How can I grow my hair but avoid the mushroom look?

by J
(San Diego, CA)

I have very thick, wavy hair. I had it short for years and deciding to grow it out for my wedding. Hated it along the way and kept cutting. Now it is almost long enough to have an updo - but when it is down it looks like a mushroom. The last time it was cut there were some layers. Stylist said to keep it long on top to weigh it down and avoid the mushroom. It is a few inches below jaw when straight. Yet I feel like that technique made it worse. If I do not straighten it - it curls at ends and sides and looks like a wavy mushroom. Help - I want to find a way to look fuller on top and thinner at bottom before I end up cutting all my hair off before my wedding.

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How can I grow my hair but avoid the mushroom look?

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Jan 09, 2008

addition to above
by: J

I forgot to mention that when I started I had the front longer than the back - so there are two distinct layers when you look at me from the front - now the back has caught up with theh front - but the front ( especially on one side) has another layer angling forward - YIKES!!

Jan 13, 2008

Hmmm... lots going on
by: Michelle

The first order of business is to even out all those layers you have. Where the layers fall determines the shape of a haircut. It's the length on top to "weigh it down" that is creating the mushroom effect.

You'll want to get a more "uniform" hair cut (tell your stylist that). That will avoid heavy layers adding weight around the sides. It's all about how the stylist distributes that weight.

If you do want to leave a touch more length on the top, the weight can be removed by point cutting into the ends and slicing throughout the last few inches of hair to texturize.

This will make it a lot easier to style your hair when it's curly too, because removing some of the weight will activate the curl. This page has some great, simple instructions for styling naturally curly hair.

All the best,
Michelle
Editor, SHM.com