Hello everyone...
I'm a newbie to the site! Been reading though for a while!
I have a question I'm hoping for some opinions on -
My hair is currently a few inches away from waist-length, it's taken me a fair amount of time to get it here as my hair grows so slowly. When I started growing it to where it was now, my hair was a bit below my collarbone and it's taken me a year and 7 months to get it to where it is now. I don't know if that's just I'm a slow grower, but also that I've had/have some horomone problems which has also made my hair soo thin.
Anyway, I'm careful with my hair...light shampooing, conditioning, spray in detangler/conditioner....No use of the hair dryer, curling irons, etc (honestly not a problem because it's too much fuss to me...lol), don't comb when wet, no tight, repetitive styles...etc. The only thing I haven't invested in yet is a silk pillowcase...
Anywho! My question is this - I recently started really looking at my ends closely because I'm constantly having terrible tangles in the ends - so much so after even a good conditioning and it drying - a couple hours later the ends are dry and tangled like that again. I've spent two weeks, spending an hour a day dusting for damage....and it's like I just can't get it all! I know there's some former damage from that being dyed before I started growing my hair out - but my question is this, at this point....would it be better to just cut off what I can of the damage? I can easily go up about three inches and see it's dry and that's where the issues are coming from. I just flinch at the idea because while it won't knock me back to "short" hair, I will go from nearly waist-length to about bra-strap length and it's just so hard because it's hard to lose it, ya know? I know it's easy for everyone around me to just tell me to cut it, it's no biggie, but when you commit to having it long and spend so much time and love on it....choices like these are hard, even when they're needed, ya know? Just wanting some thoughts or opinions! Thanks much!!!

You will have to cut off the damage to stop the tangling of your ends.

If cutting off 3" is too much for you to do at once, perhaps cut off half of the amount and wait a bit to cut off the rest.  Personally, I'd prefer to be done with the damage and focus on keeping it healthy and properly moisturized and let it grow back from the healthy state.

I do understand its not an easy decision, of course you don't want to loose the length you've gained!  Remember that the damage travels up the hair shaft, so the longer you keep the damaged ends the more damage they're doing to you hair.  I hope this helps you decide.

Either way, Welcome to LongLocks!  I hope you'll introduce yourself in the New Members thread and maybe post a pic of your hair in the Show Off Your Locks thread.

Thanks Sakina!
I know you guys are right....I'm just being a pessimist I think. lol. I've had my hair long for a long time before (nearly to my tailbone for 5 years..) so I know it's better to take it off....it's just so hard for me this time around after finally getting some length back.
Like you though, I think I'd rather cut the 3-4 inches I can see DEF need to go at once and be done with it for the most part....

*sigh*
Thanks for helping me decide guys. I think I just felt I needed some reinforcement from others who understood what it's like to have long hair (rather than family members and friends who cut theirs into a different style every three months and think nothing of losing length)...

Thanks everyone for the encouragement! Last night I went ahead and snipped about 3 1/2 inches off and had hubby make sure it was straight. I do feel better - I didn't even brush my hair this morning and I can run my fingers through it, tangle free! So yeah...Glad I did it now and I know it looks a lot better! Will post a photo once I get my PC up and running again since I can't hook my camera up to my tiny laptop at the moment!