Hi! I'm new here, but I'm an older woman - 55 and graying.  I'd like to let my hair grow long and I don't want to dye it.  It's in several layers now.   I presently wear it parted on the side, pulled back into a ponytail then clipped  up with a "claw".  I know that's not real good for it, but until it's long enough to put up with hairpins, I'll have to use  the claw.  My hair is graying in wide streaks and for gray hair, I think it looks nice.  I read the 20 laws for growing long hair and wondered about the part that says to have it cut every 3 months or so.  Is this AFTER the layers grow out, or should the layers themselves be trimmed?  Any advice?  Love this website and am looking forward to getting my hair long enough to use some of those beautiful hair stix!  I think the Sterling Silver ones will look nice!

Hi Silvermane, :)
I'm fairly new here myself,welcome and I'm glad you're journaling,too!

Welcome Silvermane :)

55 is old ??? NAH!  :-*

You can trim the layers if they need to. I hope someone else will pitch in and be of more help to you :) :)


C ya' around

Hello and welcome!

55 is not old - just experienced!  ;D  

As for your layers, I usually suggest growing your hair to a length where you can contain the shortest lengths and are comfortable with a style, then gradually trim the layers off.  

Good luck getting to the length to enjoy the beautiful hairsticks!

Welcome silvermane!  Lots of us working on growing out to long hair status here so there is lots of encouragement along the way. ;D
Initially I trimmed the length only to let some of the layers catch-up but I haven't cut the layers.  I may trim the length when I get to BSL(bra strap length) to get rid of the layers. ???  I just hate to lose length when it is just beginning to get long enough for some nice styles.  But you need to decide what is best for your hair--it's general condition and how many layers you want to put up with, etc.  No right/wrong answer here :-/

Greetings, silvermane.  :)

Nice name.

Welcome aboard & congrats on starting your longhair journey. Don't worry, no one is too old to have long hair.  ;D

While I never had "layers" per se, my hair was...slanted in the front for awhile.  :-/  I also grew out my bangs in high school. I'd say just keep getting trims regularly. Find a length that you're comfortable maintaining for a little while while the layers "catch up." Once your hair is all the same length, you can focus on growing longer.

If you plan not to grow the layers out, just have them trimmed every time you have the length trimmed.

Best of luck & happy growing.  :)

Howdy and welcome!   :)
I'm 44, have been growing my hair for a year now and plan to keep it long (God willing) from here on out.  Me, personally, I disagree with frequent trimming--unless one's hair is super damaged.  Then, yeah, go ahead and trim.  I had/have some layers and I probably won't trim my hair until what were my bangs reach the point between shoulder and bra strap length.  
Glad you're with us--happy posting!

Hi and welcome!

As far as trimming - I don't think you mentioned whether or not you'd like to keep your layers.  If you want to keep them, then you should trim them during your routine trim.  But if you want to grow them out, just trim the longest layer, and the shorter ones will eventually catch up.  

Thanks, Khrome!  I really enjoyed looking at your Hair Stix Gallery.  Did you do all those updos yourself?  They are so beautiful!

I'm not sure whether I want to keep layers or not.  I think I'll just wait and see.  It will probably take about 12 months for the shortest layer to reach my shoulders, and then maybe I'll have it all trimmed into a U shape while it finishes growing out.    But I don't think I can wait a whole year to have it trimmed at all.  I think I'll wait until the longest layer grows a few inches longer and then have that layer trimmed.  Right now the longest layer is about 8 inches long and is kind of lopsided in that it is noticeably longer on the left side than the right.  And the layers are a mess because when they were cut, the hairdresser thinned the layers with a razor comb, so the ends are very raggedy.  The only good thing is that I haven't noticed any split ends. I've stopped using a hairspray with alcohol in it  and found one at Whole Foods with Jojoba in it that makes the raggedy ends behave but doesn't seem to dry it out.  

Whew!  I'm going on and on here!  That's enough:-X !       Thanks again for the advice, Khrome.  :)    

Silvermane, a big hug and a big welcome to you. :-*

Layers aren't necessarily bad... eventually, all hair will naturally taper into layers anyway if left uncut. Hair grows and sheds at so many different rates. I have only been trimming the longest layers, but the shorter ones haven't caught up after a whole 3 years.

Anais

wrote on Mar 21^st, 2006 at 4:40am:

Silvermane, a big hug and a big welcome to you. :-* Layers aren't necessarily bad... eventually, all hair will naturally taper into layers anyway if left uncut. Hair grows and sheds at so many different rates. I have only been trimming the longest layers, but the shorter ones haven't caught up after a whole 3 years. Anais

Those pesky layers!  It's interesting yours haven't caught up.  Whereas me, I like to keep my layers and get them trimmed each time but they seem to be catching up with my ends!  I think I have to use reverse psychology on them.  "Yes layers - grow grow grow"  Then they'll stay where I want them.  :)

Thanks Silvermane, for your kind comments about my gallery!  Yes, I did do all the updos there.  If you'd like to know about a particular style just let me know and I'll dig up the website I got the instructions from.  

Thanks for the offer, Khrome.  When my hair gets long enough, I'll be very interested in knowing where to look to get some instructions on what to do with it!  : ;D