Importance of Trims By Laila Lawson
What is a Hair Trim?
Hair trims are maintenance cuts that help keep hair healthy. They are often done to remove split ends, maintain layers, or preserve a desired hairstyle.
Benefits of Getting Hair Trimmed
Regular trims are essential for maintaining healthy hair as they prevent split ends from traveling up the strand, which can lead to more breakage and damage. Removing damaged ends promotes length retention, reduces tangles, improves hair management, and helps give the appearance of fuller hair. Trimming can also assist with maintaining the shape and style of certain haircuts, keeping them looking fresh and groomed.
How Often Should You Trim Your Hair?
We’ve all heard cosmetologists suggest trimming your hair every quarter, but how often you trim really depends on a number of factors. If you’re trimming to get rid of damage, color, or another chemical process and prefer to remove hair gradually rather than all at once, trimming a few centimeters every 4–6 weeks can work. The same advice applies if you’re trimming to maintain a specific cut or length. On the other hand, if your goal is length retention and growing longer hair, trimming before your ends get damaged is ideal. This is where the “every quarter” advice comes from. As we manipulate our hair daily or weekly, our ends—which are the oldest and, therefore most manipulated—tend to get damaged. To maintain healthy hair, cutting the ends off before they become split, knotted, overly dry, and or worn is key. If you don’t manipulate your hair often and have super healthy strands, doing a strand health check every 3 months, and if healthy, trimming every 6–8 months might work for you. (Keep in mind, most people need trims more often than this if they manipulate their hair frequently—think blow dryers, flat irons, ponytails, braids, etc.) Ultimately, the ideal timing for trims depends on your hair growth rate, the integrity of your strands, your lifestyle, and your hair goals/health.
For example, if you are trying to eliminate damaged ends but do not want to cut off all the damage at once because you enjoy your length, Kellie Muse, a licensed cosmetologist at Thrive Hair Bar says, “... a "Trim Series" may be suggested in order to remove all of the damage in increments over a specific period of time…” This may mean you would be getting trims every few weeks instead of every few months or quarter.
Signs that a trim is needed…
Difficulty styling hair as normal
Visible damage at the ends of your hair
Hair puffing out on the ends
Hair looks thinner and duller than normal
More tangles than usual
Conclusion
Keeping up with regular trims is one of the simplest ways an individual can work up to strong, healthy hair. Besides preventing breakage/split ends, trims help the hair appear fuller and may help your hair look better over time. Sticking to a consistent schedule based on your hair growth rate, styling needs, and hair strand integrity can make a significant difference in the health of your hair overall. If you’re unsure about when to schedule your next trim, consult your licensed cosmetologist for guidance to keep your hair looking its best!
References
Healthline. (2022). How often should you cut your hair? https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/how-often-should-you-cut-your-hair
NOCO Hair. (n.d.). How often should I get my hair cut? https://www.nocohair.com/how-often-should-i-get-my-hair-cut/