I desperately want to chop off my thick curly hair but I’m nervous about the commitment it will be.

[Ashh40]

I have pretty thick, temperamental wildly curly wavy unpredictable hair. I try to style it as often as possible because if I don’t it’s unmanageable and I look homeless. The time it takes to brush it out after a shower and it still being wet in the morning is so frustrating and I so desperately want to cut it off to my shoulders. Now I know that if I did that I would have to take time to control it and I’m prepared to do that. Mostly I want to be able to blow dry it in a short amount of time and then deal with styling the next day or whenever. I also struggle with migraines and I’m thinking the weight of my hair might contribute to these. My questions are: Have you lobbed off our hair to a near bob? Was it worth it? How quickly can you blow dry it? And what dryer do you prefer? I’m worried the thickness will make the shorter cut sit weird on my head. Could you get enough weight taken out of it for it to sit better on your head? How often do you wear it up? Sorry for all the questions! I’m just trying to talk myself into cutting it off!

[curlychiquita]

@Ashh40, My hair is also very curly and very heavy.  I agree with @Titian06, I actually get headaches from wearing my hair up (particularly in a bun).  My hairstylist also think my sensitive scalp is from the weight of all of my hair pulling on it.  Right now it is shoulder length and that hasn't helped too much, so I think I may grow it out a little longer again.  I haven't straightened my hair in years, I just comb gel through it while wet, give it a little shake, and leave it curly.  My hair takes 3 or 4 hours to air dry but it's so much easier than straightening it for 45 minutes at a time.  Good Luck!

P.S. I hated my DivaCurl cut.  And it was very expensive.  Potentially I got someone that didn't know how to do it right (the salon was certified), but I don't do that anymore.

[Mrose251]

I’m sorry your Devacut didn’t turn out how you wanted @curlychiquita. I have been through a fair share of stylist that were certified and had positive reviews through word of mouth but still managed to butcher my hair. Fortunately, I have found someone that I have enjoyed going to for the past 4 years. @Ashh40 I also get headaches after awhile from the tugging and tightness from wearing my hair up in a ponytail, bun or brushing it out too hard. I am not tender headed but that stress plus the pressure on the scalp maybe a trigger to migraines but that is only my assumption and would be best evaluated by a medical professional. 

[Titian06]

Hi, @Ashh40!  @Mrose251 @TrysBeautyItems have provided excellent advice.  Regarding your question about migraines.  I have chronic migraines that can be triggered by pulling my hair back into a jaw clip or rubber band.  So, yes, your migraines can be triggered by your hair style if you have a sensitive scalp like me.  You would need to keep a journal of your migraines to know for certain what your triggers are.

[Mrose251]

Hi @Ashh40. It sounds like you are frustrated with your hair and all the upkeep that comes with it so I understand where you are coming from. I would suggest scheduling a consult with a devacurl certified stylist and explaining what exactly it is that you want. They can guide you with the right methods and make suggestions on what hairstyle and products would help with your daily routine. I would also recommend, if doing so, not to wash curly hair on a daily basis. Since some curly hair tends to be more porous, you want your natural oils to combat dryness so frequent shampooing (esp those with sulfate,silicone and paraben) can strip the hair leading to more frizz. Also, the addition of heat through styling products can also cause damage to the hair if use on a consistent basis without a protectant.

May I suggest pinning your hair up at night and wrapping it with a silk scarf or sleeping on a silk pillow to protect the curl pattern so it is not too disturbed in the morning. To refresh and bring back definition, use a curl refresher spray or cocktail a leave-in conditioner with water in a spray bottle and section curls with your fingers or a wide tooth comb. To give the curls hold, use a styling cream or gel to combat frizz. 

[TrysBeautyItems]

@Ashh40 I have cut my thick curly short, but not a bob. However you don't seem to know your hair. For me, I've had to adjust mine routine after cutting, it was a learning curve. Curly hair should never be brushed, only roughs up the hair cuticle and leads to frizz, same with a cotton towel. I don't use heat regularly.

Some tips:

-microfiber towel cuts down on drying time

-finger comb with conditioner in or wide tooth comb

-try not to disrupt the natural hair pattern while washing

-leave in conditioner

-Hydrate daily

-reddit r/curlyhair has lots of info

A good hair cut will be helpful (to keep it healthy and can take off some weight), but a bob won't be a quick fix to everything. Probably start will a consultation and ask to be shown how to style. If you haven't had short hair before, getting a few inches off, more than just a trim, would be a better start..you can always cut more. When I got mine cut, hairdresser showed me how much was coming off and asked 'are you sure' right before the chop.