Growing out uneven hair vs. Just getting a haircut

itismehmmkay

Well-Known Member
For me, it's time for another haircut.

I couldn't do anything w/ my hair today. I know I have some breakage in the back from trying to do my own relaxers, washing, blowdrying and flatironing.

Yesterday, I made another (and final) commitment to myself and my hair to seek professional help. So, I got a retouch and blow-out from my trusted Dominican Lady here in Houston (now, she can't style...but she can take care of some hair). And today, I will visit my trusted SuperCuts girl for a restart to my haircut and grow-out.

Even though I really do want to grow my hair out, I'd rather have shorter hair that I can actually style than hang on to uneven pieces just to say my hair is growing. I mean, I know any grow-out phase is hard, but it doesn't have to leave you looking awkward..

What about you?
 

aileendq

New Member
I debated that myself and then just decided to keep it up in a protective style so that you can't tell the difference anyway.
Then again, I cut off and inch and a half while sitting at my desk the other day because of the way my ends FELT....
 
My hair is uneven also. While the rest of it is getting longer than ever, the back part is still trying to catch up to the length it used to be before all the breakage I had. I hide it by wearing protective styles, but sooner or later I'll have to cut the rest of it it match the back. Not sure when I want to cut it though. :ohwell:

It's good to see I'm not alone.
 

simplycee

Sweetest Taboo
The only part of my hair that is uneven is my nape area. Almost 2 years ago it was non exisitant. I mean short, dry and brittle. It has since started growing in and is a healthy 7 or 8 inches long. Sometimes I look at my ends and they look a little thin to me and I feel like I should cut them. My stylist reminds me that my ends are NOT thin but my nape area is playing catch up. I did not and will not cut the rest of my hair to be even with this area. I wear protective styles with extra moisture on that particular area. I say if you want to wear protective styles and cut a little bit at a time that is ok too.
 
simplycee said:
The only part of my hair that is uneven is my nape area. Almost 2 years ago it was non exisitant. I mean short, dry and brittle. It has since started growing in and is a healthy 7 or 8 inches long. Sometimes I look at my ends and they look a little thin to me and I feel like I should cut them. My stylist reminds me that my ends are NOT thin but my nape area is playing catch up. I did not and will not cut the rest of my hair to be even with this area. I wear protective styles with extra moisture on that particular area. I say if you want to wear protective styles and cut a little bit at a time that is ok too.

I may cut a little bit at a time myself. Hopefully I can get my stylist to cut just a little and not try to even it up completely.
 

Divine Inspiration

Well-Known Member
simplycee said:
The only part of my hair that is uneven is my nape area. Almost 2 years ago it was non exisitant. I mean short, dry and brittle. It has since started growing in and is a healthy 7 or 8 inches long. Sometimes I look at my ends and they look a little thin to me and I feel like I should cut them. My stylist reminds me that my ends are NOT thin but my nape area is playing catch up. I did not and will not cut the rest of my hair to be even with this area. I wear protective styles with extra moisture on that particular area. I say if you want to wear protective styles and cut a little bit at a time that is ok too.

I agree with this. I still have some overprocessed ends from last year that are still growing out, so I'm dusting those puppies off little by little and making sure i keep the undamaged remainder moisturized and protected. I don't think you have to lose all of your length if you don't want to. :look:
 

ScorpioLuv70

Doing it my way
So glad this was posted. I've been debating over the exact same thing---whether to cut and even it up or simply be patient and pamper the thin ends at the nape. Although my hair seems to be flourishing everywhere else, it bothers me that when I wear it down, I can see a small area of thin ends in the middle of my hair. Apparently it's not as obvious to everyone else. Probably because I'm obsessing. :ohwell:

I think I'll just wait my progress out until the end of the year. I don't think it's so drastic right now that it's worth cutting.
 

jadestar

New Member
I just got my hair cut yesterday. I went to BoRics of all places for the frist time, and I love it (and I paid $11.99). Since I can do my hair myself, all I need os the professional cut. My hair is about bra strap length, but I had some split ends and I just needed some shape. I usually wear layers, but I do not get my hair done or cut often, so they usually grow out and I just get them recut. So, she probably cut anywhere from 1/2 inch to 2 1/2 inches (b/c of the layer, depending on the area of my head). Visibly, I really didn't lose much length and it looks and feels so much better to have some shape to my hair!! I will be going back to her about every three months.
 

chocolate01

Well-Known Member
I just went through this as well. My hair was uneven from my BC (I did it myself) so I decided to have it evened up. It was not a cut, just a little trimming here and there. For me I would rather have even length hair regardless of how much hair I have to part with.
 

deedabug

New Member
when i had a relaxer and had my yearly breakage...i always cut my hair down all over...it looked crappy otherwise...if breakage is really noticeable i think that looks best to just cut it down and start over...
 

itismehmmkay

Well-Known Member
So, I went and got that cut during my lunch break (I knew I would). Now, she didn't cut it all the way up to my breakage area, so I'm still playing catch up in a couple of areas.

The reason why this wasn't such a big deal is because my hair was already in an ear-length bob, so I knew I wasn't cutting much and I know I look good w/ short hair ;)

The reason why it was such a big deal is because I've done this like 4 times this year. But I believe I have found the reason: Everytime I go in this cycle where I feel like I can do my own relaxers, I cause even more breakage to my hair and I have to start all over. So, yesterday I made the commitment to just leave it to the professionals. So, the frustrating part is that my hair could have been shoulderlength by now, but hey........you only get to keep what you care for right? So, we're (me and my hair) are starting over again. In fact, I'm sure things won't be completely caught up and how I like it until the end of this year. So, by December, things should be working out pretty decent and I should have some seriously diva hair ;)
 
itismehmmkay said:
The reason why it was such a big deal is because I've done this like 4 times this year. But I believe I have found the reason: Everytime I go in this cycle where I feel like I can do my own relaxers, I cause even more breakage to my hair and I have to start all over. So, yesterday I made the commitment to just leave it to the professionals. So, the frustrating part is that my hair could have been shoulderlength by now, but hey........you only get to keep what you care for right? So, we're (me and my hair) are starting over again. In fact, I'm sure things won't be completely caught up and how I like it until the end of this year. So, by December, things should be working out pretty decent and I should have some seriously diva hair ;)

I know how you feel. My hair does so much better when the professionals does it. So I've decided to leave the relaxers up to them. I've been dealing with the dilemma of whether or not to cut my hair. Its below shoulder length, but has various layers. Theres about 3 inch difference between the longest layer and the shortest one. I could cut it, but my hair would grow back in the same way. My back has always grown faster than the front. So I've decided to hold on to what I have and when I'm at least 6 inches past my final goal, thats when I'll get my hair cut to an even length.
 

uofmpanther

4ab, lopo, fine, low-med density
I'm going through a back and forth over how long to wait before I even it up. My nape area trying its best to catch up with the rest of my hair. Right now the nape is just above my shoulders and the rest is about an inch or two below. I know I don't look good with short hair, so I think I'm just going to keep it up so it isn't noticeable and cut it when it's at shoulder length. Regardless of how uneven it is, I'm just glad that my nape is finally growing again! :D
 
H

honey_jammz82

Guest
I say let it grow out in layers! My hair is uneven as well, it grows at different rates all over. I get compliments all the time on my layers, lol, and that is just how my hair grows out!
 

Bmm

New Member
I would just have to cut it..I am not talking about no little nape breakage , and the rest of your hair is all even. I am talking all uneven damaged hair. I feel like if you are going to wear protective styles you should still cut. Who cares about length when you have a unhealthy head of hair :confused:

If you are wearing it up no one can't see the length anyway so I don't see the logic. Just my two cents. That is why I cringe looking at Cathy Howes hair...it is long where those scraggly ends won't make a difference... :ohwell:
 

secretdiamond

Well-Known Member
Ayeshia said:
I just hacked it all off....I cant stand for my hair to be uneven.

I am the exact same way. i've done so many BC, just for minor things b/c it irritates me sooo much. But I'm extreme. I say do what you think is best for your hair.
 

FlawedBeauty

Well-Known Member
my hair was super uneven, but since i knew i was always going to be wearing it up in protective styles i just let it grow out and trimmed every then and again. a yr later and it is just about even at APL. i couldnt bring myself to hack off like two inches on my longer side and since i knew it wouldnt be out for anyone to see i just gradually cut, little by little :) :yep:
 

tiffers

Whisper "bleep boop" to yourself when you're sad.
My hair's uneven from the first time I stretched and got major breakage. I keep my hair in protective styles to hide it. Once I hit BSL, I'll get all the uneven ends cut, I don't want to now cause I wanna hurry up and get to my BSL goal :grin: Plus if I get it cut now, I'll be about where first started off at. And to think about losing all that progress....... But yeah, once I hit BSL, it's coming off, baby!
 

TaraDyan

Natural again ... this time for good!
Well I just got 4 to 6 inches chopped from my hair today, and I'm very glad I did it. My ends were horribly thin, so much so that I didn't even want to wear it down much. In addition, I'm transitioning back to natural, so my ends need to come off anyway. With my new cut, it looks waaaaay healthier than it did. I decided that I wasn't going to hold onto shredded ends for the sake of saying I have BSL hair.
 

locabouthair

Well-Known Member
my hair is VERY uneven. if I was to try to even it out I'd go from near SL to a short halle berry do. that's how thin and uneven my hair is. but im not worried. I am going to trim every month. now I know I wont be retaining any length by doing that but little by little the thin ends will be gone and I'll have my thick hair back:grin:
 

cg92

New Member
I have done it both ways. For me growing out the uneven parts to a desired length works better because it makes me practice patience with my hair. I know I will appreciate the hard work that went into being patient and take better care of my hair to maintain the length once I reach my goal. To each his own though.
 

Baggettcindy

Well-Known Member
My right back side is longer than my left....I was going to start wearing a puff and then discovered the unevenness....I am wearing box braids in the back until they are somewhat even....or cover it up when the middle part grows past the back. Has anyone else recently grow out their uneven ends instead of cutting?
 

Mane Event

Well-Known Member
I've been on this board for nearly 6 years and my motto has always been There's no point in growing "unhealthy" uneven hair long.

I've cut 4+ inches off on 3 different occasions during the past 4 years, along with frequent trimming in between. I've gone to both a stylist and the barber shop for my so-called "trims." The men were much more forgiving but all seem to cut my entire head to my shortest layer or darn near close (which has always been nape).

I have finally accepted that my hair grows unevenly, which doesn't equate to unhealthy.

After years of being scissor happy, I'm turning over a new leaf :grin:

My last trim was April 2013 and I have no plans on trimming for a lonnnnnnngggg time (at least 2016). I'm PS'ing 95% of the time :yep:

I was recently inspired by @tiffers to PUT THE SCISSORS DOWN!!!!
She's had great progress without cutting for 3 years!!! http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=735585
 
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tiffers

Whisper "bleep boop" to yourself when you're sad.
Mane Event :kiss:

 
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