I'm Having a Debate About...

[amberfocus]

...Hair

In particular, my hair. With myself.



As in should I cut it or not?

[Poll #1963032]

It took a lot of effort to get it to this point, but I've been having a lot of headaches lately from the weight of my hair. This will probably be the last time in my life I ever have it this long. At 44 I'm getting way less tolerant of the tangles than I used to be. I've been trying to make up my mind for a while now. What do you all think?

Comments

[yumimum.livejournal.com]

Wow, I admire your patience for dealing with long hair. I had mine like that for 20-odd years then decided to go short. Maybe you shouldn't go too drastic, but if a midway cut would ease your headaches then it's got to be worth it. :)

[amberfocus.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I don't know if the cut would actually ease the headaches. People are saying it is my hair, but I'm not entirely convinced. Still I don't get them when my hair is short.

[fannishliss.livejournal.com]

Mine is almost to my knees but it is super light. I haven't cut it since 1986. Mine also grows very slowly.

Have you ever had short hair? Does it fit your self image?

I tend to rhink that a cut but not a drastic one might be worth it for you.

The color is gorgeous!

[amberfocus.livejournal.com]

Mine is super thick and heavy. A pony tail is 4 inches thick. Two braids are a little less than half that as they weave tighter.

Yes, I've had short hair. I had short hair through much of high school and then again when my children were babies up until the youngest was five. It's been long for the past nine years or so, but never this long. Usually between a couple inches past my shoulders to mid-back.

I like it short because it curls and all I have to do is run some setting spray through it and it's good.

[fannishliss.livejournal.com]

wow! then if I were you I would cut it, because it seems like it grows pretty fast and you already know you will be okay with it short.

:)

[hungrytiger11.livejournal.com]

That is impressively long but... If you having headaches, cut it.

Besides that, generally women actually tend to look younger with shorter hair as we grow older (strange, right?). I'd go into a hairdresser and ask her thoughts. And/or donate the hair.

[amberfocus.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'll donate the hair if I get it cut short enough. I'm not 100% convinced that the hair is causing the headaches, honestly, but it could be. I don't get them when it is short.

[honorh.livejournal.com]

I lost all patience with my hair and had it chopped off to a pixie cut. Never been happier. Your hair's lovely, but if you need a change, you need a change.

[amberfocus.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure I could pull off a pixie. I haven't had one since I was little. But I do need to do something.

[jessalrynn.livejournal.com]

Your hair is really beautiful and I love the color. I say leave it, let it grown, but mine is down to my bum and no sign of scissors in sight. That makes me unqualified to choose, obviously. I think you should probably base your choice more on how long it will take to get it back if you decide you hate it short.

Oh, is your hair straight? Mine sort of looks it, but that's because it weighs quite a bit. I cut it short once and looked like I had a poodle on my head. NOT cute, fyi. So consider if you'd have to straighten daily, too.

Of course, if you do cut it, give to Locks of Love. There should be someone in your area who can arrange it for you.

[amberfocus.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I love my natural hair color, but sadly it is going gray and darkening on top. If I cut it, I'll likely lose all the auburn. My hair grows pretty fast. About an inch a month, so it's not like it won't grow back in 18 months or so.

My hair is pretty curly when short, but not poodle curly, just bouncy, wide curls. It was pretty easy to maintain then, just spritz it, scrunch it, and that was it. I rarely would straighten it as that just makes it look flat.

[jessalrynn.livejournal.com]

My niece always fusses about hers - it's quite long but very straight, and everyone, she says, pulls when they brush it except me. She doesn't get headaches from it, but she does give nearly everyone headaches about it, so my brother may finally decide to give up and let them cut it short. Not sure.

Point is, the discomfort factor is probably the only thing left to worry about, since you can grow it back relatively easily. Just don't get the same haircut as everyone you work with, and I hope you enjoy it.

Here's a link: http://www.locksoflove.org/

[jer832.livejournal.com]

Your hair is gorgeous. If it makes you happy don't let people bully you into cutting it. If you do get it cut first find out how much time it will take each morning to maintain it.

[amberfocus.livejournal.com]

Thank you. No one is bullying me into cutting it. I just need to decide. I've had short hair before. It is not much to maintain. I probably spend more time combing out the tangles now than I did fixing it when it was short.

[azriona.livejournal.com]

Oh, it's gorgeous! I love the red in it, I wish I had more red in mine.

My theory has always been that it's only hair, and it WILL grow back. (Remember, it also grows faster when it's shorter - so even if you cut it TOO short, it'll grow back fairly soon.)

If you cut it off, are you going to donate it? It looks plenty long enough. (But a word of caution about Locks of Love - I heard recently that they charge for their wings, whereas there are other groups that give them to cancer patients free. Might want to do some research first.)

[apurplepatch.livejournal.com]

If it's causing headaches and impacting on your health it's time to cut it off - I always think mid back is long enough that it feels LONG and short enough not to be annoying.

[develish1]

mine site just below my shoulder blades, and although sometimes I get annoyed with the effort of taking care of it, I'd never cut it "short", I love it too much, so you can guess my vote, lol