A Sunny Place

To cut or not to cut?? (my hair!)

I have waist length hair.  I have had trouble with it thinning out considerably over the last year.  My scalp is very flaky.  I also have trouble knowing what to do with it.  It's always in a braid, pulled back in some fashion  (bun, pony tail, etc) which I know is not healthy for my thinning problem.  But with 3 little ones - it's getting yanked on, pulled, drops in whatever I'm doing, etc. 

 I'm thinking of cutting it - back to something more managable.  It's getting to the point  where it gets ratty easily, even laying in bed - my husband will roll on it and yank it by accident :0).  So I'd like to chop it back, this has helped my hair health in the past - I have grown it waist length and chopped it back ever since I was 12!  So I get a haircut about every 3 or 4 yrs!  I like mid back length best.  I have done as short as shoulder length, but my husband and I both prefer a little longer than that. 

I called a salon and it's approx $17 to cut it.  I've only had it cut officially in a salon probably 4 times in my life.  Once, my sister cut my hair and royally botched it -it looked terrible (you'd think cutting hair straight accross wouldn't be too difficult) and I ended having to go to a salon to get it fixed, that was one time. One time was free for a makeover thing our church hosted for our stay at home mom's group.  I was the volunteer to help out the project! :0)  That was the first time I actually had a contemporary hair style and highlight!  It was fun! :0) 

Sometime I am tempted to be spirtually prideful of my long hair.  That may seem weird. But one of the first times I cut it off short in my adult life was for that very reason.  I was feeling very tempted to be prideful and thought best to help address that issue.  We live in a very conservative area (Coverings - Mennonite, & Amish and various other similar groups) - so this influence is more prevalent here than in other areas.

Anyway, any thoughts you might have on hair health?  Or to cut or not to cut? :0)

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10:27, Thursday, May 8, 2008 .. Posted by gabbie427

I personally think cutting off the dead ends of your hair makes it look healthier. I am not one who believes you should never cut your hair as I am sure others on this blog do believe.

If you think $17.00 is too expensive, you might checkc around to see if there is a Beauty Academy in your area. Sometimes they will charge cheaper rates because a student does the cutting, but a teacher is always right there watching them and making sure they do it correctly and that you are happy. My husband gets his hair cut there all the time.

God's Blessings,
Amy Jo

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11:31, Thursday, May 8, 2008 .. Posted by Citygal

Wow! I would love it if my haircut only cost $17! It costs me $75 (NZ) for just a wash and cut and blowdry - no colours or special treatment, and I believe the price is about to go up too!
I've struggled with hair health over the years as well - and I have really slow-growing hair too. I would love to have long hair, but it takes about 2 years just to grow 2 or 3 inches. I do have to get it trimmed every 12 weeks to take the split ends and dry ends off - it does grow faster when it is regularly trimmed and it keeps it healthier. I now have really healthy hair - I'm 36 and everytime I go to the hairdresser's she is amazed at how luscious and healthy it is. I don't drink much milk - apparently this can cause you to go grey quicker and is not healthy for your hair. I cut down on my milk and I noticed a difference. I also use a quite expensive (not outrageously though) shampoo - don't just buy from the supermarket or drugstore - get a good shampoo - it's worth the money. Apparently cheap shampoos leave residues on your hair and damage each little strand. I thought the hairdresser was just trying to get me to buy an expensive one, but I tried it and it's true.
Hope you find this interesting.
Rachel from NZ

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12:26, Friday, May 9, 2008 .. Posted by heritagehill

This is the same question I am asking myself lately! Mine is not nearly as long as yours, but longer than it has ever been in my life. It has always grown very slowly until recently. I too use a good shampoo and I think that has made a huge difference. I have only had the ends trimmed once in the past year and a half. I am going back and forth with cutting or not as now there is no cost except shampoo. If I cut it I will have to have it trimmed every 6 weeks and have a perm every 4-5 months. I think not perming it for a couple of years has helped make it more healthy too. Just my thoughts. Marilyn

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06:28, Friday, May 9, 2008 .. Posted by gokings13

Locks of Love is a business that takes long cut hair and makes wigs for cancer patients (usually kids).

My gf was told for years if she cut her hair, she'd go to hell. Finally, at the age of 37, she cut it (it hung past her knees).
Her head stopped flaking. Her headaches went away. The ringing in her ears stopped..........she donated enough hair to make 5 wigs and she felt better.
She also switched churches :-)

What does your dh say?

Laura

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08:52, Friday, May 9, 2008 .. Posted by morningsunshine

At the moment, and for the past, oh, almost 3 years! ugh, I have shaved my head trying to deal with the psoriasis on my scalp. It has not helped except that I can coat my scalp with oils and homemade lotions and creams, and it actually stays on my scalp instead of in my hair. that helps so my head is not a red oozing mess. I cannot wait till it goes away so I can grow my hair out long again, meaning to say, mid-back length.
I am not suggesting that you shave your head, but what I am saying is that you cannot let others dictate by virtue of their beliefs on hair what is best for you. In a society where mostly only "butch"-type women shave their heads, it has been an interesting 3 years for me, a Christian SAH mom with 3 young children. But I try to make sure I project my beliefs in other ways.

Edited by morningsunshine on Friday, May 9, 2008 at 07:52

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12:10, Friday, May 9, 2008 .. Posted by Squeaker

Locks of Love is the only way to go, if you are going to relieve yourself of so much hair. Just think about what you would be doing, to help all of the people out there that need the wigs and would love to have your hair. DO think about that option

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I have donated to Locks of Love Once and Wigs for Kids once. If you do it officially they they send you all sorts of junk mail requesting you to attend official expensive dinners for their continued fund raising. The 2nd time I donated to wigs for kids and none of that happened. Although I've known some children with cancer - who went to a children's clinic for cancer and the topic of wigs was never introduced. So I just wondered - do they really do what they do?

My thought was also - if I am losing all my hair - what if I keep it and set it aside and it all falls out - then I can use it - if not -then I can still donate it at a later date - they do take old hair (from my previous research).

Edited by wstoller on Friday, May 9, 2008 at 07:48