5 Signs That Your Hair Is in Need of a Trim

By Tiffany Walker

There’s no exact time frame on when you should trim your hair, although some specialized in cosmetology would say every four or six weeks or every season. At the end of the day, it’s up to you. Here you can find some signs of when your hair may need a trim. This can help you make that decision that’s right for your particular situation.

Fairy Knots

Also known as single-strand knots, fairy knots are little knots at the end of a tiny strand of hair. This tends to happen due to split ends traveling up the shaft of the hair, making it harder to detangle without increasing shedding. The only solution to this dilemma is a trim and deep conditioning. I prefer to deep condition with protein to help restore the split ends after the trim. I recommend Mielle Organics Babassu & Mint Oil Deep Conditioner — it’s a great balance of protein, which will help with repairing your hair, and moisture.

Less Definition

When it’s time for a trim, styling your hair becomes very difficult as well. For example, during a wash-and-go, the ends of your hair will have less definition, it will tangle easily, and you may even have lifeless, almost straight strands at the ends of your curls. Those are all signs that we may need to clip those dead ends. No sense of keeping them around. Why, you ask? It will interfere with your retention. Dead ends will just travel up the shaft of your hair, making it necessary to cut more off in the long run.

Frizz

Some have also complained of an increased amount of frizz, specifically when doing styles such as twist-outs, braid-outs, perm rod sets, and flexi rod sets. The ends of the hair will not set as smoothly as they do with healthy ends, causing major frizz and preventing your style from lasting as long.

Clipping what only needs to be taken off along with using moisturizing products, such as Mielle's hair oil, can help that bad hair day quickly turn to a good hair day. Also, protecting your hair with a satin scarf or bonnet can help with split ends and decrease the amount of frizz. Products that can help with frizz include Mielle’s Honey & Pomegranate Curl Custard, which I after your trim. This custard will give your wash-and-go some pop.

Brittle or Dry Hair

These last two signs basically go hand-in-hand — dry hair can lead to brittleness. It usually occurs towards the end of your hair, but it can work its way up your hair shaft, which is precisely why you need to manage your trims carefully. After your trim, follow up with a moisturizer to hydrate your strands and keep them smooth. A good daily moisturizer is the Mielle Organics Avocado Moisturizing Hair Milk. I highly recommend that you apply the moisturizer and follow up with the Mint Almond Oil to seal in the moisture.

Try these five tips and let us know how it worked for you! You may need to tweak certain tips based on your hair density and hair porosity. However, these are great first steps to get you started on a healthy hair regimen, and they can help with your healthy hair and retention goals.