Updated on May 16, 2025 | 10 min read
Jaclyn LaBadia, Davines Writer
You’ve likely heard the old wives’ tale that cutting your hair makes it grow faster. And you might be surprised to learn that it's true. But not in the way that you think. Regular hair trims eliminate split ends, preventing damage for healthier hair that appears longer. So it supports longer, stronger hair, but does trimming hair make it grow faster? We’re breaking down everything to know about hair growth and cutting your hair, including the best tips and products to support you on your hair growth journey.
In this Article:
This article explains how trimming your hair doesn’t speed up growth but improves overall hair health by preventing damage. Regular trims help maintain strength and prevent breakage, which supports healthier hair growth in the long run.
Jaclyn LaBadia,
Davines Writer
It helps support longer, stronger strands, but does trimming hair make it grow faster? Before we answer this, let's take a closer look at the biology of your hair. Hair strands start out as bulbs inside of follicles on the scalp. Each bulb grows into what’s known as the hair shaft, made from a cortex (the main body of the shaft), a medulla (the innermost part) and a cuticle (the outside layer of the hair shaft). Studies show that hair grows an average of about 0.35 mm a day, roughly ½ an inch a month or 6 inches a year. Hair growth consists of 3 phases starting with Anagen, where hair strands actively grow for 2-6 years; Catagen, when growth slows for 2 around weeks; and Telogen, which is the resting phase when hair strands shed for 2-3 weeks. Lots of things can affect the hair growth cycle- but does trimming hair make it grow faster? Keep reading to find out.
Hair grows at the root. Anyone who colors their hair and has experienced root grow-out knows this all too well. So why does cutting hair make it grow faster? The ends are the oldest part of your hair, having withstood the most wear and tear, making damage inevitable. Cutting the damaged parts of the hair off allows strands to retain their length. Once hair becomes damaged and splits, there’s no way to fix it. Unless you cut it off, the split will continue to travel up the strand, making length retention almost impossible. Breakage is the main cause of hair not growing past a certain length. So keeping the ends free of damage allows strands to grow longer and stronger for optimal hair growth.
So does trimming your hair make it grow faster? The hair growth process begins in the follicle beneath the scalp, not at the ends. So no, cutting your hair doesn’t actually affect growth at the root. The only things that can do this are your genes, overall health, nutrition, and stress levels. But while it’s true that trimming doesn’t actually speed up the growth process, it does keep your ends free of growth-impeding-damage. Regular trims are an essential part of a healthy hair care routine, and an absolute must for growth.
Getting regular trims ensures your strands are their healthiest and strongest, two musts for gaining extra length. So does trimming hair make it grow faster? Not technically. But in addition to supporting growth indirectly, a regular trim schedule has so many benefits for your hair. Primarily, preventing split ends and breakage, maintaining your hair’s shape and style and improving your hair’s health and appearance. All of these things contribute to your hair reaching its maximum growing potential.
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to how often you should trim your hair, it all depends on your hair’s texture and its integrity. Because fine hair is the thinnest in diameter, it's susceptible to damage. The same goes for already damaged hair, and curly and textured hair which are the driest. These hair types should aim to trim every 6-8 weeks for healthy growth. Trimming every 10-12 weeks is ideal if your hair is thicker or otherwise healthy. And if you’re growing out a short haircut, trimming every 4-8 weeks will hold your cut’s shape as it grows out. Have no more than half an inch taken off at each trim, unless the damage is more severe.
In addition to trimming your hair regularly, these tips will encourage healthy hair growth:
Avoid heat styling and use heat protectant first when you can’t
Don’t over-wash and use conditioner after every shampoo
Detangle wet hair gently with your fingers or a wide tooth comb
Eat a hair healthy diet including vitamins B and D, zinc and omega-3 fatty acids
Sleep on a satin pillowcase to reduce friction, frizz, and breakage
Massage your scalp daily with your fingers, applying moderate pressure in tiny circles
Avoid toxins and chemicals and use treatments like perms, relaxers, and hair color thoughtfully
In addition to regularly trimming your hair and incorporating the tips above, healthy hair growth depends on using high quality, toxin-free products made from natural ingredients. NaturalTech Energizing line and its and superactive products are enriched with a Hair Energy Complex to fight and protect against different kinds of hair loss and seasonal stressors. The Energizing Shampoo reinforces weak hair, preventing breakage, and reinvigorating the scalp to promote new growth. The Energizing Superactive helps reduce hair loss and improves hair density and body, and the Energizing Gel gives strength and body to thinning strands.
If the goal is adding length, yes, you can trim your hair too often. Depending on the length of your hair, trimming any more than every 4 weeks is too often for any noticeable hair growth.
Yes, your hair growth slows with age, usually starting around age of 40, resulting in a change of texture and decreased density with strands becoming finer and thinner.
Some obvious signs that your hair needs a trim are knotting and tangling easily, split ends, excessive frizz or flyaways, being limp or unmanageable in general or it's been longer than 3 months since your last trim.
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by Jaclyn LaBadia, featured contributor
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by Jaclyn LaBadia, featured contributor
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