Experiments in Cutting My Own Hair

[alias_sqbr]

I've been meaning to post this for a while but it suddenly occurred to me that right now it might be useful beyond my original expected audience of fellow severely disabled people.

So! I have been experimenting with cutting my own hair. These experiments have had mixed results, but for me it's been worth it. I have chaotic, thin, wavy hair that always looks kind of messy, and have been cutting it to about jaw level.

The main advantage for me has been that I get a fresh haircut whenever I want. Hairdresser appointments are a lot of hassle and expense, so I put it off, and thus spend a lot of time with overgrown hair I hate. Home haircuts don't look as nice as a new hairdresser cut (assuming the hairdresser hasn't screwed up), but are more satisfying on average.

So! Here's the last cut I got at the hairdressers (which wasn't quite what I wanted), and how it looked after a few month's growth:


I'd gotten sick of always having it so short, but couldn't decide what I did want, so was just growing it out.

A few months after the photo above I got sick of it looking so shaggy, and cut it off impulsively in a line around from the nape of my neck, then got Cam to tidy up the stray hairs at the back. Naturally this wasn't very even, but was still a step up from the shaggy mess.


After some thought and investigation online (there's a lot of tutorials for cutting your own hair, of varying dubiousness), when that had grown after a few months I tried a technique I found online for tying everything into a low ponytail and chopping it off to create a short bob. I wasn't careful enough to keep it even, but it still looks ok overall.


I tried taking a photo of the back to see if it was even and...who knows with my hair haha.


Next time what I'll do is part my hair in the middle then tie up the front of my hair (the part that would form a fringe/bangs) with hair ties to keep it a bit separate, and then brush everything evenly into the back to form a low pony tail, and cut that off.

For a shorter variation, I'm pondering getting Cam to help make a horizontal parting at the top of my ears, with everything above in a ponytail and everything beneath shaved/clipped.

Thus far I've just used the craft scissors I had to hand but I should probably look into actual hair scissors. Cam already has some nice clippers for his beard.

Comments

[pebblerocker]

Wavy/curly hair hides a lot of inexactness and makes home cuts much easier! I, somewhat regrettably, have a need for shorter hair than I used to, and it's jolly hard to use clippers evenly on myself. Unless I wanted all of it clipped the same length, I suppose. An assistant to make sure partings are straight and check the back really does help.

I have real hair scissors, purchased online, and they've proved their worth. Not only do they do a better job, they seem to make the physical action of cutting much easier.

[alias_sqbr]

Yeah I'm only going to experiment with short styles if I can persuade Cam: he's paranoid about doing a bad job, though said he'd be fine helping with hard to screw up stuff like flat clipping.

[shati]

I've been cutting my hair for the last few years (using basically the method you described for your next cut, though I leave my hair much longer) and it's really made me appreciate the waviness. I couldn't tell yours is self-cut.

I do use hair scissors -- if nothing else I feel like I hack at all less than I'd expect with regular ones, though I don't know how of a difference there would be from craft scissors.

[alias_sqbr]

The craft scissors are terrible haha, do not rec.

And yes having wavy hair is great! It's nice to know it looks ok, thanks :)

[moonvoice]

Hi yes I really like seeing your face and your hair just...all the time <3

[alias_sqbr]

My face likes your face <3 <3

[sami]

You look really good.

... realistically, though, from me that means: you look like you. I like you, so I think you look good unless you don't look like you.

But you look like you in a way that is pleasing to my eye. I respond positively to these pictures. They give me upward emotional tilt.

[alias_sqbr]

Thank you :)