People often fall into two categories: those who religiously cut their hair every few weeks and those who freely admit they haven’t cut their hair in years. But letting your hair grow and grow can end up doing more harm than good. How often you should trim your hair depends on several factors, including keeping your hair in good condition and maintaining a certain style.
You probably grew up thinking that split ends were the one sign to look for. But split ends are actually a sign that you’ve waited too long. Before the splitting, the ends of your hair may feel dry and brittle. You may also find that it’s getting difficult to brush or comb your hair all the way through. Styling may also prove to be more time-consuming, and your overall hair may seem lifeless compared to normal.
For those with hair, “every 6 to 8 weeks” is likely ingrained in your memory. However, hairstylists have a different view. Michael Fuzailov, owner of Poiz Beauty Salon, says the average time frame between cuts is “every 3 to 4 months.” Hairstylist Lisa Huff recommends trimming between a quarter to half an inch off the hair every 12 weeks if growing it out. Strands only grow approximately a half inch every month, per the American Academy of Dermatology, so doing it more often won’t make your hair grow any quicker.
You may also need more off if breakage has moved from the ends further up the hair. “Find a stylist you trust and allow them to cut off what is needed,” says Huff. If you like your bangs to look just so, you may need to have them trimmed as regularly as every 2 weeks. But most people tend to book appointments every 3 to 4 weeks to avoid the hair-in-eyes look. This is typically the point where bangs feel overgrown, notes Huff.
The frequency of trims often depends on the length of your hair and the style you want to maintain.
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Whether you have a pixie cut, bowl cut, or a contemporary crop, you’ll probably need to maintain it every month or so. (Some people can stretch to 6 weeks.) “Short cuts look overgrown faster than hair past the shoulder because of the way they frame the face,” Huff states. In other words, they lose their distinctiveness pretty quickly. Regular trims will help keep things looking sharp. Shorter haircuts often require more frequent trims to maintain their shape and style. If you have a pixie cut, it may need to be cut a little more often to maintain the shape of the sideburns and the nape of the neck. Experts agree that you should trim short hair every six weeks, at a minimum.
Those with long bobs (also known as lobs), tousled shags, or layered shoulder length styles all fall into the medium length category. Sharper styles tend to grow out better, meaning you can wait a little longer for a trim. If you want to keep your hair at the same length, get it cut every 6 to 8 weeks. But if you want to grow it a little longer, cut it every 8 to 12 weeks. When it comes to cutting medium hair, it’ll depend on a few different factors, such as your hair texture and how fast your hair naturally grows. But if you want to maintain this length and keep strands looking healthy, get a trim every six to 12 weeks.
“Long hair can go much longer, especially if [you] don’t color or use heat on it,” says Huff. Between 3 and 6 months is usually recommended, depending on the shape of your style, which can range from braids and sleek and straight looks to beach waves and voluminous curls. However, it’s worth noting that long hair can seem thinner and break easier. So pay attention to your hair to see when the time is right for a trim. The frequency of trimming long hair will be determined by how healthy it is to begin with. If you are prone to split ends or have flyaways, go in for a hair appointment every eight to 10 weeks. If your hair is healthy and strong, you can get away with a trim every 10 to 12 weeks.
Layers that frame the face between the cheekbones and jawline will probably need cutting every 6 to 8 weeks to prevent an overgrown feel. But people with lots of choppy layers may need to reduce that period to just 6 weeks if they don’t want things to appear crooked. Not only can layers easily grow out or lose their framing qualities if you leave too long between trims, but the puffy effect of dead ends can be even more obvious when they’re layered.
Hair type and texture also play a significant role in determining how often you should trim your hair.
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Those with thick hair can often go a few months without visiting a salon. On one hand, they may not need a refresh quite so often. But on the other hand, thick-haired people know all too well how unruly strands can become without regular maintenance. You can get away with not trimming hair as often if you’re not experiencing major damage. Since there is so much more hair, it can withstand more heat than thin or fine hair. Eight to twelve weeks is a decent time between hair appointments, just be sure to keep an eye on split ends.
Thinner hair types may find their style begins to look lackluster after a couple of months.
Just like thick hair types, those with coarse hair can usually delay their trim for a few months. Again, it’s all about recognizing when your style needs a quick refresh.
“Typically, ultra-fine hair breaks easier than coarse hair, so [these people] usually need trims more often,” says Huff. This may be as early as every 6 weeks and will often be nothing more than a speedy trim to keep the length. Fine hair tends to grow a little slower but also look damaged more quickly, so cut it when it begins to look stringy. Frequent trims are required to maintain health and shape. For short fine hair, a trim every four to six weeks is recommended. Medium-length hair, six to eight weeks. Long fine hair, eight to 12 weeks.
Straight- and wavy-haired individuals can usually stick to the average waiting period, so around every 10 to 12 weeks. But if you have particularly fine strands, you may need to book that cut a couple of weeks earlier.
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Curly hair can wait longer because even when it grows, it doesn’t seem to look much different. Some people, particularly those who want their hair to grow, can restrict cuts to twice a year, while others may stick to quarterly cuts.
If you look after your coils, hair can wait around 12 weeks before needing a trim. But this hair type tends to experience dryness more often than others. So if you fall into that fragile category, you’ll probably need cuts more often. Just remember not to cut too much off - you know how much it bounces up afterward. For natural hair, it is generally recommended to get a trim every 8-12 weeks. However, the frequency may vary based on factors such as hair texture, length, and overall condition. Natural hair can be more prone to dryness and breakage, so regular trims help maintain shape, prevent split ends, and support healthy growth. For all types of curls, learning how to maintain your hair between cuts can also make a huge difference in how many trims you need. This hair type craves moisture, so using oil hair treatments and leaving some time between washes can mean it takes longer for split ends to appear.
T. Cooper recommends getting regular trims every six to eight weeks to maintain the shape of the curls and prevent damage. She explains that length doesn’t factor in as much because textured hair tends to be drier in general regardless of how long it is. Do not skip on trims. People with curly hair not waiting to trim their hair as often because of the curl pattern, the hair appears shorter and they want to keep the length. But if the ends of your hair dry out and become brittle, you’re going to lose length anyway. If you’re transitioning to your natural hair, then get frequent trims every four weeks. This helps get the dead ends off so the hair can begin to curl up into its natural texture. Cutler adds that the most critical thing is to watch for dryness, and recommends a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner to use in between appointments.
Hair that’s exposed to constant heat, whether via straightening, drying, or curling, needs to be cut more often, notes Fuzailov. This is because heat damages hair, and the easiest way to get rid of said damage is to cut it off. It doesn’t mean you have to shave off inches, but getting your hair cut every few weeks will increase its health over time. If you must use hot tools, use ones that prevent extreme heat damage.
The same goes for chemically processed or dyed hair. “Color causes hair to be more fragile at the ends,” Fuzailov says, meaning more frequent cuts or trims are in order. Hair which is chemically treated, dyed, or frequently heated to high temperatures for styling is much more prone to damage. This means that you might start to notice split ends sooner after a cut than those who don’t treat their hair.
When hair is damaged, it must be cut off. If the damage is so bad (you’re bleaching too much or using too much heat), that’s when it becomes a cut instead of a trim. You’re going to have to commit and then let your hair grow back out. It’s unlikely that you can repair damaged hair. Get it as short as you can and what you are comfortable with, and continue frequent trims from there. Along with cutting the ends of your hair off, a healthy hair care routine that includes treatments, a focus on maintaining moisture, and receiving regular trims from your stylist is recommended.
The upkeep between hair appointments is just as important as getting those regular trims (or cuts when necessary). A lot of people don’t realize that healthy hair starts with a healthy scalp. Getting scalp scrubs and protein hair treatments and using the right hair products like moisturizing shampoos and conditioners to keep hair strong is recommended. Be sure to use some form of heat protectant when heat styling and to mask often.
Regularly trimming or cutting your hair comes with many benefits. It can improve hair growth, create natural thickness, prevent hair from over drying or breaking off, and keep hair healthy overall.
Healthy and trimmed hair will grow faster and looks more radiant. Knowing what your hair needs and sticking to it is the best way to keep your style looking salon fresh. And don’t forget to invest in the correct hair care products. The likes of a deep conditioner and heat protection spray can reduce damage and dryness, allowing you to (slightly) prolong those all-important cutting sessions.
There’s an old wives tale that cutting your hair makes it grow back more quickly, which isn’t exactly true. Trimming doesn't directly affect hair growth rate, but it can prevent split ends, allowing your hair to retain length and appear healthier, which may give the impression of faster growth.
Some tend to believe that not trimming your hair will help it grow because you’re maintaining the length of your hair, but this is simply not true. Avoiding trims, for whatever reason, will only lead to more problems with your hair.
It’s almost a given that your hair will tick more than one of the above boxes. So whether your hair is thick, short, and curly, or fine, dyed, and layered, the best route is to seek professional advice. Failing that, try to get your hair trimmed every couple of months to keep things as healthy as can be. Choosing stylists who weren’t experienced enough to work with your texture is probably most crucial to understanding why you struggled to grow your hair. If you’ve learned anything from this experiment, it’s that it’s so important to find a hairdresser who respects your wishes and understands your texture.
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