In This Article:
How Often Should You Get a Haircut? Short Hairstyles: Every 2-4 Weeks Medium-Length Hairstyles: Every 4-6 Weeks Long Hairstyles: Every 6 Weeks What Factors Can Affect How Often You Need a Haircut? How Fast Your Hair Grows Your Hairstyle of Choice Styling Preferences Hair Type Does Getting Your Hair Cut Regularly Make it Healthier? Create a Good Hair Care Routine Will My Hair Grow Faster if I Get in Cut More Regularly? Summary: How Long is Too Long in Between Trims FAQs Salt Grooming Recommends...
If you can't remember the last time you visited your barber, you've probably run to the internet to suss out how long is okay to go without getting the chop – which is exactly what we're going to talk about here.
There isn't really a straight, single answer on how often men should get a haircut, but there's a general consensus that we all seem to follow and a few tell-tale signs that your trim could do with, well, a trim.
Aside from keeping your hair looking tidy, getting fairly regular haircuts is also important for the health of your hair, which we'll delve into a little later.
How Often Should You Get a Haircut?
Depending on your current hairstyle, you should be looking at visiting your barber anywhere fromevery 2 to 6 weeks. Now, that's a pretty big range, and it really depends on your own personal preference and the type of cut you have.
Short Hairstyles: Every 2-4 Weeks
If you have shorter hair and prefer to keep it that way, you'll need to get your hair cut more frequently.
Buzzcuts will require some of the most maintenance and will likely need to be trimmedevery 2-3 weeksto keep them looking sharp.Shorter styles, such as a crew cut or a textured crop, can go 3 to 4 weeks before needing a trim.
Medium-Length Hairstyles: Every 4-6 Weeks
For those with medium-length hair, you have a bit more flexibility in terms of how often you'll need to get a trim.
Generally, a haircutevery 4-6 weeks will be good to maintain the shape and style of your hair. This is especially important if you have layers or a specific haircut, as it will help prevent your hair from looking unkempt and losing its shape.
Long Hairstyles: Every 6 Weeks
For those with long hair, or if you're aiming to grow out your hair, every 6 weeks is a good rule of thumb for getting a trim. It might seem counteractive to cut your hair if you want to keep growing it, but it can soon become messy-looking and damaged if left untrimmed.
A quick ½ or 1-inch chop off the ends will help to remove any split ends andkeep your hair healthyas it grows.
Read How to Grow Out Long Hair for Men
What Factors Can Affect How Often You Need a Haircut?
These time frames are really just guides (although we generally wouldn't wait any longer than 6 weeks max), and there are other factors that come into play when determining how often you should get your hair cut.
Things like your hairstyle, lifestyle, and hair growth are all big ones to think about when scheduling your appointments.
#1 How fast your hair grows
#2 Your hairstyle
#3 Your lifestyle
#4 Styling effort
#5 Hair type
How Fast Your Hair Grows
Number one on the list is how fast your hair grows, and a pretty obvious one at that. If your head sprouts hair like no tomorrow, you'll likely need to get it cut more frequently than someone with a slower-growing barnet, especially if you want to maintain your current hairstyle.
On average,hair grows between 0.5 and 1.7 centimetres per month(MNT), which translates to roughly 0.2 to 0.7 inches. Depending on things like genetics and overall health, some people may have hair that grows even faster or slower than the average.
Your Hairstyle of Choice
A bit like we've discussed above, your hairstyle andlengthwill also play a major role in how often you need to visit the salon.
If you have ashort haircut, like a buzzcut or fade, and you want to maintain that style, you'll need to get it cut more often. If you have a longer hairstyle or you're trying to grow it out, you may be able to stretch the time between haircuts a bit longer.
10 Celeb-Inspired Low Maintenance Hairstyles for Men
Your Lifestyle & Schedule
If you live a busy life and can't find regular time to squeeze in a salon or barber visit, you may just have to do with what you can manage. That might mean sometimes waiting 2 weeks for a haircut or stretching it out to 5 to fit around your schedule.
On the other hand, if you're someone who enjoys the experience of getting a haircut and likes to keep your hair looking fresh, you may want to visit the salon more frequently.
It's your head of hair, after all, so it's important to find a routine and schedule that works for you.
Styling Preferences
Not everyone has the time or patience to tend to their mop of hair every morning, so consider whether you might benefit from a shorter hairstyle to reduce the amount of time you need to spend on it.
Conversely, if you enjoy experimenting with different hairstyles and taking the time to perfect your look, alonger hairstyle may be more suitable for you. In this case, you may want to get less frequent trims to allow your hair to grow out more.
Hair Type
Hair type is another important factor to consider when deciding on the frequency of salon visits.
Men with fine or thin hair may find that they don't need to visit the salon as often, whereas thick, coarser hair needs a bit more maintenance so it doesn't become unruly or unmanageable. Getting layers put in can also help with this, as it'll reduce the weight and thickness of the hair.
Does Getting Your Hair Cut Regularly Make it Healthier?
Getting your hair cut on a regular basis does do more than just maintain the length and style.
By snipping away the ends of your hair, you're removing any existing or potentialsplit ends which can make hair look and feel damaged.
In fact, split ends are one of the biggest causes of frizziness because the damaged hair breaks more easily and creates flyaways. These hairs are also at risk of breaking off, which can lead to thinner and uneven hair.
Create a Good Hair Care Routine
But cutting your hair alone will not make it healthier; it's only a small part of a larger hair care routine. To truly improve the health of your hair, you need to combine regular trims with proper nourishment and care.
Usehigh-quality hair products to cleanse your locks, and use gentlestyling products that won't strip your hair of moisture or leave it full of product build-up.
Your diet and lifestyle habits are also important, with nutrients like protein, biotin, and vitamins A, C, and E essential for healthy hair growth.
Build Your Hair Care Routine
Will My Hair Grow Faster if I Get in Cut More Regularly?
A big misconception in the hair world is that getting frequent trims will make your hair grow faster.
In reality,trimming your hair doesn’t affect the rate at which your hair grows from your scalp. Hair growth occurs at the root level, so it has nothing to do with the ends of your hair.
Hair growth is affected by:
Genetics
Age
Hormones
Diet
Lifestyle
Illness
Medications
Stress levels
That being said, regular haircuts will do your hair more good than harm, so it's still important to get them.
Summary: How Long is Too Long in Between Trims
In short,you ideally shouldn't leave it any longer than 6 weeks in between haircuts. If you're maintaining a specific style, you should schedule your appointments accordingly to keep your hair looking fresh, but keeping your hair healthy doesn't necessarily require a strict schedule.
Create ahair care routine that works for you and your hair type – from the products you use to the frequency of your trims.
Read moremen's hair care tips and advice on our blog.
FAQs
How Often Should a Man Get a Haircut When Growing It Out?
When growing out your hair, it's important to still get regular trims every 6 weeks. Even if you just have an inch or half an inch taken off, it will help prevent split ends and maintain the health of your hair.
How Often Should Men with Short Hair Get a Haircut?
Around 2 to 3 weeks is the general recommendation for men with short hair. This will keep your style looking sharp and prevent your hair from becoming unruly.
Does Cutting Hair Help to Grow It?
No, cutting your hair more often does not make it grow faster. However, it will help maintain your hair's overall health, which, by extension, can make it appear healthier and possibly even longer over time.
Is 6 Months Without a Haircut Bad?
Leaving your hair uncut for 6 months is not necessarily bad, but it can lead to split ends and make your hair more difficult to manage than regular haircuts. Also, split ends will stunt the growth of your hair and can lead to further breakage and damage.
Piers Le Moignan
Piers Le Moignan is the founder and CEO of Salt Grooming, an award-winning British luxury men’s haircare and styling brand.
Founded in 2018, Piers has quickly grown the company into a global brand that has distributed to 43 countries and counting.
Headquartered in London, Piers leads an agile workforce of 10 employees and consultants, including the company’s formulation team which features some of the UK’s leading cosmetic scientists. Piers is responsible for overseeing logistics, supply chain, and performance marketing, and is the driving force behind Salt’s product innovation and brand/creative direction.
Previous to foundership, Piers spent a decade at some of London’s leading creative agencies, developing global brands and communications for the likes of Adidas, Jaguar Land Rover, British Airways, and more.