Should I get my hair cut?

[PrincessFiona]

OK...I haven't gotten a haircut since my hair started growing back in. It's been about 2 years and it's long. When it isn't in a pony tail now, it goes down below by shoulder blades (just barely). I feel torn. It's kind of an emotional decision to cut my hair and I like having long hair. It's scraggly though and has no shape. I don't know how to fix it anymore except to put it in a pony tail..

Part of me wants to get it cut shoulder-length and styled a little....the other part of me feels like it would be almost sacrilegious. Maybe it's just another step in moving on though....

Re: Should I get my hair cut?

How about a trim, just to take care of the "scraggly" part of it? You would still be getting it cut but it might not seem quite as drastic? Then you could put off any big decisions about going to shoulder length for later.

I didn't vote. I'd say get it cut but I can't say "it's just hair."

Re: Should I get my hair cut?

What Nellie said.
Go somewhere really nice to get it done and enjoy an hour or so of being pampered.

[peggyfromwastate]

Re: Should I get my hair cut?

I said get it cut-- but only if you'll post before and after pics!

Seriously, Kris, if you are ready to get it cut and shaped, then do it. If not, if for any reason you feel an emotional need to keep it, do that. And don't worry about the ponytail thing. That's a badge of honor, right???

[Meenah]

Re: Should I get my hair cut?

Baby steps. Get it trimmed and shaped now, then every few weeks do a little more if you want to.

[Michele]

Re: Should I get my hair cut?

I said "cut".

I was nervous about cutting my hair, since it took about 5 years to grow it out and it was really long and I always wanted it long.....but it got to be too much. I know yours has other significance, but you want to look in the mirror and feel like you look good....and it sounds like you aren't quite happy with it. I was scared to cut mine so short (went from waist level to chin length), but I LOVE it! It's soo easy to manage now. I can pull it into a ponytail for a quick do....I can scrunch in some curl cream, give a quick diffuse and it looks great too. I can even blow it out and flat iron it.

If you have a good curly stylist...get a few pics and go for it. The great thing about what growing your hair out signifies....is that you still have time left for it to grow back!

But I also agree with the others in that if you want to start slow, go for a trim/shape. It's amazing how much easier it is to manage when you actually have a style.

[Phoebe]

Re: Should I get my hair cut?

I agree with the above statements. Start out with a trim. I always go the safe route with the prerequisite that it has to be long enough to pull back into a pony tail.

[Auspicious]

Re: Should I get my hair cut?

I agree. I think a trim/shape could be seen as the opposite of sacrilegious, because it's caring for your hair. I'd say start with that and then decide if you want to go shorter.

Re: Should I get my hair cut?

I don't know the history behind this, but if there's an emotional connection, I'd go to a good stylist (someone with experience) and ask to just have the ends evened up - take off as little as possible.

I have long hair, and I tend to wait too long between haircuts. But I always feel so much better just having the ends evened up (and a little layering to shape it). It always seems like they take off a little more than I ask - but the closer the layering is to my face, the better it looks anyway, so I never complain. The one time I cut my hair super-short, DH said, "The great thing about hair is that it grows." And now it's past the middle of my back. It grows.

[Tenacious_D]

Re: Should I get my hair cut?

I would say trim...and slowly work towards a shorter look. I got a dramatic cut a few years ago and am just starting to feel better now that my hair is growing back....hair is important...so no need to rush a dramatic look/style.

[GrayMatterWife]

Re: Should I get my hair cut?

If you want a shorter look, totally do it! Your strength comes from within! You are the same strong person with Rapunzel locks or bear-ass bald! If you cut it, maybe you could donate your natural hair to one of those groups that makes real human hair wigs for cancer patients and other patients who've suffered hair loss due to medical procedures.

Here's one that specializes in wig creation for financially disadvantaged kids who have medically induced baldness:

http://www.locksoflove.org/

You can celebrate your health, get a great new style, and feel great all around!

[GrayMatterWife]

Re: Should I get my hair cut?

Hey, I meant my post in the most positive way. Rereading my post, I hope it didn't come across as flip. I know (very generally) the circumstances giving rise to this big occasion (cutting your hair). I know this is a huge deal and it's not just some "oh, gee...what'd I do with my hair this summer?" I was just trying to think of the most celebratory, life-affirming fun way to do it. And I am so happy for you that this is something you are getting to mull over!

Re: Should I get my hair cut?

Abigail - I'm thinking of donating my hair now, so don't take back your post!

[PrincessFiona]

Re: Should I get my hair cut?

No reason to take back any posts! I didn't take your post to mean anything except something positive, Abigail.

I ended up going in to get it cut. It was up in a pony tail and was gross. She washed it and said "OMG, such lovely curls. Do you have a perm? You have no damage to your hair at all. Are these natural?" So I told her a little of the story behind it and admitted to it being my first cut since then.

She...couldn't bare to cut it. She trimmed off about 1/2 inch without shaping it or anything. She said she just "couldn't do it"! I came home and Thomas said "I thought you were going to get your hair cut."

"Yaah. My stylist just isn't ready emotionally to do it!"

Kris

[Momo]

Re: Should I get my hair cut?

If it gets too unbearable you could always pull a Suz and hack your own ponytail off!!