‘How often should you have your hair cut?’ would seem to be a pretty straightforward question. But, as with most things beauty-related, the answer is nuanced and there isn't a one-size-fits-all time frame.
The idea of a trim is also often tangled up in beauty myths around hair growth. One is that cutting your hair will make it grow, longer faster. The second, conversely, is that it will scupper your plans to have mermaid lengths so a trim is best skipped.
The truth is, neither is correct and regular trims ensure that your hair is the healthiest and strongest it can be - two criteria for seeing extra length.
Does cutting your hair make it grow faster?
The short answer is no. “Cutting your hair won't make it grow faster," says Skye Edwards, artistic director at Gielly Green. To really affect hair growth, the root (where hair sprouts from) has to be stimulated.
It's also worth noting that hair naturally grows at a rate of 0.35 millimetres per day, which equals around 6 inches per year, according to research, so regular trims won't impact your hair growth journey too much. Emma Vickery, art director at Percy & Reed, adds: “breakage is the main cause of people saying, ‘My hair doesn’t grow past a certain length'.”
But how often is too often for a hair cut if your end game is longer hair? And does your hair type make a difference? Ahead, your essential guide to cutting your hair for healthy hair and growth…
So how often should you have your hair cut?
If you're trying to grow your hair, one golden rule applies. “Each time you get a trim, have no more than half an inch taken off," says Skye. "I have clients that have a couple of millimetres snipped away every eight weeks to keep their hair healthy.”
Your hair type is a major indicator of how often you should trim your hair:
Curly or textured hair: Although the need for a cut may not be as obvious as with straight strands, hair stylist Charlotte Mensah stresses: “Afro hair needs to be trimmed regularly every six to eight weeks. An obvious giveaway is curls that frizz rather than ‘hold’ at the ends of your hair.”
Fine hair: Fine hair is thinner in diameter and more prone to damage, which means a rigorous maintenance regime is needed to stop ends looks spindly. For this reason, Emma recommends frequent cuts every six to eight weeks.
Thick hair: Thick hair doesn't need a trim as often as fine hair because it typically tolerates heat better. But, generally-speaking, you don't want to go longer than 12 weeks between trims.
Short hair & bobs: Cropped hair looks more polished with freshly cut ends. Emma suggests booking in every four weeks to ensure your hair doesn't loose its shape while you grow it out. Those with a bob, however, can afford to stretch out the time between appointments. “Every 12 weeks is ample to keep the style in tact,” she notes.
Damaged hair: The ends of your hair are the oldest part of the hair strand so have withstood a lot of heat styling and general wear and tear over the years. You should see a solid line at the base of your hair but if the ends have become transparent and straggly, that's where you need to cut away the damage. Not only will this breathe new life into a haircut but a “refresh will keep strands healthier too as it prevents split ends from travelling up the hair shaft,” says Skye.
3 signs that it's time to have a haircut
- The ends of your hair are frayed with a dry, crispy texture. “Split ends look very small to the eye, but can travel up to four inches into the hair, so I'd advise that you don't ignore them,” says Skye.
- Your hair tangles more easily. “If you're growing your hair, always brush from the bottom and work your way up,” Skye advises. “This stops you from brushing through tangles too harshly, causing strands to split in two."
- Your curl pattern loses its shape.
How to keep hair healthy between trims
Avoid washing Afro hair daily
"Shampooing too frequently can be drying to both strands and scalp so change your routine to once a week," says Charlotte. When doing so, press and blot your hair and scalp with a towel, she adds. “This soaks up moisture from your hair and protects delicate strands in the process.”
Fine hair benefits from less heat styling but don't avoid a blow-dry altogether
Air-dry your hair up to 75%, then “blow-dry on a low heat and low speed setting,” advises hair stylist Adam Reed. This is because “hair can absorb up to 30% of its own weight in water, which makes strands stretch more and potentially causes them to snap,” he adds.
Invest in a bond builder
Bond builders such as Olaplex No.3 Plus Complete Repair Treatment, K18 Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask and Living Proof Triple Bond Complex can also help as they help to repair existing damage and rebuild broken hair from within by rebuilding the hair's disulphide bonds.
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Snack on sunflower seeds
Sunflower seeds are rich in vitamin E, omega 6, biotin, potassium, zinc – basically everything healthy hair needs. 'Hair cells are the second fastest-growing cells in the body so need a near constant supply of energy,' says celebrity hairstylist Luke Hersheson.
