How Often Should You Get a Haircut? An Expert Weighs In
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Whether your dream is to grow long, lower-back-grazing hair or just maintain the health of your existing style, knowing how often you should get a haircut is vital. Like a trip to the dentist for a routine cleaning or a facial to keep your skin in check, there's a recommended schedule that hair appointments should follow. That said, the rules aren't hard and fast — you have some flexibility when it comes to your hair, and the amount of time you can go between salon appointments can vary from person to person. Contributing factors include your split ends, how much damage you have (from heat styling, dyeing it, and so on), how fast your hair grows, and what your overall goals are.
As kids, our parents often booked these sorts of appointments for us, but as an adult, it's up to you to keep up with it. You know your hair best, but it doesn't hurt to consult a professional. If you're trying to determine how soon you're due back to the salon for a full trim or even just a light hair dusting, we reached out to Devin Toth, a hairstylist at SCK Salon in New York City. No matter what your situation is, he explains the different things you should take into consideration when trying to decide once and for all: how often should you cut your hair?
Keep reading to get the full scoop.
— Additional reporting by Jessica Harrington
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How Often Should You Get a Haircut?
If you're looking to keep your hair healthy, plan to head back to the salon every few months. "You should get your hair cut about once every three months to remove your split ends," Toth says. He also recommends making the appointments far in advance and marking your calendar with them. "It's important to have a hair maintenance schedule, which includes prebooked salon appointments — you'll never fall behind in your hair upkeep."
If you want to maintain your current hairstyle, ask your stylist how frequently they recommend you come in for appointments. Depending on the cut you have, the amount of time between trims will vary. "Short pixies should be cut every four weeks; a bob or lob can be cut every six to eight weeks," says Toth.
For other styles, a good rule of thumb is about two months. "On average, your hair grows a half an inch every month," Toth says. "So, if you want to maintain its current length, just have your hairdresser cut an inch."
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How Often to Trim Hair For Maximum Growth
Want extra-long hair? Toth recommends only visiting your hairstylist twice a year for maximum growth. "Don't color your hair and deep condition it once a week," Toth says. "[While] you're actually supposed to get it cut more often, if your stylist is even a tiny bit scissor-happy then this plan won't work out." That said, you can stick to the every-three-month schedule if your hairstylist only gives your hair a dusting, which involves removing a very small amount of length.