How often should you trim your ends?

The complete guide to healthy hair maintenance

Many people avoid cutting their hair for fear of “losing length.” But in reality, nothing benefits your hair more than a well-timed trim. Regular maintenance is the key to keeping your hair shiny, strong, and resilient.

So, how often should you trim your ends?
The answer depends on a few factors: your hair type, styling habits, goals (length or style), and the overall health of your hair. Here’s a complete guide to help you decide what’s right for you.

1. For Natural, Healthy Hair: Every 2 to 3 Months

If your hair is free from color, chemical treatments, and excessive heat use — and you’re following a good care routine — then you don’t need to trim it too frequently. Generally, a light trim every 8 to 12 weeks is ideal to:

• Prevent split ends

• Maintain thickness and density

• Keep lengths soft and shiny

   

Tip: Even if your hair feels fine, the ends are the oldest part of your hair. They’ve been through it all — brushing, sun, friction… A regular refresh brings them back to life.

2. For Short Haircuts or Structured Styles: Every 4 to 6 Weeks

Short cuts, strong layers, bangs, or geometric styles tend to lose shape quickly. To keep your look clean and polished, plan a touch-up every 4 to 6 weeks.

Example: A sharp bob or pixie cut can lose its structure within a few weeks.

Goal: Maintain the original shape, movement, and style.

3. If You’re Growing Your Hair Out: Every 3 to 4 Months

This may sound counterintuitive, but yes, you still need to trim your hair if you’re growing it out. Why? Because damaged ends will eventually break off, making it look like your hair isn’t growing.

By trimming just 1 to 2 cm (about half an inch) every 3 to 4 months, you’ll:

• Keep your hair strong and healthy

• Prevent split ends from traveling upward

• Encourage long-term, visible growth

   

Remember: trimming doesn’t speed up growth — but it prevents breakage, which helps preserve your length.

4. If Your Hair Is Damaged or Chemically Treated: Every 6 to 8 Weeks

Hair that’s been exposed to coloring, bleaching, straightening, or frequent heat styling is more fragile. In these cases, split ends and breakage appear much faster.

To manage this, a trim every 6 to 8 weeks is highly recommended.

Pair your trims with deep conditioning treatments or strengthening masks for best results.

Goal: Repair, control damage, and preserve the quality of your lengths.

5. How Do You Know When It’s Time to Trim?

Even without a strict schedule, your ends will send you warning signs when it’s time for a cut:

• They feel rough, dry, or frayed

• They’re noticeably lighter in color

• Your hair tangles more often

• You’ve lost volume at the ends

• You notice more hair breaking during brushing or washing

Once you spot these signs, it’s time for a quick refresh to keep damage from spreading.

Summary: The Right Trim Frequency Based on Your Goals

Signature Salon advice

“Cutting your hair isn’t a loss — it’s an investment in its long-term health.”
It’s always better to trim 1 cm today than 10 cm later when breakage has taken over.

Not sure when to come in? Don’t wait for breakage to set in — book a free hair health consultation with your stylist. They’ll examine your ends, give personalized advice, and suggest the right care for your hair type.

Ready to Give Your Ends a Breath of Fresh Hair?

Book an appointment  with us for a light trim, a full reshape, or expert guidance on keeping your ends healthy.  Your hair deserves it — and so do you.