Length, thickness, and style: how often you should get your haircut, really

Main Image Credit:
The Chapel, London

To cut or not to cut, that seems to be the ultimate hair question. Whilst general advice can help when it comes to styling, the question of ‘when to cut’ is very much dependent on you, and your hair type. There is no right or wrong answer, it’s all about feeling those follicles and understanding how to keep your locks in top condition.

Talk to the experts

Regular visits to your salon is key to keeping your hair in great condition. They can quickly identify if hair needs a trim, or advise on the appropriate length to get rid of any dry ends or bulk that could be hindering your look. The average growth rate for hair is a quarter of an inch a month, but dependant on how healthy your hair is, this will also affect how the hair looks and how manageable it is. Your stylist should help you to understand your hair type, and how to personalise your routine to keep your hair in the best condition possible.

What’s your type?

Density of hair can affect how often you will need to book in for a cut. Hair density refers to how closely strands of hair are packed together.

Coarse hair always means more hair, those with fine hair often have more strands on their head. Thin or fine hair can really benefit from blunt cuts, building density with its solid line can easily be adjusted to suit any face shape. If you naturally have very fine hair you may find it is extra sensitive to breakage, so keep an eye on ends and get these trimmed to avoid further splitting up the hair shaft.

Those with thicker hair may find after four to six weeks hair is starting to feel bulky and unmanageable, so make sure you book in with your stylist to keep your style looking sleek.

For any hair type, trimming sneaky split ends is essential. This will avoid the risk of breaking the hair any further, which could result in a more drastic cut being the only option to bring hair back to its best. In addition, remember to check your hairbrushes, making sure bristles aren’t broken or any teeth are missing as this can cause damage to hair.

Suit your style

Layers are a great way to give shape to longer styles, and as long as those ends are kept looking healthy, you can leave 8-12 weeks between trims. It is important to remember, however that long hair is old hair, so it can be more susceptible to breakage. That being said, those with longer tresses should follow our heat-styling advice and regularly indulge in a good quality, professional hair products. Of course, there are those of us that really love our lengths and recoil at the thought of taking the chop. But a good stylist will always advise on what they think may be best for your hair, and ask the amount of length you may want to preserve. Communication is key when going for a trim, so do not be afraid to get talking!

Shorter hair can often mean a smaller break between cuts, depending on how quickly your hair grows. A short sharp pixie crop will need to be kept in shape to really show off the style, so be prepared for a trip to the salon for a trim every four weeks. Sharp angled styles need regular trims to keep things looking sharp and fresh. But what if you fancy a change? If it’s time for a change and you begin to grow out the style, it’s important to trim into a shape that will flatter your face to still look great whilst you get to the length you love.

You can usually tell when it’s time for a fringe trim, and most stylists would recommend two weeks to keep your bangs out of your eyes and in control. Those with longer side sweeping fringes can sometimes stretch to four weeks. We offer a fringe trim for free, so don’t be tempted to reach for those scissors for a DIY job.

Colour check

If you colour or highlight your hair regularly, look out for those dry ends as a warning signal it’s time for a trim. The same rule applies for ladies that love using heated hair tools regularly to style hair. If ends become dry and damaged you’ll notice that it becomes more difficult to style and your ends will begin to look frizzy. Regular deep conditioning treatments along with regular trims will keep ends looking thick and healthy. If you are trying to grow your hair, don’t be tempted to avoid the salon, ends can end up looking wispy and flyaway which can make hair look thin and damaged.
So the bottom line of when to cut is to keep an eye on your hair and on your calendar. Check your hair regularly for warning signs, and always keep a track of when your last trip to the salon was. Keeping hair looking healthy isn’t just about your diet and the products you use to protect it, it’s about maintaining your style and doing some essential pruning when things start to get a little wild. Conscious you might need a cut? Our expert stylists are on hand to help you make the cut.