The Pros and Cons of Short Hair
Every so often, I get a tired of the maintenance my long, thick hair requires and decide to go short. It’s always a little scary, very liberating, and in the end a great way to start fresh. Especially after the past year and a half putting my hair through a lot of processing and coloring, I was ready for a clean slate.
But, before each chop, I always weigh out the pros and cons of short hair. If you’re contemplating making the cut, here are some points to help you decide whether or not it’s a good idea.
Pros of Short Hair
Your Shampoo & Conditioner Last Longer
Pretty simple: less hair, less product! Especially with my thick hair, I would have to use a fistful of conditioner every time I washed my hair. Now my product lasts longer, which means more money in my pocket.
You’ll Spend Less Time Styling
One of the nicest parts about having short hair is how quick it is to style. After the shower, it dries in a flash, and working out the very small amount of tangles that form is easy. Although I’ve been wearing it wavy most of the time, drying or heat styling takes less than half the time it used to.
You May End Up with Healthier Hair
Cutting off significant length from your hair— and keeping it short with frequent trims— means that you’re getting rid of dead and damaged ends. Aside from that, my ends don’t become as dry when I wear my hair short, since the oils from my scalp don’t need to travel too far to nourish them.
Less Ponytail Headaches
Anybody with long hair can attest to the terrible ponytail and bun headaches you have to endure when you pull your heavy hair into one spot on your head. Cue the after-work head massage you give yourself after letting it down! With the short chop, you don’t have to worry about putting stress on your scalp when you want to wear it up.
ALSO READ: 5 Hair Hacks to Make Curls Last
Cons of Short Hair
Your Styles Can Be Limited
While it takes a shorter time to style, you don’t have the same range of hairstyles you can wear with long hair, depending on how short your hair ends up being. Even putting your hair up in a ponytail may be a struggle, which could pose a problem for those who need to wear it up for work or exercise.
Your Hair Texture Can Change
When my hair was long, the heaviness weighed my waves down, causing them to look looser. I was pleasantly surprised to see more bouncy definition with a shorter cut. While I love how it looks, I have had to re-discover what products keep the shape looking its best, searching for new hair care favorites.
Your Go-To Products and Routines May Change
Jumping off of the last point, your overall hair needs may change and in turn require tweaks in your routine. With my long hair, I had been using heavy moisturizers that are now too rich for my short haircut. My hair is also getting oilier more quickly, and so I have had to increase my wash days to twice a week instead of once. It’ll be a learning curve to get back in the groove of things, so it’s up to you whether or not you’re willing to experiment to learn what your hair likes now.
Overall, I’m really happy with my new short hair cut and it has been a nice, much-needed break from the heavy and high maintenance long locks I had been wearing.
Do you prefer long or short hair?
That looks amazing, thank you for sharing! I personally loved your article, can’t wait to have my shorthair. xo xo
I personally love your article!! xo xo Short hair isn’t for everyone, but there are some people that love it. I’m not a huge fan of it on me, but I think some people look so much better with short hair. Make whatever decision you think is best for you. Remember that it’s okay if you hate it. Hair always grows back!
I love your look in short hair! You can rock any hair style!!
I have hair down to my waist but I’m thinking about cutting it REALLY short. Anything I should think about before I do so? (I have already made a list of pros and cons from all over google and youtube vids so I have a basic idea of what it’s going to be like.)
The only thing I could say besides what I’ve already written in this post is that if you’re thinking “really” short as in pixie cut… you’ll have to keep up trims to avoid the awkward growing-out pixie stage! When pixie cuts grow out there’s always one stage where it’s an awkward length to style and shape.
I cut my very long (mid back) hair really short (about 3″ long at the longest point) about 5 years ago and have never regretted it. I donated the cut hair and would like to donate it again but I’ve loved my short hair so much, I can’t even consider growing it long again. I used to have a good hair day about once in every 10 days or so. Now every day is a good hair day. I use more product than I used when my hair was long (I used almost none then) but it styles so easily and I don’t look like one of a million other girls with long hair. I don’t have to worry about split ends or treatments because my hair is never long enough to get damaged. I don’t even have to use conditioners! Not sure I’ll ever want to grow it long again!
What kind of products to you use on your hair now? Glad to hear that you love your short hair 🙂 I think I’ll keep mine at collarbone length for a while. What about upkeep, how often are you cutting it?
I cut it myself, usually about every couple of months or when it seems like it’s getting unruly and difficult to make it do what I want.
I use setting stuff to blow it dry and sometimes some pomade stuff to ruffle it up, and I spray it every morning with hair spray to keep it standing up, but that’s basically it.
As someone who has had short hair in much her early life, I prefer long! My hair gradually became more and more wavy-curly, so the length tends to complement that.
I’m on the fence! I miss my long hair and the versatility but I’m loving how quick it is to style my short hair!
That’s so funny because ease of styling is one thing that keeps me from going shorter again. PLUS, keeping it long lets it double as a scarf during these colder months. 🙂
I just chopped my hair off too…even shorter & it was even longer I think! I feel you girl…kick in the teeth to figure out what works again.
I like it! Really pretty!
So weird about your hair getting less curly! When I cut mine, it gets curlier! It always takes my hair a couple of weeks to settle down after a cut, for some reason. Like yours, the texture changes. I know I need a cut, but I’ve been putting it off for years now.
I’ve been trying to grow my hair out (about time for a trim) for probably two years. It’s getting closer to the length I want to keep it at (mid back) but it’s been taking forever! I love your hair this length, it looks so good on you!
Sometimes it feels great to just cut your hair and start fresh – I love the new length on you.
I love your new look 🙂 Just before I found out I was pregnant with my twins (over 5 years ago), I took 16 inches off my hair… and literally had hair to my ears… lol it took a while to get used to, but it was nice not to have all the headaches I normally do. And, all my hair was donated… so that made me feel better 😉
Love the new look!
I always tend to grow it out so long and then chop it all off. It is good for the psyche I think!
I lovvveeee your short do. I one time chopped my hair off up to my chin, and holy wow it was soooo easy. However ponytails and other styles than down or half up half down we hard a hell. My ponytail looked like a palmtree/ sticking straight out thing. Weird!! But I think the length you picked is amazing and conventional!
Looks adorable! I just chopped 9 inches off my hair!
A bad hairdresser cut my hair off at chin level when I had asked for it to be at my collarbone. I hated it! I couldn’t put it up in a ponytail. I love the versatility of my long hair.
I just cut half my hair off, i feel so free!
I love having short hair because it dries so fast! I hate it because I don’t like nub ponytails 😛
I don’t consider your hair short…just short for you, Miranda! It looks gorgeous that length — about shoulder-length. I thought maybe you decided to go with a pixie, and I’m glad you didn’t. You have stunning hair.
I think you look awesome with short hair! I definitely prefer mine shoulder length
I’ve done super short pixies and I used to have waist length hair. I’ve never made it more than an inch or two past my shoulders since cutting off the waist length. I like both but even now, I feel like it takes FOREVER to dry my hair.
I’ve done both extremes many times in my life. I have to say I love both equally and I’m lucky my hair grows really fast so I can back and forth.
I could write a book on adjusting to that change! LOL Your hair does look wonderful, shiny, smooth and “healthy.” The length is very flattering to you and I like what you’re doing with your colour.
One more thing… your head gets cold. LOL I used to have a short pixie cut. It was nice, except I was at the salon once a week to maintain it.