Does Trimming Hair Make It Grow Faster? Tips for Healthy Hair Growth

At some point in your life, someone may have told you that getting regular trims makes hair grow faster. So, does trimming hair make it grow faster? While it seems counterintuitive and isn’t exactly true, trimming your hair does have some benefits for overall length.

Here, we’ll answer whether cutting off dead ends really helps hair grow, discuss how often you should cut your hair, and go over hair care tips to help expedite growth.

If so, why does trimming hair make it grow faster? Cutting your hair doesn’t technically make it grow at a faster rate. The hair growth rate is about half an inch a month, which comes out to roughly six inches a year, but it varies slightly by person.

Trimming your hair does not make it grow any faster than its natural rate, as hair growth originates from the scalp, not the ends. However, regular trims can help your hair look healthier and break less, which is important for reaching and retaining that hard-earned length.

Trimming Hair to Remove Split Ends

When you get your hair trimmed (or do it yourself), you eliminate damaged or split ends. Split ends, as you may know, are those frayed tips of hair that form a Y-shape. 

If they’re not trimmed off, split ends can travel up the length of the hair shaft, damaging the hair or causing hair breakage. When hair breaks at the ends, it doesn’t appear to grow because any length gained at the scalp level is lost at the bottom.

Unfortunately, this question doesn’t have a one-size-fits-all answer. How often you should cut your hair depends on your hair type, goals, and overall health of your hair. 

But below, you’ll find some general guidelines. Here’s who might want to cut their hair every:

• Four to six weeks. If you have short hair and want to maintain its shape, get it trimmed every four to six weeks. You can go even more frequently if you have very close-cropped hair.

• Six to eight weeks. If you’re maintaining a specific style, try to visit your barber or hairdresser every one and a half to two months.

• Eight to 12 weeks. This cadence (three to four trips to see a hairstylist annually) encourages growth while preventing split ends and damage.

• Three to four months. If you’re trying to grow out your hair but still want to avoid split ends and keep things looking healthy, once every three or four months is plenty — especially if you’re gentle on your hair and avoid excessive heat styling (which can cause damage).

Before we dive into the best ways to support hair growth, it’s essential to understand how the hair growth cycle actually works.

The hair growth cycle is generally divided into three phases:

• Anagen phase. The anagen phase is the growth stage, during which hair actively grows. About 85 to 90 percent of individual hair strands are in this phase at any given time.

• Catagen phase. The catagen phase is a brief transition period between the anagen (growth) phase and the resting stage. Hair loses some diameter during this time (so it becomes thinner).

• Telogen phase. Also called the resting stage, this is when hair stops growing and eventually sheds. Up to 10 percent of the hairs on your head are in the telogen phase at any given time. Lasting a few months — remember, only a small amount of hair is shedding at a time — this is a normal and healthy part of the growth cycle.

Besides regular trims, here’s what else you can try to support healthy hair growth:

• Hair growth treatments. If you notice your hair is slower to grow due to hair loss, treatments like minoxidil and finasteride can really help. The FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) has approved both medications specifically for treating male pattern baldness (androgenetic alopecia). Finasteride and minoxidil work differently, though both medications have been shown to extend the anagen phase, resulting in a longer period of growth.

• Scalp massage. Limited research has shown that scalp massage can potentially improve hair density by increasing oxygen and blood flow to dermal papilla cells (those that regulate growth) at the base of the hair follicle.

• Eating a balanced diet. Just like your body, your hair needs nutrients to function. Eating lots of whole foods can support growth — think lean protein, fruits, veggies, nuts, healthy fats, and whole grains.

• Supplements. If you’re having trouble meeting nutritional goals through diet alone, supplements can help. For example, supplementing with biotin (vitamin B7) can be very beneficial to people with a true deficiency. Our biotin gummies contain other nutrients to support hair health, like vitamins B6, B12, vitamin D,  and folic acid.

• Experimenting with natural hair growth ingredients. Certain natural ingredients found in hair products — like saw palmetto, pumpkin seed oil, and rosemary oil — have some evidence supporting the idea that they promote hair growth. Check out our guide to the best oils for hair growth to go more in-depth on this topic.

You can learn more about strategies to support hair growth in our guide on how to reopen hair follicles.

If you cut your hair, does it grow faster? Yes and no. Here’s the truth about hair trims and hair growth:

• Regular, frequent trims don’t technically speed up growth. Growth comes from the scalp, not the ends of your hair. But then why does cutting off dead ends help hair grow? Trims help keep the ends of hair healthy so they don’t break off — a critical component of healthy hair growth.

• Understanding the hair growth cycle is key to optimizing hair health. Certain treatments may prolong the growth phase of the cycle, leading to more growth.

• How often to trim your hair is personal. If the goal is long hair, you can go three to four months between trims. But if you just want healthier hair strands or are maintaining a specific hairstyle, you can get your hair trimmed every four to eight weeks.

• A healthy lifestyle and hair care routine can support growth. Combine trims with scalp massage, a balanced diet, and proven treatments for the best results.

If your hair is growing more slowly because you’re dealing with male pattern baldness or thinning hair, learn more about our hair loss treatments to see what’s available. Or start the process with a free hair loss consultation via our telehealth platform.