One of the BIGGEST myths in the natural hair community is how to properly trim!
Let's talk about it!!!
Trimming is a super important process in hair growth!!! It helps to keep our ends healthy and prevent breakage/damage of our hair strands. If we do not trim, the damage of our ends could travel up the length of our hair strands. So instead of needing one inch trimmed, you now need four!!!!
Unfortunately their is conflicting information about how to properly trim in order to promote growth. Some say that we should trim every 6 weeks while others say every 6 months. Some say trim on stretched hair while others say wet. Some say only dust your ends while others say trim a few inches.
So what do we do?????
Like any hair care routine, it all depends on what works best for YOU!!! There are many factors that determine what type of trim routine matches your hair.
For example, if you wear protective styles often, you might not need to trim as often as someone who wears their hair out more. This is because the more exposed our ends are, the more single strand knots and breakage we receive.
On the other hand, those with chemically or colored treated hair may have to trim more than those with natural, untreated hair. Chemicals can weaken the hair strand which making one more susceptible to breakage.
One thing we do know is to NEVER follow a set schedule for trimming. You should ONLY trim when you see breakage, otherwise you are cutting off healthy hair for the sake of trimming once a month for example.
Here are a few tips to Trim for Hair Growth
1.Observe your breakage.Learning what breakage looks like on your hair can be helpful in determining when to trim. For example, with tighter hair, sometimes its easier to see breakage on stretched hair as it might sometimes be hidden within your texture. Also unhealthy ends can take on many forms. Sometimes it can be the way they feel, the way they look in your styles, or noticeable thinness. It is important to learn what breakage looks like for you to avoid unnecessary trims and also stop damage early.
2. Use Hair Scissors. Not using hair scissors can actually worsen ends during a trim. Hair scissors are formulated with a sharp angle than cleanly cuts the ends and removes breakage. Using regular scissors with blunt edges may cut your hair at an angle that causes more split ends or that does not completely remove damage. We say it is worth it to invest in a good pair of hair scissors.
3. Keep ends hydrated. This is a great way to reduce the amount of trims needed. As we learned in previous newsletters, hydrated hair reduces breakage which will reduce how much hair needs to be trimmed. Ways to do this are using products like our Hydrating Hair Butter to lock moisture in the hair and strengthen your ends. Also, wearing styles that keep ends protected helps to prevent them from being exposed, drying out, and breaking. Great end protecting styles are wigs, mini twists, buns, and braids!
Check Out This Tutorial for How To Trim
Recap
Trims are very important when it comes to our hair growth journey. They help remove breakage that could potentially travel throughout the length of our hair. Therefore, it is important to have a trim routine that works for YOU!!! Observing breakage, using the proper tools, and keeping your ends hydrated/protected are great ways to ensure you are trimming correctly for growth!!!
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