getting layers???

Hi there,

I think layers would be a great idea for your damage issue.  I recently had a tramatic hair experience and suffered slit ends, but mostly breakage throughout.  My hair dresser cut 1 1/2 inches from the length and cut layers throughout and it got rid of alot of the damage and I still have my lenght!! My hair is Bra strap lenght and my shortest layer is about 5 inches from the length. My hair actually feels normal and silky again.  I think the best way to get rid of the breakage for you and still keep relatively long hair is to get some layers.  They will also create some bounce and make your hair look nicer when you let it go natural & curly.  Also make sure you don't wash your hair very much if it is dry.  Try every 3 days if you can last that long, also deep conditioner is a must!!  I recommend salon brands - Loreal Professional series Absolut Repair hair mask is great. Do this every time you shampoo and try to leave it in for as long as possible ( if you have the time, put it in and just relax, read, watch tv, do your nails, etc for an hour and then wash out)

Lastly, make sure you go to a hairdresser that you trust.  Suggest long layers, because your curls will "spring" up when dried if she cuts your hair when wet.  

Hope this helps you!  This board has been a big help to me.

Noey 

As a fellow curly, layers are the only way to go IMO. When my hair is all one length it has that very unattractive "pyramid" look   I also agree with noey about it removing damage....that is if most of your damage is on your canopy? 

I agree that your hair does look very nice straight, but I think that your preference for having it straight (and not curly) is probably in part due to you not wearing it curly often enough.  You need to get good at doing the curly thing.   Also, you need to just get used to having it curly and you will be more confident with your curls.  There are some great techniques to use in Lorraine Massey's book "Curly Girl". It's worth a read.  

It took me a very long time to embrace my curls, but now I would never straighten again. My hair has improved so much from not being exposed to heat, and also through my regular use of henna.  I can honestly say that I would not have been able to grow it long had I not changed my attitude in this way.

Hope that helps you in your decision. Good luck!

I agree with the above, long layers will probably make you most happy (where they don't make the stuff around your head very short, but do the layers mostly from your chin down - that way you can still do ponytails and other upstyles.  Long layers are very flattering for curls too, it will likely bring them out more and look lovely.  However, your hair doesn't seem to get the pyramid shape rini mentioned, so blunt cut looks fine for you too, its your choice.

Since you want to grow it longer, don't let them do the layers with a razor.  Make sure they use scissors and cut the strands perpendicular to the hair, not at an angle to the hair.  Perpendicular is best at preventing splits, while the angles and razor cutting leave the hairs cut with more of the inside exposed, and that helps it split faster.

  

Hey Dave....just wondering why layers would be a bad idea here? I have them (and would continue to trim them) and I want waist length hair too. Should I be growing them out? Is there something you can tell us here?

Entirely personal preference. A perosn on here with tailbone length hair got long layers and loved it.

LadyFrog wrote: Entirely personal preference.

Agreed!

Rini wrote: Hey Dave....just wondering why layers would be a bad idea here? I have them (and would continue to trim them) and I want waist length hair too. Should I be growing them out? Is there something you can tell us here?

and...

buckyfairy wrote: Dave... i do search and destroying a lot, but with my current routine with the straightening and all, the split ends are back before i know it. Do you think the layers are a bad idea in the long run because of how it'll look when it eventually does get long?

IMO it's perfectly okay to continue to have layers as your hair grows.  It depends on your priorities, too.  Some people want their hair as long as possible as soon as possible.  Others want their hair to be one-length as soon as possible.   As LadyFrog says, " Entirely personal preference."

I started with short layers, and as it grew I had the shorter layers trimmed less than the longer ones.  The layers weren't gone until my hair was almost waist length.  (Clearly, my preference was for extra length before "no layers").

With naturally wavy/curly hair, you also get to choose how wavy you want it to be as it grows and at your goal length.  Layers will enhance the curl; by contrast, blunt-cut waist-lenght hair will "tame" the curls somewhat.  Both looks are great, so it comes down to what you want.

When you S&D, use a very sharp pair of scissors.  Blunt scissors can indeed worsen the splits.  I just did S&D this weekend for the first time in several months and it took a lot of time.  Just keep at it and in time you'll begin to see the improvement.

IMO the straightening causes far more damage than blowdrying because the heat of irons (and conductivity thereof) is far more intense.

If/when you go to a hairdresser, remember that you are the customer and that you should get what you want.  Tell the stylist exactly what you want (ex: 1/2" off the ends of the longest layer, and just a microtrim of the shorter layers).  If you feel uncomfortable with the stylist honoring your stated request, don't hesitate to get up and walk out.  When she tries to stop you, tell her you don't feel comfortable that she'll honor your request, and tell her that you won't pay her if she cuts more than you asked for.

I think I've rambled.  I hope this helps.