Beauty myths. They're tricky to untangle, especially those around hair growth. One you've probably heard growing up is that cutting your hair shorter will make it grow longer, faster. But isn't that counterintuitive, we hear you ask? As it turns out, cutting your hair may help to speed things along a bit, but not in the way that you think.
To really affect hair growth, the root (where hair sprouts from) has to be stimulated. While no hair cut will achieve this, regular trims ensure that your hair is the healthiest and strongest it can be – two criteria for seeing extra length.
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“Cutting your hair won't make it grow faster," says Skye Edwards, artistic director Gielly Green, "but a regular refresh will keep strands healthier during that process as it prevents split ends from travelling up the hair shaft.” Something that is all the more important given the ends are the oldest part of your hair strand and have been subjected to years of wear and tear. Emma Vickery, creative director at Percy & Reed, agrees, adding: “breakage is the main cause of people saying, ‘My hair doesn’t grow past a certain length'.”
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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.
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 hair growth…
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How often should you trim your hair?
There isn't a one-size-fits-all time frame for how often you should cut your hair. That said, “you don't want to go longer than 12 weeks between trims when you are growing your hair,” says Skye. “Each time you get a trim, have no more than half an inch taken off. I have clients that have a couple of millimetres snipped away every eight weeks to keep their hair healthy.”
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.”
Your washday routine also makes a difference to split ends. “Avoid washing hair daily,” she says. “Shampooing too frequently can be drying to both strands and scalp so change your routine to once a week." 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.”
