Expert-Verified
When you want your hair to grow long, you will try practically everything to speed it up, from DIY homemade masks, scalp massages, hair gummies, and more.
Then the old-fashioned hair trim comes up repeatedly as a method to get long hair fast, but does it really work?
Article Contents
Will Trimming Your Hair Lead to Faster Hair Growth?
Sadly, the answer is no. However, getting a regular trim will remove split ends from your hair so that you will have longer and stronger hair strands.
The hair grows from the scalp, so trimming your hair removes the dead ends from traveling higher up the hair shaft.
Split ends can cause your hair to become weak and break, which can delay the process of hair growth. (1)
Benefits of Trimming Your Hair
A regular trim is needed to maintain the overall strength of your strands. Here are some other benefits of having a regular trim:
- Regular trims are needed to remove split ends from the hair. Split ends slow down hair growth by causing damage and breakage to the hair shaft, preventing you from achieving your long hair goal. (1)
- Getting a regular hair trim will make your hair appear thicker. Conversely, hair with split ends looks thin and lifeless.
- A regular hair trim promotes healthy hair growth and keeps frizz at bay.
How Often Should I Trim My Hair?
Ideally, you should have a hair trim every six weeks. But if you don’t visit the salon frequently, a trim every three or four months is recommended if you want to grow your hair long.
However, if you see split ends on your hair before that time, you should have a trim earlier as suggested by trichologists.
How Do I Make My Hair Grow Faster?
Here are some ways to make your hair grow long quickly:
1. Scalp massage
One of the ways to stimulate your scalp and hair follicles for better hair growth is by doing a scalp massage. Studies show that scalp massage promotes blood circulation to the scalp, resulting in increased hair thickness. (2)
You can use coconut oil to massage your hair as it has been proven to penetrate the hair shaft more than mineral oil. Treating your hair with natural beneficial ingredients provides your scalp with the necessary nutrients to help your hair grow faster. (3)
2. Cleanse your scalp
To get long and strong hair, you must start at the scalp. The scalp goes through a lot, including sebum production, oxidative stress, buildup, and pollution; therefore, it is essential to keep your scalp clean and healthy to avoid inflammation, which can cause hair loss, thinning, and slow hair growth. (4)
To keep your scalp clean and healthy, wash your hair regularly with a good-quality shampoo and conditioner that do not contain sulfates, parabens, mineral oil, fragrances, and other harmful ingredients. (5)
When washing your hair, spend at least 2–3 minutes massaging your scalp to increase blood flow to the area, which is essential for hair growth. (3)
3. Nourish your hair strands
Hair that is not well hydrated will become weak and prone to fall. That’s why you should keep your tresses well moisturized with nutritional oils such as coconut oil, olive oil, and castor oil, among others. (6)
You can also try homemade deep-conditioning masks to nourish your hair so it grows long and healthy.
4. Don’t overstyle your hair
Bleaching, rebonding, and other harsh hair treatments cause oxidative stress to your scalp and lead to the breakdown of hydrogen bonds between keratin proteins, resulting in hair damage. (7) If you are in the quest for healthy, long hair, give it a break.
5. Try essential oils
Studies have shown that applying pumpkin seed oil to your tresses promotes hair growth. (8)
Another study conducted on the efficiency of peppermint oil on hair growth concluded that it helps in increasing dermal thickness, hair follicle number, and follicle depth. (9)
Just add a few drops of the essential oils to coconut oil, olive oil, or sweet almond oil and massage the oil blend on your scalp in circular motions for 5–10 minutes, and you will see hair growth in the next few weeks.
General Queries on the Relation Between Hair Trimming and Growth
Does brushing my hair make it grow faster?
No, brushing your hair will not help your hair to grow faster. It merely helps to distribute the oil from your roots down to the length of the hair.
How can I thicken my hair quickly?
You can help thicken your hair by following a nutrient-dense diet of vegetables, fruits, meat, fats, and oils. Regular oil massages can also help increase blood flow to the hair follicles, resulting in thicker hair growth. (3)
Cutting out the stress from your life and regular exercise will also help you achieve thicker hair growth. (10)
How do I improve my thinning hair?
Many physician-recommended treatments can help you get thick hair. These include minoxidil (Rogaine), finasteride (Propecia), microneedling, and hair transplant.
Final Word
Trimming your hair does not necessarily make it grow faster, but this does not mean you should skip out on getting your regular haircut.
Hair trimming offers many advantages, including getting rid of split ends and making the hair appear thicker and healthier. As discussed above, split ends can travel up to the hair shaft and cause hair breakage in multiple places, which can delay hair growth.
Hence, it is still highly recommended to maintain a regular trimming schedule to help your hair grow long and healthy.
References
- Gavazzoni Dias MFR. Hair cosmetics: An overview. International journal of trichology. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4387693/. Published 2015.
- Koyama T, Kobayashi K, Hama T, Murakami K, Ogawa R. Standardized scalp massage results in increased hair thickness by inducing stretching forces to dermal papilla cells in the subcutaneous tissue. Eplasty. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4740347/. Published January 25, 2016.
- RB; RASM. Effect of mineral oil, sunflower oil, and coconut oil on prevention of hair damage. Journal of cosmetic science. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12715094/.
- Trüeb RM. Oxidative stress in ageing of hair. International journal of trichology. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2929555/. Published January 2009.
- Bondi CA, Marks JL, Wroblewski LB, Raatikainen HS, Lenox SR, Gebhardt KE. Human and environmental toxicity of sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS): Evidence for safe use in household cleaning products. Environmental health insights. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4651417/. Published November 17, 2015.
- Saxena R, Mittal P, Clavaud C, et al. Longitudinal Study of the scalp microbiome suggests coconut oil to enrich healthy scalp commensals. Scientific reports. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8012655/. Published March 31, 2021.
- Effects of oxidative treatments on human hair keratin films – researchgate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/223969076/.
- Cho YH, Lee SY, Jeong DW, et al. Effect of pumpkin seed oil on hair growth in men with androgenetic alopecia: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine: eCAM. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4017725/. Published 2014.
- Oh JY, Park MA, Kim YC. Peppermint oil promotes hair growth without toxic signs. Toxicological research. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4289931/. Published December 2014.
- Peters EMJ, Müller Y, Snaga W, et al. Hair and stress: A pilot study of hair and cytokine balance alteration in healthy young women under major exam stress. PloS one. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5397031/. Published April 19, 2017.
