How Often Should You Get A Haircut? A Detailed Guide

When it comes to haircuts, people tend to fall into two categories. Some have a strict haircut schedule, and others get to it when they feel like it.

Well, we’re here to tell you that the first group has it about right.

Even if your hair looks fine a month after the haircut, it would look better with the right trim frequency. Regular salon visits are key to ensuring your hair looks healthy, has shape, and isn’t frazzled.

Now, how often should you get a haircut? That depends on several factors, including your hair’s length, density, style, and health. Here’s all you need to know about haircuts!

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A Look at the Numbers

First things first: how often does the average person get a haircut?

The simple answer is that it depends on gender. Men get full haircuts about six times a year, which is about one haircut every 8-9 weeks. Women go to the salon four times a year, which equates to one haircut every 13 weeks.

The reason why men get haircuts more often is that they tend to go for shorter cuts. A short cut comes with a short lifespan, as it shows growth much faster than a longer cut. With something like a fade, you’ll start seeing growth in a week or two.

Another factor in haircut frequency is the cost of getting a haircut. Women’s haircuts cost an average of $54, with men’s haircuts costing $23. This means men pay less for their haircuts despite going to the salon more often.

Now, these averages don’t take hair length into account. Here’s how having short, medium, or long hair can influence haircut frequency.

Short Haircuts

When we talk about short hair, we refer to hair that’s chin-length or shorter. This includes fades, buzz cuts, bobs, pixies, and so on.

Again, we need to stress the difference between very short hair and short hair. Very short hair needs cutting every 1-3 weeks. If you have a fade or a tapered cut, this is the only way to keep it from looking grown out.

Short cuts such as bobs and pixies can survive a few weeks of new hair growth. If you have normal short hair, expect to visit a salon every 2-7 weeks. Remember: a short haircut benefits your face only if you keep it trimmed.

Medium Haircuts

Medium-length hair can be anywhere from chin-length to shoulder-length. As you can guess, this encompasses many different types of haircuts.

If you have medium hair, you should cut it every 12 weeks. Waiting longer than that will cause your hair to move into “long” territory.

That said, having fast-growing, damaged, or layered hair can throw a wrench into these plans. This could see your hair develop split ends or weighed-down curls and waves. If you notice these issues, you should go to the salon more often.

Long Haircuts

Many people with hair past their shoulders believe that trimming it is a waste of time. The truth is, skipping trims can do more harm than good.

For starters, not cutting your hair for too long will likely lead to split ends. You may also experience uncomfortable weight, shapeless tresses, thin ends, and grown-out layers.

On top of all that, having long hair equates to having old hair. In the time it took you to grow your hair out, it was likely exposed to the elements, brushed while wet, and chemically processed. All these things will damage your hair over time.

Now, maintaining long hair doesn’t mean going to the salon every few weeks. All you need to do is give it a regular trim to cut the oldest hair at the ends. For best results, you should do so once every 3-4 months.

When to Get a Haircut

Can’t get into the habit of scheduling salon appointments? If so, here are some good reasons to get a haircut as soon as possible.

Number one: you can’t get your favorite style to work. Grown-our hair doesn’t have the same shape, which will ruin your cut. For instance, side-swept bangs look great—until they start getting into your eyes!

Visible hair damage is another big indicator you need a haircut. Remember, your hair doesn’t need to grow out too much for the thin or split ends to show up.

If you used to have wavy or curly hair, you may find out that it’s all but disappeared. Even if you didn’t have waves or curls, your hair may appear flat. You can tell this is an issue if it’s too hard to keep your hair from lying against your head.

If you notice these signs, that’s your hair telling you it’s time for a cut. Take a look at barbershops near you and find the right barber for your needs.

Haircut Frequency

As a general rule, hair grows about 0.5 inches per month. That said, some hair can grow slower than that due to a variety of factors.

The three most common factors are a poor diet, hormone disruption, and high levels of stress. If you’re struggling with any of these, you may see less hair growth than the average person.

Many people with slow-growing hair try to do anything to get it to grow faster. This includes getting regular haircuts. Unfortunately, trims don’t accelerate hair growth whatsoever.

Now, what regular haircuts can do for your hair is make it look healthier at the ends. This is why you shouldn’t be afraid to sacrifice some length to remove the damaged ends. Your reliable barber at Dino’s Barbershop can help you maintain your regular haircut needs.