Trying to grow my hair, should I avoid the salon now?

Citygirl1

Hi, I am trying to grow my hair out of a graduated bob into a one length bob. My hair was just above my shoulders before. I had it cut in November last year, almost six months ago. I have told my hairdresser that I am growing it and she insists she is only barely trimming the ends to keep them neat and make my hair grow better but it doesn't seem to be growing. Every time I have my hair done I get asked if I have had it cut again!

I like my hairdresser and she is used to my hair and gives me good advice but I broke away once before to colour my own hair and save money and my hair grew nicely but I decided to start going back and having it done properly again but I feel on the verge of quitting there once again. How come my hair never seems to look different to others? Its so frustrating. Surely after nearly six months there should be some difference.

PudseyDB

How often are you having it trimmed? If the last cut was in November then its only 4 months ago, so could only have grown around an inch in that time.

Its definately worth still having it trimmed from time to time (esp if you use straighteners) to keep it in good condition, but only 2 or 3 times a year while trying to grow it.

Fire_Fox

November is four months ago, so maximum two inches growth. Is your hairdresser letting the layers grow out so it's one length, but trimming the longest ends or is she trimming the whole head? Doing only the longest ends but leaving the layers alone is the best way to grow out your hair without getting frustrated, otherwise you can have many months of unruly flicks, end up cutting the lot off OR heat styling so much you damage the hair.

How often are you going to the hairdresser and why, for colour? Just tell her you want a colour and no cut or finish, don't book it and don't pay for it, broken record technique, repeat the same thing over and over no matter what she says. Or colour yourself and have her colour alternately, so you see her half as often.

When I started growing mine I had one cut to lose the worst of the damaged ends, completely altered the way I cared for my hair then just let it grow for many months until it got really straggly, I didn't have a regular routine of appointments. I've had it cut every on average every six months for special occasions (weddings, Xmas). I would not have been able to go so long if I hadn't babied my hair along the way tho.

Hughjass

No trims and no heat is the way to go, otherwise its slow hard work, I know I've been there, now I have a trim (that I do myself) about once every eighteen months at most.

Citygirl1

Hi, thanks for your replies. I go to the salon about once every six weeks for a colour and a trim. The first time I went after having the graduated bob she did just colour and style it and didn't trim it but since then she has insisted on trimming it. If my hair wasn't grey and I didn't need the colour I would just go for a trim as and when but its the colour thats the maintenance and makes me feel I need to keep going.

I do straighten my hair off and on, it is baby fine and I am wary of using the GHDs so often but its the only way it seems to look OK and even then it soon poofs out if the weather is damp.

I do tie it up when I don't straighten it but the bits at the back keep coming out of the clip. My hairdresser does just trim the ends and not the layers.

Sometimes I feel like going back to colouring it myself and going to the cheap walk in places when I feel I need a trim and get out of that appointments cycle but before when I did that I got tired of colouring my own hair and the mess it was making in the bathroom, I also felt I was putting on colour on top of colour and can't do it like the hairdresser can, it was just getting darker and darker (I used a semi permanent).

I like going to the salon if its how I want it when I get out but I feel I am paying money to not have what I want yet my hairdresser has helped me get my hair into some sort of better condition than it was and I would feel awful keeping away again as I have done it before and gone back.

theoretica

Look at your hair and only go get the ends trimmed if the ends look more raggedy than you can tolerate. I trim mine twice a year, if that, but it is long and very often up.

floss2

Why not ask her to do full head of colour and no trim next time you go, then the following time have a tiny bit cut off and your roots? It balances out the costs a bit, and you will begin to see your hair begin to grow. TBH, every 6 weeks is only really going to trim off the length that has just grown.

Is the graduated bit starting to lose shape, and is that why your hairdresser keeps trimming it to keep it tidy? Does she know that you want to grow it out into a one-length bob?

Citygirl1

My hairdresser knows I am trying to grow it, the graduated bit at the back is starting to lose it shape but it still kinks up all the time.

valk_scot

If you're serious about growing your hair long then don't use any sort of processing chemicals on it and no heat styling. So no colouring treatments and no straightners. They both cause breakage and that's one of the main reasons hair doesn't seem to grow...it breaks off as fast as it grows.

The other main reason for breakage is snapping the hair while detangling so put some effort into preventing this. Tie your hair back (with a soft tie, not one with a metal join) when you go out rather than the wind whipping it into tangles. Never use any sort of brush, just a wide toothed comb. Never yank at your hair when wet, use plenty of conditioner and a wide toothed comb to gently detangle. If your hair is long enough then braid it at night rather than give yourself bed head to detangle. Use a conditioning treatment once a week, to keep the surface smooth.

Hair growth does slow down in the winter btw, it's faster in spring and summer. It's still only half an inch a month though. When I started to grow my baby fine hair I had a decent trim and then only got it done twice a year. Now it's down to my waist and I trim it myself when I think it's getting straggly.