How often should you get a haircut?
That might be a common question, but it doesn’t have a straightforward answer. Ultimately, there’s nothing wrong with getting a trim every week if you really want to – but you don’t necessarily need to visit the salon that often either.
The reality is, the answer to this question depends on a bunch of different factors, from your current hair style and hair health, to your hair goals, your hair length, how fast your hair grows, and even your hair texture.
Feeling confused? We gathered insights from our expert stylists here at PERFECT X HAIR, to create a guide that should help you decide how frequently you need to book haircut appointments.
How Often Should You Get a Haircut? Trim vs Cut
The first thing to keep in mind is that there’s a big difference between a haircut and a trim. A full “haircut” is generally a more drastic process, that involves creating a new hair style.
There aren’t any real hard-and-fast rules about how often you should get a full haircut. It really depends on how frequently you like to change things up. A hair trim, on the other hand, is a crucial part of hair maintenance – and something you should be getting regularly.
Trimming your hair regularly doesn’t just help you maintain your chosen style, whether you have straight, layered, or curly hair. It can also:
- Prevent and eliminate split ends: Over time, split ends can extend along the hair shaft, leading to breakage, and eventually prompting hair strands to fall out.
- Make hair seem thicker and healthier: Fine, and thinner hair can appear stringy at the ends, which reduces hair volume. Regular trims can ensure the ends of your hair appear healthy and full, which makes your hair seem thicker.
- Improve manageability: Dry, dead hair ends often tangle more easily than well-maintained, healthy hair. Getting regular hair cuts can keep your hair in good shape, making it easier to brush and style your hair to perfection.
- Enhance hair growth: if you want to grow your hair longer quickly, getting regular trims can help. Since cuts help to prevent split ends – which damage hair growth, cutting your hair can help it grow longer and stronger in less time.
How Often Should You Get a Haircut: The Factors at Play
Now we’ve covered the difference between a haircut and a hair trim, as well as why it’s so important to regularly cut your hair, let’s look at the factors that will affect how often you book an appointment. The main elements that come into play are your:
- Hair condition
- Hair growth rate
- Current hair style and hair goals
- Hair length
- Hair texture
Of course, there’s a budget component at play here too, but for now, let’s assume you’re looking for a basic set of guidelines – that you can adapt according to your bank account.
Cutting Your Hair Based on Hair Condition
First, if your hair is wonderfully healthy, then the chances are you won’t have to get it cut as often. On the other hand, when hair becomes damaged, either by exposure to numerous colouring treatments and perms, bleach, heat, or regular wear and tear, it needs more regular cuts.
Although you can consider getting treatments that reduce the need for regular cuts, the best way to help hair grow and recover after damage is with a trim. If you notice any of the following signs when you’re styling your hair, you should get a hair cut as soon as possible:
- Split ends
- Tangling and snagging
- An almost gummy texture at the ends of your hair
- Changes to your hair texture or shape
- Regular hair breakage or loss
All of these signs indicate that you need to see a stylist, either for a treatment (such as Olaplex) or a comprehensive haircut.
The Growth Rate Factor
Your standard hair growth rate also has a direct impact on how often you should cut your hair. On average, hair grows around six inches every year (or half an inch per month). However, this timeframe can fluctuate from person to person. Different factors like your age, hormones, and even stress can affect your growth rate too.
If your hair grows at the average rate, you can usually get away with a trim every 1-2 months, and a hair cut every 3-4 months. One part of your hair you should definitely trim every month is your bangs. Although bangs don’t necessarily grow faster than the rest of your hair, they do become unmanageable and problematic a lot quicker. This is particularly true if you have a full set of bangs that might end up covering your eyes.
Your Current Hairstyle and Hair Goals
Some hairstyles require more upkeep than others. If you have a lot of layers in your hair, for instance, you’ll need a trim every eight to twelve weeks to make sure your layers don’t blend into each other, and cause you to lose that amazing texture. Remember, every follicle grows at its own frequency, so you can end up with a lot of different lengths after a while.
Bangs, blunt bobs, pixie cuts, and shorter hair cuts also often require additional trims to “maintain the look”. Of course, it’s worth thinking about your hair goals when you’re planning cuts too.
For instance, if you don’t want to stick with your current style, you don’t need to worry as much about maintenance. However, even if you’re preparing for a brand-new look, like a Korean perm style, it’s a good idea to get regular trims to keep your hair healthy before the change.
How Often Should You Get a Hair Cut Based on Length
The length of your hair is one of the most significant factors at place when deciding how often you should get a haircut. As mentioned above, people with short hair (including men), generally need to get hair cuts more often to maintain the ideal shape and style. If you have longer hair, you can usually wait a little longer between trims without worrying about losing your look.
Here’s a quick rundown of how to plan your hair cuts based on your hair length:
- Short hair: Get a haircut every 4-6 weeks. You might decide to trim your hair even more frequently if you have a more complex short style. Changes to your hair’s shape and texture will be more obvious as your short hair grows, so keep on top of it.
- Mid-length hair: Book an appointment every 8-12 weeks. You can wait a little longer before getting a trim with mid-length hair in some cases. However, your hair texture, how fast your hair naturally grows, and your style will all be factors you need to consider too.
- Long hair: Cut your hair every 3-6 months: Longer hair generally requires a lot less maintenance in terms of haircuts. It’s generally more forgiving, and it’s not as easy to see changes to your hairstyle emerging. If your hair is regularly healthy, you can opt for a trim every ten weeks, and a full hair cut every 4-6 months.
How Often Should you Cut your Hair Based on Type and Texture
Here’s where things get really complicated. Hair of different types and textures need different levels of maintenance. First, let’s consider hair type.
If your hair is natural (meaning you’ve never got a perm or any chemical treatments), and you haven’t committed to any complex styles, you can potentially get a cut every three to four months. Just make sure you’re keeping track of your hair’s health and tackling any split-ends early.
If you have fine hair, aim for an appointment every eight to twelve weeks, for long hair, or every four to six weeks for short hair. Fine hair can grow a little more slowly, but it shows damage a lot faster, so it’s a good idea to be regular with your appointments.
If your hair is thicker, you can usually get away with trimming it less often. You might cut long, thick hair every six months (with the occasional trim in between). Or, if your hair is short and thick, you could opt for a schedule of 8 to 12-week cuts. Again, make sure you consider your hair health and the style you want to maintain here.
Here are our recommendations based on hair texture:
- Curly or wavy hair: Whether you have naturally textured hair, or you just got a Korean perm, regular trims are a must. Getting a cut at least every three months, and trims (when necessary) every eight weeks or so, will ensure that you can maintain your hair’s pattern and texture for longer. Additionally, because textured hair can often be drier in general, regular trims will help to minimize long-term damage.
- Straight hair: If you have naturally straight hair, then you can consider getting a trim or cut every four to eight weeks. You’ll need more regular cuts if you want to maintain a streamlined look, because straighter hair can grow at different speeds, leading to a “shabby” unkempt look without regular trims.
Keep Up with Regular Haircuts at PERFECT X HAIR
Whether you love getting your hair trimmed, or dread every appointment, the reality is that getting regular trims and cuts is crucial to maintaining your hair health, and your style. Committing to the right maintenance strategies in between appointments, such as using the right shampoos, conditioners, and treatments, and reducing your exposure to heat and chemicals can reduce the need for regular cuts.
However, you’ll still need to book regular appointments with your stylist, to tackle split ends, and keep your style looking fresh.
Is it time for your next appointment? Contact the team at PERFECT X HAIR today to book anything from a quick bangs cut to a full restyle. We’ll ensure your hair stays looking exceptional – and give you tips on how to maintain and care for your hair.
