Trimming natural hair is one of those funny little things. When people ask me about my own natural hair and how I manage to grow it, one of the first things that I like to ask them in return is how often or when was the last time they trimmed their hair.
At this point I usually get a mixture of answers back from people which range from, “I’m supposed to trim my hair?” to “I didn’t think it was necessary.”
When it comes to maintaining natural hair most people are completely unaware of the benefits of trimming natural hair and look at it as a loss of hair growth rather than a necessity for keeping your hair healthy.
I guess part of the reason for that is that it can be difficult to see the signs that your natural hair needs a trim to begin with. I mean if you can’t see the signs then why would you even bother with trimming?
***Please note that this site uses affiliate links if you would like to read the legal stuff you can find it here
Is Trimming Natural Hair Necessary?
It absolutely is! If you had asked me this a few years ago I probably would have looked at you as though you were crazy. I didn’t understand the importance of trimming hair back then.
It’s a big fat lie that natural hair does not need to be trimmed. in fact, it is probably even more important to trim natural or curly hair than it is to trim straight because our hair goes through a lot due to the pattern on the strand.
Strands twist around each other get tangled and so forth. It’s no wonder that we need to pay close attention to the ends of our hair even more so.
You only need to think about what your hair goes through to realise that you have to trim it.
In a moment I’m going to run through with you 5 signs that your natural hair needs a trim.
How Much Hair Constitutes As A Trim?
Trimming your hair is completely different from cutting it. I know for some people the thought of having to trim their hair fills them with dread especially if you feel that your hair growth is already slow as it is.
Trimming your hair only needs to be a very small amount of hair that you take off. In fact, I don’t even really like to think of it as trimming but rather dusting the ends of my hair. Somehow that makes me feel better about having to do it.
I would say you shouldn’t have to trim more than a couple of centimetres if you trim your hair regularly enough.
What Happens If You Never Trim Your Hair?
If you don’t trim your hair at all you will likely start to see the ill effects of having not done it. Your hair just will not look healthy no matter how much leave-in conditioner you use or how much protein treatments you do.
Sometimes the only thing that will do is trim. This is because the ends of your hair are the oldest part of your hair and therefore the most fragile. There are only so many times you can try and bring it back to life until the day it literally can not do it anymore.
Your hair will be and look so much healthier afterwards so don’t be afraid to trim.
5 Signs Your Natural Hair Needs A Trim
One of the things about trimming natural hair that has become evident to me over the years is that some people just don’t know which signs they should be looking out for when it comes to trimming.
Trimming your natural hair is not just about sticking to a schedule of doing it every 3 months it’s about assessing your hair and seeing when its due for a trim. Below you will find out how to spot the signs that your curly hair needs a trim.
1. The Ends Of Your Hair Look See-Through
If when you look at your hair the ends of your hair look much more see-through compared to the rest of your hair it is likely due to the fact that the ends are becoming stringy and lifeless.
This can be caused by damage during sessions of using heat or over manipulation.
Hair breaks easily and the more it breaks the more your hair will look see-through at the ends. I would advise that if you notice this is happening its best to cut your losses and trim the hair away gradually over time until your strands are fully restored.
You can get some great professional scissors from here
2. Your Definition Isn’t Great
Hair is great at telling us what it needs as long as we know what to look for.
If your hair just won’t show good definition that’s usually a sign that something is wrong. But don’t be too quick to pull out the scissors just yet because it could also be down to the fact that your hair needs protein. If there is an imbalance of protein and moisture it can sometimes make your hair appear frizzy.
If you know that you have been keeping your hair well balanced then you likely do need to have a trim.
3. You Have Lots Of Single Strand Knots
Single strand knots, you just can’t avoid them altogether. If you don’t know what single strand knots or how they appear you can read about it here.
These tiny little knots can give us an indication as to the state of our hair. As I said before you can’t avoid them altogether but if you are seeing an excessive amount of them it’s probably time that you get the scissors out.
4. Your Hair Just Isn’t Growing
As much as this may not make sense right now I can assure you that by trimming your hair you are giving it the best chance to grow.
When you trim your hair you get rid of damaged hair and split ends that can travel up the hair strand and cause even more damage. By timing them off you are keeping your hair in the best strongest possible shape.
5. Your Hair Seems Lifeless Towards The Ends
Hair that appears lifeless towards the ends or rough needs a trim. You can’t hold on to split ends thinking that you can make them look good. The strand will be weak and look weak giving your hair the overall appearance of being unhealthy.
Just like single strand knots, you can’t fully avoid them altogether and no matter how much care you take with your hair at some point you’re just going to have to trim it.
Related post: 5 Signs of healthy natural hair
Final Thoughts On The Signs Your Natural Hair Needs A Trim
Trimming your hair is a necessary hair practice but the quicker you adjust to doing it the easier it will get. I am definitely not afraid of trimming my hair anymore because I have seen the huge benefits that I get back once I have done it.
Don’t be afraid to trim your hair using professional scissors only. If you are not confident enough to do it yourself then get a professional that you trust to do it for you.
When was the last time you trimmed your hair?
Related posts:
Natural hair myths that you don’t need in your life
12 Natural hair mistakes you need to avoid just like the plague!
21 Fast hair growth secrets you need in your life
