Let’s talk about a very controversial subject. Your stylist says that you need to ‘trim your hair’ in order for it to grow out. While your friend is sitting next to you telling you that she hasn’t cut her hair for over a year and her hair is super long. So which is it? Which is the truth?

To start off and to give you my quick opinion, I’m on the side of getting a trim every 8-12 weeks if you want to grow your hair out. But I wanted to explain why and do a deep dive into this subject and to help you grow your hair out safely and healthily.

Okay let’s talk about how this actually works. Because doesn’t the hair grow from the roots and not the ends? Correct, BUT let’s say you have split ends because you haven’t gotten a trim in a while. Those split ends break off. So when your hair is growing it actually isn’t growing because the ends of your hair are breaking off so it seems like your hair grows extremely slow. If you get a trim (1 inch off) every 8-12 weeks, your hair will grow faster because the ends of your hair aren’t breaking off. So healthier, stronger hair =  longer hair.

Hair Growth Phases

I want to tell you about how the hair grows and the science behind it. The hair grows in 3 stages, Anagen, Catagen, then Telogen. 

The first phase is the Anagen phase. This is where the hair is actively growing. Hair actively grows from the roots for an average of 2-7 years before hair follicles become dormant. In this time, hair can grow anywhere between 18-30 inches. 

The second phase is the Catagen phase. This phase is the transitional phase where the hair stops growing and detaches from the blood supply. Your hair may only be in this phase for 2-3 weeks.

Lastly is the Telogen phase. This phase begins with a resting period, where club hairs rest in the root while new hair begins to grow beneath it. This phase lasts for around 3 months. This is also the phase where your hair will just come out. You lose about 50 hairs a day. And if you don’t wash your hair everyday like I do – I lose a lot more when I shower because I rough up my scalp to make sure all the dead hair is gone. This is completely normal and natural.

I wanted to break down the three phases to tell you that in order to grow your hair out, you have to keep your hair in the first phase as long as possible. Now I know there are sooooo many remedies out there to grow your hair. Hair growth pills, serums, and so much more. What I found that is best for my health and the most natural way is to:

– Eat healthy

– Drink lots of water

– Let your hair air dry

– Don’t put a lot of heat on it (only special occasions)

– Use salon recommended shampoo and conditioner (no Suave, Pantene, and Tresemme!!!)

Summary

Yes, have regular trims for your hair so you can grow healthy long hair. For me personally, I would rather have healthy hair that takes a little longer to grow than that long hair full of split ends that just looks gross. There are three stages of hair growth: Anagen, Catagen, Telogen. Hair grows the most during the first stage. If you trim your hair regularly, it will start growing through the phases instead of breaking off and taking longer to grow! Pills and serums for hair growth aren’t always natural and healthy, but eating right and taking care of your hair is the healthiest way for it to grow.

xoxo,
Katlyn