Should I just cut it all off?

[overtherainbow]

So I’ve been lurking the site for over a year, and was able to grow out my NL relaxed hair to full APL. And then I decided to transition to natural, as it is something I’ve been wanting to do since 2009, but never had the guts to.

So now I am 11 months post and I’m about to throw in the towel. My new growth is moisturized, my relaxed ends are not breaking off in an extreme amount. My hair feels soft. But it looks HORRIBLE. I was a bone straight relaxer, and even with braidouts, my relaxed ends look like four-five inches of dead ends. The only style that hides this is straightening and a braid and curl, but that leaves my hair about the same length of my new growth, and the style only lasts a day.

I want to cut my hair, but I have a very round/heart shaped face and short curly hair just seems to make my face look huge. Though I got a few compliments on my braid and curl, I’m not feeling the fat face look.

Here’s a pic of a braid and curl I wore on Monday.

And by Tuesday Morning it looked like this mess.

This is how my hair looks as of now in a fresh braidout

This is my hair when straight (sorry I deleted my recent length photo, but this is after a 2 inch trim and my hair has grown back since then)

Should I cut my hair? Does it look okay this short? Or could I get away with these awful braidouts? What about weekly straightening? I never wore weaves/wigs. I’m just tired of having ugly hair. I am going to do my first install ever of Marley/Havana twists at the end of the month just to give myself a break. However, I’m not sure if I could keep the style for more than a week because I’m afraid that washing in the twists would cause my new growth to dread.

Sorry for the big wall of text and TIA!

 

[faithVA]

I think your braid and curl and your braid out looks fine. I think you can put rods on the ends of your braid out to not have it look so straight.

Maybe instead of trimming it all at once, just trim 1/2" to 1" a month until it is all gone. At least that way you have some length to work with.

I think cutting of 5" at once could be a bit challenging unless you are going to keep it up for a few months.

I think putting in the Havanna Twists is a good idea. As long as you keep your hair moisturized and you don't over manipulate your roots while washing your hair shouldn't dread. If you do them yourself you can always freshen up any twists that look like they need it.

Other ladies will be in with some more suggestions.

 

[ScorpioLove]

no advice other than to do what makes you feel good about yourself

i think your braid and curl was really cute. what did you use to do it?

 

[MileHighDiva]

I think your braid and curl and your braid out looks fine. I think you can put rods on the ends of your braid out to not have it look so straight.

Maybe instead of trimming it all at once, just trim 1/2" to 1" a month until it is all gone. At least that way you have some length to work with.

I think cutting of 5" at once could be a bit challenging unless you are going to keep it up for a few months.

I think putting in the Havanna Twists is a good idea. As long as you keep your hair moisturized and you don't over manipulate your roots while washing your hair shouldn't dread. If you do them yourself you can always freshen up any twists that look like they need it.

Other ladies will be in with some more suggestions.

ITA with the bolded.

 

[MsDee14]

The braid n curl looks really cute. You shouldn't cut until you're absolutely ready.

 

[virtuenow]

Why don't you just big chop? What are you waiting on? You said the relaxed ends are dead anyway.

 

[overtherainbow]

I think your braid and curl and your braid out looks fine. I think you can put rods on the ends of your braid out to not have it look so straight.

Maybe instead of trimming it all at once, just trim 1/2" to 1" a month until it is all gone. At least that way you have some length to work with.

I think cutting of 5" at once could be a bit challenging unless you are going to keep it up for a few months.

I think putting in the Havanna Twists is a good idea. As long as you keep your hair moisturized and you don't over manipulate your roots while washing your hair shouldn't dread. If you do them yourself you can always freshen up any twists that look like they need it.

Other ladies will be in with some more suggestions.

I think I will look into getting more consistent trims. Maybe after my Havanna twists, I will cut off a few inches. And I was afraid to wash them after a "trusted" hair stylist pretty much said "no way!" I might just wash them weekly with a liquidy shampoo, like diluted Bronner's. Thanks!

no advice other than to do what makes you feel good about yourself

i think your braid and curl was really cute. what did you use to do it?

Thanks! I mixed shea moisture curl enhancing smoothie with a cheapie gel (50/50) then sealed with pure argan oil. I then used the white perm rods.

 

[Lucie]

Shave it off. Do a 1 guard.

 

[overtherainbow]

Why don't you just big chop? What are you waiting on? You said the relaxed ends are dead anyway.

I think I'm afraid of cutting off all of my hair only to find a really unflattering length. I see twa naturals all around my school, and they all look cute. I just can't see it flattering my face. And now I'm torn because my relaxed ends are on their last leg.

 

[Amarilles]

You'll keep more length with the braid and curl if you just rod the ends, not up to the scalp. Check the size of your braids too, my relaxed ends end up very stringy if the my braids are too small. I need to do slightly thick braids.

Honestly though you look great with short hair. I feel you though, it's not easy to find ourselves beautiful if we're used to seeing ourselves with hair at our sides. Don't BC if you feel you won't look beautiful, you'll just resent the hair and resent "natural" because of it. All hair is dead, not just your relaxed ends...if dead hair was a reason to cut we'd all sport fades.

 

[BlaqBella]

Imo, you're too anxious for something that you plan to do eventually anyway. Your ends don't look as bad as you think, to me. Your hair looks healthy and you are doll. You look great on every one of those pictures. Also, I understand how you feel I have a rounder, but yet long face. Your hair should not loc from washing with your havanna twists, and if you weren't already, try using a color/dye bottle and heavily dilute your products with water.

 

[overtherainbow]

You'll keep more length with the braid and curl if you just rod the ends, not up to the scalp. Check the size of your braids too, my relaxed ends end up very stringy if the my braids are too small. I need to do slightly thick braids.

Honestly though you look great with short hair. I feel you though, it's not easy to find ourselves beautiful if we're used to seeing ourselves with hair at our sides. Don't BC if you feel you won't look beautiful, you'll just resent the hair and resent "natural" because of it. All hair is dead, not just your relaxed ends...if dead hair was a reason to cut we'd all sport fades.

I generally make my braids on the larger side out of pure laziness, but I think I will start pin curling only halfway up now and see how that goes. And thanks. I used to hold a lot of pride in my longer hair before I started to wear it in a bob right before college. So now cutting it off after growing it out again is kind of hard to swallow.

Imo, you're too anxious for something that you plan to do eventually anyway. Your ends don't look as bad as you think, to me. Your hair looks healthy and you are doll. You look great on every one of those pictures. Also, I understand how you feel I have a rounder, but yet long face. Your hair should not loc from washing with your havanna twists, and if you weren't already, try using a color/dye bottle and heavily dilute your products with water.

And yes I do feel extremely anxious. Partly because I spend about five hours on my hair every week, and its starting to clash with my schedule. And thanks! I guess I'm just not used to seeing my ends so scraggly. I will have to pick up a color bottle for washing the twists. I was thinking about using a spray bottle, but that might be less precise. Maybe I will use the spray bottle for my aloe/rosewater mix...

 

[BlaqBella]

Try not to let that time be a major factor in your decision, instead focus on finding ways to cut the time down. Since it may only get worse, at times, once you are completely natural. Weekly flat-ironer here, whose had to start self braiding/corn rowing, for many reasons, but hair is fuller and I have more time, and still look fairly cute. It can be done. K sweetie.

 

[Lynnerie]

Your braid n curl is really cute. If you want to continue transitioning i would just stick to that style. But 11 months is a good amount of time so if you are feeling tired of those ends. Gurl get rid of them.

 

[overtherainbow]

Your braid n curl is really cute. If you want to continue transitioning i would just stick to that style. But 11 months is a good amount of time so if you are feeling tired of those ends. Gurl get rid of them.

Thanks! I might just get rid of them after finals week is over. I just miss enjoying my hair again. And I'm not feeling the 5 hour routine (four hours of it is pure detangling!) every week.

 

[fasika]

Girl, I was in the same boat.

I threw in the towel today (literally an hour ago) and chopped off the relaxed ends. At least now I only have to deal with one texture.

 

[MrsHouston]

The braid n curl looks really cute. You shouldn't cut until you're absolutely ready.

I agree, and you sound like you're not quite ready.

 

[overtherainbow]

Girl, I was in the same boat.

I threw in the towel today (literally an hour ago) and chopped off the relaxed ends. At least now I only have to deal with one texture.

Congrats on the BC!! How long is your hair after 15 months with shrinkage? My new growth, when stretched is NL, but I'm not sure how short it would be without the weight of my scraggly relaxed ends.