As a result of frequenting the black hair care boards for a long, long time (years), I wanted to post my thoughts on getting regular hair trims, moreso the what, why, when, and how. Seems like the average hair grower either takes one of two stances: never or too often. No in-between. So here goes:
Trimming those Ends
What is Trimming
Trimming means to cut off approximately 1/8" to 1/2" off the ends of your hair. If you want only to take off specific ends that are split or splitting, this is referred to (at least in the internet hair care community) as "search and destroy". "Dusting" refers to trimming off 1/8" or less (the amount of hair trimmed is so minimal, it looks like dust on the floor).
Why Trim Your Ends?
1) Because they get raggedy. LOL. Raggedy, worn-out ends damage the "healthy" ends, or the ones in good condition. Seriously, when the ends split they entangle themselves with the cuticles of the other hairs, and that's where some tangles come from. Culling your splits saves your overall head of hair.
2) Because it makes your hair look better. What's the point in having healthy hair if it doesn't look the part? That's the point of all that deep conditioning, all those protective styles, right? I know some people are thinking "Why should I trim if I wear protective styles? I keep my hair out of harm's way, so there aren't any splits"...Well, to a certain extent that maybe true, but over time after washing, conditioning, and combing the hair to get it into that bun still causes some change to the cuticles. So the hairshaft is still affected. Granted, you probably won't need to trim as often as someone who is constantly styling their hair, but it still is a good way to help maintain the length that you've retained thus far while you grow more.
Also, trims help to maintain your hairstyle, which also keeps the hair manageable. Anytime I have not had my hair "cut in a style" or "shaped", styling it (flat irons or rollersets) has always been a nightmare. It takes longer, and the results are hardly ever long-lasting or consistent. Once the hair has a shape, the hair performs well while styling (limiting overall manipulation), and any trims down the road keep the hair in a shape that grows out gracefully. So I'm not maintaining a length with trims, but rather I am maintaining a shape and can get by with trimming less amounts of hair off each time. This may not be important to someone who protective styles more often than not, but on those days when you do want to wear your hair out, you will be glad that your hair's hemline and shape is nice and looks flattering :)
3) Trimming retains length. Yes, trimming does not "grow" your hair, but keeping the ends in tact and relatively damage free keeps the ends from breaking, and makes your other methods of keeping "healthy ends" more effective. If your ends don't dry out and break, you retain length and the hair grows longer.
When to Trim?
When to trim is going to depend on what's going on with your hair, and what you do (or don't do) to it. This also causes you to hold your hair care regimen more accountable. Most stylists are going to recommend trims every 6-8 weeks, but this isn't always best, since you might lose what you are growing and not see any length retention. DIY-ers are going to want to trim every 4-6 months, if at all. This isn't always the best, either because if you have splits and ignore them, they ultimately will affect the rest of the hair and it's overall condition, resulting in unnecessary damage and breakage. Then when you get a trim, you will need more than 1/2" removed, probably more like 1" or more (which is more like a cut). You're losing length this way, too.
So go based on how much styling you do. A good rule of thumb is to get 1/4" to 1/2" trimmed every 8-12 weeks. In this time, you (or a stylist) should be able to tell if/when to trim again and how much. If you are consistent with your deep conditioning and are styling "smarter, not harder", you may only need dusting and/or can lean more towards 10 or 12 weeks. But if you are lazy or using your products incorrectly, you will need more hair cut off and/or more frequent trims. Every head is different, and it's important to remember these points as guidelines rather than stick to hard-and-fast rules.
How to Trim
This is up to you, but I recommend trims be done by a stylist that is a good listener. I like chain salons like Great Clips, Hair Cuttery, or JC Penney for this purpose, just because the stylists here cut hair all day long. They know to go though the whole hair and trim, and not just the perimeter. Doing the whole hair maintains the condition of the hair, especially if you have sections of your hair that dry out and split no matter what you do. Also, they listen and cut only what you request them to, and don't work on commission, so there's less pressure to get more than what you asked for. But if you trust your regular stylist to do this for you, by all means stick with them.
Some people feel comfortable to trim at home, but I've never been like that, just because I prefer the proper technique of trimming and not just trimming the ends haphazardly. I personally trim at a salon every 8 weeks to maintain a hairstyle or to get rid of damage, and every 12 to reshape the hair and maintain the ends if I'm growing hair out. Again, this is based on my habits and my hair.
Now you know my views, share your own! How often do you trim? Is it working for you? I'd love to read your experiences.
xoxo,
A.
