To want to cut my long tresses off?

[jaxom]

I've had long hair since the age of 15.

I'm now 40 and it's a wiry, grey, old lady mess (allergic to dyes, yes, all of them, so don't ask me to dye my hair as I hate the sore scalp and pain pain pain).

It blows in my face and it irritates me, even when tied back. Being outdoorsy and active, it just gets annoying, hot in the summer, etc.

I envy those, including my work colleagues, who have silky, thick hair. Mine used to be thick, but it ain't any more.

I am seriously sick of it and want a pixie haircut. Something easy to manage, quick to dry...doesn't tangle, blah blah blah.

Anyone else made the drastic move from long to very short?

Thanks for reading.

[TheQueenOfWands]

I think your head and ears will be cold.

You'll need to embrace hats.

But grey pixie cuts look epic, IMO.

[Schmoozer]

Go for it !!!!
It sounds like you are so ready !

[jaxom]

I love hats. Can't wear them with long, grey hair, I look like a bag lady.

[Bella8]

I say go for it. Google short hairstyles, select the style you want and show that picture to the hair stylist. I know you said you're allergic to dyes but when is the last time you had it tinted? It's just the dyes are much better now and kinder on your scalp, could just get a few highlights, not a full head. I bet you'll look like a new woman. I say go for it! I have long hair but I always said once I hit 40 I'm going to cut it all off and get a nice sophisticated short style!

[Cocolepew]

Come over to the Head Shave to go Grey thread.

[jaxom]

A buzz cut.....very, very, very tempting. That'll save me a bob or two!!

[Cocolepew]

[Ttbb]

I, while no where near the grey and thinning age, regularly do sonething similar. I let my hair just grow out and when it gets too heavy (about mid back range-very thick and generally a pain to deal with) I just get it cut back to chin length and repeat. I don't think I could get away with a pixie cut but I am sorely tempted. The feeling of lightness after getting it all cut off is amazing.

[BobbinThreadbare123]

Chop it! It's the way forward. It isn't chilly. I cut mine as an illness changed my hair and it wasn't as thick and curly any more. Chopping it off has restored it to a shiny state again.

[MatildaTheCat]

Yes x 1000. You sound seriously ready for this. Other than the lucky few with really beautiful hair I’ve never understood the love of long, long hair.

Research and go to a good hairdresser. Beware short hair needs regular trimming to stay looking good.

I bet it will take years off you.

[Aridane]

Warning- a pixie haircut is fucking high maintenance- regular trims, daily washing / wetting, and products. It was too much effort so grew it out

[bookworm14]

Do it!

I had my long, thick, frizzy hair cut into a bob two months ago. I’d always been scared to do it but it’s one of the best decisions I ever made - it’s so much easier to look after now.

[BringOnTheScience]

I'm just embracing long wiry greyness! They're my natural silver highlights and I earned them. If men can be grey-haired mad old scientists, then women can too!

[ConciseandNice]

Oh it'll take years off you. Go for it! Hair grows back. But you'll not want it to. Cutting my crazy, gross tresses off was one of the best things ever. I always thing over a certain age long hair looks either bag lady or Pollyanna, so I was a bit paranoid. Got rid and changed my life! Yay!

[twofloorsup]

I'm in the same situation but not so much the grey but horrible dry frizzy broken hair.
I'm toying with the idea of brave the shave so I can truly start again.
I'm just bothered by other people's opinions. I wish I wasn't I'd have done it by now.
I think you should go for it. Just wish I could take my own advice

[Andylion]

How long is long?

[HistoriaTrixie]

I just went for it and had fifteen inches cut off my hair. Like you, OP, I'm greying (45) and I just wanted to get all my overprocessed (dyes and perms) hair off to see how the grey is going to come out and how it'll behave. There's still some processed hair because I wasn't ready to go all the way down to an inch long but I'll have it snipped as it grows out.

I already love it because it's so simple. Like, I woke up this morning with the right side of my hair all sticking straight up, but I was able to just run a brush over it and it was right as rain. The way I look at it is that I'll probably grow it out again, but I'm also open to keeping it short. The cool thing about hair is that you nearly always have options.

[keeponworking]

And if you can't tolerate colours (although not sure when you last tried, but I'm sure there must be organic ranges out there), if you just want to tame the frizzyness you could look at a Brazilian treatment - it beats any conditioner into a cocked hat because it actually pushes the keratin into the core of the hair shaft and locks it in.

[FallenMadonnawiththeBadBoobies]

I used to think like this, but never had the courage to do it. I also wanted to stop colouring my hair but didn't have the courage to do that either.

Then I had to have chemo and my hair fell out. It came back pure white and wavy. Everyone loved the short spikey look and so I have kept it. It is absolute bliss in the morning standing with my head under the shower knowing it will take me a couple of minutes max to sort my hair out!

[AlternativeTentacle]

Once you are past 40 nobody cares anyway.

I have a pixie cut, got rid of the long hair and never looked back. Yes have to douse it under the shower every morning [well, every morning that I want to leave the house] but it takes about a minute to dry and a quick squirt of gel and it is spiked up and ready for action. It is currently red as well, as i am seeing how long non-permanent colours can last with the grey.

[MulhuddartDrive]

I went from bra strap dyed brown to Claire Underwood crop in natural brown and grey. I absolutely love it. I have a brilliant hairdresser who cuts it so well I get it done every 8/10 weeks rather than 6 as the shape keeps really well.

[Intercom]

Think Judi Dench and cut it off! You won’t look back

[Allthewaves]

Def chop it. Look so much more stylish

[DartmoorDoughnut]

I’ve had my long thick hair cut into a pixie, don’t know why I didn’t do it sooner, it’s awesome!

[Caulk]

Do it! What’s stopping you?

Long hair seems to only suit certain hair types