand the philosophy of not getting any trims until the lower part is all scraggly, then getting 4-6 inches whacked off to make it look better. Then growing those inches back, just to end up doing the same thing again, and again. Yet everyone needs to do what makes them happy!
Do you have it just cut straight across the back every 8 weeks?
Haha, I was in the latter group you describe but I'm starting to come around to your point of view. I think, ultimately, it might even give me a longer length with still nice ends.
Your hemline must have thickened very nicely with all that trimming. Do you think you'd be able to grow a few more inches with nice ends if you chose to?
I may end up deeply regretting it but I trimmed off about two
inches. The hair is now about three inches past the nipple. Previously I trimmed off six inches about a year ago, it grew back very slowly so it only grew about four inches. We'll see what happens this time.
I hate trimming off loength but also hated how bad the ends looked.
I have getting my ends trimmed for many years, my hair is very fine and gets tangles very easy. I go about every 2-3 months to get the ends trimmed. A friend cuts my hair, she has been doing it for years,she knows to only cut about a 1/4" off because my hair grows a very slow rate. She gets pretty much all my ends including my bangs as she attempts to layer what she can when she trims my hair. As you can see from the photo, most of my hair is all one length.
Hi Jason
I don't have any answers to your questions unfortunately, but whatever you are doing is working, I've not seen your hair look so healthy, excellent.
Cheers Dave
Hi Jason
I don't have any answers to your questions unfortunately, but whatever you are doing is working, I've not seen your hair look so healthy, excellent.
Cheers Dave
Cool man. Your hair is really long. Mine isn't quite as long, but it's between my shoulder blades. I'm getting into the same phase as you maybe, where I've been growing to terminal length but thinking about a trim pretty soon.
By a trim I mean about 1/16 of an inch. So we'll see how that goes.
Keep lettin' it ride!