There’s no single right answer to the simple question, “How often should I cut my hair?” It really depends on your hair type and what it needs. “It’s all relative,” says Irinel de León, celebrity hairstylist and Dyson Beauty global ambassador. “It depends on your hair texture, how healthy your hair is, and how often you color or chemically treat it.”
Getting regular trims or cuts has a lot of benefits. De León says it can help your hair grow, make it look thicker, prevent it from drying out or breaking, and keep it healthy overall. So you want to make sure you’re timing your salon visits right. Here’s what you need to know about how often to cut your own hair:
Key Takeaways
– Regular trims or cuts can improve hair growth, create natural thickness, prevent over-drying or breakage, and keep hair healthy.
– How often you should trim depends on your hair texture, its condition, and how often you color or chemically process it.
Hair Trim vs. Dusting vs. Cut
Even though we often use “trim” and “cut” interchangeably, they mean different things. A trim, as De León explains, is when you take off an inch or two from the ends. A cut is more drastic, removing more than two to three inches. They’re also used for different situations.
She adds that if your hair looks limp, won’t hold a style, tangles easily, or seems badly damaged, you probably need a cut. Also, if you want a new style or more movement and body, a cut is necessary to achieve that.
Signs That You Need a Hair Trim
There are a few clear signs it’s time to book an appointment. Laura Polko, celebrity hairstylist and House of Frieda expert, says a trim is best for getting rid of split ends and when you start noticing breakage. If your hair looks drier or is losing its shape, a trim can revive it.
When to Trim Based on Length
Short Hair
It might seem odd, but the shorter your hair, the more upkeep it needs to stay healthy. “Short hair takes a bit more maintenance because of its length, shape, and personal preference,” says De León. “For example, if you have a bob that sits just below the ear, it’s more obvious when it grows because it can easily pass the shoulders after six to eight weeks, completely changing the style.”
“Shorter haircuts often need more frequent trims to keep their shape and style,” adds celebrity hairstylist T. Cooper. “If you have a pixie cut, for instance, you may need to cut it more often to maintain the shape of the sideburns and the nape of the neck.” Both experts agree you should trim short hair every six weeks, at minimum.
Medium-Length Hair
For medium hair, both Polko and De León say it depends on factors like your hair texture and how fast it grows. But if you want to keep this length and keep strands healthy, De León recommends a trim every six to 12 weeks.
Long Hair
Rodney Cutler, owner of Cutler salons and a Redken ambassador, says how often you trim long hair depends on how healthy it is to start with. If you’re prone to split ends or flyaways, he suggests 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.
When to Trim Based on Hair Type & Texture
Fine Hair
Polko explains that fine hair tends to grow a bit slower but also looks damaged more quickly, so she cuts it when it starts to look stringy. De León adds that it can depend on both the length and the style you’re going for.For fine hair, regular trims are important to keep it healthy and in shape. For short fine hair, she suggests a trim every four to six weeks. For medium-length fine hair, every six to eight weeks. For long fine hair, every eight to 12 weeks.
Thick Hair
Both Cutler and Polko agree that if your hair isn’t badly damaged, you can go longer between trims. “Since there’s so much more hair, it can handle more heat than thin or fine hair,” says Polko. “It can really take higher heat settings and bleach better than fine hair.” Cutler says eight to 12 weeks is a good gap between appointments, but keep an eye out for split ends.
Curly, Coily, and Textured Hair
T. Cooper recommends regular trims every six to eight weeks to keep curls in shape and prevent damage. She explains that length doesn’t matter as much because textured hair is usually drier, no matter how long it is. “Don’t skip trims,” she says. “I often see people with curly hair not trimming often enough, and I get it—because of the curl pattern, the hair looks shorter, and they want to keep the length. But if the ends dry out and become brittle, you’ll lose length anyway.”
If you’re transitioning to your natural hair, De León suggests getting trims every four weeks. “This helps remove dead ends so the hair can curl up into its natural texture,” she says. Cutler adds that the key is to watch for dryness, and recommends a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner, like Redken All Soft Mega Curls Shampoo and Conditioner, to use between appointments.
Damaged Hair
All experts agree: damaged hair needs to be cut off. “If the damage is severe—from too much bleaching or heat—it becomes a cut, not just a trim,” says Polko. “You’ll have to commit and let your hair grow back.”
“It’s unlikely you can repair damaged hair,” adds T. Cooper. “I know many women don’t want to cut off all the damage at once. So cut it as short as you’re comfortable with, and then keep up with frequent trims.” Along with trimming the ends, she recommends a healthy hair care routine with treatments, focusing on moisture, and getting regular trims from your stylist. “It’s a team effort,” she says.
How to Keep Hair Healthy Between Trims and Cuts
What you do between appointments is just as important as getting regular trims or cuts. “A lot of people don’t realize that healthy hair starts with a healthy scalp,” says T. Cooper. She suggests using scalp scrubs, protein treatments, and the right products like moisturizing shampoos and conditioners to keep hair strong. Always use a heat protectant when styling with heat—Polko likes John Frieda’s Frizz Ease Daily Nourishment Leave-in Conditioner—and use a hair mask often.
If you need to use hot tools, De León recommends ones that prevent extreme heat damage, like the Dyson Airwrap Multi-Styler. “It’s perfect for creating different hairstyles,” she says. “You can diffuse waves, curls, or coils, straighten your hair, or give yourself a bouncy blowout.”
Professional Salon Trim vs. DIY
Most stylists advise against doing a major trim yourself—and for good reason. Carlyn Griscti, a hairstylist at Beauty Supply salon in New York City, explains that a professional can see your hair from different angles for a more flattering cut, and a stylist might see you differently in the mirror than you see yourself. “I could go on about years of training and technical knowledge that most people don’t have. But what I find empowering about cutting hair as a professional…”“How I see things can change how you look at, take care of, and enjoy your hair,” says Griscti.
“Getting a professional trim ensures an even cut that’s tailored to your face shape and hair health,” adds De León. “When you cut your own hair, you might miss split ends or fail to even out the length.”
The tools professionals use are also very different. Griscti explains that stylists typically use high-quality hair tools that treat your hair better than a pair of kitchen scissors. “My shears are made of Japanese steel, and I have them serviced regularly to make sure the blades don’t leave your hair ends more frayed than before,” she says. “Kitchen scissors or the ‘haircutting scissors’ you find on Amazon have dull blades that damage your hair’s cuticle and cause more split ends.”
But experts understand that life happens, and sometimes a DIY cut is your only option. If you have to trim your own hair, it’s not the end of the world. “It won’t ruin your hair beyond repair,” she says. De León suggests that small bang trims are easier to do yourself because you can see them clearly. Her pro tip: trim your hair when it’s dry, take your time, and remember that cutting less is always better.
What happens if you skip hair trims?
Griscti explains that without regular trims, your hair won’t fall the same way. For example, when you use heat styling, the ends likely won’t hold their shape. This means the bends at the ends when you blow-dry may fall flat and stringy, while a sleek blowout could turn frizzy. Air-drying untrimmed hair might feel flat and heavy, making some facial features seem out of balance.
In terms of hair health, skipping regular trims can lead to more breakage that even the best hair oils and serums can’t fix. “There’s no magic potion that can reverse split ends,” she says. “Breakage is breakage, and if you leave those split ends, your hair will keep breaking further up the strand, leaving it more damaged than if you trimmed it regularly.”
Meet the Experts
Irinel de León, celebrity hairstylist and Dyson Beauty global ambassador.
Laura Polko, celebrity hairstylist and House of Frieda expert.
T. Cooper, celebrity hairstylist.
Rodney Cutler, owner of Cutler salons and a Redken ambassador.
Carlyn Griscti, a New York City–based hairstylist at Beauty Supply salon.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs based on the concept of How often should you cut your hair as Vogue might ask the experts
General Beginner Questions
1 Ive heard the every 68 weeks rule Is that actually true for everyone
Not exactly That rule is a good baseline for maintaining a healthy mediumlength cut But your hair type style and goals change that number significantly Curly hair can go longer while fine hair or blunt bobs need trims sooner
2 How do I know for sure that I need a haircut
Look for three signs split ends increased tangling and loss of shape
3 Will cutting my hair more often make it grow faster
No Hair growth happens at the scalp not the ends However regular trims prevent split ends from traveling up the hair shaft and breaking off which means you retain more length over time So it helps you keep the growth you have
4 Im trying to grow my hair long Should I stop cutting it
Absolutely not This is the biggest mistake people make You need a dusting every 812 weeks to prevent breakage Skipping cuts leads to thin scraggly ends that eventually break off making your hair look shorter
Hair Type Style Specifics
5 I have curly or coily hair How often should I get a cut
Curly hair is drier and more fragile so you can go longer The experts suggest every 812 weeks for shape or even 46 months if youre protective styling The key is to cut it dry in its natural curl pattern to avoid losing too much length
6 What if I have a sharp blunt bob or a pixie cut
These precision cuts need frequent maintenance to keep their shape A blunt bob needs a trim every 46 weeks to keep the line crisp A pixie cut is the most demandingevery 34 weeks to keep the style from looking shaggy