One of the most common questions hair stylist and experts receive is “do I really have to cut my hair to make it grow?”
Unfortunately, in most cases, the answer is yes! You have to trim your hair to grow your hair. If you wait more than 5 weeks between trims, then the split ends will continue to cause breakage and dryness and you’ll wind up having to cut off more in the long run.
When You Should Trim Your Split Ends
If you have really dead ends! If your ends are snapping off and you are noticing breakage and knots, then this is a key sign that you need to trim your hair. When you notice a tiny “white clump” on the end of your strands, this is caused when the strand stops producing color (melanin) and it is ready to shed.
If you use heat often: If you’re curling, straightening, blow-drying, etc. your hair frequently then your hair is subject to a lot of damage and dryness. You’ll want to trim frequently to keep your mane healthy.
If your wear your hair down: Wearing your hair down all the time subjects it to a lot of breakage on clothes, furniture, pillows, etc. You’ll want to chop off those damaged ends to keep your hair looking gorgeous with your down hairstyles.
If you’re experiencing feathering: If you grab your hair at the base and move your hands down to the end and you notice that the ends are significantly thinner than the base, then this is known as feathering. When your hair naturally tapers off closer to the end (like a feather) then you will want to keep the ends healthy.
If your hair is dry: If your hair is naturally dry and you have to consistently add moisturizer, then a trim can be beneficial to keeping your hair healthy.
When You Don’t Need to Trim Your Dead-Ends
If you don’t:
- Have dry hair
- Use heat frequently
- Have extreme feathering
- Notice any split ends
- …then skip the trim!
How Much should I Cut Off To Make It Grow?
When you go in for a haircut, make sure that you tell your stylist that you want the minimum cut off because you’re trying to grow it out.
A half an inch off should be just enough to maintain your healthy mane without noticing much of a trim in the length.
How Can I Prevent Split-Ends Between Trims?
You should also keep your hair healthy in-between cuts to minimize split ends.
- Keep your hair strong by using deep conditioners once a week or at least bi-weekly to keep it moisturized.
- Do not use plastic bristle hairbrushes. Use a wide-tooth comb when your hair is wet and a natural-bristle brush when it is dry.
- If you must blow dry your hair, use low-heat settings. Always use heat protectant when you use heat styling tools.
- If you towel-dry your hair, don’t vigorously dry your locks or else you’ll create damage.
- For further tips on how to prevent split ends click here
